ChippingWedge play = Pitching and Chipping Wedges Beginner / Intermediate ⏱ 6 min 🇫🇷 Video in French

Where the Chip Lands: A Lesson from the FFGolf

Name: Where the Chip Lands: A Lesson from the FFGolf
Uploaded: 2013-07-23T12:00:00+00:00
Duration: 6 min 27 s
Channel: Renaud Gris
Description: Between 16 to 10 yards from the edge of the green, the basic chip shot involves landing the ball just at the edge of the green so that it rolls toward the flag. In this lesson filmed at Terre Blanche Golf Club, the French Golf Federation demonstrates how to ensure consistent contact and then fine-tune the balance between flight and roll.

Between 16 to 10 yards from the edge of the green, the basic chip shot involves landing the ball just at the edge of the green so that it rolls toward the flag. In this lesson filmed at Terre Blanche Golf Club, the French Golf Federation demonstrates how to ensure consistent contact and then fine-tune the balance between flight and roll.

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Renaud Gris · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

Schedule · Step 1 of 7Master Your Short Game in 7 StepsValid if: Out of 10 chips, 8 land within one meter of the chosen point.

Step 2 →

To be continued

6 minSame problemGripping Down When Chipping, by Van de VeldeJean Van de Velde · Beginner / Intermediate 8 minSame problemShort Game at Home: Putting Arc and Chipping to a FinishDanny Maude · Beginner / Intermediate 6 minSame problemChipping from Tough Lies: Advice from Min Woo LeeMin Woo Lee · Beginner / Intermediate

What the lesson shows

The goal is to obtain a consistent ball flight and to control where it lands. This requires a consistently identical point of contact, slightly downward, with as few movements as possible. Stance: The ball is positioned between the middle of the feet and the right foot, with a very slightly open stance, knees pointing toward the target, and 70% of your weight on the left side. Hold the club as straight as possible, resting it flat or slightly on its toe—never on the heel—to avoid catching the grass and closing the clubface.

The drill: Place a club on the ground, at the grip, about ten centimeters to the right of the ball. If you touch this club, it indicates either that your wrists are uncoiling too early, or that your hands and shaft are too far forward, causing your swing path to be too horizontal. Mentally, focus on a single reference point: getting the ball down. 1 m to 1.50 m on the green, to avoid random bounces off the front of the green. We practice with different clubs to calibrate the flight-to-ground ratio for each player, to be repeated on every new course, and then we practice in a simulated situation with balls placed around the green and various flag positions.

The Exercise, Step by Step

Pick a landing spot 1 m or 1.50 m onto the green.
Place the ball between the middle of your feet and your right foot, with a slightly open stance and your knees facing the target.
Place the club as straight as possible, either flat or slightly on its tip.
Shift about 70% of your weight to your left side.
Place a club on the ground, at the grip, about ten centimeters to the right of the ball, and play without touching it.
Practice with several clubs, always aiming for the same landing spot, and observe how each one rolls.
Finish with real-life scenarios: shots played around the green, various flag positions, and the right club for each situation.

Key Takeaways

A basic chip shot is played near the green, with the ball landing at the edge and then rolling.

The only mental reference point is the landing spot, 1 m to 1.50 m onto the green.

Ball between the middle and the right foot, with 70% of your weight on the left.

Hold the club straight, either flat or slightly on the toe—never on the heel.

The contact is always very slightly downward.

Each club has its own flight-to-roll ratio, which needs to be calibrated.

Mistakes to Avoid

Rest the club on your heel: it catches the grass and the clubface closes.
Unfastening the wrist straps too early.
If you overdo the handle and hold your hands too far forward, your shoulders rise and the swing becomes too horizontal.
Land the ball on the front of the green, where the bounce is unpredictable.
Play all chips with a single club, often an open sand wedge.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

Keep the club on the ground to the right of the ball to control the angle of attack
The same destination with three or four different clubs
Record each club's distance, and recalibrate on a new course
Finish with a series of varied scenarios around the green

Your Questions

Where should you land the ball on a basic chip shot?

1 m or 1.50 m onto the green. The lesson explains that this prevents random bounces off the front of the green while also avoiding a swing that’s too big to reach farther.

Why should you rest the club on its tip rather than flat?

A club resting on its heel grips the ground and the clubface closes, especially depending on the condition of the grass. A club held vertically, flat, or slightly on its toe, goes through anything.

What is the club on the ground to the right of the ball for?

He checks to see if you make contact with the ball very lightly as you come down. Making contact as you come down indicates that your wrists are relaxing too early; making contact as you come up indicates that your hands are too far forward and your swing is too horizontal.

Which club should you use for chipping?

It's not always the same. We keep the same landing point and switch clubs depending on the required roll distance, which is why it's important to calibrate the flight-to-roll ratio for each club.

Learn More

All “Chipping” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you All videos on “Wedge Play = Pitching and Chipping” →Find the lesson that's right for you Spin on Approaches: Slide the Sole of the WedgeTo counter a steep angle of attack: spin is generated by the sole sliding along the ground, guided by the clubhead toward the inside of the front thigh. One-Handed Pitching: The Drill for 20 to 65 YardsFrom 20 to 65 yards, send the ball forward rather than up, using your whole body, learned through one-handed pitches, right hand then left. Wedge Pyramid: Raphaël Jacquelin's Pre-Shot RoutineRaphaël Jacquelin's pre-shot routine: a pyramid of wedges ranging from 30 to 100 m, verified by radar, with fixed distances based on the wedge, grip length, and swing amplitude. Renaud GrisAll of his lessons

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