Chipping Practice And Strategy In Golf

Never be afraid to experiment with your short game in as imaginative and creative a fashion as you wish. Trying out different shots on the practice ground will help you find out what is possible and, just as importantly, what is not.

Knowing how the ball will react with different clubs and from different lies is invaluable. You should use all the tools in your bag when chipping, even if they seem unconventional.

If you are in the fringe around the green and the grass is likely to snag your club, avoid this by chipping with a 3 or 5 wood. Nor should you be afraid to use your putter in strange places, this is often the best option for a percentage shot provided there are not any obstacles in your path.

Using different clubs

By experimenting with your different clubs you will find that no two chip shots are the same and this fact means your ability to judge distance and to select the correct club is absolutely vital.

As you practice chipping with a selection of clubs, you will get used to carry and roll of each iron. Using the same length of swing, a shot played with a 5 iron, for example, will carry farther and roll more on landing than one played with a pitching wedge, which will hit the ball higher into the air and stop it quicker.

Some leading golfers occasionally play shots from the fringe around the green with a 3 wood, where an iron club might snag in the grass resulting in a fluffed shot.

Safety First

When playing a chip shot, you should aim to get the ball on the green and rolling towards the hole as soon as possible. Unless there is no other option, you should avoid trying to run the ball through rough or long fringe grass, as it is impossible to know how the ball will react.

It could get a nice bounce and run on to the hole without any problems, but it could just as easily get snagged and caught up in the longer grass, leaving you to face yet another chip shot. To be on the safe side, you should try to carry the ball a yard or so on to the green.