Short Game Thoughts

[Orikoru]

A whole section of Dan Grieve's book is on "golfing IQ", which is selecting the right shot. You're right that he encourages the use of the bounce for a release 2, but the golfing IQ section will say something like, if you're on wet ground with a bare lie, don't choose release 2. It's not just about technique

Personally, I've only really read the technique chapters and that's why I think I hit so many fats at the moment!

What I like about his approach is that it's all very logical; one thing follows on from another. For example, he says that for release 2, you want to use the middle of the bounce. The natural way to want to do this is to hit the ball later in the arc, and sure enough when you read on, in the setup for a release 2 you have the ball further forward vs a release 1. As you've done in your OP, you might think, well I'm going to end up fatting it on the wrong type of lie, and you'd be right, and he goes on to talk about that as well. You can almost work out what he's going to say next from the information you've already been given.

In winter, he advocates playing a release 1 (like a bump and run) unless the situation is perfect. The different releases are just starting points and the whole aim is to get you thinking about how the club, turf/ground and ball are going to interact to build up the shot you want to pull off -- and the one that looks best from behind the ball in terms of desired flight and landing area might not necessarily be on because of the lie, for example.

I have read the book, but it was a while ago now. It's probably the case that at this time of year, the lies that allow a release 2 are very few and far between. i.e. you need grass and not mud.

I was never intending to say Grieve's stuff doesn't work, I enjoy his content and think he's great. I just think maybe for me, thinking about the bounce and actively trying to use it is unhelpful. I'm using wedges that have plenty of bounce on them, so I probably don't need to think about it that much.

I think the assessing the lie part is quite difficult sometimes. It may look like it's sitting nicely but there's just mud underneath, or there might be more grass that it looks. If I'm on fairway or fringe I just find the hybrid bump the best shot for me to be honest - after having my lesson, you kind of really want to chip 'properly' for a while don't you? Then eventually realise the results were still better with the low bump so you should never have stopped doing that.

 

[Depreston]

Many ways to play this game

Spieth and Mickelson are handle forwards and they’re pretty good

Tbf sometimes I’ll use the bounce sometimes I’ll drive it in and sometimes I’ll raise the handle and just putt a wedge or short iron

 

[Imurg]

If you asked me to describe what I do when I chip I wouldn't be able to tell you...I genuinely can't.
My method has developed over 30 years of trial and error.
It's pretty good and has been for some considerable time..
I try not to think too much about it, I guess I choose the club depending on the situation, set up and hit it....
Seems to work for me.

 

[jim8flog]

Which of the two methods is best for stopping the ball from flying off the club at a 45degree or more angle to the right of intended line (RH golfer)

Not sure whether to add a or an

 

[NearHull]

I was struggling particularly badly this past year with chipping. My single figure partner suggested that I should think about keeping the club open with the face pointing at the sky after hitting the ball. That simple suggestion has helped tremendously.

 

[Golf is fun]

Ping did a relevant study on this about a year ago. Basically the data showed that generally the better wedge players tended to have steeper angles of attack, and equally importantly the angle of attack remained fairly consistent through the ball, which lead to a tighter dispersion on the ground impact point. The not so good wedge players tended to have a shallower angle of attack, but also the angle of attack tended to be different at the ball from the initial approach, meaning they tended to hit the ground early and then the club is descending less or even rising into the ball.

However, it should be noted, Ping didn't conclude that using the bounce was bad or that there weren't good players who were shallow, just that better players tended to be steeper and worse players intentionally or otherwise overused the bounce which caused inconsistent contact.

 

[Voyager EMH]

So what sort of chipping method are you most akin to? Are you hands forward at all times or using the bounce a bit more? Can you chip with all different clubs or do you stick to the higher lofted wedges or one club in particular?

I chip with any iron. Never think about bounce. Practiced a heck of a lot in my very early golfing years.
I observed that chipping and putting is where many shots can be wasted due to poor technique or saved with good technique.
Have lessons if you feel you need them, but I feel that a lot of fairly boring repetitive practice is needed for it to become as easy as choose-your-own-metaphor.

I saw someone chipping with a hybrid a few years ago and I've been having a go at that. I have found it really good for uphill chips or two tier greens.

 

[sjw]

I have read the book, but it was a while ago now. It's probably the case that at this time of year, the lies that allow a release 2 are very few and far between. i.e. you need grass and not mud.

I was never intending to say Grieve's stuff doesn't work, I enjoy his content and think he's great. I just think maybe for me, thinking about the bounce and actively trying to use it is unhelpful. I'm using wedges that have plenty of bounce on them, so I probably don't need to think about it that much.

I think the assessing the lie part is quite difficult sometimes. It may look like it's sitting nicely but there's just mud underneath, or there might be more grass that it looks. If I'm on fairway or fringe I just find the hybrid bump the best shot for me to be honest - after having my lesson, you kind of really want to chip 'properly' for a while don't you? Then eventually realise the results were still better with the low bump so you should never have stopped doing that.

