Chip-and-Run
A chip-and-run is a low, bouncing chip that gets on the putting surface quickly and rolls toward the hole — the safest short-game choice when there is room between the ball and the green edge.
The chip-and-run is the simplest, most repeatable short-game shot: a small swing, usually with a less-lofted club (8-iron to pitching wedge), that pops the ball onto the green and lets it roll most of the way. Because it uses the ground as a runway, it is more forgiving than a lofted pitch: a slightly mishit chip-and-run still lands on the green and rolls toward the hole. It is often the smarter play than a flop or high pitch for intermediate golfers working on scoring.
Example
A player 20 feet off the green with a clear runway chips with an 8-iron, lands the ball on the fringe, and watches it roll smoothly to within two feet of the hole.
Related terms
- ChippingChipping is a short shot played from just off the green — a small swing that gets the ball rolling on the green quickly, using the putting surface to carry it to the hole.
- Bump-and-RunA bump-and-run is a low chip that uses the fringe and green to deliver the ball — bumped onto the surface just past the fringe and allowed to run to the hole like a putt.
- PuttingPutting is rolling the ball along the ground toward the hole using a flat-faced club (putter). It accounts for roughly 40% of strokes in a typical round, making it the most impactful single skill in scoring.
- Distance ControlDistance control is calibrating how far the ball travels — in putting by swing length and tempo, in the short game by carry distance — so the ball ends up close to its target.
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