Chip vs Pitch: Difference and Comparison

There are many games that people enjoy playing in their free time. Many times people even turn them into a career.

Golf is one such game which is played by many people and is even comparatively easier and more relaxed. Chip and pitch are the two most commonly used shots in a short game of golf.

Key Takeaways

1. Chip is a low-flying shot played near the green with a less lofted club.
2. Pitch is a high-flying shot played near the green with a more lofted club.
3. The main difference between chip and pitch is the height of the shot and the club used.

Chip vs Pitch

A chip is a short shot in golf played from very close to the green, with a low trajectory and minimal loft, with the intention of rolling the ball onto the green and towards the hole. A pitch is a short shot played from a longer distance, with more loft and a higher trajectory.

A chip is a commonly used shot in the game of golf. It is a short and low grounded shot that the player uses when the distance needed to be travelled by the ball is less.

The trick is to aim for a decided shot and let the ball roll by itself after that. Pitch is a term used in the game of golf which is high and short grounded.

This shot is employed by a lofted club from at least 100 yards away, and therefore, the ball in this shot is in the air for more time than it is on the ground. 

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison	Chip	Pitch
Technique	Chip is a short and low grounded shot	The pitch is a high, short grounded shot.
Swing type	The swing type used is short	The swing type used is long
Distance from ground	It doesn’t rise far from the ground	It is in the air for more time than it is on the ground
Type of club	There is no particular club required for this shot	A lofted club is used  for a pitch
Weight shift	There is no requirement for a weight shift	Weight needs to be shifted by the player on its right side

What is Chip?

A chip is a shot used in a game of golf. Golf is a top-rated game that is played all around the world and makes use of special techniques and swings.

Chip is the name given to a shot that is short and very low ground. It doesn’t rise very far away from the ground.

Therefore the ball remains on the ground for a longer duration of time compared to its time in the air. Many different types of clubs are used in the whole game of cold.

But the chip shot doesn’t require any particular kind of club. It can be played with any club. There’s also a factor called swing type, and the type used is a short swing type.

As easy as it looks, golf requires a lot of practice and attention while playing. While going for the chip need to put the weight on the front foot and remain in that position throughout the swing.

If we talk about the impact points, the ball is struck first in a chip, and the ground is hit afterwards. That is played near the green, and so cannot be used to get over water, bunker, or anything else.

What is Pitch?

There is also another well-known short among many other shots, commonly called pitch. In this shot, the technique used is to keep it high but short and grounded.

The ball rises at least a hundred yards above the ground, and therefore it can be said that shot, the ball remains in the air for a longer time than on the ground.

Which is exactly the opposite of what happens in a chip. This short requires a particular type of club, known as a lofted club. Thus club makes it is easier to achieve the swing type required for the pitch.

An ideal play point for the pitch is considered to be far off from the green. Also, playing from such as far point and as we know that the ball travels for a long time in the air.

This shot can be very carefully as well as strategies used to avoid obstacles such as water, bunkers etc. The impact points can be easily guessed.

In this, the ground and the ball are being struck at the same time. To do this, the player needs to very carefully shift his or her weight to the right side of the body. 

Main Differences Between Chip and Pitch

1. A chip is a low grounded as well as short shot, whereas a pitch is a high but short grounded shot.
2. Chip does not make use of any particular type of club, but the pitch requires a lofted club.
3. Chip is played from a very close distance from the greens and, therefore, cannot be used to avoid any obstacles, while on the other hand, the pitch can be used to prevent such hindrances.
4. In a chip, the player puts their weight on the front foot and remains there for the entire swing, whereas in a pitch, the weight of the player needs to be shifted to the right side.
5. The chip uses a short swing type, and the pitch uses a large swing type.

References

1. https://www.koreascience.or.kr/article/JAKO200734939518423.page
2. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/24748668.2018.1475199

Last Updated : 13 July, 2023