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Tip From the Pro: Uphill Chip

By Jerry Haas

Last issue we discussed the downhill chip, probably one of the most difficult chips in golf, where the ball usually comes off a lot lower and a lot harder to control. This time we are going to talk about the uphill chip.

Any time a player gets an uphill lie, right away his confidence goes up. It’s a much easier shot when executed and you can get up and down most of the time. The whole key to an uphill chip is do not scoop the ball. Do not try to help it in the air because you already have plenty of loft not only with your sand wedge or wedge, but also because of the loft of the hill. The first thing you must do is put your weight on your left. That’s right, weight on your left side. You want to make a descending blow and pinch the ball into the hill. I suggest, don’t take your 60-degree wedge or your sand wedge necessarily all the time. But take maybe a wedge or a 9-iron, something that’s going to come off with a little lower trajectory. Remember you don’t want the ball to go too high in the air, unless of course you have to get it up very quickly and stop it. Think of good impact position when on an uphill lie.

Most people would not agree with the weight on the left, but I have found that to be much easier because, if you do have the weight on the right side and swing with the hill, you must make a longer bigger swing. A longer, bigger swing in turn leads to more errors.

Remember to have a descending blow against the hill. The ball will stop much more quickly on an uphill lie than it will on a downhill lie. Remember, don’t take as much loft. I remember watching the PGA Championship, with Sergio and Tiger battling for the top and just how easy they made chipping look. Here’s probably the easiest, most fundamental chip in golf, the uphill chip, one we sometimes take for granted, so even though it is an uphill lie, and it does look good to you and it should be an easy shot, it still requires a lot of practice and a lot of touch.

Remember you must carry the ball a lot further than you think, because it will stop a lot quicker, just because you are on an uphill lie and the loft of the club.

Now if the greens are very firm and you need to get it up quickly, then take a 60-degree. Make sure you swing at it though. I’ve seen many a time with guys on uphill lies leave them short, leading to bogeys and sometimes worse. It requires a lot of practice to swing the club so long to produce such a short shot.

So in recap, probably the most important thing to do is don’t scoop, and always take less loft. I hope this helps you with your chipping. Now you know how to play the downhill and the uphill lie. So there should be no more excuses. Good luck out there, and I hope your short game improves.

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