How To Develop Good Chipping Technique In Golf

The major difference between professional and amateur golfers is their short games. When they miss the green, the pros get 'up and down' most of the time.

From a scorecard perspective, it is critical that you get up and down in these situations. If you usually take two putts because you fail to get your chips near the hole, you are seriously damaging your scoring potential.

Green side chipping requires a very simple technique. In fact it can be summarized in a neat little phrase "ball back, hands forward & weight forward"

Step 1: Address the ball with an open stance. You should align your feet and body left of the target. This permits an unrestricted follow through and a slightly more descending angle of attack.

Step 2: Ball Back, Weight Forward. Position the ball back in the middle of your narrow stance and put up to 75% of the weight on your front foot. This leads to a descending angle of attach, and crisp contact with the ball.

Step 3: Swing the 'V' around the axis of your spine. Note that by placing the ball back in your stance, your hands are naturally ahead of the ball. It is important that your hands remain ahead of the ball at impact to ensure a crisp contact with the ball.

Note the 'V' shape formed between your arms and your grip on the shaft. The swing is executed by simply swinging this 'v' back and forth. Develop the feeling that your shoulders control the swing as they rotate around your spine.

Step 4: Grip Pressure. It is imperative that your grip the club lightly. This will create club head lag in which the wrists may slightly hinge under the weight of the club head. It is imperative that you do not manipulate the hinging of your wrists, to do so would lead to inconsistencies in striking and distance control.

Step 5: Club Selection. The key consideration for club selection is your distance from the putting surface and the position of the pen relative to the greens contours. If you are only 2/3 inches off the putting surface then you should use a putter, as your worst putt equates to your best chip in these situations.

If you are 2/3 feet off the green and there is plenty of distance between you and the hole use a 7 iron. The key here is to use which ever club has sufficient loft to land the ball on the putting surface as soon as possible and get it rolling as soon as you can. This leads to far greater feel for distance control.

The greater the distance between your chip shot and the putting surface, the more lofted the club you will require. A sand wedge or lob wedge will be required to play an elevated shot to a pin position just on, if you are out 10/12 yards or more.

When it comes to green side chipping there is no substitute for practice, practice, and more practice. You need to practice this technique with a variety of clubs, from a variety of distances. This will improves your shot making ability, distance control and even result in more 'chip ins' more often.

You will knock strokes off your round as you become more and more proficient at chipping.