How to chip under pressure

Kevin Craggs gives some advice on coping with intimidating chip shots to help you get up and down more often.

how to chip under pressure

Golf Monthly Top 25 coach Kevin Craggs gives some advice on how to chip under pressure by combining stratgy advice with some work on the basic fundamentals.

How to chip under pressure

There will be times during a round where you will find yourself in places you didn’t intend to be. This is all part of the game and should be something to embrace and enjoy, rather than fear.

As a result you will be forced to take on intimidating shots that could prove costly if they go wrong, whether it's a delicate lob shot to a tight pin to a 40 yard bunker shot with water behind the green.

If you are faced with a chip shot that features danger between you and the hole, there are a number of things to remember that will help you to face your fear.

Read more short game tips

Firstly all of your attention should be focused on what you want to achieve rather than what you don’t want to do.

Pick your landing area and the club you need to land the ball there. Once you’ve decided on your shot the danger should be out of your mind.

Stay focused on that landing zone and on keeping the club accelerating through to impact with the ball. Stay fully committed to the strike.

This confident and committed swing will help you to avoid danger and help you to chip the ball close more often than not.

Try this!

When working on your chipping away from the course set yourself difficult shots to take on rather than straight forward chip shots. This will help prepare you for any unusual situations out on the course.

Don't always give yourself the perfect lie. Drop balls from shoulder height and play them from whatever lie they end up in. Then you won't be so intimidated by poor lies out on the course when it matters.

Shot on location at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal, Turkey by Tom Miles

Thomas Patrick Clarke
Sports Digital Editor


Tom Clarke joined Golf Monthly as a sub editor in 2009 being promoted to content editor in 2012 and then senior content editor in 2014, before becoming Sports Digital Editor for the Sport Vertical within Future in 2022. Tom currently looks after all the digital products that Golf Monthly produce including Strategy and Content Planning for the website and social media - Tom also assists the Cycling, Football, Rugby and Marine titles at Future. Tom plays off 16 and lists Augusta National (name drop), Old Head and Le Touessrok as the favourite courses he has played. Tom is an avid viewer of all golf content with a particularly in depth knowledge of the pro tour.