A golf chip shot is a short shot played close to the green, usually less than 20 yards away, where the ball needs to fly a short distance through the air and then roll most of the way to the hole. Learning this shot is vital to master short game golf and save strokes.
Deciphering the Golf Chip Shot
What is a golf chip shot? It is a low-flying shot designed for control, not distance. It uses loft to get over a small obstacle, like fringe grass or a bunker lip, before letting the ball roll out like a putt. This shot demands precision in chipping technique golf.
Establishing the Proper Golf Chip Setup
Getting set up right is half the battle. A solid proper golf chip setup ensures you strike the ball solidly. Think of the chip as a miniature, controlled swing.
Choosing the Best Golf Club for Chipping
What is the best golf club for chipping? Most pros use either a pitching wedge or an 8-iron for chipping. The choice depends on the distance and how much you want the ball to roll.
- Pitching Wedge (PW) or 9-Iron: Good for shots where you need a bit more air time or need to stop the ball sooner. These clubs have more loft.
- 8-Iron or 7-Iron: Excellent for the low running chip shot. These clubs send the ball forward more, resulting in more roll. If you have a lot of green to cover, use a lower-lofted club.
Mastering the Chipping Stance and Grip
Your chipping stance and grip must be firm yet relaxed. Tension kills finesse shots.
The Chipping Stance
Set up for success with these steps:
- Ball Position: Place the ball slightly back of center in your stance. This helps ensure clean contact and a descending blow, which is key for chipping.
- Foot Placement: Keep your feet close together, maybe shoulder-width apart or even narrower. A narrow base promotes balance and limits excessive lower body movement.
- Weight Distribution: Shift your weight forward, putting about 60% to 70% of your weight onto your front (lead) foot. Keep this weight fixed throughout the swing. This forward lean encourages hitting down on the ball.
- Alignment: Aim your feet, hips, and shoulders parallel to your target line, just like a normal golf swing.
The Chipping Grip
The grip for chipping should promote control.
- Use a standard grip, but hold the club slightly shorter—about half an inch higher than normal. This gives you more control.
- Keep your hands firm. You need less wrist action here than in a full swing. Think of your hands and arms working like one solid unit.
Executing the Chip Shot Motion
The chip swing is short and simple. It avoids big wrist hinges that cause inconsistent contact.
The Pendulum Swing Motion
Think of your arms and shoulders creating a small, smooth pendulum.
- Takeaway: Move the club back low to the ground. Keep your wrists firm. The width of your swing should be small.
- Backswing Length: The length of your backswing dictates distance. A short backswing for a short chip; a slightly longer backswing for a longer chip. Stop the backswing when your left arm (for a right-handed golfer) is parallel to the ground, or slightly less.
- Forward Swing (Impact): Swing through to the target. Allow your chest to rotate slightly toward the target, but the lower body stays stable due to the forward weight.
- Finish: Your finish position should reflect your starting position. Your weight remains heavily on your front foot. The club will finish slightly higher than where it started.
Controlling Golf Chip Distance
Controlling golf chip distance is the hardest part of chipping around the green. Most golfers fail because they use their wrists too much, creating variable swing lengths.
Use this simple guideline to gauge distance based on your backswing length:
| Backswing Stop Point | Approximate Carry Distance (Varies by Club) | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Shaft parallel to ground (L arm) | Short Chip (5-10 yards) | Punchy, controlled strike |
| Shaft pointing toward 9 o’clock | Medium Chip (10-20 yards) | Smooth acceleration |
| Shaft pointing toward 10 o’clock | Longer Chip (20+ yards) | Small upper body rotation |
Tip: The ball roll-out is often twice the carry distance for a pitching wedge. Adjust your perceived carry distance accordingly.
Ball Striking Fundamentals for Chipping
You must hit the ball first, then the turf. This is crucial for clean contact.
- Descending Blow: Because your weight is forward, you naturally hit down slightly. This slight downward angle (a descending blow) compresses the ball against the clubface.
- No Scooping: Resist the urge to lift the ball. If you scoop, you’ll likely hit the ground first or fat, or miss the ball entirely (a “whiff”). Let the loft of the club do the work.
- Contact Point: Aim to hit the ball just below the equator of the ball. This keeps the trajectory low and controlled.
Executing the Low Running Chip Shot
Sometimes, you need the ball to travel low and run far. This low running chip shot is one of the safest shots in golf when you have green to work with.
Setting Up the Running Chip
To promote roll over flight:
- Club Selection: Use your 7-iron or 8-iron.
- Ball Position: Move the ball more toward your front foot than a standard chip. This encourages hitting the center or slightly lower part of the clubface.
- Weight: Keep your weight very firm on your lead side (75% or more).
- Swing: The swing itself should be very compact. Think of it as a long putt with a shorter club. Keep the wrist action minimal.
The goal here is to use the solid base and lower loft to get the ball rolling quickly along the fairway or green surface. This minimizes errors associated with turf interaction.
Practicing Chip Shots Effectively
You cannot master short game golf without dedicated practice. Consistent results come from focused repetition.
Creating a Chipping Practice Routine
Set up drills that mimic real course situations.
- The Clock Drill: Place balls at various distances (e.g., 3 feet, 6 feet, 9 feet) radiating out from the hole like numbers on a clock face. Hit one from each position, focusing on distance control rather than just hitting the green.
- The Roll-Out Target Drill: Select a spot on the green where you want the ball to land (the landing zone). Mark this spot with a tee. Aim to have the ball land on the tee and then roll into the hole. This directly trains distance control.
- The Loft Test: Take your PW, 9-iron, and 7-iron. Hit three shots with each club from the same spot. Note how far each club carries the ball. This builds crucial feel for controlling golf chip distance based on club selection.
