Pro chipping

[deekay]

Hi all,

I am interested to know why it is that when I watch the pros play a greenside chip (not a pitch, from further out) they almost always seem to play the ball waaay back in their stance, sometimes even outside their back foot. This seems contrary to a lot of advice seen on this and other sites.

Surely even highly skilled pros would want to play a shot with (supposedly) a higher margin for error, using the bounce?

[iacas]

By definition here chips use the leading edge. Pitches use more bounce.

I'm not sure the camera angles are directly square. Turning your feet forward can be deceptive too.

[Marty2019]

27 minutes ago, deekay said:

Hi all,

I am interested to know why it is that when I watch the pros play a greenside chip (not a pitch, from further out) they almost always seem to play the ball waaay back in their stance, sometimes even outside their back foot. This seems contrary to a lot of advice seen on this and other sites.

Surely even highly skilled pros would want to play a shot with (supposedly) a higher margin for error, using the bounce?

I think it has to do with the skill level of the pro golfers.   I see lots of times the pros hit down on their chip shots and sort of stick the club in the ground with very little follow through.  This requires a very precise strike on the ball with very little margin for error.  Most amateur golfers are better off not trying that.   But that's just my opinion.   I may be wrong.  

[freshmanUTA]

12 minutes ago, iacas said:

By definition here chips use the leading edge. Pitches use more bounce.

I'm not sure the camera angles are directly square. Turning your feet forward can be deceptive too.

I think this is the main reason you see it like that.

If you watch them hitting shots when they warm up most of the balls and divots are around the middle with some deviation. 

 

Phil is the only player I've seen so far out it that far back, and even this picture is messing with you because his stance is open so it's more around where his heel is in a normal stance.

 

 

[GolfLug]

Compared to pitches, chips are tad bit more descending with less loft (to ensure leading edge strike without as much bounce interference, flatter trajectory, check spin and stance wise before bottom of the swing). Also, back of stance is correct but remember it is only very slightly back, it is a very narrow stance to begin with, so center/forward/backward of stance is not the same kind of difference that you would see in fuller swings. Phil's pic above is on an uphill slope so not a good representative of a flatter slope set up.

 

[Patch]

Might also be because their teaching pros teach the ball ball back more so, than for normal full swings. I know Harmon teaches the ball back. It's not as far back as the picts make it out to be. Most have the ball in the center of the stance. This would show up better if they were standing square to the ball. Once they open their stance, it all looks different. Try that at home. 

I am thinking that the lie of the ball dictates where the ball should be in the stance. Some chips require a steeper angle into the ball. Moving the ball back accordingly helps with better ball first contact. (fewer fatties)

Myself I set up square to the ball, after aiming my club face.The ball is pretty much in the center. I don't open my stance much if at all, since I use a putting stance, and stroke. 

[vangator]

If the grain is into the clubface, they would play it a bit further back to make a cleaner hit.  We have a lot of grain here in Florida and if you don't catch the ball first when the grain is growing into you, chunk city.  Uphill lies (like around greens) tend to have a lot of in grain shots.

Plus, the pros play what they've found to be most successful and they practice it a LOT.

[Howling Coyote]

8 hours ago, deekay said:

Hi all,

I am interested to know why it is that when I watch the pros play a greenside chip (not a pitch, from further out) they almost always seem to play the ball waaay back in their stance, sometimes even outside their back foot. This seems contrary to a lot of advice seen on this and other sites.

Surely even highly skilled pros would want to play a shot with (supposedly) a higher margin for error, using the bounce?

I'm no expert by far, but chips as have been stated (by many here) are low lofted (and I do get a lot of practice in my short game).  You want the ball way back in your stance.  Use a pitch when you have go up and over something.  Use a chip when there are no hazards between you and the green, AND you have a 1 part rough to a 2 part green ratio.  That is 1/3 (or less) of rough to travel over and 2/3 or more green.  I don't like to use them on a downhill, where the green is sloping away from me as the ball may roll off the green.  When the ratio is wrong, experience has shown that the ball will slow down way too much before reaching the green.  Another difference is that the chip swing looks like a putt swing with zero lower body movement (just the arms), while the pitch involves the lower body sway.

[No Mulligans]

Jim Furyk puts the ball in the middle of his stance:

 

 

 

[Dave325]

On February 18, 2016 at 4:30 PM, No Mulligans said:

Jim Furyk puts the ball in the middle of his stance:

 

 

 

Thanks for sharing that video. I like how Jim uses a consistent stroke and just varies the club selection to get the desired distance and roll out.

[boogielicious]

More of the technique Furyk is using.

 

[Dave325]

14 hours ago, boogielicious said:

More of the technique Furyk is using.

 

Worked on this today at the practice range, since my chipping was such a glaring disaster in yesterday's round. This is the perfect solution for those short fringe shots where the putter might not work due to the terrain issues. I used the 7,8 and 9 iron and noted the distances of rollout. Thanks for the reminder on this posting.

[b101]

On 17/02/2016 at 9:30 PM, No Mulligans said:

Jim Furyk puts the ball in the middle of his stance:

 

 

 

Came here looking for a reminder of chipping technique - this is perfect; thank you!