chip shot

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chip shot (plural chip shots)

1. (golf) An approach shot made from a location a short distance from the golf green in which the ball is launched into the air with only low or moderate force, so that it will land on the green and roll toward the hole.
   • 1957 February 9, “Sports in Brief”, in Gettysburg Times, USA, retrieved 17 October 2011, page 5:

     A 45-foot chip shot on the 18th hole gave Billy Casper Jr. of Bonita, Calif., a 5-under-par 65.

   • 2010 September 5, “Day takes 1-shot lead at Deutsche Bank”, in WGRZ-TV, USA, retrieved 17 October 2011:

     Woods finished on a high note when he muscled a chip shot out of the rough behind the 18th green, landed it on the fringe and got it to roll within inches of the hole.

2. (American football) A relatively easy field goal, made from a short distance.
   • 1992 Oct. 11, "College Football Chip Shot Goes Wide in 2-point Bison Loss, Grand Forks Herald (USA), p. 3D (retrieved 17 Oct 2011):

     When Ludwig Millfors lined up for a 19-yard chip shot of a field goal with three seconds left in the game, NDSU—and its 13,637 homecoming fans—had reason to feel comfortable.

   • 2011 October 15, Stephen Whitfield, “Kingwood beats Atascocita on last-second field goal”, in yourhoustonnews.com, USA, retrieved 17 October 2011:

     A 20-yard run by quarterback Kade Harrington put them in Glander's range, and the senior kicker booted a chip-shot 30-yard field goal with 11 seconds left.

3. (soccer) A shot in which the ball is kicked from underneath with accuracy but with less than maximum force, to launch it high into the air in order either to pass it over the heads of opponents or to score a goal.
   • 1988 December 20, “Palm Springs North Wins Soccer Title”, in Miami herald, retrieved 17 October 2011, page 6C:

     Plantation surprised Palm Springs North early with a chip shot close to the net by Mike Noll.

4. (curling) A takeout shot aimed at hitting a rock at an angle.
   • 1962 March 8, Tom Melville, “Big Win for Saskatchewan”, in Leader Post, Canada, retrieved 17 October 2011, page 26:

     [I]n the Canadian curling championship . . . Florian scored with last rock on the first end and picked up another on the second when Ernie came up too fast on a chip shot and missed by a foot.

5. (some other sports) The achievement of a goal or the striking of a target with a ball or other projectile in relatively nonchallenging or routine circumstances, by throwing (as in basketball) or by discharging a firearm (as in hunting).
   • [BASKETBALL] 1985 Feb. 4, Michael Howlett, "Phillips' Free Throws Lift Greyhounds Over Bears," Mount Airy News (USA), p. 6A (retrieved 17 Oct 2011):

     Stan Smith's chip shot from underneath the basket put North in charge 58-52.

   • [HUNTING] 2004 Jan. 4, Lew Freedman, "Bucking weather for a doe; It's tough to bag a deer with a bow and arrow, but John Quinlan enjoys the longer season," Chicago Tribune, Sports p. 8:

     Most of the deer I see are going to be out of range. For someone with a gun, 50 yards is a chip shot. For a bowhunter, it's no shot.

6. (idiomatic, by extension) Something that is easy to do or to achieve.
   • 2006 November 8, Andrew O'Hehir, “Fox: Just “a standard election””, in salon.com, retrieved 17 October 2011:

     Barnes could hardly get the words out: "It's a, it's a, it's a chip shot for Democrats to take the House," he added.

• “chip shot”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

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