Pitching and Chipping practice

[RFKFREAK]

So, today I put up a dreadful score but my long game and my short iron play was good (at least, for me).

My putting was bad (three 3 putts and one 4 putt on the day) which hurt but leaving myself long putts after chipping or pitching I feel really did me in.

So, it got me to thinking how people practice their chipping and pitching.  I'm really bad at distances and outside of busting out a measuring stick to see how far I am, I'm wondering what people do.

[saevel25]

http://thesandtrap.com/t/39411/quickie-pitching-video

Watch, practice, learn.

Distance control can only be gained with a repetitive swing, being a full swing or a pitching swing. Learn the proper method, and then practice the hell out of it. If you are mishitting shots, you are not doing it right, watch again and practice some more. When you get consistent, then you can hit a lot of balls from different ranges to gain feel.

[mvmac]

http://thesandtrap.com/t/39411/quickie-pitching-video

Watch, practice, learn.

Distance control can only be gained with a repetitive swing, being a full swing or a pitching swing. Learn the proper method, and then practice the hell out of it. If you are mishitting shots, you are not doing it right, watch again and practice some more. When you get consistent, then you can hit a lot of balls from different ranges to gain feel.

I'll also add this

http://thesandtrap.com/t/70998/chipping-with-a-putting-method

http://thesandtrap.com/t/60526/erik-hitting-a-few-chips-and-pitches

Yeah distance control comes with a consistent strike.  If contact is all over the place distance control is going to be a problem because you don't know how the ball is going to come off the face.  Work on using the bounce, shallow angle of attack mechanics, and you'll see your distance control improve.

[billchao]

http://thesandtrap.com/t/39411/quickie-pitching-video

Watch, practice, learn.

Distance control can only be gained with a repetitive swing, being a full swing or a pitching swing. Learn the proper method, and then practice the hell out of it. If you are mishitting shots, you are not doing it right, watch again and practice some more. When you get consistent, then you can hit a lot of balls from different ranges to gain feel.

This is good advice.

I'll just add one thing: once you get consistent, the ball's behavior on the green starts to get predicable. For me, hitting a short shot is all about getting the ball to land in the spot I'm aiming for. If I can execute that part, I'll can generally get it close unless I misread the green and picked the wrong landing spot.

I practice that in my backyard. I'll hit balls to a certain target - I use an actual object or a chipping net - and try to land it right on it. I do this from different distances every few shots so I can get a good feel for distance control as opposed to just adjusting to the same shot over and over. I'll also hit balls different trajectories from the same spot to practice different shots.

[MS256]

This time of year I am playing on dormant Bermuda that is longer than normal but matted over with a lot of grain.

Distance control on less than full shots falls apart for every one of us. Winning comes down to who limits the damage the most and that usually means changing techniques to more of a putting style sweep with more club and staying away from trying to use the bounce against the grain. The grain will catch the leading edge and suck it right under the ball.

Winning scores in our games are 4 to 6 strokes higher that they were when the grass wasn't dormant (happens every year).

P.S. Another thing that happens every year is the winning scores will start to creep back down to about 2 strokes above normal as everybody gets used to using adjusted techniques and taking their medicine when the shot they would like to hit just isn't an option.

[Ernest Jones]

Also, make sure you practice and play the same way. I hit a bad patch this year where I was hitting my pitches well but not getting good result proximity wise. It dawned on me that when practicing in the back yard I was focusing on my landing spot exclusively due to rollout being almost non existent. When I was on the golf course I was focusing on my end target much more than my landing spot so distance control was all out of whack. Once I caught onto that I started figuring out my anticipated rollout and corresponding landing spot and once that calculation was done I would focus exclusively on my landing spot just like I do in the backyard. Distance control and proximity to the hole improved drastically. I know some people focus on the end target and swear by it and I'm NOT advocating one method over the other, just saying make sure you are consistent with the method you're using. The advantage of the landing spot method is that you don't need a green to practice.

[billchao]

Also, make sure you practice and play the same way. I hit a bad patch this year where I was hitting my pitches well but not getting good result proximity wise. It dawned on me that when practicing in the back yard I was focusing on my landing spot exclusively due to rollout being almost non existent. When I was on the golf course I was focusing on my end target much more than my landing spot so distance control was all out of whack.

