Opinion & Analysis
The Lost Art of Chipping
From a teacher’s perspective, golf on TV is a double-edged sword. It seems to have both positive and negative influences on the people I teach.
One of the most destructive influences for the average golfer is watching the touring professionals around the greens. This is the part of the game that really separates good players from great players. The athletes we are watching are in the upper 0.01 percent of golfers worldwide. Their touch, feel and imagination around the greens is really quite extraordinary. A prime example of this might be their scoring statistics; the best golfers in the world miss an average of 5-6 greens a round, yet they consistently shoot under par. How do they shoot 68 or 69 while missing 5 or 6 greens every round? Well, for one thing, they’re getting up and down. It also doesn’t hurt your score when you’re hitting it to kick-in distance 3-4 times a round. But I teach golfers who are not the best in the world, so my whole day is spent trying to teach logic and percentages.
The modern game has changed so much in so many ways. With the onset of the 60-degree wedge and the modern golf ball, the tools of today are superior. Regardless of how adept a player is with the modern equipment, however, I suggest that the average golfer will still make a lower score a higher percentage of the time if they opt for more straight-faced, bump-and-run style shots. Maybe the best players in the world can pull off high-spinning, low-flighted, check-on-the-second-bounce kind of deals, but for the average golfer this is still a recipe for disaster. And don’t forget that the pros are hitting band new golf balls… from perfectly manicured fairways… with a spotless wedge… while employing nearly flawless technique.
I might suggest this rule of thumb for most who are reading this — get the golf ball on the ground as quickly as possible around the greens. When you have ample green to work with and there is no obstacle between your golf ball and the hole, a chip shot will be safer than a lofted one. I cannot tell you how many students I bring to the green and when I ask what club they would use for a 30-yard shot across an open green, they say, “Well, lob or sand.” From there, we get into a discussion on the law of averages. Just last week I told one very well-heeled student (and friend) of mine, “I’m glad you don’t invest the way you chip.”
Try this simple practice routine and see if your chipping game improves. When you look at a long, flat shot to a big green, instead of looking at the hole, pick a spot 3-4 paces on the green and try a 7, 8 or 9-iron to chip the ball no further than the spot you’ve selected. In practice, put a ball or a head cover at the 3-4 pace spot and chip to IT, not the hole.
Personal Beef: Another reason many golfers struggle with long chips is they don’t get to practice them enough. Most golf courses have a large putting green and a much smaller chipping green or “short-game area.” In fact, the large green often has a “no-chipping” sign on it. So you get to practice only short chips with rarely a chance to run out long ones.
Now let’s say you’re chipping stroke comes up short with a 9-iron. Instead of hitting the ball harder or with a bigger stoke, grab an 8 iron. The 8-iron comes up short? Grab a 7-iron, and so on. Make the smallest, easiest stroke you can to get the golf ball on the green and running EARLY. When many of you try this, you’ll hit your shots too far. The reason is you’re accustomed to taking big swings with lofted clubs.
In addition to the simplicity of the stroke, the other reason I prefer this method is the visual perspective one gets when looking down the line. It’s not unlike bowling over the arrows. The flagstick bowling pins are 60 feet away, but the arrows are much closer. Looking at and getting a feel for a hole some 60 feet away is difficult compared to looking at a spot few feet in front of you and only a few paces on the green.
Personal Story: My eyes just ain’t what they were, and this visual trick has helped my chipping tremendously. Once I was quite adept around the greens; it was the best part of my game, but in my later years it left me. I first blamed it on not playing as often and my failing eyesight. Then it hit me; I used to play a lot of bump-and-run chips. And without even realizing it, I fell victim to TV golf and the 60-degree wedge era. I was playing many more shots in the air, trying to hit, check and trickle them instead of playing the higher-percentage shot. I’m back to my old method now and the odds are more often in my favor.
I can’t be more emphatic about the benefits of chipping with my students. It WORKS. To boot, at 60 feet away, if I drop kick a 60-degree wedge or lay sod over it I still have 50 feet to the hole. I can skinny an 8-iron up much closer, even on a miss. Needless to say, this is a straight-forward chipping situation. Playing over hills or hazards is a whole different ball game. But we have the trusty lob wedge handy for those times, don’t we? We just don’t need it all the time. Play the odds for a change; your score will reflect your more conservative approach.
As the country song says: “Never hit 17 when you play against the dealer; the odds don’t ride with you.”
