“Chipping”

Now that we have our putting intact, its time to move to another part of the short game called chipping. We all wish that we could hit all 18 greens in regulation but this is not a reality. There are numerous good chipping fundamentals that should be followed by everyone. There is however one chipping tip that everyone needs to understand, and that has to do with your hands at impact. A major factor in hitting consistent chip shots is for the hands to lead the clubface through impact. The first thing to do at setup is to move the majority of your weight onto the forward foot. The ball is placed back in your stance with the hands ahead of the ball. This will deloft the club to reduce side spin and insure solid ball contact. The shot can now be played with the correct downward strike. Rotate with your shoulders just like a putt keeping the “V” formed with the chest, arms, and hands. Remember not to get “wristy” at impact or you run the risk of thinning or chunking the ball. Good luck!
 
Drill: Set up a small target (a circle of balls about two feet wide) on the putting green and practice landing your chip shots in that target. First round should be about five feet away. If you make five balls in a row in the target, move back two feet and start over. This drill will help control your distance.

JJ Johnson
Head Golf Professional