Chip n run

[bobmac]

That is surely true of literally every golf shot with any club.
Using the same club for similar situations at least removes one variable and it works for me. I'm not evangelising.

So you're 20 yards short of the green and the flag is on 5 yards, where do you land the ball with your chipper?

 

[Springveldt]

There were a couple of videos by The Biff (Paul Waring) on Alex Evans YouTube channel that I thought were brilliant for chipping. After watching Waring on that channel I think he would make a great coach when he packs in competing.

 

[Beezerk]

So you're 20 yards short of the green and the flag is on 5 yards, where do you land the ball with your chipper?

He uses a different club

 

[RichA]

So you're 20 yards short of the green and the flag is on 5 yards, where do you land the ball with your chipper?

Rather than answer your question, tell me what club and shot you would suggest for mid-high handicap golfer.

 

[bobmac]

Rather than answer your question, tell me what club and shot you would suggest for mid-high handicap golfer.

I'd use the same technique for all my chips but in this situation I'd use a SW or LW if I had one.
One technique and vary the club as the situation varies.

 

[Orikoru]

I used to be one that tried to use the bounce but even on chips from just off the green with nothing in the way I'd sometimes get a bit flippy and pop it up, I found the run out to be really inconsistent. After watching my +2 mate use his 58 everywhere and having it have more run out than me using a 50 I started using the hands forward method as well. Now my chipping and run outs are much more consistent and I'm confident of getting up and down from anywhere around the green if there are no obstacles in my way.

Yeah, my normal technique is quite rigid, upright PW, bit of a putting stroke. But as I mentioned, I was getting far too much roll on the faster greens last week, so I might try releasing the club a bit more.

 

[cunnini]

this is an area of my game which is poor - i'm coming back to the game after nearly 25 years, and i used to be ok to good, but now yippy, so yesterday i had 20 minutes of my monthly 1 hour lesson devoted to chipping. Pro gave me a drill to take away and focus on doing with my 50 degree, and he was happy with my 6 iron chip and run. my problem is i'm so underconfident around the greens that i chip and run everything, OR pull 60 degree out and try to flop it.

Am hoping to get down to the club pracice area over the weekend and work on the drill, and i've a knockout match Tuesday and medal wednesday to try it in anger......... to give you an idea of how bad it's been, handicap 21.9, shot 34 points in the stableford Wednesday this week, but that included 5 fluffed chips, and no chips getting within 5 foot.

 

[Deleted member 29109]

Watched a good video on chipping last night, Rick Shiels having a lesson with a top short game coach. (It is an hour long, but for this thread I guess only the first part is relevant.)

Gave me a few ideas to work on this weekend. Last weekend the greens had quickened up and my chipping was woeful, just kept running everything through the back or too far. I'm going to try releasing the club a bit more as they say on that vid - maybe get a bit more height and less run out.

Are your grooves clean?

Ad a mate the other day complain none of his chips were stopping. Looked at his clubs and every single one had effectively no grooves due to the debris in them. And a lot of them had chunks of grass and mud/sand stuck to the face

 

[Beezerk]

I'd use the same technique for all my chips but in this situation I'd use a SW or LW if I had one.
One technique and vary the club as the situation varies.

Serious question, do you play with many high handicappers Bob? I do and I wince when they constantly pull out a sand wedge anywhere near the green, you know they’re just going to duff it 3 feet.
Getting it on the green is vital even if it means you have a long putt back.

 

[Orikoru]

Are your grooves clean?

Ad a mate the other day complain none of his chips were stopping. Looked at his clubs and every single one had effectively no grooves due to the debris in them. And a lot of them had chunks of grass and mud/sand stuck to the face

Twice a year they are!

 

[Orikoru]

Serious question, do you play with many high handicappers Bob? I do and I wince when they constantly pull out a sand wedge anywhere near the green, you know they’re just going to duff it 3 feet.
Getting it on the green is vital even if it means you have a long putt back.

Agree. I would only get my 54° out if I had to go over a bunker or some other obstacle with little green to work with. Otherwise I'm sticking with PW/AW or maybe 50° for the shot that was described here.

 

[RichA]

I'd use the same technique for all my chips but in this situation I'd use a SW or LW if I had one.
One technique and vary the club as the situation varies.

Sorry - I meant the same question you asked me, as in where do you land it.
I'm actually an OK wedge player (usually making mini-pitches rather than chips) but have found a level of consistency with the homemade chipper that's beyond what I was achieving without it.
I don't pick a landing zone with it. Because I use a putting stance and stroke I just make a stroke that's suitable for the distance.
In the scenario you described I would expect the chipper to get me on the green 90% of the time. Chipping with a lofted wedge I think your basic bogey golfer is probably duffing it short or thinning it long 25% of the time.
Again, not evangelising - it just works for me. I broke 80 for the first time a few weeks ago. The chipper was the 3rd most used club in the bag and performed impeccably.

 

[Beezerk]

Agree. I would only get my 54° out if I had to go over a bunker or some other obstacle with little green to work with. Otherwise I'm sticking with PW/AW or maybe 50° for the shot that was described here.

