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Chipping blues


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What do guys think is the secret to good chipping? For some reason I can't do it. My balls don't go high and roll too much. The more I read about it and practise the worse it gets. I tried about anything, even took lessons with a pro. On the chipping green I occasionally hit a good shot, but on the course ...
So if you have any good advice, I'm all ears.

KN

Gear
Driver: G10 10,5Β° - regular flex
3-Wood: Burner Steel 15Β°
Hybrids: Benross V5 Escape 20Β°/3, 23Β°/4
Irons: Benross VX Combo OS 5i-SWGap Wedge: CG12 52Β° chrome finishLob Wedge: SM60.08 oil can finishPutter: White Hot XG #5AccessoriesStand Bag: GROMCart Bag: RC08-1Trolley: Big...
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Get a club with 54*+ of loft, and don't think about it, just make a short, controlled swing, and let the club do the work. The problem i see with a lot of people that aren't great at chipping is that they try to help the ball into the air. If you let the loft of the club do the work, and commit to the shot (don't decelerate at the moment of impact) I think you will find yourself hitting higher, more controlled shots.

Work at getting the ball flight you want first, then about getting it close to the hole.

If that doesn't work, take a 9-iron, and be the guy that hits bump and run shots from anywhere within 15 yards. Nothing to be ashamed of about using the bump and run if you are inside of your opponents consistently.

In my Grom Stand Bag:

Driver: Launcher 400
Hybrid: Idea a30s Boxer 2i
Irons: MP-60's 4-PWWedge: Vokey Oil Can Spin Milled 56.12Wedge: Vokey Oil Can Spin Milled 60.4Putter: I-Series Anser 4Ball: Prov1

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My new trick is to address the ball with the club face at 45* or so open. I play this shot from a stance that is almost facing toward the target with the heels of my feet together. Now roll your wrist and hands toward the target at address to square the clubface at the target without shifting the grip in your hands. This presets a super weak grip and one that forces the loft to stay on the club. Now make an aggresive chip swing and do not quit. With the preset weak grip you can't shut the face down and the ball comes out high with little roll.

I missed my first ever eagle today by about 4 inches with this shot from 25 paces.
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That is a good technique Stacey, but if his handicap is truly 39, it might be a bit much to think about during the swing.

A mistake I think a lot of "higher" handicappers (I don't consider myself a "low" handicapper by any means) make the mistake of trying to think of a thousand different things at impact, which causes them to mishit the ball.

If you just commit to the shot, whatever it is, the result will usually be acceptable.

In my Grom Stand Bag:

Driver: Launcher 400
Hybrid: Idea a30s Boxer 2i
Irons: MP-60's 4-PWWedge: Vokey Oil Can Spin Milled 56.12Wedge: Vokey Oil Can Spin Milled 60.4Putter: I-Series Anser 4Ball: Prov1

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practice with these key thoughts:

chip with your shoulders
chip with your putting stroke
open stance
feet together
weight on the front foot
slight forward press
keep your hands out of chipping
weight slightly on the heels

Titleist 910 D2 9.5 Driver
Titleist 910 F15 & 21Β degree fairway wood
Titleist 910 hybrid 24 degree
Mizuno Mp33 5 - PW
52/1056/1160/5

"Yonex ADX Blade putter, odyssey two ball blade putter, both Β 33"

ProV-1

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Are you talking about pitching or chipping? You say the ball doesnt go very high and doesnt roll very far, so Im a bit confused here.
For chipping, I use a 7-iron and just use a putting stroke. The ball flies maybe 2' and rolls the rest of the way. I find that works best if I dont need to fly the ball very far.
I tried playing the ball back in my stance and just bumping it with a wege and I seem to always hit the ball either fat or thin. It either goes about 2 feet and I smoke it about 30' past the hole. I find that a 7-iron with a putting stroke just works better for me.
If you have a shot where you need to fly the ball over 20' of rough, I open my stance, play the ball a little foreward and just take a half swing with a wedge. The ball goes pretty high and only goes about 30', but thats really the only way I know of to play a shot like that.

