Getting up and down??..

[kleraudio]

I practice and practice and practice short game chip shots and I do quite well. But when I'm on the course I'm leaving myself 10 and 15 feet after a chip shot to save par. I bogey'd every hole on the front 9 today, either because I missed putts, or because my up and downs were horrible.....

Does anyone have any advice on making getting up and down easier. From the fringe on out to say 30 yards??

Thanks in advance!

Jim

[Zeph]

Pick a spot you want the ball to land and focus only on it. Don't look at the flag and think about getting the ball close when chipping. Locate the spot you want the ball to land the first time and from there bounce and roll out. If your read is good, you ought to get a lot closer than normally. Work on making sure you hit your spot every time. If the ball doesn't end up close, your read was not good enough. The important thing is to find that spot and make sure you hit it each time. Doing this you will get better at reading.

[shankapotamus]

If you are practicing and getting up and down pretty consistently, but when you get to the course, it all goes down the pooper, it must be a mental thing. What are you thinking about before you hit your chip/ putts?

[denver_nuggs_15]

Pick a spot you want the ball to land and focus only on it. Don't look at the flag and think about getting the ball close when chipping. Locate the spot you want the ball to land the first time and from there bounce and roll out. If your read is good, you ought to get a lot closer than normally. Work on making sure you hit your spot every time. If the ball doesn't end up close, your read was not good enough. The important thing is to find that spot and make sure you hit it each time. Doing this you will get better at reading.

My thoughts exactly. I do this whenever I use a sandwedge from inside of 60 yards and especially when I'm just off the green. All you need to concentrate is hitting the ball to a dinner plate sized area and letting the green do the rest.

[kleraudio]

Interesting thoughts guys, something I will have to try. As far as the mental thing, yea I'm sure that plays a BIG role. Instead of thinking what I want to do, I think of what I dont want to do/what I want to avoid. Ive been working on it but its hard for me. Like I'll drive it 280 right where I wanted it, then my approach will be pin high 5 yards left of the green.

I think I psych myself out. Then when I go to chip that third shot, I end up like 10 -15 feet short/long, sometimes closer, but usually I leave myself 10-15 feet and end up bogeying the hole....

But I do focus on the breaks, then the pin, I'm gonna try to focus on a spot I want my ball to land in, that may help on course.

I think a lot has to do with I only get one shot to make the right chip. On the practice range, I dont really think too much, I chip it and I get it really close, maybe I overthink things on the course. I should maybe just approach it like a casual shot, just like when I practice??

Good things to think about, thanks everyone!

37 putts sucks! Thats why I score a 90.

Jim

[shankapotamus]

Interesting thoughts guys, something I will have to try. As far as the mental thing, yea I'm sure that plays a BIG role. Instead of thinking what I want to do, I think of what I dont want to do/what I want to avoid. Ive been working on it but its hard for me. Like I'll drive it 280 right where I wanted it, then my approach will be pin high 5 yards left of the green.

I would suggest reading either

Golf is not a game of perfect- Dr. Bob Rotella Putting Out of Your Mind- Dr. Bob Rotella Zen Golf- Dr. Joseph parent Zen Putting- Dr. Joseph parent

[kleraudio]

I would suggest reading either

Will do man, thanks for the suggestions. I'll head up to Borders tomorrow and look at a few of those.

Jim

[Kevin04]

Maybe not 30-50 yard range, but I have been working on a few ideas.

Using a 3Hybrid with my putting stroke from the fringe, or just off the green. I am so/so at Chipping and I really need to work more at it, but I have started going with a Hybrid 3 and using my putting stroke to help me from this awkard areas.

I've noticed a vast improvement, and played 9 today. I've only started this Hybrid/Putt since yesterday, but noticed a lot more of a solid stroke and closer to the green from those awkard areas.

Give it a go, but try practising beforehand as it can come off the face and some speed sometimes if you take a firm one.

[SpacklersEdge]

Pick a spot you want the ball to land and focus only on it. Don't look at the flag and think about getting the ball close when chipping. Locate the spot you want the ball to land the first time and from there bounce and roll out. If your read is good, you ought to get a lot closer than normally. Work on making sure you hit your spot every time. If the ball doesn't end up close, your read was not good enough. The important thing is to find that spot and make sure you hit it each time. Doing this you will get better at reading.

To elaborate on this, I think it is very important to first think about the trajectory. When you are chipping for practice, typically most people pick a flag and hit a bunch of balls in a row to that flag. By the time you get to the tenth, I bet your hugging the stick. But in real golf on the course, each chip is "new". So what I like to do is to simultaneously think about where I want to land it, and ALSO how high or low I want it to be before it hits my spot. By using two clubs, with varying tweaks to opening the face, I can produce a large variety of shots with different angles, different amounts or spin etc.

[Shindig]

I don't think this is necessarily a mental thing. It might be - you could be putting more pressure on yourself during a round.

1. Where are you chipping from when you practice chipping? How about on the course? Are you practicing chips with lots of green to work with and then short-siding yourself on the course?

One thing that really helped me was to plan my misses better for the case where I miss the green . That means not going for flags if my predominant ball flight is likely to take me off the green. I'd rather miss in the short grass where I have green to work with. I made 5/14 saves yesterday because, for each of those, I missed in places where I had an easy chip. I know 5/14 isn't fantastic, but I'm happy with it at the moment.


