Chipping off the Green and Short Pitch Shots

Many high handicappers will chili dip or skull the ball when they try to chip a bump and run to the hole from just off the green. This happens because they either decelerate the club, or they will drive their knees to the hole which lowers their body, some will bend forward and move their head towards the ball prior to impact, the one constant on most of these muff shots is that the golfer's head or weight moves. Thus the key is to keep your head and weight steady. 

If this sounds familiar then try this technique that has worked for me over the years.
First is your stance and ball placement, take an open stance with both feet slightly angled towards the target (the left foot is almost facing the target and the right foot almost perpendicular to the target), keep a narrow stance. Depending on how far the ball needs to go I have both of my heels touching each other for the short to medium chip shots, this also helps to stabilize my legs. I move closer to the ball at setup and the  ball placement is by my right foot.  You cannot sway or move your head when chipping, so I place around 70 percent of my weight over and onto my left HEEL and I keep it there, it is also the post that you should be rotating around. It is very IMPORTANT that you keep this weight placement the same from takeaway through to impact, remember shifting your weight is the number one killer for this shot because your head moves backwards when you do that. To also help to keep your head steady throughout this shot and so that you do not bend down on your knees during the down stroke (which lowers your head), try to visualize or focus on keeping you left leg the same length or height during the entire swing, this in turn will steady your head. Be sure to maintain your spine angle for this shot as well as the connection between your arms and your body, and keep the magic triangle intact. Use a slight forward press to create a slight shaft lean, keep this wrist angle intact and fixed throughout the shot (there should be no wrist play or action in your chip shot unless it is a very long chip shot that you need to make), from there simply use a rocking motion like you would when putting the ball, first you rock your shoulders and magic triangle back then rock it forward through the ball, letting the club head fall into the ball, holding the finish. Keeping the magic tragic ensures that you will hit the right 'line' for all your chip shots. Grip pressure should be around 2. Practice this technique on a practice green and you should see some very consistent results after a few sessions.

Here is a very good instructional video on how to be a good chipper titled, "Amazing Chipping - It took me 26 years to learn this one thing"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt6_u_lef0Q (keep your chipping strokes on a shallow plane). Tour Striker also has a series of good instructional videos on you tube, see http://www.tourstriker.com/videos.aspx (Tour Striker Educator video segment). 

How to sense the proper chipping motion, the one lever stroke by using a plastic hanger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbYI35l_-_E

NEVER MISHIT A SHORT PITCH SHOT ANYMORE - ESTABLISH YOUR FRAME WHEN YOU HIT THE BALL:  Good pitching requires good technique. Once you master this technique pitch shots will become easier and less intimidating for you. The difference between a chip shot just off the green and a fifty yard pitch shot, is that with the pitch shots you will cock or set your wrist and have a higher finish, also with pitch shots you do not want to place the ball back by your right foot. For both shots, do not decelerate, so take the club back just enough but remember to follow through to the proper finish.  Narrow your stance for shorter pitch shots. Its a matter of preference and what works best for you but I use a slightly open stance on my short pitch shots. With your pitch shots lean your shaft forward at address (just a slight forward press) and lean your weight towards your forward foot and maintain that weight placement. At setup or address, weight distribution should be around sixty to seventy percent on the forward foot and the remainder on the back foot, and most importantly do not change this weight distribution and be sure to maintain it during your takeaway and back swing (this will prevent your body from swaying and moving your head). 

The stroke: Maintain your spine angle, arm to body connection, and your magic triangle, then simply rotate your 'upper body unit' back (you use your frame to make hit into the ball) and then forward as you rotate around your left leg. Instead of swinging the club head into the ball you will feel as if the weight of the club drops the head into the ball, see, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjtxDP6Xj08  You will need to experiment with which release gives you the best results, either forearm rotation or body rotation.