This past Monday, I played in the U.S. Amateur local qualifier at Rock Creek Country Club in Portland, Oregon. A full tee sheet from 7:30 a.m. to 1:55 p.m., the top 11 scores would make it to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying.
I teed off at 10:48 a.m.. With the 7:30 am tee time, you can get a feel for the leaders’ pace, and they were off and running on the challenging setup at Rock Creek.
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Getting to the highlight of the round on the par five 17th, a drive up the left side and 212 yards left to the front hole location. I took out a 5-iron with plans of middle of the green. The ball ended up 8 feet left of the hole, pin high. A slight downhill putt dropped in for an eagle 3 on the 17th. With the cut line looking to be anywhere from -2 to even par. This was the boost I had been waiting for all day.
With making par from the trees on 18, it was time to wait for a potential playoff with a posted score of one under par 71.
Three hours later, it was playoff time. 8 players for 6 spots. I made par on the playoff hole, which was good enough to advance to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying in July. USGA qualifiers sure deliver on all of the emotions in golf!
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Building my 2026 gamer WITB: Ranking the contenders and new putter projects – Club Junkie Podcast
The annual What’s In The Bag build is underway, and on this episode of Club Junkie, Brian breaks down the clubs currently leading the race for a spot in his 2026 gamer setup. From drivers and fairway woods to irons, wedges, and shafts, he ranks the equipment that’s performing best and explains what’s separating the front runners from the rest of the field.
Brian also heads into the workshop to discuss several putter projects currently on the bench. From head options and shaft choices to build ideas and testing plans, he shares what he’s working on and which putters could become serious contenders for the bag this season.
If you’re a gear junkie who loves equipment testing, club building, and the never-ending pursuit of the perfect setup, this episode is for you.
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Bradley R Brown
Jul 16, 2020 at 11:44 am
Great info, thank you!! When you open the face, do you adjust your aim, or will you hit to the left? I’m just asking for clarification as this would be a new technique for me. Thank you
~j~
Feb 5, 2018 at 11:41 am
Would argue against. I solely use a 60* from 100 yds and in. I know the feel of it from a slight bump and run to a 72-yd short-side shot. While having plenty of green to work with is great, it shouldnt be often one misses the green on the complete opposite side of the flag (with exception of missing the green short or long). Most of my buddies can only do the bump ‘n run 7i’s and such, couldn’t hit a 56-60* to save their asses, or pars, literally. Without a rounded shortgame, pats are going to be hard to save.
Bob Jones
Feb 5, 2018 at 11:40 am
What I learned one time from watching a tournament on TV is that the pros are not trying to get the ball close. They’re trying to sink it. And they do that by rolling the ball to the hole. I built my chipping game around that idea and I have a very good chipping game.
Dennis Clark
Feb 5, 2018 at 7:56 am
Three rules around the green:
Putt whenever you can
Chip when you cant putt
Pitch it only when you must
Raymond CHASTEL
Feb 6, 2018 at 3:47 am
You should learn the “RULE OF 12 ” to select the proper club to chip with around the greens .Ancien “greats ” such as JOHNNY REVOLTA and PAUL RUNYAN taught you to keep the ball as low as possible when going for the green .More recently SEVERIANO BALLESTEROS ridiculized all his opponents whan chipping around the greens ,especially at one memorable BRITISH MASTERS.The “BUMP AND RUN shot “is also quite useful.
Dennis Clark
Feb 7, 2018 at 6:13 pm
Do you mean “have I read it”? The answer is yes and it, too, is good common sense.
Acemandrake
Feb 4, 2018 at 10:47 am
RE: Bump-and-Run Shot
Is the bump-and-run more like a putting stroke or more of a strike down on it type of shot?
Dennis Clark
Feb 5, 2018 at 7:53 am
I thik there is a little more wrist hinge in chipping, we set the wrists going back and hold the angle a bit coming through providing some down attack angle. Thx
Acemandrake
Feb 5, 2018 at 8:59 am
I like it, thanks!
Acemandrake
Feb 5, 2018 at 8:59 am
I like it, thanks!
orv
Feb 3, 2018 at 1:56 pm
NO NO NO ….!!!!
All you gotta do is buy the Square Strike Wedge being advertised on WRX.
https://www.squarestrikewedge.com
acew/7iron
Feb 3, 2018 at 8:51 am
There is never enough written about face angle when chipping and its importance in pulling off a successful shot. If you take a 8 iron but have too much shaft lean front or back …Fail
If you have the toe too far up or down…Fail
If you have face too open or too closed…Fail
There is a Art to chipping and its a very difficult one to master…matter of fact…Its very difficult to just be avg around the greens.
