Erik Hitting a Few Chips and Pitches

[Kapanda]

You don't mention which club you're using...

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Kapanda

You don't mention which club you're using...

I think I might have. 60° club with 22° bounce.

[Jakester23]

I was off golf for a few years and never was that good around the green when I played a few years back so this video is amazing. I have a few question for you sir. Can you give me a few instances in when you would use a chip shot over a pitch shot and a few instances when you would use the pitch shot over a chip shot. Also I was wondering what I should be using for wedges for these particular shots meaning loft and bounce. I have some old wedges and I want to replace them this winter anyway so some suggetions would be great. My irons came with a 50 degree gap wedge in case that affects what you think I should get. Thanks

[LuciusWooding]

Pretty good video. Confirmed pretty much what I've been doing. The pitches were about the same general technique I'm using, but the chips were surprisingly low. The first few seemed about normal height for my technique, but 3:03 came off really low, like you caught it a bit thin. On a closer look, though, it looked like you put some spin on it, catching it cleaner than the others with more of a sharp attack. I take it it put on the brakes on the second bounce with the cup ~12-15 feet away?

I have to ask, does that kind of shot feel like sweet spot contact, or is it a touch thin? I've hit shots that have spun a bit (no urethane balls, sadly), but I have a hard time with that exact shot because it's hard to tell from the feedback whether I did it right. I have no problem spinning the ball on full or half shots, and I can control the trajectory pretty well to stop it and hit it solid from various lies, but this particular shot eludes me and it'd be nice to have just in case. Does it basically require a tour ball and decent grooves?

By the way, you made me check my mail near the end. Shame on you.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by Jakester23

Can you give me a few instances in when you would use a chip shot over a pitch shot and a few instances when you would use the pitch shot over a chip shot. Also I was wondering what I should be using for wedges for these particular shots meaning loft and bounce.

Chip shot would be carrying the ball a short distance and having it run out.  Pitch is using the bounce, med/high trajectory, not having the ball release as much when it hits the green.

Get as much bounce as you can possibly find in a wedge.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/57874/my-edel-wedges-or-super-bounce-and-why-its-good-for-you-or-the-sweet-spot-is-finally-in-the-right-place

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Jakester23

Can you give me a few instances in when you would use a chip shot over a pitch shot and a few instances when you would use the pitch shot over a chip shot. Also I was wondering what I should be using for wedges for these particular shots meaning loft and bounce. I have some old wedges and I want to replace them this winter anyway so some suggetions would be great. My irons came with a 50 degree gap wedge in case that affects what you think I should get. Thanks

1. I almost never "chip." I define a "chip" as using the leading edge. I'm almost always using the bounce. I would use a chip when I have very little fringe and want to roll the ball a long way, and the ball is sitting up just fine, or is even sitting up in some longer grass. No worries about stubbing those.

2. Get as much bounce as you can.

3. I play most of my shots with my 60° club because it has the most bounce (22°).

Originally Posted by LuciusWooding

The pitches were about the same general technique I'm using, but the chips were surprisingly low. The first few seemed about normal height for my technique, but 3:03 came off really low, like you caught it a bit thin. On a closer look, though, it looked like you put some spin on it, catching it cleaner than the others with more of a sharp attack. I take it it put on the brakes on the second bounce with the cup ~12-15 feet away?

A bit. It didn't have a lot more spin, it just came out low, hit the ground sooner, hopped, skidded, and came to a stop at the same point as the other shots (except the super high one at the end). And I think the spot they all ended up at was about 20 feet away.

Originally Posted by LuciusWooding

I have to ask, does that kind of shot feel like sweet spot contact, or is it a touch thin? I've hit shots that have spun a bit (no urethane balls, sadly), but I have a hard time with that exact shot because it's hard to tell from the feedback whether I did it right. I have no problem spinning the ball on full or half shots, and I can control the trajectory pretty well to stop it and hit it solid from various lies, but this particular shot eludes me and it'd be nice to have just in case. Does it basically require a tour ball and decent grooves?

It does require those things, yes, but I wouldn't say it feels thin at all. All else the same if I'm going for spin I'd RATHER catch the ball a half a groove thin than half a groove fat, but executed properly, these feel good too. Remember, more shaft lean moves contact farther up on the face, too.

[natureboy]

What right hand grip do you employ for short pitches like these, or do you vary it?

[mvmac]

What right hand grip do you employ for short pitches like these, or do you vary it?

I don't think Erik varies the grip.

[iacas]

What right hand grip do you employ for short pitches like these, or do you vary it?

The same grip I use for my full swing.

Heck, it's only been the last few years I didn't putt with that same grip.

[MattM]

I want to revive this because it's probably one of the best vids/threads this forum has!  Insanely valuable information. 

I will have your video on when I'm hitting pitch shots in my basement trying to get this feeling correct for this year.

I wanted to point out a couple of things from a novice that is helping me better be able to hit the type of pitches you do for new people.

