Best Techniques for Controlling Chipping Height

Best Techniques for Controlling Chipping Height

Why It’s Crucial for Your Short Game

One of the most essential aspects of golf is mastering the short game, particularly chipping. Whether you’re hitting a high, soft chip or a low, running chip, controlling the height of your shots is a critical skill that can make the difference between saving par and losing strokes. In this article, we’ll explore why being able to adjust the height of your chips is so important and review the techniques that allow you to do just that.

Club Selection: The Simplest Way to Adjust Height

The first and most straightforward way to control the height of your chip shots is through club selection. Different clubs are designed with different lofts, which directly influence how high the ball flies and how much it rolls after landing:

• Higher-lofted clubs, such as a 60-degree wedge, produce higher trajectories with less roll.
• Lower-lofted clubs, like a 9-iron, create a lower flight path with more roll upon landing.

Why it’s important: This technique is simple, making it the easiest way for most players to manage their chip shot height. Choosing the right club can help you handle a variety of course conditions, whether you need the ball to fly over an obstacle or run along the green.

Setup Adjustments: Subtle Changes for Big Impact

The second factor in controlling chip shot height is your setup. Small changes in how you address the ball can drastically affect the ball’s flight:

• Open the clubface at setup to add loft and produce a higher trajectory.
• Close the clubface to de-loft the club, lowering the shot’s trajectory.

Additionally, ball position in your stance can play a big role in the height of the shot. Moving the ball forward in your stance will raise the ball’s trajectory, while placing it further back will create a lower, running shot.

Why it’s important: Adjusting your setup provides versatility without switching clubs. This allows you to use the same club for various shot heights, which can be handy when you’re on the course and don’t want to constantly switch clubs.

Swing Mechanics: Advanced Control Over Height

The third factor involves swing mechanics. By modifying your swing technique, you can manipulate the ball’s height more precisely:

• Opening the clubface during the backswing can add height.
• De-lofting the club in the downswing can reduce height.

Why it’s important: Learning to manipulate swing mechanics is more advanced, but it offers greater control over ball flight when you don’t have a club that naturally suits the shot you want to hit. For example, you may want to hit a lower shot with a high-lofted wedge to ensure a clean strike in certain conditions.

When You Can’t Simply Change Clubs

While switching clubs is the easiest way to control the height of your chip shots, there are times when it’s not enough:

• If you want to hit a shot higher than what your highest-lofted club allows, setup and swing adjustments are essential.
• Similarly, to develop more well-rounded technique, being able to hit lower shots with higher-lofted wedges is crucial, especially in situations where you can’t easily swap clubs.

Link to Technique Guides:

• For more in-depth tips on how to hit the ball higher, check out [this article on increasing chip shot height].
• If you’re looking to master lower chip shots, read [this guide on hitting lower chip shots].

Why Height Control is Essential to Your Short Game

Being able to control the height of your chip shots isn’t just about technique; it’s about versatility on the course. Here’s why:

• Adapting to course conditions: On windy days, lower shots are more stable. When you need to get over a bunker or a hazard, higher shots are safer.
• Managing roll distance: Height control directly influences how much the ball rolls after landing. Higher shots tend to stop quickly, while lower shots roll more. Being able to adjust your height means you can manage roll better, improving accuracy.
• Increased scoring opportunities: Mastering height control allows you to consistently position the ball closer to the hole, reducing your putts and lowering your scores.

Final Thoughts

Mastering the best techniques for controlling chipping height will give you a significant advantage on the course. By understanding how club selection, setup adjustments, and swing mechanics influence your shots, you’ll be able to confidently handle various course conditions and situations.

Stay tuned for our dedicated articles on:

• How to hit higher chip shots for those tricky situations around the greens – read by clicking here
• How to hit lower chip shots to handle windy days or tricky downhill lies – read by clicking here

With practice and these techniques in your toolkit, you’ll be well on your way to improving your short game and saving strokes. Happy chipping!