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ChippingPuttingWedge play = Pitching and Chipping Wedges Beginner ⏱ 2 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

John Daly's Chip and Putt for Beginners: Learning Backwards

In this excerpt from the Full Send podcast, John Daly talks about his passion for golf and offers a simple piece of advice to beginners: work on your chip and putt first. He points out that Tiger Woods learned golf the wrong way around and that tournaments are won within 150 yards.

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John Daly
John Daly · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

6 minSame problemGripping Down When Chipping, by Van de VeldeJean Van de Velde · Beginner / Intermediate8 minSame problemShort Game at Home: Putting Arc and Chipping to a FinishDanny Maude · Beginner / Intermediate4 minFrom the same proPutting Tips from the Champions: John Daly and Gary PlayerJohn Daly · Beginner

What the lesson shows

John Daly describes golf as a game of’imagination, both mental and technical. After a brief digression on the driving range, his message to beginners is clear: chip and putt. His interlocutor points out that Tiger Woods was trained in reverse: he started very young with putting, then chipping, then 100-yard shots, before moving on to the driver.

John Daly drives the point home: All professional golfers know how to hit a driver or a 5-iron, but what really matters are shots at 125 or 150 yards or less. No one talks about the wedge shot out of the rough that sets up a putt, even though that's where the difference is made. For him, golf is played first and foremost in those last 150 yards.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Start your training with putting.
  2. Next, add the chipping around the green.
  3. Move on to shots of about 100 yards.
  4. Save the driver for the end of the progression.
  5. Devote a large portion of your practice sessions to shots of 150 yards or less.

Key Takeaways

John Daly's advice for beginners: focus on chipping and putting first.
Tiger Woods learned the wrong way around: putting, chipping, then longer shots.
All professionals know how to hit a driver.
The difference is evident at 150 yards or less.
Golf requires as much imagination as it does technique.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Starting out in golf by hitting nothing but drivers on the driving range.
  • Neglecting the short game when scores are being decided near the green.
  • Assess your level based on the distance of your drive.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Sessions Focused on Chipping and Putting for Beginners
  2. Reverse progression: putting, chipping, 100-yard shots, then the driver
  3. Wedge shots of 150 yards or less

Your Questions

What advice does John Daly have for beginners?

Chip and putt. He believes that beginners should focus on their short game first, because that's where it makes all the difference.

How did Tiger Woods learn to play golf?

"It's the other way around," John Daly's interview partner points out: first putting at a very young age, then chipping, then 100-yard shots, and the driver last.

Why is the play within 150 yards so important?

According to John Daly, all professionals know how to hit a driver or a 5-iron. What wins tournaments are the shots of 125 or 150 yards or less—the ones nobody talks about.

Learn More

All “Chipping” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Putting” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll videos on “Wedge Play = Pitching and Chipping” →Find the lesson that's right for you Justin Thomas's backspin pitch: grip and handsHigh pitch that stops: light left-hand grip in the palm, hands low to set up the bounce, long-putt tempo, and a “thrown” head for more spin. Ball Climbing Up the Wedge Face: 3 Shots by MorikawaToo much loft at impact causes the ball to rise off the clubface: Morikawa demonstrates how to avoid this with a 40-yard wedge shot, a lob, and an uphill pitch. A Partial Wedge Shot That Bites: The Morikawa MethodA feel-based system rather than a clock, a short backswing without decelerating, and a descending strike even uphill to make the ball bite. John DalyAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (John Daly). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.

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