Low pitch shot that checks up and stops HOW?

[Golfingdad]

Because the shot does not have a lot of forgiveness(most golfers will fat it a bunch) and it is hard for a ball to roll in the hole that stops on a bounce.

Exactly.

I would like to ask those that do use this shot:  Can you explain the situations where you find it useful, AND why a normal pitch shot with a bit of roll out wouldn't work in that same situation?

[Jakester23]

Exactly. I would like to ask those that do use this shot:  Can you explain the situations where you find it useful, AND why a normal pitch shot with a bit of roll out wouldn't work in that same situation?

I have no idea how to hit that shot. But for me a pitch shot any longer than 35-45 yards is really hard to hit close. I'm not good at judging roll out and carry on clubs besides my 58* so I don't really have a shot from 40-75 yards.

[cipher]

I have no idea how to hit that shot. But for me a pitch shot any longer than 35-45 yards is really hard to hit close. I'm not good at judging roll out and carry on clubs besides my 58* so I don't really have a shot from 40-75 yards.

Define close? Anything inside 35 feet or so for most of us is pretty solid.

http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.076.html (Tour stats from 50-75 yards)

[Golfingdad]

I have no idea how to hit that shot. But for me a pitch shot any longer than 35-45 yards is really hard to hit close. I'm not good at judging roll out and carry on clubs besides my 58* so I don't really have a shot from 40-75 yards.

50 yards is about as far as I can hit any pitch shot.  So if we're talking about 50-75 yards, then we're just talking about a 50-75% normal sand or lob wedge.  No reason why those clubs hit that distance wouldn't be able to stop quickly, considering the speed you'd have to hit it with.

I've found that my normal ball position (a little forward of center) yields more of a softer landing pitch that rolls a bit and if I put it back a little behind center, shorter backswing, and swing harder, its going to spin and not really release much.

[Dave2512]

My guess is until you get to a certain skill level you probably don't understand when to take your medicine and just suck it up playing it safe. You have already flubbed it missing the green. No reason to make it worse attempting a difficult shot. I know from tracking stats I am going to make a bogey at some point. Might as well make a smart bogey instead of a stupid double or worse trying to be Phil.

[Golfingdad]

My guess is until you get to a certain skill level you probably don't understand when to take your medicine and just suck it up playing it safe. You have already flubbed it missing the green. No reason to make it worse attempting a difficult shot. I know from tracking stats I am going to make a bogey at some point. Might as well make a smart bogey instead of a stupid double or worse trying to be Phil.

Right, but what I'm getting at (and I think Nate is saying as well) is that the normal pitch shot isn't really just "playing it safe."  Playing it safe implies that you are giving up something.  What, specifically, about the low checker means it's going to get closer to the hole than a pitch shot that will roll out some?

I definitely see that the low shot has a lot more risk, but where is the extra reward to ever justify that risk?  Even if you are at a certain skill level.

[MS256]

Exactly.

I would like to ask those that do use this shot:  Can you explain the situations where you find it useful, AND why a normal pitch shot with a bit of roll out wouldn't work in that same situation?

Useful when you are short-sided but can't go higher because of over-hanging limbs. (Semi-sarcasm).

Controlling distance with trajectory is almost always more predictable than controlling distance with exaggerated spin.

[MPtheKid]

You guys are crazy! I see 20 caps hitting low spinners that stop dead at the hole all the time!

[Jakester23]

Define close? Anything inside 35 feet or so for most of us is pretty solid.  [URL=http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.076.html]http://www.pgatour.com/stats/stat.076.html[/URL] (Tour stats from 50-75 yards)

Close to me means I can grab my putter. I'm not good at(which means I don't like) hitting pitches(taught here) longer than 40. I'm not even sure I'd ever use that checking wedge shot but it might be useful.

[Golfingdad]

Is this the type of shot we're talking about??

[Jakester23]

Is this the type of shot we're talking about??

Yep just like that.

[Golfingdad]

Yep just like that.

To me, that just seems like a half wedge shot with the ball back in the stance a bit, no?

[David in FL]

Right, but what I'm getting at (and I think Nate is saying as well) is that the normal pitch shot isn't really just "playing it safe."  Playing it safe implies that you are giving up something.  What, specifically, about the low checker means it's going to get closer to the hole than a pitch shot that will roll out some? I definitely see that the low shot has a lot more risk, but where is the extra reward to ever justify that risk?  Even if you are at a certain skill level.

That's why you're a 6 hcp, and dropping precipitously!

[Dave2512]

I don't see much risk in the Kuchar vid. Rather mundane 3rd shot on a par 5 that lands soft and checks a bit. I was thinking more the shot that they hit fairly solid that flies a few feet off the ground and skids to a halt that looks like it could run 20 yards past. Kuchar's pitch could have rolled 5 or so feet more and still been a great shot.

[Golfingdad]

I don't see much risk in the Kuchar vid. Rather mundane 3rd shot on a par 5 that lands soft and checks a bit. I was thinking more the shot that they hit fairly solid that flies a few feet off the ground and skids to a halt that looks like it could run 20 yards past. Kuchar's pitch could have rolled 5 or so feet more and still been a great shot.

Yeah, the one you describe here is the one I see pros hitting occasionally (but couldn't find a video of) and can't actually figure out a situation where it would be necessary.  You're not short-sided in that situation because you actually need a lot of green for the first few bounces.  I don't see the benefit vs. hitting a pitch and letting it roll gently to the hole.

Obviously, some of the pros hit it, so they see a need for it.  I'd be curious why.  Maybe its dictated by the lie.

[Dave2512]

Same can't think of a reason to not keep it as simple as possible. Like you would be curious to know why the pros do it. Honestly since seeing the pitching/chipping vids here I rarely if ever do anything else. Compared to what I see people doing on the course it seems like a fail safe method. My instructor asked if I wanted some short game help and I said no for now. My scrambling stats have declined a bit, just not making the putts but still getting up and down better than 50%.

[MS256]

Yeah, the one you describe here is the one I see pros hitting occasionally (but couldn't find a video of) and can't actually figure out a situation where it would be necessary.  You're not short-sided in that situation because you actually need a lot of green for the first few bounces.  I don't see the benefit vs. hitting a pitch and letting it roll gently to the hole.

Obviously, some of the pros hit it, so they see a need for it.  I'd be curious why.  Maybe its dictated by the lie.

Do you not have trees where you live?

I've have to hit that shot almost every time I end up here (which, unfortunately, is much more than occasionally).

High is out of the question because the trees are too tall and very low odds of going along the ground over tree roots, through a swale, and up a bank of Bermuda rough.

Only good option is a line drive that checks up.

Edit: And it's also the best miss if it doesn't check.

[iacas]

Exactly.

I would like to ask those that do use this shot:  Can you explain the situations where you find it useful, AND why a normal pitch shot with a bit of roll out wouldn't work in that same situation?

I hit one at Kinsale with Matt and George two months ago.

No real reason. Just felt like a good shot at the time. Wanted to fly the ball over the fringe, pin was on an upslope, and it felt like the best way to get close. A low shot would have hit the fringe and may have been soft or taken the spin off. A higher shot probably wouldn't have gone up the slope far enough.

But it's pretty rare.