How to Chip a Golf Ball

If you want to shave strokes off your golf game quickly, chipping and putting is the key. The professional golfers on various tours can chip golf balls close to the pins when they miss the green. Where an amateur may have to make a 20-foot putt after a normal chip, the professional may have to putt six feet or less. Chipping isn't the prettiest part of the game, but it can fix a bad approach shot.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Grab your golf clubs and as many golf balls as you have. You want to bring your own golf balls to the practice facility, so you know how to chip the balls you use. If you rent a two-piece distance ball for use on the driving range, you will learn different distances than what you need for your three-piece, high-spin balls.

2. Stretch and limber up before you hit any golf balls.

3. Set a ball two steps off the practice green near a flat portion of the green.

4. Choose a target hole that is located six paces onto the green. You can create your own target by placing a tee on the green.

5. Get an eight iron from your bag and address the golf ball.

6. Adjust your position. You should open your stance slightly by moving your front foot a couple of inches back away from the ball line. Make sure the ball is located in the center of your stance.

7. Check your grip pressure. You should have a relaxed grip, with just enough pressure to keep the club in control.

8. Create a picture in your mind of a straight line from your final target to the golf ball.

9. Choose a small landing target just on the green to hit the ball to in the air. Your landing spot should be two paces from where the ball rests.

10. Use a smooth stroke, like you would when putting the ball, to hit the ball in the air and to the target spot just on the green.

11. Chip many more golf balls until you can consistently hit the target spot. If the green is slow, you need to adjust your landing spot to be closer to the hole (final target).

12. Practice making the same swing with various irons and notice how far the ball rolls with each iron.

Tips & Warnings

• Practice chipping in the backyard. Set out a bucket or towel and try to land the ball on it. You won't get a feel for the roll on the green, but you should get a good feel for how hard to hit the ball to land it in the perfect spot.
• Arrive early at the golf course to practice chipping on the green and see how fast and far the ball rolls.
• The lower the club number, the farther it will roll on the green. If you hit the ball 10 feet in the air using a pitching wedge, the ball should roll about 15 feet. If you use a six iron to chip the ball 10 feet in the air, the ball will roll approximately 50 feet.
• Sometimes, you may want to use a higher-lofted club for a flop shot over big undulations in the green.
• Chipping uphill and downhill can drastically affect chipping distances, depending on the size of the hill.

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