Chipping on the Green?

[no3putts08]

I have seen my friends do it before. I think it is disrespectful to the course and I would never do it unless there was a puddle in front of me.

[Zeph]

I have seen my friends do it before. I think it is disrespectful to the course and I would never do it unless there was a puddle in front of me.

Why not follow the rules and drop the ball somewhere you can putt it, without penalty?

[Trav]

Saw Furyk do it a couple seasons ago. Didn't work for him either, as he bogeyed. Announcers made a big deal about showing his respect for course and upbringing as greenskeeper's son by repairing his divot, but the fact is that he had a sizeable divot on the green and the "repair" was pretty ugly - it must have taken weeks to grow back.

I can understand a pro doing it, but when I have faced this situation on my club's course I have not, and would not, injure the course condition to potentially save a stroke in normal play. Not worth the inconvenience to fellow members. It's not all about me.

[Fourputt]

Saw Furyk do it a couple seasons ago. Didn't work for him either, as he bogeyed. Announcers made a big deal about showing his respect for course and upbringing as greenskeeper's son by repairing his divot, but the fact is that he had a sizeable divot on the green and the "repair" was pretty ugly - it must have taken weeks to grow back.

Well said.... and add that there is no guarantee that you will actually save that stroke while you tear up the green.

[Zeph]

If I ever had to do this, I would get an iron with less loft, perhaps 7-8-9 and just brush the grass like a putter. The loft will get the ball a bit into the air, with a less lofted club I'm less likely to fin it.

[bradpet]

Brandt Snedeker did it at the Masters this year. Sometimes putts have rough in the way if the green is not circular, and it can be effective every now and then. I have never been faced with this shot, and if I was, I'd be certainly scared of screwing up the greens.

Thank goodness for a sensible explanation of why chipping on the greens is sometimes necessary!!! I saw Ernie Els do it this year on a kidney shaped green when the rough jutted out into the line of a long putt.

[JohnTwing]

Had to do it once, but was way too scared about messing up the green so I used a hybrid, still ended up in the rough, though.

[mikelz]

I tried it on Sunday when I was faced with about a 65 foot eagle putt that would've had to go through the rough. I had never tried to chip on the green before and the result was less then favorable and I ended up taking a bogey.

If the owners want to put kidney shaped greens and split greens on their courses, I'll pitch it over the thusly created obstructions without hesitation.