One of the best ways to maximize your golf game, is to get good at chipping and pitching. You will build your confidence from the ground up, and learn the proper shot and club selection. Chipping and pitching are not just played with the sand wedge and you could use any club in the bag given the right situation.

The goal is to get the shot closer and score better! In order to take what you do on the driving range to the golf course, it takes much practice learning the proper technique. A chip is a shot up near the green, that you don't have much green to work with. This shot can be a small shot over a bunker, water, with minimal green to get the ball on and rolling. A pitch shot, is when you have more green to work with. The goal with this shot, is to get the ball rolling as soon as possible. The pitch shot is a bump and run, and the chip is a shot with more height/less role.

The grip, the stance, the ball position, and the technique are all important aspects of chipping and pitching. Be sure to hold your golf club within three fingers of your left hand and hold the club lightly as though you're holding a baby bird. Next, allow your arms to hang down to your sides naturally with a bend in your waist. Allow your arms and hands to work together as a team, with both of your palms facing each other. You can choose an interlocking or overlapping grip- the difference in these grips, is one is overlapping the pinky over the forefinger and the other is interlocking them.

Bend over at the hips, keeping your back straight. Allow a little bit of knee flex, and make sure your body is aligned at your target. With a chip shot, you want the ball position more in the middle of your stance as compared to the pitch shot, where it's more in the back of your stance. This allows the ball to roll faster off the club face. To build a solid foundation of movement in your short game shots, I suggest going to see an instructor for the basic knowledge. Once you have a foundation, you can build upon that.

Solid shots are on the green equals success!