Chipping · Tip
Calm Chipping Yips by Turning, Not Flicking
Part of our chipping programs for fat or chunked, thin or bladed, chip yips. Build a program with it
When the chipping yips show up, your hands take over. The stroke gets jerky and slows down at the ball. So take your hands out of it. Let your body move the club instead. Think of a chip as a small turn, not a flick. Narrow your stance and play the ball back of center. Hold the club lightly. Turn your chest back and through. Keep your wrists firm. It smooths out fast.
Step by step
- Narrow stance, ball back of center.
- Light, even grip pressure.
- Turn your chest to move the club.
- Keep your wrists firm.
- Hit ten chips focused on a smooth turn.
Why it works
The yips are usually a small, fast hand action that jumps in at the ball. When the chest turns the club, the arms and club move together as one unit, so the pace stays even. A narrow stance with the ball back of center sets the low point just ahead of the ball, which helps you strike down and through instead of scooping, and that reduces thin contact.
Common mistakes
- Gripping the club tightly to feel in control.Hold it light and even, so the club can swing without your forearms tensing and jabbing.
- Stopping the chest turn at impact and letting the hands finish the shot.Keep turning your chest through the ball until your belt buckle faces the target side of your line.
- Flipping the wrists to lift the ball into the air.Keep the wrists firm and trust the loft of the club to get the ball up.
How you'll know it's working
- Contact feels solid and the ball comes off low and then settles into a steady roll, with no thin skips.
- The stroke has the same pace from start to finish, with no hitch or pause at the ball.
- Your chest and the club finish together, facing the target, and the grip feels light the whole time.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Use a flat, tight lie with a short chip to a target just a few paces away, and take slow practice turns before each ball.
Harder: Chip to a small target from a slightly worse lie, or play a ten-ball set where only chips that finish inside a marked circle count.
Common questions
What causes the yips in chipping?
Often it is tension and a fast, small hand movement that takes over near the ball. Slowing the stroke and moving the club with your chest turn removes much of that hand action.
Should I change my grip to stop chipping yips?
You do not need a new grip, but you should loosen it. Light, even pressure lets the club move smoothly and keeps your wrists from flicking at the ball.
