Jackson Reid
Chipping is a fundamental skill in golf that can significantly impact your scores. It is a stroke motion where the clubhead stays low, below your hands on the backswing and follow-through, resulting in a single-lever motion with no wrist hinge. To execute a successful chip, it's crucial to start with a balanced address and posture. This means bending forward from the hips with arms hanging straight down, creating a natural path for your arms to swing underneath your shoulders. Maintaining proper posture and balance is essential, ensuring your feet are narrowly positioned, with a grip that is slightly closer to the ball. When making contact with the ball, lean your upper body forward toward the target, aiming for solid contact with the ground on the target side of the ball. This turf-thump will produce a more predictable flight-to-roll ratio and help you knock the ball closer to the hole. Practicing this basic chip shot will undoubtedly improve your short game and impress your golfing buddies.
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What You'll Learn
The difference between a chip, pitch and lob
The chip, pitch, and lob are essential golf skills to master. They are all types of shots used in different situations, and each has a distinct technique.
The chip is a low shot, where the clubhead stays below your hands on the backswing and in the follow-through. It is a single-lever motion with minimal wrist hinge. The chip runs along the ground, so some green is needed for this shot. It is similar to putting but with a club that has very little loft. The chip is a reliable, low-risk shot that is useful when you want to roll the ball towards the hole.
The pitch is a high shot, where the clubhead goes above your hands on the backswing due to a hinge of the wrists, but stays below your hands in the follow-through. It is a mini version of your full swing, requiring a longer swing and more speed. The pitch is used when you need to get the ball over an obstacle, such as a bunker, or when you need to get out of heavy rough. It is a riskier shot than the chip and requires more precision.
The lob is another high shot, where the clubhead goes above your hands on both sides of the swing. This is achieved by rehinging the club through impact to create more speed and loft. The lob is useful when you need to carry an obstacle and then stop the ball quickly.
In summary, the chip, pitch, and lob are all used in different situations around the green. The chip is a low-risk shot for when you want to roll the ball; the pitch is a higher-risk shot for clearing obstacles and getting out of difficult lies; and the lob is for carrying obstacles and stopping the ball fast.
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How to hit a chip
To hit a chip shot in golf, there are several techniques to follow. Firstly, it is important to understand that a chip shot is a single-lever motion with no real wrist hinge, meaning the clubhead stays low, below your hands on the backswing and follow-through.
To begin, bend forward from your hips with your arms hanging straight down. This creates a balanced address and a natural path for your arms to swing. Ensure your feet are narrow, no more than a club-head width apart, to eliminate body shifting and improve consistency.
When chipping, lean your upper body slightly forward towards the target. This ensures that the club hits the ground on the target side of the ball, producing a more predictable flight-to-roll ratio. You want to make a solid contact with the turf, so make sure you are not just lightly brushing the grass but "thumping the turf".
Hold your finish to check your balance and ensure the ball rolls in the direction you are aiming for. When you need to chip the ball further, use a less-lofted club rather than taking a larger stroke.
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How to hit a pitch
To hit a pitch in golf, you need to understand the difference between a chip, pitch, and lob. On a pitch shot, the clubhead goes above your hands on the backswing, as you hinge your wrists to make a longer swing, but the clubhead stays below your hands in the follow-through. This is different from a chip, where the clubhead stays low throughout, and a lob, where the clubhead goes above your hands on both sides of the swing.
To execute a pitch, start by using your most-lofted wedge and widening your stance, opening it more, and playing the ball farther forward to increase the loft on the face. As you begin your backswing, let your wrists fully hinge, and turn your back to the target. It's important to make a big enough motion here, so you don't have to overaccelerate on the downswing, which can lead to erratic contact.
From a good backswing position, let your hands and arms drop. Maintain a light grip pressure to feel the weight of the clubhead catch up with your arm. The follow-through is a natural continuation of this move: the momentum of the swing rehinges your wrists, and your body rotates through to face the target.
When you pitch, make sure you make solid contact with the ground, producing a "turf-thump." This ensures the ball doesn't roll unpredictably. Holding your finish is also important, as it helps you check your balance and ensures the ball rolls in your intended direction.
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Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Chipping and pitching are crucial aspects of golf, and making mistakes is inevitable, especially for beginners. Here are some common mistakes golfers make when chipping and pitching, along with guidance on how to avoid them:
Mistake 1: Incorrect Address Position
A common mistake golfers make is setting up to the ball as if they are about to hit a long iron shot. This setup leads to deceleration and poor strike and distance control. To avoid this, it is important to understand the difference between a chip and a pitch. A chip is a low shot played along the ground, similar to a putt, where you want the ball to roll towards the hole. Stand closer to the ball with your feet slightly wider than the clubhead and place the ball in the middle of your stance. For a pitch, the clubhead goes above your hands on the backswing as you hinge your wrists to create a longer swing.
Mistake 2: Over-reliance on Arms
Many golfers make the mistake of relying too much on their arms when attempting to hit the ball. Instead, the torso should control the movement through rotation, with the arms moving along. Allow your chest to turn back and through, collecting the ball along the way. This will help improve distance control and strike.
Mistake 3: Lack of Confidence
Lacking confidence when chipping can affect your mental game and lead to increased pressure on other aspects of your game. While this may be a result of mental barriers, improving your technique can help build confidence. Practice your chipping and pitching regularly, and consider seeking guidance from a coach or instructor to identify areas for improvement.
Mistake 4: Inadequate Follow-Through
A common mistake in pitching is not following through with the swing. The pitch shot requires a high finish to maintain acceleration through the ball. Ensure you continue the momentum of the swing and turn your body towards the target as you follow through.
Mistake 5: Incorrect Club Choice
Amateurs often make the mistake of grabbing a lob or sand wedge when chipping. While these clubs have their purpose, they are more challenging to master. Instead, opt for pitching wedges, a 9-iron, or an 8-iron to get the ball rolling towards the hole and reduce mistakes.
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Practising your posture
A common fault among golfers is not making a big enough motion, leading to overacceleration on the downswing and erratic contact. To avoid this, ensure you make a full backswing, keeping your grip pressure light so you can feel the weight of the clubhead catch up with your arm. As you go back, let your wrists fully hinge and turn your back to the target.
When making contact with the ball, lean your upper body slightly forward toward the target, with your sternum just ahead of the ball. You want to make sure that the club contacts the ground on the target side of the ball. Chipping is a stroke motion, so you want to "thump the turf". Good solid contact will help you knock it close, or even knock it in.
Holding your finish allows you to check your balance and ensures the ball will roll where you are aiming. It also lets you check that your stroke was even back and through.
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Frequently asked questions
On a chip, the clubhead stays low, below your hands on the backswing and in the follow-through. It is a single-lever motion with no real wrist hinge. On a pitch, the clubhead goes above your hands on the backswing because you hinge your wrists to make a longer swing, but stays below your hands in the follow-through.
When chipping, lean your upper body forward toward the target, with your sternum just ahead of the ball. Chipping is a stroke motion, so you want to make sure that the club contacts the ground. Holding your finish allows you to check your balance and makes it likely that the ball will roll where you are aiming.
Bend forward from your hips with your arms hanging straight down. This creates a balanced address and a natural path underneath your shoulders for your arms to swing. Keep your feet no more than a club-head width apart. This helps eliminate moving parts and body shifting, which minimises the number of locations where the club could hit the ground.
