Pitching on soggy turf

[Curls]

Howdy folks.

I tend not to play much winter golf and having played for 5 or 6 years I've not often had the opportunity to figure this out.

When pitching in the summer I tend to bottom out just under the ball, taking a small divot or often just shaving the grass beneath it. This uses the bounce and because I generate a nice bit of speed my PPs often remark on the check I get even from 40 yards. However. Doing this in winter when the bounce is useless leaves me with egg, or more likely mud, on my face. Is there a soggy-turf-proof pitching technique I should adopt in these winter months?! I tend not to chip at all, even close to the green I'll use my 55* so as you can imagine I lose shots hand over fist in the winter with duffs and fats and all sorts. I realise chipping is an aspect of my game I need to include, perhaps my winter would be better spent doing that than the (very) occasional social game.

Cheers y'all.

 

[Crazyface]

You just described why I hate winter golf. The way I have figured out is to just clip the ball off the surface. This will mean you'll mess with how you play the game, but hey, you'll not experience the soul sapping shots that lift up a clump of earth the size of your shoe.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Try using an 8 or 9 Iron instead.

 

[ManinBlack]

To hit the shot properly you should be contacting the ball before the turf & if you do this it's irrelevant how soggy the turf is. The problem is that most of us aren't that precise and if we catch it a bit fat in the summer the bounce saves us. I don't think a change in technique is required, just better striking.

A lot of short game experts will tell you that a chip is much easier to get close than a lofted club. It's a shorter swing, just like a long putt. Much more reliable, especially in soggy turf.

 

[Curls]

Thanks for the replies folks and yes, using a less lofted club certainly seems to be an answer - but.

What if you need to land these shots short of the green and run them on, with wet and shaggy fairways to run through? That's a bigger uncertainty for me, if it goes wrong you're pitching again from closer. I'd still prefer to pitch so that the first bounce was on the green. I think saying the bounce saves us is a bit defeating, I'm pretty sure that's what it's designed to do!

 

[Deleted member 16999]

It was the pro I get lessons from, who said it to me, we are too inconsistent at our level with wedges and as we improve with them an option in winter or wet soggy ground is to us 8-9i as they have less sole and tend to dig in far less.

 

[ManinBlack]

Thanks for the replies folks and yes, using a less lofted club certainly seems to be an answer - but.

What if you need to land these shots short of the green and run them on, with wet and shaggy fairways to run through? That's a bigger uncertainty for me, if it goes wrong you're pitching again from closer. I'd still prefer to pitch so that the first bounce was on the green. I think saying the bounce saves us is a bit defeating, I'm pretty sure that's what it's designed to do!

That's what you're supposed to do but you can do that chipping too. The bounce does help. What you're asking is "how do I play the shot better?" The answer is "Play a better shot" i.e. play the right shot & play it as best you can. There shouldn't be any need to change the way you play the shot.

The simple fact is that these shots are harder to play in wet conditions & if you can chip, instead of pitch, this is preferable.

 

[Curls]

It was the pro I get lessons from, who said it to me, we are too inconsistent at our level with wedges and as we improve with them an option in winter or wet soggy ground is to us 8-9i as they have less sole and tend to dig in far less.

Good stuff, makes sense, will give it a go on a muddy patch and see how I get on.

 

[Curls]

That's what you're supposed to do but you can do that chipping too. The bounce does help. What you're asking is "how do I play the shot better?" The answer is "Play a better shot" i.e. play the right shot & play it as best you can. There shouldn't be any need to change the way you play the shot.

The simple fact is that these shots are harder to play in wet conditions & if you can chip, instead of pitch, this is preferable.

I get it, as Crazy Face says it messes with your natural/preferred technique. Might be no harm to learn a new skill all the same.

Thanks for the considered responses folks, much obliged.

 

[CliveW]

Use a fairway mat!!!

 

[clubchamp98]

Practice with your clubs so from 30yds see which club lands just on the green and runs out to the flag.
If you land 8 iron on and it runs to far use 9 iron and vice versa.
This is how you learn the carry and run of each club.
This is for all year not just winter.

 

[duncan mackie]

As already said, hit the small ball first.

Winter conditions simply highlight weak technique.

 

[MartynB]

If you play the ball forward (I play it outside my left foot) and keep the club head close to the ground by minimising wrist hinge, then you almost cant dig in with the edge as the club is so shallow and with the ball forward you just engage the bounce that glides over the mud.

I have the full series of Dan Carraher's videos which are really good and have helped me loads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXWQIdUGSMo

 

[garyinderry]

It was the pro I get lessons from, who said it to me, we are too inconsistent at our level with wedges and as we improve with them an option in winter or wet soggy ground is to us 8-9i as they have less sole and tend to dig in far less.

have to disagree with this.

fat soles and plenty of bounce prevents the club digging in.

8 and 9 irons always have less bounce and tend to have smaller soles than wedges.

the only thing is you may not hit down so much with an 8 or 9 as there is less loft and find it easier to get the club face on the ball.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

have to disagree with this.

fat soles and plenty of bounce prevents the club digging in.

8 and 9 irons always have less bounce and tend to have smaller soles than wedges.

the only thing is you may not hit down so much with an 8 or 9 as there is less loft and find it easier to get the club face on the ball.

Cheers Gary, but I’ll stick with his advice as it works for me and my inconsistencey as I try and improve my wedges.

Your last paragraph :thup:

 

[Curls]

Thanks chaps plenty to think about and the

Dan Carraher's

technique looks worth a practice.

Hoping to have a go tomorrow evening, I'll let you know how I get on!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

If you play the ball forward (I play it outside my left foot) and keep the club head close to the ground by minimising wrist hinge, then you almost cant dig in with the edge as the club is so shallow and with the ball forward you just engage the bounce that glides over the mud.

I have the full series of Dan Carraher's videos which are really good and have helped me loads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXWQIdUGSMo

Sounds very similar to the Gary Smith linear method https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mCs1khFa4I

 

[shortgame]

Without changing technique when it's particularly soggy I find it easier to pitch with my Ping shovels (wide sole, lots of bounce) rather than my low bounce Vokeys

Sure they don't feel as nice but I find that I dig in the leading edge of the Vokeys (particularly the l/w) and hit some bad fats. Definitely easier with the Pings

 

[lex!]

If you play the ball forward (I play it outside my left foot) and keep the club head close to the ground by minimising wrist hinge, then you almost cant dig in with the edge as the club is so shallow and with the ball forward you just engage the bounce that glides over the mud.

Yep. exactly this. It's the way I have been taught by my pro. Yet I have run into trouble before with the forum police for suggesting it, and suggesting that you don't hit DOWN on the ball (otherwise the club gets stuck in the winter mud).

 

[patricks148]

What ive noticed chipping wise, is when you are trying to fly the ball using some loft on the club you tend to hit down on the ball more, which in turn if you don't catch right you tend to hit fat. Where as if hitting a bump and run is more of a shallow / sweep stroke.

i was doing some chipping in the garden the other day and that's quite soft at the moment, and duffed all my 58d eg shots but the 9 iron was fine. on the course (links) i'm a pretty good chipper and pitcher of the ball.