How to Hit the Bump & Run

Saturday, 17 October 2009 17:45

Written by The Golf Drill Guru

0 Comments

The Bump & Run is a very useful type of chip. It can be used from pretty much anywhere, with any club, and is also very simple to perform. This shot is very much like a putt, the only difference being it’s with an iron. The idea is to get the ball to fly over the rough, land on the green, and roll the rest of the way to the hole. The key to this shot is to swing with your arms and shoulders, and not break your wrists. Taking the wrists out of the chipping equation is very useful; it greatly reduces your chances of messing the shot up.

The trick to performing this shot correctly is the positioning of your wrists. From address to the follow-through your wrists should stay ahead of the clubhead. We call this position a forward press, and using it for this shot will greatly improve your chances of hitting a solid shot. Say goodbye to chunks, skulls and fluffed shots due to a wristy stroke.

Getting into this position at address can best be attained by performing the following drill. Grab a broom and as the picture shows, you need to setup with the shaft of the broom leaning forward, up near your lead hip. As you grip the broom like a golf club, you’ll now be setup using a forward press.

Perform some practice strokes with the broom ensuring your wrists are not breaking. If they do, the butt end of the broom shaft will hit your side – instant feedback! This stroke is what we want to mimic when performing the bump and run.

After practicing this drill, if you still find you’re having issues with solid contact – go back to your fundamentals. Specifically, I’d bet your body weight is not resting mostly on your front foot…

The checklist on How to hit the Bump & Run shot:

1) Have the ball in the middle or back in your stance

2) Your body weight should be resting about 80/20 on your front leg

3) Swing only with your shoulders, do not break your

4) Retain your forward press throughout the stroke

5) Do not slow down – like most shots in golf, decelerating is disastrous – acceleration is key

Give this shot a try guys