Conquering the Chipping Yips

 

The chipping yips, am I right? Need I say more? I don’t know about you, but I’ve lost more strokes chipping than any other shot in golf. Nothing has ruined my scores more than those little shots around the green that should be so simple and easy. So, why is chipping so difficult, and how do you conquer the yips and make it a strength of your game? I’m glad you asked! Let me give you a couple of tips to stop stabbing those chips and start stuffing them in tight.

The first thing you have to conquer is your mind. A lot of your bad chips are happening because you’re having bad thoughts. If you only remember the bad chips and not the good ones, your body will focus on what went wrong last time and it will inevitably happen again. You have to get over the bad shots and leave them in the past. That hole is over (shoot, that round might be over) and there’s nothing you can do about it. However, this hole, this shot, is happening now. So, focus on this shot and block out all the negative thoughts. Pick your landing spot, pick your line, and clear your mind of everything else. Just doing that simple thing will go a long way toward conquering the chipping yips. 

We all know Golf isn’t just mental, you have to physically hit the shots. So, once you get your mind right over your chip, you need to have good technique to actually hit the chip the way you are visualizing it. There are so many ways people mess up chipping. They use the wrong club, swing too steep, don’t use the bounce of their wedge correctly, “flip” their hands at the ball, and the list could go on and on. No matter what your chipping issue is, they can pretty much all be solved by simply changing your setup and simplifying your motion. Let me explain.

Chip shots are delicate, and they don’t require a lot of motion. Your goal is essentially to get the ball rolling in the green and you don’t have to worry about wind, spin, etc., so keeping it simple is the best way to go. Start by shortening up your stance (I usually have my feet almost touching). Then move the ball back in your stance, I recommend lining it up with the big toe of your back foot. Choke down on your club and press your hands forward slightly, toward your front hip. From here, keep your motion short and simple. Imagine taking the ball in your rear hand and tossing it underhanded toward the green. Replicate that feeling as you make your swing, keeping your hands very stiff through the stroke, making sure you follow through the same length as your backswing. 

And that’s it. That is the simple way to conquer the chipping yips. Once you get your mind right and simplify your stroke, the rest will fall into place with time. You’ll get a feel for distance control and landing zones the more you do it, so don’t worry! Chipping may never seem easy (trust me, no part of golf is ever easy), but hopefully, this will help you gain those strokes back around the green and lower your scores. Who knows, you may even make chipping a strength of your game!