Chipping Query

irish bloke

Folks,

I'm looking to figure out 2 simple things regarding chipping. (easy one):D

1) A simple and robust technique
2) What club(s) to use and when to use them

At present I must have about 20 different methods which cant be good for my game.

I have 4 wedges, 46, 50, 54, 60, and would typically use any one of these for the same shot on any given day, depending on the mood I'm in.

Do people use different techniques?
Do they stick to the same club?

Was looking at the attached video to choose a technique and stick with.

I know its one of those questions that could have multiple answers and all right in some way, but I would like to hear your opinions anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV-wYDpevvU

Borisss

Watch some Mickelson vids. I recently adopted the hinge and hold and am making strong improvements.

I always chip with the same wedge too, my 58*. But then again, I rarely play bump and runs, never have.

0161allin

here dude like Boriss says check out Phil, http://xtshare.com/ttoshare.php?Id=40866
Me i always use my 60 and try and fly it at the hole, not the best some times but thats how i want to do it.

irish bloke

Thanks folks,

I have watched the Phil video alright but do find with this method I can fat the shot if not spot on.

Can I ask the Phil guys for tight lies, do ye always use the same ball position and what is it. Back, middle, forward??

In the Phil method the hands are more ahead of the club. This obviously decreases the bounce angle of the club and would allow it to cut into the turf more. Do ye use a higher bounce wedge here and if so, what do ye use?

Does anyone use the Luke Donald method?

BoardsMember

I have pretty much always struggled with my chipping. Best bit of advice I was given, and it has really helped me, is more to do with how to approach the shot rather than technique:

When you are taking your practise swings, look at the target - take four or five swings while looking at the target, and feel the club brush the grass.

For whatever reason, it gives you the feel for the shot, it seems to change it from the mechanical mindset to the creative one. If you take your actual chip as soon as you ground your club behind the ball, rather than think about anything mechanical at all, all your muscle memory is based on the loose natural feel of the shot.

I have found this very helpful indeed.

BoardsMember

Regarding the Luke method - is this where he puts his right hand way down the shaft so that the right arm is effectively fully extended? I tried it the other day, as long as you keep your head steady (no dipping or lifting) it's pretty hard not make a solid contact. Especially useful off tight lies I would imagine.

k.p.h

Mark Roe teaches a technique that uses the bounce and dose not de-loft the club. Can't find too much about it on the net though. Maybe watch some videos of Westwood and Fisher to see how it works.

Dave Stockton has some ideas on chipping too, I think their is some videos on youtube.

Also Harrington often grips a wedge short for control, so it might not be a bad technique to have in the bag.

I think the only real chipping advice that is fundamental (everyone dose it differently) is accelerate into the ball.

conno16

chipping is prob the most individual swing / shot in the game.
you must find an approach that best suits you.
people must also recognise that not everyone can flop like phil.
nothing wrong with a bump and roll.
max 2 clubs tho - perfect your swing using a SW and a LW.
anything other than that and you'll just confuse yourself
chipping should demand more practice time that driving - very few people honour this demand tho
and thats why we have so many average golfers getting to within 20 yards of the green on a regular par 4 on their second shot, only to walk off the green with a 5 etc

irish bloke

Thanks All,

Some good knowledge on here as usual..:)

I think the accelerate through the ball is a good one though and rings a bell as to something I used to do years ago when I was a better chipper.

I think sticking to the 2 clubs max, is something I also need to do to remove variability and improve my chipping.

@boardsmember: Thats a different angle then the mechanical approach I was looking for and is something worth looking at more, also the L Donald chipping I am referring to can be seen in the link in the first post.

Does anyone have any thoughts on bounce angle with regards to chipping.
Or is it something not to be getting too concerned about?

conno16

what handicap are you now?
what handicap are you realistically aiming for?

Rabidlamb

Could never understand the need for all those wedges.
I grew up playing Pitch n' Putt, one club, open the face or close the face.
Works a treat for me.

PRAF

I use the Dave Pelz method which is a simple but really effective technique IMO.

