Know your three shots
A chip is a low shot that spends most of its journey rolling. Small swing, little wrist action, ball on the ground fast. A pitch is a higher shot that spends most of its journey in the air. Bigger swing, more wrist hinge, ball stops sooner. A bump and run is a chip played with a less lofted club so it rolls even further. The bunker shot is its own thing, and you'll find it below.
The choice between them comes down to one question. How much green do you have between the landing spot and the hole? Lots of green: chip and let it roll. Something in the way, or the hole cut close to the edge: pitch it over and stop it. When in doubt, take the lower shot. It's harder to hit badly.
| Shot | Flight | Typical club | Use it when | Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bump and run | Very low, mostly roll | 8 or 9 iron | Firm ground, no obstacle, plenty of green | Hard to judge on soft or long grass |
| Chip | Low, roll after a short flight | Pitching or gap wedge | Just off the green, clear path to the hole | Thin or heavy contact if the wrists get busy |
| Pitch | Higher, less roll | Sand or pitching wedge | Rough or a bunker between you and the hole | Bigger swing, bigger miss |
| Bunker shot | High, soft landing | Sand wedge | Ball in sand | Leaving it in, or flying the green |
How to chip
Narrow your stance. Put a little more weight on your lead foot and keep it there. Play the ball toward the back of your stance and let your hands sit slightly ahead of it, so the shaft leans toward the target. Grip down the club for control. Now make a stroke that feels like a long putt: shoulders turn, arms swing, wrists stay quiet.
The clubhead should brush the grass under the ball, not dig. If you're catching it thin, you're probably trying to lift the ball. Stop. The loft on the club does that for you. Your only job is to strike the ball with a descending blow and hold the finish low. Let the ball come out low and run.
How to pitch
Widen your stance slightly from the chip and let the ball sit closer to the middle. Weight still favours the lead side, but less so. Now the wrists are allowed to hinge on the backswing, and the swing gets longer: hip height, chest height, depending on how far you need to carry. Turn through with your body so the club and your chest arrive together. The face stays pointing at the sky through the finish.
Control distance with the length of the swing, not the speed. Practise three lengths and learn how far each one flies with your favourite wedge. That gives you three reliable shots instead of one guess.
The bunker shot: hit the sand, not the ball
In a greenside bunker you never touch the ball. The sand carries it out.
Open the clubface a little before you take your grip. Dig your feet in for stability, which also lowers you so the club enters the sand more easily. Play the ball forward in your stance. Pick a spot in the sand a short distance behind the ball and swing at that spot with a full, committed motion. Accelerate through. The club slides under the ball on a cushion of sand and the ball pops out high and soft.
The usual failure is deceleration. You take a big backswing, get frightened, and slow down into the sand. The club stops and so does the ball. Commit to the follow-through every time. A slightly too-long bunker shot that lands on the green is a far better result than one still sitting in the trap.
Putt or chip from the fringe?
You've missed the green by a pace and the ball sits on the fringe. Reach for the putter first. A poor putt from the fringe still ends up on the green. A poor chip from the same spot can end up anywhere. Only chip when the grass between you and the green is thick enough to knock the putt badly offline, or when the ball is sitting down in it. Even then, the bump and run with an eight iron is often the safer choice.
Practise landing spots, not results
- Find a chipping green. Lay a towel or a headcover where you want the ball to land.
- Hit chips with one club until you can land the ball on the towel more often than not.
- Move the towel. Repeat. Then change club and notice how far the ball rolls after landing.
- Finish every session with a handful of shots to a real hole, going through your full routine.
The hole is a distraction while you're learning. Landing spot first, roll second, hole third. Get the first two right and the third takes care of itself more often than you'd expect.