Golf and Golf Courses

Aside from the full swing and the putt there are not normally dedicated areas at a golf course for practicing other shot types. You’ll perfect your drive by going to the driving range and most courses have a putting surface to practice all manner of short and long putts too. Some of the more important shots though are the ones that get you on to the green.

Chipping or pitching on to the green can be tricky as you’ll likely be trying to land the ball as close to the flag stick as possible but with little knowledge of the speed of the green and any curvature which could roll your ball into an awkward spot. The chip shot is arguably the shot that once mastered will shave significant numbers off your handicap as you should be landing the ball nearer to the hole and needing less putts to hit par or below.

The stance and grip for a chip shot are slightly different to that of a tee shot as you will typically not need to have such a wide stance and more of a vertical swing to get the required loft, distance and stopping power once the ball lands. You also don’t need to necessarily hold the club the same way, many golfers hold the club further down the grip nearer to the club’s head. This way you are able to gain much more control of the ball’s movement.

Your stance will figure heavily into the ball’s trajectory as it will determine how far through your swing you strike the ball. For chipping you need to be stood slightly back from the ball, this means you are going to strike the ball once you’ve completed your down swing and are now into your upswing.

This means the angle of the club head is increased achieving more loft but also minimizes top spin on the ball. With chip shots you want little top spin as this is what causes your ball to roll past your target when trying to get close to the pin.

Taking time to practice chip shots near the putting green (if your course allows this) or even at home can help you develop a natural instinct for how much power and angle is needed to get a perfect chip shot that stops on a dime when you aim for the green. Practice from differing surfaces (rough, fairway, even sand) and distances to help build your skills.

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