Chipping Tips, the Advantage of Distance Control

by Randy
(Palm Coast, FL)

Louis, I was taught your method of learning how hard to swing while chipping. My old time golfing buddy taught it to me in my first year of golfing and I never struggled again with chipping. He also told me another thing.

He told me to pick my club and then use a 4 or 8 o'clock swing. Those two simple things revolutionized my short game. On slower greens and little air time to landing area, I use a 7 or 8 iron. On faster greens where more air time in required, I use one of my wedges.

I also set and hold my wrists throughout the swing. No flipping or trying to lift the ball. Follow through and let the club do its thing.

Lastly, I do not chip to get close. I chip to get it in the hole, as if it were my first putt. Occasionally I hole out, but more often it results in being very close to the cup. If you chip to get close, and then you error, it tends to be a longer putt because you are settling for a much bigger target area.

My goal is to No-Putt. I "settle" for one putts that are tap-ins.

Doing these simple things has resulted in a lot of up and downs around the green for me, something every golfer needs, if they want their scores to come down.

Follow these tips and, if you are a struggling amateur, you could easily watch 10 strokes come off your score.