Phil Mickelson shared some worthwhile tips with a worthwhile audience on Monday as the five-time major champion gave a clinic ahead of the Freedom to Live charity golf tournament, an organization that helps people who have suffered catastrophic injuries, many of them quadriplegic.
The event, held in Mickelson’s hometown of San Diego, routinely receives donations from Mickelson, but Monday was the first time he was able to attend.
“It’s fun for me to be a part of this, it’s an awesome event that really helps out some people in need and it’s fun for me to be a part of it,” Mickelson said, according to San Diego’s NBC affiliate.
During the clinic, Mickelson shared tips about the full swing and mechanics, but he really wanted to ingrain his “rules of thumb” for solid chipping, which echoed what we overheard earlier this year at the Greenbrier Classic pro-am.
“I hope it helps, I hope that it improves their game, but golf is such an individual sport there’s so many different ways to swing a club you have to siphon through what works best for you,” Mickelson said. “In chipping, there’s a pretty good rule of thumb for what works and what doesn’t, and hopefully these will help out.”
So, what exactly did he tell the assembled guests? It went something like this…
More from Phil.
(Pardon my finger.) pic.twitter.com/MMkvjHtA56— Chantel McCabe (@ChantelMcCabeGC) July 5, 2018
“I’m delofting it by moving it way back, right? So I want at least 60 degrees,” Mickelson said. “So I have it way back, my weight is way forward, you can see my back foot is just resting there. All I do is I just pick the club up and just let it fall on the back of the ball, and it’s really not that hard a shot. And it just comes off hot. So you actually want more loft and it’s going to be easier – I’m going to go to a 64-degree wedge – it’s going to be even easier with the extra loft because it won’t come out as hot. So I have to get up quick, it’s way back in my stance, weight’s way forward, I’m just barely balancing on my rear foot, and you see how that comes out even softer. Anyway, that’s the deal.”
Seems pretty simple, right? Low shots go off the back foot; higher shots are set up off the front foot.
If you’d please excuse us while we head to the yard with a wedge and a handful of golf balls.
