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Chipping:

Most amateurs are not in the habit of reaching many greens in regulation.

If you are an eighteen handicap you are probably hitting only five or six greens per round and because of this fact your "short game" (chipping and pitching) come into play on 2 out or every three holes. A strong short game can help you lower your scores by eliminating multiple shots around the green. The closer you get your ball to the hole with your chipping the more putts you will make and the lower your score becomes.

There are two basic shots to use around the greens, the pitch and the chip. A pitch is a lofted shot which flies a greater distance than it rolls. A chip, on the other hand, is a shot which rolls farther than it flies in the air. When and where to use each shot depends on what lies between you and the hole.

The saying goes: putt when you can, chip when you can't, and pitch only when you have to.

Putting is always the easiest shot to control distance and direction with. But if there is some heavy grass or uneven terrain between the ball and the green a chip shot with a six or seven iron to loft the ball over the trouble and rolling on the green may be a better choice. The pitch should be used when a bunker, lake or other hazard lies between the ball the and your target or when your shot needs to land softly on the green with not much roll.

There are a variety of styles that one could use to accomplish a successful pitch or chip.
Never be afraid to experiment but there are a few basics that need to be keep to.

1. Shorten or choke down on the club. This will give you greater distance control.

2. Light, not tight grip pressure. Tightness destroys touch and you need touch around the greens to be successful.

3. The feet and hips are open to the target. It is easier to "see the line" of your shot and easier to take the club back on the correct path by doing this.

4. Stance is narrower than a full shot. Helps lessen the weight shift which gives you better distance control.

These are just a few ideas to help you better your short game and lower your scores.
Once again, do not be afraid to experiment and try something new. The best short game players in the world are that way for two reasons, practice and imagination.

Putting:

There is no skill in golf where confidence demonstrates itself so dramatically as in putting.
Good putting starts with a good attitude, and that attitude is
"I CAN PUTT!"

Attitude is important
Although one may not believe in psychokinesis (the ability to move objects with one's mind), it almost appears possible in putting at times. Any golfer who has experienced the feeling that a particular putt was going to drop, even before he or she hit it, and then makes it happen gets the sensation that one can literally will the ball into the hole. What is actually happening is that a positive attitude allows the player to make his best stroke which markedly increases his chances for success.

Detrimental Yips
On the other end of the spectrum is the feeling that "there is no way I'm going to make this putt." This attitude can cause dire consequences, especially on short putts. The spasmodic reflex action of the hands over a short putt is commonly referred to as the "yips". Players seldom yip long putts because they are not expected to make them. A higher expectation level happens on short putts and the yipper feels greater levels of self-imposed pressure. It is this pressure to "not fail", which, when it gets out of hand, expresses itself in many of the classic symptoms of acute fear: tremors of the hands, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, weakness in the knees, etc. The fear of missing putts comes from remembering past missed putts.

Tips to Combat the "Yips"
Employ selective memory. Forget the bad experiences and shots, focus on the good ones.

Get things into perspective. Making or missing a putt has little influence on mankind or the course of history. A miss will not cause the player to lose his life, health, family, home or anything of real value...so what's to fear?

Develop a routine which totally occupies the mind so that the act of putting becomes so methodical that once the routine is set in motion the act of putting becomes automatic. Mechanics are very important in successful putting. Develop a routine focusing on these three things: proper alignment, no movement with the lower body and little or no breaking of the wrists.

Drill Idea
A good drill for learning to keep the wrists firm is to place a ball between your right wrist and the grip. Then hit some practice putts, making sure the ball stays in place. To do this, the hands simply hold the putter rather than swinging it. Use your forearms to create movement of the stroke, if you make a wristy stroke, the ball will drop out