You have one standard setup for all chips:
- Position the ball back in your stance, off your right ankle (for r/handed golfers)
- Slightly open stance
- Weight is about 60-70% on your left foot
- The chipping motion is all shoulders really, very little if any wrist break at all. You bring the club back a little and make sure to hit the ball first before kind of brushing off the grass after contact

I use this technique for almost all of my chips (unless I need to carry it over a bunker etc.). It is designed to guarantee good, solid contact. Most importantly, it elimanates fat chips and thin chips

The same technique with different clubs just gives you different combinations of carry and roll. After that, it is just practice, practice, practice

irish bloke

conno16 wrote: »

what handicap are you now?
what handicap are you realistically aiming for?

I'm at 16 now but I only joined a club this year and only played 3 comps. Can play to this comfortably enough.

I used to play alot of society golf up to about 5 years ago and played to about 11.

11 will be my target again for end of next summer which I think is realistic for where I am with my game now

BillyBoy

I got a Dave Stockton app on my iPhone contains a few videos on chipping which I found really helped my game. I don't think it is anything revolutionary in his technique but it was just the way he explains it clicked with me, might be worth a look (sure there is stuff on youtube, can't check for you though cause I'm in work)

big_drive

I use mostly 9 iron or pw. Also 8 or 7 iron if a lot of green to play with. Would never use anything higher than a pw, results not consistent enough. Prefer to get ball on green and rolling rather than flying it at flag. Playing off 8 handicap

bustercherry

big_drive wrote: »

I use mostly 9 iron or pw. Also 8 or 7 iron if a lot of green to play with. Would never use anything higher than a pw, results not consistent enough. Prefer to get ball on green and rolling rather than flying it at flag. Playing off 8 handicap

Best bit of advice I've seen on this thread.

sssssiiiiimon

For me chipping is a percentage game.

Play the percentage shot. Play the shot with the greater percentage to get you up and down. You don't always want to hold out a chipshot so flying it at the hole is not always the greatest option.

Scenario one: 2 - 3 feet off the green. Do you need the 58 or 60 to flop it up in the air or do you hit a stabby little 8. For me it's the stabby little 8 because there is less room for error. It's harder to catch it thin. Where the 60 will impress your friends the 8 will get you the par.

As it was mentioned earlier in the post It is more about how you approach the shot. If it is in your head to blade or duff it then you will.

I find when I used to go to the range I would get a basket of 100 balls and try hit 95 drives. But now I hit 70 or so wedge shots and this has really helped improve my short game.

So my advice would be play the higher success rate percentage shots and practice... A lot.

JD Dublin

2-3 feet off the green with nothing between you and the green - I always reach for my 4 iron - just roll it on to the green. If however you need to stop the ball quickly because you don't have much green to play with or because there is a slope away from the hole etc then you do need to use at least a pitching wedge. Also if you need to fly the ball through the air to get over a ditch or whatever then the wedge is the answer.

What I do is pick a routine eg chip 20 balls on to the green from 10 feet, and keep track of the score - the last time I did it it took me 32 strokes to chip all balls on to the green. Dire, but that was an improvement on a month before which was the last time I did that exercise. If you don't track some sort of a 'score' then you will never improve, and never know if you have improved over time. The 'score' might be getting the ball into the net on the driving range or whatever from so many balls chipped, but otherwise you only 'think' you have improved or got worse, you never know.

stockdam

JD Dublin wrote: »

2-3 feet off the green with nothing between you and the green - I always reach for my 4 iron

My first thought would be the Texas wedge, then a 6 iron and then a hybrid..........a wedge maybe last.

jaggiebunnet

JD Dublin wrote: »

2-3 feet off the green with nothing between you and the green - I always reach for my 4 iron - just roll it on to the green.

as someone who dropped around 8 shots on Sunday due to close chips to the green that were too hard or did nothing, thank you for the tip!! really simple when thinking about it and definitely one to put into practise in the future..I just can't get those close chips!

dvemail

Definitely if your not comfortable with your wedge use a less lofted club and get the ball rolling as soon as possible. Less chance for you to hit it fat or skull it imo.

PRAF

This video might help

http://www.pgatour.com/video/r/instruction/swing_coaches/2009/11/24/instr_pelz_chipshot.pgatour/index.html

I particularly like the boastful (but probably true) statement that Pelz can play the simple chip shot with 11 clubs out of his 14 and does it "all the time"!

