How to Chip from a Tight Lie: Tips and Drills for Clean, Consistent Contact

Facing a tight lie chip can be intimidating since you don’t have the soft cushioning that typical fairway chips provide. But just because the lie is different doesn’t mean the result should be.

With a bit of practice and understanding of the theory of the tight lie chip, you can easily turn this shot from a weakness to a strength.

Those looking to improve their handicap will find this shot very useful, especially if you play the bulk of your golf on affordable courses.

The tips and drills below are all you need to start consistently chipping off tight lies with success.

Chipping from Tight Lies (Key Takeaways)

Tight lie chipping is all about the details. Before heading to the range to put some work in, review these key takeaways first and understand exactly how to tackle this common shot in golf.

• Optimize your setup at address to encourage consistent ball contact.
• Use the leading edge of your club to control distance and height.
• Always focus on your follow-through and base it on how long your backswing will be.
• Your wrists should be in a neutral position from start to finish.
• Choose the correct club based on the lie and how much bounce your clubs have.

Tips and Drills to Effectively Chip from Tight Lies

You only need to change a few things to start hitting tight lie chips with more confidence. This shot is one of the easier shots you’ll face in golf, so study the tips below and perform the drills to avoid ruining your scores.

Adjust Setup and Ball Position

Creating the correct swing starts with your setup.

There are a few adjustments that need to be made to consistently and accurately make contact with the ball so you can control the distance and trajectory from a tight lie.

• Setup: Stand a bit closer to the ball, creating a more upright shaft angle. This will help with your club come down on the ball and reduce chunked or bladed shots.
• Ball Position: Move the ball slightly back of center in your stance. This further encourages your club to make contact with the ball first and prevent mishits.
• Weight Distribution: Keep your weight forward for the entire chipping stroke. Leaning back can be a kiss of death and invites a whole host of issues.
• Hands Ahead of the Ball: Since there is very little room for error when chipping from a tight lie, you want to recreate what your point of impact will be from the start. Start with your hands ahead so the butt end of your club points at your lead pocket. This tells your body that you want to come down on the ball through impact to make clean contact.

Use the Leading Edge

Many amateurs think using a sand wedge gives them the best chance to hit tight lie chips, but in most cases, this is the worst option.

A sand wedge is made with bounce on the sole, which is a bulge on the trailing edge of the sole that helps your club glide through sand and other thick lies.

The bounce on a sand wedge actually hinders your ability to get to the bottom of the ball on tight lies.

To make clean contact, you want the leading edge to get under the ball as easily as possible. That’s why we make address adjustments and keep our hands ahead of the ball.

If the lie is only a bit tight, then you may be able to get away with it, but no matter the club, ensure you can get the leading edge under the ball easily to make controllable contact every time.

Focus on Follow Through

Do not neglect your follow-through mechanics on short, tight lie chips. Focusing on your follow-through will help you accelerate through the ball, giving you more consistent contact.

Your follow-through should always be longer than your backswing, so be sure to measure your swing carefully before addressing the ball.

A great follow-through for tight lie chips will include the following:

• At least 90% of your weight is on your lead foot.
• Finish with your hands low.
• Keep the club head on your target line for as long as possible.
• Keep your head still for as long as possible.
• Allow your chest and lower body to rotate through so they are both facing the target.

Use Wrists Effectively

Your wrists should be neutral for most chips. With tight lie chips, this is even more important.

Golfers who rely on flipping their wrists through impact to create height are increasing the chances of many bad things happening.

The most effective method to ensure your wrists are in the correct positions is to use Hackmotion. The advanced sensors measure all your movements and will alert you through the app when you’re off track, along with guidance on how to correct it.

For those who don’t have Hackmotion, you can use the traditional method of swinging in front of a mirror to try to identify incorrect wrist movement manually.

Choose the Correct Club

Chipping off tight lies allows you a lot of flexibility when it comes to club selection.

If you have a lot of green to work with, then you can choose a club that is low lofted. This will help you utilize the leading edge more to create clean contact.

For those tricky short-sided shots, choose your lob wedge and take a longer swing.

Avoid your sand wedge on really tight lies because the bounce on the trailing edge of the sole will make it hard to get the leading edge under the ball.

Club in the Belly Drill

No matter how tight the lie is, you should always focus on swinging with your shoulders to create power.

Take the arms out of the equation, and you’ll be able to control the distance with much more precision.

This is an easy drill you can do as a warm-up routine before performing any other drill. It will keep you from developing bad habits and set you on the right track to successfully execute any type of tight lie chip.

• Video Timestamp: 1:19 – 1:51

Tee in the Grip Drill

This drill will help you with two aspects of tight lie chipping: proper swing plane and correct wrist positions.

All you need is a chipping club and a regular tee to expose minor mistakes that could be the cause of poor tight lie chipping.

If you do this drill with Hackmotion, you can double down on your training and start seeing improvement much quicker.

The combination of a physical chipping drill and the Hackmotion technology will set you apart from amateur golfers and give you the confidence needed to play these chips with consistency and accuracy. 

• Video Timestamp: 4:59 – 7:59

Compression Drill

Proper tight lie chipping requires crisp contact on every shot.

Once you have the correct mechanics, you can start working on consistency with this drill.

The only tool you need for this is a small golf towel and a tight lie to practice off of.

• Video Timestamp: 0:17 – 3:45

Cross Handed Chipping Drill

Many experienced golfers have adopted this technique as their full-time chipping technique.

But even if you don’t want to use it all the time, it makes for a great drill that will train you to incorporate your body while keeping a smooth tempo from start to finish.

This drill works for almost all types of chipping, not just for tight lies. Its versatility makes it a staple training aid for all levels of golfers, as it assists with multiple aspects of your chipping stroke. 

Final Thoughts

Being able to chip from tight lies is a huge advantage for recreational golfers who may be playing most of their golf on golf courses that don’t have the most lush conditions. Most courses don’t have the budget to perfectly manicure every square inch of the property, so recovery shots from tight lies could be the difference between shooting your personal best or not.

Practice alone doesn’t make perfect. To see real improvement, you must practice correctly, and to do that, golfers rely on Hackmotion.

The app is designed to track your specific movements, allowing it to make personalized suggestions on how to address any issues immediately. Not only does it help with tight lie chipping, but it will also identify full swing, putting, and tempo issues, to name a few.

Hackmotion is a complete system that’s like having a professional and expensive golf coach by your side at all times. You can work on all aspects of your game to see measurable improvement in a short amount of time.