Ditto, anything above my gap wedge stays in the bag unless I’m in the scenarios you’ve mentioned. Maybe if I’m super short sided and faced with a tiny little dinker of a chip I may use sand wedge but anywhere else I just know I’ll skull the out of it and end up on another fairway

 

[bobmac]

Serious question, do you play with many high handicappers Bob? I do and I wince when they constantly pull out a sand wedge anywhere near the green, you know they’re just going to duff it 3 feet.
Getting it on the green is vital even if it means you have a long putt back.

You must be prepared to do a bit of practice if you want to be any good at this game.
People seem to spend more time worrying about how many wedges to have, what the lofts are, what bounce, what grind etc. I think their time would be better spent learning how to hit a low chip 7 iron for the back pin, 9 iron for the middle pin and SW/LW for the front pin.
KISS
Plus, you don't need a massive area to practice this shot, a back garden with an umbrella stuck in the ground is ample.

 

[GG26]

Serious question, do you play with many high handicappers Bob? I do and I wince when they constantly pull out a sand wedge anywhere near the green, you know they’re just going to duff it 3 feet.
Getting it on the green is vital even if it means you have a long putt back.

Until my lesson I thought exactly the same - would never consider my SW or LW. With the hands forward, which delofts the club I rarely duff one now and I am getting the chips much closer on average.

 

[bobmac]

Sorry - I meant the same question you asked me, as in where do you land it.
I'm actually an OK wedge player (usually making mini-pitches rather than chips) but have found a level of consistency with the homemade chipper that's beyond what I was achieving without it.
I don't pick a landing zone with it. Because I use a putting stance and stroke I just make a stroke that's suitable for the distance.
In the scenario you described I would expect the chipper to get me on the green 90% of the time. Chipping with a lofted wedge I think your basic bogey golfer is probably duffing it short or thinning it long 25% of the time.
Again, not evangelising - it just works for me. I broke 80 for the first time a few weeks ago. The chipper was the 3rd most used club in the bag and performed impeccably.

I would always try and land the ball on the green. What the ball does after it lands depends on what club I have used

 

[Beezerk]

You must be prepared to do a bit of practice if you want to be any good at this game.
People seem to spend more time worrying about how many wedges to have, what the lofts are, what bounce, what grind etc. I think their time would be better spent learning how to hit a low chip 7 iron for the back pin, 9 iron for the middle pin and SW/LW for the front pin.
KISS
Plus, you don't need a massive area to practice this shot, a back garden with an umbrella stuck in the ground is ample.

I agree fully Bob but like me I don’t really practice much, I play for fun and my handicap looks after itself. Maybe a lot of people (high handicappers maybe) just don’t have the time or drive to practice practice practice and also just play for fun as after all, it is just a hobby.

 

[RichA]

You must be prepared to do a bit of practice if you want to be any good at this game.
People seem to spend more time worrying about how many wedges to have, what the lofts are, what bounce, what grind etc. I think their time would be better spent learning how to hit a low chip 7 iron for the back pin, 9 iron for the middle pin and SW/LW for the front pin.
KISS
Plus, you don't need a massive area to practice this shot, a back garden with an umbrella stuck in the ground is ample.

There's the rub. Those of you who are actually good at this game and are prepared to do a bit of practice can't compute that there are a significant number of us who can't be bothered to practice, are satisfied with mid-handicap mediocrity and just play recreational golf for the fun of it.

 

[Beezerk]

Until my lesson I thought exactly the same - would never consider my SW or LW. With the hands forward, which delofts the club I rarely duff one now and I am getting the chips much closer on average.

I’m going to annoy Moogie on Sunday and go back to hands forward…but blame you for it

 

[bobmac]

I agree fully Bob but like me I don’t really practice much, I play for fun and my handicap looks after itself. Maybe a lot of people (high handicappers maybe) just don’t have the time or drive to practice practice practice and also just play for fun as after all, it is just a hobby.

People play for different reasons....some play to get in with the crowd, some to impress the boss, some for the peace and quiet, exercise, fresh air etc. For me it was the challenge of beating the course and I was happy to do the work.
Plus, my parents never had to worry about what I was up to. During the holidays, if it was dry, I was on the course. If it was raining I was in the clubhouse waiting for the rain to stop.

There's the rub. Those of you who are actually good at this game and are prepared to do a bit of practice can't compute that there are a significant number of us who can't be bothered to practice, are satisfied with mid-handicap mediocrity and just play recreational golf for the fun of it.

I've played enough handicap golf and pro-ams over the years to know that.
But even those who do practice do it for different reasons.....some don't like practicing but do it to improve. Others (me) practice because they enjoy it and the result is they improve.
I was at my happiest as a kid playing 9 holes on my own spending 15-20 minutes chipping around each green with not a soul in sight.
Having a good short game and getting up and down from everywhere is especially good in match play.
Just when they think they've got you, you knock it stiff or chip in.
But it does frustrate me when I see golfers who could be so much better/lower with 10 minutes in the garden every now and then.