Practicing to hit a landing spot with chip shots is one of the most effective ways to build awareness and touch in every golfer, including the many beginners and competitive players I get to work with. Working on the short game, especially chipping, sets new players up to understand how the club interacts with the turf, and how it feels to maintain rotation through the chest with clean, consistent contact. Developing these skills sets beginners up for success with the full swing, while helping competitive players stay sharp around the greens and take pressure off their long game.
Ienjoy learning different training ideas from other sports, and one of my favorites came from my junior students who play soccer. I now use flat training cones as landing-spot targets for chipping drills. The bright colors create a crisp visual on the green, and because the cones are flat, the ball still bounces naturally and rolls out. This helps players train their focus on a specific landing zone rather than the hole itself. The visual feedback leaves a lasting imprint. Whether it’s a 4-year-old celebrating a hit or a group of adult ladies in a clinic, the energy and engagement are the same. It’s a simple tool that adds both structure and enjoyment to every short game session.
What I want to do with players is add tools to their toolbox, and one of my favorite frameworks for short game development is what I call the Three Setup, Nine Shot System. It gives players a clear structure for understanding trajectory and rollout, tools they can rely on under pressure. I teach a neutral chipping setup with a narrow stance and the ball just inside their lead foot for medium-height chips. For a lower shot that will roll more, I have them play the ball just inside their trail foot, and for a higher shot with less roll they learn to play the ball off the pinky toe of their lead foot. Then I have them work on each setup using three different clubs – pitching wedge, sand wedge and lob wedge. That combination of clubs and setup positions gives them nine different variations of chip shots they can hit based on how far they are from the hole and how much they want the ball to run. They usually discover their favorite combinations, and those become their go-to shots around the greens.
I’ve spent plenty of time competing – from college golf at the University of North Carolina to six seasons on the Epson Tour, and events like the PGA Professional Championship and PGA Women’s Stroke Play – and I still love to get out there. These days my “tour bag” has become a teaching bag, and it always includes a few flat cones. When I’m on a new course, I’ll bring one around the chipping green to figure out how far I need to fly the ball vs. how much it wants to roll out. It’s a simple little system, a low-tech version of a chipping Stimpmeter, but it gives me a clear read on the greens instead of just relying on feel. I encourage players to approach practice the same way: visualize the ball landing on a target, bouncing twice, and rolling toward the hole. We start with a neutral setup and a mid-lofted wedge to establish a baseline, then adjust trajectory and rollout from there. It’s a small thing, but those little calibrations make a big difference once you’re on the course. Momentum is such a big part of this game, and when players start to accurately predict how their chip shots will react, everything around the greens feels calmer and more deliberate, and golf tends to get just a little more enjoyable for everyone.
