Hi Paul. When chipping from a tight lie, do you recommend using a wedge with little or no bounce, like a 60 degree wedge? Also, do you move the ball position toward the center of your stance? These 2 steps seem to help me, but I wanted to know your recommendations. If you’ve covered this topic in a previous tip, please attach it.
You can do this if you want. Just remember you are chipping. My stroke creates a descending blow so you will be contacting the ball first. So the bounce should not even matter. For chipping you really need the ball back in your stance not forward. This would be pitching.
I think you need to watch the chipping technique video:
Hi Paul,
I found your reference to putting extremely relevant for that kind of shots. For me, the “sound trick” works pretty well in order to keep my head steady. It’s very consistent with one great advice from Gary Player about not trying to look at the result when putting : “better hear the ball dropping in the hole than look it missing it”.
Very effective and efficient lesson ,Paul ,everything is here ,THE best part being THE “lift your right Heel ” tip .
Throwing in THE ” Four knuckles left Hand ” griip and you Will never fail a chip shot ,Even hole some out!
Paul ,I couldn’t agree more :you improve your scores by reducing the errors you make (Mental ,tactical ,technical),not by improving your “good” shots :RORY Mc ILROY won the last USPGA by hitting a phenomenally long “heeled ” and “sliced” 3 wood onto the green to make an eagle :had he played this shot better ,he may not have eagled the hole!
Got the short chips down often hole these out doing just as you have shown.
But on the longer chips or more pitch shots I have trouble with my hips they seem to turn or the belt buckel moves back as I swing the club and move back to center as the club goes forward and iI lose distance control?
Just because you are farther off the green does not mean you are changing your chipping technique. If it were me, I would maybe take it back a little farther and accelerate more coming through to get it on the front of the green. So if you are good at short ones you are good at longer one.
If you are pitching then pitch. This would be if you are farther off the green than the distance you have to roll it.
Perfect tip for my ball topping woes, Paul. I am clear now as to how to treat this problem of lifting and scooping. Will try it out tomorrow in my yard practice.
Thanks!
Topping is a beginner problem. Just keep at it and the fixes I suggest. In no time you should have the experience to overcome them and start hitting it solidly.
It is so nice (as a member) to have access to all the tips so that you can go back and review whenever you start to have problems crop up in your game. I was doing well with your chipping method for quite a while, but started hitting some bladed chips my last time out. Just reviewed this tip and am now quickly out of the problem. I have been able to fix many of the faults that show up from time to time while on the course just by thinking about your various tips. Once in a while, my memory isn’t sufficient and I end up doing a review and all is well pretty quickly.
Thanks for making golf fun again for me. I have improved in all areas of my game with your wonderful instruction. What a tremendous amount of information to have available whenever you need to clear up something. It’s like having your very own coach whenever you need some help and you don’t have to go broke in the process.
I don’t have a chipping tip from hard pan. Really, you would just do my chipping technique. This creates a descending blow hitting the ball first which is what you want to do on hard pan. Did you not see pitching from hard pan? I just posted it again last week.
Paul I practice my chipping all the time & it works quite well however when I play I either hit it thin or fat if I could master this area in my game I would loose shots.
You are not good at it yet so you are trying to see what a wonderful shot you are going to hit. In doing so you come out of it or you look up so much the weight hangs back on your back foot and you chuck it. Focus on set up and keeping about 70% of your weight on your forward foot throughout the whole stroke. Then think of chipping like putting. This is what I do. I imagine I have my putter. I make the set up changes. Then I act like I am putting. Do this plus you need to keep practicing your chipping. Even do it at home in the backyard. It took me 2 weeks to master it and this is hours of practice every day for 2 weeks.
Hi Paul
When I am chipping and weight on target foot I seem to have the club dig into the grass and the ball does not go far. Can you give me some good advice once again.
