Perfecting Your Short Game: 6 Proven Tips for Improving Chipping in Golf
Only 2% of all golfers can break 80. In other words, you're only going to see a score this impressive when you're watching the pros.
Still, if your goal is to break 100 (or even 90), it's time to start working on your chipping. Before you start aiming to improve your score on the green, you need to learn how to chip a golf ball consistently.
Only when you start breaking bad habits and building good ones can you expect to seal the deal at the end of each round. From ball positioning to posture, we've got you covered.
Read on for our top six tips for better chipping for beginners.
1. Work on Chipping Posture
If you've read our guide to improving your golf swing, you know how important posture is. In fact, the slightest shift in your hips, shoulders, or wrists can produce a completely different outcome.
For chipping, you're going to want to position your sternum (the area below the buttons of your shirt) ahead of the ball. You can achieve this subtle difference by placing a bit more weight in your front foot than your back foot.
Keep that classic triangle shape between your shoulders and arms. To maximize your rotation and power, bring your feet closer together. As you move through the swing, tilt your upper body in the direction of your target to get the small and controlled amount of air time a good chip shot requires.
2. Try Out Different Ball Positions for Chipping
Your posture isn't the only thing that will impact your chipping distance, speed, and angle. Where you position yourself in relation to the ball will also make a difference and many amateur golfers overlook this simple but crucial step.
When you're centered around the ball, you'll launch the ball higher thanks to reduced forward shaft lean at the start of your shot. When you're ahead of the ball and it's behind your back foot, you'll get a low launch and increased spin.
For most chip shots, you want the club face connecting with the ball at the low point of the swing. However, it all depends on your preferences and the shot you're trying to make. Practice different ball positions and notice the difference in outcome each one produces so you know how to optimize every time.
3. Read the Green
Expert golfers have noted that of the biggest mistakes that hurt their game, neglecting green reading is one of them. The slope of the green may seem imperceptible, and therefore unimportant, when you're just getting started. With time and effort, you'll learn to work with the green, rather than against it.
Before setting up, look at the green between your ball and hole. What is the slope? How does it break?
Practice green reading while you practice chipping with different ball positions. This is the best way to learn how to compensate for an upward slope, reduce power for a downward slope, and get the right spin to avoid skewing left or right of your target.
4. Stop Aiming for the Hole
When chipping, does your ball get more distance in the air or once it hits the ground and roles? The answer will have to do with the force behind your shot, the angle at which you hit the ball, and which part of your club is making contact. The answer will also tell you where to aim when you're making those last few strokes of the round.
During practice runs, pay close attention to the ball. If your ball spends more time in the air than it does rolling, aim for a target about two-thirds from the hole. If the opposite is true, aim for a target about one-third from the hole.
This is all the more important when you're far out from the hole. Breaking up the distance with incremental targets will improve your accuracy.
5. Practice Distance Control
Unless you're caught behind a sand trap or a major undulation in the ground, you're going to start chipping when you're closing in on the green. If your chip shots are only carrying you ten yards or less, you're going to drive up your score. If you suddenly start chipping with more force and no control, you're likely to drive the ball well beyond your target.
What many amateur golfers overlook is the potential usefulness of chip shots from distances of more than 10 or 20 yards. When you're practicing, start from the greenside and move back in increments of 10 yards. Continue to practice your chip shots until you're hitting from a distance of 50 yards.
As you do so, make small adjustments to your posture and the ball position as we've discussed above. The key is to see what subtle changes work best for you to achieve the proper force and distance.
6. Relax to Focus
When you're struggling to learn how to chip a golf ball consistently, you're likely to start tensing up. It's easy to assume that this tension is a sign of focus or determination, but it's actually disrupting your ability to improve.
If you find yourself tensing to overcompensate for a handicap or perceived weaknesses, it may benefit you to do some exercises for golfers. Just like practice can make proper posture and force feel intuitive, physical strength can give you innate confidence in your body's ability to show up on the green. It is often this subconscious connection with the ball, the green, and your body that allows for greater focus, especially when taking something as precise and delicate as a chip shot.
Come to Stonegate to Learn How to Chip a Golf Ball Consistently
If you're looking to improve your golf score, it's time to learn how to chip a golf ball consistently. Like most golfing techniques, chipping requires a combination of learned skill and intuition. There's no better place to practice than Stonegate Golf Club.
Stonegate Golf Club is a 36-hole combination with a variety of shot-making opportunities. Book a tee time and start working on your technique on one of the most beautiful courses in the nation.