Once I caught onto that I started figuring out my anticipated rollout and corresponding landing spot and once that calculation was done I would focus exclusively on my landing spot just like I do in the backyard. Distance control and proximity to the hole improved drastically.

I know some people focus on the end target and swear by it and I'm NOT advocating one method over the other, just saying make sure you are consistent with the method you're using. The advantage of the landing spot method is that you don't need a green to practice.

Yea, after reading this post, I realized I didn't make it clear that you have to anticipate rollout. That was what I was getting at when I said the ball's behavior on the green becomes predicable. I have a pretty good idea of how my ball will roll on the green and that allows me to focus on my landing spot.

[Ernest Jones]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

Also, make sure you practice and play the same way. I hit a bad patch this year where I was hitting my pitches well but not getting good result proximity wise. It dawned on me that when practicing in the back yard I was focusing on my landing spot exclusively due to rollout being almost non existent. When I was on the golf course I was focusing on my end target much more than my landing spot so distance control was all out of whack.

Once I caught onto that I started figuring out my anticipated rollout and corresponding landing spot and once that calculation was done I would focus exclusively on my landing spot just like I do in the backyard. Distance control and proximity to the hole improved drastically.

I know some people focus on the end target and swear by it and I'm NOT advocating one method over the other, just saying make sure you are consistent with the method you're using. The advantage of the landing spot method is that you don't need a green to practice.

Yea, after reading this post, I realized I didn't make it clear that you have to anticipate rollout. That was what I was getting at when I said the ball's behavior on the green becomes predicable. I have a pretty good idea of how my ball will roll on the green and that allows me to focus on my landing spot.

Yeah, I wasn't really responding to anyones post in particular, just throwing my two cents in. Really, in both scenarios I was anticipating rollout but the way I was visualization the shots was completely different and visualization is SO important in golf and even more so in the touchy, feely parts of the game.

[dfreuter415]

When my daughter was 5 years old (23 years ago) I took her to the local library for a pre-reading class. While she was in class I sat in the library and read a number of golf instruction books. The lessons that I was able to incorporate into my own personal short game came from Greg Norman.  Here are three lessons that I found online that have been very helpful to me.

Throw Yourself Into the Short Game - http://www.shark.com/sharkwatch/instruction/lesson36.php

The Chip Shot - http://www.shark.com/sharkwatch/instruction/tip38.php

Master The Method, Vary The Clubs - http://www.shark.com/sharkwatch/instruction/lesson41.php

Best wishes on this part of your game.

[chip n run]

For me, pitching and chipping are the fun parts of the game.  I practice them often to stay sharp.  I like to give myself bad lies, thick rough, hardpan, etc. because that's what you face on the course.  When I'm confronted with those situations, I'm more familiar with those kinds of lies.  So, practice as often as you can, but make it interesting.

[smetz10]

I have a tough time with my short irons. I can spin my long irons most of the time. When it comes to my short irons I can't spin or stop the ball on the green. I've been practicing 100 yards in at least twice a week. I'm not getting any better. Any help would be appreciated

[mvmac]

I have a tough time with my short irons. I can spin my long irons most of the time. When it comes to my short irons I can't spin or stop the ball on the green. I've been practicing 100 yards in at least twice a week. I'm not getting any better. Any help would be appreciated

How is the contact?

[smetz10]

My shots feel solid. I do swing down on the ball. I don't know if I'm playing the ball too far foreword or know if it's my swing or a little of both

[rkim291968]

At home, I have two chip shot practice routines.   Using various clubs, I try to hit 1' x 1' spot from 3 feet out.  If I hit it, SW will go 6 feet (3 feet carry, 3 feet roll), PW will go 9 feet, etc..   I also practice getting within 3 feet of a hole from 6 - 9 yards out using various wedges (LW, SW, PW).

At range, I practice hitting LW about 15 yards.  ( Using same swing motion, SW will go 20 yards, GW 25 yards, etc..  )   I practice chip putt using 7i just off green rather than putting from fringe.