How to fix your chip shot in 5 easy steps

It can be one of the most beautiful shots in golf – the perfectly executed chip looping over the bunker, dropping straight on the green with a little back spin before rolling gently into the hole with a  plop. But, it can also be the cause of many fairway tantrums as, with the hole within reach you slice, shank or over-hit your approach shot once again.]

If you regularly find yourself in the latter camp, here are a few tips on getting it right.

What’s going wrong?

There are two dispositions really – those who shank and slice the ball, and those who strike either too thinly or too fat.

Shanking and slicing are adjustments on the same gradient. In fact, most shankers tend to think they are slicers, so over compensate – and vice versa. Shankers hit the ball with the section of the club where the head joins the shaft. Slicers hit the ball with the face of their club too open.

The other side of the coin is those who hit the ball too fat or thin. A ‘fat’ shot means you’re striking the turf before the ball. A ‘thin’ strike means you’re connecting too high up on the ball. 
   

5 ways to fix the problems

The good news is that these issues can be fixed with a bit of time, patience and practice.

Here are a few tips to get you going…

1.    Change your grip

Try adjusting your grip slightly. For example, holding the club with your left-hand turned in too far to the right could be causing you to shank it, while if you start to grip the club with both shoulders level it could cause a weak grip leading to slices. Lower your right shoulder slightly before you grip.

By having the face of the club too open or closed you risk a mishit. Don’t try and adjust the club with your hands though – use your shoulders and arms to turn the face so it’s parallel to the ball.

You’ve got to keep your knees slightly bent, and back tall. Hunching over the ball could cause you to hit it too fat, as you’re too close to it, while leaning back could cause a thin strike of the ball. You should also check your stance – too open to the ball could lead to shanking. If this is the case, try and get more straight-on to the ball. 
   

Moving your shoulders forward during your swing can cause all types of trouble. If you find yourself doing this, try adding extra hip action to your swing to keep your shoulders steady and aim your chin at the ball throughout your swing.