Putting from the fringe or short fairway

[Shindig]

19 hours ago, David in FL said:

My goal in life.  To convince mid-to-high hcp golfers to give up the damn 60* wedge and put a chipper in the bag.

If you want to get me a chipper I'll consider trying it, but I'm not sure what I'd replace in my bag (I don't carry a 60).

[David in FL]

2 minutes ago, Shindig said:

If you want to get me a chipper I'll consider trying it, but I'm not sure what I'd replace in my bag (I don't carry a 60).

I'm not quite so invested in it that I'll pay to improve your game....  

[Mr. Desmond]

23 hours ago, David in FL said:

Agree.

A chipper would be a much better choice.  

I still see people picking those up at PGASS. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

I've got to try the move the ball forward from the fringe - good advice.

Tried a fairway off deep fringe and yes, they are jumpy. And it's a shot that one doesn't use or practice that often. So moving the ball forward would seem to offer more success.

[Papa Steve 55]

On ‎7‎/‎24‎/‎2017 at 3:21 PM, Hategolf said:

Right.

I land short more times than not. The main reason is due to not making a fully confident swing.

But I do feel more comfortable being short in front than long in the back or long off to the sides. It seems that the safest place to miss is short in front...

Yeah, I read somewhere that a very large % of those don't go in the hole. Take dead aim.

[billchao]

I just putt with a longer stroke than required for the distance. I have putt from the rough on occasion when the situation calls for it (it's extremely rare).

I don'tike putting with a wood or hybrid. It's hard to control how hot the ball comes off the face and how much it will roll out. The weight is also too light in the stroke.

[NCGolfer]

On 7/23/2017 at 5:59 PM, iacas said:

I've always found putting with hybrids or woods to be too touchy. They're "jumpy" clubs. Plus they're long and tougher to control. And they have a little bulge and roll.

While I would agree with that, the one instance I like to use the hybrid is when the ball is just barely in the rough (like an inch or so) and I've got only minimal green to work with.  I find the hybrid comes through the rough and hits the ball consistently out of that lie.  Normally it's only to get the ball rolling onto the green.  Anything longer I like to de-loft a wedge.

As for the topic on hand, I also like to put the ball a bit forward in the stance and hitting it slightly on the upswing.

[Hategolf]

On 7/23/2017 at 5:08 PM, David in FL said:

My goal in life.  To convince mid-to-high hcp golfers to give up the damn 60* wedge and put a chipper in the bag.

It ain't much, but it's good to have goals.  

I know, I know....

I had a 60 for a long time and it ruined my golf life. Now I have a 58 and is a lot better and I'm using my gap wedge for chipping a lot more...so you are in the right track. 60 is a specialty wedge for the advance player..

5 hours ago, Papa Steve 55 said:

Yeah, I read somewhere that a very large % of those don't go in the hole. Take dead aim.

I'd say that a large percentage of fairway shots and tee shots don't go in the hole, no matter what. 

[North Yorks Golfer]

Living in the UK, I probably do this more than most. Ideas...

- always hit a few from off the practice green before a round

- use the putter, no need to "learn" an additional shot like using a five wood

- I simply picture the hole being further away than it is based on how much fringe/fairway I need to cover, then take a normal putting stroke. This simplifies the shot greatly.

It is amazing how some days, the long putts and off-the-green putts seem to end up right next to the hole and other days you seem to have no feel at all. That's golf.

[dennyjones]

6 hours ago, North Yorks Golfer said:

Living in the UK, I probably do this more than most. Ideas...

- always hit a few from off the practice green before a round

- use the putter, no need to "learn" an additional shot like using a five wood

- I simply picture the hole being further away than it is based on how much fringe/fairway I need to cover, then take a normal putting stroke. This simplifies the shot greatly.

It is amazing how some days, the long putts and off-the-green putts seem to end up right next to the hole and other days you seem to have no feel at all. That's golf.

Welcome to TST

[WUTiger]

On 7/23/2017 at 4:59 PM, iacas said:

I've always found putting with hybrids or woods to be too touchy. They're "jumpy" clubs.

A hybrid is not something I would putt with for a close pin. I like to have about 20 feet or more of green to work with. Also, hybrid sometimes useful to putt out of moon crater bad turf around edge of green. 

[b101]

On 23/07/2017 at 10:59 PM, iacas said:

I've always found putting with hybrids or woods to be too touchy. They're "jumpy" clubs. Plus they're long and tougher to control. And they have a little bulge and roll.

QFT. That said, I have very occasionally hit a hybrid bump and run from 100 yards or so, but only when it's ridiculously windy and I have a lot of ground to work with.

---

As a member of a links course, I've putted from all sorts of distances; once played a round with a guy who managed to two putt from 150 yards... I'd never take it that far, but particularly when you get short sided in very tight conditions (or on a downslope), it can be your best or sometimes only option. Some examples of when I'd go for it - also gives you some nice picture links to help explain!

At the bottom of the drop off right of the 2nd green - you often have very little green to work with.

Short or long of the 12th - the photo doesn't do this slope justice. It's up to a green about 8 feet above you if you're short!

Long and right of 5 - you often end up on a downslope meaning your options are putt or bump into the upslope; it's nigh on impossible to pitch, particularly to that back pin position.

The only time I really don't like doing it is when my stroke gets so long that it feels I need to swing at the putt, but it's a good option to have, particularly on these sorts of courses. Also one to consider if you're feeling shaky - your worst putt is almost always better than your worst pitch - but best to think positively! Worth practising though as any extra option is always a good one.

Regarding the chipper, never seen the point of it. You've got other clubs in your bag that do the same job as well as their other function, just need a bit of work on the technique (and the chipping technique isn't that difficult anyway if you use @mvmac's method:

 

Edited July 29, 2017 by b101

[Kalnoky]

Don't use a fairway wood to putt, or whatever people are saying. It's too hard to control. I pull my feet together for putts like this, and just follow through. I feel like it gives me extra power but retains control.

Spieth showed the putter is a weapon. You can even putt out of a sandtrap with practice. Easiest shots in golf are putts.