The golf course where I learned to play had a driving range that only went about 150 yards which limited my full swing practice. Turns out that was actually a good thing as it forced me to put the time in around the practice green. Having spent hours upon hours hitting different shots with different clubs, I am confident in saying that I can teach you the proper fundamentals of chipping.Â
Follow these steps, practice your technique and you will quickly gain confidence in your chipping ability:
1) Start with a pitching wedge from 5-10 feet off of the green. You’ll want your target hole to be at least twenty feet away so you can get used to letting the ball roll out after it lands.Â
2) Set up to the ball with a narrow stance and the ball back in your stance (closer to your right foot for a right-handed golfer and vice versa). A good way to find the middle of your stance is to hold a golf ball by your nose and drop it straight down. Wherever it lands indicates the center of your stance. Play the ball about 2 inches towards your back foot from that point.
3) Once you have your ball position correct, grip down a little bit on your pitching wedge so your hands are no higher than the waist. The golf club and clubface should feel much within your control. Your lower body should be stable; not rigid and not too loose.Â
4) You will want to take the club back in a smooth motion so that the club can accelerate through the downswing without you forcing it. A good way to visualize this is your backswing and downswing should travel about the same distance.Â
5) As the clubhead moves through the ball, continue all the way to the completion of your follow-through. This thought helps make sure that you have accelerated through the ball.Â
6) If you have followed this technique, you will make solid contact. It will feel effortless. Focus first on the technique to make solid contact. From that point, start to practice taking the club back shorter and longer distances and take note of how far the ball carries in the air and rolls out.