Golf Chipping Drills Guide Drills

Chipping Drills to Improve Your Short Game Precision and Control

Great short game play often begins with a solid chip. At Spine Align Golf we believe that consistent chipping comes from focused practice on technique control and feel. The drills below help you refine your chip setup swing and release so you can make crisp controlled contact with the ball around the green.

Why Chipping Drills Are Important

Chipping requires precision not power. The margin for error is small because you often just need a short controlled swing to land softly and roll out predictably. Without regular practice flaws in setup or contact become magnified. Chipping drills build confidence, help you manage spin and trajectory and improve your ability to get up and down from tight lies, rough or tricky conditions.

Recommended Chipping Drills

Landing Zone Drill

This drill helps you control where the ball lands by picking a spot on the green target area and aiming to land the ball there rather than focusing only on the hole.

How to perform a landing zone about 15 to 25 feet from the fringe then chip multiple balls trying to land each on that same spot. Pay attention to how different swing lengths and club selections affect roll out. This helps train your judgement of landing spot and distance control.

One Hitter Chip Drill

This drill resets your swing rhythm and ensures you strike down on the ball rather than scooping it.

How to perform a towel or headcover a few inches behind the ball then make a chip stroke with the goal of hitting the ball cleanly without touching the towel. This teaches proper shaft lean forward body posture and better ball first contact.

Shorter Shaft Drill

Using a shorter shaft encourages better control and slower tempo which creates easier distance control for short chips.

How to perform grip down on your wedge or pitching club by a couple inches so it feels shorter and more like a putter swing. Chip balls from 10 to 20 yards focusing on smooth stroke and controlled release.

Rhythm and Pause Drill

This drill helps you create a smooth rhythm and prevents jerky or rushed chipping which often leads to mishits.

How to perform your backswing slowly then pause for a moment before starting the downswing. Visualize a smooth acceleration through contact and follow through. This helps you stay balanced and improves consistency.

Gate Drill for Club Path Control

This drill helps ensure your swing path is square or slightly inside-out which promotes better contact and roll on chips.

How to perform two tees a few inches apart just in front of the ball forming a narrow gate. Make chip strokes avoiding the tees. This encourages a clean inside-out path and prevents outside-in cuts or fat shots.

How to Practice Chipping Drills Effectively

Practice in short sessions rather than long blocks to stay focused.
Vary your lies and club choices to simulate real-course conditions.
Use alignment aids or reference points to maintain setup consistency.
Track your results, note distance control roll out and landing accuracy.

With consistent drill practice your touch and control around the greens will improve dramatically.

Conclusion

Chipping drills are essential for building confidence and precision in your short game. By refining setup path impact and release you can turn challenging greenside lies into scoring opportunities. For more advanced short game work explore our guide on Pitching Drills or download the Spine Align App to track and analyze your chipping sessions. To deepen your skill set join the Spine Align Golf Academy for coached lessons and structured improvement plans.