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Tee-to-Green: Four quick set-up steps to chip it close

By Evan Singleton

HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 13: Tyrrell Hatton of England plays his shot on the 16th hole during a practice round prior to the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 13, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
HARTFORD, WI - JUNE 13: Tyrrell Hatton of England plays his shot on the 16th hole during a practice round prior to the 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills on June 13, 2017 in Hartford, Wisconsin. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /
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My Tee-to-Green golf tip this week focuses those tough green-side chips.  How can YOU better your game around the green? Continue reading . . .

Tee-to-Green is my weekly Friday golf tips column that zeroes in on one aspect of the game and helps you trim a few strokes off your card. This week I’m focusing on getting you, the golfer, to feel more comfortable and perform better when close to the green. Those short chips can be nasty. It is time to conquer them.

Being next to the green may seem fine and dandy.  You hit is close, almost on the green.  However, If you cannot chip the ball close enough to one-putt, you are out of luck. If this is your problem then it’s time to tighten up your scrambling.

The first thing I am going to recommend is that you attempt to make the best contact possible. Avoid, specifically, thinning your chip by transferring a hefty portion of your weight to your front leg/foot, feel/maintain the weight on the outer edge of your front foot.

Next, you are going to want to move the ball back in your stance. I prefer to keep it just over my left foot. This also aids in creating the best contact, and minimizing those annoying thinned chips.

Last thing to think about is your body.  This is really all in the arms and shoulders. There is no need to move your legs or turn your wrists.  So think about an exaggerated putting stroke with a wedge in your hands from from the fairway or rough.

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As far as the actual shot goes, you will need to visualize it. You will need to feel out where you’d like to land it. You will also need to aim and direct your chip.  That being said, a key tip I have for you when aiming your chip and finding a landing spot is always aim to the high-side of the break. That way, at the very least, your ball will always be tracking back towards the hole near the end of its roll-out.  At least you give yourself the best chance possible to stick it close.

Keep in mind, the further back the ball goes in your stance the lower your ball flight will be.  The lower the ball flight, the more runout your ball will have.  So this may take a few rounds to gain comfortability.

That being said, I would attempt keep your weight and ball placement consistent. That will help you improve your chipping over time.

Too often, the common golfer will overthink how to chip the ball.  When in reality, you can use a very similar chipping stroke from no matter where you are and no matter the angle of the green.

So, the big things to focus on here:

  • Weight on front foot (outer edge)
  • Ball back in the stance
  • Aim on the high side of break
  • Get comfortable, stay consistent

Next: Making the most of your time on the range

Hope you enjoyed this installment of my golf tips series Tee-to-Green. If you have any requests for upcoming weeks, feel free to let me know! And remember, “The road to success is always under construction.” – Arnold Palmer

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