How to Play a “Nippy” Spinning Chip Shot that Stops Quickly

If you watch any golf on TV, you have seen this shot plenty of times – the chip shot that looks like it is going way too fast to stop by the hole, only for the ball to throw on the brakes at the last moment and stop within tap-in range.

For the average golfer, this shot looks like nothing short of a magic trick, yet the pros pull it off with relative ease.

So, what gives? How do they hit this shot and is it something you could actually use in your game? We are going to dive into that discussion in the article below.

Understanding the Physics

The force that allows the ball to stop so quickly on these kinds of chip shots is, of course, spin.

By putting a high rate of backspin on the ball at impact, it’s possible to get the ball to check up quickly after a few bounces. Most golfers understand that spin is necessary to stop the ball like this, but how is such spin created? That’s where it gets a little tricky.

To produce enough spin to hit something like the “nippy” chip shot, you’ll need three key elements:

1. A Clean Strike

You have to make clean contact between the face of the club and the back of the ball to produce this shot. If you don’t hit the ball solidly, or if your ball is in the rough and there is grass between the ball and the face at impact, you won’t get enough spin to stop the shot.

As such, this is a shot that should only be attempted from a clean lie on short grass.

When in the rough, you’ll need to use a different method to stop the ball near the hole (usually by hitting a lofted shot or landing the ball short and letting it run).

2. Downward Impact

Hitting slightly down through impact is important on this shot. While hitting down too aggressively can actually lead to less spin, you do need to make sure the club is on a slightly downward arc when it reaches impact.

This will pinch the ball between the ground and the club face, and significant backspin can be created.

3. Speed

This is perhaps the least understood element of this shot, and it’s why so many golfers struggle when they try to replicate what they’ve seen on TV.

Simply put, the ball isn’t going to spin enough to stop quickly unless you apply some speed through the hitting area. Hitting this shot softly just isn’t an option.

The club needs to move aggressively through impact to load the ball up with spin nicely. It can be hard to hold your nerve and swing hard even though you are hitting a pretty short shot, so learning how to hit the ball hard enough in this situation may be your biggest challenge.

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All three of these pieces are going to need to fall in place if your spinning chip shot is going to be a success. If even one of these goes missing, it’s likely that the ball will run right through the green and off the other side.

Dialing in Your Setup

So, now that we have some clarity on how this shot works, let’s talk technique.

You aren’t going to have to change much from your standard chipping setup, but you will need to fine tune it a bit. Consider these points:

1. Stand Tall

It’s easier to make a free chipping swing and hit down through the ball if you are standing tall at address. If you get too hunched over and crowded up to the ball, you’ll be more likely to scoop through impact and lose the angle needed to produce good spin.

2. Turn Your Left Hand to a Weaker Position

This is a big key for hitting a spinning chip shot. For a right-handed golfer, it’s a good idea to make sure the left hand and wrist are in a relatively weak position. If you already play with a weak grip, you won’t need to change anything. However, if you are usually in a stronger spot with your hands, turn them weaker to help flatten your left wrist at impact. This position is going to help with a clean strike and also promote a downward strike.

3. Use Plenty of Loft

Some people are surprised to find that quite a bit of loft is required for this type of shot. Yes, the shot flies pretty low, but that’s because you hit down through impact – you should still be using a sand wedge or even a lob wedge.

A club with less loft is never going to generate enough spin on a chip shot to stop suddenly after a few hops.

Rory McIlroy How to Hit a One-Hop Stop Chip | TaylorMade Golf

In a tight greenside spot? Rory McIlroy is here to show you how to hit a chip shot that takes one hop, spins and stops next to your target.

With a tall stance, a weak lead hand position, and a lofted club in your hands, everything will be set to hit a beautiful spinning chip. But there’s still one more step to complete – actually swinging the club.

Making the “Nippy” Chip Shot Happen

If you are even attempting to hit a spinning chip shot, you should already know how to hit a basic chip shot. You aren’t going to do a lot different here, but there are some essential points to keep in mind.

First, you are going to have to swing harder than normal. This is the big difference, as it takes more speed to generate spin on such a short shot. You are intentionally hitting the shot too hard and counting on the spin to stop the ball in time.

Since this shot is so dependent on clean contact, keeping your head still is vital. Pick out a spot on the top of the ball and watch that spot intently until the ball is sent on its way. An aggressive swing and a stable head position are a good combination when a high spin rate is the goal.

Finally, you’ll just need to practice and get the feel for this shot. This is not something that you should try on the course without giving yourself plenty of time to learn how it works in the practice area.

Only when you’ve built up a lot of confidence and a repeatable technique should you add this fun shot to your on-course repertoire.