Give your chips a chance to go in with these two key fundamentals

How many times have you told yourself this over a chip shot: “It’s OK to go past the hole, just don’t come up short,” only to hit it halfway there—and right on line? Probably more times than you care to remember. And when you don't make the ensuing putt, you blame your putting. The chip is the real mistake.

If there’s one thing I consistently see with amateurs, it’s a propensity to hit weak chips. This can be very discouraging because of all the shots around the green, the chip is the most basic. It requires the shortest, simplest swing, yet for many golfers, the results fall, well . . . short.

There are two things you can do right away to give your chip shots an energy boost and start getting them to the hole. First, ditch your sand or lob wedge and chip with a less-lofted club, such as your pitching wedge or 9-iron. The lower the loft, the higher the ball speed—and the more roll and distance you’ll get out of your chip shots. 

Second, make sure your follow-through (above) is as long as your backswing (top). Many golfers take the club back too far and then stop at the ball, leading to poor contact. Their brain tells them the backswing is too big, and they try to recalibrate mid-swing. Keep your swing symmetrical on both sides, and you’ll maintain your speed and hit your chips solid.

Dan Carraher teaches at the Golf Club at South Hampton in St. Augustine, Fla.