Top 10 Chipping Tips

Improve your chipping technique with these chipping tips.

Golf chipping is a short, finesse shot used by golfers to get the ball from outside the green and onto the putting surface. Often used when the golfer is too close to the green to take a full swing, but too far away to putt, chipping can be a difficult skill to master. Check out these 10 chipping tips to gain confidence and improve your game!

Top Chipping Tips
Where to Practice Golf
Common Mistakes to Avoid

Top 10 Chipping Tips in Golf

1. Narrow Your Chipping Stance

Mastering chipping begins with working on your chipping stance. Many beginners will stand with their feet too far apart and their head behind the ball. Instead, when you step up to the ball, bring your feet close together, move your weight onto your front foot with the ball slightly behind your lead foot, and keep your head forward.

A man performs a chipping technique on a golf course in Northeast Florida.

2. Choose the Best Club

Torn between which club to use for chipping? Try each of your clubs and attempt to land the ball between the target and yourself, then watch how the ball rolls out to learn what to expect from each. For the average golfer a pitching wedge will be the most consistent.

3. Pick a Landing Spot

The goal of chipping is to get your ball on the green and rolling near the hole. Try to get your ball to land on a target roughly one third of the way to the hole and see how much it rolls. If it doesn't reach the hole, you may need to change clubs.

9th Hole Dye's Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass

4. Keep Wrists Firm

Keeping your wrists firm is very important for achieving the perfect chip by ensuring you hit the ball in the correct motion. Practice using your shoulders to move the club, not your wrists, with an alignment stick.

5. Hit Down

Now that you’ve worked on keeping your wrists firm, begin practicing hitting down on the ball. With your hands slightly in front of the club head, focus on maintaining your stance while rotating your body to swing through the ball.

6. Adjust Ball Position

Altering ball position in your stance can change the ball's reaction off the club. Begin with the ball in the middle of your stance. Moving it forward will increase height and reduce how much the ball rolls, useful for working with very little green or overcoming obstacles. Shifting the ball back lowers loft and promotes greater roll, which is ideal for expansive greens.

14th Hole Dye's Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass

7. Control Backswing & Follow Through

In chipping, controlling your backswing and follow-through is crucial for achieving accurate and consistent results. The backswing establishes the shot's foundation, while the follow-through shapes the ball's trajectory and spin. Focus on your core as you move, keeping the backswing compact and controlled, then smoothly transitioning into a balanced follow-through to maintain control and achieve clean strikes.

8. Control Your Distance

Learn to make precise and strategic shots by developing control over how far you hit the ball. Create a designated chipping area with one or multiple targets at various distances. Start with shorter distances and gradually increase the challenge as you practice. Pay close attention to adjustments made to your club, stance, and other factors, noting the outcomes they produce. This mindful approach will help you refine your chipping technique and achieve consistent, desired results.

9. Brush the Turf

When chipping, brushing the turf refers to making a shallow connection with the ground after hitting the ball. Instead of digging into the turf or taking a divot, the goal is to lightly skim the grass. To practice this technique, concentrate on maintaining a shallow and descending angle of attack. Visualize the clubhead gently brushing the grass right after impact, rather than digging into it.

10. Practice, Practice, Practice

Consistent practice is key to elevating your chipping proficiency. Opt for shorter courses to combine practice with an enjoyable round of golf or visit the chipping green at locations like Royal St. Augustine Golf Club, Eagle Landing Golf Club, The Amelia River Club, and Palatka Golf Course for a dedicated chipping practice session.


Check out our local Golf Academies where you can greatly improve your chipping skills with the help of certified professionals.

Where to Practice Golf in Northeast Florida

Continue improving your technique with these drills:

Common Mistakes to Avoid

There are beginner mistakes that can take time overcoming, and some of these mishaps include:

Chunking

Chunking is hitting the ground before the ball, reducing power and control behind your hit. Chunking typically occurs due to a steep swing, inconsistent weight transfer, improper form, and relying on the arms too much.

Thinning

Thinning occurs when the club hits the ball at a low angle on its face, leading to an erratic shot. Keep a proper posture, transferring your weight to your lead side and target for a divot after making contact with the ball.

Misalignment

Misalignment in golf is the improper focus and position of the body and club face towards the target. Stand behind the ball and choose an intermediate point on your target line; align the club face so that the leading edge is in the direction of your selected target; make your body parallel to the target line; and double check your aim by looking at the target again.

Overly Wristy Swing

When you have an overly wristy swing in golf, it means that you have unpredictable wrist action, which usually causes erratic flight, as well as lack of power and control. Set the wrists in a controlled form that gives way for a flat or slightly flexed lead wrist towards the top of your back-swing, combining wrist control with your body rotation.

Picking the Wrong Club

The wrong club choice can happen if you overestimate the distance, fail to check the weather, or ignore the lie of the ball on the ground. Practice on a driving range to see which club is best for different distances, check the lie of the ball, and think about the forecast during your playing (the wind and elevation can play a part in the direction and force of your swing).

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