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ChippingFinishWedge play = Pitching and Chipping Wedges Beginner / Intermediate ⏱ 4 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

Chipping Finish: Chest Toward the Target

If chipping is your weak point, Eric Cogorno, writing for GolfPass, suggests paying attention to where you end up. Good players have different styles but all end up in the same position. He comes up with a simple drill involving placing a club on your chest.

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Eric Cogorno
Eric Cogorno · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

6 minSame problemGripping Down When Chipping, by Van de VeldeJean Van de Velde · Beginner / Intermediate16 minNext Level UpTommy Fleetwood's Short Game: Chip, Bunker, and Long PuttTommy Fleetwood · Intermediate14 minFrom the same proPump Exercise for the Swing TransitionEric Cogorno · Intermediate / Expert

What the lesson shows

Eric Cogorno likes to “model success”: to look at what players who chip well have in common. What they have in common is the finish: the chest and the buttons on the shirt are pointing toward the target, roughly parallel to the ground, or even pointing slightly upward. Conversely, players with a handicap above 100 often end up with their chest facing the ball and pointing downward.

If the bust doesn't turn, the arms and hands give out: With your front arm bent and your wrist locked, watch as the fat shots, thin shots, and balls fly over the green. The exercise: a club held across the chest, under the shirt buttons, then move directly from the address position to the finish two or three times before hitting the ball. It’s normal to rise up slightly, and the club always touches the ground. This tip applies up to about 50 yards.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Hold a club across your chest, just below the buttons on your shirt.
  2. At address, make sure your chest is pointing down and toward the ball.
  3. Without a backswing, move directly from the address position to the finish by turning your torso toward the target.
  4. Do two or three repetitions to get a feel for it.
  5. Take a chip shot, aiming for the same finish, with your chest facing the target and slightly raised.
  6. Make sure the club is still touching the ground, even if you stand up slightly.

Key Takeaways

Good chip-shooters all end up with their chest facing the target.
The chest ends up roughly parallel to the floor, or even slightly raised.
Keeping your chest facing the ball causes your arms and wrists to give way.
This defect results in fat shots, thin shots, and balls that are too long.
A club placed on the sternum allows you to feel the rotation of the torso.
This tip applies to all shots around the green, up to about 50 yards.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Keep your head and chest lowered toward the ball after impact.
  • Let your front arm bend and your wrist snap at impact.
  • To think that the finish doesn't matter because the ball has already been hit.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Club on the chest: from setup to finish without a ball
  2. Two or three practice shots, then one ball
  3. Chips from various distances around the green with the same finish

Your Questions

What should a chip's position be at the finish?

The chest and the buttons on the shirt should face the target, roughly parallel to the ground or slightly angled toward the sky, according to Eric Cogorno.

Why does the finish affect contact?

Focusing on a good finish helps you organize what happens beforehand. If your torso doesn't turn, your arms and wrists will give way, resulting in fat and thin shots.

Is it a big deal to speed up a little at the finish?

No. Eric Cogorno shows that you can rise slightly and still make contact with the ground with the club to achieve a good strike.

Learn More

All “Chipping” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Finish” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll videos on “Wedge Play = Pitching and Chipping” →Find the lesson that's right for you Gripping Down When Chipping, by Van de VeldeShortening the grip brings you closer to the ball and makes your swing more vertical: the clubhead leaves the ground sooner and strikes the ball in the center, without a fat shot or a top. Tommy Fleetwood's Short Game: Chip, Bunker, and Long PuttThree of Fleetwood's pre-shot routines around the green: the “lofted putt” chip, the bunker shot aimed at an impact mark, and the long putt read from the low side. Justin Thomas's chip shot: the “nippy”The “nippy,” a low chip that stops on the second bounce: the ball is played back, the face is shielded by the body, and the three-ball drill (high, medium, low). Eric CogornoAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Eric Cogorno). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons, without hosting them.

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