At a beginner or high handicap level, it is important to think of chipping as an almost symmetrical motion.

Look at the swing from front-on as the club goes back and then forward into the follow-through: you want to keep the swing symmetrical in terms of how far the club swings and how far your body rotates or turns back and through the shot.

I see many high markers chipping with an action where they leave the club in the ground at impact. This stubbing, chopping action is not what you want when feel is a priority around the green. It is a killer to stop the momentum of the club: even though you are not trying to generate power when chipping, it is still important to let the club follow through.

If you can think, "I have to take the club back one foot for this chip, then I must follow-through at least a foot", you are well on the way to better chipping. Better still, make sure your follow-through is always slightly longer than your backswing (pics 1-3).

It is also important to make sure your body turns through the shot. When you are chipping, or even on a small pitch shot, feel that your chest is finishing fronton to the target. If you stop at impact you will either dig into the ground, or else your hands will fall behind, the wrists will break and the club will flip up, causing a skulled shot.

If you can get your arms and body working as a unit, back and through the shot, you should find yourself chipping much better.

A drill for this one-unit chipping action is to raise the club, make sure the butt is pointing at your navel and swing back, to impact and on into the follow-through (pics 4-6). In each position the butt end of the club should be pointing to your navel. This will give you the feeling of slightly rotating your body as one with your arms.

On chips, make your follow-through longer than your backswing... To encourage a good action, ensure the butt of the grip points at your naval.