Chipping Advice for a Beginner.....

[Slime]

As has been said, use a pitch and run when possible, but of course there are occasions when it has to go up a lot but not very far. That's the hard chip shot needing a different technique. That is the "frightener "😀
So, two techniques to master, one easy, one not.
The pitch and run has been well described here and if you do it like that you won't go far wrong.
The chip? Make sure your lessons include this one and not just the pitch and run.
Best of luck

I'm not being pedantic, I'm just trying to avoid some confusion.
The low running shots are 'chip and runs'.
The lofted shots over, say, bunkers are 'pitches' ....................... hence pitching wedge.

 

[pokerjoke]

So many variables

Around the fringe a bump and run is ideal but I suspect most can cope with this situation.
If it’s not on the fringe there could be so many variables.

Just a few
Fluffy lies
Bare lies
Grass into
Grass with you
Muddy lies
Soft lies
Different grasses
Over bunkers
Over water
Short sided
Bunker to bunker

I will pick the club for the situation and having so many strings to your bow will help you get up and down more often.
I will also move ball position for higher and softer shots.
Practice as much as you can you will only get better.

 

[Oldham92]

I'm a beginner myself but I found I massively improved when I started keeping the ball flight low. I was trying to play shots that were almost a flop shot in terms of ball flight, and either falling short or thinning it completely across the green. As soon as I started keeping it low, realising the 1st bounce doesn't always have to be on the green, and using an iron for bump and run I probably saved 5 shots per round.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

I'm not being pedantic, I'm just trying to avoid some confusion.
The low running shots are 'chip and runs'.
The lofted shots over, say, bunkers are 'pitches' ....................... hence pitching wedge.

No problem. Thanks for correcting my terminology. Just shows, for years I've been thinking it was the way I described. Now I know it is wrong. Sorry if I confused anyone😀.
In any event, the high one is the hardest for me. 😊😊

 

[Orikoru]

I'm a beginner myself but I found I massively improved when I started keeping the ball flight low. I was trying to play shots that were almost a flop shot in terms of ball flight, and either falling short or thinning it completely across the green. As soon as I started keeping it low, realising the 1st bounce doesn't always have to be on the green, and using an iron for bump and run I probably saved 5 shots per round.

Exactly this. I play a lot of chips with my 8 iron, as I find it has the right loft to just sweep through the ball with a putting style stroke and get it to run up somewhere around the flag. Definitely a more forgiving technique, probably worst you'll ever be is 10 feet away, but you're highly unlikely to duff the club into the ground, or thin the ball miles off the other side.

 

[Dando]

surely the obvious answer is......buy a chipper!

 

[pokerjoke]

I'm a beginner myself but I found I massively improved when I started keeping the ball flight low. I was trying to play shots that were almost a flop shot in terms of ball flight, and either falling short or thinning it completely across the green. As soon as I started keeping it low, realising the 1st bounce doesn't always have to be on the green, and using an iron for bump and run I probably saved 5 shots per round.

This is quite interesting because one thing I always try and do is make sure my first bounce is on the green.
Also chipping onto a flat area rather than a slope up or down.

For me chipping on the fringe can be a lottery especially if soft,or hard and bare in the summer.

 

[Dando]

Exactly this. I play a lot of chips with my 8 iron, as I find it has the right loft to just sweep through the ball with a putting style stroke and get it to run up somewhere around the flag. Definitely a more forgiving technique, probably worst you'll ever be is 10 feet away, but you're highly unlikely to duff the club into the ground, or thin the ball miles off the other side.

You’ve never seen my short game!
There’s been many a time I’ve been further from the flag after trying a pitch and run!

 

[Oldham92]

This is quite interesting because one thing I always try and do is make sure my first bounce is on the green.
Also chipping onto a flat area rather than a slope up or down.

For me chipping on the fringe can be a lottery especially if soft,or hard and bare in the summer.

I was meaning more when playing a longer chip from the fairway. I always didn't account for enough roll after the first bounce

 

[anotherdouble]

You’ve never seen my short game!
There’s been many a time I’ve been further from the flag after trying a pitch and run!

Just tap it. Just tap it. Tap it to the hole. Just tap it👍

 

[Slime]

You’ve never seen my short game!
There’s been many a time I’ve been further from the flag after trying a pitch and run!

Same as that!
I normally fat the first effort about three feet before thinning the next through the green.

 

[bobmac]

Same as that!
I normally fat the first effort about three feet before thinning the next through the green.

Have you tried the drill in the video below.
Try and hit the ball UNDER the shaft, if you do it properly, the ball will go OVER the shaft.
You certainly won't thin it that's for sure

 

[Slime]

Have you tried the drill in the video below.
Try and hit the ball UNDER the shaft, if you do it properly, the ball will go OVER the shaft.
You certainly won't thin it that's for sure

Thanks Bob, you've suggested this before and it works a treat during practice ............................... but on the course my brain just turns to Tizer!
I'll keep working on it though, thanks mate.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Thanks Bob, you've suggested this before and it works a treat during practice ............................... but on the course my brain just turns to Tizer!
I'll keep working on it though, thanks mate.

