Discover essential short game golf tips in Episode 4 of our Up and Down Series. Improve your chipping around the green with this simple drill

Welcome to Episode Four of The Up and Down Series, where we dive into essential short game golf tips and techniques. In this episode, learn about club selection and landing zones when you are chipping around the green with PGA Advanced Professional Alice Davis from Parkstone Golf Club.

Ladder chipping drill

This chipping drill uses a seven iron, nine iron and sand wedge. Most golfers have a favourite club when it comes to chipping around the green, but it may not necessarily be the right club for the situation that you find yourself in.

We will look at how these different clubs act when chipping around the green. The general rule is that a seven iron will spend 25% of the time in the air and roll 75%, the nine iron will be about 50/50, and the sand wedge will send the ball in the air for 75% of the time and roll for 25% for this drill.

PGA Professional Alice Davis holds a seven iron, nine iron and sand wedge to demonstrate a chipping drill
You will need a seven iron, nine, iron and sand wedge for this drill

Setting up the ladder chipping drill

To start this drill, lie two alignment sticks or clubs apart from each other to form a ladder on the front of the green, this is going to be the landing zone in relation to the flag. Start the chipping drill with the seven iron on the edge of the green. You always want to aim to land the ball on the front of the green, and the club that you select will depend on the percentage we have to the front of the green in relation to where our target flag is.

PGA Advanced Professional Alice Davis demonstrates the ladder chipping drill
Place two alignment sticks or clubs on the front of the green to form a ladder, this is the landing area

Practice this chipping drill with different clubs

When Alice uses the seven iron, you will see that the ball bumped on the front of the green at 25% of the way and rolled out the rest of the way finishing around the hole. With the second and third shots with the nine iron and the sand wedge, the ball stopped a lot quicker than the shot that Alice took with the seven iron. The aim is to land the ball on the front of the green and watch it release towards the hole.

PGA Advanced Professional Alice Davis demonstrates chipping a seven iron
Space out your chips with the seven iron closest to the green, then nine iron, then sand wedge

The important thing to remember is that this isn't a law. It's just a guideline to help you with your club selection when chipping around the green. If you were to use an eight iron or a pitching wedge, this would fall between the clubs that we've just discussed. You must also take into consideration the slope and speed of the greens.

Thank you to Parkstone Golf Club for the use of their practice areas to film The Up And Down Series.

Did you miss the third episode of The Up And Down Series? We look at how ball placement when you set up to chip can effect your chip shot - view the full episode on Chipping Tips here.