In the second of a two-part series to help your chipping, we introduce our ‘Par 18’ chipping game

By Jack Woods
Last month we looked at a technical issue many amateurs encounter and a basic drill to correct this common chipping fault. Grab the July 2019 issue for a refresh or search the instruction tab on golfdigestme.com for the piece entitled ‘Fancy footwork to avoid heavy or bladed chips’.

Simply improving technique doesn’t guarantee consistent up and downs once you get out on the course, however. How often have you stood on the practise chipping green before a round and felt really comfortable with your chipping only to find you tense up on the course and can’t knock it close?

A great way to work on this is to create pressure practice scenarios. A simple way to create this pressure is called “Par 18”, a game where you select nine locations around the green with an even mixture of easy, medium and hard shots. From each location you try to get up and down in the fewest number of shots with only one ball and one attempt at each location. Each shot should be given your full attention so remember to follow the routine you use on the course during a normal round. In other words, line up those putts as if you’re playing in the monthly medal.

“Replicate the pressure of a round where the scorecard in your back pocket really counts.”

Each location is a par 2 so the nine holes combined add up to a par 18 challenge, hence the name of the game. It is important that the game is only played once per day and you keep your score each time to replicate the pressure of round where the scorecard in your back pocket really counts. By playing these nine ‘holes’ with the knowledge you can’t simply start again, you begin to create similar pressure levels to those experienced on the course. This way you’ll be better prepared to cope with the tension when it really matters.

Combine this game with the ‘fancy footwork’ tip from last month and watch your up and down stats rise in direct correlation with lower scores.


Jack Woods is a PGA Teaching Professional at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club’s Peter Cowen Academy Dubai. For more information, visit dubaigolf.com