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The pitch shot, simply explained, is a shot used around the green when you must get the ball up in the air over a bunker or up to an elevated green. The ball must get high in the air, so when it lands on the green, it will not have much roll. The pitch shot = a lot of height, a little roll.

The chip shot, however, is just the opposite and should be used whenever possible. The chip shot has very little height, lands on the edge of the green and rolls to the hole. The chip shot = a little height, a lot of roll. Why use the chip shot? It is easier to roll a golf ball to the hole rather than try to fly the ball near to the hole and stop it.

Now let’s learn the set-up and execution of the chip shot.

SET-UP

1. Grip your iron with your regular grip or you can use a putting grip.
2. Aim the face of your club as you would in putting on your target line. Since the ball will be rolling, you must read the green to see what break or borrow there is.
3. Stand with your shoulder line parallel to your target. Next lean towards the pin so that a little more weight is on your left foot (right foot for left handers). This will take loft off the clubface so the ball won’t fly high in the air.

Learning towards the pin also ensures that you make contact with the ball and don’t hit the ground behind the ball.

EXECUTION
Now that we have the proper set-up. Let’s talk about the execution of the chip shot.

We are near the green and there is no bunker or other obstacle in our way. The chip shot would be the best choice of shots. The execution is very easy. It is exactly the same as the putting stroke or ‘pendulum’ (that is why you may use your putting grip) Without turning your body, but leaning your weight towards the green, move your arms back and forth like a pendulum, the club face will make contact with the ball, the ball will fly over the grass with little height, land on the green and roll towards the pin.

How far it rolls depends on the iron you select. The lower the number of iron, the farther the ball rolls. With about 30 minutes of practice I’m sure you will master this simple and very useful shot.

KEEP YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME
Are you overwhelmed sometimes with the amount of positions that your body should be in during a two-second golf swing? Some of the more frequently exposed positions I’m sure you have heard are:

Keep your left arm straight

Keep your right elbow near your right side

Turn you shoulder 90% on the back swing

Have 90% of your weight on your right foot at the top of your back swing

Transfer you weight to your left side on the down swing

Clear your hips out of the way so your arms can swing freely.

Roll your right hand over your left at impact to keep from slicing

Turn your body to the fairway for a proper follow through.

ONE KEY SWING THOUGHT
These are valid "swing thoughts". Professionals and good golfers do use some of these thoughts during practice. Can the average golfer master all or some of these positions during his golf swing? Let’s make it a little easier. There is one "position" that most pros attain during their golf swing. It enables them to:

1. Square the clubface at impact
2. Keep from slicing
3. Get more distance with each shot

If it can help them this much, I’m sure it can help you to an extent. What is this "magic" new position? It’s really not new and it’s very simple! Watch golfers swing a club and when the club head makes contact with the ball you will see that almost all of them keep their head behind the ball. By keeping your head behind the ball at impact, you will find it much easier to square the clubface, resulting in straighter shots and avoiding slices. Also, if your head is behind the ball, you can get more power into your shot. WHY?

Try this test at a Driving Range or on the course sometime. Set up to your ball as normal except for one change- have the ball positioned in line with your back foot (right foot for right handers – left foot for left handers) Now try hitting the ball. First, it will probably go to the right or slice. Second, there won’t be much power on it because the ball is too far behind your arms and body. When average golfers make contact with the ball, many times their head and upper body are way out in front of the ball, even though they set up with the ball centered or forward in their stance.

A PRACTICE AID
So after you have hit some balls off of your back foot, try hitting some balls with one swing thought. AS YOU MAKE CONTACT WITH THE BALL, BE SURE TO KEEP YOUR HEAD BEHIND THE BALL. A self teaching aid is to place the ball on the ground or tee so that the brand name is towards the back of the ball but still visible. As you swing and make contact with the ball, try and see the brand name. If you can see the brand name you have kept your head behind the ball. If you can’t, your head and upper body are too far in front of the ball.

With some practice, I’m sure you can concentrate on keeping your head behind the ball. This one position will be of great help in hitting straighter and maybe longer shots during your next round of golf.

THE FAIRWAY BUNKER SHOT

The fairway bunker shot is not often used, but when you do, remember 3 things

1. Use the correct club
2. Have the correct set-up
3. Perform the correct swing

1. Correct Club

When your ball is in a fairway bunker, don’t just check the distance; see what is in front of you first. Is there a "lip" in front? If so, How High? Club selection is determined by what club will clear the "lip" of the bunker. A good way to check to see if your ball will fly over the lip is to lay your iron on the grass, not sand, and step on the face. The angle of the shaft shows you the trajectory of your ball flight. So choose the iron that will clear the lip. If there is no lip, a #7 wood, #5 wood or club of your choice needed for the distance to the green may be used.

2. The Correct Set – Up

Ball Position

Stand so that the ball is in the center of your stance. Too far forward will make you hit the sand and not the ball, and too far back will make your posture drop down.

Posture

Keep your chin up! If your head is down, you will have a tendency to hit too much sand and not advance the ball out of the bunker. So stand tall, pivot from the hips, and don’t round your back.

Hot Tip!

Choke up on your grip a little. It keeps the club head from hitting too much sand

3. With the correct club and your grip (choked up) and a good tall posture, now swing correctly and get out of that fairway bunker with some distance.

Two keys that will help achieve a correct swing are:

1. Swinging your arms high above your head will only make the club head dig into the sand too much. Try keeping your arms swinging a little flatter, around your shoulders.
2. As you are making contact with the ball, make sure your body is turning with your arm swing. If your body doesn’t turn, it will want to drop down to hit the ball, but you will hit the sand and not the ball. So turn and follow through for good ball contact.

Hope these tips help and good golfing.