Chip over Pitch

Do you chip and run or pitch more frequently? Odds are you’ve got it backwards.

When you’re just off the green, do you chip or pitch? For too many people, the answer to that question is “pitch.” Pitching is great when you need to get over something – a bunker, water, a huge swale in a green – but when you’ve got green to work with, the chip is your shot.

A rolling ball is far more predictable than one flying through the air and landing hard on the green. Whether you use a sand wedge or a 7-iron, get the ball rolling quickly. To that, here are some simple guidelines for your short game:

  1. Putt when possible. This rolls the ball the entire way, making it very easy to judge.
  2. Chip and run as a second option, and even then choose the lowest lofted club to get the ball rolling quickly.
  3. Pitch when there’s no other option left.

Step through those options every time you face a shot around the greens and you’ll get down in two – or less – more frequently.

2 thoughts on “Chip over Pitch”

  1. When I’m close I always use the “bump and run” technique. I guess it’s the same as the “chip and run.”

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