When it comes to chip shots around the green, you need some to stop quickly with a softer landing and others to run on a bit after hitting the green. There’s a simple trick to getting it right, and it all comes down to the line of your backswing.

Practise your chipping with an umbrella (or a piece of string) between you and the ball at the address position (see picture 1). Using a wedge, take the club back outside the line of the umbrella (see picture 2) and see how much more the ball spins, with a higher trajectory and a softer landing on the green. By taking the club back outside the line, you are creating a steeper angle of attack, which creates more backspin.

Then, at address, square the clubface to the target and now take the club back inside the line (see picture 3) and notice how the ball runs when it hits the green, coming off the face lower and almost with topspin. This is because the clubface is more square at impact, with a lower effective loft creating a lower ball flight with less backspin.

It is very important to practise these two types of shots as they are potential shot-savers and could go a long way towards reducing your score.

This instruction is by former Sunshine Tour player Douglas Wood who turned to teaching five years ago and currently runs his academy at Kempton Park Golf Club, but has also expanded to include Bronkhorstspruit and Middelburg Golf Club, South Africa. He can be contacted on +27 82 413 0215 or log onto www.wannabeachampion.com.