Golf Glossary
Chip shot (chipping)
In short
A chip is a short, low shot played from around the green. The ball flies only a short distance, lands on or just short of the green and then rolls towards the flag like a putt. Chipping is the right choice when nothing blocks the way to the green and there is enough green to roll on.
What is chipping in golf?
Chipping means playing the ball from close range with little flight and plenty of roll. The typical situation is just off the green: the ball sits on the fringe or in light rough and the hole is a few metres away. A putt would be unreliable through the longer grass, and a high shot would be an unnecessary risk.
On a chip, the ball flies just far enough to clear the uneven turf in front of the green. The green does the rest. Because a rolling ball is easier to control than a flying one, the chip is considered the safest shot around the green.
Together with the putt and the pitch, the chip is part of the short game, meaning all the shots played close to the green.
Chip, pitch and putt: the difference
The three short-game shots differ mainly in the balance between flight and roll.
- Putt: the ball rolls from the start, played on the green or from very short fringe.
- Chip: the ball flies briefly and low, then rolls most of the way.
- Pitch: the ball flies high, covers most of the distance in the air and rolls only a little.
The motion differs too. On a chip the wrists stay mostly quiet, much like putting. On a pitch they hinge clearly in the backswing and the swing is longer.
A well-known coaching rule says: roll it as much as possible and fly it only as much as necessary. If nothing is in the way, a putt or a chip is usually the better option. When the ball must carry a bunker or stop quickly near a tight flag, it is time for a pitch.
Golf chipping technique in five steps
Chipping technique is compact and easy to repeat. For right-handed players:
- Stance: feet close together, lead foot slightly open to the target.
- Weight: clearly on the lead leg, about two thirds, and kept there throughout.
- Ball position: in the middle of the stance or slightly back.
- Hands: ahead of the ball so the shaft leans a little towards the target.
- Motion: a short swing from the shoulders with firm wrists, striking the ball first and then the ground.
Keep the tempo even. The club should travel at least as far forward in the follow-through as it went back. The loft on the face gets the ball airborne by itself, so there is no need to scoop it.
Which club to chip with?
Many clubs work for chipping, from a 7-iron to a sand wedge. The choice depends on how much green you have to work with. As a rule, the less loft a club has, the lower the ball flies and the further it rolls.
With the flag at the back of the green, an 8- or 9-iron is a good fit: the ball lands just over the edge and rolls a long way. With the flag close to the edge, you need more loft, such as a pitching wedge or sand wedge, so the ball stops sooner.
Many players keep the same technique and simply change clubs. The motion stays identical and only the amount of roll changes. A low-lofted chip with lots of roll is also called a bump and run. Exactly how far the ball rolls depends heavily on green speed and slope.
Practical example: chip and putt for par
You are playing a par 4. Your second shot runs just through the green and stops on the fringe. The flag is ten metres away, with two metres of fringe and eight metres of flat green in between.
You choose a chip with a 9-iron and pick a landing spot about one metre onto the green. The ball flies low, lands cleanly and rolls to one metre from the hole. You hole the short putt. Two shots to the fringe, one chip and one putt make four strokes, a par.
Getting the ball into the hole in two strokes after missing the green is called an up and down, and that is exactly what the chip is for. A high pitch would have been needlessly difficult here because nothing was in the way.
Common chipping mistakes
Most chipping mistakes happen because players try to lift the ball into the air. The wrists flip at impact and the club hits the ground first or catches the ball too high. The result is a heavy, short chip or a thinned ball that races across the green.
Other frequent faults:
- weight shifting onto the back leg in the backswing
- ball too far forward in the stance
- slowing the club down just before impact
- looking up at the target too early
- having a vague direction instead of a specific landing spot
The fix is nearly always the same: keep the weight forward, keep the hands ahead of the ball and swing through with commitment. Choosing a precise landing spot makes distance control much better.
Learning to chip: drills for better feel
Clear targets make learning to chip much faster. These drills suit beginners and improvers alike:
- Towel drill: lay a towel on the green as a landing spot and try to hit it with every chip.
- One-club drill: chip to three different flags with the same iron, changing only the length of the swing.
- Club ladder: chip from the same spot with an 8-iron, pitching wedge and sand wedge and watch how flight and roll change.
- Up-and-down game: spread ten balls around the green and count how often you get down in a chip and one putt.
Real feedback is essential, so play every ball to a target and watch where it stops. A short coaching session often reveals quickly whether ball position or weight distribution is causing poor strikes.
Try it at Golf Lounge
Around the greens of the 6-hole ‘Red’ short course, your short game is tested on every hole. No golf licence is needed, a round usually takes under an hour and up to four players can book together. According to the course map, the resort also has a putting and chipping area for practice. If you would like to learn chipping step by step, the group course with PGA coaches covers the basic chip, pitch and approach shots.
Frequently asked questions
What is a chip in golf?
A chip is a short, low shot played from near the green. The ball flies only a short way and then rolls most of the distance to the flag. It is played with a calm, putting-like motion and is the safest option when nothing lies between the ball and the green.
Which club should I chip with?
Irons and wedges from a 7-iron to a sand wedge all work. Less loft means more roll, more loft means the ball stops sooner. Many golfers keep one technique and simply change club depending on the distance to the flag, which keeps the motion simple and repeatable.
What is the difference between a chip and a pitch?
A chip flies low and rolls a lot, while a pitch flies high and rolls little. A chip uses quiet wrists and a short swing; a pitch involves wrist hinge and a longer swing. Choose a pitch when the ball has to carry an obstacle such as a bunker.
How can I learn to chip?
Start with a fixed landing spot, such as a towel on the green, and keep your weight and hands forward. Then practise with different clubs to learn how flight and roll change. Short, regular sessions and feedback from a coach lead to quick progress.
Are you allowed to chip on the green?
The Rules of Golf allow any club on the green, so chipping is permitted. In practice you will almost always putt on the green because it is safer. Many practice greens also ask players not to chip there to protect the turf, so follow the local signs.
As of: October 2026