How to Add Spin to Your Chip Shots, According to a Top 100 Teacher

Chip shots that skid past the hole instead of checking up usually come down to setup, not touch. Jeff Smith, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher at The Vintage Club in Indian Wells, California, and Pine Canyon Golf Club in Flagstaff, Arizona, says a few pre-swing adjustments are enough to add spin.

What causes chips to release instead of stop?

A flat clubface and a shallow angle of attack send the ball forward with little backspin. Smith's fix combines an open face with a steeper, descending strike, both set at address.

How to set up for a spinning chip

Take your highest-lofted wedge and play the ball slightly forward in your stance, just below your lead eye. Use a modified grip: rest all five fingers of your trail hand on the club, then set your lead hand's index finger over your trail hand's pinkie in a reverse overlap, and rotate the trail hand slightly on top of the grip. From there, make an up-and-down chipping motion and strike the back of the ball cleanly. Done correctly, the ball checks on landing and stops quickly.