How To

How to Position a Golf Ball for a Chip Shot

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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More than half of the strokes taken during a round of golf are taken within 10 yards of the green. More than 80 percent of those are taken on the green or within 10 feet of it. Obviously, paring down the total of these strokes can dramatically improve a golf score. Shots off the green but within 10 feet of its fringe are called chip shots. Their execution is a crucial part of the short game.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Execute a chip shot as though it were a putt performed with a club that has enough loft to get the ball over any bumpy ground between the ball and the green--anything from a 6 iron to a pitching wedge.
Step 2

Stay statue-still over a chip as you would while making a putt. Body movement causes subtle mis-hits in a stroke as precise as a chip or putt.
Step 3

Narrow your stance and open your feet slightly, but not your body. Shoulders should remain square to the target. The open stance allows extension of the club down the club path without breaking down the right hand.
Step 4

Play the ball slightly back of center of stance.
Step 5

Shift both your weight and your hands slightly forward of the ball.
Step 6

Use your putting stroke, but with the ball played from this stance, the club will gently "pinch" the shot, imparting elevation and creating a crisp contact of club to ball.

Tips & Warnings

Like putting, there are many modifications and preferences for a chip shot stance, but early in the process of learning the game of golf, the simple techniques are always the best.

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