Chipping Like a Pro

Mark Hackett

Chipping like a pro is easier to accomplish than you think if you follow these simple tips.

Utilize your chipping iron like a putter by raising it on its toe, thus lining up the clubface through the top edge of the club. Eliminate the wrist flip error from your chipping motion or you will inadvertently add loft to the club during your swing. Remember to move close enough to the ball so the club head is standing on its toe with the club shaft as vertical as possible. By doing this, you will eliminate any angle in your left wrist so that your club head won’t drop any lower through impact than it was at the initial ball address.

Place your weight on your left side so you will easily produce the proper angle of attack - a naturally descending motion. Drop your left foot back from the target line and let your weight settle naturally into your left hip. Remember your weight should start, stay and finish into your left side.

Remember that the fringe of the green is unpredictable. Bad bounces can destroy the line, soft turf can slow the ball down and hard turf can speed it up too much. Remember to select a spot at least one yard on the green where you want your chip to land.

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