Your drive was beautiful. Your 5 iron rolled up to the green, leaving you 10 feet away from the fringe.
You can see a nice chip leaving you within a few feet or the cup so you can make a simple putt and make par.
But something happens when you step up to that chip shot. You take the club back and then chunk the ball 4 feet.  You use language unsuitable for minors and fair ladies. 

What happened? How did you go from a nice simple par to being in the same spot, with one extra mark on your score card?  At the end of the day how many strokes came from missing that same shot?

Personally I think that your short game and your putting game offers the best and fastest way to improvement.

Some examples.

- on a par three you miss the green by 5 yards. 
- on a par five you reach the green in three but are 5 yards short.
- on a par four you overhit the green by 5 yards.
- you chip the ball and it flies over the green - 3 feet off the ground.

In each situation you need a simple chip shot to get you close to the pin.

Scooping is Not Allowed.

The reason you can buy a 56, 58, or 60 degree wedge is that they are designed to get the ball in the air.
You don't need to lift the ball or help it out.

Your goal is to swing the club through the ball and let the club do the work.

1:  Basic Set Up

Set up with a normal stance with the ball in the center of your stance. You may see professionals adjusting their stance to be more open but for most beginners the best thing you can do is hit the same shot again and again. That means keep it simple to start.

2:  Grip and Swing

If you are at all nervous about this shot, you may find you are gripping the club firmly.  You may also be worried that the club head will hit the ground thus making that dreaded sound that precedes the ball hopping 4 feet in front of you.

So grip your club lightly. Then make sure when you take the club back that you are not using your wrists.  They should be firm throughout the swing.  The club should move like a pendulum - back and forward.  Smooth is the operative word here.

You'll need to keep things steady so that you can allow the club to pass under the ball and allow it to loft the ball in the air.

3:  Follow Through

One thing you will learn is that if you don't think of the follow through the ball is going to be more unpredictable. 

On a short chip a follow through is not going to look like you see on the cover of a golf magazine after a long drive. It should finish with the club face pointing to the sky--about waist high.

A smooth swing and follow through will have you moving through the ball and finishing with the clubface waist high.

These basic building blocks will have you confident close to the green that you can hit a good chip shot.

Next Issue we'll talk about how to aim your chip shot from 5, 15 and 50 yard in.

Source: Free Golf Tip Number 45 of 52