Cross-handed chipping, early Masters picks and butter tarts

Each week, we ask our panel of writers, PGA members and golf industry experts to weigh in with their views on the hot topics of the day.

Matt Fitzpatrick bounced back from his narrow loss at The Players last week to win the Valspar Championship on Sunday, his first win in almost three years. Fitzpatrick has struggled with his short game at times and currently uses a cross-handed grip for shots around the green. Many players use a cross-handed grip for putting but Fitz is currently the only one to use it for chipping, and with great success. Could this become a trend or is it just an isolated weird fix?

Jim Deeks, Fairways Magazine (@jimdeeks): That’s one of the few “fixes” I believe I haven’t tried for my abysmal short game, but who knows, I might.  It does make some sense, in the same way that cross-handed prevents over-active wrist hinging in putting and promotes more of a smooth stroke-through.  But I’m sure many pros have tried it when chipping in the past and found that it takes away the sense of “feel” that is so important around greens.  Which is a long way of saying “we’ll see” if it ever becomes a trend.

Craig Loughry, Golf Ontario (@craigloughry): I’ve tried cross handed chipping, it has its merits. You can definitely have a crip feel and sharp angle of attack when chipping this way. But it fails if you need a soft, lofted shot, when you short side yourself. I’m not sure this will start a trend, not when you have Scheffler holing out more times than one can count with a traditional grip around the green.

Michael Schurman, Master Professional / Hall of Fame Member, PGA of Canada: I don’t know how this method is successful when acceleration is required. I’ve seen a few players use it but none well. In most cases it’s better than a conventional swing but still not very good. V. J. Singh uses it and both he and Fitzpatrick have good results. I can’t get a decent feel for it when the fulcrum (thumb and index of the right) is used for all shots but now you add a backhanded fulcrum (thumb and index of the left). All the Short Game Greats, Paul Runyan, Hubert Green, Tiger Woods all pitched, chipped and putted with a dominant right hand. Charlie Owens, Sewsunker Sewgolum and young Canadian prospect, Callum Davidson all play cross-handed and each have exceptional short games. However, I think it’s something everybody should try once, just like skydiving.

TJ Rule, Golf Away Tours (@GolfAwayTJ): I’ve played with a few people who chip cross handed and they aren’t good with it, it’s just better than the alternative.  There are less options for types of shots to play with a cross handed grip, like flop shots for example.  So although he seems to employ the technique effectively, it doesn’t make him one of the better chippers on Tour, and I think the style should only be reserved for those with the chipping yips.

Hal Quinn, Freelance Writer, Vancouver: It’s like Scheffler’s dance moves, or Snedekers’ taking the right thumb and forefinger off the club at the start of his backswing — it ain’t going to have a lot of imitators. On that Ask Rory show, McIlroy admitted to having the chipping yips at 16. He cured them by chipping one-handed (left) and keeping his arm straight. Cured. Looks like Fitz is sticking with the fix.

Peter Mumford, Fairways Magazine: Over the years I’ve known a couple of players that played cross-handed with every club and were remarkably straight hitters but I’m going to put Fitzy’s latest move into the “isolated weird fix” category. Players that try these band-aids often bounce from one odd grip or swing to another. Next year he might be chipping one handed.

The Masters is still a couple of weeks away, but several players have emerged as potential contenders based on their recent play. Bryson DeChambeau has won the last two LIV Golf events, while Matt Fitzpatrick has a win and a runner-up finish in his last two PGA Tour events, and Cameron Young won the all-important Players Championship. We could add in Jon Rahm, Justin Rose, Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa as previous major winners returning to form this winter who have all been in the spotlight lately, while World #1 Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Rory McIlroy have not. Yet Scheffler and McIlroy remain the favourites to win the Masters. Are they your favourites too?

Deeks: You can’t ignore either of them as possible winners or be unhappy if they won.  But for me, thrilled as I was with Rory’s victory in the Masters last year, my personal favourite this year would be Justin Rose, who’s lost two playoffs at Augusta (including last year), and who has to be one of the most honourable and likeable players of all time.  Wouldn’t it be great to see him slip on a green jacket at age 45, and playing as well as he has been over the past couple of years?

