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Golf Chipping Setup: 5 Key Points To Keep In Mind

How important is the setup in chip shots? It isn’t proper to view any one of the fundamental elements more important than the other. But the truth must be told. The setup, without doubt, plays a very vital role in the success of any golf shot, including the chipping shot. It’s not hard to get the setup right, just keep these 5 points in mind.

1. Unlike the drive and the second shot, the purpose of the chip is to get the ball into the green and as close as possible to the hole. This requires greater control over the ball. With chip shot your goal is not to generate power, but to improve control. The first thing that must be done to gain control is adjust your stance, grip, body weight transfer, before executing the chip shot.


2. Let’s begin with adjustment to the stance. For the chip shot your stance must be narrower than the standard often used one. Remember not to keep the feet too close, as it’ll affect your overall balance. The normal feet position that you would adopt while waiting in a queue will work perfectly well for the chip shot.


3. Holding or gripping the club at the top, close to the butt end, is a good way to generate power in golf. Sadly, your aim here is to work for control, not power – that’s totally opposite to your goal while hitting off the tee. In case of chipping your grip must be at the opposite end of the grip area. It’s absolutely fine to grip the club way down where your hand is in contact with the metal part of the shaft.


4. To get the chip right your hips must be in open position and the weight predominately on the lead foot. In case of the right-handed golfers the hips and feet must point to the left of the target. When you’re in position, see to that nearly 70 percent of your body weight is in the lead or front leg.


5. You’re adjusting the hips and feet to allow the swing path to be in line with the hole. But in case of the shoulders, they should point to the target, and not to its left. The hands must be forward (i.e.) it should be front of the ball, and the shaft of your club pointing to the left hip. Lastly, at the time of impact the heels of the trailing foot must be slightly raised to maintain proper weight balance.