How to Chip in Golf with Rick Shiels

Duffing a simple chip shot next to the green is one of golf's most deflating feelings, but turning those delicate shots into easy up-and-downs is entirely possible with the right technique. Forget complicated, handsy actions, we’re going to break down Rick Shiels' exceptionally simple and reliable method for chipping with confidence. This guide will walk you through his core philosophy, setup, and execution so you can start getting the ball closer to the hole every time.

Understanding the Rick Shiels Chipping Philosophy

If you've watched any of Rick's content, you know his teaching is built on a foundation of simplicity and repeatability. His approach to chipping is no different. He doesn't teach a delicate, overly complex motion that relies on perfect timing. Instead, he views a standard chip shot as a a small, controlled golf swing, not some completely different flick of the wrists.

The core philosophy is to simplify the movement and remove as many unnecessary variables as possible. Why? Because the fewer moving parts you have, the more consistent you will be, especially under pressure. The main goal is to create a downward angle of attack that ensures you strike the ball first, then brush the turf immediately after. This "ball-then-turf" contact is the secret sauce to a crisp, professional-sounding chip shot that has predictable spin and rollout. By ingraining a simple, repeatable action, you take the guesswork out of greenside play and replace it with a technique you can trust.

Building the Perfect Chip Shot: The Rick Shiels Setup

Rick Shiels is a master at explaining how a good setup can pre-set a successful shot before you even start the swing. For chipping, this is incredibly important. A proper, consistent setup will all but guarantee you make the correct downward strike on the ball. Let’s break down his non-negotiables for the chip shot setup.

1. Stance and Foot Position

Unlike a full swing where you need a wide base for power, a chip shot is all about control. Rick teaches golfers to bring their feet much closer together, maybe just a clubhead's width apart. This has a two-fold benefit: it discourages your lower body from swaying and it helps you feel more connected and centered over the ball for this "mini" swing.

From there, you’ll want to pull your lead foot (left foot for a right-hander) back a couple of inches away from the target line and flare the toe slightly open. This simple adjustment does something wonderful - it opens up your hips to the target, making it much easier to rotate your body through the shot without it feeling restricted. You are, in essence, clearing a path for your body to turn towards your target on the follow-through.

2. Ball Position

Ball position is a critical component for achieving that clean, ball-first contact. For a standard, low-running chip shot - the bread and butter of reliable short games - Rick advocates for a ball position that is in the middle of your narrow stance or even slightly behind the middle. Many players find success placing it directly off the inside of their trail foot's heel (the right heel for a right-handed player).

Why is this so effective? Placing the ball back in your stance an inch or two automatically positions the bottom of your swing arc just after the ball. This all but eliminates the chance of hitting the ball "on the up," which leads to bladed or thin shots that scream across the green. It's a simple setup key that builds in a huge margin for error.

3. Weight Distribution

Once your feet and ball are positioned, address your weight. Rick is firm on this: you need to favor your lead side. Before you even begin the takeaway, set about 60-70% of your body weight on your lead foot. Think of it as leaning gently towards the target.

What's vital here is that this weight distribution stays there. There is no shifting of weight back to the trail foot during this small motion. By keeping your weight forward, you are again encouraging a downward strike. It’s another setup key that programs crisp contact into your motion, helping you avoid the dreaded "chunk" where the clubhead digs into the ground behind the ball.

4. Hand Position and Shaft Lean

The final pieces of the setup puzzle are your hands and the club shaft. Grip down on the handle an inch or two for enhanced control. Then, with your weight forward and the ball in the middle or back of your stance, your hands should naturally be ahead of the clubhead, creating what is called "forward shaft lean."

This means the shaft will be angled toward the target. It’s the final check to ensure you deloft the club slightly and lead into the ball with your hands, promoting a downward strike and preventing any "flipping" motion with your wrists at impact. Your setup now has you perfectly poised to execute.

The "No-Wrist" Chipping Motion

With the setup dialed in, the motion itself becomes incredibly straightforward. Rick's genius is demystifying the actual swing by relating it to a more familiar motion.

The ‘Putting Stroke’ with Loft

One of the most effective analogies Rick uses for chipping is to think of it as a putting stroke, just with a lofted club. Imagine the triangle formed by your arms and shoulders. When you make a putting stroke, that triangle essentially stays intact, rocking back and forth powered by the gentle rotation of your upper chest and shoulders.

Apply that same feeling to your chip shot. There should be very little to no conscious wrist hinge on a standard chip. Your arms, hands, and the club move away from the ball as a single, connected unit on the backswing. Then, they return to the ball and move through to the finish as that same connected unit. This method eliminates the riskiest variable in chipping: active, flippy wrists.

Using the Body as the Engine

If the wrists aren’t doing the work, what is? The answer is your torso. The power and distance of the chip are controlled by how much you rotate your chest back and through. For a very short chip, it’s a tiny turn. For a longer chip, it's a slightly larger turn. The key is that the body is the engine, not the hands.

A great way to control distance, as Rick often demonstrates, is to think of a clock face. A small chip might only require you to take the club back to 7 o'clock and through to 5 o'clock. A slightly longer one might be 8 o'clock to 4 o'clock. Your backswing length should mirror your follow-through length, creating a beautifully simple and balanced motion.

Choosing Your Weapon: Rick’s Guide to Club Selection

Excellent technique is only half the battle. Making the smart club choice is what separates good chippers from great ones. Rick’s philosophy here is, again, based on simplicity and percentages. The golden rule is to get the ball rolling on the green like a putt as soon as you can. Minimal airtime and maximum roll time is the safest and most repeatable strategy.

The choice of club depends almost entirely on how much green you have between the edge and the hole:

• Lots of Green to Work With: If you are just off the fringe and the pin is in the middle or back of the green, there’s no need to heroically fly a sand wedge all the way. Rick would tell you to choose a lower lofted club like a 9-iron or a pitching wedge. Use the exact same chipping technique. The ball will come out lower, land on the front of the green, and roll out the rest of the way to the hole. It's a much higher percentage shot.
• Medium Amount of Green: If you have to carry the ball a bit further onto the green but still have room for some roll, a gap wedge (around 50-54 degrees) is a great choice.
• Short-Sided or Need More Height: If you have very little green to work with or need to carry the ball over a bunker or rough, this is the time for your sand wedge (54-58 degrees). Notice that you only pull out the highest-lofted club when the situation absolutely demands it.

The beauty of this system is that your basic chipping motion doesn’t change. You use the same setup and the same "putting-stroke" motion. The only thing that changes is the club in your hand, allowing its designed loft to do the work of controlling the trajectory and roll. This consistency is the key to building unshakable greenside confidence.

Final Thoughts

To master chipping Rick Shiels' way, focus on a rock-solid, repeatable setup and a simple motion. By keeping your weight and hands forward and using your body to rotate, you practically eliminate the poor contacts that ruin scorecards. This method gives you one reliable stroke you can use with multiple clubs to handle almost any greenside situation.

Building this confidence on the practice area is one thing, but transferring it to the course introduces new challenges like unusual lies and a dose of pressure. That’s where our Caddie AI can bridge the gap. When you're standing over a tricky chip - ball sitting down in the rough, unsure which club to use - you can get instant, expert advice right in your pocket. Snap a photo of your lie, and we’ll analyze the situation and suggest the smartest way to play the shot. It helps you stay committed to the smart play, so you can execute that simple, reliable chipping motion with compete confidence.