From the beginning I had a hard time using my pivot to get the club through the motion instead of using my arms so what I do is keep my hands more in close to my body and start the backswing by slightly pivoting back.  This seems to get my hands working at the same speed as my body as opposed to quickening the clubhead faster than my body rotation.

The other one I'm still have trouble with, and that's making sure that the right hand does not turn over AT ALL because the right hand staying open is (from what I've noticed) the main part of the swing that activates the bounce. 

I can tell when I'm turning my right hand over slightly when the ball still pops up like it should but roles out more and I don't get the nice flat smack feel of the bounce on the turf (blade slightly digs).  If I keep the right hand from turning over it feel absolutely amazing! I can literally feel the bottom of the club smack on the ground and lift the ball up from the bottom!  When I do it right there is absolutely no roll forward.  When I turn my right hand slightly it feels more like I'm hitting the ball with a level swing that propels it slightly more forward than up and results in more roll out than I want. 

Hopefully this will help new people try to get it...

[b101]

As above, I really love this thread and that video is brilliant. I did have a couple of questions for you @iacas, if you have the time.

1) I currently have two wedges with 12 degrees of bounce - would that be enough for these kind of shots?

2) I am seriously tempted by an Edel fitting this summer and trying to maximise the bounce on my wedges. However, I don't think I use the exact pitching method you guys do - mine's more arm-driven at the moment. Would that be a major hindrance to using very high bounce wedges?

3) Based on this, I guess you just tend to use the one club around the greens and manipulate the loft? If that's the case, do you have different wedges for different jobs, rather than necessarily different lofts? Not sure if this totally gets across what I mean - if you just use one around the green, would you have any other 'specific task' wedges?

Thanks, as ever.

[ppine]

I was out yesterday practising these shots outdoors on a green.  There were also two deep bunkers to practice coming out of .  This sort of practice is invaluable.  Many ranges have no provision for it.  I went to the best club around that also happens to be open to the public.  I will be spending time their each week getting used to the new wedges.  This is the kind of practice that can be a game changer.

[freshmanUTA]

Not sure if it's been asked, but why do you seem to hold the left elbow away from your body after you hit the shot? Does it help to prevent mishits or is it more of something that you developed and don't care about removing since the results are okay.

[metbid]

Does the high loft pitch, off your front foot with the club face open, check up with backspin or roll out?

[iacas]

7 hours ago, b101 said:

1) I currently have two wedges with 12 degrees of bounce - would that be enough for these kind of shots?

2) I am seriously tempted by an Edel fitting this summer and trying to maximise the bounce on my wedges. However, I don't think I use the exact pitching method you guys do - mine's more arm-driven at the moment. Would that be a major hindrance to using very high bounce wedges?

3) Based on this, I guess you just tend to use the one club around the greens and manipulate the loft? If that's the case, do you have different wedges for different jobs, rather than necessarily different lofts? Not sure if this totally gets across what I mean - if you just use one around the green, would you have any other 'specific task' wedges?

Thanks, as ever.

1. Sure. More is often good (unless there's no heel relief), but 12 is plenty if you trust it, and use it.
2. No. Just a hindrance to using any glide you can get. Learn to trust the glide.
3. No, I use my 54 and 48 quite often too. They have 17 and 14° bounce, respectively.

2 hours ago, freshmanUTA said:

Not sure if it's been asked, but why do you seem to hold the left elbow away from your body after you hit the shot? Does it help to prevent mishits or is it more of something that you developed and don't care about removing since the results are okay.

I don't know what you mean.

My left elbow stays kind of close to me. If I push the handle out (a chip more so, more leading edge) my left arm can get away from me.

1 minute ago, metbid said:

Does the high loft pitch, off your front foot with the club face open, check up with backspin or roll out?

Most of those shots spin out a bit. The blow is so glancing that the ball doesn't get much spin. I stop the ball and control the distance with trajectory. That's not a "spinner."

[metbid]

4 minutes ago, iacas said:

1. Most of those shots spin out a bit. The blow is so glancing that the ball doesn't get much spin. I stop the ball and control the distance with trajectory. That's not a "spinner."

Thank you.  I play with some guys that always seem to be able to get backspin on their chips, but mine 'spin out', so I guess I will just work on distance control.

Edited April 9, 2016 by metbid

[iacas]

19 minutes ago, metbid said:

Thank you.  I play with some guys that always seem to be able to get backspin on their chips, but mine 'spin out', so I guess I will just work on distance control.

I was talking about the high pitches. I can hit a spinner, too. I usually don't opt for it because they're less predictable, but can hit it when I want.

[billchao]

I have a Titleist Vokey SM5 60.10 with an M grind that I tend to use for most of my pitches, but I have a tendency to slide the club underneath the ball and come up short at times, especially out of greenside rough. Is that a technique issue or am I not properly accounting for the lie?