Most amateur golfers lose strokes around the green—not from distance, but from poor contact. Whether you’re chunking it short or skulling it long, the problem usually comes down to setup and swing path.
This week, QuickFixGolf’s Darren deMaille shares a dead-simple way to sharpen your short game using just a few alignment sticks.
Build Your Chipping Station
To create your practice setup, you’ll need three alignment sticks:
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Stick #1: Lay this down along your target line
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Stick #2: Place a second stick perpendicular to that line—this will act as your obstacle
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Stick #3: Insert the third stick into the ground at an angle, about the height of a water bottle behind your ball
Now, place the ball 6 inches in front of the perpendicular stick.
Check out the set up here:
The Technique: Clean Contact & Better Direction
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Start with the club shaft vertical—this promotes a straight-back, straight-through stroke
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Swing without touching the perpendicular stick on your backswing or follow-through
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This forces the proper angle of attack, helping you avoid chunking or flipping at the ball
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The angled stick behind the ball reinforces proper distance control and clean turf interaction
Why It Works
This drill gives you instant feedback. If you’re too shallow, you’ll hit the obstacle. If you flip your wrists, your contact will suffer. The station reinforces solid fundamentals—like shaft lean, quiet hands, and a crisp downward strike.
Set up this alignment stick station and make your chipping a strength—not a weakness.
