Start with a sand iron and make a short back and through swing. Focus on rhythm and don’t concern yourself too much about results.

There should be minimal wrist cock and power. This is a tiny shot, not a power shot. The ball should stay fairly low – you’re not trying to hit the ball high into the air.

The big thing with this little shot is the ball position needs to be back in your stance. The exact location will depend on you, but it should NEVER go forwards of center.

There are no exceptions to this rule. If the ball goes too far forward in your stance you’ll be in big trouble.

Chipping with ball back in stance – KEY!

You also want to keep hitting the same shot over and over again. This process is about learning “The Little Shot”. This is your “go to” shot that will become your security blanket around the green.

So go back and forth. Making the same swing and observing (note: I said observing. You are not to analyse and make all sorts of predictions and changes) what is happening.

In time you will start to find you’re hitting the same shot each time. You will find your balls finishing in the same area.

When you get to this point you can then up the ante.

Close your eyes

When you start making progress with The Little Chip shot you can take it a step further by closing your eyes. Make the same shot but this time keep your eyes shut.

This will push you a little further and give you some good feedback. You will be forced to listen and feel what is happening on each shot.

Take it a step further and see if you can guess where the ball will finish. It’s not easy as we usually rely too heavily on our eyesight. But remove the eyes and you’re forced to use your other senses.

This all helps to improve your chipping technique. The end goal here is you should be able to hit the same shot time after time.

The balls should finish close together with a really tight spread.

Next: A chipping masterclass