Whats in my :sunmountain:Β C-130 cart bag?

Woods: :mizuno:Β JPX 850 9.5*, :mizuno:Β JPX 850Β 15*, :mizuno:Β JPX-850 19*, :mizuno:Β JPX Fli-Hi #4,Β :mizuno:Β JPX 800 Pro 5-PW, :mizuno:Β MP T-4 50-06, 54-09 58-10, :cleveland:Β Smart Square BladeΒ and :bridgestone:Β B330-S

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Thanks for the info guys

That is a good technique Stacey, but if his handicap is truly 39, ....

Unfortunately it is

... but I hope I don't stay there for long
keep your hands out of chipping

What do you mean by that? No wrist action?

Are you talking about pitching or chipping?

I'm talking about the shot you need when you're about 5 to 10 yard away from the green. That's chipping, right?

Gear
Driver: G10 10,5Β° - regular flex
3-Wood: Burner Steel 15Β°
Hybrids: Benross V5 Escape 20Β°/3, 23Β°/4
Irons: Benross VX Combo OS 5i-SWGap Wedge: CG12 52Β° chrome finishLob Wedge: SM60.08 oil can finishPutter: White Hot XG #5AccessoriesStand Bag: GROMCart Bag: RC08-1Trolley: Big...
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No matter what you do to improve remember this. Keep your head down and accelerate through the ball. Whatever club you use or what type of shot it is you always need to hit down through the ball. The club will do the rest. Practice for the distance control by adjusting the length of the backswing. It will come, but it takes some work to get the distance control down.

A good way to practice is to take some balls in the yard and put down some targets as landing areas like 5-10-15 yard increments (not as a hole location, but an area to land the ball and then roll to the hole). Practice hitting the targets and you will begin to get the feel for the distance. If you remember to accelerate through the ball you will get the feel for different shots.

I will judge my rounds much more by the quality of my best shots than the acceptability of my worse ones.

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yes, keep your wrist out of the chipping stroke similar to your putting. this will prevent any fat or thin shots.

Titleist 910 D2 9.5 Driver
Titleist 910 F15 & 21Β degree fairway wood
Titleist 910 hybrid 24 degree
Mizuno Mp33 5 - PW
52/1056/1160/5

"Yonex ADX Blade putter, odyssey two ball blade putter, both Β 33"

ProV-1

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Chipping is all about confidence and accelerating through the ball.

I like to take three practice swings and then immediately address the ball and swing the exact same way I did with my practice swings. Don't give yourself time to think.

Driver: 4DX Tour 9Β°
3 Wood: Burner
Irons: J33 Combo
Wedge: 56Β°
Putter: Pipe PP/002Ball: Gamer

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I'm a "feel" player around the greens so it's all about proper judgment of distance through my eyes, not the water-sprinklers. What make me a decent chipper are these traits:

1. Focus on where you want to LAND the ball, not the location of the pin. Take into proper consideration the spin of the ball, contour of the green, and trajectory of the shot.
2. Take a few practice swings that are EXACTLY the length as you would hit the shot. This is where the "feel" part for me comes in. If you have a consistent swing, your brain should dictate how hard to swing the club in order to hit the ball to its intended target. I believe that too many players are so caught up on the technical side of the chipping game that they forget to let their "feel" shine through.
3. After you hit the ball, whether it was a success or not, let your brain take in the result of the shot. As in, where it landed, how far it rolled, what kind of spin was generated. This will better in-grain your "feel" game. Since you just hit the ball, your body knows the exact swing you just took, now let your brain process the result that's caused by that swing.

Good luck!

Driver:Β Β R11S 10.5Β°,Β Fairway Woods:Β Β 909 F2 15.5Β°,Β Hybrid:Β Β G10 21Β°

Irons:Β Β Tour Preferred MC 4-P,Β Wedges:Β Β Vokey SM 52.08, 56.10, 60.04

Putter:Β Β Tei3 Newport II / Circa 62 #3,Β Ball:Β Β Pro V1X / NXT Tour

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A chipshot should be low and run out to the hole.
Most people are to active with their legs with this shot.
By keeping the lower body out of it you should get more control.
Shorten your backswing so you have to accelerate thru the ball.

