Play Better Golf Blog

When I play golf with someone for the first time, I can get a good idea of how well they strike the ball just by watching them chip. The sound of their contact and the position of their wrists through impact reveal a lot about their ability to strike a golf ball. Most high handicappers don’t realize that the chip shot is like a tiny version of their full swing, so if they can’t make consistently good contact with their tiny swing, what makes them think they can make good contact with a full swing?

In this lesson, I’ll be teaching you how to perform a chip correctly. This is not only a useful shot to perform around the greens, but the fundamental motions of the chip can be transfered over to your full swing. If you want to make better contact with your full swing, then your first goal should be to master the chip shot.

What Is The Goal Of A Chip?

The goal of the chip shot is to fly the ball in the air the shortest distance possible and then have the ball roll to the hole. The chip is typically used when you’re close to the green and you have room to let the ball roll to the flag.

Club Selection

There are two schools of thought when it comes to club selection. Some players like to use one club (typically a wedge) around the greens and then just control the trajectory of that one club depending on the shot. Other players like to use different clubs depending on the length of the shot. For instance, with short chips, a sandwedge or a lob wedge would be chosen, while a 20-30 foot chip might demand a pitching wedge or 9-iron, and a 60 foot chip might demand a 5 iron.

What club(s) you decide to chip with is up to you, but I recommend that you learn how to master chipping with a lob or sand wedge for your short chips, and then an 8 iron for your other chips. Most golfer don’t have time to develop the feel for distance with a bunch of different clubs, so mastering one club for short chips, and another for longer ones is usually a good place to start.

Setting Up For A Chip Shot

- Stance should be very narrow. Feet should be inches apart and the left foot (for right handed players) should be fanned open 30 degrees or so.

- The ball should be positioned in the back of your stance; either off the back right foot or slightly to the inside left of your right toe.

- Your stance should be open slightly meaning your feet, knees, and hips should be pointing slightly left of parallel to your target line.

- The hands should be in front of the ball.

- Choke down on the grip so your hands are lower on the club.

- Your weight should be about 70-80%on your left foot. This will help you to hit down on the ball.

- The Left wrist should be straight .

Performing The Chip

- The shoulders move the club back and forth, much like you would for a putt.

- The hands stay passive. DO NOTHING WITH YOUR HANDS BUT HOLD THE CLUB!

-The angle of your wrists stay exactly the same as they did at address. The left wrist must stay flat through impact!

- Make ball first contact and strike down and through the ball by keeping your weight on your left foot through out the chip.

Optional Ball Position
Although many teachers have taught to play the ball back in the stance for the chip shot, there are other instructors who teach their students to chip the ball from the same ball position they use for a full swing (in line with the left pectoral muscle). If you are a beginner or you simply have trouble making ball first contact, then I recommend playing the ball in the back of your stance like I mentioned above.

Things To Look Out For

The biggest thing to look out for when practicing your chips is too much hand or wrist action. I can not emphasize this enough. The angles of your wrists should stay almost exactly the same from start to finish. The only parts of your body that drive the motion of the club is your shoulders and a slight pivot around your left leg. After impact, your left wrist should be straight, and your right wrist should still have a slight amount of backwards bend. IF YOUR RIGHT WRIST GOES STRAIGHT AT ANY POINT IN YOUR CHIP, YOU ARE TOAST!

Address Position -The photo directly above is me set up to chip the ball. Notice the angle of the red lines down both my wrists.

Impact Position – The photo directly above is me at impact. The red lines down my wrists haven’t changed a bit.

The flat left wrist is an important concept for the full swing as well. If the right wrist begins to straighten before impact, then power and distance will be lost, and the chance of hitting the ball fat increases. Learning to chip with good wrist angles is one of the easiest ways to begin getting this feeling into your full swing.

- Parker