Choosing the Right Club For Chip Shots

Most senior golfers when asked what their club of choice for chip shots is would say their pitching wedge. This is not wrong, but there are certain things to keep in mind when choosing which club to chip with. In the professional golf world, there are two equally acceptable schools of thought:

1) All For One and One For All – These golfers have one club that does it all. These players control height and distance by adjusting their swing to chip the ball wherever it needs to go. This can take quite a bit of practice before you can become proficient and accurate.

2) Quiver Full of Clubs – Some golfers prefer to take advantage of the capabilities of individual clubs. These golfers have practiced a great deal with all of their clubs and in various scenarios – they know several clubs well and when they should use them. Each club will vary greatly in terms of distance and shot type (high, low, etc.). To master each club requires trying several different shots with each ones until you are comfortable and confident.

So which method do you choose? That’s the wonderful thing about golf – there are always many different methods and none of them are right or wrong. It really boils down to personal preference. Try both methods and see which one agrees with you more.

A senior golfer that is just beginning might be better off utilizing different clubs for various chip shots. The reason is that a new player is still developing a sense for his or her swing and control around the greens. Since different clubs produce different results, using them all only further acclimates the player to fundamental motions in golf. Over time, a beginner golfer may become more comfortable – and therefore, more successful – with a couple of different clubs for chip shots and will begin to use those particular clubs more often.

Intermediate to advanced golfers with a solid grasp of their clubs and swing fundamentals might consider making the move to one club for every chip shot. At this stage it is safe to assume that the player will be capable of learning how to manage his backswing and power his shot to achieve specific results. Particularly around the green, this mastery is important and controlling one specific ‘favorite’ club may be the better route.

Chipping is one of the more important skill sets to have in golf. Regardless of which method you choose to chip with, it is important that you practice, practice, practice to perfect your technique.