What he says, and I think its true, is that you have to find out what chip shot you are best at. Once you know that, you should play that shot. Simple!

irish bloke

Thanks for all the posts folks, much appreciated.

My head hurts now even more then before, trying to decide which technique to use:)

Checked out all mentioned in this thread.

One thing I do know is, I am going to stick with a lofted club (60 degree) and see how I go.

conno16 wrote: »

what handicap are you now?
what handicap are you realistically aiming for?

Conno, not sure what my handicap has to do with deciding on a chipping technique, can you let me know your thinking here? Thanks

k.p.h

irish bloke wrote: »

One thing I do know is, I am going to stick with a lofted club (60 degree) and see how I go.

Probably best to stay away from the 60* while you try to get you technique down. Generally 60* wedges have little bounce and that makes them harder to use. Probably best stay with your sand wedge, 54* or 56* to begin with (they have more bounce as needed for sand shots).

The bounce will help you if you get it a little fat by not letting the club dig, it's only a few degrees but every little helps right.

The opposite of that is blading it, which would tend to happen on hard tight lies if you have too much bounce. e.g club bottoms out before the ball and bounces up and the leading edge hits the ball. But we live in Ireland and hard tight lies are few and far between this time of year (maybe in a bunker;)) , a low bounce wedge is a disaster waiting to happen this time of year.

I fecked the 60* out of my bag anyway, won't be touching it until the springtime.

conno16

irish bloke wrote: »

Conno, not sure what my handicap has to do with deciding on a chipping technique, can you let me know your thinking here? Thanks

chipping to a lower handicapper (ie 10 and under) typically means something very different to the now-and-then-saturday-aftenoon-warrior playing off 16+

BoardsMember

irish bloke wrote: »

Thanks for all the posts folks, much appreciated.

My head hurts now even more then before, trying to decide which technique to use:)

Checked out all mentioned in this thread.

One thing I do know is, I am going to stick with a lofted club (60 degree) and see how I go.



Conno, not sure what my handicap has to do with deciding on a chipping technique, can you let me know your thinking here? Thanks

Dont get too caught up in technique when on the course, that's what practise is for. My suggestion re taking practise swings while looking at the target before playing the shot helps to avail of the practised/natural shot, rather than standing over a chip thinking mechanical and/or negative thoughts. Try it, you'll be amazed at how significant a help it can be.

conno16

OP - have you read / listened to all of Bob Rotella's books.
loads of good advice within.

mike12

Good game to play to practice your short game is Par 18 throw 9 balls around the green and chip and putt all of them keep track of your score 21 is tour average so that what you should be hoping to get too, it also keeps pressure on to hole putts so is a good routine to keep doing thru the year.
Also the bump and run with the hybrid is a great shot to have in the bag.
Mike

Deco1983

Putting stroke with Hybrid when just off green is great tip. Use this myself and gets you a lot of birdies over the course of a summer.

I've actually found that I'm now confident that I might hole out with the club each time...cant beat that.Similar concept to 4 iron mentioned earlier I would guess just different club.

Give it a go up the practice green OP:)

conno16

a hybrid wedge/putter?
are they not illegal now for eveyone under the age of 85?

Deco1983

conno16 wrote: »

a hybrid wedge/putter?
are they not illegal now for eveyone under the age of 85?

I was 86 in June

link_2007

Deco1983 wrote: »

I was 86 in June

Judging by your username, we have the same date of birth and I feel 86 so I might get one myself.

irish bloke

conno16 wrote: »

OP - have you read / listened to all of Bob Rotella's books.
loads of good advice within.

I havn't

Watched the Phil Mickelson video and thats abt all the research I've done regarding my short game.

Have heard of Bob Rotella alright, must get some stuff on him.

