Chips Around Green(club)

[Zeph]

I use a 60* for everything because I like the consistency. If I were to change which club I used I would be losing shots, because a flop shot is much harder with a 52*, but there are no shots that I lose my using only my 60*.

You don't have the bump and run with a 60º.

We got 14 clubs and can use all of them, I don't think you would hurt yourself by using two or three clubs for chipping.

[Fontaine]

7 iron 50%
PW 30%
SW 20%

[westcyderydin]

i use my 60 degree for 95 percent of every non green shot i hit from inside 50 yards.. with that being said i would teach most people to use their 56 and PW.

i use my 60 for flop shots, bump and runs and anything in between...i just prefer the feel of one club. i just deloft it of open is as i please...

[DarkPrince]

I actually worked on this with my instructor last week. He basically took a look at my bag composition and decided the best approach for me is to use 1 swing with 3 different ball positions for a high/mid/low trajectory. Combine that with my 52*/56*/60* wedges I have 9 different shots around the green to use. It's just a matter of practice until I get the feel of what shot to use and when. Before I would just use my pitching wedge for long chips, and usually leave it abysmally short or go well past the hole and over the green. Yesterday I used my 60* most of the time, but depending on length of shot, what I have to carry (bunker or just rough/fairway), and how much roll out I want it changes.

I would argue the important part isn't necessarily what club you use, its looking at the green, analyzing how and where you want to hit your shot, choosing specific target that you want to land the ball on, and just commit to and hit the shot....then again I think that's what you're always supposed to do, just a little more micromanaged when it comes to chipping lol.

[NCSU_MSE]

If I'm in deep rough or have a fluffy lie, I open up my SW and chip.

If I'm on the fringe or have a tight lie and no forced carry and lots of green, I play an 8-iron bump.

If I'm on the fringe/tight lie and have a forced carry, I play SW or PW depending on the amount of green.

[Gerald]

I am more and more in the "Jamo Team" although I vary a bit between the 8i and the 58*...... I used to use the 8i in 90% of the chips, but as I am learning to improve my chipshots with the 58* it might well be that in a few months it is 58* all the way.

The 9i, PW and 52* I use only on full shots .....

[pup]

I am a bump and run fanatic. Anytime that shot is an option, I will take it as opposed to a flop because I have a lot of confidence in it, and can shoot it well about 90% of the time. My SW gives me the quickest stops, but generally my 9I is my b&r; club. I have used all the way up to a 6I with success. It's just like any other shot, you have to evaluate course conditions and then decide which club works best.

[Harmonious]

Since the original question was in regard to chip shots, and not flops or pitches, I subscribe to the thought that the sooner the ball gets on the ground and rolls, the better. Depending on how close I am to the green and how far the ball has to roll, I will use anything from an 8 iron to a SW. 8 iron will roll approximately 4 times the carry distance, the SW ratio of carry to roll is about 1 to 1. This may have to be modified a little depending on slope and grain direction. But it works very well for me. Using a 60* for all chips is too inconsistent, since it requires that carry distance to be so exact.

[Gerald]

Using a 60* for all chips is too inconsistent, since it requires that carry distance to be so exact.

That is what I thought when I started using the 58* for chips ..... secret is to deloft the 58* by keeping your hands well in front of the ball.

[Harmonious]

That is what I thought when I started using the 58* for chips ..... secret is to deloft the 58* by keeping your hands well in front of the ball.

The problem with using a high lofted club for all chipping is that it requires a longer swing than if you use a lower lofted club. The longer the swing, the less accurate your distance will be.

Here's a scenario: You miss a green, and your ball is 5 feet from the edge. The flag is 40 feet from the edge. Assume a level green with no grain to consider. Using a 58*, even with your hands ahead, will require you to fly the ball half the way to the hole, or approx 22', maybe a little more. You have to judge your backswing very accurately to hit that 22' spot. Contact has to be perfect, as any thin hit runs it well past, and a little chunk leaves it well short. Using an 8 iron, you would only have to hit a spot 9' away for it to roll to the hole. Much easier to do that consistently. Even a slight mishit will still leave you relatively close. It's just a more consistent shot. That's not to say that a 58* isn't good to use in certain situations, like when you are short-sided, but for the routine chip shot, it will be less consistent.

[canadianpro]

Remember the more you "de-loft" the wedge, the more you lose the bounce and bring the leading edge into play...which can result in "chunks"

PB

[Gerald]

Remember the more you "de-loft" the wedge, the more you lose the bounce and bring the leading edge into play...which can result in "chunks"

Ball first ..... ever !

[Gerald]

The problem with using a high lofted club for all chipping is that it requires a longer swing than if you use a lower lofted club. The longer the swing, the less accurate your distance will be.

It is better to get used to hit different shots with one single iron and in that case the 58* is much more versatile than the 8i ...... I agree with your argument, but keeping the hands in front it is as easy to hit the 58* 1 part flight and 3 parts roll as it would be with the let's say normal chip shot with the 8i, but try to open he 8i to hit a ball over a bunker, to stop quickly behind the bunker on the green is nearly impossible and quite easy to do with the 58*

Besides that a slight mishit with the 8i and you are just as easy 15 ft short or 20 ft. long. It is all imaging what trajectory to go for, which place to land it, position of the ball, etc. and it is very hard to get anyway of a decent contact with the 8i if the ball is a bit deeper in the grass ..... and if it is really at the apron 5 ft. of the fringe .... maybe it is better to opt for a putter or hybrid chip.

[vct33]

I use my SW for nearly every greenside shot. I think it's much easier to master a single club. I can play a variety of shots with my SW just by where I position the ball in my stance or by using a forward press etc... It's just too hard to find enough practice time for me to feel confident chipping with multiple clubs.

[weavej2]

I prefer to chip with 9-pw-52 it removes any checking from the equation.

[Harmonious]

It is better to get used to hit different shots with one single iron

I guess we will have to agree to disagree on your first point. Only using one club for all shots around the green is very limiting. If you ever try to use a 58* to chip uphill into the grain on a bermuda green, you will only get the ball 1/2 way there.

And you must have misunderstood my earlier post when I said for shorter carry-roll ratios, you would use a different club. A 58* may be the correct club if you had short-sided yourself. Of course, you wouldn't use an 8 iron in that case. Nor would you use it if you were in deep rough. I would consider that more of a pitch shot. Raymond Floyd only used a sand wedge around the green, and he was a great short game player. I am still of the opinion that non-pros who don't practice for hours a day would be better off using a variety of lofted clubs. But good luck to you.

[sean_miller]

I was practicing chips and pitches for an hour or two today (lost track of time). It's really lie dependant. I could get around with a 9 iron or a 56* for most greenside shots, but there are time with a 60* or a 6-iron is slightly better. Whatever gets you to one-putt range more often that not is a good way to go, and if you chip the odd one in, even better.

[Keith412]

before the golf school i attended this past weekend, i was using my 58 for EVERYTHING around the green. now i use a Pitching wedge and my misses are 3 times closer than when i was throwing it up there with a lob wedge