Golf Chipping Basics for Weekend Golfers

After 25 years of weekend golf, I've learned that nothing destroys a good round faster than butchering simple chip shots around the green. You know the feeling - you've hit two solid shots to get near the green, then completely botch a 20-yard chip that should be automatic. But here's what I discovered: mastering basic chipping fundamentals transformed my short game and finally helped me break 90 consistently.

The truth is, most weekend golfers overcomplicate chipping by trying to copy what they see on TV. Tour pros make it look effortless, but they're using techniques that require years of practice. What you need are simple, reliable basics that work immediately and give you confidence around the greens.

What Is a Chip Shot in Golf?

A chip shot is a short-game stroke where the ball carries into the air and then rolls an equal distance (or slightly longer) than it carries. According to GOLF Top 100 Teacher Kellie Stenzel, chipping has a lower ball flight and travels a shorter distance than a pitch shot, which makes it lower-maintenance and more forgiving for weekend golfers.

Phil Kenyon (specialist putting coach to Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Justin Rose, 70+ PGA and European Tour wins, 4 Major Championships) explains that the key to chipping success is understanding the fundamentals rather than trying complicated techniques. As he notes: "There's no one perfect way to do it, really."

Playing with my regular foursome, I've noticed we all struggled with the same thing - inconsistent contact that led to either chunked shots that barely moved or bladed chips that flew over the green. The breakthrough came when I focused on five simple basics instead of trying to get fancy.

How Do You Set Up for a Proper Chip Shot?

The foundation of consistent chipping starts with your setup. Sean Foley (PGA Tour instructor, former coach to Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, worked with 15+ tour winners) emphasizes that setup determines your ability to make clean contact.

Last month while practicing at my home course, I realized I'd been making this way too complicated. The setup that finally clicked for me involves five simple adjustments from your normal golf stance:

Narrow Your Stance Stand with your feet about one clubhead width apart, much closer than your full swing stance. This limits your mobility and helps you minimize moving parts during the stroke.

Weight Forward Place about 60-70% of your weight on your front foot (left foot for right-handed golfers). According to Golf Monthly's analysis of Arccos data, amateur golfers who get their weight forward make significantly better contact.

Choke Down on the Club Grip down on the handle roughly to the length of your putter. This gives you better control and makes the chipping motion feel more familiar since it's similar to putting.

Ball Position Slightly Back Position the ball just behind center in your stance, closer to your back foot than your front foot. This helps ensure you hit the ball first, then brush the turf.

Hands Ahead of the Ball Set your hands slightly ahead of the ball at address, creating a small amount of forward shaft lean. This pre-sets the impact position you want to achieve.

What Are the Most Common Chipping Mistakes Weekend Golfers Make?

Through my years of weekend golf, I've seen (and made) every chipping mistake in the book. According to Golf Monthly data, 10-handicap golfers from inside 25 yards average 16 feet from the hole and get up-and-down only 37% of the time. The main culprits are predictable errors that we can easily fix.

Trying to Help the Ball Up This was my biggest mistake for years. I'd instinctively try to scoop the ball into the air by leaning back and flicking my wrists. As Butch Harmon (former coach to Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Els, Golf Digest's #1 instructor) teaches: "Hit down to make the ball go up."

Using Too Much Wrist Action Weekend golfers often get "handsy" with chip shots, trying to add power or spin with excessive wrist movement. The most consistent chippers keep their wrists relatively quiet and let their body rotation control the stroke.

Wrong Club Selection Many amateurs immediately grab their highest lofted wedge for every chip. This makes the shot unnecessarily difficult. Lower-lofted clubs like pitching wedges or even 9-irons are often better choices because they're more forgiving.

Poor Distance Control According to PGA Tour statistics, professional golfers average 29.0 putts per round compared to 36+ putts for golfers with handicaps above 25. Much of this difference comes from better chipping that leaves shorter putts.

Tension in Hands and Arms I used to grip the club so tightly that my knuckles turned white. GOLF Top 100 Teacher Kellie Stenzel notes: "Tension can hurt golfers' abilities to feel the clubhead, and can prevent the clubhead from falling naturally into the ball."

