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How to properly use chip and pitch clubs: A guide V2.0

• MBaggese 15,367 Posts

  Mon, Jul 25 2011 12:47 AM

  Easy Floppy,

   

  With all due respect, your stats don't reflect solid short game play.

• davidmichael56 6 Posts

  Thu, Aug 4 2011 11:22 AM

  Thank you but I have a question.  I do all the above on chipping but, I find that sometimes the execution of the chip is good, yet, the ball goes one foot.  Or, it can go 15 yards.  I have tried different clubs to chip with - same result.  I take lie and everything into consideration.  I can't find a "chipping system" that at least is fairly consistent.  Seems the chip result is very random.  Most other parts of my game are ok, even putting.  But, I can be on the fringe in 2, and chip 3 times before getting even somewhat close to the hole.  I am probably 3 for 10 on "decent chips."  Any help / advice is greatly appreciated.  Thank you.  davidmichael56

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Thu, Aug 4 2011 12:00 PM

  davidmichael56:

  do all the above on chipping but, I find that sometimes the execution of the chip is good, yet, the ball goes one foot.

  Never take less than a 50-60% swing from off the green and make sure the first bounce is at least on the fringe.

• chiefxyz 58 Posts

  Sat, Aug 6 2011 12:20 PM

  maybe thats what my problem has been on short chips from heavy rough ball sitting 40/50 %b drop dot to bottom for backspin you dig p a chunk of grass ball goes nowhere i'm probably tring to finess a shot below 50% power     thanks everybody.

• WGTicon 12,511 Posts

  Sat, Aug 6 2011 2:35 PM

  chiefxyz:

  maybe thats what my problem has been on short chips from heavy rough ball sitting 40/50 %b drop dot to bottom for backspin you dig p a chunk of grass ball goes nowhere i'm probably tring to finess a shot below 50% power     thanks everybody.

  hi,

  yes, try not to chip from 40/50 or with 50% power. the guide states to try to chip or hit other shots with as much power as possible. that will producer truer result.

  -icon

• Kaveman01 10 Posts

  Sun, Aug 7 2011 6:13 AM

  All,

  I always use at least 70% of the power on the full, chip, pitch and flop shots.  The accuracy and precision falls off dramatically with less than 70%.     I have yet to try the new Cleveland wedges, so their may be a solution with those clubs.

• ChippyGreen 2 Posts

  Mon, Aug 29 2011 12:08 PM

  Excellent tips in this thread, and I would like expand on one that was touched upon about using the reverse angle.  You may notice if you move the marker towards your ball from the hole, so the edge of the grid just crosses the plane of the hole, you get a truer picture of the lay of the green between your ball and the hole.  It appears the blue/red grid elevation markings are relative only to the areas the grid happens to be covering at the time.  I've noticed areas change color as the grid was being moved and thought it was noteworthy.

  Thanks for taking the time to put this guide together.

• pillsy 489 Posts

  Mon, Aug 29 2011 6:55 PM

  YankeeJim:

  TracyMax:

  don't seem to have much success with the flop shot. Always seems to come up way short of what the distance is stated to be.

  Forget what the specs say, learn what it does for you. It's an incredibly useful shot in a lot of places.

  FYI, this is how I use mine. The first line to the left of perfect is the "perfect" for this shot. It offsets the normal fly right action. This is just something I know works and I flop probably 50% of the time around greens. Purists may poo-poo this but hey, whatever works.

  I know my 64 wedge flops 11 yds out of 30/40 and 9 yards out of 40-50%, both with roll depending on landing. (Three guesses how I figured that out and the first 2 don't count.)The high flight of the flop will let you get over stuff that might affect a chip or pitch and the landing is fairly predictable. Give it a serious try because that shot alone gives you 2 more distances you can feel comfortable from with your 2 wedges.  GL

  if you drag the aiming triangle to the left so the right edge of the blue box is in line with the flag, then drag it left again so that right edge of the box is where the blue triangle WAS, then adjust for wind/slope accordingly, that should pretty much put your flop right in line with the pin.  flop has been a very reliable and predictable shot for me.  

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Tue, Aug 30 2011 4:51 AM

  pillsy:

  that should pretty much put your flop right in line with the pin.

  Here's an easier way, Pillsy-don't move the aimer and treat the first line to the left of the ding as center. That line lines up with the triangle and is extremely accurate and consistent.  :-)

• birdwell 561 Posts

  Tue, Aug 30 2011 8:43 AM

   

  First let me say that this guide is and always has been one of the best bits of advise here on the sight. However, there are a few things in this guide that are slightly incorrect misleading. I know that icon has a feel for this, and does address the issue a bit in the updates at the end of the post, but I'm still compelled to suggest sort of my own addendum here.

   

  iconian:

  here are a few things to factor into your shot.

  • 1) What is your lie in the rough and how far away is the green. Remember if you are more than 2yds from the green, don't use the chip.
  • 2)What is the elevation difference.
  • 3)What is the break of the green where your shot will first hit the green. The break may be slight near the hole, but remember that the ball rolls for 75% of the shot. Try dragging the aim arrow to where you think the ball will touchdown, and check the break there also.
  • 4)Always practice using 1 type of chip. I always use backspin, very rarely using topspin or no spin, so all distances givin are using backspin.

#2 and #3 need to be swapped in order of importance.

iconian:

A) You have a 13yd chip from 40/50 rough and the hole is 1ft below you. Your ball is on the edge of the rough, so there should be no problem using the chip shot. Now since you're in the 40/50 rough, more power is needed, but the hole is downhill so there is more run involved. That's the tricky part.

 

This is the issue...

The slope of the green and the elevation change between the ball and the hole are often mutually exclusive.

Lets assume a level green. If the green if  downhill, the ball will have less roll, as it comes down at a steeper angle to the green. The difference is subtle with a chip shot, it is not at all subtle with a pitch.

Lets assume a green with a down slope from the edge of the green to the hole. The ball lies off a false front of the green 2ft. down, and is 13 yards from the hole. You may be compelled to add power since the elevation is up.... this is a disaster waiting to happen. Because the green is above the ball, the ball will land at a more acute angle and have more roll. add the slope of the green to this and you'll be off the green on the other side before you can say $%^#!

thanks for your time. :)