stopping the ball on the green

[Jimbooo]

So you have a sub 50 yd pitch onto the green, and you want to stop the ball near the flag without too much roll... how do you do it?

Do you open the stance, open the club face, aim left, and push the ball high with a soft landing/minimum roll?

Or do you play the ball back in your stance and try to stop it with backspin?

One thing I don't quite get with backspin is that playing it back in your stance usually means a lower ball trajectory - which surely means its harder to stop the ball when it lands... kinda a catch 22: putting backspin means lower ball flight meaning the angle the ball lands on the green makes it harder to stop the ball...

Just curious - I'm starting to practice my short game a lot more and would like to get some opinions/advice on when its advisable to do what.

Thanks

 

[Aztecs27]

If there's no hazards to clear I'll generally put my ball at the back of my stance and punch it in. Not necessarily always low, but this way is easier to get backspin on the ball (in my experience).

 

[0]

just connect properly ie ball then turf and you will get backspin, try on your carpet at home and you can stop a 5 foot chip if connected properly, using a soft ball helps but even a hard topflite will bite if struck properly
P.S Make sure your grooves are clean as well

 

[Bratty]

For chips from 10 - 25 yards out, I open the face slightly with the ball right of centre, then take the clubhead back over my right foot and then bring it back on a slightly tighter line to my body, keeping my wrists firm.

Seems to land and then slow/stop on the second bounce, using PW or SW

Not sure that makes any sense?

More difficult to do this on 40-50 yards approaches though.

 

[USER1999]

I am finding the new c of c grooves a bit of a challenge. They don't seem to generate any spin at all, what ever the shot.

It could just be me though.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

With the linear method its done with a release of the right hand, more under the ball for a high flop type shot and more in conjunction with a body turn for a pitch and run

 

[bluetoon]

So you have a sub 50 yd pitch onto the green, and you want to stop the ball near the flag without too much roll... how do you do it?

Pretty tricky shot and a lot will depend on wind direction and whats between u and the Pin.

To get it to stop with spin from sub 50 yards is a big challange. and will require a few things. A high quality soft ball. A quality wedge with clean grooves the higher the loft the better, ball at the back of your stance. A crisp contact with enough speed to generate spin. A real commitment to the shot and strike down on the ball. A soft green. Things that will help are wind in your face and a green sloping towards the front.

Ps nearly impossible from that distance on a hard bone dry windy links green.

 

[Piece]

So you have a sub 50 yd pitch onto the green, and you want to stop the ball near the flag without too much roll... how do you do it?

Do you open the stance, open the club face, aim left, and push the ball high with a soft landing/minimum roll?

Or do you play the ball back in your stance and try to stop it with backspin?

One thing I don't quite get with backspin is that playing it back in your stance usually means a lower ball trajectory - which surely means its harder to stop the ball when it lands... kinda a catch 22: putting backspin means lower ball flight meaning the angle the ball lands on the green makes it harder to stop the ball...

The back in the stance shot is check spin, IF executed correctly! If you are 50y away, the check spin shot is executed off the back foot with a clean, wrist free strike that travels low for about 40y, bouncing once and checking on the second. It's a brave shot to try, otherwise it will disappear out the back! And no, I'm not good enough to do it when needed!!

The other is exactly as you describe. High wedge, open stance, open club and commit to the swing. It will land softly with little roll. Again, a difficult shot, not necessarily to execute but to judge the distance. Best used over hazards or little green to play with.

None of the above rely on backspin. To get back spin it really needs to be at full shot yardage, say 100y. This shot plays similar to one above. Ball in the middle of stance, weight mostly on left side, open stance, slightly open club face (stops club digging), minimal wrist action and keep the club face open through and after impact.

All the above need a good fairway lie, good clean wedge, receptive greens, and the softest ball cover.

 

[Crow]

The back in the stance shot is check spin, IF executed correctly! If you are 50y away, the check spin shot is executed off the back foot with a clean, wrist free strike that travels low for about 40y, bouncing once and checking on the second. It's a brave shot to try, otherwise it will disappear out the back! And no, I'm not good enough to do it when needed!!

