5-20 yard shots - help

[Leftygolfer]

To me being good at these shots are practice. You have to be able to create the trajectory and distance neccessary for each shot. A shot of 20 yards can require 2 totally different trajectories depending on situations. The game I started playing is par 2 golf to help with these shots. All I do is take 3 balls, go to a different spot and hole each time, keeping score. For me it works on short putting and sometimes mid-range putting when I mis-judge the shot or mis-hit it. It keeps practicing fun and makes it a game and not just boring old short game practice. If I can shot under 9 over for 18, I am pretty happy. I played last night and shot 8 over. I also really only use one or two clubs for these shots. I think it is easier to change the trajectory with one club by opening the face or playing the ball back in the stance. I use my 58 and sometimes the 64 if it gets in the 30-50 yard range. I find it easier to control distance with this since I can hit it a little higher and take more of a swing and not just a long pitch.

[Jason]

Thanks everybody,
Really nice to see so many responses to my post.
I did pick up a copy of Dave Pelz Short Game Bible, so far I'm really enjoying it. Also checking out some pitching videos on youtube.
I think going to the park to practice is a great idea, I plan to do that more frequently.
Take care,
Jason

[ks8829]

go practice hitting balls to 5, 10, 15 & 20 yards. experiment with your wedges, hybrids, putter, blading a wedge, try everything that will consistently get you these yardages when you are under pressure to save par. Practice before your round of golf and see the results.

If you use your wedge try playing the ball near or behind your back foot and judge distance with your distance of your backwing and forward swing.

[CalBoomer]

This is not a simple question to answer. For one thing, I consider 20 yards a very short pitch. 5 yards is definitely a chip. And they are just not the same shot. Chips which need to go 7-10 yards in the air cannot be hit with a typical putting stroke. Putting stroke chips are usually a few yards off the green in relatively low fringe grass and are minimally airborne, if at all. So, if you are trying to do all these things with one basic technique, it ain't gonna work well for many of them.

[JohnQVegas]

In all technicality, a chip is a putting stroke with a lofted club. As soon as you break your wrists, it becomes a pitch.

[iacas]

In all technicality, a chip is a putting stroke with a lofted club. As soon as you break your wrists, it becomes a pitch.

I don't agree with that definition. Heck, a long putt has wrist break. I prefer Utley's definitions.

[sean_miller]

In all technicality, a chip is a putting stroke with a lofted club. As soon as you break your wrists, it becomes a pitch.

What if your wrists break during a putt? Is that a pitch too?

EDIT: DAMMIT - beat me to the punch.

I don't agree with that definition. Heck, a long putt has wrist break. I prefer Utley's definitions.

[jamo]

I don't agree with that definition. Heck, a long putt has wrist break. I prefer Utley's definitions.

What's Utley's definition? My favorite is that a chip is where the ball spends most of its time on the ground, where a pitch spends most of its time in the air.

[sean_miller]

What's Utley's definition? My favorite is that a chip is where the ball spends most of its time on the ground, where a pitch spends most of its time in the air.

That's what I'd use too. I would even differentiate between a "pitch and run" and a "chip and run".

[iacas]

What's Utley's definition? My favorite is that a chip is where the ball spends most of its time on the ground, where a pitch spends most of its time in the air.

The problem (per Utley) with that definition is that too much of that depends on the break of the green (uphill, downhill), the speed (fast, slow), the conditions (wet, firm), etc. Specifically, I can make a "pitching" motion where the ball spends 90% of its time on the green.

But the definitions aren't really part of this conversation... my fault. Let's get back to helping.

[CalBoomer]

Ok let's forget about definitions. Whenever I hit a chip (let's say 7 low yards in the air, 5 yards roll) or a 20 yard pitch, I always work to keep my hands well ahead of the club face to avoid skulling the ball. With the chip, I never break my wrists--all arms. I absolutely never hit a putt with my hands well ahead of the clubface. Using a 5 iron to hit a ball with a putting stroke is one very specialized type of chip. But I still maintain that the vast majority of chips are not hit with anything resembling a putting stroke.

[CalBoomer]

On the other hand, let's not forget about definitions. Here are two which I think are accurate:

Chip shot: A shot typically played from very close to the green, usually within a few yards of the putting surface, in which the ball is struck using a club (usually 6-iron to PW) played back in the player's stance. Such a combination produces a shot that is in the air very briefly before settling to the putting surface and rolling toward the cup. Chip shots are usually played with a 6-, 7-, 8- or 9-iron or pitching wedge. Chip shots differ from pitch shots in that pitch shots are meant to have a higher trajectory that results in a shot landing closer to the pin and rolling just a bit. Pitch shots are typically played from farther off the green than chip shots.

Pitch shot: a shot played with a highly lofted club that is designed to go a short distance with a high trajectory. Pitch shots are usually played into the green, typically from 40-50 yards and closer. It's easy to picture a pitch shot when it is contrasted with the chip or chip shot. A chip shot is played from much closer to the green and the ball is in the air only a short amount of time; the point is to get the ball onto the surface of the green and let it roll toward the cup. Most of a chip shot is roll. A pitch shot, on the other hand, is in the air for most of its distance, with much less roll once it hits the ground.

[Bananarama]

However you decide to play a shot, one thing always holds true.

I have just started to accellerate throught he ball as I was sick and tired of trying a putting stroke and getting caught up in the fringe grass and the ball coming up way too short. With this acceleration I am also getting much more purchase on the greens and not miss hitting.