Difficult chip shots

[DavidFehertysBike]

I just posted in the "how for is to far to chip" thead and it got me thinking about a type of chip shot I always have trouble with. A 10-15 yard up hill chip with the flag tucked on the front corner. (like on a false front)

I cant hit a ten yard flop shot to get it near the hole, and playing a pitch is risky to me because I often get in trouble trying to finese the ball and chunk it short. When im confronted with this shot, ive been trying to hit my gap into the bank and hope it kills the roll enough to get close, or actually playing out sideways to the flat part of the green and putting down. What do you do with this shot situation? What club to you use to hit your chip?

[DJYoshi]

is it a BIG up hill shot? i'd say a mini pitch would work best for me..i had 1 of these shots yesterday....i opened the blade like a flop..but hinged my wrists like a pitch and it worked perfectly..but yeah, i can see the wanting to finesse it, and you chunk it..i did that too yesterday on a 20 yard uphill pitch.

[1UnderU]

I would hit a 56 wedge, open my stance, put the ball in the back, and make sure to keep my wrists from hinging/bending through impact. I find it best to control distance that way.

[DavidFehertysBike]

Not too severe, about 2 to 3 feet up. But i guess any bank is what im getting at. I've tried putting that shot with mixed results, as well. Most of us dont play courses that are in the type of condition where that shot is viable, anyways. I guess the ultimate cure is not to short side myself so often..lol. I was also thinking about putting some backspin check on the ball - but from that close it could lead to disaster if I hit it too hard.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I would hit a 56 wedge, open my stance, put the ball in the back, and make sure to keep my wrists from hinging/bending through impact. I find it best to control distance that way.

Ive tried that shot on practice greens the last few months. Im not yet comfortable enough with it to put it into play, though. I wont use that play inside of 20 yards.

[chingali]

Why not try taking a 6 or 7 iron and running it up and over the bank? The trick is to carry the ball as far as you can on a nice low trajectory with no spin but still land it short of the bank. It takes a bit of practice but it's a low risk shot, you won't knock it as close as you will with a perfect little flop shot very often, but on average it'll get you closer.

If you need convincing, drop 10 balls in the type of spot you are talking about and try hitting 10 little flop shots and add up the total distance they all end from the hole. Next do the same with 10 little runners up and over the bank, I bet the total distance from the hole will be closer for the chip and runs.

Nothing at all wrong with putting it either...

[hawkeye]

The options I have in the armoury are:

- On the fairway, use a putter or 7 iron or rescue to get the ball rolling. Can be an option in the rough too if it's not clingy/too wet/too long/against the grain.

- Pitching wedge into the bank about a foot from the top - difficult to master but a percentage shot more-so than the lofted floater shot. You have to hit it hard and in the right spot. You have to learn how the rough/hill will "kill" the ball, and how hard to hit it to get it onto the green.

Something I have been practicing - chipping with a pitching wedge instead of a more lofted club around the green, and getting the first bounce off the green. It's been very useful, more consistent and worth practicing (not just when you've to come up a bank)

[blackxpress]

If it's really steep I'll take my 8I and deloft it so that the face of the club is perpindicular to the ground. Then I just gently sweep the ball up and over the hill and let it roll to the cup. It's almost like I'm picking the ball up and using the club to toss it over the hill. It takes a real light touch though. Otherwise you end up flying it past the cup and off the green on the other side.

[DavidFehertysBike]

It seems that the consenus would be to take a mid iron and try to fly the ball to the right spot. I can live with that, but its a shot I dont practice very often from that yardage. I chip with my 52 wedge 90% of the time 15yds and in. Ill practice the situation and see how it works for me.

[DJYoshi]

Why not try taking a 6 or 7 iron and running it up and over the bank? The trick is to carry the ball as far as you can on a nice low trajectory with no spin but still land it short of the bank. It takes a bit of practice but it's a low risk shot, you won't knock it as close as you will with a perfect little flop shot very often, but on average it'll get you closer.

that's exactly what I was gonna say..if it's only a 2 - 3 foot incline....i think that's the best way to keep control of distance and the pace once the ball hits the green. i'll run it with anything from a 7 - pw.

[MrSandman]

I just posted in the "how for is to far to chip" thead and it got me thinking about a type of chip shot I always have trouble with. A 10-15 yard up hill chip with the flag tucked on the front corner. (like on a false front)

I have a tough time with these shots. I either:

a) hit the 52 degree into the bank, and hope it kills the speed, b) go with the 60 degree wedge and just accept that I'm going to have a 10-20 ft putt coming back, c) and sometimes I will putt that shot. I hate when I get up to a chip and think that getting down in 3 would be a good score there, but that happens a lot with those shots. I actually knocked one of these in during my last round (unfortunately, it was a par save). I had an uphill lie too, so it was a bit easier as I just hit down (almost jabbed at the ball) with my 60 and it popped up and rolled right into the cup. If it missed, it may have been 10 feet by though.