How to control your chip shots
by Mark Gibson
Golf Australia's teaching editor

There are a couple of obvious differences between players who chip successfully and those who struggle. Firstly, those who are proficient chippers target a landing area close to where they are standing. They also tend to land the ball very close to where they want.

To help develop these skills, set-up beside a green with about 20 balls and a bath towel. Begin the drill with the towel laid out to its full size on the green in the desired landing area. Then chip the ball onto the towel.

Pay little regard to the how the shot finishes because the ‘real’ result you should be interested in is what percentage of your chip shots have their first bounce on the towel. When the percentage gets to 60 per cent or higher, fold the towel in half (pic 1).

When the percentage of hits to the smaller target rises above 60 per cent, fold the towel in half again (pic 2). To enhance this skill you can lay a series of clubs on the green and chip up and down the ladder (pic 3). This will finely tune the skill of chipping to different target distances like those you will face on the course.

THE DRILL SERGEANT SAYS:
Good chip shot players focus on a specific landing area between the ball and the target, not on the hole itself.

Mark Gibson is a teaching professional at Lakelands GC, on the Gold Coast, Queensland. He is available for lessons on (07) 5579 8700.

From the December 2005 issue of Golf Australia magazine.