Gary Nicol's Short Game Secrets: Chipping on an upslope

In our quest to learn how to improve shot selection, the Golf Shack Academy on tour found our way to Archerfield Links in Scotland.

While there, we caught up with Gary Nicol, European Tour coach at TPEGS coaching, also based at Archerfield.

Chipping around the green can be an area where you find yourself dropping shots needlessly. Failing to get up and down from what you consider an easy position cant leave you pretty deflated.

Gary Nicol’s Short Game Secrets: The long greenside bunker shot

Gary Nicol’s Short Game Secrets: Basic bunker principles

Gary Nicol’s Short Game Secrets: Plugged in a bunker

We asked Gary to show us the best way to approach a chip shot while you are standing on an upslope.

The big mistake I see all too often from club golfers is that they tend to lean into the slope. That makes the leading edge really dig into the ground, we ca’t follow through properly and we can’t really control the distance or the strike.

You want to stand so that you are PARALLEL to the slope and not fighting against it. Club choice is also extremely important. I have a 52 degree wedge here. I see far too many players reaching for their 56 or 60 degree in this situation because they think they need to chuck it way in the air.

By standing parallel on the slope yo can turn that 52 degree into a 56 degree anyway, so it will automatically launch a little bit higher.