Ian Poulter details what amateur golfers can do to avoid making a ‘big mistake’ when chipping onto the green

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LIV Golf star Ian Poulter believes there’s a simple fix that amateur golfers could make when looking to play chips and pitches onto the green.

At times, the prospect of using a lob wedge can prove daunting for higher-handicap golfers. A fat or thin shot is a very real possibility. For professionals, using loft around the greens is popular. Shane Lowry, one of golf’s all-time great short-game players, will use his 60-degree wedge from pretty much any position. For amateurs, using loft can be, as Phil Mickelson says, the ‘kiss of death’ around the greens.

Poulter, however, has encouraged another technique that could minimise the risk of a mishit chip or pitch shot: using a five-iron.

Ian Poulter’s five-iron chipping hint

The European Ryder Cup legend believes if conditions allow, using a longer iron is a safer way for less confident golfers to find the putting surface and get up and down more often.

“Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to short game and chipping. Imagination for me is key when you’re in this position,” Poulter said in a recent coaching video on the Majesticks’ YouTube channel.

“We’ve got quite a sandy lie, a bank, and a pin that’s about 15 feet onto the green. In this instance, I would use a lob-wedge, fly it onto the green and have it checked up. That’s something that a lot of pros would take.

“The second option would be to take a five-iron, play it like a chip and run and run it up the bank into the green and hopefully finish close to the pin. There are a lot of amateurs I see who don’t want to hit the lob-wedge and want to take out making a big mistake. The five-iron takes a bit of practice, but it takes out the thin over the green or the chunk short of the green.”

Poulter’s method is undoubtedly less high tariff but also requires the chipping fundamentals to be in order.

• READ MORE: Ian Poulter pinpoints mistake amateur golfers make before they even start practicing on the driving range

Ian Poulter’s short game stats from 2024 LIV Golf season

Despite Poulter’s game not being what it once was, there can be no doubting his ability around the greens. During the 2024 LIV Golf season, the Englishman got up and down 155 times, which was a scramble rate of 60%.

For context, Poulter was ahead of his Majesticks’ teammates, Henrik Stenson, Lee Westwood and Sam Horsfield.

Unsurprisingly, LIV Golf’s best scrambler in 2024 was Spanish genius Sergio Garcia. The former Masters winner racked up an astonishing 73% scramble rate.

Louis Oosthuizen was second, and Patrick Reed third. Reed is known for his short game and one of the best chippers in the professional scene. The Texan got up and down 171 times last year.