Playing in our weekly foursome, I noticed that the guys who stayed relaxed and trusted their setup made consistently better chips than those who tried to manufacture perfect shots.

How Do You Control Distance When Chipping?

Distance control separates good chippers from poor ones. After struggling with this for years, I discovered a simple system that most weekend golfers can master in one practice session.

The One-Swing, Multiple-Club Method According to Golf Digest instruction, the most efficient way to control distance is to learn one basic stroke size and simply change clubs. GOLF Top 100 Teacher Kellie Stenzel explains: "My standard knee-height-to-knee-height chipping stroke with a gap wedge may travel 10 yards. With a pitching wedge, it'll go 20 yards. A 9-iron may go 30 yards, 8-iron 40 yards and 7-iron 50 yards."

This system transformed my chipping because it eliminates guesswork. Instead of trying to hit different swing speeds with one club, you use consistent tempo and let the club's loft do the work.

Understanding Flight-to-Roll Ratios Michael Breed (Golf Digest's Chief Digital Instructor) teaches weekend golfers to understand basic ratios:

• Lob wedge (60°): 70% flight, 30% roll
• Sand wedge (56°): 50% flight, 50% roll
• Pitching wedge (48°): 40% flight, 60% roll
• 9-iron: 30% flight, 70% roll
• 8-iron: 20% flight, 80% roll

Pick Your Landing Spot Rather than focusing on the hole, pick a landing spot about one-third of the way to the target. This gives you a specific target to aim for and helps you visualize the shot's trajectory and roll.

Last week, playing in typical weekend conditions with varying green speeds, I used this landing spot method to consistently get within 6 feet of the hole. My playing partners were amazed at the improvement.

Practice the "Towel Drill" One of the best drills I learned involves placing a towel on the practice green as your landing target. Hit chips from various distances trying to land the ball on the towel, then observe how far it rolls with different clubs.

Which Golf Club Should You Use for Chipping?

Club selection makes chipping much easier, but most weekend golfers make this more complicated than necessary. After years of automatically reaching for my sand wedge, I learned that simpler club choices lead to better results.

Start with Your Pitching Wedge For most weekend golfers, the pitching wedge should be your go-to chipping club. Justin Rose (PGA Tour professional) notes that it provides a good balance of loft and forgiveness. The ball flies about one-third of the distance and rolls two-thirds, making it predictable and reliable.

When to Use Lower-Lofted Clubs According to PGA professional instruction, you should consider using 9-irons, 8-irons, or even 7-irons when:

• You have lots of green to work with
• The pin is at the back of the green
• You're chipping uphill
• The greens are soft or slow

Save High-Lofted Wedges for Special Situations While 56° and 60° wedges have their place, they're much less forgiving for weekend golfers. Only use them when you must:

• Clear a bunker or obstacle
• Stop the ball quickly on fast greens
• Chip from tight lies with little room to work

During a recent round with my buddies, I watched one player use his lob wedge for every chip shot and struggle all day. Meanwhile, another player used his pitching wedge and 9-iron exclusively and got up-and-down four times. The lesson was clear.

The Two-Club System Phil Kenyon recommends that weekend golfers master two clubs for chipping: a pitching wedge for most situations and one higher-lofted club for special circumstances. This simplifies decisions and builds confidence through repetition.

How Do You Make Consistent Contact When Chipping?

Making clean, consistent contact is the foundation of good chipping. After chunking and blading chips for years, I finally discovered the simple keys that transformed my contact.

Hit Down on the Ball This seems counterintuitive, but it's the golden rule of chipping. Todd Anderson (Golf Digest's Top 50 Teachers, director of instruction at TPC Sawgrass) explains: "You want the low point of the downswing to happen at the ball or slightly in front of it so you hit the ball first, then brush the turf."

The key is trusting that the club's loft will get the ball airborne - you don't need to help it up.

Keep Your Body Quiet Unlike full swings where you rotate your entire body, chipping requires minimal lower body movement. The stroke should feel like an extension of your putting motion with slightly more arm swing.

