Chipping · Tip
Set Your Hands Forward for Solid Chips
Part of our chipping programs for fat or chunked, thin or bladed. Build a program with it
Chips that come up way short usually mean poor contact. Fix it at setup. Lean a bit more of your weight toward the target. Push the handle forward so it sits ahead of the ball. Your lead arm and the shaft should form a fairly straight line. Hold that shape through the stroke. Hit the ball first, then the ground. You'll strike it more solidly and finish closer.
Step by step
- Shift a little weight forward.
- Push the handle ahead of the ball.
- Line up your lead arm and the shaft.
- Keep that shape through the stroke.
- Hit ball, then ground.
Why it works
Forward weight and a forward handle move the low point of the swing to a spot ahead of the ball. The club then meets the ball on a slightly descending path, so the ball is hit first and the turf second. Holding the lead arm and shaft in a line keeps the clubhead from passing your hands before impact, which is what causes thin and short chips.
Common mistakes
- You shift your weight forward at setup but let it drift back during the stroke.Keep most of your weight on your lead foot from start to finish and finish with your chest facing the target.
- You push the handle so far forward that the shaft leans sharply and the club digs in.Keep the handle just ahead of the ball so your lead arm and the shaft form a fairly straight line.
- You flick your wrists at the ball to lift it into the air.Let the loft of the club lift the ball and keep the shape you set at address through impact.
How you'll know it's working
- The ball comes off the clubface with a clean click and no skull or thin low line.
- You see a small divot or brush mark just after where the ball sat, not behind it.
- Your chips land on the spot you picked and roll out the same distance each time.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Use a short chip from a good lie on short grass with a lofted club, and focus only on leaning your weight toward the target.
Harder: Repeat the same setup and stroke from rougher lies, slight slopes or tighter lies, and pick a specific landing spot for each chip.
Common questions
Why do I keep hitting chip shots thin?
The most common cause is the club bottoming out behind the ball and then rising into it at impact. Set your weight forward and your hands ahead of the ball, and keep that shape through the stroke.
Where should the ball be in my stance for chipping?
Play it in the middle of your stance or slightly back of middle. This position, with your hands ahead, helps you hit the ball first and then the ground.