Common Golf Chipping Mistakes to Avoid
If your chips are inconsistent, you are likely making one of these errors. Identifying and eliminating common golf chipping mistakes is crucial for improvement.
Mistake 1: Excessive Wrist Hinge
Many golfers “flick” their wrists during the chip. This adds loft unpredictably and causes inconsistent strike points.
- Fix: Feel like your hands and arms are glued together. Imagine holding a towel tightly between your forearms during the swing. Keep the triangle formed by your arms and shoulders intact throughout.
Mistake 2: Shifting Weight on the Downswing
If you shift your weight back toward your trail foot as you swing down, you will top the ball (hit it thin) or blade it across the green.
- Fix: Commit to your forward weight distribution (60-70% forward). Feel your sternum staying anchored over your front thigh throughout the swing.
Mistake 3: Trying to Lift the Ball
A chip shot is hit down, not up. Trying to lift it causes the body to stand up through impact.
- Fix: Ensure your head stays down and behind the ball at impact. Trust the club’s loft. If you are using the right club, it will get airborne.
Mistake 4: Poor Setup Fundamentals
Failing to commit to a narrow stance or leaving too much weight back will ruin the shot before the swing even starts.
- Fix: Always check your proper golf chip setup before every single chip. Slow down the pre-shot routine for short game shots more than full swings.
Advanced Chipping Techniques for Challenging Lies
Chipping around the green often presents awkward lies. Knowing how to adapt your chipping technique golf is key to avoiding disaster.
Hitting Off Tight Lies (Short Grass)
When the grass is very short, like on tight fairway lies or fringe, the margin for error is tiny.
- Club: Use a lower-lofted club (like an 8-iron) to encourage more roll.
- Strike: You need a very crisp strike. Keep the face square. Use a tiny bit less forward shaft lean than usual, or play the ball slightly more centered, to reduce the chance of thinning it.
- Ball Flight Goal: Land the ball just on the edge of the fringe and let it roll onto the green.
Navigating Longer Rough Around the Green
When you face thicker grass around the green, you need more loft to get through the obstruction.
- Club: Use a high-lofted club, usually a Sand Wedge (SW) or Lob Wedge (LW).
- Setup Adjustment: Open the clubface slightly at address. This adds loft and widens the sole of the club, helping it glide through the grass instead of digging.
- Weight Distribution: Keep your weight heavily forward (70% or more).
- Motion: Make a slightly more aggressive swing than normal to ensure you power through the grass. Do not slow down mid-swing, as this guarantees a “fat” shot. The weight forward helps maintain that descending angle needed to cut through the thicker material.
The Specialty Lob Shot (Use Sparingly)
The lob shot is the highest, softest chip shot used when you need to stop the ball quickly, often over a bunker, with very little green to work with.
- Club: Lob Wedge (highest loft available).
- Setup: Significantly open the clubface at address until the leading edge points toward your target line, not the hole. Keep your stance open (aim slightly left of the target for right-handers).
- Swing: Use a smooth, accelerating motion. Because the face is open, the ball will launch high and check up fast.
- Warning: This shot has the highest risk of error. Only use it when necessary, favoring a running chip when possible.
Integrating Chipping into Your Practice Schedule
To truly master short game golf, chipping cannot be an afterthought. It must be practiced deliberately.
Daily Short Game Focus
Dedicate at least 15 minutes during every practice session specifically to chipping.
- Varying Lies: Don’t just practice from perfect fairway lies. Intentionally hit chips from fluffy rough, tight fringe, and uphill/downhill lies.
- Pre-Shot Routine Fidelity: Always use your complete pre-shot routine for every chip. This builds consistency for when the pressure is on during a round. Check your weight distribution, ball position, and grip every time.
- Scorecard Integration: When you practice, keep score. If you miss the target area by more than three feet, count it as a “three-putt” penalty. This simulates real course pressure.
Mental Approach to Chipping
The mental aspect of chipping around the green is often about commitment.
- Commit to the Plan: Once you select your club and determine your landing spot, commit 100% to the shot. Indecision leads to tentative swings.
- Focus on Landing: Do not focus on the hole. Focus only on the precise spot on the green where you want the ball to land. Let the roll take care of the rest.
By focusing on a simple setup, a controlled pendulum motion, and rigorous practice drills, you can quickly improve your ability to execute the low running chip shot and other essential chips. Consistent practice of the chipping technique golf fundamentals will transform your scores inside 50 yards.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Golf Chipping
Q: Should I use a sand wedge or a pitching wedge for chipping?
A: It depends on how much you want the ball to roll. Use a pitching wedge or 9-iron for a lower, running shot that rolls more. Use a sand wedge or lob wedge when you need more height and less roll, such as when clearing a bunker.
Q: How much weight should be on my front foot when chipping?
A: For a standard chip, place about 60% to 70% of your weight on your lead (front) foot. Keep this weight fixed throughout the swing. This encourages hitting down on the ball.
Q: What is the main difference between a chip and a pitch shot?
A: A chip shot is short, flies low, and rolls significantly once it lands. A pitch shot is longer, flies higher, and stops much quicker upon landing due to higher loft.
Q: How can I stop blading my chip shots across the green?
A: Bladed shots happen when you hit the bottom edge of the ball, often caused by lifting up through impact or having too little weight on your front foot. Ensure your weight stays forward and that you are hitting down slightly (a descending blow) rather than trying to scoop the ball up.
Q: Is it okay to use a putter for chipping?
A: Yes, using a putter for a chip is perfectly acceptable, especially if the lie is very tight (like on the fringe) and there are no obstacles. This is essentially a very long putt. If you can putt it, putt it!