The other is exactly as you describe. High wedge, open stance, open club and commit to the swing. It will land softly with little roll. Again, a difficult shot, not necessarily to execute but to judge the distance. Best used over hazards or little green to play with.

None of the above rely on backspin. To get back spin it really needs to be at full shot yardage, say 100y. This shot plays similar to one above. Ball in the middle of stance, weight mostly on left side, open stance, slightly open club face (stops club digging), minimal wrist action and keep the club face open through and after impact.

All the above need a good fairway lie, good clean wedge, receptive greens, and the softest ball cover.

What's the difference between check-spin and back spin?
To me they're both back spin.

Surely every shot (except maybe with the putter) will have backspin on it, just to varying degrees depending on the angle of the club face when it strikes the ball, club head speed and cleanness of strike.

 

[Piece]

What's the difference between check-spin and back spin?
To me they're both back spin.

Surely every shot (except maybe with the putter) will have backspin on it, just to varying degrees depending on the angle of the club face when it strikes the ball, club head speed and cleanness of strike.

I've used the terms to distinguish between a ball that spins backwards and one that just stops (check). Yes, they are both a form of backspin.

 

[Jimbooo]

Thanks for your advice everyone.

Had a round last night. I was the only one on the course so hit a few dozen balls at the 18th from inside 50yds, trying to get backspin. It worked! I played about a 1/2 swing with ball back in stance and concentrated on getting a crisp ball-first contact.

Managed to get the ball to land and check up pretty quickly near the hole most of the time with my 58 degree wedge.

So.... when to choose this (backspin/check) shot over the high/lob shot with a soft landing? To me they both have quite a similar effect once the ball lands on the green. Is it just a case of "what you prefer" or are there some general rules on when its best to do which?

 

[Piece]

Thanks for your advice

So.... when to choose this (backspin/check) shot over the high/lob shot with a soft landing? To me they both have quite a similar effect once the ball lands on the green. Is it just a case of "what you prefer" or are there some general rules on when its best to do which?

Low shot best played when green is sloping to you. Top guys play it when they need the ball to finish on the right level...to them they know this shot to exact distance thus more accurate than high one. Also good when windy. Consider what is out the back, should it go wrong!

High shot when not much space on green, but is less accurate unless you are Big Phil.

Best shot is the standard chip and run!

 

[mmgp7sp]

when people say strike down on the ball, do they mean actually hitting the surface of the ball more than halfway up? (hope someone understands this????)

 

[Doh]

No Dont hit the ball more than halfway up.You will end topping it thinning it or driving it into the ground.

I always try to hit just below the eqauter of the ball that should allow the ball to run up the club face giving it the backward spin and getting it in the air. It will also help you take a divot after the ball.

 

[chrisd]

Not sure why you asked this question James - when we played last week all your mid iron approaches landed on the green!!


Chris

 

[Jimbooo]

Not sure why you asked this question James - when we played last week all your mid iron approaches landed on the green!!


Chris

That post was nearly 3 weeks ago - I've improved a lot since then!

 

[chrisd]

That post was nearly 3 weeks ago - I've improved a lot since then!

That's because you saw the way I did it ......... and then worked out where I was going wrong and did it properly yourself!


Chris

 

[Jimbooo]

LOL. Actually, I think it was combination of using a better ball (ad333) and the fact that when we played the greens were a little softer. A few weeks ago they were hard as rock and I was using cheapo Donnay balls (you know, £4 for 50 or something).

And of course you cleaning out the grooves in my wedge helped (along with the accompanying stern look)

 

[Oddsocks]

based on the last few weeks,

Open stance,
Ball about mi8ddle of the stance,
Aim left, with a slightly open face,
2 or 3 perfect practice swings with a shorter back swing and accelerate through the ball

then shank it 90* right straight out the heel of the club,

then follow it up with an excited spout of colour language and a club toss.

Can post a link if needed

 

[chrisd]

And of course you cleaning out the grooves in my wedge helped (along with the accompanying stern look)

Mmmmmm that was rather rude of me in our first game, and I did give the sort of look a dad reserves for his son!

Next time round I shall check its clean before we start you naughty young lad!



Chris