Maintain Your Setup Throughout Sean Foley emphasizes that whatever position you establish at address should be maintained through impact. This means no swaying, no lifting up, and no dramatic weight shifts.

Brush the Grass After Impact Good chippers make a subtle brushing sound as the club skims the turf after hitting the ball. This indicates proper contact and the correct angle of attack.

Last month, I spent an hour on the chipping green focusing only on making this brushing sound after every shot. The improvement in my contact was immediate and dramatic.

Use Your Shoulders, Not Your Hands Think of the chipping motion as a pendulum controlled by your shoulders, with your arms and hands staying relatively passive. This creates consistency and prevents the flippy wrist action that leads to poor contact.

How Does Ball Position Affect Your Chip Shots?

Ball position is one of the easiest adjustments you can make to improve your chipping, yet most weekend golfers never experiment with it. After playing around with different positions during practice, I learned how small changes create big differences in ball flight.

Center Position (Default) For most basic chip shots, position the ball in the center of your narrow stance. This gives you a neutral trajectory - not too high, not too low - and is the most forgiving position for weekend golfers.

Back Position (Lower Flight) Moving the ball back in your stance (closer to your trailing foot) creates a lower ball flight with more roll. This is perfect when you have lots of green to work with or need the ball to release toward a back pin.

Forward Position (Higher Flight) Positioning the ball slightly forward in your stance increases the effective loft at impact, creating a higher flight with less roll. Use this when you need to clear an obstacle or land softly on fast greens.

According to Golf.com instruction, your home-base chipping setup should have the ball in the center of your stance, directly below your belt buckle. This creates consistency while giving you room to adjust for different situations.

The "Left for Loft, Right for Roll" Rule A simple way to remember ball position effects: moving the ball left (forward) in your stance increases loft and reduces roll, while moving it right (back) decreases loft and increases roll.

During a recent round, I found myself with a chip shot over a bunker to a tight pin. By moving the ball slightly forward and opening the clubface, I was able to land the ball softly and stop it quickly - something I never could have done with my old "one position fits all" approach.

What Practice Drills Improve Your Chipping Fast?

The best chipping practice focuses on fundamentals rather than fancy techniques. These drills helped me go from dreading chips to looking forward to them in just a few practice sessions.

The Gate Drill Place two alignment sticks or clubs on the ground creating a "gate" just wide enough for your ball to pass through, about two feet in front of your ball. This forces you to start the ball on the correct line and builds confidence in your aim.

Distance Ladder Drill Set up targets at 10, 20, and 30 yards using towels, headcovers, or small buckets. Hit three balls to each target, trying to land them in or near each zone. This develops your distance control with different clubs.

One Ball, Three Clubs Take the same chip shot but execute it three different ways: with a sand wedge (high flight), pitching wedge (medium flight), and 9-iron (low flight). This teaches you that there are multiple solutions to every chipping situation.

The Coin Drill Place a coin on the ground as your landing target. Try to hit it or land within a foot of it. This drill develops precision and helps you focus on a specific landing spot rather than just trying to get the ball "somewhere on the green."

According to PGA Tour professionals, the key to effective practice is simulation. Spend time around the practice green hitting from different lies, distances, and slopes that you'll encounter on the course.

My biggest breakthrough came when I stopped practicing perfect lies on the range and started practicing from real conditions - tight lies, rough, slopes, and uneven surfaces that I'd actually face during weekend rounds.

The Up-and-Down Challenge Drop five balls in different spots around the practice green and try to get up-and-down (chip and one-putt) with all five. This combines chipping and putting practice while creating realistic pressure.

Key Takeaways for Weekend Golfer Chipping Success

Mastering basic chipping fundamentals will transform your short game faster than any other improvement you can make. The key is keeping it simple and focusing on consistency rather than trying to hit perfect shots.

Remember these five fundamental basics: narrow stance with weight forward, ball position slightly back of center, hands ahead of the ball, quiet lower body motion, and hit down to make the ball go up. Start with your pitching wedge for most situations and only use higher-lofted clubs when absolutely necessary.

