The key to shooting low scores is being able to get up-and-down when you miss the green, turnings bogeys into pars by chipping it close. You simply can't get that handicap down if you don't know how to chip well, or you consistently suffer with fat and thin chip shots.
Once you master your chipping technique, however, this part of the game is so much fun. To help you lose your chipping fear and/or get rid of the chipping yips, Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Alistair Davies has selected four of his favorite chipping drills for you to take to the short game area.
4 SUPER CHIPPING DRILLS
1. Left hand only
Many golfers struggle with chipping because they’re too focused on getting the ball in the air, which disrupts their technique. This drill helps create more dominance in the left hand and arm.
Repeat this several times and you should start to feel how the left wrist is a little more stable. Notice how the shaft and left arm are lined up through the ball. Then, put both hands back on the club and try and feel those same movements. As well as aiding feel, this is a great drill for improving attack angle and clubface stability.
2. Tee peg
That desire to get the ball airborne often leads to ‘scooping’ the ball, which usually means excessive wrist action. A simple drill to test whether you’re keeping your wrists ‘quiet’ is to attach a tee with a bit of Blu Tack to the butt of your club.
There should be a slight gap between the forearms (see below), but if your wrists become too active you’ll get a sharp reminder when the tee makes contact. This drill helps eliminate unwanted wrist action through impact. It’s also a great check to get the shaft vertical enough so it’s in line with your forearm.
3. Handle ‘stare’
A lot of people who struggle with chipping decelerate and flick the right hand. Some golfers don’t allow their hands to travel far enough, which causes this flappy movement.
In this drill, stare at the handle and not the ball to see the path. Try to feel the butt of the club is travelling further (the same distance back and through) and, importantly, on an arc. If it’s too linear, the arms become disconnected and you won’t use the bounce correctly. Don’t concern yourself so much with the outcome, but the action.
4. Landing zone
This is one of the best chipping drills - and a good one to finish off your practice with. If you’re struggling with making good contact on a consistent basis, catching the ball heavy or thin, try ‘freeing up’ your technique with this exercise.
Turn your attention to the landing zone. Put a number of tee pegs down at different landing points and take a note of how the ball runs out. It’s a bit like throwing the ball onto the green and helps you to think about the outcome a little more than the process.
FAQS
Q. What are chipping yips?
The yips can ruin your enjoyment of the game. They are widely viewed as a mental problem, which tend to result from a physical fault that has crept in and gradually got worse over time. The result is a fear of the ground that leaves players susceptible to various involuntary movements at impact, and this usually results in duffs and thin strikes.
Q. What is the difference between chipping and pitching?
Generally, chipping is where a player gets the ball on the ground as soon as possible and running towards the hole. The ball tends to spend more time on the ground than it does in the air. With pitching, the ball spends more time in the air than it does on the ground. Both are part of the short game family of shots.
