Chipping From a Tight Lie: Improve Your Setup

Chipping From a Tight Lie: Improve Your Setup

There are a couple of key fundamentals you can focus on at home which should help you hit this shot with more confidence and consistency when it comes to chipping from a tight lie. This can be a terrifying scenario for many golfers and very hard to control but can be easily adjusted.

First of all, get closer to the ball. Given the surface is so firm, we want to eliminate the bounce in the center of the wedge as much as possible because of the thicker sole. Bring the handle of the club more vertical to get the toe of the club pressing into the ground. You’ve also got more grooves in the toe of the club to help create more spin when your ball lands.

Once you’re closer to the ball and have the toe down, grip down slightly like a chip shot. You want to keep your forearms pointing toward the ground in the back swing to help ensure ball first contact. Even a shallow swing path won’t prevent the club from bouncing if it makes contact with the ground before the ball. Keeping your weight in the front foot throughout will also help ensure clean contact. So, keep your weight forward and your ball position slightly back of center. If you remember these tips, I think you’ll see much better results and feel more confident chipping from a tight lie on the green.

For more tips on the basics of chipping and pitching watch here.