Chipping is the skill that separates bogey golfers from double-bogey golfers. A poor drive might cost you one stroke; a poor chip can cost you two or three. The good news: a solid chip requires almost no power — just a simple, repeatable technique you can learn in a single practice session.
Track your rounds free with Chip Caddie →Stand with your feet close together — no wider than hip-width. Open your stance slightly (left foot back a few inches for right-handers) to see the target better and encourage a natural swing path through the ball.
Place the ball in the center or slightly back of center in your stance. A ball too far forward promotes scooping; too far back delofts the club and sends the ball too low.
Lean your weight toward the target side and keep it there throughout the stroke. This is the single biggest mistake beginners make — letting weight drift back causes fat shots. Feel like 70% of you is on your front foot at address and impact.
Slide your hands 1 to 2 inches down the grip from where you normally hold. This shortens the effective club, gives you more feel, and reduces the chance of the club catching the turf before the ball.
Swing the club like a long putt: shoulders rock, arms move as one unit, and the wrists stay quiet. The backswing and follow-through should be equal in length. Resist any urge to scoop or add wrist at impact.
After impact, keep the club head low to the ground and pointing toward the hole. A high follow-through usually means you flipped the wrists. A low, boring follow-through means a solid, crisp chip.
Different situations call for different chip shots. Match the shot to the lie and the distance.
For a basic chip with lots of green to work with, a 7-iron or 8-iron gives you a low, running shot that is easier to control than a wedge. When you need to clear an obstacle or stop the ball quickly, use a pitching wedge or sand wedge. The general rule: use the least loft that safely clears the fringe and lets the ball roll to the hole like a long putt.
Stand closer than you would for a full swing. The club should feel almost vertical — handle tilted toward your lead hip, grip end pointing at your left hip (for right-handers). Your feet should be close together, no wider than hip-width. Standing close gives you more control and helps prevent the club from swinging on a wide arc that causes fat or thin contact.
Fat shots (hitting the ground first) usually happen because your weight is too far back or you are trying to scoop the ball up. Shift 70% of your weight to your front foot at address and keep it there. Thin shots (hitting the middle of the ball) often come from your arms tensing at impact — stay relaxed and keep the club moving low through the ball and past it.
A chip has more roll than air time — the ball lands close to you and runs the rest of the way to the hole. A pitch has more air than roll — the ball flies most of the distance and lands softly near the hole. Chips are played with less loft and a putting-style stroke. Pitches use more loft, more wrist hinge, and a bigger swing. Beginners should chip whenever possible because it is lower risk.
A pitching wedge (45-48 degrees) is better for most chip shots around the green when you have room to let the ball roll. A sand wedge (54-56 degrees) is best when you need to carry over rough fringe, a bunker, or get the ball to stop quickly. The higher the loft, the harder the shot is to control — only go high-loft when you truly need to.
In thick rough, use a sand wedge or lob wedge and open the face slightly. Position the ball in the middle of your stance, grip firmer than usual to prevent the grass from twisting the club, and accelerate through the ball rather than slowing down at impact. Expect less control and more roll than from a clean lie — aim to a generous landing zone and accept you may not stop it as close as from the fairway.
A bump-and-run uses a lower-lofted club — a 7-iron, 8-iron, or even a 5-iron — to hit a low shot that bumps along the ground and runs to the hole. It is the safest chip when the ground between you and the green is firm and flat with no obstacles. Tour players use it frequently because rolling the ball is easier to judge than flying it. Think of it as a long putt hit with an iron.
Set a towel on a carpet or mat about 5 feet away and practice landing chips on it. Focus on brushing the ground after the ball, not scooping. You can also practice the stroke with a putter indoors to feel the pendulum motion, then transfer that feel to a short iron. Even 15 minutes of targeted practice per day will dramatically improve your chipping within a few weeks.
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