Learning how to chip a golf ball is essential for lowering your scores. The chip shot is one of the most important shots in golf—it's your go-to move when you're just off the green and need to get the ball close to the hole. In this comprehensive guide, you'll discover proper chipping setup, club selection, swing technique, and practice drills to transform your short game.
Whether you're a beginner struggling with chunked or bladed chips, or an intermediate player looking to get up and down more consistently, this step-by-step guide will teach you how to chip a golf ball with confidence and precision.
A chip shot is a short, low-trajectory shot played from just off the green. The goal is to get the ball airborne briefly, land it on the green, and let it roll toward the hole like a putt. Unlike a pitch shot (which flies higher and rolls less), a chip shot spends more time rolling than flying—typically with a 1:3 or 1:4 ratio of air time to roll time.
Mastering the chip shot is crucial because most recreational golfers miss several greens per round. The ability to chip close and save par (or bogey) can dramatically lower your scores.
You can chip with almost any club in your bag, but the most common choices are:
A good rule of thumb: use less loft (lower-numbered clubs) when you have more green to work with, and more loft (higher-numbered clubs) when you need to carry the ball farther and stop it quickly.
Proper setup is 80% of a good chip shot. Here's how to position yourself:
The chipping motion is essentially a putting stroke with a lofted club. Your wrists should stay firm (no flipping or scooping), and the motion should come from your shoulders and arms moving together as one unit.
Think of it as a "rock and block" motion: your shoulders rock back and through while your wrists stay blocked (firm). This ensures clean contact and consistent distance control.
The key to solid contact is brushing the grass after the ball, not digging into the ground. With your weight forward and hands ahead, the club will naturally strike the ball first, then brush the turf. You should take little to no divot on a chip shot.
A common mistake is trying to "help" the ball into the air by scooping or flipping your wrists. This causes thin or fat shots. Trust the loft of the club to get the ball airborne.
Many golfers decelerate on chip shots, leading to inconsistent contact. Make sure your through-swing is at least as long as your backswing, if not longer. This ensures crisp contact and proper distance control.
Your finish position should be low and abbreviated—not a full follow-through like a full swing. Your hands should finish around waist height, and your weight should remain on your lead foot.
The most common chipping error is trying to scoop the ball into the air by flipping your wrists through impact. This causes thin shots (blade the ball) or fat shots (hit behind the ball). Keep your wrists firm and let the loft of the club do the work.
If your weight shifts to your back foot during the swing, you'll hit behind the ball (fat shot). Keep 70% of your weight on your front foot from start to finish.
A long backswing followed by deceleration is a recipe for disaster. Use a shorter backswing and accelerate through the ball for consistent contact.
Using a lob wedge when you have 30 feet of green to work with makes the shot unnecessarily difficult. Choose less loft and let the ball roll more—it's easier to control.
Place a coin or tee about 2 inches in front of the ball. Practice hitting the ball first, then brushing the coin. This trains you to make ball-first contact with a descending blow.
Set up three targets at 10, 20, and 30 feet from you. Practice chipping to each target, focusing on distance control. This builds feel and confidence.
Chip with only your lead hand (left hand for right-handed golfers). This prevents flipping and teaches you to keep your wrist firm through impact.
Place a towel 2-3 inches behind the ball. Practice chipping without hitting the towel. This trains you to avoid hitting fat shots.
For longer chips with lots of green to work with, use a 7-iron or 8-iron and play the ball back in your stance. This produces a low, running shot that behaves like a long putt.
When you need maximum height and minimal roll (like over a bunker to a tight pin), open your stance and clubface, play the ball forward, and make a fuller swing. This is an advanced shot that requires practice.
Adjust your technique based on the lie: from tight lies, play the ball back and keep your hands even more forward; from fluffy lies, play the ball more center and use a steeper angle of attack.
For more short game instruction, check out our putting techniques guide and explore our complete golf tips hub.
Improve your chipping with these top-rated wedges and training aids: