Even Rory McIlroy admits that his short game practice can sometimes be risky business…
Golf fans have been fortunate to glean copious insight from Rory McIlroy during a professional career which has now spanned two decades.
The Masters champion is as erudite when discussing his technical thoughts as he is candid about his mental processes when performing in high-pressure environments, which he is why he’s always been such a compelling figure to both watch and listen to.
McIlroy has also been on hand to give amateur pro-am partners some much-needed course management advice, insisting that a certain amount of restraint will knock shots off your score.
“Sometimes it’s just they try to take shots on or they try to hit a shot that they probably could pull off once or twice out of 10 instead of playing a little bit more percentage,” he said last year. “That’s boring, but that’s certainly the most effective way to lower your score.”
Other times, however, McIlroy will do things that reminds us just how deep the chasm is between the elite pros and even the more proficient amateur golfers. His chip on the 6th hole during his fine opening round at the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club was a case in point.
McIlroy found the green on the long par-3, but had erred so far right with his iron shot that he was stymied by the bunker awkwardly positioned in the middle of the putting surface. He took out a wedge, spinning his ball from over the flag to just inside four feet and holing out for a wonderful save:
It was a brutal shot made to look so effortless. But as often in these situations, the devil was in the detail. Chipping from the greens is nothing new for McIlroy during his practice routines.
“I really like tight lies,” he explained to reporters afterwards. “I practice my chipping a lot off greens back home. It really helps me control the low point and find the low point. If you can chip off a really tight lie or a green like that you can basically chip off any lie so I duo a lot of practice chipping off practice green at The Bears Club [near his home in Florida].”
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McIlroy then allowed a wry smile.
“The super intendent probably doesn’t like it too much,” he said, “but it helps.”
Even McIlroy knows the impact of chipping on his carpet-like greens at the prestigious Bears Club, and he is so skilled that he virtually just kisses the ground through impact. Not like many of us mortals who tend to carve up the land when presented with a tight lie around the greens.
So, on this rare occasion, it’s advisable not to copy the career Grand Slam winner. At the very least you might end up with a seriously unhappy greenkeeper if it doesn’t go to plan. And it’s certainly not worth risking getting marched out of your golf club for unduly damaging the putting surfaces, either.
So while admiring McIlroy’s latest moment of genius, why not learn how to swing a club like him instead?