Chipping 101: Stance, Ball Location, & Weight
When it comes to chipping, there are quite a few things you can do to tighten up your form and achieve a consistent play style. We have four impactful tips that you can learn from to see improvement in your practice that translates to real results when chipping on the course.
Tip #1: Narrow Stance With Ball Location in Front or Back
When it comes to ball position and chipping, we have two options: back of the stance or front of the stance. It’s important to commit to one or the other for consistency on and off the course. If we want a higher shot with more spin, we might play toward the front of our stance. For a vast majority of chips, we’ll want to play it in the back of our stance in order to achieve a lower trajectory and more run, which will be more consistent and forgiving.
Tip #2: Ball Location is Front or Back - Never Middle
Remember, it’s crucial that you stay away from a middle stance because it’s no man's land. The other part of the equation is how far away or how close we should be to the ball. Realistically, it’s relative to our full swing, and the reality of chipping is that we should get in close. We aren’t shifting your body or rotating a lot, so there’s no reason to create unnecessary space. This leads us to our next tip…
Tip #3: Get Closer to the Ball Compared to a Full Swing Set-Up
Getting in close to the ball and setting up in the proper stance will allow you to lean into your practice. Some people feel that their chipping style happens in their arms, shoulders, or torso - no matter your preference, be sure to trust your big muscle groups and stay committed to that throughout your chip. In practice, it’s important to figure out what clubs you want to rely on and prioritize consistency in order to see the best results on the course.
Tip #4: Weight Should Be on Front Foot and Towards Target
How we set up a shot with our bodies is crucial to our results. Not only should our weight be favored onto our front foot, but everything should tilt towards the target when we hit a chip shot. It’s important to avoid a vertical stance or hanging back on our back foot, but instead, tilt towards the target to ensure a downward strike. This weight shift (or lack thereof) should be maintained throughout the strike of the ball.
Ready to take these tips and turn them into results in practice and in play? Our 6-week Compete Confidence Signature Course was built for female recreational golfers looking to make strides towards better form on and off the course through comprehensive training and guidance. Whether you’re looking to improve your scores or your form, his course is perfect for you!
