How to chip in golf
Quick answer: Chip with a short putting stroke using a lofted club to avoid blading or sticking the club in the grass. Keep your weight on the lead foot, ball in the center or just back of center, and hands ahead. Rock your chest quietly without flipping your wrists, letting the sole brush the ground under your chest.
How to chip in golf: use a short putting stroke with a lofted club. The wrists do not rescue a chip.
14 Around the green
The situation
From just off the green you either blade the ball across, or you stick the club in the grass and the ball moves a yard. Both usually mean the bottom of the swing is in the wrong place, or the hands got busy. If the ball is shooting off the neck even from here, read the shank as well.
A check you can do
Take a narrow stance, ball in the center or just back of center, hands a little ahead of the clubhead, weight on the lead foot. Without a ball, brush the grass. The sole should kiss the ground under the middle of your chest, not behind the ball and not at your lead toe. If you can hear that brush three times, you are ready for a ball.
The fix
- 01Choose a club that can roll A mid-iron or a wedge you will not try to flip. Use more loft only when you must carry a rise in the ground. Otherwise let the ball land and roll. If even that feels wild, putt it, as on the first-round page.
- 02Feet close, weight on the lead side Lead foot turned out a little. The weight stays on the lead side from start to finish. You do not sway back to help the ball up.
- 03Ball center, or a touch back Hands ahead so the shaft leans toward the target a small amount. That is the chip version of ball position. Too far forward and the brush happens late.
- 04Rock the chest The stroke is the length of a putt. The wrists stay quiet. Hold the club at the quieter pressure from grip pressure, closer to a 3 than a 7.
- 05Pick a landing spot, not the hole Land the ball on the green and let it roll. The spot is closer to you when there is more green to work with. Speed after it lands is the same idea as putt speed.
Chipping club and roll guide
| Club | Air : roll |
|---|---|
| Sand wedge | About 1 : 1 |
| Pitching wedge | About 1 : 2 |
| 9-iron | About 1 : 3 |
| 7-iron | About 1 : 4 |
These ratios change with slope and green speed, so test them on the practice green. Pick the landing spot first (usually a yard onto the green), then the club that rolls the rest of the way. Uphill, the ball rolls less; downhill, more.
Chipping practice in ten minutes
Drop five balls a yard off the practice green. Chip all five to one landing spot with a 9-iron, then repeat with a pitching wedge and a sand wedge, and watch how far each rolls after landing. That one exercise teaches you the roll of each club. Finish with five chips where you must get up and down: chip, then putt out, counting your score.
Common questions
What club should I use for chipping?
Use a mid-iron or wedge, depending on the distance and terrain. Less loft means more roll. Test how far each club rolls on the practice green.
Should I use a putting stroke for chipping?
Yes. Many golfers chip with a putting-style stroke and a lofted club.
How do I control the distance of my chip?
Pick a landing spot on the green and let the ball roll to the hole. Practice with a few clubs to learn how far each one rolls.
Why does my chip go too far or not far enough?
If your chips keep going too far or too short, check your landing spot and stroke length first.
Related fixes
Last updated: 2026-10-23
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