Chipping around the green

[Gerald]

At handicap 10 (my handicap) GIR is dictating scores.....

Mostly missing the green, means I have to work hard to get the ball within 2 - 6 ft. of the hole and make the following putt.

Most of these greenside shots I use an 8 iron, mostly like a long putt with no wrist action, just a few yards through the air and roll the rest. I allways play these shots from the inside right foot to be sure to hit the ball before making ground contact (if any). Sometimes I use a 6 iron if I need a longer roll or a 9 iron or pw for a shorter roll.

Of course there are around the green places you need to hit over a bunker or over a steep bumb that demand the use of a GW or SW, but as those kind of shots demand a lot of skill, I prefer to chip whenever possible.

In one of my other threads I have read that some of you guys are using your GW for all your chipping, and I wonder why, since the amount of roll is so limited OR am I missing something here ???

[JML22]

I used to use my PW now i just use my 56, works a lot better for me
I just like chipping with the same club cause it allows for all the shots you need when you need it

[acegolfer]

There are several reasons why people chip with lofted club such as 56*.

1. Riding cart. It's hard to bring half of the clubs to the green when you are riding.
2. Soft fringe. It's unpredictable how the ball will bounce if you try to bump and run.
3. Small green. You need to stop the ball quickly.
4. Lots of hazard around green.

When I lived in north, I chipped with anything from 7i to 60*. But in S. Florida, most people just bring 56* for greenside shots.

[alomar123]

No you should use various amounts of clubs for chipping depending on how far the hole is.

[ajschn06]

  alomar123 said:

No you should use various amounts of clubs for chipping depending on how far the hole is.

That is one's personal opinion. I religiously use my 52 for 90% of my greenside chips/pitches, every so often I'll pull out the 60. Don't try and tell me you can get it closer because you use more clubs. To me, it's easier to really master one club for the touchy shots than try to decide on 4 different trajectory/roll patterns....

[Fourputt]

  alomar123 said:

No you should use various amounts of clubs for chipping depending on how far the hole is.

Not really any set rule for this. I like to get the ball rolling, but I still do 90% of my chipping with my PW. If I need to land the ball softer or pitch over trouble, then I use the 56° SW. Like the above poster, I find it easier to hit one club in different ways than to hit several clubs all the same way. I prefer using my feel to get the job done rather than depending on picking the right club, then making a mechanical swing.

[Slammin' Sam]

  alomar123 said:

No you should use various amounts of clubs for chipping depending on how far the hole is.

Good advice. As a general rule I use either a 7 or 8 iron depending on how much green I need to roll the ball across to get close to (or in) the hole. On the other hand, if I have a bunker or some other hazard in play or I'm more than 10-15 yards from the green I use a wedge. 52* if I have to roll the ball, 60* if I need it to check up. I usually play the ball inside my

left foot rather than my right because I want the club to scoop the ball up and get it airborne.

[kafka01]

  None said:

Of course there are around the green places you need to hit over a bunker or over a steep bumb that demand the use of a GW or SW, but as those kind of shots demand a lot of skill, I prefer to chip whenever possible.

I guess you refer to thos kind of flop shots that you have to execute with a lot of swing. I agree, even if you strike it well, these kind of shots are inaccurate and require solid ball contact (and when you mishit the result is often really bad).

I love chipping and practice it alot, there are a lot of variants you can play a chip. But if i want to get it really high, i just open the clubface a bit, cock my wrists on the backswing and just hit like normal chip, finishing with the clubface pointing skywards. If i have to go 5 m forward i almost get the same height that way, but very controlled and with a tiny swing.

[JML22]

They're not that hard.
Sure if the person has never done it before they shoudlnt try it on the course but they're not that hard.
The course i play chipping with an 8 iron would be impossible, too many hills and obstacles, very rarely would i be able to chip with an 8 iron so i just bring the 56 with me every time.

[WUTiger]

By chipping, I assume you mean a shot which pops up in the air initially, but then hits and rolls at least half-way to the pin.

I chip with the 8i from just off the green, and in rough which isn't too deep. Greens crews dictate part of this.
* One public course I play is fairly well manicured, and usually has short-depth rough around the edge of the green. Use the 8i a lot here.
* Another course had either fairway, or rough a couple of inches deep around the green. Here I use 50* out of the rough, or sometimes a PW if the grass is coarse.

And, if the lie is really tight, I might run it on with a putter. If turf is chopped up or has fungus spots and I'm in a hole, I'll putt it out with a 5W (would use a hybrid if I carried one).

I use the 8i chip a lot more than most Americans. Until 10 years ago I used the 8i for all chipping, until I took a short-game lesson. Lesson was an eye-opener. Since then, I still use 8i, but also have some wedge chip shots if the lie and sloping make 8i a no-go.

IMO, I would suggest you keep up the 8i, and add some wedge chips to your bag of tricks.

[James_Black]

I've got an idea.
here's some of greg norman's tips http://www.shark.com/sharkwatch/instruction/

he give some shots that are a little outside the box.
http://www.shark.com/sharkwatch/inst...n/lesson72.php
the "lazy lob", will pop up into the air but will still run out a bit (unless you play with a premium ball, it's tough to gauge spin with them)

[shortstop20]

If my ballstriking is less than stellar that day, I will typically use my PW where I would otherwise use my 54 SW.

I'll use an 8 iron on longer chips or situations where I'd rather bump and run it than fly it close to the hole with the 54.

[senorchipotle]

i use my 56 and 60 for every shot around the green. i don't like to chip with anything with less loft as i have less control.

[blackxpress]

Personal preference I guess but for me it depends on the lie. If possible I want to get the ball on the green and rolling as quick as I can so I use my 8 iron a lot and hit it like a putt. That isn't always possible though since the ball might be in deep rough or on a side hill or something like that. Or, there might a hazard (a bunker for example) between the ball and green. In that case I'll use a high lofted wedge and try to get it to land near the hole and check up. My favorite lie is side hill. I've learned to hit a knife shot, usually with either a 60 or a 56. I take the club back steep and hit straight into the ground. It pops the ball up and puts a whole lot of backspin on it. The only trick is learning which club will give me the distance I need to land it close because once that ball hits the green that's pretty much where it stops.

[Stu.C]

I'm gonna go with the one club advocates. There are few shots that I make that can't be carried out with a 56. Fairway, Rough, Bunker, Closed, Opened, As-is, and it all builds up familiarity with the same club.