The Bump and Run Chip: Rory McIlroy
Do your bump-and-run shots fly too high or come up short? In just over a minute, Rory McIlroy, for TaylorMade Golf, shows how to play the bump and run: it all comes down to the setup, followed by a simple shoulder rock toward a landing spot chosen on the green.
To be continued
What the lesson shows
For Rory McIlroy, the bump-and-run shot is played with a wedge or an iron with a little less loft than his usual club around the green. He normally chips with a 60-degree lob wedge, but here he demonstrates the shot with a 52-degree wedge. According to him, “it’s all in the setup”: the ball slightly back in the stance, you get a little closer to it and hold the shaft a little more upright.
Once in position, he puts a little pressure on his left side and keep it there throughout the swing: that’s what drives the ball forward and makes it roll once on the green. At address, everything is already to the left—both the club and your body weight. Then all you have to do is rock the shoulders back and then through, after picking the small spot on the green where you want the ball to land, and letting the shot go. A very short video, with no drills, but it sums up the essentials of the bump and run from one of the best players in the world.
The Exercise, Step by Step
- Use a 52-degree wedge or an iron with less loft than your usual chipping club.
- Place the ball slightly back in your stance.
- Move a little closer to the ball to make the shaft more upright.
- Put a little pressure on your left foot and hold it there.
- On the green, choose the spot where you want the ball to land.
- Rock your shoulders back and then through, without trying to lift the ball.
Key Takeaways
Mistakes to Avoid
- Playing the bump and run with a wide-open lob wedge.
- Placing the ball too far forward in your stance.
- Letting your weight drift back onto your trail leg.
- Hitting without having picked a landing spot.
Driving Range Mode
Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.
- A few chips with a 52-degree wedge, ball set back, weight on the left
- Same shot with a less-lofted iron to compare the roll
- A towel placed on the green as a landing spot
Your Questions
Which club should you use for a bump-and-run shot?
Rory McIlroy recommends a wedge or an iron with a little less loft than the lob wedge. In the video, he plays the shot with a 52-degree wedge.
Where should I place the ball?
Slightly back in the stance, standing a little closer to it so the shaft is more upright.
Where should you place your body weight?
On the left side, starting at address and throughout the entire swing: this pressure pushes the ball forward and makes it roll.
What motion comes next?
A simple rocking of the shoulders back and then through, after picking the landing spot on the green.
Learn More
Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Rory McIlroy). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons, without hosting them.
