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Fred Couples and Tiger Woods offer key advice to help amateurs chip closer from short range

Originally posted on HITC | By Lee Connor | Last updated Oct 20, 2025 9:59 AM ET

Tiger Woods and Fred Couples are two of the PGA Tour’s most experienced and best players of the last few decades, and when they’re giving out tips to improve around the greens, it’s worth listening.

Over the years, they’ve developed a strong friendship, with Couples being one of the first to check in on Woods after his most recent injury back in 2024.

Between them, they’ve amassed more than 120 wins in professional golf. That includes 16 majors – highlighted by Couples’ victory at Augusta back in 1992.

Both players have built reputations for their consistency around the greens throughout their careers.

A solid short game is essential at any level. Experienced golfers understand just how many shots can be saved by good decision-making within close range.

Woods and Couples share tips on improving your chipping

Tiger Woods has always been admired for his ability to create shots in any situation, while Fred Couples is known for having one of the smoothest swings in the game.

So, when they join forces to share short-game advice, it’s worth paying attention to. The pair highlight some straightforward steps that can help amateur golfers sharpen up their game around the greens.

Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images

“This is what people don’t understand. When I’m chipping really well this is a pretty easy shot, but once you start doing other things and the ball gets higher it’s going to be hard,” Couples explains.

Woods then offers his own take on proceedings, giving further advice on getting the ball on the right trajectory.

“What I have found that works best for me is that whatever length of shot I have, I try and imagine whatever club I would need to make the same stroke I would with a putter.”

“If I was going to hit a normal chip at a tournament this would be closer to a nine iron, so same length I would for a putt. I would not want to change much.”

Looking back at Tiger Woods’ short-game stats from 2009

Tiger Woods has put together plenty of incredible seasons on the PGA Tour, and during his peak, there was little debate about who was the best.

But when you look at his career numbers, 2009 stands out as a season where he excelled in short-game statistics despite not winning a major that year.

Tiger Woods 2009 short-game stats	Position
Scrambling	1st
Outside 30 yards scrambling	3rd
SG around the green	3rd
Scrambling from the rough	7th
Sand save %	3rd

Woods ranked near the top in almost every short-game category tracked by the Tour. He finished third in strokes gained around the green and led the field in scrambling.

Lee Westwood has often spoken about how good Woods was around the greens, and these stats back up every bit of that praise.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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