harveythomas

I am transitioning from Sieckman style use the bounce teaching to Joe Mayo mechanics. Partly because my chips had become scoops flips with lots of fats and thins and it hadn’t worked well for over two years now. It’s been a big struggle for two months and needed a couple of follow up discussions with the pro who teaches it and finally I’m starting to get it. It seems the key is ball first contact and I’m not even thinking about the bounce and it produces nice low spinners. I can produce higher ones with slight changes in set up and letting the face open a bit more on backswing. Mostly though I just keep a hooded face for the low spinner with my 56 degree which is my most lofted wedge. My up and down proportion in my last round was 5 out of 8. I can reproduce the technique in my back garden and I no longer flinch over my chips like I’d got before. I have no idea if I’m using the bounce. I’m not taking big divots but if I use a vertical swing plane, forward shaft lean, weak grip, no attempt to release with hands (more bowed left wrist than cupped) then it hits very nicely controlled chips like never before in my life. The Joe Mayo videos have been great but I also needed a pro who teaches that style of chipping (probably about 90 minutes across multiple sessions) to start to get it as well as quite a few hours practicing in the garden with plane sticks etc over the years I’ve tried materials from Pelz, Sieckman, Utley, Mickleson and Dan Grieve and now Mayo (only on insta) but for now at least I’m ignoring the distraction of all the other stuff and enjoying the Mayo style.