Chipping?.....pitching?

[Duffy]

OK, I have to confess. As long as I've been playing this game, I have never known the technical difference between chipping and pitching. Soooo. What is it? Thanks, Duffy

[Fourputt]

A pitch is a high arcing shot that usually carries at least halfway to the hole.  It may or may not release when it lands depending on the situation.

A chip is a low shot designed to land just on the green and roll to the hole - normally carry is less than 1/3 of the total shot distance.

[PuttsLefty]

A pitch shot is where you have to pitch the ball up into the air to get it over something. Whether that be a bunker, water, rough, or undulations in a green.

A chip shot is used around the green with low trajectory and more roll, usually with a lower lofted club (but not necessarily).

[saevel25]

OK, I have to confess. As long as I've been playing this game, I have never known the technical difference between chipping and pitching. Soooo. What is it?

Thanks, Duffy

Better way to look at it is.

Pitch shots engage the bounce of the club. Meaning that you allow some error that the club could hit before the ball, but the design of the club allows it to glide underneath the ball. This is the preferred way to hit short game shots .

Chip Shots engage the leading edge more, taking away the bounce. They are more precise because you can ground your club easy and duff the shot.

[dchoye]

Who cares? I think the distinction should be between chip and bump shot Chip use the natural loft So in the case of a LW a chip is a same as a lob Whereas the bump shot, one delofts the club face and creates more of a running shot rather than a natural roll of chip/lob shot

[saevel25]

Who cares? I think the distinction should be between chip and bump shot

Chip use the natural loft So in the case of a LW a chip is a same as a lob

Whereas the bump shot, one delofts the club face and creates more of a running shot rather than a natural roll of chip/lob shot

Nope, not even close. That is just confusing. Chip shots are naturally lower because they engage the leading edge (facing more towards the ground), pitch shots are neutral to adding loft, which engages more bounce on the club (leading edge facing more away from the ground). This is the clear distinction between the two.

I would say a bump and run shot is a type of chip shot, it is obvious a lob shot is not a chip shot.

[dchoye]

The classic chip taught with the ratio of fly:roll When you get to the LW there is more height than roll but done exact same mechanism as a 7iron 1:4 fly:roll Just with LW it's more like 2:1 fly roll So that's why I say lob is the same as a chip. The feeling to produc the chip/lob is exactly the same except one is done with LW and the other is an iron

[saevel25]

The classic chip taught with the ratio of fly:roll

When you get to the LW there is more height than roll but done exact same mechanism as a 7iron 1:4 fly:roll

Just with LW it's more like 2:1 fly roll

So that's why I say lob is the same as a chip. The feeling to produce the is the sand except one is done with LW and the other is an iron

Chip is a technique if it rolls out or checks depends on varying that technique of engaging the leading edge. Doesn't matter if the lob wedge rolls out 2:1 or not, it isn't a "Lob Shot". Since you can play a "Lob Shot" with any sort of wedge, and a lob shot engages the bounce, it is a pitch shot technique.

[Mike Krailo]

I would say a chip shot has little to no wrist action and the club stays below waist level back and through. This is usually done near the edge of the green and has the ball rolling out more than it is in the air.

Pitching usually makes use of a free wrist hinge and has the club head well above waist high back and through. This shot has more carry and much less roll out than a chip.

[trickyputt]

Lol let me try.... Chipping is putting with any other club, using the putter grip. Mainly the idea is carry the fringe and land asap on the green and let it roll to the hole. Pitching is the bottom part of a regular swing, as much are as little as you need, and by either hooding the club or swinging out as if to hit a draw, a spin is induced that will allow a ball to roll forward instead of checking up hard like a flop shot would do.

[mvmac]

Chip or pitch refers to the type of stroke used, not how much the ball will run out. I can hit a pitch that runs out 3 times as much as I flew it, I can chip a shot that flies 5 yards and rolls 5 yards.

A chip resembles more of a putting stroke, minimal amount of wrist hinge, stroke is relatively short, leading edge comes more into play.

A pitch has the club head swinging a much greater distance, much more wrist hinge/cock, engages the bounce.

[Patch]

To me they are pretty much the same, with the  pitch being higher, and longer. I use the my chipping stroke for shorter pitch shots. For longer pitch shots I use more wrist action. I also consider the lob shot different than a pitch shot. JMHO.

[Hardballs]

All good, if some conflicting points, I would say the first reply nails it! Let's not confuse the answer here!

[Zeph]

Pictures and videos might make it easier. Here are two threads that explain it well.

Chipping

Pitching

[boogielicious]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvmac

Chip or pitch refers to the type of stroke used, not how much the ball will run out. I can hit a pitch that runs out 3 times as much as I flew it, I can chip a shot that flies 5 yards and rolls 5 yards.

A chip resembles more of a putting stroke, minimal amount of wrist hinge, stroke is relatively short, leading edge comes more into play.

A pitch has the club head swinging a much greater distance, much more wrist hinge/cock, engages the bounce.

This

Pictures and videos might make it easier. Here are two threads that explain it well.

Chipping

Pitching

And this.

Better way to look at it is.

Pitch shots engage the bounce of the club. Meaning that you allow some error that the club could hit before the ball, but the design of the club allows it to glide underneath the ball. This is the preferred way to hit short game shots .

Chip Shots engage the leading edge more, taking away the bounce. They are more precise because you can ground your club easy and duff the shot.

One last add.  Dave Stockton suggests that the chip (and putt) are more of a left hand controlled shot where the pitch is more right hand controlled.

[vangator]

The difference is in the wrist action.

[Reval14]

I would say there is a putt-chip (you grip and swing the club like a putter around the green) chip (little backswing (A2) with very little or no wrist action). Used around the green. pitch-chip (bigger backswing with little wrist action). When you're too far away for a chip and too close for a pitch. pitch (backswing with full wrist action) When you're too far away for a pitch-chip, and too close for a full iron shot.

[billchao]

I would say there is a putt-chip (you grip and swing the club like a putter around the green) chip (little backswing (A2) with very little or no wrist action). Used around the green. pitch-chip (bigger backswing with little wrist action). When you're too far away for a chip and too close for a pitch. pitch (backswing with full wrist action) When you're too far away for a pitch-chip, and too close for a full iron shot.

Pitch/chip is technique based, not distance based. When I learned how to pitch from @david_wedzik , he had me hitting to a target that was no more than 15' away.