Short Game · Tip
Chip or Pitch? An Easy Way to Decide
Part of our short game programs for distance control. Build a program with it
Here's a simple way to remember it. Chip when you're close. Pitch when you're farther away. A chip is a simple rocking motion of the shoulders. No wrist hinge. A pitch adds a second piece. Your body turns, and your wrists hinge. That gives you a bigger arc and more power for the extra distance. You'll also shift a little weight on a pitch. On a chip, you mostly stay still.
Step by step
- Near the green: chip.
- Farther out: pitch.
- Chip with your shoulders, wrists quiet.
- Pitch with a turn and wrist hinge.
- Let the bigger arc add distance.
Why it works
A chip uses a short, simple motion. When only your shoulders rock and your wrists stay quiet, the clubface stays steady and contact is easy to repeat. A pitch needs more distance, so you add a body turn and wrist hinge, which make the arc bigger and give the club more speed. Choosing the shot by distance lets the size of the motion match the distance you need to cover.
Common mistakes
- You hinge your wrists on a chip.Keep your wrists quiet and rock your shoulders like a pendulum, so the clubface stays steady through the ball.
- You try to pitch using only your arms and hands, with no body turn.Turn your chest back and through while the wrists hinge, so the body powers the bigger swing.
- You use a pitch motion when you are close to the green.Choose the chip whenever you are near the green, and save the pitch for when you are farther away.
How you'll know it's working
- Chips come off the clubface with a clean, low strike and roll out toward the hole.
- Pitches fly higher and travel farther than your chips, without you swinging harder.
- Your weight stays mostly still on chips and shifts a little on pitches.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice from a flat lie close to the green, using the same club for both shots, and only change the size of the motion.
Harder: Drop balls at mixed distances around the green and decide chip or pitch for each one before you hit it, then try to land each ball near a target.
Common questions
When should I chip instead of pitch?
Chip when you are close to the green and the ball can run out toward the hole. Pitch when you are farther away and need the extra arc and power to cover the distance.
What is the difference between a chip and a pitch?
A chip is a rocking motion of the shoulders with quiet wrists. A pitch adds a body turn, a wrist hinge and a small weight shift, which gives a bigger arc and more distance.
