Sir Nick Faldo’s short game was actually criminally underrated throughout his playing career.

During his prime, Faldo was one of the very best around the greens, and it’s no coincidence that he’s joint 12th on the all-time major wins list, with six to his name.

The Englishman was renowned for his consistent ball-striking, but none of his success would have been possible without his elite chipping and pitching skills.

The beauty of Faldo’s short game was that he kept everything so simple. He never tried to hit the hero shot for the cameras. Nor did he ever take any unnecessary risks.

So it’s no surprise that one of the best golf tips Faldo has ever given oozes simplicity.

Any amateur golfer struggling around the greens should pay close attention to this tip from the six-time major champion.

Nick Faldo’s shortcut to help amateur golfers chip the ball better

During an instructional video for Laguna Golf on YouTube, Faldo provided an excellent chipping tip for amateurs who are looking for more consistency around the greens.

“I want to show you a really simple way to master that little chip and run, just the short ones,“ Faldo said.

“I’m going to give you a little gauge, using your thumbnail. So, my thumbnail went back, for me, two inches and through two inches. I’ve got an 8-iron and I can take a putting grip.

“I put the ball right off my right toe and lift my hands up. Now, as I said, if I move my thumb back two inches and through two inches, it goes that far (Faldo’s ball finishes short of the flag).

“So then I want three, three, on the thumbnail. So, three inches back, three inches through. It should go, hopefully, six feet further. Now I’ll go four, four and it goes a little longer again.

“Now I’ll go four, four and it goes a little longer again. So, when you get on the golf course, I’ve paced this out, and it’s 11 paces. So I’ve got a little simple method. I can halve that to five. For me, five should go ten yards.

“So it’s 11 (paces), it’s a little downhill. So, really, you might say I need a six, six, but I’ve got a little downhill, so that’s how you calculate.

“I’m saying five, five, will go, hopefully, around 10 or 11 paces. At least it gives me a clue. So, when you get a really long one on the golf course, of course, you’re only going to get one go.

“Imagine you have maybe 20 yards, that’s a 10, 10 to me. So, 10 inches back and 10 inches through. Just commit to it. That’s the most important thing.

“Rather than it being an absolute guess, I’ve actually got some kind of a constructed plan, and then it will give you feedback.

“So do that uphill, downhill, and learn how to gauge yourself. Try that.“

That is a great tip from Faldo, and one that will be so simple for you to execute when practicing. The key is in the repetition of the technique. If you master how far back and through you need to take the club to chip from specific distances, you will almost certainly become a better chipper of the ball.