Thanks

TheGrump

I had a similar issue with chipping around the greens, so here is how I solved it:-

1. Use an 8 iron with a putting stroke to bump and run whenever possible
2. Took lob wedge out of the bag
3. Stopped using PW & SW around the greens and only use my 50 deg gap wedge.
4. Practice for just 20 minutes 3 days a week (I pick the missus up on my way home from work, I'm usually there 20 minutes before she gets out of work, so I keep the gap wedge in the car and just chip a few balls in the field beside the car park)
5. An exagerated follow through has helped me acelerate through the ball (this may not be for everyone)

I plan on re-introducing the SW over time. I think in general people use the lob wedge far too much, so I took it out of the bag planning to bring it back when my chipping was in good shape, I'm not sure I will bring it back now.

Since I've done this my average strokes per round has dropped by 6 shots.

bustercherry

Remove the lob wedge, Remove the lob wedge, Remove the lob wedge, Remove the lob wedge, Remove the lob wedge, Remove the lob wedge and I will say it one more time Remove the lob wedge from you bag.

Anyone posting on a golf forum looking to know about chipping techniques etc.... IMO should not have one in their bag.

plumber77

I don't know if anyone has suggested this yet but you may be better off to remove the lob wedge from your bag

Ben1977

Don't limit yourself to 1 club. You need the different clubs for the different lies you will get.
If you are thinning and fatting chips, it might be that your moving laterally when chipping. Try to raise the right heel when practicing chip shots. This keeps the weight on the forward foot and stops the movement.
I couldn't chip to save my life last summer, but after a little practice with the heel raise I started to make good contact with the ball. I so comfortable with it no I do it during comps.

PRAF

Why is everyone so against lob wedges? How on earth can you stop the ball quickly if you need to get up and over a hazard, if you are chipping up to an elevated green, if you just have a 10 yard chip but the first 3 yards if over very heavy rough etc.

I couldn't do without my lob wedge. Must be a mental block with some people because its actually quite an easy club to hit

big_drive

I remember reading an interview with Gmac where he said no amatuer with a handicap above 4 should carry a lob wedge because it is such a difficult club to master

Kace

I would agree with most on here who don't recommend lob wedge chipping, although I use it when the shot calls for it. I chip with everything from 6 iron to lob wedge depending on the shot - I would say the majority are probably with 9 or PW.

Most important piece of advice from me would be to make 100% sure that your first bounce is on the green - anything else and your result will have a whole new level of unpredictability. Read this one from Pelz also and could not agree with it more.

bustercherry

PRAF wrote: »

Why is everyone so against lob wedges? How on earth can you stop the ball quickly if you need to get up and over a hazard, if you are chipping up to an elevated green, if you just have a 10 yard chip but the first 3 yards if over very heavy rough etc.

I couldn't do without my lob wedge. Must be a mental block with some people because its actually quite an easy club to hit

Don't worry, we don't think any less of you because you have a small penis.

kagni

bustercherry wrote: »

Don't worry, we don't think any less of you because you have a small penis.

bustercherry wrote: »

I think the numbers should be directly related in some way to the size of your penis. Depending on how small your penis is, the more you get to add onto the number? That way a guy who has a really small penis can compensate by telling everyone he can hit 9 iron the same distance as the average guys 6 iron and an over average guys 4 iron. At least that way you don't feel inadequate and there seems to be a similar way of measuring driver distance.

You seem to be very concerned with penis size.
Maybe try posting over here - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=127

mikeunt

bustercherry wrote: »

Don't worry, we don't think any less of you because you have a small penis.

people in glasshouses .........:D

bustercherry

mikeunt wrote: »

people in glasshouses .........:D

In fairness there has to be some sort of inferiority complex going on when people feel the need to make delusional comments (just like the over estimation of club distances or the need to tell everyone how long they are at the slightest oportunity) about how easy a lob wedge to hit. Someone has already pointed out the GMAC quote and i'm sure I can find quite a number of pros with the same opinion, it is not an easy club to hit; especially for someone struggling with their short game.

I think the one thing that I have noticed on the thread is, and I may be making an assumption; but people don't really know the difference between a chip and a pitch.

bustercherry

kagni wrote: »

You seem to be very concerned with penis size.
Maybe try posting over here - http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=127

Adding the lofts to irons instead of numbers is completely a waste of time. Can you imagine what would be going through people's heads trying to justify why they hit their irons shorter than other people? Yeah he's 10 yards longer but his 6 iron has a 1 degree stronger loft :rolleyes: I think that idea is for people who have an inferiority complex on their distances and looking for excuses; rather than accepting they don't hit it as far as other people and playing to their strengths.

irish bloke

bustercherry wrote: »

people don't really know the difference between a chip and a pitch.

