Don’t give up on your chipping game just yet!
Have you ever found yourself off the edge of the green sitting down in some thick rough? You hit a good 2nd shot but just a fraction off target and need a good chip to save par. You execute what you think is the right shot only for the clubhead to get caught up in the rough and the ball to carry only a couple of feet.
Sound familiar?
It’s very frustrating and happens to golfers of all levels at some point. You feel almost cheated after hitting 2 great shots only to be facing the prospect of another shot dropped or maybe more.
The good news is there is a right way and a wrong way to execute chips shots from the rough. Doing it right is easy to do and can get you out of some tricky situations around the greens.
Here are 5 golf chipping tips I use to hit great chip shots from the thick rough.
1. Weight forward
To encourage a descending blow onto the golf ball your weight should be at least 80% on your front foot. This helps to get the clubhead coming down at a steeper angle and minimise resistance through the thick grass.
Keeping your weight on your front foot is the same technique used when chipping off a good lie as well so it’s easy to remember.
2. Break wrists early
Like tip 1 to get the required descending strike on the golf ball the wrists must break early in the backswing. It enables the clubhead to avoid any resistance of the thick rough and get the golf ball into the air as quickly as possible.
All great chippers of the golf ball use this technique.
3. Hit down on the golf ball
A downward strike on the golf ball reduces any impact the thick rough will have on the swing. This is imperative to ensure the ball is struck solid and released up quickly towards the target.
Any attempt to scoop or lift the golf ball will result in a chunked or fluffed shot that travels no more than 4 feet.
4. Slightly firmer grip
One of the killers of chipping out of the thick rough is the clubhead can easily can caught and twisted shut. This causes shanks and chunked chip shots that don’t go very far and way off target.
A slightly firmer grip holds the clubface squarer to the target longer through the thick rough and results in a straighter chip shot.
5. Allow for the roll
The thick rough doesn’t allow the grooves of the clubhead to get any spin on the golf ball. The ball naturally just pops up and releases more top spin than a normal chip shot would off the short grass.
Because there is more top spin generated on the golf ball you need to allow for extra run. Pick a spot where you want the ball to land and allow for several extra metres than you would for a normal chip shot.
The video below demonstrates how all 5 golf chipping tips come together.
It’s your turn
Give these golf chipping tips a try at your local golf driving range or even during your next competitive round. They are the true and tried proven techniques to get you up and down out of the rough and saving par more often.
Let me know how they go for you as I would love to hear your results.
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Photos By: prayitno & kevitivity