Many thanks
It is like your putting stoke. That sounds like you are jabbing at it. Need to follow through. So do the chipping set up. Then you image you are doing your putting stroke. This is consistent and something you already know how to do. So apply this stole to you chips.
Hi Paul,
I see the pros hit a shot where the ball checks up, then releases and rolls ever closer to the hole. Do you teach how to do that? It seems important.
thanks,
terr
You can use the same technique as a knock-down shot. Use a higher lofted wedge. But this is a shot that requires a lot of practice and perfect conditions. You are best perfecting the pitching and chip shots first. Once you can get up and down with those, then try others.
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27 Responses to “Stop Hitting Thin and Topped Chip Shots”
August 27, 2014
RalphWilkinsonExcellent Paul. I appreciate this a lot. I have this issue.
RW
August 27, 2014
ERIABBERAHi Paul,
Lifting the right heel makes it very easy to keep the weight on the left foot.
Thanks.
August 27, 2014
Paul WilsonEriab,
It sure does. Easy way to get the feel of it.
August 27, 2014
RonCalabreseHi Paul. When chipping from a tight lie, do you recommend using a wedge with little or no bounce, like a 60 degree wedge? Also, do you move the ball position toward the center of your stance? These 2 steps seem to help me, but I wanted to know your recommendations. If you’ve covered this topic in a previous tip, please attach it.
Thanks, Ron Calabrese
August 27, 2014
Paul WilsonRon,
You can do this if you want. Just remember you are chipping. My stroke creates a descending blow so you will be contacting the ball first. So the bounce should not even matter. For chipping you really need the ball back in your stance not forward. This would be pitching.
I think you need to watch the chipping technique video:
How to Chip: https://ignitiongolf.com/chipping-how
And:
Ratios: https://ignitiongolf.com/ratio-dial-chipping
You really need to learn it and always chip this way. This cuts down on your mis-hits.
August 27, 2014
PierreBourgeoisHi Paul,
I found your reference to putting extremely relevant for that kind of shots. For me, the “sound trick” works pretty well in order to keep my head steady. It’s very consistent with one great advice from Gary Player about not trying to look at the result when putting : “better hear the ball dropping in the hole than look it missing it”.
August 27, 2014
Paul WilsonPierre,
Yes, not sure you have to look at the spot that long though. Once it is long gone it’s okay too look. Just got to train yourself to do it.
August 27, 2014
BrianClaffeyHi Paul,
This is a great tip which I think will save me many strokes.
I have recommended you to a friend of mine – Ray McManus. I hope he gets in touch with you.
Thanks for all your marvellous tips which have completely changed the way I think about and play golf.
BC.
August 27, 2014
Paul WilsonBrian,
Glad you liked it and the other tips. I truly appreciate the feedback.
Thanks for the recommendation. I have put you on our Rewards list. If he signs up you can get a free Skype lesson or save up for a free membership:
find out more here:
https://ignitiongolf.com/reward-program/
August 27, 2014
RaymondCHASTELVery effective and efficient lesson ,Paul ,everything is here ,THE best part being THE “lift your right Heel ” tip .
Throwing in THE ” Four knuckles left Hand ” griip and you Will never fail a chip shot ,Even hole some out!
August 27, 2014
Paul WilsonRaymond,
Exactly. I don’t just try to get you to hit it well. I try to get your mis-hits online too. This technique does just that.
August 28, 2014
RaymondCHASTELPaul ,I couldn’t agree more :you improve your scores by reducing the errors you make (Mental ,tactical ,technical),not by improving your “good” shots :RORY Mc ILROY won the last USPGA by hitting a phenomenally long “heeled ” and “sliced” 3 wood onto the green to make an eagle :had he played this shot better ,he may not have eagled the hole!
August 28, 2014
Paul WilsonRaymond,
A good miss is like cheating. I am much more excited over good misses than actual good shots.
August 28, 2014
GeraldJoyceHey Paul,
Got the short chips down often hole these out doing just as you have shown.
But on the longer chips or more pitch shots I have trouble with my hips they seem to turn or the belt buckel moves back as I swing the club and move back to center as the club goes forward and iI lose distance control?
Can you advise on this?
Best regards,
JayJay
August 28, 2014
Paul WilsonJay Jay,
Just because you are farther off the green does not mean you are changing your chipping technique. If it were me, I would maybe take it back a little farther and accelerate more coming through to get it on the front of the green. So if you are good at short ones you are good at longer one.
If you are pitching then pitch. This would be if you are farther off the green than the distance you have to roll it.
October 1, 2014
BradleyPerfect tip for my ball topping woes, Paul. I am clear now as to how to treat this problem of lifting and scooping. Will try it out tomorrow in my yard practice.
Thanks!
October 1, 2014
Paul WilsonBradley,
Topping is a beginner problem. Just keep at it and the fixes I suggest. In no time you should have the experience to overcome them and start hitting it solidly.
June 24, 2015
RYDGJRIt is so nice (as a member) to have access to all the tips so that you can go back and review whenever you start to have problems crop up in your game. I was doing well with your chipping method for quite a while, but started hitting some bladed chips my last time out. Just reviewed this tip and am now quickly out of the problem. I have been able to fix many of the faults that show up from time to time while on the course just by thinking about your various tips. Once in a while, my memory isn’t sufficient and I end up doing a review and all is well pretty quickly.
Thanks for making golf fun again for me. I have improved in all areas of my game with your wonderful instruction. What a tremendous amount of information to have available whenever you need to clear up something. It’s like having your very own coach whenever you need some help and you don’t have to go broke in the process.
June 25, 2015
Paul WilsonGary,
Glad you like the tips. I appreciate it.
Will just keep adding more and more as I think of it. Even I learn new stuff all of the time.
May 10, 2016
JohnSteenPaul,
Do you have a tip for chipping from hard pain ? Now in the spring There are often areas around the green with nearly now grass at all.
John
May 11, 2016
Paul WilsonJohn,
I don’t have a chipping tip from hard pan. Really, you would just do my chipping technique. This creates a descending blow hitting the ball first which is what you want to do on hard pan. Did you not see pitching from hard pan? I just posted it again last week.
Here you go:
Shot: How To Hit From Hard Pan: https://ignitiongolf.com/shot-hard-pan/
September 15, 2016
HelenWinningPaul I practice my chipping all the time & it works quite well however when I play I either hit it thin or fat if I could master this area in my game I would loose shots.
September 15, 2016
Paul WilsonHelen,
You are not good at it yet so you are trying to see what a wonderful shot you are going to hit. In doing so you come out of it or you look up so much the weight hangs back on your back foot and you chuck it. Focus on set up and keeping about 70% of your weight on your forward foot throughout the whole stroke. Then think of chipping like putting. This is what I do. I imagine I have my putter. I make the set up changes. Then I act like I am putting. Do this plus you need to keep practicing your chipping. Even do it at home in the backyard. It took me 2 weeks to master it and this is hours of practice every day for 2 weeks.
March 14, 2018
MJHi Paul
When I am chipping and weight on target foot I seem to have the club dig into the grass and the ball does not go far. Can you give me some good advice once again.
Many thanks
March 15, 2018
Paul WilsonMJ,
It is like your putting stoke. That sounds like you are jabbing at it. Need to follow through. So do the chipping set up. Then you image you are doing your putting stroke. This is consistent and something you already know how to do. So apply this stole to you chips.
August 15, 2021
terrybadgerHi Paul,
I see the pros hit a shot where the ball checks up, then releases and rolls ever closer to the hole. Do you teach how to do that? It seems important.
thanks,
terr
August 20, 2021
Paul WilsonYou can use the same technique as a knock-down shot. Use a higher lofted wedge. But this is a shot that requires a lot of practice and perfect conditions. You are best perfecting the pitching and chip shots first. Once you can get up and down with those, then try others.