Do you ever practice putting with a wedge (SW, GW or PW) off the first cut...

[GolfLug]

..and more importantly which do you/would you improve more: your putting stroke or chipping stroke? I think it helps both but better for chipping improvement - especially cleaner contact.

Opinions/experiences?

[rkim291968]

I do with 7i which I can simulate putting motion much better.   The chip-putt works for me very well, so much so that, I use it all the time (i.e, don't putt from off green).   It's something I started practicing about 12 months ago.   I am glad I did.

[mmoan2]

..and more importantly which do you/would you improve more: your putting stroke or chipping stroke? I think it helps both but better for chipping improvement - especially cleaner contact.

Opinions/experiences?

Maybe someone else can correct/explain to me, but I never saw the need for practicing this shot. If I'm on the first cut, I think a putter is the club to use 100% of the time. I could never understand people who "practice" chipping with a 56 or 60 degree wedge on the first cut when there's like two feet to the green and the pin is 40 feet away. It makes no sense to do anything but putt in that situation to me. I swear that's what some people pass off as short game practice.

As to your question - I don't think practicing putting with a wedge helps. I only chip with the "traditional" method - feet flared forward, ball near back of stance, shaft pressed forward. I don't like to use the shot that often, either. I don't think a putting stroke with a wedge would help me.

[mmoan2]

I do with 7i which I can simulate putting motion much better.   The chip-putt works for me very well, so much so that, I use it all the time (i.e, don't putt from off green).   It's something I started practicing about 12 months ago.   I am glad I did.

Using an iron to fly over the fringe and take the thick grass out of play makes sense to me, but I think distance control with a putter is so much easier to master. Even from the fringe. If there's 10 feet, then I'll probably chip. But a putter is designed to make that kind of shot, while an iron or wedge requires manipulation to become useful.

[GolfLug]

Maybe someone else can correct/explain to me, but I never saw the need for practicing this shot. If I'm on the first cut, I think a putter is the club to use 100% of the time. I could never understand people who "practice" chipping with a 56 or 60 degree wedge on the first cut when there's like two feet to the green and the pin is 40 feet away. It makes no sense to do anything but putt in that situation to me. I swear that's what some people pass off as short game practice.

As to your question - I don't think practicing putting with a wedge helps. I only chip with the "traditional" method - feet flared forward, ball near back of stance, shaft pressed forward. I don't like to use the shot that often, either. I don't think a putting stroke with a wedge would help me.

Oh, it's not the 'situation' you are practicing for. It is the stroke technique. for eg. people who frequently hit fat chips can greatly benefit from learning the value of keeping the blade of the wedge moving mostly horizontally through impact like a putter, etc..

Anyway, I don't actually ever putt with a wedge. If I try to belly it in situation where you are right on the cusp of the fringe, I just end up popping up the ball like a regular chip.

EDIT: I should clarify practicing form the first cut as you don't want to actually use your wedge on a green - unhappy greens-keeper!

[rkim291968]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkim291968

I do with 7i which I can simulate putting motion much better.   The chip-putt works for me very well, so much so that, I use it all the time (i.e, don't putt from off green).   It's something I started practicing about 12 months ago.   I am glad I did.

Using an iron to fly over the fringe and take the thick grass out of play makes sense to me, but I think distance control with a putter is so much easier to master. Even from the fringe. If there's 10 feet, then I'll probably chip. But a putter is designed to make that kind of shot, while an iron or wedge requires manipulation to become useful.

I agree but I always had hard time controlling distance with putter from off green.

[Natural Patrick]

No, I don't putt with a wedge (SW,GW or PW) if I swing any of those clubs the ball is coming off the ground more than 6" " bump and run " If the ball leaves the ground even if it's only a couple of inches. I don't consider it a putt. Yes I know opinions vary and I'm just giving mine.

[Fourputt]

..and more importantly which do you/would you improve more: your putting stroke or chipping stroke? I think it helps both but better for chipping improvement - especially cleaner contact.

Opinions/experiences?

No.  If I can't use a putter, then I chip.  I rarely chip when my ball lies on the fringe.

[Tgb02]

I don't practice it but in the last few weeks my go to shot is just using my pitching wedge and using a putting stroke. For some reason I can judge the speed a lot better doing that and its been so wet out here lately that putting from the fringe/first cut is nearly impossible.

[Jeremie Boop]

I've been using my 50* wedge when I'm just off the green for a lot of shots. However if I'm on the fringe and semi close to the hole I'll putt it. If I'm on the fringe but more than 25' from the hole I'll chip/bump and run with the 50* wedge. Since I started doing this over the last few rounds it's worked much better for me. I don't practice it, I just do it.

[iacas]

Practice it? No. Very little to no SV, simply due to a low O-Value.

I play the shot when required, but… also can't remember the last time I had to play that shot.

[saevel25]

I voted no

I hardly use this shot. It's not difficult to execute. No need to practice.

[oregongolfguy]

I went no.  when I have that shot I am going to use putter anyways...Waaayyy easier for me to get the ball consistently close to the hole with putter.

[Ernest Jones]

Never practice it but do use it often. I'll use anything from a 7i to LW depending on what I want the ball to do when it lands.

[MSchott]

I have but as said above the need for this is rare. When the ball is on the fringe, resting against the rough, the leading edge of a wedge can be a better choice than a putter or a chip. But from the fringe generally a putter is the right club to use. I've also chipped with a hybrid to bump the ball over the fringe from the rough and get it rolling. This is easier than chipping with a longer iron. It all depends how far you are from the flag.

[Mac62]

I voted no.  If I'm going to make a putting stroke from off the green with any club other than a putter, I use my 3H - and I do use that shot somewhat often when I have a lie and run-up to the green which allows me to "putt" with the 3H rather than chip or pitch (I put "putt" in quotes because it's actually closer to a bump and run than an actual putt, but made with a putting stroke).

If I'm close enough to the green to be on the first cut, I can't see much of a reason to use anything else but a putter.  A putting stroke with a wedge is essentially a chip, and it's almost guaranteed that my worst putt will turn out much better than my worst chip.  I only chip if I can't putt, and only pitch if I can't chip.

[Mr. Desmond]

I voted yes, although I do it for fun when I'm pitching around the greens. I'll stop and hit some putts with a 60. Can't be tight on this putt. How relaxed are you?

[David in FL]

Practice it? No. I play the shot when required, but… also can't remember the last time I had to play that shot.

This exactly. I played in a tournament awhile back with a guy who did not carry a putter. Bellied a wedge for every putt.....pretty well too. Said he'd been doing it for a couple of years when he broke his putter in a fit of rage and never replaced it.