Learning golf swing chipping tips will tremendously impact your game and lower your score. The short game of golf—when you need to chip the ball onto the green—happens when the ball lands just outside of the green and putting isn’t an option; you’ll have to use a chip stroke to get it over the fringe or rough and onto the green. The goal here is to hit the ball so it travels high enough to jump over the rough area and onto the green allowing it to roll toward the hole.

 

After assessing where you want the ball to land and the amount of roll out desired, choose the club you feel will work the best. On short grass, use a wedge for a short pin, 7 or 8 iron for a middle pin, and a 4 or 5 iron for a back pin. Play the ball in the middle of your stance and lean forward to put weight on the forward foot. If in thick grass, you may choose a fairway wood or hybrid to be sure to get through the grass. Smooth swing tempo is required for all of these shots. Practice all of them extensively as they will save you the most strokes.

 

Three Chipping Tips to Use in the Thick of Things

 

1) Choke Down on the Club Grip: This will counterbalance the club, adding weight above the hands, making the swing a little easier. While choking down on the club grip, do not hunch your upper body. Instead, add more flex to your knees as this will give you much more control while saving your back.

2) Keep Your Body Alignment Open and Narrow: Natural instinct is to align your body parallel to the target. However, if you want your body to rotate during the chip shot (which you do), then don’t do this. The chip is a full swing action – your body needs to be able to rotate. When you swing, try to keep a smooth and consistent tempo throughout the shot.

3) Weight Forward, Ball Back: Position the ball back – near the inside of your back toe. Keep your weight leaning forward toward the target. This ensures a steeper downward swing as you make contact with the ball, which will help you better control your shot, gauge different distances, and land your ball in the sweet spot on the green.

 

Each iron has a specific purpose and the closer you are to the green, the higher the iron you will use to loft the ball onto the green. Here is a quick guide to help you choose an iron next time you’re out on the course:

 

3 Iron: Range of 190 yards and a loft of 22 degrees

4 Iron: Range of 180 yards and a loft of 26 degrees

5 Iron: Range of 170 yards and a loft of 30 degrees

6 Iron: Range of 160 yards and a loft of 34 degrees

7 Iron: Range of 150 yards and a loft of 38 degrees

8 Iron: Range of 140 yards and a loft of 42 degrees

9 Iron: Range of 130 yards and a loft of 45 degrees

Pitching Wedge: Range of 25 – 100 yards and a loft of 48 degrees

Approach Wedge: Range of 100 yards and a loft of 52 degrees

Sand wedge: Range of 80 yards and a loft of 56 degrees

Lob wedge: Range of 60 yards and a loft of 60 degrees

 

Learning how to chip the ball well either using an iron or a wedge will help you save strokes and lower your score – something we all hope for on the course. The proper fundamentals will create a chip shot that should produce a consistent roll after the ball lands on the green. Follow these simple pointers and you will consistently chip your ball close to the pin (or in it) setting the ball up for an easy putt. Check out more tips for excelling at your golf game.