Hitting solid chips and pitches around the green is crucial to getting up and down.  If you are a scooper through impact and tend to hit the ball either fat or thin, try this drill the next time you go out to practice: 

Take your sand wedge and set up properly: narrow stance, lean into your front leg with the hands and your nose ahead of the ball, and position the ball a little back in your stance.  Then, take a club and place it on the ground about 8-10 inches behind the ball. Take practice swings first and avoid the hitting the club on the ground.  Make sure the clubhead brushes the grass as it swings through. You will have to keep the clubhead above your hands longer into impact to hit down on the ball properly.  Once you can do it without a ball, try hitting some shots.  If you are inconsistent after a number of shots, take a headcover and substitute it for the club. (you might have to place it a bit farther back.)  It will force you to be even more precise.  After a while, your shots will be crisp and true.  

This is one of the best chipping drills out there to help you make clean, solid contact every time.  If you are up North and you can’t get outside now for a while, do this drill indoors over the winter.  Give it a shot and watch your chipping improve. 

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