Good Short Game Video (Rick Shiels With Daniel Grieve)

[iacas]

I like a lot of what's shown in this video. Not many nits at which to pick. Watch it (on 1.25 or 1.5 speed for some parts, but watch the actual speed of his swing at normal speed) and let me know what parts you like (or dislike).

[woodzie264]

I really liked the video. I have the same sort of “driving” chip motion that RS did and so this was certainly different.  I agree that the length of his new arc would make me uncomfortable for a green side chip. I’ll have to give it go and work on this for a bit. 

[Carl3]

Astounding that a guy like this never had these techniques in his tool box. He never saw Ken Venturi do his tips on TV?

[iacas]

1 hour ago, Carl3 said:

Astounding that a guy like this never had these techniques in his tool box. He never saw Ken Venturi do his tips on TV?

I don't think I ever really did, and Rick is apparently eight years younger than me. Plus he's in the UK, not the U.S.

[Clemsonfan]

I watched this video a few weeks ago and it changed my approach to chips and pitches. The instruction has greatly enhanced my short game. I practice with my 50* all the time now and have had good results.

[billchao]

Great video, thanks for sharing.

[Carl3]

20 hours ago, iacas said:

I don't think I ever really did, and Rick is apparently eight years younger than me. Plus he's in the UK, not the U.S.

OK, Golf Channel School of Golf: Martin Hall, Michael Breed, David Leadbetter...🤣. The point is that this guy would deloft all of his chip/pitch shots and never thought of opening up the face a bit like he obviously did when he was in the bunker? There is a lot more instructional info available out there that when all we had was Ken Venturi during televised PGA events.

This short game expert was really good, but it is a little hard to believe Rick was punching all of his chips and leaving divots all of these years. He never paid attention to any of his competitors during warmups, practice or during competition?

[billchao]

3 hours ago, Carl3 said:

The point is that this guy would deloft all of his chip/pitch shots and never thought of opening up the face a bit like he obviously did when he was in the bunker?

Did you watch the video? They specifically mentioned not to do this because it’s a band-aid and not particularly effective at fixing his flaw.

What happens to the leading edge of the club when you open it? It gets raised. So now instead of chunking the ball when you bottom the club behind it, you blade it.

3 hours ago, Carl3 said:

This short game expert was really good, but it is a little hard to believe Rick was punching all of his chips and leaving divots all of these years.

You can see the results of his shots. He does well enough to get by. He wants to be better than that.

3 hours ago, Carl3 said:

He never paid attention to any of his competitors during warmups, practice or during competition?

I watched Tiger Woods hit golf shots for years and I still don’t swing like him.

[C Mac]

Some differences to the all time classic chippy pitching video:  - only turning half way through the stroke after the club has dropped a bit(when I was pitching well I felt like I started the turn even as the club was floating back).    - having different release patterns for altering the height of shot / rather than changing shaft angle. - longer back swing in general with handle of club way past the r leg. Agree with others Rick is jamming it up for the purposes of the video. Hard to promote any wedge over another if u don't employ the bounce...

Hamming it up apologies

[dudu3000]

Sitting here, stuck indoors, watching this - it makes me want to run outside with my clubs and start chipping. It’s exciting content!
To use the parlance of our times, “I feel seen“. I felt like this was directed at me specifically. I admire Rick for humbly exposing his weaknesses and I think Rick and I (and likely many others) have the same short game struggles and bandaid solutions. 

As a side-note, I feel this video also gives you a peek behind the curtains, and a little bit of insight as to how fraudulent YouTube instruction can be - In that Rick himself has short game tips and instructional videos, but clearly struggles immensely, and has no confidence in this skill.

I think Ben’s instruction and techniques regarding chipping (0 release) and pitching (release 2) are the same as you outline and teach in your 30 day practice plan - but with less delineation.

We’ve done lessons together, and it’s clearly the same idea(s)…  that you need to let the club work for you, open/inside on the takeaway, take a nice fuller slower move rotational in character… let the wrist release, use the bounce* to your advantage, and let upper half turn to complete.. Easier said than done…

The last part of the video that I find a  interesting - and perhaps exposes a bit of my own experience - is that with the instructor there and while free to make mistakes, Rick is having great success. But it seems like he hasn’t really bought in (my dollar store body language interpretation), and doesn’t really have confidence that he could execute when push comes to shove. I feel that with chipping, he will work on it, and improve - because he is so down on his current results. But in bunker play, where he has a reasonable amount of success meeting his own expectations, I don’t think he’s willing to rework it, and to take the risk of regression. and part of me fears that Rick, while he was chipping the best he ever has  in this lesson… during scored rounds or with some stakes reintroduced, will go back to his old form, which is safe and familiar. Or worse yet go back to the 50 yard putt…

I guess this opens up a question to you as an instructor … do you feel it’s easier to teach people who are all out of sorts, and really looking for a way to rebuild from Ground Zero? Or is it easier to coach those who are already closer on technique, but may be reluctant to change, as they are already seeing moderate success with their current skills?

[golfandcoffee]

I bought the book. But you really need to see the shorts on Youtube as well to really understand it and properly train the swings. For my it was the best game inprovement in the last 10 years. Video with Rick is super.

[iacas]

7 hours ago, dudu3000 said:

I think Ben’s instruction and techniques regarding chipping (0 release) and pitching (release 2) are the same as you outline and teach in your 30 day practice plan - but with less delineation.

Yeah.

7 hours ago, dudu3000 said:

We’ve done lessons together, and it’s clearly the same idea(s)…  that you need to let the club work for you, open/inside on the takeaway, take a nice fuller slower move rotational in character… let the wrist release, use the bounce* to your advantage, and let upper half turn to complete.. Easier said than done…

Also yeah.

7 hours ago, dudu3000 said:

I guess this opens up a question to you as an instructor … do you feel it’s easier to teach people who are all out of sorts, and really looking for a way to rebuild from Ground Zero? Or is it easier to coach those who are already closer on technique, but may be reluctant to change, as they are already seeing moderate success with their current skills?

It depends. On personality, on motivation… on all kinds of things.

I know that sounds like a cop-out answer, but… it's as honest as I can be.