how to play the toe putter chip

Facing a delicate chip from a tricky lie? Ged Walters explains how to play the toe putter chip to help you escape with your score in tact.

One of the toughest challenges you’ll face on the course is a delicate chip from a difficult lie. When the ball isn’t sitting perfectly, you want to swing with conviction. So how do you do that when the flag isn’t far away and the ball is on a scruffy patch of grass?

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One option is to hit the ball with the toe of your putter. Turn the putter around, take your normal putting grip but narrow your stance a little and place the ball a fraction behind centre in your stance. You should also set a little more weight on your left side than usual. This will help you find the downward angle of attack into the ball that will prevent the club from getting snagged in the grass.

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Now just make a normal putting stroke. The ball will pop out of its lie and roll nicely onto the green. Of course, this shot does require a little practice but it is worth it for whenever you face a nervous chip from a difficult lie.

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Turn the putter round so the toe sits behind the ball and the face is aiming at you.

Move the ball a fraction behind the centre point in your stance so your hands are ahead of the ball at address.

Set a fraction more weight on your left side and make a normal putting stroke. This is how to play the toe putter chip so now you need to devote time to perfecting it. Hit the shot from a range of different spots around the green - from different lie and to different targets. Twenty minutes later and you'll have a pretty good feel for how to play it and how to control the distance.

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In July 2023, Neil became just the 9th editor in Golf Monthly's 112-year history. Originally working with the best coaches in the UK to produce instruction content, he went on to become a feature writer interviewing many of the biggest names in the game including Tiger Woods, Seve Ballesteros, Rory McIlroy and Arnold Palmer.

A 5-handicap golfer, Neil is a club member who takes a keen interest in the health of the game at grassroots level. You’ll often now find him writing about club-related issues such as WHS, membership retention and how best to bridge the gap between the range and the course.