An equation for increased chipping success

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To become skilled at any shot in golf, there is an equation that holds true. It is: Understanding + execution = desired result.

The shaft should always been angled forward a few degrees at address and impact.

Golfers often approach a shot from just off the putting surface without clearly defining the shot they are trying to play. As a rule of thumb, this shot is a chip.

A chip shot is defined as: A shot from near the green that is designed to roll farther along the ground than it flies through the air. This definition is the key to the understanding portion of the equation. There are many different techniques that will produce this shot. However, some are more efficient than others.

One of the most reliable ways to chip is to treat the shot as a "Putt with a different club." This will allow the player to take advantage of a motion that is easy to reproduce because of the limited number of moving parts.

All you're trying to do is to fly the ball safely onto the nearest portion of the green and let it roll to the hole from there. This is the safest strategy and for a standard chip that landing spot should be between three to six feet onto the green, regardless of the distance from the green or the hole.

Now, for the execution part of the equation:

1. Ground the clubhead behind the ball with the clubface aimed appropriately.

2. From your normal iron set up position, elevate the grip up approximately four inches and then shift it forward approximately four inches. This action will position the shaft more upright so that it more closely matches that of a putter shaft. At this point, the clubhead will be resting on its toe. This makes it difficult for the clubhead to "dig" into the ground through impact. It will lean the shaft slightly forward as well, positioning the grip forward of the clubhead encouraging a descending blow.

3. Establish your posture with a narrow stance set slightly open to the target and set your weight slightly favoring the left foot. The club's butt end should be pointing just left of the body's center with the ball slightly back of center in your stance.

4. The shaft's upright position will position the club's grip more in the palms. In fact, you can even use your putting grip if you prefer. This will encourage minimal wrist action.

5. To execute the chip, make a motion similar to a putting stroke. The club should be swung predominately with the shoulders. After impact, the hands and wrists remain stable as the upper body rotates to a smooth finish.

6. Select the club that will match the carry-to-roll ratio that you will need to pull off the shot at hand. It will require a bit of practice to gauge exactly, but the following ratios will be fairly accurate for most golfers:

The entire body should lean slightly forward at impact: