Matches are often won or lost in the "short game." The short game includes golf chipping and pitching. Should you really want to do well in golf, you need to master the art of chipping. A golf chip is completely different from a pitch; pitching is more lofted and uses a wedge. Golf chipping is an essential skill when you are about 30 to 50 feet off the green.



A bad chip is what occurs when you hit the golf ball too high or too low. You will either finish up with a "fat" chip (also called a "chucker") that goes absolutely nowhere. Or you may end up with a "thin" chip (also known as a "skull") that goes shooting across the green, giving you another chance to chip from the other side.

Do you want to know how to hit a good golf chip? Hit the ball first and not the ground. Some players say that it's like "squeezing" the ball between the club head and the grass. Getting enough acceleration into your golf chipping swing is difficult to achieve. The most common worry that players have when chipping is hitting the golf ball too far. That anxiety often causes you to unconsciously slow down your swing. Slowing down is precisely the opposite of what you want. A shorter backswing allows you to maintain acceleration without overshooting the green. A good rule of thumb is that your chipping backswing will probably be about 25% to 50% of your normal backswing.

Strangely, there's no universal consensus about which club is best for golf chipping. In the end, the most suitable club for you is that which you personally prefer, the one with which you are able to control the spin better, and the one that gives you better overall control. Try out each of your clubs to find one that seems to work best. After that spend all your time practicing with that club. A lot of players tend to think that it's preferable to master one club and control the flight of the golf ball by adjusting your backswing. That way you don't have to become proficient with four or five clubs and then decide which one to use based on the distance factor alone.

Your stance for chipping should be narrower than the normal stance. Position yourself nearer to the ball and choke up on the club. The ball should be back in your stance to help you hit the ball more solidly.

Proficient golf chips are low and aimed at getting the ball rolling as quickly as possible. Most golf chipping situations don't require a lofted flight. The one occasion that you actually require lift when you're chipping is if there's something in your way that you need to get over like high grass or a bunker. When the outlook is clear concentrate on getting to the green without a lot of fanfare.

Playing the short game right usually means you have to get the feel right. The best way to get the feel right is practice. A proven way you can find out which club chips proficiently for you is to practice with them all. Obtaining the best physical form comes next. There is really no need to go to the practice range. Lay out a target in your garden and then practice chipping the golf ball into that spot and notice how your game picks up.

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