Chipping to a Two-Tiered Green

By February 9, 2018Tips & Tutorials
chipping

Chipping to the green can be one of the most difficult shots in golf.  Judging the pace and flight of the ball, in addition to where you want the ball to land on the green can be tough and requires plenty of practice to get right.

However, not all greens are going to be nice and flat, waiting to accept your chip shot and leaving you with little to think about when setting up the shot.

One of the toughest chip shots is when the green is split on two levels and this can lead to much anxiety among beginner golfers.  Today we have some tips to help when chipping to a two-tiered green.

Many two-tiered greens come with a lower level at the front and a higher level at the back.  This is not always the case but often, this is what you will find.  When your ball is close to the lower level of the green and the hole is on the top level, you have a couple of options.

The first option is to play a low shot and allow the ball to land on the bottom section of the green and roll up to the top level.

If you decide the play the shot this way, remember the key is to make sure the ball finishes on the top level of the green, where the hole is located.  You do not want to leave yourself short and find your ball comes rolling back down to the bottom level, leaving you with a tricky putt.

To hit a low chip with plenty of roll, you could try using a mid-iron or hybrid as this will produce little spin and more roll on the ball.

Your second option when chipping on a two-tiered green from the bottom is to hit a high, lofted shot which carries the lower level of the green and lands on the top half, holding its position on contact with the putting surface.

This is the tougher of the two shots but if you can execute it well, you will leave yourself with a simple putt on the top section of the green, close to the hole.

If you find you are chipping from a higher level to a lower level, the key is to ensure the ball stops on the lower level and does not race away.

You will need to chip onto the top tier and allow the ball to catch the slope at just the right speed so it trickles down towards the hole.

Judging the pace of the shot is key.  You do not want to leave the ball on the top tier, meaning a downhill putt but at the same time, you do not want to over-cook the shot and see the ball race away down the green and off the other side.