The Fundamentals Every New Golfer Needs
Narrow your stance (feet 6-8 inches apart). Ball position slightly back of center. Shift 60-70% of weight to the lead foot and keep it there. Hands slightly ahead of the ball (shaft leaning forward). This setup almost automatically produces the correct chip motion.
The chip shot is essentially a putting stroke with a lofted club. No wrist hinge (or minimal). Rock your shoulders like a pendulum. Keep the triangle formed by your arms and shoulders intact throughout the motion. The clubhead should not pass your hands through impact.
Different clubs produce different trajectories and roll: 9-iron (low flight, lots of roll), pitching wedge (medium flight, medium roll), sand wedge (high flight, less roll). Choose based on obstacles between you and the hole and how much green you have to work with.
1. Scooping: trying to lift the ball with the hands causes fat or thin contact. 2. Too much weight on back foot: causes the same scooping motion. 3. Ball too far forward: reduces the forward shaft lean you need. 4. Looking up too early: move your eyes only after hearing the ball land.
The 'one-handed drill': chip with only your lead hand — this eliminates flipping. The 'coin drill': place a coin on the ground and practice striking it with a downward blow. The 'towel drill': place a towel a foot behind the ball — if you hit it, you're swinging too far back.
Make it a game: place 5 balls in different spots around the green and count how many times you chip within 5 feet. Track your personal record. This gamification builds focus and turns practice into a competition. Celebrate small wins — two chips within 3 feet in the same session is real progress.
Consistent chipping requires the same forward-leaning shaft position that GOATY's system teaches for full swings. Improving your mechanics with GOATY directly improves chipping contact quality.
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