This is a very common scene for a lot of golfers even those quite experienced. The best way to resolve this issue is to understand that a 'chip' is just like a mini swing. This means that factors such as correct set-up, body turn and path still come into play. If you are someone who is prone to having some bad habits in their normal swing, it will often bleed into the short game.
The first element to get right is the set-up. Just ensure that your shoulders are quite level with the ball in the middle of the stance. You want to have just a little shaft lean with around 55-60 % of weight on the front foot. Those who start to have real trouble with chipping typically have too much weight on their front foot with too much forward shaft lean and the ball position back in the stance. Just like a real swing, if you're weight is too far forward with excessive shaft lean, you're body is going to want to create loft at impact which will invariably lead to staying on the back foot and 'duffing' or 'thinning' the shot.
The next step with chipping is you want to ensure the body is turning. This is very important as you will start to engage the big muscles. Most people use their hands too much which can cause real inconsistencies of strike. When turning the body you want to keep the same sequence as you would a full swing, meaning on the downswing you will feel the legs still initiating whilst turning. The next step is ensuring your swing path is neutral. This means trying to have the club head stay outside the hands during the backswing whilst the left arm is sliding across the body.
Lastly you just want to ensure the club face is opening on the backswing. When you do this, you will engage more of the bounce during impact. The most common position I see with most amateurs is that the clubface tends to be closed. This can cause issues with strike and swing path. In terms of strike, the more the clubface is closed, the more you will only use the leading edge of the club which will reduce your margin of error. Also with the clubface being closed, the path will tend to go right on the follow through. This could lead the body to hesitate or push the ball to the right at impact as the club is moving away from the body.
If you'd like any further help in resolving any Chipping Issues, just contact myself at David Waters Golf.
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