Handicap
Chipping Away

What is a chip? It is when you are close enough to the green that you don’t need to pitch the ball, but far enough away that you can’t putt it. Practicing frequently to develop feel and adhering to some basic fundamentals such as a firm left wrist and using your shoulders to do the work will get you a step closer to becoming a chipping guru.

Using the loft of the club is crucial in understanding the chipping stroke. The loft angle of a club is what makes the ball get airborne. A golfer’s hands must be slightly forward of the ball (leaning towards the target) at impact in order for the loft of the club to do its job. Think of it as pinching the ball with the club to make it go up in the air. This is the same position the hands should be in when executing a chip shot.

To achieve maximum control, make the club shorter by gripping down on the club you choose to chip with. Try a 9 iron to begin with. Set the head behind the ball aiming straight down your target line. Set up with your feet around 6 inches apart and aim slightly left of the target line. Aiming your feet left of the target line will allow your shoulders to swing more freely during the stroke. Go ahead and set your hands ahead of the ball at address, so you can get the feel of where they should be at impact.

Concentrate on keeping the wrists firm and swinging the shoulders in a pendulum like motion to begin the stroke. Start the downswing by accelerating the club through the ball in a pinching motion, and finish with the back of your left wrist facing the target line. Try this without a ball first, and focus on brushing the grass. Then place a ball down and make the same motion. The ball should make a clicking sound off the face, jump in the air, and beginning rolling towards the target end over end. Imagine keeping the triangle that your arms and shoulders create in tact throughout the stroke, as a mental image. You can also think of the chip shot as a putt with loft. Use the same stroke you would use when putting and see what happens.

Unless practiced, these guidelines will do no good. Feel can only be developed through trial and error. Use different clubs and different length swings to see which combination works best for you. Once you have practiced chipping under these circumstances, you will begin to feel more comfortable with a wider variety of situations on the course.

A flub or a scull is usually the result when golfers try to help the ball in the air by allowing the wrists to break down before impact and scoop at the ball. The loft of the club is rendered useless when this happens, and the consequences are very frustrating. So, use the fundamentals you have learned and practice them until they are second nature. Your scores will fall and your creativity will blossom.

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