2. When you practice chipping, what ball(s) do you use? When you play, what ball(s) do you use?

I frequently see people taking a bucket of range balls to the chipping green. Unless the only thing you're working on is mechanics, there's no sense doing this. I'm sure you have a half dozen beat-up balls of the type you play with - put these in your bag somewhere. In addition to being useful on water holes when you play, they're great to chip with - they retain most of the properties you need.


3. How do you practice chipping? Hit a bunch of balls aimlessly at a flag? I give myself a point for each nearly-guaranteed save (for me, that's within 3 feet and not an unreasonable break), one-third of a point for a decent chance (within 6 feet, not unreasonable break), two points for a chip-in, and I dock points for anything outside of 10 feet, or off the green. I have a goal for how many points I need to get to. It's nice to have something akin to needing a save. Then it's just taking that mindset to the course - I want to get at least one point here, preferably two for this chip.
(And yes, I do think about chipping in whenever possible, even though in practice, I only do this once every 2-3 rounds... and there are a lot of missed greens in 2-3 rounds for me!)


4. Do you read the break when you chip on the course? I'm amazed at how many people walk up and chip and end up 10+ feet away because the green curves. Whenever the ball is going to roll significantly on the green, and you are likely to control (within some reasonable measure) where it starts rolling, you should take a look at the break before hitting - and aim accordingly. I read the break for any shot within 30 feet. I don't read it as carefully as I would a critical putt, but I do take a look at where things are going.

[Zeph]

To elaborate on this, I think it is very important to first think about the trajectory. When you are chipping for practice, typically most people pick a flag and hit a bunch of balls in a row to that flag. By the time you get to the tenth, I bet your hugging the stick. But in real golf on the course, each chip is "new". So what I like to do is to simultaneously think about where I want to land it, and ALSO how high or low I want it to be before it hits my spot. By using two clubs, with varying tweaks to opening the face, I can produce a large variety of shots with different angles, different amounts or spin etc.

That's true. I mainly use two clubs for chipping, but you can of course use many. The disvantage is that it can be harder to know each club well enough to be able to judge the distance. Using a 9i or a 54º wedge will give you two different shots. If you hit them to the same spot, the 9i will bounce and roll much further. Getting to know your clubs is important. If you like to use different clubs, don't use all the clubs in the bag. Use 5i, 8i and wedge f.i. The less clubs you use, the easier it will be to learn how far each will roll.

[kleraudio]

I don't think this is necessarily a mental thing. It might be - you could be putting more pressure on yourself during a round.

Beautifully said! Thank you, I love the point system you have while chipping, I will definitely be trying that soon!

Jim

[SpacklersEdge]

That's true. I mainly use two clubs for chipping, but you can of course use many. The disvantage is that it can be harder to know each club well enough to be able to judge the distance. Using a 9i or a 54º wedge will give you two different shots. If you hit them to the same spot, the 9i will bounce and roll much further. Getting to know your clubs is important. If you like to use different clubs, don't use all the clubs in the bag. Use 5i, 8i and wedge f.i. The less clubs you use, the easier it will be to learn how far each will roll.

Agreed. I used to use more clubs, but now I use only a 52 and a 60. Using only these two, I think I could hit it the same as someone who uses more, simply by changing stance position, and opening the club up. I can make the 52 roll like a PW, or I can spin it and stop it quicker. I think it has really helped me more to use less clubs and actually learn how to USE each one.

[jamo]

Get good spinny golf balls
square groove wedges
Be aggrssive

If you are able to generate spin, you will need to swing harder, and wont be able to decellerate on the downswing, which usually causes bad contact and inconsistent distance.

[CG031]

Make sure you try to play some of the break in the green on a chip shot, similar to a putt. If you're not playing at any break, you might be catching a downhill, or uphill slope and that may carry/stop your ball 15-20 feet closer than what you expected.

As long as you hitting the ball solid on your chips, it sounds like you're not playing the correct break and because of that your touch and feel is a bit off.

It takes sometime to develop touch around the greens; so be patient.

[whip_it_out]

Play EVERYTHING low. That helped me so much with being able to consistency judging speed. And like other said, practice where you land the ball, and trajectory. Not towards a pin. Putting one ball on hte green where you want to land a chip and trying to land the chip on top of it is a good way to practice it.

Still gotta whip out the flopodopolis, sometimes, though.

[kleraudio]

Thanks everyone, went out on Saturday and shot so so so well, until I got greenside... AGAIN!! Im working on it though, Im taking everyones advice here and I'm working on my short stuff twice a week at the practice range.

Also went to the library and rented Dave Pelz short game bible. Im like 60 pages into it and I feel like Im reading a science experiment.... I hope it gets better.......

Thanks a ton guys!

Jim

[LongballGer]

Thanks everyone, went out on Saturday and shot so so so well, until I got greenside... AGAIN!! Im working on it though, Im taking everyones advice here and I'm working on my short stuff twice a week at the practice range.

I know exactly why this is happening to you.

You chip like a tour pro on the putting green, but you can't take it on the course. The reason is adrenaline. On the putting green there is no pressure. On the course you feel pressure and you lose your feel because of that. The reason for that is that you are using your small muscles for your chips and pitches which is death if you are on the course. Focus on developing a finess swing. For all shots inside 100 yards you shouldn't do anything with your hands. Instead just rotate your hips and your upper body at the same time and then rotate them back on the downswing. Make sure not to coil though. This will help you to use the big muscles instead of using the small muscles (fingers, hands) which don't hold up under pressure. This will help you, guaranteed. Good luck.