Golf: How to Chip Shot and Pitch Shot

First, let's be clear on what we mean when we talk about chipping and pitching in golf:

A pitch or "pitch shot" is a shot played with a highly lofted club that is designed to go a short distance with a high trajectory. Pitch shots are usually played into the green, typically from 40-50 yards and closer. It's easy to picture a pitch shot when it is contrasted with the chip or chip shot.

A chip shot is played from much closer to the green and the ball is in the air only a short amount of time; the point is to get the ball onto the surface of the green and let it roll toward the cup. Most of a chip shot is roll. A pitch shot, on the other hand, is in the air for most of its distance, with much less roll once it hits the ground.

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Perfect for: Holiday gifts, birthdays, thank you's,
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The two chipping videos below do an excellent job of describing how to hit the chip shot.

Here I will bring out the key points for those of you less visually inclined.

A chip shot should be used when you are close to the green and you want to have the ball travel 1/3 of the way to the pin in the air (from the rough to the edge of the green) and then roll the other 2/3 of the way to the pin.

For a basic chip shot, have the ball in the middle of your stance, put more weight on your front leg, and lean the club handle so it is toward your front leg or in front of the ball.

Now, hit the ball just as if you were putting. Keep the handle of the club in front of the clubhead and use a putting motion.

Short chips should be hit with a 9 iron.

Medium chips should be the same exact putting motion, using a 7 iron. The less lofted 7 iron will make the ball go farther using the very same swing as with the 9 iron.

Long chips should be the same exact putting motion, using a 5 iron. The less lofted 5 iron will make the ball go even farther using the very same swing as with the 9 iron.

Practice this a bit and I think you will be excited by how much you short game will improve.

This year, give them exactly what they're hoping for:




Perfect for: Holiday gifts, birthdays, thank you's,
special occasions, weddings, anniversaries,
baby showers, new arrivals, house warming,
or no reason at all.

.

The video below covers the basics of the pitch shot as well as how to control distances when pitching. Here are the key points:

The pitch shot is used when you are 20 to 50 yards from the green/pin.

When pitching you want the ball to go up high and drop straight down on the green with very little roll.

To hit a pitch shot correctly use your most lofted clubs: pitching wedge, sand wedge, and lob wedge (if you have one).

Have the ball in the center of your stance, more weight on your left (front) leg, and hit down on the ball to make it go up.

To control distance, use three swings with each wedge. For a short pitch, swing the club back only until the shaft is parallel to the ground and only swing with your arms. For a longer pitch shot, swing the club until the butt end of the club is perpendicular to the ground, again swinging only with the arms. For a longer pitch shot take more of a full golf swing, again only swinging with the arms.

If you have 2 or 3 wedges, that gives you 6 or 9 different pitch shots for different distances. Practice this and you will be amazed at how your golf scores will improve.

The video below demonstrates the pitch shot.

Golf - How To Properly Grip A Golf Club
Your grip is one of the most important aspects of your golf game.
Make sure you are using a good grip.

Golf - the Setup (to be added)

Golf - the Full Swing

Golf Swing - Importance of Consistent Rhythm & Tempo

Golf Power - Tips for Longer Drives

Golf Power - Swing Lag

Golf Power - the Release

Golf - Chip Shots and Pitch Shots

Golf - Bunker Play

How to use the Bump & Run shot in Golf

Golf - the Cure for Chile Dip golf shots

Golf - All About Putting (to be added)