Master the Chip Shot to Lower Your Scores

Chipping around the green seems to be an easy task. You are just a few steps off the green, so how hard can this shot be? But, with different lies and situations, chipping can be difficult.

Because of the cooler weather this spring, the grass is just now starting to fill in around the green. The thin grass makes chipping difficult as most of us hate hitting off hard pan lies. This type of lie requires you to execute the shot in a different way from what you may normally do.

If you can putt the ball off a hard pan lie, I would recommend that as your first option. But, if it is bumpy between where the ball lies and the green begins, then you must chip to get to the green.

When the lie is hard and the pin placement is closer to the edge of the green, you should select a pitching, gap or lob wedge for this shot. Stay away from the sand wedge as the bounce (bottom) of the club could make you hit this shot thin and send it over the green.

If the pin placement is farther away from you and the edge of the green, you have the choice of hitting a 7 or 8 iron and bump the ball onto the edge of the green and let it roll to the hole.

Either shot requires you to have the proper set up. Check out these key fundamentals the next time you are faced with a chip shot.

• Grip down on your club for control. The shorter the club, the more control you will have with controlling distance.

• Narrow your stance. I see many of you set up to a chip shot with the same width of stance that you use for a full shot. The rule of thumb is you need to narrow your stance as you get closer to the green.

• Play the ball back in your stance. This will actually allow you to use less bounce with your club and hit the ball clean off a hard pan lie. Now with a narrow stance the ball is not that far away from center

• Lean your weight on to your front foot. When you lean your hands will naturally lean (press forward) to the left of your zipper. This position is important. You should try to maintain this position throughout your stroke.

When you are close to the green and hit a chip shot from the setup I have described, the ball will not fly high. Most of you will want to help lift the ball onto the green but in reality the ball flies less than hip high. If you maintain set up position throughout the stroke the ball will fly over the rough patches onto the green and close to the hole.

If you will also use the following formula when hitting a chip shot, you will be able to better control your distance: The 8 iron shot will fly 1/3 of the way onto the green and roll 2/3 of the way to the hole. The pitching wedge flies 1/2 of the way onto the green and rolls 1/2 of the way to the hole. The lob wedge will fly 2/3 of the way onto the green and roll 1/3 of the way to the hole.

Master this shot and I guarantee you will put yourself in a position to lower your scores.