Short distance chipping

Hi all,

I started golf less than a year ago and currently hitting about 104/72. I think I can improve myself much quicker if I can manage a short-distance chipping better . With a almost identical half-backswing chipping, I hit 55 with pitch wedge, 45 with a gap, and 30~35 with a sand. My problem is a chipping for 20~30 yd. Always, it is eihter too short or long. Do I have to change a swing speed or a backswing distance? Or is there any other hidden secrets? Also, I saw some people hitting a ball with a sand wedge and just stopping right after landing on the ground (ie, like a back spin??). How can I do it? I tried a couple of times, but resulted in digging the ground behind the ball or flying a ball in a low trajectory.

ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATABLE.

jb257

general principals
1) more weight on the foward leg
2) choke up on the club for more control
3) nice smooth swing powered by the arms
4) hands ahead of the clubhead at address and throughout the swing. try not to let the club head pass the hands
5) follow through
6) the farther the distance the longer the swing
7) determine a landing area - in general front pin placements are more difficult because you either need to pick a landing area short of the green or stop it quickly on the green. you may need to use a sandwedge or lofted wedge for front pin placements but these are harder shots - as you mentioned more easy to fat and thin the ball - got to practice those. The main reason for fat or thin shots on this distance is that you try and hit the ball with the hands instead of a smooth swing.