While Jordan Spieth has been far from his best for some time, there is no doubt that during his prime he played a brand of golf that only Tiger Woods had surpassed in the modern era.
Spieth‘s 2015 campaign remains one of the most remarkable single seasons in recent memory, with two major wins and three more PGA Tour titles. In the four biggest tournaments that year, he never finished lower than fourth.
His iron play was outstanding, and there was a stretch when it felt like every putt he looked at found the bottom of the cup.
But these days, what stands out most about Spieth is how often he finds himself in trouble – and how often he manages to escape it. His knack for pulling off ridiculous recoveries has become a defining feature of his game.
Jordan Spieth shares a common chipping mistake amateurs make
Spieth’s first win on the PGA Tour came at the 2013 John Deere Classic, where he made a playoff by holing out from a bunker on the final hole.
Another of his standout moments was at the 2021 Ryder Cup, where he managed to hit an incredible shot onto the green and nearly ended up in Lake Michigan in the process.
So there are not many better players to listen to when it comes to short game tips. Speaking to Golf.com, Spieth shared some of the advice he often gives during pro-am rounds.
“A lot of it’s basics. It’s alignment, posture, grip, that kind of stuff. It’s just a lot easier to help them chipping more than anything else. I think people have the complete wrong concept on chipping, almost everybody that I play with. Everyone wants to chip the ball, and you need to cover it. And if you can cover it, you can play on any kind of grass type,” the 32-year-old said.
“People try to chip or they want to get it in the air. You’ll see chips I hit, I take divots. But it’s my way of making sure I’m hitting ball first, I’m creating spin, the contact’s consistent. Everyone’s trying to lift it in the air or chip it, and I don’t even use the word chip when I’m chipping.
“That’s probably where I can be most helpful.”
Jordan Spieth recommends this club choice for amateurs around the green
Many amateurs struggle to decide what type of shot to play around the greens. There are several things to weigh up, from the lie and distance to any obstacles in the way.
Spieth has been clear that he thinks most amateurs should avoid trying to play lofted shots. He has also spoken before about which club he thinks suits most players better near the green.
He pointed out that an eight iron often gives more consistent results than a 60-degree wedge.
It often comes down to how much an amateur values their score. Pulling off a tricky shot can be one of the most rewarding feelings in golf, even if it is not always the highest percentage play.
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