Is there a difference???:D

Seriously though, managed to get hold of the Dave Pelz short game videos he did with the golf channel. Really really good!!!
Didn’t realize Phil was also working with him.

So far have watched the pitch, half wedge and three quarter wedge videos.

I like the way he shows 4 groups of players (30, 20, 10, 0 handicappers) in all his videos and focuses on their rhythm and swing as opposed to a specific technique.

When he compares all handicap groups, it very apparent the mistakes the higher handicappers are making. He shows how so many have a stabby action at impact or a long backswing with little or no follow-through.

He is all about 2 main things really:

1. Accelerating through the ball, which was already mentioned in this thread
2. A longer follow-through then backswing

Very interesting stuff indeed…

mikeunt

bustercherry wrote: »

but people don't really know the difference between a chip and a pitch.

Surely a chip is a fatty food you'd get in any chipper and a pitch is a place where field sports are played

k.p.h

I hit the course today as had day off so I decided to try out some chipping with different clubs. I usually chip with 56* or 52* so I spent a few min with them before moving onto my 8i.

I was chipping from the bottom of a sloped green with plenty of green in front of me. Immediately after switching to my 8i I noticed my line improve, unfortunately though my weight was a bit off and they were running past right beside the pin. After a few balls I started to get the weight right and I must say it was an improvement on my wedges.

I think chipping onto a slope is very knacky, with the slope running against and the amount of spin I get varying so much distance control requires a bit of luck. Sometimes it stops up way too short. (Greens soft and long now so sometimes really really short)

So after the 8i I decided to give my 18* recovery a go, it was unbelievable for long chips. I couldn't believe it, I'm not exactly sure what it was but I think because the club is so long you only have to apply a gentle stroke to get the ball going so needed way less body movement . I was nailing the line every time. And for some reason the way the ball came off the face the ball hopped and rolled lovely every time making controlling the distance a doddle after a few go's.

I think a few mentioned a hybrid on the forum before, and I didn't dismiss it but TBH I didn't pay much attention either. I wish I had, after a half hour today I can honestly say it's a shot worth having in the bag. Give it a go lads if you haven't already, no need to be slow on the old uptake like myself :pac:

acejeff

Famously Seve never used anything more than a 56 degree wedge! I am a 5 handicap who sometimes struggles with my wedges for simple chip shots. I have a lob wedge in the bag but only use it for full shots where the yardage is right or for the out and out flop shot if required. For simple chip shots I have started again to put the ball far back in the stance and just put a fairly simple putting action on it with a 8 or 9 iron, I am also a big fan of the hybrid / 4 iron from just off the edge where there is plenty of green to work with (a very effective shot in the correct situation)

BoardsMember

The problem with the shot from the back of the stance with the 8/9 iron is that if you're playing on very fast greens it really limits the times you can play it - you need a fair bit of space for the ball to run out using this method. That said, if it is on, it is the way to play the shot. Get the ball rolling on the green as early as possible is my rule of thumb. I snook off work for a half hour today to try the rescue with reasonable results - it's pretty heavy handed! I carry a 19 and a 24 degree rescue. I find the 24 actually checks a little so not the better one to use.

acejeff

BoardsMember wrote: »

The problem with the shot from the back of the stance with the 8/9 iron is that if you're playing on very fast greens it really limits the times you can play it - you need a fair bit of space for the ball to run out using this method. That said, if it is on, it is the way to play the shot. Get the ball rolling on the green as early as possible is my rule of thumb. I snook off work for a half hour today to try the rescue with reasonable results - it's pretty heavy handed! I carry a 19 and a 24 degree rescue. I find the 24 actually checks a little so not the better one to use.

Agree with your point about the 8/9 iron off the back of the stance, where it is possible though i find that for me it is the bet option. The hybrid chip take some getting used to, for feel off the club face and the run out of the ball but it's good one to have in the bag when the right situation presents itself.