You need one chipping stroke that will control distance simply by changing clubs. You can you use a variety of clubs, but I prefer the gap wedge for very short chips, 9 iron for short chips, 7 iron for medium length chips and the 5 iron for longer chips.
When you practice chipping pay close attention to how far the different clubs travel, both in the air and on the ground. Practice on a flat green if at all possible so you can consistently measure the distance between each iron. In addition, be sure to spend some time hitting uphill and downhill chips to get the feel for playing different slopes.
Controlling Distance
If you use only one chipping club, you have to learn distance control based on the length of the backswing. This is a very difficult way to chip. Restricting yourself to one club also means you must have incredible touch all of the time. On the contrary, if you chip with different irons, you can make the same swing each time and let the club determine the distance the ball travels.
If you struggle with chipping, this technique will get you on the right path to improving your chipping game. To get started use a nine iron. This is a good club to begin with because it has sufficient loft and will help you become comfortable with the chipping stroke.
The key to this chipping technique is to get the ball on the ground as soon as possible. The loft of the club will determine the distance the ball travels once it’s on the ground.
