How do you chip/pitch in winter?

[2blue]

This is just off the back of the winter scoring thread where nobody seems to struggle as much as I do.

How do you chip and pitch in winter? This seems to be what kills me the most. 50-70 yard pitching is decent in summer, but in the winter I'll catch it a fraction fat and it just completely kills the club and duffs it. Chipping around the greens as well, I seem to hit mud or knife it. 50° seems to be the worst culprit, it's a CBX with bounce and forgiveness, but in winter it's useless for me for some reason.
in' for them
Do you use less loft in winter or more? Or just the same as always? I use to think it was safer to keep it low and kind of bump it out, but then I run the risk of it not actually running far enough and stopping short of the green. Wonder if it's better to take more loft than normal and hit it harder? Or is it best to just start using my hybrid as a chipper and accept anything that's on the green as a decent shot?

Whatever I try seems to just be pot luck. I feel like I have a decent short game in summer, but it hibernates for the winter!

In winter get a Spurk Mat....... our guys have 'piled in' for them.... can't be beaten... like playing from a beautiful, firm links fairway. Just why would you choose to play from the mud??

 

[KenL]

Winter is no different to the wet early summer we had. Strike the ball first and you’ll be fine. For me, hitting down on it with ball slightly back in the stand helps.

 

[Orikoru]

In winter get a Spurk Mat....... our guys have 'piled in' for them.... can't be beaten... like playing from a beautiful, firm links fairway. Just why would you choose to play from the mud??

I can't just play competitions and matches off of mats when nobody else is can I?

 

[Tashyboy]

Some of the lads are fantastic with the lofted wedges but I rarely use a wedge above 46 when chipping. 90% of the time I chip with my PW. If I can I will use a 9 or an 8. It’s just how I was taught. The flatter club head allows to pick the ball off the grass and stops the club head digging in. If possible I always try to hit the green when chipping and pitching.

 

[2blue]

I can't just play competitions and matches off of mats when nobody else is can I?

You can if there's a local rule in place allowing the use of fairway mats. Folk can then choose whether to use one or not. For Q Comps it has to be just on the 'short mown' areas when preferred lies are in operation. We currently also have 'lift clean & replace' in the general area so that we are still playing Q golf.

 

[Mandofred]

Club using mats for the first time this winter, but they aren't allowing them during comps. Doesn't bother me, pretty well all the comps are team things during the winter so I don't bother.

A lot of people like the Spurk style mat, I stick to the cheaper ones. It's doesn't usually get as cold these days.....but good luck playing on frozen ground with a Spurk. If you hit the ball first.....it doesn't matter what type of mat you use.

 

[KenL]

Club using mats for the first time this winter, but they aren't allowing them during comps. Doesn't bother me, pretty well all the comps are team things during the winter so I don't bother.

A lot of people like the Spurk style mat, I stick to the cheaper ones. It's doesn't usually get as cold these days.....but good luck playing on frozen ground with a Spurk. If you hit the ball first.....it doesn't matter what type of mat you use.

It’s not actually golf you play on frozen ground though is it?

 

[Mandofred]

It’s not actually golf you play on frozen ground though is it?

I think it's a hoot. Great fun if you don't take it too serious.

 

[Orikoru]

You can if there's a local rule in place allowing the use of fairway mats. Folk can then choose whether to use one or not. For Q Comps it has to be just on the 'short mown' areas when preferred lies are in operation. We currently also have 'lift clean & replace' in the general area so that we are still playing Q golf.

Honestly don't know what you're waffling on about. I live in the south, I have never used fairway mats in my life!

 

[sunshine]

Honestly don't know what you're waffling on about. I live in the south, I have never used fairway mats in my life!

It’s only through this forum that I learned fairway mats were a thing. For a long time I assumed people on here were talking about the driving range.

 

[Orikoru]

It’s only through this forum that I learned fairway mats were a thing. For a long time I assumed people on here were talking about the driving range.

Same here! I knew about teeing mats but not for every shot. I figured it was mainly in Scotland and the north of England that they do this. If I rocked at my club with a fairway mat I'd get some funny looks.

 

[Golfnut1957]

My biggest problem with winter chipping is the amount of spin I create off my Spurk as opposed to the run out I get in the summer. It is quite difficult adjusting to the backspin and usually takes all winter, by which time of course it all disappears, along with the mat.

Oh, and if I am not on the fairway and can't use the mat, then it is dependent on the lie. If I have a nice grassy lie nothing changes, either just pop it up or chip and run, depending on what I am facing. If it is a muddy lie, I have developed a technique of comprehensively fatting it, but I have no control over distance or trajectory.

 

[2blue]

It’s only through this forum that I learned fairway mats were a thing. For a long time I assumed people on here were talking about the driving range.

Same here! I knew about teeing mats but not for every shot. I figured it was mainly in Scotland and the north of England that they do this. If I rocked at my club with a fairway mat I'd get some funny looks.

During winter anywhere in the UK grass seed does not germinate & replaced divots don't reknit so fairway mats make a lot of sense to those bothered about their course.... simples

 

[Orikoru]

During winter anywhere in the UK grass seed does not germinate & replaced divots don't reknit so fairway mats make a lot of sense to those bothered about their course.... simples

Again I think you're barking up the wrong tree. It's just not a thing around my neck of the woods. Unheard of.

 

[PJ87]

During winter anywhere in the UK grass seed does not germinate & replaced divots don't reknit so fairway mats make a lot of sense to those bothered about their course.... simples

We don't have mats, never have and the course looks better every year

Think the drainage work and amount of green keepers we have helps

That and each Marshall looks after 2 holes so over a week all divots are filled by them

 

[Crazyface]

Positively.

Its even more important in winter to be positive with your stroke. Take silly knife like low bounce clubs like 60 or 64 degree wedges out of your bag....in soft conditions pretty much nothing more than 56 degrees is needed.

Chip with an 8 or 9 iron. Descending blow so as to take the soft earth out of play.

Commit to fuller wedge shots from 50-70 yards.

THIS. I've switched to doing this in the winter. It's boring but it stop the knifing the club in to the ground and knobbing the ball 2cm.

 

[Mandofred]

That and each Marshall looks after 2 holes so over a week all divots are filled by them

That certainly doesn't happen anywhere I've been (N England). Mats probably wouldn't be needed much if you have so many staff on hand they go around repairing them all. When you say filled.....is that just with sand/dirt? If so, they won't grow until Spring. Of course, if you use a mat you don't need people to go around filling in divots since there won't be any.

 

[PJ87]

That certainly doesn't happen anywhere I've been (N England). Mats probably wouldn't be needed much if you have so many staff on hand they go around repairing them all. When you say filled.....is that just with sand/dirt? If so, they won't grow until Spring. Of course, if you use a mat you don't need people to go around filling in divots since there won't be any.

Seeds and sand I believe? I'd have to check but every spring the course looks fantastic

I mean it's early November and I can get away with spikeless shoes still if I want

 

[Mandofred]

Seeds and sand I believe? I'd have to check but every spring the course looks fantastic

I mean it's early November and I can get away with spikeless shoes still if I want

I wonder bout the seed, nonot

 

[Mandofred]

Nothing should grow until spring.