Absolutely know what you mean. I got quite good at a release 2 during the summer and I want to keep using it because when it comes off, people ooh and ahh, but the reality is I'm just not going to be able to do it much for a while!

 

[jim8flog]

I chip with any iron. Never think about bounce. Practiced a heck of a lot in my very early golfing years.
I observed that chipping and putting is where many shots can be wasted due to poor technique or saved with good technique.
Have lessons if you feel you need them, but I feel that a lot of fairly boring repetitive practice is needed for it to become as easy as choose-your-own-metaphor.

I saw someone chipping with a hybrid a few years ago and I've been having a go at that. I have found it really good for uphill chips or two tier greens.

I remember when that idea first came out (Todd Hamilton 2004 Open). I gave it a go round our practice greens and decided it needed a lot of practice to get distance right. Given how many 1000s of balls I had hit in short game practice I decided to give it a miss as I was not willing to put in that level of practice. If I was younger I would have done it.

 

[Orikoru]

I remember when that idea first came out (Todd Hamilton 2004 Open). I gave it a go round our practice greens and decided it needed a lot of practice to get distance right. Given how many 1000s of balls I had hit in short game practice I decided to give it a miss as I was not willing to put in that level of practice. If I was younger I would have done it.

I rarely/never practice chipping and I find the hybrid chip extremely easy. You know it's going to come off the face pretty hot, so I just use a short-ish putting stroke - but with a bit of a 'pop' to it, if you know what I mean (like a short, quick stroke). It just jumps the ball a few feet and then it rolls nicely. It didn't take me long at all to start learning how far it runs out, as it's similar to the run out on a putt I would say.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Chipping is one of those things I would struggle to describe how I do it without actually doing it. What I do feels natural to me. On a good day it is a strong part of my game. Obviously, not every day is a good day .

I'm a big fan of the hybrid chip. For chips just off the green with a long way to go or where the fringe is a bit scrubby. As @Orikoru states, it comes off the face quite hot but you want that for certain situations.

 

[SteveW86]

I think a lot of this comes down to the whole feel v real thing.

I struggle with driving my hands too much in chips/pitches so I get inconsistent strike, so I have to “feel” as though I’m letting the club head overtake my hands and using the bounce, but in reality I’m just keeping everything quite neutral

 

[jim8flog]

I rarely/never practice chipping and I find the hybrid chip extremely easy. You know it's going to come off the face pretty hot, so I just use a short-ish putting stroke - but with a bit of a 'pop' to it, if you know what I mean (like a short, quick stroke). It just jumps the ball a few feet and then it rolls nicely. It didn't take me long at all to start learning how far it runs out, as it's similar to the run out on a putt I would say.

Reasonably close to greenside I often use the putter, ball in the back of the stance and deliberately hit down on it to make it jump and clear the long grass ( technique learnt from the Golf Channel).

 

[Orikoru]

Reasonably close to greenside I often use the putter, ball in the back of the stance and deliberately hit down on it to make it jump and clear the long grass ( technique learnt from the Golf Channel).

Horses for courses I guess but I could never imagine that being an easier technique than a simple little tap with the hybrid.

 

[jim8flog]

Horses for courses I guess but I could never imagine that being an easier technique than a simple little tap with the hybrid.

As said originally it call comes down to how much a shot has been practiced. Quite some time ago I stopped the majority of my practice so not going to put in the necessary time to learn new techniques. I can see the benefits of rescue/fairway wood technique but for me I felt I would need to put in a lot of practice time to get the distance control up to the levels I expected.

Mind you my wedge play these days is nowhere near as good as it used to be so it may time to try other methods , just a case of remembering to do it when I am on the course.

 

[patricks148]

one think that does stand in good stead with chipping is practice and trying different things. i was lucky enough when i started to have a very large garden and probably practiced at least 10 min a day, sometimes more. i did long 50 yards, back and forth with different clubs, short and shorter. sometimes playing different shots with one club. high, low, hands forwards hands behind. i used to chip into an old umbrella or a bucket of water. even though i havn't played in nearly 9 months, i would say i could probably still chip and pitch OK.

 

[Wilson]

Check out Joe Mayo on Instagram, he’s the guy who sorted Hovland’s chipping, such an easy method when you get used to it.

 

[HampshireHog]

Really, don’t understand what using the bounce means.

I’m quite basic and I use the loft, don’t open up the face or close it.

I’m a decent chipper / pitcher.

 

[sunshine]

Swing pattern really impacts chipping. I have a steep swing, I’m great at chipping and pitching. But a steep swing is terrible for hitting woods.

A friend of mine has a very shallow swing, it’s lovely to watch him sweep a fairway wood, his swing is ideal for driver and other woods. He is rubbish at chipping.

 

[Orikoru]

Swing pattern really impacts chipping. I have a steep swing, I’m great at chipping and pitching. But a steep swing is terrible for hitting woods.

A friend of mine has a very shallow swing, it’s lovely to watch him sweep a fairway wood, his swing is ideal for driver and other woods. He is rubbish at chipping.

Only up to a point though - my mate is very steep, strikes irons great but can't chip to save his life, he just duffs it.