COPY THAT
An LPGA major winner says this method makes getting up and down easy BY KEELY LEVIN Foolproof Chipping
AROUND THE GREENS most short-game coach- es say it’s best for ama-
teur golfers to keep things simple. The fancy shots look great, but they can get you into real trouble if you’re not precise. (We’re looking at you, the flop- shot obsessed.) Australian Grace Kim, 24, who won the Amundi Evian Championship last July for her first major, agrees with those coaches. She ranked in the top 25 in strokes gained/around the greens on the LPGA Tour in 2025 and says there is one chip shot every amateur should know how to hit. It helps land the ball softly with not much roll. To use it, stand a little closer to the ball than you normally would for a chip so that your wedge’s shaft is more upright and the heel of the club is slightly off the ground. From this setup, use a “putting-stroke feel” to swing the club back and through, she says. “Contact should be just off the toe of the club a little bit. The ball comes out a touch softer and you can control it better. The ball won’t run away from you too quickly.” One of the best things about this shot, Kim says, is it’s versa- tility. Even though it’s similar to the standard bump-and-run, which also is hit like a putt, you can hit these chips high or low depending on your club selec- tion – even using a high-lofted wedge when you’re short-sided. “It might feel a bit funny at first,” she says, “but it’s definite- ly more of a softer shot for when you’re close to the pin and need to stop the ball quickly.”
STOPPING POWER Chipping near the toe of the club deadens the ball and can help with accuracy, Kim says.
42 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026
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