5 Feet Off The Green - Front Pin... What Do You Do?

[mdl]

Maybe I don't end up putting this shot often enough so don't have enough practice, but when I do putt it I feel like I end up with a very tough par putt too often.  The speed needed to clear the fairway/fringe is too unpredictable for my taste.

It might be true that, even given that inconsistency, the distribution of distances I'll end up from the hole after putting is better than the one I'll get from pitching it.  But I generally prefer pitching this cause with a good lie I feel I'm totally in control of how well the pitch ends up, whereas when putting through 5 feet of fairway/fringe, I'm always left with just hoping that my read of the speed needed is correct and that the ball will roll at least relatively true before getting to the green.

[rehmwa]

Originally Posted by mdl

Maybe I don't end up putting this shot often enough so don't have enough practice, but when I do putt it I feel like I end up with a very tough par putt too often.  The speed needed to clear the fairway/fringe is too unpredictable for my taste.

It might be true that, even given that inconsistency, the distribution of distances I'll end up from the hole after putting is better than the one I'll get from pitching it.  But I generally prefer pitching this cause with a good lie I feel I'm totally in control of how well the pitch ends up, whereas when putting through 5 feet of fairway/fringe, I'm always left with just hoping that my read of the speed needed is correct and that the ball will roll at least relatively true before getting to the green.

typically a 'great' pitch shot is = a relatively mediocre putt

I thought my pitch was pretty decent/repeatable and I decided to go to the green and just hit 10 balls from the same spot for each of the following:

- putting

- chipping

- pitching

^  that order ended up being the order of best results (though I was happier with my chipping and pitching, than my putting.  I expected a lot more from the putting even when it did do better.....)

your mileage may vary -

strangely enough, I still (not very often, but I still do) practice this shot with chipping and pitching, but neglect to practice the putting option...need to fix that

[mdl]

Originally Posted by saevel25

so the pin is a few spaces on the front of the green.

Ball in the rough, ball sitting up, i will tend to try to pick the ball clean with a chipping stroke, like a putting motion.

Ball in the rough, ball sitting down, if its deep grass, i will kinda play a chunk in run bunker shot. Ball a bit more back, lots of wrist hinge, drop the club on the ball, let the weight of the club pop the ball into the air softly.

If its the fringe, depends on the condition of the fringe. If its really mowed down i will putt it. Usually i will just use a 58 degree and chip the ball.

This is almost exactly my set of preferences.  Though one caveat.  In the situation posited by the OP, I want to use my 60˚ almost all the time.  But if I've "long-sided" myself and am 3-5 feet off the green but something like 80-100 feet from the pin, I would more seriously consider putting.  I'm very confident in my little no-wrist clean-pick chip shot when I'm 20 feet from the pin, but even though I'm not the best lag putter in the world, I know for sure that my spread on 80 foot putts is smaller than on my 25-30 yard pitches, even though on a lot of days I feel pretty confident in those too.

[TJBam]

This has been an interesting thread but has left a lot to the imagination.  Next time you come up on one of these shots maybe snap a shot with your phone.  Close to the ball to easily read the lie and with the flag in view etc.  Maybe someone will suggest a short-game play that you didn't think of.

[RayG]

short clean grass? putt, putt, putt... BUT- if the grass is a bit fuzzy, a 5wd or hybrid club with a putter stroke will get the ball on top of the fuzzy stuff and rolling better than any putt or normal chip shot.

[RickK]

Assuming fairway length grass between me and the hole, I would "putt it" with a 6 iron.  Works great for me as long as I leave the wrist out of the shot.  Flipping it with the wrist...that shot becomes ugly.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by David in FL

Do you post that score for handicap?

I believe he should.  Qualifies as "hardly any cheating" to me.

[mp33 man]

1st choice - putt it if the fringe looks clean 2nd - a little chip with 8 or 9i (if the green if really fast, chip shot with PW even) I think this scenario is also a nice one for me to learn to use my hybrid or fairway woods in a putting stroke.  That might line up in between those two but I believe that option is for something a little farther away than just 5 feet and in the short apron grass.....But I'd like to get input on that too, where is that fw putting shot used mostly....?

I love to hit my 60 deg wedge on almost all pitches (I feel as though I know how that club will react in most scenarios) but I can't deny that when I putt with either my 2i hybrid or putter I end up with a tighter circle around the cup. I think that allot of people get away from putting this shot because its not very sexy. To answer your question I'll actually even hit this shot with my hybrid out of the rough or the fairway. Like I said before it doesn't look very sexy (especially out of the rough) but it seems to be allot easier motion to repeat/maintain for those of us who may not get as much practice as we would like.

