The basic chip shot should be a part of every golfer’s arsenal. Next to putting, it is the simplest motion in golf yet so many players struggle with it. The reason players struggle is very basic. There is no room for compensation when the stroke is so small.
The components of solid impact on a chip are correct set-up, swing plane, weight on the forward foot and a forward-leaning clubshaft at impact. If you set up incorrectly, get off plane, shift your weight to the back foot or try to scoop the ball, your contact will suffer and there is no time for recovery as the motion is so small. Use the technique I demonstrate on the video and you contact will be solid. Once you make solid contact, it is just a matter of time before you get really good at distance control.
Students often ask me whether it is better to use one club or several clubs when trying to achieve the correct distance. The answer is they both work. If you want to learn one length swing, select different clubs to make the ball go different distances. A more lofted club will produce less roll and a less lofted club will produce more roll. If you are more advanced and have good hands, take a sandwedge and alter your swing size to vary your distances. Whether you like to chip with one club or with several is up to you but you better make solid contact if you want to get it up and down.
Distance control or “touch” as we call it in golf is the key to scoring. The best chippers have habituated the motion that creates the proper impact so when they are on the golf course, all they think about is hitting the ball the correct distance. Don’t get down on yourself if you hit it solidly and have poor distance control. This is just a sign that you need to shift your attention to the target and less on the technique. This is when short game becomes a lot of fun.
If you really struggle with chipping and cannot get the basic motion down, consider using a hybrid or fairway metal around the greens. There used to be a club called a chipper. A chipper was a putter length club that had about 8 iron loft on it. In short, you could use a putting set-up and motion to chip the ball. These days, you can grip down on your hybrid or fairway metal and you have the old-fashioned chipper in your hand. This is a good temporary solution but understand that if you struggle with chipping, chances are that your impact position on your full swing needs improvement. Fix your chipping and you will be surprised how much you improve your ball striking. Now your score is really coming down! -jz
