Ball placement on short chips?

[BadGolfer]

I always thought the higher you wanted it to go, the further back you put the ball in your stance. But I was watching some videos from pros and they seemed to say that you should put the ball forward more. I feel like this would make me blade it more often though. What is the correct placement here? The main problem I have with chips is when I get inconsistent with getting under the ball and I can't get it up in the air.

Also, they seemed to stress opening the club face to get the ball in the air. How does this work without slicing it? Are you closing it back up when you actually swing your club?

[Monkey Wrench]

opposite i do believe. farther in front the higher it goes, farther back, lower.

[Grndslmhttr3]

I play my short chips a little further back in my stance, simply because I feel I can control it a lot better than having it more up front.

[BadGolfer]

  Monkey Wrench said:

opposite i do believe. farther in front the higher it goes, farther back, lower.

But when I am playing with my irons I definitely go shorter when I place it back farther, and it goes higher. I'm pretty sure this is the same for my wedges, although I have no really ever tried putting it forward in my stance.

[alomar123]

Always put it in the back is my preference. I usual do not hinge alot at all, just thinking about leading with left hand. Also, I really hate to open my club, one reason why I prefer a 62 wedge.

[boogielicious]

From Phil's DVD: Forward placement just off the left heel, the ball will go higher and roll less. Back towards the right heel, lower and roll more. His best tip for both is to continue moving your hands toward the target with the shot. It really helps eliminate blading. Made a huge difference for me.

[Open-Faced Club Sandwedge]

  BadGolfer said:

I always thought the higher you wanted it to go, the further back you put the ball in your stance. But I was watching some videos from pros and they seemed to say that you should put the ball forward more. I feel like this would make me blade it more often though.

The corollary to chipping with the ball forward is you put all your weight on your front foot throughout the swing. This removes the weight transfer, which improves how accurately you can put the face of the club on the ball. It also means the bottom of the swing is placed forward (hopefully at or just in front of the ball).

  BadGolfer said:

Also, they seemed to stress opening the club face to get the ball in the air. How does this work without slicing it? Are you closing it back up when you actually swing your club?

They're not closing it back up. Take out your most lofted wedge, and look at the angle of the face when you open it up. What it does is point the face slightly to the left (for left-handed golfers), but also it increases the loft. It does slice the ball a little, but this is only done on short chips where the side-spin doesn't affect the flight much if at all. It also pushes the ball a little, which they correct by opening the stance, and swinging out-to-in.

I'm not sure opening the face on chip shots is for everyone. Practice getting crisp contact with the ball, by putting your weight on your front foot and trying to make the swing bottom out at or just in front of the ball. See how happy you are with the shots where you do make good contact. If those shots still don't get up as high and land as soft as you need them to, then learn to chip with a more open face. -Andrew

[allin]

  BadGolfer said:

I always thought the higher you wanted it to go, the further back you put the ball in your stance. But I was watching some videos from pros and they seemed to say that you should put the ball forward more. I feel like this would make me blade it more often though. What is the correct placement here? The main problem I have with chips is when I get inconsistent with getting under the ball and I can't get it up in the air.

I don't believe most pros put very many chips that forward in their stance. They use an open club face and hand action to get height when they need it. From a good lie even with the new grooves they put enough spin on it they don't need much height.

[iacas]

I like it off the left toe. Which is, y'know, about two inches forward of center because my feet are so close together. Weight's forward, too.

[jamo]

I usually put them back in my stance (occasionally outside my right foot), but I have been hitting short chips really poorly lately so I've been trying forward of center. The jury's out so far.