Get yourself a shagbag and spend a little time everyday chipping and pitching . This is one part of the game I enjoy working on the most.

Golf is the cruelest game, because eventually it will drag you out in front of the whole school, take your lunch money and slap you around. ~Rick Reilly, "Master Strokes," Sports Illustrated

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Thanks for all the advise guys ... especially this one

chip with your shoulders

I went to the chipping green today and tried to relax instead of thinking about trying to get the ball in the air. I still have a lot to learn, but there was an improvement. The ball finally got some air and my chips didn't look like putts Now only if I could develop some distance control Thanks, KN
Gear
Driver: G10 10,5Β° - regular flex
3-Wood: Burner Steel 15Β°
Hybrids: Benross V5 Escape 20Β°/3, 23Β°/4
Irons: Benross VX Combo OS 5i-SWGap Wedge: CG12 52Β° chrome finishLob Wedge: SM60.08 oil can finishPutter: White Hot XG #5AccessoriesStand Bag: GROMCart Bag: RC08-1Trolley: Big...
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To me it is simple, just practice. I sit in my front yard and chip to different points. At first I had to adjust my distance based on how far I brought back the club (ie, 8 oclock, 9 oclock, etc.). After a while it became second nature and my scores have been dropping. Once I am on the course, I see a spot, and then step up and hit to it. No more swing thoughts or confusion, I just do it. Much nicer hitting 4-6 foot putts to save par than 10-20 footers.
What's in my bag:

G5 10.5 degree Driver
G5 3 wood
G5 3-PWTour 52, 56 & 60 degree wedgesPro V1 weapons of mass destructionPinseeker 1500 Rangefinder
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There seems to be a little confusion here about the difference between a chip and a pitch.

Just to clarify:

A pitch is a shot that flies farther than it rolls.

A chip is a shot that rolls farther than it flies.

In other words, if a player makes a short shot fly up in the air and bite on the green, it's not a chip, its a short pitch. Knowing which one you are trying to accomplish completely changes the way you approach the shot.

Drives me crazy when the tv announcers talk about "oh that was such a wonderful chip he just made" when it's a pitch. Shouldn't they know this stuff?

Favorite Practice Course:
Z Boaz Municipal, Fort Worth <<< Ben Hogan grew up playing here!
--------------------------------------------------

In the bag: 983E 9.5*, Fuji Speeder S RPM LP, 4W, Neutral Bias STAFF Ci6 irons, S (going up for sale soon) Tom Watson PVD 08 Wedges (G.S,L)... and a 4...
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A pitch is a shot that flies farther than it rolls.

I prefer the definitions Stan Utley uses, not yours.

A chip is one that doesn't use the bounce of the club, while a pitch does. I'm paraphrasing, but it's close.

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Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

The thing that helped me chip better was to make sure that as I finished my stroke, I turned and opened my chest towards the target.

I find it helps keep my weight forward and moving forward.
In My Bag:

Driver: Titleist 905T 10.5ΒΊ
3-Wood: Titleist 904F 15ΒΊ
Hybrid: Adams Idea Pro 20ΒΊIrons: 4-PW Mizuno MP-60GW: Mizuno MP T 51ΒΊSW: Mizuno MP T 56ΒΊLW: Mizuno MP T 60ΒΊPutter: Cameron Studio Stainless Newport 2
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I prefer the definitions Stan Utley uses, not yours.

That is a very interesting way of looking at it. Given the most popular techniques taught though for chipping versus pitching it makes sense.

Favorite Practice Course:
Z Boaz Municipal, Fort Worth <<< Ben Hogan grew up playing here!
--------------------------------------------------

In the bag: 983E 9.5*, Fuji Speeder S RPM LP, 4W, Neutral Bias STAFF Ci6 irons, S (going up for sale soon) Tom Watson PVD 08 Wedges (G.S,L)... and a 4...
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Note:Β This thread is 5427 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic.Β Thank you!

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