Learning the right short-game shots is key for consistent performance and lowering your scores. So let’s take a look at two key chip shots and see how you can execute them properly to improve your short game.
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Chip shot one: The chip and run
The first chip shot you need to master is the simple chip and run. This is best executed with an 8-iron as this has less loft and creates that low running shot we desire.
Wherever possible, this should be your chip shot of choice as it is the lowest risk and easiest to execute correctly and consistently. It is also easy to develop distance control as this shot is similar to when you hit the ball with a putter, it’s not really a descending blow where you are hitting the ground, its a sweeping stroke that is hard to get wrong.
First things first we need to sort out the set-up. Start with your feet at club head with apart, keep the ball position in the centre of your stance and lower your hands on the grip.
The feeling here is one of a long-putting stroke. Most golfers make the mistake of digging the club down into the ground too much which can lead to fat shots that only travel a yard or so in front of us. This often happens when the hands get too far ahead of the ball causing the club head to dig into the ground.
Using a putting style stroke makes your angle of attack much more neutral and gets you just clipping the top of the turf and striking the golf ball nicely, this is a perfect technique for a golfer struggling around the greens.
Chip shot two: The high shot
As much as we would love to play a chip and run every time, sometimes the situation doesn’t allow us to. If you have something such as a bunker to carry, hitting a higher chip shot is going to work to your advantage.
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The setup is actually fairly similar to what we see with the chip and run. We still want to keep a narrow stance with the feet a club head width apart. Keep the ball in the middle of the stance and grip down the club again.
Really the difference comes in the execution. We aren’t trying to achieve that rigid putting pendulum motion. Instead, we want the hands and wrists to be soft and hinge more, to allow the club to slide under the ball.
The ground is our friend on this shot, we have to let the bounce interact with the ground to create the right strike for this chip shot.
Don’t make the mistake of getting the hands too far in front of the ball or trying to add loft to the club by lifting the hands up. The loft on the club head will provide plenty of height without you having to add more loft or height.
You need to let the club head slide under the ball and work pass your hands to make use of the loft on the club head and get your chip shots launching high.
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