You hit 14 greens? Great. Hit 4 greens but got up-and-down from the fringe, rough, and tight lies? That’s better scoring.

Chipping is where mid-handicappers become low-handicappers. It’s not about hitting miracle flop shots—it’s about consistently getting the ball close enough for a stress-free putt.

Why Most Golfers Struggle with Chipping

The problem isn’t talent or coordination. It’s approach.

Most recreational golfers use the same technique for every chip—usually an overly wristy motion that leads to chunks, skulls, and everything in between. Tour players, by contrast, have 3-4 different shots for different situations.

You don’t need tour-level creativity. You need reliable fundamentals and the wisdom to pick the right shot for each situation.

The Setup: Every Chip Starts Here

Narrow Your Stance

Get your feet underneath your pelvis—much narrower than a full swing. This centers your head over the ball, which is crucial for consistent contact, especially on uneven lies around greens.

Weight Forward

Before you swing, shift about 60-70% of your weight onto your front foot. Once you’re there, stay there. This promotes a downward strike that catches the ball clean.

Phil Mickelson puts it simply: “You have to have your weight on your front foot because we have to keep the leading edge down.”

Ball Position: Make a Decision

There are three basic positions:

  • Back of center (near trail foot): Lower, running shots
  • Center: Standard chip with some check
  • Forward of center: Higher, softer landing

The key insight from Phil: “Never hit a chip with the ball in the middle of your stance because you haven’t made a commitment on what shot you’re going to hit.”

Pick your shot, position accordingly, and commit.

The Motion: Quiet Hands, Active Core

The Biggest Mistake: Wristy Chips

The most common error—and the most destructive—is using your wrists to create power.

Too much wrist action adds unwanted speed and leads to inconsistent contact. By keeping the wrists quiet, you’ll flight the ball better, control your distance more precisely, and make more consistent contact.

Think of creating a lowercase “y” with your arms and the shaft. Maintain this shape throughout the swing.

Let Your Body Do the Work

Instead of flipping your wrists through impact, turn with your core. Feel like your hips control the motion, not your hands.

Top instructor Mike Dickson explains: “I’m not really using my hands to move the club. It’s more my pelvis.”

The 2:1 Ratio

For distance control, use a 2:1 tempo ratio—two-thirds of your motion in the backswing, one-third through.

Imagine tossing a ball underhand near the green, or feel like you’re swinging a club underwater—smooth and controlled. This prevents the rushed, jabby motion that destroys consistency.

The Three Shots You Actually Need

1. The Chip-Putt (Bump and Run)

When to use it: You’re just off the green with nothing between you and the hole—no bunker, no rough, no severe slope.

The setup:

  • Ball back in stance
  • Handle forward
  • Weight 70% on front foot
  • Use a 7, 8, or 9 iron

The technique: Essentially a putting stroke with a lofted club. Minimal air time, maximum roll. The ball pops up just enough to clear the fringe, then runs like a putt.

The rule: Land the ball on the green as soon as possible, then let it roll. This is the highest-percentage chip for most situations.

2. The Standard Chip

When to use it: More green to work with, or you need the ball to check slightly before running out.

The setup:

  • Ball center or slightly back
  • Hands slightly ahead
  • Use your pitching wedge or gap wedge

The technique: A slightly longer motion than the chip-putt, with a modest amount of loft. The ball carries a bit further, lands softer, and still releases.

3. The Lob (High and Soft)

When to use it: Short-sided to a tight pin, over a bunker, or when you need the ball to stop quickly.

The setup:

  • Ball forward of center
  • Open the clubface
  • Use your lob wedge or sand wedge

The technique: More wrist hinge allowed here. The clubface slides under the ball, creating height and spin.

The caution: This is the lowest-percentage shot. Don’t use it unless you absolutely have to.

Drills That Actually Work

The Headcover Drill (Stop Chunking)

Place a headcover about one foot behind the ball. Hit chips without touching the headcover.

If you hit it, you’re hitting behind the ball—the root cause of fat chips. This drill trains you to strike ball-first every time.

The Hula Hoop Drill (Distance Control)

Set up a hula hoop (or towel) on the green. Place balls at 5-yard intervals from 10-40 yards.

Start with the closest ball. Chip it into the hoop. If successful, move to the next ball. Miss? Start over.

This builds the distance control that separates good chippers from great ones.

Par 18 (Competitive Practice)

A favorite among tour players:

  1. Pick 9 different spots around the practice green
  2. Chip and putt out from each spot
  3. Par is 2 for each “hole”—18 total

This game gives instant feedback on your short game by combining chipping with putting, just like on the course.

The One-Club Challenge

Take only your 8-iron or pitching wedge to the practice green. Hit every chip—high, low, running, stopping—with just that club.

This forces you to manipulate trajectory through setup and technique rather than club selection. It builds creativity and confidence.

The Mental Game of Chipping

Pick Your Landing Spot

Before every chip, identify exactly where you want the ball to land. Not vaguely “on the green”—a specific spot the size of a dinner plate.

This gives your brain a target and helps you calibrate the required force naturally.

Visualize the Roll

See the entire shot: the ball landing on your spot, bouncing once or twice, and rolling toward the hole. The more detailed your visualization, the better your results.

Commit Fully

Indecision kills chips. Once you’ve picked your shot and landing spot, commit completely. A poor shot executed with confidence often finishes better than a good shot executed tentatively.

Common Mistakes and Quick Fixes

Chunks (hitting behind the ball):

  • Check that your weight is forward
  • Keep your hands ahead of the clubhead through impact
  • Use the headcover drill

Skulls (blading across the green):

  • Don’t try to help the ball up—hit down to make it go up
  • Check ball position isn’t too far forward
  • Ensure you’re not standing up through impact

Inconsistent distance:

  • Simplify to the 2:1 ratio
  • Practice the hula hoop drill
  • Consider changing clubs instead of swing length

Your One-Week Chipping Challenge

Days 1-2: Practice the bump and run exclusively. Land the ball just on the green and let it roll.

Days 3-4: Add the standard chip. Practice landing on different spots and predicting the roll.

Days 5-6: Work on distance control with the hula hoop drill.

Day 7: Play Par 18 and track your score.

After one week of focused practice, you’ll be getting up-and-down more often and approaching chips with confidence instead of dread.

Connect the Dots

Great chipping starts with solid setup fundamentals and good tempo. To understand how ball position affects trajectory, see our guide on weight transfer.

Want to see your technique? Recording your chips with your phone—no tripod needed—can reveal issues you can’t feel. Swing Analyzer gives you instant feedback on your form.

The secret to great chipping isn’t talent—it’s simplicity. Pick the right shot, set up correctly, and execute with quiet hands. Do this consistently, and you’ll save more strokes around the green than any new driver could ever provide.