According to Golf Monthly data, 10-handicap golfers currently average 16 feet from the hole on chips from inside 25 yards and get up-and-down only 37% of the time. By implementing these basics, you can significantly improve those numbers and start saving strokes around the green.

The mental approach matters too. Stop trying to hit perfect shots and focus on getting the ball on the green and rolling toward the hole. Even professional golfers don't hit every chip shot close - they just avoid the big mistakes that lead to double bogeys.

Practice these fundamentals regularly, even if it's just 15 minutes before your round. As Phil Kenyon notes, consistency comes from repetition of proper technique, not from trying new methods every time you practice.

Most importantly, trust your setup and commit to the shot. Indecision and last-second swing changes are the enemies of good chipping. Pick your club, visualize the shot, and execute with confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions About Golf Chipping Basics

What is the easiest chipping technique for beginners?

The easiest chipping technique for beginners is the basic chip-and-run using a pitching wedge. Set up with a narrow stance, weight forward, ball slightly back of center, and make a simple pendulum motion with your shoulders. This technique is forgiving and produces predictable results.

Should I use the same club for all chip shots?

While you can improve by mastering one club initially, using different clubs for different situations will make you a better chipper long-term. Start with a pitching wedge as your primary chipping club, then add a 9-iron for longer chips and a sand wedge for special situations.

How do I stop chunking my chip shots?

To stop chunking chip shots, focus on keeping your weight forward throughout the swing and hitting down on the ball. Many golfers chunk because they try to help the ball up by leaning back and scooping. Trust the club's loft and hit down firmly.

What's the best ball position for chipping?

For most chip shots, position the ball slightly back of center in your stance, closer to your trailing foot than your front foot. This helps ensure you hit the ball first, then brush the turf, creating clean contact and proper trajectory.

How much wrist action should I use when chipping?

Use minimal wrist action when chipping. The motion should be controlled primarily by your shoulders, with your wrists staying relatively quiet. Some natural hinge is okay, but avoid excessive flipping or scooping motions that lead to inconsistent contact.

Which wedge is best for weekend golfers?

For weekend golfers, a pitching wedge (around 46-48 degrees) is the best choice for most chipping situations. It's more forgiving than higher-lofted wedges and produces a good balance of flight and roll that's easier to control.

Related Weekend Golfer Short Game Tips

Looking to improve other aspects of your short game? Check out these helpful resources:

Essential Putting Tips for Weekend Golfers - Master the fundamentals of putting to complement your improved chipping.

Best Golf Training Aids for Weekend Warriors - Discover training tools that can accelerate your short game improvement.

Smart Course Management for Weekend Golfers - Learn when to be aggressive and when to play it safe around the greens.

Complete Short Game Guide for Amateur Golfers - Comprehensive coverage of pitching, chipping, and bunker play.

Golf Mental Game Strategies for Weekend Players - Build the confidence needed to execute these techniques under pressure.

Effective Golf Practice Routines for Busy Golfers - Make the most of limited practice time.

Best Golf Clubs for Weekend Golfers - Ensure you have the right equipment for success.

Golf Swing Fundamentals Every Weekend Golfer Should Know - Build a solid foundation for all aspects of your game.

How to Break 90 in Golf - Put your improved chipping to work in lowering your scores.

Essential Golf Tips for Weekend Warriors - Round out your knowledge with fundamental golf advice.

Golf Lessons vs. Self-Teaching for Weekend Golfers - Decide if professional instruction is right for you.

How to Practice Golf with Limited Time - Maximize your improvement with efficient practice methods.

Best Golf Drills for Weekend Players - Simple drills that deliver fast results.

Essential Golf Equipment for Weekend Warriors - Get properly equipped without breaking the bank.

Smart Golf Scoring Strategies - Turn your improved chipping into lower scores.

Weekend Golfer Improvement Plan - Create a systematic approach to getting better.

Building Golf Confidence for Weekend Players - Develop the mental strength to execute under pressure.

Simple Golf Swing Tips That Actually Work - Complement your short game with solid ball-striking.

Golf Fundamentals Every Weekend Golfer Must Master - Build a complete foundation for better golf.

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