In golf, chip shot is a small swing, low flying and long rolling shot which is generally hit from close to the green. One another way of describing a chip shot is a shot on the green that has 1/3 air and 2/3 roll on its way to the hole. This shot is hit with maximum roll and minimum air. Many golfers face most trouble with chipping a golf ball since it requires a bit of skill. A little flaw in the swing can flub a shot or overshoot the hole.
Chipping is generally considered as short game. The two important parts of this short game are the plan and the execution. The first part is to simply planning your shot before you play it. It’s a way of determine where your ball will land and how far it will roll. The second part is to execute the first one in the best possible way by playing the best percentage shot. The best percentage shot is the shot that is simplest in execution.
Some of the common tips for chipping are as follows:
- Selection of right club for chipping is the most important part of these tips. You can try a variety of golf clubs and pick the one which is best suited to you.
- Your hands should always be ahead of the club head on the follow through.
- Your grip should be firm enough so that the club does not twist during the swing.
- Try to give minimum air to the shot and let the ball rolling on the green as early as possible; this practice will improve your control on the shot.
- Your stance in chipping must be different from driving stance like narrow stance and distance between you and the ball will be less as compared to the driving.
- During the swing your arms and shoulders should always keep moving.
- Keep your eyes almost over the ball just like in putting.
- Excellent follow through is a part of good chipping. After hitting the golf ball your head should always follow the ball.
- Always remain careful not to hit the golf ball too hard, otherwise it might go to the other side of the green.
A good chip shot will always help in improving your golf score. The most commonly found problem while chipping the golf ball is the restriction of swing and lift into the ball. This problem can easily be solved if you shorten your stroke not the swing. Most of the players confuse chip shot with the pitch shot. A pitch shot have generally more loft in the air as compared to the chip shot. A pitch shot is 2/3 in the air and 1/3 on the green. If you want to improve your chipping you can opt to buy a chipping net and start practicing on it.
