Alright, let’s not delay this promise any longer — 2026 is definitely, almost certainly, absolutely going to be the year you finally get better. There are a ton of ways to do that — reading GOLF Magazine, watching our videos, booking a lesson, and getting fit for clubs — but you can also learn a lot just by reading this website. So in an effort to get you started toward your 2026 goal, we’re rolling out five key tips to focus on next year. Now read up and get to work.
No. 1 — Instantly make more putts
5 key tips for 2026: Fix your chipping
Padraig Harrington believes the key to shooting lower scores is to spend at least 20 more minutes on the chipping area. A tighter shore game will allow you to keep the bigger numbers off the card.
But if your game is anything like mine, 20 minutes won’t be enough to polish your chipping woes. Luckily, GOLF Top 100 teacher Kellie Stenzel has a tip to help make saving par easier as we head into 2026.
“My definition of a chip shot is a short game stroke where the ball rolls a greater distance than it carries,” Stenzel said. “You want to equate your chipping with your putting, as the motions are very similar in that the stroke should not be above hip level on either side. This will help to minimize risk.”
The key, according to Stenzel, lies in the setup. If your setup is correct, you’ll make the proper contact when chipping instead of blading or chunking it.
“The setup is the key to proper contact where the club hits the ball and then the ground,” Stenzel said. “Lean everything equally toward the target so that the end of the grip of the club is still pointed to the center line of your body and your lead shoulder drops. This proper degree of lean will help the club brush down the back of the ball and then hit the ground. Your sternum should be slightly target side of the ball to insure proper contact as the club head moves down and into the ground.”
So next time you’re grinding in the short-game area, remember to get the proper lean at address and to ensure crisp contact and be able to get up-and-down when you need it.
