Hello. I am a relative beginner and am just starting TGM. I am focusing on learning the swinging procedure first and intend to master chipping before moving on to stage 2 and full swings. I am willing to hit 10,000 chips in my back yard, but there is no point "grooving" a faulty procedure. Right now, I simply have no clue as to how to hit a swinger's chip.
Yoda, and other more experienced TGMers, I'd be very grateful if the swinging chip motion could be explained in layman's terms. I've done a search on this and have spent the last hour on it, but I'm still not sure. Yoda, I also watched your video with the young man, but I am not experienced enough to grasp the answers to my questions based on the side view camera angle of your demonstrated chip. I also can't tell if that was a hitting chip or a swinging chip. My questions are:
What exactly is the path followed by my hands, the clubshaft, etc.? Is this a straight back and straight forward motion, or should there be a small arc? Should I be using any pivot at all for a short chip just off the green? Where should the ball position be? How close together should my feet be? Should my stance be square or open? In more general terms, should a beginning swinger think of chips as a long putt with a lofted club, or a shorter version of a full swing? What would be a good swing thought for a beginning chipper?