Dennis Clark
Feb 7, 2018 at 6:17 pm
or…too lofted or de-lofted. And you’re right it is difficult but well worth the effort!
freowho
Feb 3, 2018 at 1:49 am
Good article. How bad was Patrick Reeds club choice on the last hole of the PGA. $50 lesson off Dennis might have earnt him another half a mill!
Nick Nack
Feb 2, 2018 at 9:30 pm
When you get closer to the green there are so many possibilities. Most people confuse a short pitch (fly more than roll) with a chip (roll more than fly) and call them both chips shots. I let the lie and any obstacle between help determine my choice and then I visualize how the shot should look. I usually use an 8 iron for chipping and a wedge for short pitches. Oh yeah, I practice a lot!
bcsquare
Feb 2, 2018 at 3:56 pm
Great article. This is the same conversation I had my local pro during a lesson. We went through the same exercise on a 19th hole and after looking at my bag, said dump the lob wedge and fill it with a utility.
Joe
Feb 2, 2018 at 8:57 pm
Best advice I’ve gotten all year…..thank you!!
ChipN'Run
Feb 2, 2018 at 3:33 pm
Dennis,
Someone needs to tell younger competition golfers about this. I volunteered as a marshal for the 2014 Curtis Cup (USA vs. British-Irish women amateurs), and it seemed the American women were addicted to the lob wedge.
In the rounds I observed, the Americans several times hit a lob shot into an uphill slant of the green, only to have the ball spin 30 feet back. The B-I visitors did a much better job on selecting chip-and-run, using everything from a PW to 5i. And they used putters well from just off the green.
——————————
As for me, I use an even mix of wedge pitches and 8i chip-and-run. If I have a 60 yd. shot into a cross wind, I often will use a 7i punch and run for control. And, the bounce-ons are a good way to defeat false fronts on greens.
Greg V
Feb 2, 2018 at 3:08 pm
About 6 years ago I learned to chip with a putting stroke, putting grip, and toe of the club down. I now save strokes from off the green. I wish that I had learned the technique 50 years ago – yes, I am showing my age.
Dennis Clark
Feb 7, 2018 at 6:21 pm
Agree greg, if you’ll recall it’s the technique Phil Rogers taught jack Nicklaus in 1980 when he decided to remake his short game. The only limitation of it is long chips, the toe killls it. But it’s the most ANTI-SHANK chip in the game.
North Butte
Feb 2, 2018 at 1:47 pm
Five little words…
Putter
From
Off
The
Green
Jim
Feb 2, 2018 at 12:17 pm
Completely agree. Chipping saves you so many more shots around the green versus trying to hit the perfect flop shot. And having the creativity to use anything from a wedge to a 5 iron is great fun as well. It’s amazing how many people grab their sand or lob wedge when around the green and then chunk it. Grab the 8 iron more often and learn to chip, you’ll save a bunch of shots during the round.
James T
Feb 2, 2018 at 11:42 am
As a kid I would even chip with a 5 or 6 iron at times. It was a shot I practiced a lot. Like Dennis I was known for my up and down dead-eye chipping back then. Now I have a wedge in my hands too often.
Thank you Dennis for reminding me about the odds. Time for me to be a kid again.
juststeve
Feb 2, 2018 at 11:28 am
Now a question for Dennis. What do you think happened. In the past I played a lot of recreational golf with Ray Floyd in particular and he played short shots as you suggest. He ended us closer to the hole more often than the guys I see on TV yet his style, and Paul Runyan’s style are now out of fashion. My question is why?
Ryan
Feb 2, 2018 at 1:14 pm
The greens on the Tour appear to be much faster. Add the fact that guys on TV have fresh wedges and unlimited supply of ProV1’s, the pro’s can stop it on a dime.
Dennis
Feb 7, 2018 at 7:10 am
Steve, I’m sorry for the delay here…the biggest reason is golf courses have changed. I think newer courses have much more protected hole locations with flags placed precariously close to the edges of greens. That may be one of the reasons.
juststeve
Feb 2, 2018 at 11:13 am
Another sound article from Dennis
C
Feb 2, 2018 at 10:55 am
Raymond Floyd would approve of this method.
alexdub
Feb 2, 2018 at 10:46 am
Great article Dennis. The 8 iron runner from 20 or 30 yards is one of my favorite shots.