Not a plug for Bob, but if you are going for a traditional method then invest in a V-Easy and use it for small chips around the green. Fantastic at keeping it all connected and for the slight downward blow to get the ball up. I have the same issue at times with chipping even with linear. Great in practice but on a course the mind goes to blancmange and limbs and brain don't talk. I find I really have to focus and the thing that is working best at the moment is to picture myself on the practice green hitting it nicely with no pressure where I make the odd chip now and then and see me holing one. A couple of swings with that image in my head and then look at the target and landing spot and just execute with that positive image

 

[Orikoru]

You’ve never seen my short game!
There’s been many a time I’ve been further from the flag after trying a pitch and run!

Well that has to be an issue with your judgement, rather than a technique issue. If you can't judge the distance to the flag then it doesn't matter what technique you use. I personally would say a low chip and run is much less likely to go wrong than trying an airborne chip and flying it up to the flag.

 

[Dando]

Well that has to be an issue with your judgement, rather than a technique issue. If you can't judge the distance to the flag then it doesn't matter what technique you use. I personally would say a low chip and run is much less likely to go wrong than trying an airborne chip and flying it up to the flag.

my judgement is fine thanks I just have a piss poor short game and no confidence

 

[Orikoru]

my judgement is fine thanks I just have a piss poor short game and no confidence

Eh? Obviously it's not, you just said you hit a chip and run miles off the green. Or do you mean it's more like a yips-type thing where you end up just hitting it harder than intended?

I have a mate who plays off 15 but also has a nightmare with chipping. But his problem is that he tries to hit them like he does his irons, hitting down on the ball quite steeply, so half the time he fats it 6 feet or punts it miles. He used a chipper for a while and got decent with it, but then he got rid of that and went back to what he was doing before and now he's lost all confidence again. But for some reason he refuses to try a chip and run style. I don't laugh at people for using a chipper, but I do often wonder why they can't just use exactly the same technique with an iron that has the same loft.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

+1

I see so many players take PW, 52, 56,60 degree wedges from the fringe and within 10 yards of the green on the fairway, when a bump and run 9 iron is the shot.

Ok if your blindsided or or have to chip over a bunker take a lofted shot, but when its reasonably flat or with a lot of green to work with a bump and run is the shot most of the time for me. I think lots of golfers love to play the pitch and stop that works 2 out of 10 for most, but looks a great golf shot. However, the shot that works more 8 out of 10 but doesnt look as spectacular gets more results.

Its very easy to practice and is a quarter/3rd of a swing instead of half or 3/4 of a swing. Its more like a putter grip, keep the club as low to the ground as long as possible and play off the back foot is how I play it. If 30-40 yards away from the pin may do the same with an 8 iron of a 9 iron, instead.

As above.

Reason being is that a mis struck 9 iron(slightly thinned, fatted or middle) is going to roll out a similarish distance.

Whereas a mis struck SW, with a longer swing will fly/roll out massively different depending on strike. Slightly fatted being silly short, not middle slightly short or long depending on spin or if thinned way out the back of the green and you will need a bus back

 

[Grant85]

Definitely practice lower chips with a 7 or 8 iron.

As a rule of thumb, a low 8 iron chipped should fly 50% of the way and run out the other 50%. If you can play this shot and don't have thick rough or a bunker to carry, it is def the %age play. A 9 iron might be more like 2/3 of the way in the air, and a PW more like 3/4. Obviously subject to slope / speed / firmness and if you are landing on the green or just short of it.

I had a lesson on this last year and it's helped a lot. The technique was to swing as if you were keeping the club flat against a wall. Keep your wrists and hand as relaxed as possible.

When I was having the lesson in this - it was amazing how many shots I could play with a poor strike and still end up with a semi decent result. The risk of failure with this technique is much lower than playing with a higher lofted club.

 

[Dando]

Eh? Obviously it's not, you just said you hit a chip and run miles off the green. Or do you mean it's more like a yips-type thing where you end up just hitting it harder than intended?

I have a mate who plays off 15 but also has a nightmare with chipping. But his problem is that he tries to hit them like he does his irons, hitting down on the ball quite steeply, so half the time he fats it 6 feet or punts it miles. He used a chipper for a while and got decent with it, but then he got rid of that and went back to what he was doing before and now he's lost all confidence again. But for some reason he refuses to try a chip and run style. I don't laugh at people for using a chipper, but I do often wonder why they can't just use exactly the same technique with an iron that has the same loft.

around the green I have the touch of an axe murderer!
I have had lessons and spent time practicing but I'm just crap at chipping hence why I am the owner of a chipper.
I try to use my putting grip and set up to chip but I have lost all confidence.