A chip is a short, low shot near the green where the ball flies a small distance through the air and then rolls the rest of the way toward the hole. The key is to let the club do the work with a calm, pendulum-like motion from the shoulders - not to "lift" the ball with your hands. Stand narrow and close to the ball, put your weight on the left side (for a right-hander), keep your hands slightly ahead of the clubhead and sweep the club through the ball without stopping at impact.
This is where most players waste their shots. A clean chip shot requires neither strength nor a perfect swing - it requires a reliable setup and the right club choice for the distance. Here we go through each part, from the grip and weight distribution to how you choose between chipping, pitching and putting.
The basic setup that makes the chip reliable
It all begins in the setup, and here the chip deliberately differs from a full shot. Stand with your feet close together, just a few inches apart, and open your body slightly toward the target. This gives you a clear view of the flag and makes it easier to sweep the club along the correct path.
Put roughly 60-70 percent of your weight on your front foot and keep it there throughout the shot. A common mistake is for the weight to drift back in an attempt to help the ball up into the air - then the club hits the ground behind the ball or tops it thin. Let the loft of the club handle the height. Your job is to deliver the clubhead cleanly into the ball with your hands slightly ahead of the clubhead, so that the shaft leans slightly toward the target at the moment of impact.
Keep your grip relaxed. A tense grip locks the wrists and creates exactly the choppy motion you want to avoid. Think of holding the club the way you would hold a paintbrush - firm enough for control, soft enough for feel.
The motion itself: a pendulum from the shoulders
The best chipping motion resembles a putt more than a swing. Let the shoulders, arms and club move as a unit in a smooth pendulum while the wrists stay largely still. The backswing and follow-through should be roughly equal in length, with an even tempo throughout.
Acceleration through the ball is crucial. Many golfers unconsciously decelerate just before impact out of fear of hitting too far, and the result is a short, jerky strike where the ball is either chunked in front of the feet or skips away. Trust the length of your backswing to control the power, and then sweep through at the same speed. You control the distance by how long the motion is, not by how hard you hit.
A simple mental image: aim for the clubhead to continue toward the target after impact, low and forward, rather than stopping or lifting upward. Then the ball lands naturally on the green and starts to roll.
How to choose a club based on how much green you have in front of you
Here lies the real secret behind a sharp chip, and it's rarely the flashiest wedge that is the right answer. The basic principle is often called fly short, roll long: the more green you have between you and the hole, the less loft you want, so that the ball lands quickly and rolls like a putt the rest of the way.
If you have a lot of green to work with, an 8-iron or 9-iron can be ideal - the ball flies just a short distance and then rolls in a controlled way. If, on the other hand, you have to fly over a bunker or rough and stop the ball quickly, you choose a sand wedge or lob wedge with more loft. The feel of the shot remains the same regardless of the club; it's only the tool that is swapped out according to the task.
A smart way to improve is to practice the same pendulum motion with three different clubs and learn how far the ball rolls with each one. Then you get a whole repertoire to choose from around the green instead of trying to force out different shots with a single club.
When to putt instead of chip
The smartest shot around the green is sometimes not a chip shot at all. If the ball lies right at the edge of the green, or on a smooth, closely mown surface between you and the flag, the putter is almost always the safest choice. A putt that rolls a little off line rarely costs you more than a metre, whereas a thin or chunked chip can ruin the entire hole.
The rule of thumb among experienced players is simple: putt if you can, chip if you must, and pitch only when you are forced to fly over something. A chip is the natural choice when the grass between you and the green is too long or uneven to putt through, but when you don't need the ball in the air there's no point in lifting it. Reading that difference correctly lowers your score more than any single technical improvement.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
Most missed chips have the same origin: a desire to help the ball up into the air. This causes the weight to fall back, the wrists to scoop and the club to either dig in behind the ball or hit it on the way up. The solution is almost always to go back to the basics - weight forward, hands slightly ahead, swing through.
Another recurring error is inconsistent ball position. Place the ball just behind the centre of your narrow stance for a standard chip; this gives a clean, downward strike. If you move the ball too far forward, you risk hitting the ground first. Practice the same position until it becomes automatic, and half the uncertainty disappears on its own.
Finally: many underestimate how much the surface affects things. A ball sitting tight against hard ground requires a cleaner strike and often a little less loft, while a ball in fluffy rough wants a club that can glide through the grass. Feel out the lie before you decide on club and shot.
Equipment and details that make a difference in the short game
Technique is the foundation, but small practical things around the green also affect the result more than you might think. Clean grooves in the wedge grip the ball better and give you the controlled stop you're after, especially on short chips where the spin counts.
The gym towel - black hangs easily on the bag and wipes off the clubhead between shots, so that grass and moisture don't settle into the grooves before the next chip. A dry, clean striking surface is one of the cheapest improvements you can make in the short game. For those who want a smarter option with the brand's own touch, a golf towels works just as well on the practice green as during a competition round.
A steady grip in the hand also matters when you're dosing delicate shots. The LR Players Glove RH gives contact and control without you needing to squeeze the grip, which is exactly what a relaxed chipping motion requires. And since short-game practice often means a long time bent forward over the ball in changing weather, garments that move with you are worth their place in the bag - a polo shirts that fits right lets you focus on the shot instead of on your clothes.
How to build chipping into your practice
The short game rewards repetition more than almost any other part of golf, and it's perfectly possible to practice without going out on the course. Lay out a few balls at different distances from a practice green and hit them with the same calm pendulum until the strike becomes reliable. Vary the club and the lie so that you learn how the ball behaves in different situations.
If you want to read more about how the short game and technique connect with the rest of the game, there's a broader overview in the guide how to play golf - a beginner's guide to the course, and for those who want to practice smart even when the season is short, golf practice at home offers concrete ideas. Once you feel the shot is dialled in, the rest is about being properly dressed and equipped for all the hours it takes to make the chip a reflex - you'll find both garments and accessories when you see the full range at Local Rule.
