Sign up for our daily newsletter

Latest news, reviews, analysis and opinion, plus unmissable deals for bunkered subscriptions, events, and our commercial partners.

Viktor Hovland would be the first to admit that chipping hasn’t always been the strength in his game. In fact, it’s something that has held him back in the past.

For that reason, it’s something he’s worked hard on over the last few years and us amateurs can learn a lot from him.

Ahead of representing Norway at the Olympic Games, Hovland was back at Oslo Golf Club, where he put on a short game clinic, as well as playing the course where he had a healthy following of fans.

The DP World Tour posted several clips of the former FedEx Cup champion across Twitter and Instagram showing off his skills to the crowds and there’s plenty that we can learn from him.

In the first clip, Hovland explains how he hits a higher chip shot with his lob wedge, and says the most important thing for this shot is that you don’t become static over the ball and that you don’t need to try and help the ball in the air.

“You have 60 degress of loft on this club. 60 degress, that’s a lot. There’s no need to tilt back and try to help the ball in the air,” he said.

“The most important thing is that you keep moving forward, so you still try to hit the ball first, but then just minimise a little bit how much you lean the shaft.

“What I also do on these shots, if I want to hit it higher, is I open the face slightly, I still move forward, I still get weight in my left foot, but I just feel like I’m releasing this angle a little bit sooner.”

This is certainly interesting from Hovland and we can see that he is moving throughout the action. His left hip seems to start the transition, which is a good way to ensure that you’re hitting down on your wedges. Remember, as the Norwegian says, you have 60 degrees of loft, you don’t need to add any more to the club.

In a different clip where Hovland is explaining the same shot, he says that the idea of taking a divot after the ball, even when he’s chipping, is something that changed his perception of the short game.

“You should not be afraid to take a divot after impact,” he said. “It really changed my perception of chipping. You’ll notice, I’ll hit this shot again, we’re on a slight upslope, the grass is into the grain. If you notice, when I hit after the shot, my club will just completely stop.”

I can already hear you: ‘But what about the bounce?!’ It’s a valid point, but it’s clearly something that Hovland isn’t too worried about. Instead, he’s comfortable with letting the leading edge dig into the turf, but only after he’s hit the ball. This might not be how every short game coach would teach the lob shot, but it’s something the 26-year-old is getting more comfortable with.

But, while this shot is one that Hovland has worked hard on, it’s certainly not his go-to shot around the greens. Instead, he says he favours a more straightforward chip and run. Hitting that shot, he says, gives him more control and ensures he’s always going to make solid contact, rather than taking potential mishits into the equation.

“As you move forward and you hit more down on it, you’re going to catch ball first and it becomes a lot easier to predict,” Hovland says in a clip on the DP World Tour’s instagram page.

“I could hit this shot all day and, yes, I’m not going to hit it close every time, but I’m not going to mishit it. I’m not going to chunk it five feet on the green and I’m not going to blade it over the green. I’m always going to hit the ball first. Sometimes I’ll hit a little too far or a little too short, but it’s a lot more consistent.

• PGA Tour winner reveals 2 keys to productive practice rounds

• DP World Tour pro: Jimmy Bullard helped me on the course

“Every time I miss a green, if I’m not in a bunker, I try to play this kind of shot. I ask myself, ‘Can I hit this basic shot and get it close to the pin?’ and if the answer is ‘Yes,’ I will hit the shot. If the answer is ‘No,’ I’ll try to open up the face and hit a longer, kind of slower to launch it a little higher in the air.”

You might be wondering what you can take from these snippets to apply to your own game. While the technical side of things from Hovland’s higher chip shot is interesting, the idea that he always aims to play the straightforward shot is perhaps the most important thing you can take to your short game.

So often, amateurs look to play the hero shot when it really isn’t needed. If you can get the ball on the ground quickly, it’s going to help you take out needless high numbers on your scorecard.


author headshot

Lewis Fraser As bunkered’s Performance Editor, Lewis oversees the content that’s designed to make you a better player. From the latest gear to tuition, nutrition, strategy and more, he’s the man. A graduate of the University of Stirling, Lewis joined bunkered in 2021. Formerly a caddie at Castle Stuart Golf Links, he is a member of Bathgate Golf Club where he plays off four.

Performance Editor

More Reads

Image Turnberry green

The bunkered Golf Course Guide - Scotland

Now, with bunkered, you can discover the golf courses Scotland has to offer. Trust us, you will not be disappointed.

Find Courses