Chipping around the green

kbrady1990

What club do you use around the green say
20 - 30 ft away from the pin ?

I've been using a 58 degree wedge and not having much luck, I'm trying a p/w and 9 iron just to run it up close but struggling to find the right distance.

I'd be interested in how other people approach this shot .

AnneFrank

I've been struggling with this shot for the last couple of years too,
i just lost all feeling for the shot, i started using a chipper recently and this helped get a bit of confidence back, now i'm back to just bumping my pw unless i require a flop over a bunker, in which case i use my 58

fred funk }{

Depends. I play a lot of links golf so would be used to bumping in an 8 from 30 ft but if I had to fly it then it'd be my 60 degree.

kbrady1990

It's really trail and error isn't it? I'll give the 8 iron a go see how I get on .

I'm only realising now driving isn't everything the points are got around the green , chipping and putting .

callaway92

'Chipping' an 8 iron from that distance is very tough to judge. I'd be choosing a 60 degree wedge 100% from that distance.

However, if the ground was very bare I'd be using 52 degree wedge and hitting it in the form of a putting stroke almost.

martinkop

Depends on much it has to fly vs roll out

7i - 20% fly 80% roll
8i - 30% fly 70% roll
9i - 40% fly 60% roll, etc. etc.

But after that it is all about practice to get the feel/weight right, usually hit all these with a putting type stroke

RGS

Depends on the lie
is there rough between ball and pin,
is the ball lying on the fairway short of the green.

could use a 56 degree, a 52 degree, the putter or the hybrid,

Wombatman

Getting up and down more frequently is an easy way to knock shots off your game.

Practice and experimentation is the key.

So many different variations of shot to work with:
Open face. Closed face.
Back of stance. Forward of stance.
Club 8i to 60 degree.
Tight lies, semi rough and heavy rough.
Fly over bunkers and bushes.

Concentrate on your landing zone once you have considered the rollout.

I spend around an hour a week around the chipping green and it's my favorite practice time. You be surprised how many you get tap in close, or even hole out, once you get something going.

Practice here brings real rewards. It's the area that goes to $h1t quickest without practice.

fred funk }{

Wombatman wrote: »

Getting up and down more frequently is an easy way to knock shots off your game.

Practice and experimentation is the key.

So many different variations of shot to work with:
Open face. Closed face.
Back of stance. Forward of stance.
Club 8i to 60 degree.
Tight lies, semi rough and heavy rough.
Fly over bunkers and bushes.

Concentrate on your landing zone once you have considered the rollout.

I spend around an hour a week around the chipping green and it's my favorite practice time. You be surprised how many you get tap in close, or even hole out, once you get something going.

Practice here brings real rewards. It's the area that goes to $h1t quickest without practice.

+1

It's easily the most importent part of my game and if I let off the pratice it shows pretty quickly. It gives me a lot of confidence when just off the green, I'm very confident of getting up and down.

CMOTDibbler

callaway92 wrote: »

'Chipping' an 8 iron from that distance is very tough to judge. I'd be choosing a 60 degree wedge 100% from that distance.

However, if the ground was very bare I'd be using 52 degree wedge and hitting it in the form of a putting stroke almost.

The putting stroke method is very effective at shorter distances. You still need to practice it to get comfortable, but it eliminates the chance of 'blading' it or fatting it, that often happens when you get close.

billy3sheets

CMOTDibbler wrote: »

The putting stroke method is very effective at shorter distances. You still need to practice it to get comfortable, but it eliminates the chance of 'blading' it or fatting it, that often happens when you get close.

Yeah, I've improved at this recently. Once I actually used my putting stroke and not some jab or stab stroke.
I use PW, 9, 8, or 7 with ball back in stance and hands forward, with 70% weight on left side. Then just rock my shoulders like in a putt.
It still requires a lot of feel and judgement of the green speed but as CMOTDibbler says I'm doing less 'blading' it or fatting it now.

Rikand

25-30 feet and with nothing in front of me..... its a putter, all day long

red ears

Putter, 9 iron or 54? wedge depending on the path to the hole.

Mantis Toboggan

Would depend on the pin position for me, if the pin is at the back then it's a 6 or 8 iron, pin at front then it's a wedge or the putter, usually.

galwaylad14

A good tip for chipping I have found is to try hit every chip shot the same way, just vary the club you're chipping with.

So basically always try to use a club that you can land maybe a yard on to the green and will then run out to the pin. So if you're a few yards off the green to a relatively tight pin this may be a lob wedge or if you are only 2 yards off the green and the pin is 40 feet on the green this club might be a 7 or 8 iron.

The idea is to make every shot basically a bump and run which is by far the easiest chip shot to play. I'm a low handicap golfer and this has improved my chipping significantly.

Obviously there's times when you need to hit the high floater or the flop shot or maybe you need to land the ball further up the green to take a slope out of play but 90% of the time this technique will be suitable.

Finally putt whenever you can, even from 2 or 3 yards off the green if you are in fairly short grass then putt it. A good putt from here will work out much the same as a good chip but I guarantee you a mediocre putt will leave you a lot closer than a mediocre chip

bmay529

A lot of good advice here. Pitching/chipping well is the key to maintaining a good score when you miss greens. Practice is the key but be sure to practice the right thing. Have you considered getting a lesson from a pro and then go practice what they show you.

I have 4 wedges Pitching wedge 48?, gap wedge 52?, Sand wedge 56? and lob wedge 60?. Each will, using the same swing, fly a certain distance and then roll a certain distance. Try it. Set 4 tees in the ground between where you are and the hole is so as to divide the distance into 4 quarters. Hit PW to land at the first, GW to the second, SW to the third and LW to the fourth and watch each roll out or use whatever wedges you have. This will give you good feel for distance and thereby confidence. My decision on which to use will depend on what is between me and the hole but in general I would try to get the ball on the ground/green as soon as possible and let it run out to the hole. The putter is the most reliable close to the green when the grass is short and nothing in the way. The gap wedge for me is one of the most useful clubs in the bag for both short and full shots and the lob wedge the most difficult to use because it has a sharp edge usually with little bounce and will dig into the ground unless you are very precise. I would use the LW infrequently and only where I have no option but to play a high lob shot.

jokser250

I'd go between 8 iron and 56 degree depending on lie and slope .