Loughry: I just can’t seem to write off Scheffler. He certainly hasn’t hacked up a storm the last few weeks, he’s had one or two shaky rounds that holds him back from winning or a top 5. I think he’ll be ready for Augusta.

Schurman: This year is bizarre for picking winners. Guys like Akshay Bhatia who toiled along developing their games have won, while some big stars haven’t yet shone brightly yet. There have been several head-on collisions coming down the stretch and great finishes like Fitzpatrick at Valspar. Scheffler seems to be having an OK year but a slight bit off. Rory appears to be not as committed as I think he should be, but August might be the reason. Maybe he’s beginning to hone in. Of course, they have to be the favourites but if you took them out of the field, who would you pick then?

Rule: Scottie is still my favourite and he has to be as he’s so consistent and will always be in the hunt.  That being said, I think I would put my money on Bryson at this time.  He’s been close before and he seems to be in good form, so maybe it’s his time.  Rory has all the pressure off now having won before, but it’s very hard to repeat, so I don’t see him putting the Green Jacket on himself on Sunday.

Quinn: Speaking of Rory, he recently shared that a practice round with Mickelson helped him win The Masters last spring. Phil simply said you have to play aggressively at Augusta National. That’s what he did. For that reason and being pretty sure that he learned a lot from his recent meltdown (oh ya, and a heartfelt admiration for his pace of play) thinking Aberg is ready to attack and really go for it. And, based of his form and the growing realization that he has to be more aggressive to win over here, Fleetwood seems poised for a great week.

Mumford: I expect both will be in contention but not my favourites. Justin Rose, Bryson DeChambeau and Matt Fitzpatrick are more on their game. A Ludvig Aberg rebound wouldn’t be a huge surprise either.

Last week, Augusta National released the menu that Rory McIlroy put together for the Masters Champions Dinner. As is custom, it contains a few items that are personal to McIlroy and to his native Northern Ireland upbringing. If you won the Masters and had to choose the menu, what ONE item would you add that said something about Canada or your personal tastes?

Deeks: Decades ago, when I lived in London, England, “American” hamburger restaurants were all the rage, starting with the first Hard Rock Café in Piccadilly.  I often thought a Canadian-themed restaurant would go over well there, too… featuring BBQ burgers and corn dogs, but also corn-on-the-cob, poutine, beaver tails, fiddleheads, lobster, cod fillets, and Eskimo Pies.  I never pursued the restaurant, and I never made the Tour.  But there’s my Masters Champions dinner.  And the ONE item would be beaver tails.

Loughry: I’d bring butter tarts to Augusta as a dinner treat. I’ve been known to make a road trip and scour Ontario for good ones (even the odd festival).

Schurman: I was surprised to hear Adam Scott reveal the invoice he got for his Champion’s Dinner was $20,000. Someone must have had a special bottle from the Wine Cellar. Mike Weir had this pleasure, and he did an admirable job of the menu. Choosing something Canadian has to start with poutine, Montreal smoked meat, moose steak, peameal bacon, pemmican and/or butter tarts. But to be truly Canadian, you’d have to consider Beaver Tails with maple syrup.

Rule: Well obviously it has to be poutine, which is also one of my favourites.  Of course, Nanaimo bars would be served for dessert too.

Quinn: Well, not just one item but the whole thing would be a bow to the culinary delights of the Wet Coast. Starting off a selection of great pours from North Vancouver’s North Point craft brewery with piles of spot prawns and local crab. Entrees would be a choice of coastal caught salmon or halibut or both (born here but can’t stand salmon) accompanied by an array of fine wines from Vancouver Island and the Okanagan (get about 50 bottles for the price of one of Rory’s). Local veggies on the side, if requested. To finish a pile of Nanaimo bars, eh?

Mumford: Cheeseburger sliders and poutine to start; fresh caught pickerel and roasted veggies for an entree; followed by butter tarts and beavertails with maple syrup and French vanilla ice cream. And beer!