[kevin.chan]

It all depends on the course , green ( elevated or flat to fairway  , fairway thickness etc ) , green speed , green contour , dry or wet fairway

I use my 56 / 60 a lot for those <25 yards ( ball to pin distance ) .

< 10 yards , putt !

[Teamanglerx]

For those who are interested I added my handicap as computed from Oobgolf.  I have never kept a handicap but I know its high but I am not ashamed of it.

I will be the first to admit I missed the part in the OP about the tight fairway lie.  In this case I would use my SW with a putting stroke.  This has worked for me on a regular basis.

My "baby flop" is what I would use if it was in the rough.  I use it to "pop" the ball up and get it to sit down with little roll.  I have practiced this shot a lot and have become pretty good at it.

[rehmwa]

Originally Posted by mp33 man

my hybrid out of the rough or the fairway. Like I said before it doesn't look very sexy (especially out of the rough) but it seems to be allot easier motion to repeat/maintain

Bingo - maybe a shot isn't sexy.  But what's really sexy is sinking that shot.  Or getting up and down a lot more than doing it the other way.  (whatever shot makes that happen)

[Slice of Life]

Chip it with my 60. One of my favorite scenarios and I'm very upset with myself if I can't get that up and down.

[mdl]

Originally Posted by rehmwa

typically a 'great' pitch shot is = a relatively mediocre putt

I thought my pitch was pretty decent/repeatable and I decided to go to the green and just hit 10 balls from the same spot for each of the following:

- putting

- chipping

- pitching

^  that order ended up being the order of best results (though I was happier with my chipping and pitching, than my putting.  I expected a lot more from the putting even when it did do better.....)

your mileage may vary -

strangely enough, I still (not very often, but I still do) practice this shot with chipping and pitching, but neglect to practice the putting option...need to fix that

Speaking of mileage varying, see my post immediately after this one (I posted it before I saw your reply).

I haven't done an actual experiment on the practice green, but my current feeling, possibly clouded by liking feeling more in control of a short chip instead of a putt through non-green grass, is more confidence with little chip over a putt when total distance is ~20 feet.

But I'm certain you're right when the total distance is more like 60-80 feet.  I'm no dominant lag putter and will definitely leave myself some knee-knockers for the 2nd putt, but the results with the putter will surely be better on average than with the wedge from 25 yards.  I just feel very confident with the super short little clean pick no wrist chip shot with my 60˚

[WUTiger]

For starters, quit hitting those just-short shots. When in doubt, take an extra club and get the ball on the green. It's a lot easier to putt backward 10 feet than to get up and down from in front of the green. Tennis players would call those short shots an unforced error.

Originally Posted by Dave2512

Bump an 8 or 9 iron that lands on the edge of the green and rolls 15-20 feet. Assuming by 6 paces you mean 18 feet. Though with just 5 feet and in the fairway with no rough spots I'd probably putt it.

If you occasionally have something from the edge fairway: You can putt it If you have a smooth slope or a flat lie for the approach.

The 8i chip-and-run shot is a good one, but many people have forgotten about it because of the LW. For the 8i or any other club, make sure you land the ball in a flat spot if possible. Landing on an angled lie can deflect the ball left or right, and hitting an upslope can kill the roll.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by mvmac

Putt it every time

I'd chip it every time.

[moog77]

Use a rescue club idiot proof chipping

[joekelly]

No club is 'idiot proof'. Idiots can ruin any shot with any club. In regards the practice mentioned of putting v. chipping v. pitching 10 balls from the same spot, that scenario never happens.  During the practice once we see the first putt is  short we increase the speed of the club head on the next to get more distance. In real life we get one shot only. If ball in rough 10 ft from green and hole another 20 ft beyond i gotta go with my 'most confident  shot' which is usually the 8i chip. Here i would open the club face a bit, chip onto the green and let it run into the hole. BIRDIE!   Your  choice may be different and results may vary.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by WUTiger

For starters, quit hitting those just-short shots. When in doubt, take an extra club and get the ball on the green. It's a lot easier to putt backward 10 feet than to get up and down from in front of the green. Tennis players would call those short shots an unforced error.

Uh...I'm not sure that I agree with that at all. A lot of greens are very slippery putting backwards towards the hole, in that case I'd much rather try to get up and down with a 5 yard chip + putt than try to 2 putt downhill from 15 ft.