Every golfer intends the shoot their lowest score while standing on the first tee. The elation of hope is abundant until their first chip that leaves a long putt for par. This situation is common all around the world, but alas there are ways to fix this reoccurring challenge. There are many processes the offer a quick fix, however my years of experience tell me that practice is the only sure fire way to improve our golf game. I recently looked at a video by Chris Ryan and found that his five tips help create a foundation of great chipping. It is definitely a place to start if you are looking to improve your up and down percentage.

What I like about this video is Ryan’s explanations of how to improve our chipping. After watching, many of us will say of course (kind of like an ‘aha’ moment). Yet, we do not really follow his advice. Our failings around the green are generally rooted in our lack of practice. I know this is a failing in my game, but I plan to rectify that over the winter and spring of next year. Here is what Ryan has to say:

My biggest take away from this video is how narrow his feet are and the position of his body during set up. I have always espoused a 60/40 weight distribution, but failed on ball position and butt of the club position. Don’t get me wrong, I have a fairly consistent short game, however this is definitely something I can improve upon.

One very important tip Ryan did not touch upon is the landing area. I feel that focusing on the landing area and using the appropriate club to hit this spot is often overlooked by amateur golfers. This tip will help fine tune our ability to hit the ball close when chipping.

Ryan suggested to used different clubs when chipping and help you with this tip, I have developed the following infographic:

Chipping is a very important part of golf. Next to putting, chipping is the most often used stroke. Chipping combined with putting are the key components of any short game. To lower your score, improving our short game is key. Building a chipping foundation (as espoused by Chris Ryan) is a key step to becoming a better golfer.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!