Short Game · Lesson
Chip for Roll, Pitch for Air
Part of our short game programs for distance control, high, soft shots. Build a program with it
Around the green, first decide if the shot needs air or roll. For a chip, stand closer. Lean the shaft forward. Keep your weight on your lead side. Don't let the clubhead pass your hands. The ball comes out low, lands early and rolls like a putt. For a pitch, stand a bit farther away with the handle lower. Hinge your wrists more. Make a bigger swing and let the club release. The ball flies higher and stops faster.
Step by step
- Decide: air or roll?
- Chip: close, shaft forward, weight forward.
- Keep the clubhead behind your hands.
- Pitch: farther away, handle lower.
- Hinge more and release the club.
Why it works
A chip uses a forward shaft and forward weight, which delofts the club and keeps the low point ahead of the ball. The ball launches low, lands early and rolls out like a putt. A pitch uses a lower handle, more wrist hinge and a release, which adds loft and speed through the ball. The ball flies higher, lands later and stops faster.
Common mistakes
- You flip the clubhead past your hands in a chip, which adds loft and gives thin or fat contact.Keep the clubhead behind your hands through impact and let your chest turn move the club.
- You lean back to help the ball up on a pitch.Keep your weight slightly forward and let the loft of the club lift the ball.
- You choose the shot before you look at the lie and the green.Look at how much green you have to work with, then pick roll if you can and air only if you must.
How you'll know it's working
- Chips land on the first third of the carry to the hole and then roll out the rest of the way.
- Pitches fly higher than your chips and stop soon after landing.
- You strike the ball first and the turf just after it, with a shallow divot or a brush mark on the grass.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice chips from a good lie with a flat green and a target about two paces past the landing spot.
Harder: Use the same landing spot but switch between chips and pitches to different holes, or hit from a tighter or sloping lie.
Common questions
When should I chip instead of pitch?
Chip when you have green to run the ball on and a clear path to the hole. Pitch when something is in the way or the hole is close to the edge.
Which club should I use for a chip?
Use a less lofted club, such as a 7 or 8 iron, when you need more roll. Use a more lofted wedge when you need the ball to stop sooner.
