Changing Clubs When Chipping?

[bmartin461]

I'm a high HC'er, but I have been trying to practice chipping using the same club, a 54 degree SW.

My question is, do those of you in the 10 - 15 HC range (my short term goal) change clubs based on how much green vs. fairway you have or do you stick with one club?

Thanks!

Brad

[SouthernILGolfer]

Im also a high hc, i usually use my pw for chipping unless i need to keep the ball low then ill use my 6 iron to punch the ball on the green. Sometimes ill even putt when im quite some distance off the green if i dont have too much rough to go through, im talking like 5 yards or more sometimes off the green just to try to get it close enough to make the next one. Probably most wouldnt recommend this but it is effective sometimes at getting the ball fairly close. I just have so much more confidence in my putting than my chipping.

[binga7]

Alot will depend on the course conditions. Personally i dont have a rule where i chip with one club only. Eg- if its wet ill use the SW, more bounce, less dig, and if its a dry lie ill use the LW. I like my 60* LW because i like my chips to fly and stop.
Its also important to practice with different clubs like a 9i or 7i because you need to beable to play all kinds of situations on the course.
In summary I would choose a club your comfortable with, and make it your go to club, but also practice the others.

[saevel25]

To me its more how much green is between you and the pin. I can be on the fringe of a long green, with the pin 60 feet away and use a 9-iron to chip and run across the green or putt it. Its not really the fairway its the pin. Even if i am 40 yards away if the pin is behind a bunker with a few paces on, i will take a lofted club.

My rule of thumb is hit the least amount of loft the shot calls for.

LW: Get the ball up in the air quick and stop quick, bunkers
SW: Heavy rough, Bunkers, little more green to work with than LW
PW: The club i use the most
9-iron, majority of my long chip and runs
8-iron, if i am chipping it up a sloped green to get a bit more roll on it, play it like a 9-iron chip and run

I like the LW, its nice because it helps people get the ball up, but i think people see Phil loft in the air and they get all, OOH AAAH i need to do that.

[max power]

It depends on a couple factors-height of shot, how much room/rollout I want. Most my chipping is done w/ a 58* wedge, but when I want it to run out a little bit, or I'm just off the green and want to use a putting stroke I usually grab for a 52* wedge.

[Shindig]

I found it immensely helpful to find out how far my wedges go with different swings. I now know how far I can hit my 56, 52, and 47 with a quarter swing (shaft parallel to ground the first time) and with a half swing (left arm parallel to the ground).

So, I guess to answer your question: I tend to use multiple clubs, based on the distance. Obstacles in the way and so on also dictate these things, but other than bunkers and some occasional water, I rarely have much to worry about.

[sean_miller]

To me its more how much green is between you and the pin. I can be on the fringe of a long green, with the pin 60 feet away and use a 9-iron to chip and run across the green or putt it. Its not really the fairway its the pin. Even if i am 40 yards away if the pin is behind a bunker with a few paces on, i will take a lofted club.

Good summary.

@OP - you could do worse than printing this and trying it at the range.

[bmartin461]

To me its more how much green is between you and the pin. I can be on the fringe of a long green, with the pin 60 feet away and use a 9-iron to chip and run across the green or putt it. Its not really the fairway its the pin. Even if i am 40 yards away if the pin is behind a bunker with a few paces on, i will take a lofted club.

Thanks for all the replies. I have heard both theories, multiple clubs (Golf Fix) vs. Single Club (Utley) and I have been struggling with the single club, mostly leaving it way short.

I will try the multi-route, I think that will fit better with my playing style. Brad

[Fourputt]

I'm a high HC'er, but I have been trying to practice chipping using the same club, a 54 degree SW.

I will use anything from 8I to SW (don't carry a LW). I think you really short yourself if you get locked in on one club.

Thanks for all the replies. I have heard both theories, multiple clubs (Golf Fix) vs. Single Club (Utley) and I have been struggling with the single club, mostly leaving it way short.

If you are short most of the time then you should definitely start working with some lower lofted clubs to get more roll.

[bigoak]

I use putting grip and stroke with 8 iron most of time. that's old school so am I.

[596]

I use putting grip and stroke with 8 iron most of time. that's old school so am I.

Me too. I use an 8 iron nearly most of the time. Only if I've short sided my self will I use a lofted club. If the chip is longer then normal where I've missed with a really bad approach, I may use a 7 iron for the extra distance I need on the chip. I don't ever change my swing, even with the lofted iron, 8 iron or whatever.....I use nearly a putting stroke when I chip. Works like a charm. I save alot of strokes around the green with this approach to the short game. Keep it simple.....

[kennay92]

my club really depends on the lie. If it really tight lie and flag is pretty far away ill use somethin like a 9 iron. If its somewhat tight lie but dont have to far to go, i'll grab my sandwedge. And if I have a pretty fluffly lie when i know can easily get under the ball, I'll whip out my 60* lob wedge.

[shankalots]

my club really depends on the lie. If it really tight lie and flag is pretty far away ill use somethin like a 9 iron. If its somewhat tight lie but dont have to far to go, i'll grab my sandwedge. And if I have a pretty fluffly lie when i know can easily get under the ball, I'll whip out my 60* lob wedge.

I was going to post, then I read this.

[bwell]

If its a pretty flat lie I will use my 8i and do a little bump and run to the green, if I am worried that a bump and run wont work then I will use my 54*, and if I need to get the ball up I go for the 60*. I use a putter stoke for all my chips and that has really helped me out quite a bit...

[Stretch]

If you are short most of the time then you should definitely start working with some lower lofted clubs to get more roll.

Or, if you do decide to stick with the sand wedge, practice hitting it harder. You have to persuade your brain that it's safe to loft the ball higher and land it closer to the hole.

[Leftygolfer]

I chip/pitch with my 58 around 95% of the time. I've learned to hit any shot I want with this club. I can hit a low running chips or high soft pitches depending on ball position and openess of the face. I have a really hard time with less lofted clubs in predicting how it will react and run on the green. I just don't have that touch that some have with the PW or 9I chip. I've worked hard at being good around the green and for me the one club aproach using my mind to picture the trajectory/spin and landing spot is the way I go.

I really think this is all about preference. I used to use the different club approach a couple of years ago but didn't get the results I wanted. I can be more aggressive with the strike with more loft, predict where it will land better and how much it rolls out, just overall a more consistant way to handle myself around the greens. I play a game I call par 2 golf and I can get up and in around 50% of the time. My scores are anywhere from 7 to 12 over in this game and I am not holing all the putts I should.

[Dad-2-3]

Depends on the lie. 56 if I need to get it up over a hazard. It's usually a 52 degree wedge for me, but also use PW, 8i or 6i.

I like the LW, its nice because it helps people get the ball up, but i think people see Phil loft in the air and they get all, OOH AAAH i need to do that.

I agree with this. Earlier this year I dropped the 60 out of my bag and my scrambling improved. I admit, I don't have the skill for the high flop and stop shot and probably never will. I'm happier to get the ball on the ground and running asap. It took me 6 months of stubbornness, but I finally came around.

Good on ya if you can use the LW effectively!

[kpaulhus]

If I am on the fringe I have gotten used to putting the ball. I find I put it closer than most of my chips. If Im in the fairway or rough I chip with my 56. I have worked on being able to hit a high checking shot and a low runner. Its probably the most used club in my bag behind my putter.