Chipping · Lesson
Five Pieces of a Good Chip
Part of our chipping programs for distance control. Build a program with it
A good chip comes together from five pieces. Pick a landing spot that allows for the roll. Notice the roll when you practice. Keep your feet close so you can turn easily. Don't hang back on your trail foot. Keep your lead arm straight and your trail arm soft. Keep the face looking up at the finish. Don't let it roll over. And turn your body to the target, so your trail knee points there at the end.
Step by step
- Choose a landing spot.
- Narrow your stance.
- Lead arm straight, trail arm soft.
- Face points up at the finish.
- Turn to the target.
Why it works
A chip is a small, low-energy shot, so the ball needs a consistent strike more than speed. A narrow stance lets your body turn through the shot, and a straight lead arm with a soft trail arm keeps the club moving on one path without flipping the hands. Turning to the target with the face still looking up keeps the loft on the club, so the ball lifts and then rolls the way you planned from the landing spot.
Common mistakes
- You aim at the hole instead of a landing spot.Pick a spot on the green where the ball should first touch down, and let the roll carry it the rest of the way.
- You hang back on your trail foot and try to scoop the ball up.Keep your weight a little toward the lead side and turn through, so the club strikes down and forward.
- You let the face roll over and close after impact.Hold the lead arm straight and the trail arm soft, and finish with the face pointing up.
How you'll know it's working
- The ball lands within a club length of your chosen spot, then rolls out the way you expected.
- You strike the ball first and the contact feels crisp, with no thin skids or fat thuds.
- At the finish your chest and trail knee point at the target and the face still points up.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Use a short chip of a few yards to a big target, such as a towel, and keep your feet very close together.
Harder: Chip to several landing spots at different distances, or from a slightly uneven lie, and change the roll each time.
Common questions
Where should I land a chip shot?
Land it on the green, just past the fringe, on a flat spot if you can. Choose the spot so the ball has enough room to roll to the hole.
Why do I keep chunking or thinning my chips?
Most often your weight is hanging back on the trail foot or your hands are flipping at the ball. Narrow your stance, keep the lead arm straight and turn to the target.
