Chipping technique: hinge and hold vs. more straight back and through

[SoundandFury]

Screwed up my next swinging a 5w so I was forced to put in some quality short game practice.

I've been using the hinge and hold method for a while with pretty decent results.  Contact is clean (so long as I pay attention and don't get lazy), however I've had problems with distance control.  I chip exclusively with my 60*, my chips are almost always long using the H&H; method.

This morning I was having the same issue, and decided to try a much less wristy chip.  The first thing I noticed was that I didn't have to be quite so exact to get near the hole, meaning I could take the club back much further and instead of the ball sailing to the hole and bouncing off the green, the chip would go higher, check, and release.  Another thing with the H&H;: the ball simply would not check.  With less wrist, the ball checked every time.

Anyone have any experience using both? Prefer one over the other?

[dak4n6]

I ahve always advocated creative wedge play (although this may not be the best advice for beginners). Yes, I use both, and these shots are pretty much as you describe, although off of a clean lie you should be able to generate some spin for longer chips with the H&H; depending on your ball and your wedge condition. I call your second method 'dead-handed' chipping (think Stricker), and it produces a nice high soft ball and IMO is much easier than and open faced flop.

I don't really prefer one over the other and use them as the situation calls for.

[saevel25]

I do neither, i try to get the feeling of the club floating, really a smooth swing were i can feel the weight of the club. Almost like i am moving the club at one smooth speed through the shot.  I just try to keep my hands close to my body and rotate my body towards the target, pivoting around my left knee. I like to feel like my hands finish near my left hip. I know i hit with good feel if the ball effortlessly comes off the clubface and goes the distance. If your slowing down, or speeding up through impact, your not chipping right. I know i am chipping good when my tempo is smooth. I don't try to hold the wrist angle, just let the wrist naturally unhinge through the shot, let the weight of the club do the work. What this does is, due to the natural movement of the clubhead, it brings the bounce into play, and i can actually hit slightly behind the ball and still get a good result. So i don't worry about having to pick the ball clean off the tight fairway.

A smaller version of what Matt Kutcher does on Pitching