The foundation of great chipping technique starts with a perfect setup.
Weight on left
If you haven't mastered the chipping setup yet, go back and work through that lesson thoroughly before continuing here. Your setup must be correct before working on technique — because even perfect mechanics can't compensate for a flawed starting position.
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Once your setup is dialed in, chipping becomes remarkably simple. The stroke itself breaks down into four fundamental components:
- Weight distribution
- Arm movement
- Shoulder movement
- Lead wrist position
Get a solid setup and execute these four keys correctly, and you will become a consistently excellent chipper.
Key 1: Weight Distribution
The first key is weight distribution. As discussed in previous lessons, where your weight sits directly determines where the swing bottoms out.
With weight on right, club grounds out too far right
For the chipping stroke, keep approximately 70-80% of your weight on the lead side. Imagine your weight anchored in your lead heel, and keep it planted there throughout the entire motion.
Think of your lead hip as your anchor point or pivot center. Simply rotate back and through around that lead side.
Allowing the weight to shift laterally is one of the most common mistakes we see in poor chippers.
If you shift your weight to the trail side and attempt some swings, the club will ground out farther to the right. Shift to the lead side, and the bottom of the swing arc moves farther left.
Keeping your weight constant keeps your impact position and swing arc bottom constant — making it very easy to hit crisp, clean contact every time.
Maintaining your weight on the lead side is the first non-negotiable key to a great chip shot.
Side Note: Staying Relaxed
Closely related to both weight distribution and arm movement is the importance of keeping your lower body very soft during the chipping stroke. This allows your body to move fluidly and lets the proper chipping technique happen naturally.
The body is relaxed when tossing a ball
Imagine casually tossing a ball to someone. Your body would stay completely loose and relaxed — you wouldn't get rigid and try to guide the ball like a machine. Your natural athletic instinct tells you that's not how your body is designed to function.
Your knees might shift slightly, and of course your arms move when you toss a ball, but overall your body remains soft and relaxed.
When you make a chipping stroke, it's essential to maintain that same loose, athletic feel. If you tense up and try to guide the club with stiff arms, everything becomes robotic and forced.
If you've ever tossed a ball, played catch, or practiced any sport that involves throwing or hitting, you've already been training for the chip shot. Tap into your existing athletic ability and your natural sense of how the motion should feel.
Key 2: Arm Movement
Your arms don't bend significantly in proper chipping technique. As shown in the photo, they stay fairly straight throughout the stroke. Don't go to the other extreme and lock your elbows or tense up — just keep them naturally extended.
The arms stay straight, but not locked
Many golfers want to fold the trail arm and then flip aggressively at the bottom of the swing. But adding excessive wrist action and arm movement makes your stroke wildly inconsistent — the club travels through an unpredictable path.
Instead, the arms stay fairly straight and simply rock back and through. It's a beautifully simple motion — somewhat similar to a putting stroke but slightly longer, with a touch more arm action.
That said, you don't want to lock your arms or hold them rigidly straight. Keep them naturally extended with your wrists and arms completely relaxed. You'll get just a small amount of natural wrist hinge swinging back and through, allowing the club to set slightly.
Keeping the club soft in your hands gives you exceptional feel for the shot — soft hands can judge distance far better than tense ones.
Key 3: Shoulder Movement
Your shoulders should be depressed down and back in the chipping stance. Like the arms, they rock gently back and through — never stiff or tense.
Incorrect: Rocking shoulders (above), Correct: Rotating shoulders (below)
The biggest problem we see with chip shots is that many golfers have been taught a "straight back, straight through" technique where the shoulders rock up and down. That vertical rocking motion shifts your spine all over the place, curving it away from the target on the backswing.
That's not what we want. You want your shoulders to rotate around your spine. Your spine angle stays constant throughout the chipping stroke, with the shoulders making a gentle pivot around that fixed axis.
There will be a small amount of rotation in the shoulders going back and through, but you're not making a massive turn or ripping through aggressively. Most importantly, the shoulders turn around the spine rather than working against it.
Proper shoulder movement will dramatically improve the consistency of your chip shot. Everything becomes easier when you use your body the way it's actually designed to move.
Key 4: Lead Wrist Position
Correct: Left wrist bowed (above), Incorrect: Flip (below)
The fourth component of a great chipping stroke is the lead wrist.
As you chip, bow your wrist slightly so your wristwatch leads the way and the logo on the back of your glove points down at the ground. Your wrist should stay slightly bowed through impact.
As discussed in an earlier lesson, when golfers fall into a poor setup they often begin flipping — adding loft to the club and pushing the club head past the hands. If you do that, the logo on the back of your glove will end up pointing at the sky. That's incorrect.
You want that logo pointing down at the ground. Keep the wrist soft and slightly bowed toward the flag. The logo should be pointing at the target as you complete the chipping stroke.
Start Slow and Build
Drill in slow motion
As always, begin drilling this chipping technique in slow motion. Don't even worry about hitting a ball at first — simply make the correct movements to develop the proper feel.
As you become comfortable, put all four pieces together for a smooth, simple stroke. There aren't many moving parts in the chipping stroke. The shoulders rotate gently. The knees move slightly but not dramatically. Everything stays loose and athletic.
Master your setup, ingrain the technique described here, and then start playing and practicing your short game. You'll get up and down more consistently than you ever have before. For real-time feedback on your swing mechanics, try a free AI golf lesson that tracks your body positions live.
Watch part 2 now to see how you're moving your body in the opposite direction of the pros!
