Set it up
- Find a chipping green and drop a towel (folded to about the size of a doormat) a couple of paces onto the green from the fringe.
- Pick a hole beyond the towel.
- Take 10 balls and two or three clubs: for example a sand wedge, pitching wedge and 8-iron.
Land it on the towel
Hit chips with each club, trying to land the ball on the towel. Watch how far each one rolls after landing. You're learning your own landing-to-roll ratio for each club. As a rough starting point many coaches use something like 1:1 (half in the air, half on the ground) for a sand wedge, 1:2 for a pitching wedge and 1:4 for an 8-iron. Green speed and slope change it, so trust what you see.
Climb the ladder
Move the hole target farther away while keeping the towel in the same place. To get the ball to roll farther from the same landing spot, switch to a less lofted club rather than hitting harder. That's the decision you'll make on the course: same landing spot, different club.
Make it a game: Par 18
Drop a ball in nine different spots around a green: a few easy lies, a few tight ones, one or two in the rough. Each spot is a par 2: chip on, then hole the putt. Write down your score for the nine "holes". Even par (18) is excellent; a lot of club golfers start in the mid 20s. Play it against a friend for a coffee and it turns into one of the most useful games on the practice ground.
Common mistakes
- Looking at the hole instead of the landing spot as you swing.
- Trying to lift the ball. Let the loft of the club do the work.
- Using only one club for everything. The ladder shows when a less lofted club is the easier shot.
Questions people actually ask
Which club should I chip with?
The one that lands the ball safely on the green and rolls it the rest of the way. Often that's less loft than you think.
Can I do this drill without a chipping green?
Partly: in a backyard you can practise landing on a towel; the roll will differ from a real green.
How many balls should I hit?
Ten to twenty with a clear target each time beats a whole bucket on autopilot.
General practice ideas for recreational golfers, not personal coaching. If something hurts, stop and see a qualified professional.