Snedeker's Yip-proof Chip

Every golfer I know who has been playing a long time at a fairly high skill level seems to have some form of the yips (technically focal dystonia), that is, unexplained problems with shots requiring fine motor skills such as putting and chipping. It got pretty bad for me with one of my playing partners saying "...you stand over a simple chip shot thinking skull, chunk, skull, chunk, skull, chunk, ..." never knowing which bad shot you're going to hit next.

My solution to this problem was to basically perfect the chunk shot, that is, hitting slightly behind the ball and taking a divot. Everybody I play with hates this shot but it was the lesser of two evils (skulking the ball over the green always ate up a bunch of strokes), it was all I had and I was producing better and better chips as I perfected the technique.

Then I see the video above where Brandt Snedeker chips one in on the 17th hole in the final round to win the 2012 Tour Championship. Surprise: he took a divot with a 60 degree wedge, the same shot that my playing partners hate to see me hit. It was not an accident (notice him practicing taking a divot before he hits the shot at the beginning of the video). Why would he do this at such a pressure-filled moment of a high-profile championship? I've never heard him talk about the shot, but I think the answer is obvious: he couldn't risk skulling the shot and he was under a lot of pressure, more pressure than I've ever felt standing over a chip shot.

The Golf Channel replayed the chip a number of times from different angles (screens shots above) and never once did any of the announcers say "Wow, look at that chili dip" or even "Great chunk-and-run". Rather, "...Rog, the lie appears really good..." yet Snedeker still takes a divot.

I guess the message for all of us with the chipping yips is: (1) get your 60 degree wedge, (2) take a few practice swings taking a divot to feel the ground, (3) set up with your hands ahead of the ball, (4) concentrate on hitting the ground right behind the ball, (5) take a little longer backswing, (6) keep your head down and (7) hit the chunk-and-run. You'll never skull one over the green again and maybe one will even go in!