The Long Putt That Isn’t: Master Chipping with a Simpler Mindset
If I had a dollar for every golfer who told me, “I just can’t chip,” I could probably fund a new clubhouse. After 15 years of teaching, I can tell you with confidence: chipping struggles aren’t about talent. They’re about understanding one simple truth that changes everything.
Here it is: stop thinking of chipping as a “mini-swing.” That mental shift alone will improve your short game faster than any technical fix.
Reframe Your Thinking
When you stand over a chip shot, your brain is likely conjuring images of a full swing—just smaller. You’re thinking rotation, club speed, lag, all those things that work beautifully from 150 yards out. But that’s not what your 30-yard chip needs. In my teaching experience, this misconception creates tension, over-thinking, and poor touch.
“Think of it more as a long putt than a ‘mini-swing’. By that, I mean it should be a rather relaxed back-and-through with only a little wrist movement. Much like sound putting technique, the essence of the chipping stroke is a smooth rotation of the shoulders and upper torso back and through.”
When you approach a chip as an extension of your putting stroke—not a compressed golf swing—everything loosens up. Your grip softens. Your tempo stabilizes. Your feel returns. You start hitting better chips almost immediately.
The Setup: Your Foundation for Consistency
Before you even think about the stroke, your address position has to be right. This is where I see most golfers struggling, and fixing it transforms results.
Start with your feet closer together than you’d stand for a full swing—think putting distance. Your knees should have a slight flex, and here’s the key detail many golfers miss: bend from your hips so your free arm hangs naturally. This isn’t some rigid athletic position. It’s relaxed and athletic.
Pull your front foot back slightly from your target line so your hips and shoulders sit slightly open. This open stance helps your shoulders rotate freely on the through-swing. Your weight should favor your front foot heavily—I typically recommend at least 60% of your weight there, sometimes more. This forward weight shift prevents one of chipping’s deadliest mistakes: trying to scoop the ball with your hands.
Now, the ball position: place it at or just behind the center of your stance. Your naturally hanging left hand becomes your guide here. Grip the club at that position, and notice that your shaft should have just a slight forward angle—hands just ahead of the ball. Not dramatically forward. Just slightly.
“The most common error I see in chipping set-ups is too severe a backward angle of the shaft, with the hands pressed far forward, which de-lofts the club too much for good chipping.”
Many golfers over-correct here, pressing their hands way ahead of the ball. This removes loft you actually need. The club needs to release smoothly, not fight against a shaft that’s too forward.
Grip Pressure: The Feel Shot Killer
Here’s something I tell every student: a tight grip in chipping is like trying to write your name with a clenched fist. It simply doesn’t work.
Use a very light grip—I mean genuinely light. Think “holding a baby bird” light. Let your lead hand (left hand if you’re right-handed) control the club for direction and path, while your trailing hand (right hand) manages the touch and feel. Your right fingertips especially should stay engaged and sensitive. This isn’t weakness; it’s leverage. Your natural eye-hand coordination is strongest between your eyes and your right fingers, so keep that connection alive.
The Stroke: Patient and Deliberate
Your backstroke should feel almost lazy. I tell my students to rotate their shoulders and body core backward, allowing the club to follow naturally. Minimal wrist break—just a slight hinge at the end if it happens naturally. Let the club stop. Even pause slightly. This patience is crucial because what comes next matters most.
The downstroke is where precision happens. Don’t accelerate. That’s the killer I see constantly—golfers rushing this critical moment. Instead, work deliberately and methodically. Your body core and shoulders lead the way, your left arm guides the path, and your right fingertips control how much force you apply. Your hands should stay ahead of the clubhead through impact, exactly as they were at address.
“Do not allow any thoughts of ‘accelerating’ to mess up what should be more of a pendulum stroke—back and through, keeping the hands ahead of the clubhead.”
Practical Drills to Build Your Confidence
Drill 1: The Landing Spot Focus
Try this immediately on the practice green. Pick a specific chip shot—say, 25 feet from the pin with 10 feet of fringe. Choose your club (an 8-iron if you want to carry it 10-20% of the way). Now, pick an exact spot on the green where you want the ball to land. Not the hole. The landing spot. Hit 10 chips focusing only on that target, not the final resting place. Your natural coordination will handle distance better when you’re focused on a near target rather than a distant one.
Drill 2: The Setup Check
Grab your phone and take a short video of your address position from face-on. Check three things: Are your feet close together and knees flexed? Is your weight favoring your front foot? Are your hands only slightly ahead of the ball, not dramatically forward? Make adjustments and video again. This visual feedback catches setup errors faster than feel alone ever will.
Drill 3: The Grip Pressure Sensitivity Test
Hold your chipping club with your normal grip tension while someone gently tries to twist it from your hands—not aggressively, just a mild resistance test. You should feel some give. If you’re gripping like your life depends on it, loosen up and try again. Your grip should allow movement, not prevent it.
Chipping doesn’t require natural talent or magic. It requires understanding, the right setup, and practiced feel. You absolutely can improve this part of your game, starting today.
