Help!! Short Game - SW or different iron for chipping?

[Rusty]

Hi all;

My game has improved vastly this year, my driving is reliable, my approach shots are either on the green or close, but my score has not gone down appreaciabily.
My short game sucks!!!
I have tried the Dave Pelz mulitple wedges for the short game approach, but I cant seem to get the hang of it. (not enough time to devote to practice I think) I have been using my 7 wood to chip with, and my 8 iron, believe it or not they work better than a wedge! But they still end up 8 feet from the hole, I can putt but not that well.
Then I was watching Golf Channel and Jack was saying that he always used his sand wedge around the green. He just altered his shot to the situation.
Is this the way to go?
Any ideas or tips would be apprecitated, sometimes I leave it way short, and the next time I go way past the hole. It would be nice to have more than one "up and down" a game.

Thanks again
Rusty

[nice_lag]

Different teachers have a different ratio (also based on the speed of the greens) but what I've been using is 25-75... Use whatever club that will land your shot 25% of the distance between the hole and the fringe and let it roll the other 75%... Obviously there are exceptions to the rule (ie if there is an obstacle between you and the green, if the green slopes real hard, etc...).

Short game saves you strokes and practice is what will make it happen.

[jvincent]

Like nice_lag says, it's really all about practice.

Given the variety of shots that you're going to face, there's no ONE correct procedure.

I generally use either a lob wedge or gap wedge depending on how much roll I want on the ball and slope of the green. I have also used a 3-wood, putter, 8-iron, etc.

[The Shtick]

For chipping, you have to plan out the shot in advance. Will the ball roll down a hill, break a certain way, or stop dead. Are you on the fringe or in the rough? It all depends on many variables.

Only tip I can give is to plan out on where you want the ball to land. A more lofted club won't roll like a lesser one would. If you decide that you want to use a 5 or 7 iron to chip (to get the ball to roll a bit), I suggest that you play it like a putt. Same stance, same grip. The ball (generally speaking) will get a bit of air and roll....

Again, it all depends on where you want the ball to land and how much roll you seek.

[Sakuraba]

Hmmm. While am sure no expert, my short game (EXCLUDING putting) is reliable. I have always believed in the "get the ball rolling as soon as possible" doctrine. This, depending on the speed and slope of the green can be done with an 8 iron or a 62 deg wedge. I like to practice with the pw for the "standard" shots, then work the gap and lob for the deeper rough, or the less-green-to-work-with shots, or the 9 or 8 iron for the long, flat runners.
While it is exciting to watch those flop shots, I rarely try them unless the situation leaves you little other option.

This is really basic stuff, I'm sure there are many other posters here with better short games and advice, I'm just bored at work, wishing I could practice a few pitches right now....

[broken27]

My short game has traditionally been the weakest part of my game until a buddy recently gave me his extra 60* wedge. I've since taken to using it around the greens about 90% of the time, with the other 10% being putting from the fringe/rought/fairway. My comfort level with this club is coming around now, and since I have always been a relatively strong putter, I have developed a nice, soft and fairly accurate loft-shot that I can use without fear.

As most people have indicated, a lot of it is personal comfort and preference. I was just giving you what I understand is a non-traditional idea for short game.

Dan

[Rusty]

Thanks for the ideas.

I hate to say it but part of the problem is execution, I hold my hands infront of the club head and sweep at the ball, sometimes it works sometimes I blade it or chunk it. But about 2/3s of the time I actually do what I intend to do, but the spot I pick is wrong - I'm expecting the 25-75% thing but it doesnt really cooperate. Most times it seems to check up too fast, and when it doesnt, hoo boy it goes forever.
I like the idea of a putting stroke, how does a sandwedge sound?

Rusty

[The Shtick]

.I like the idea of a putting stroke, how does a sandwedge sound?

Rusty

as I said, look at the shot you wanna make, then decide on what club can get you there.....

[jvincent]

I hate to say it but part of the problem is execution, I hold my hands infront of the club head and sweep at the ball, sometimes it works sometimes I blade it or chunk it. But about 2/3s of the time I actually do what I intend to do, but the spot I pick is wrong - I'm expecting the 25-75% thing but it doesnt really cooperate. Most times it seems to check up too fast, and when it doesnt, hoo boy it goes forever.

Avoiding the blades and chunks is really a practice / concentration thing.

As to the checking up, or not, a few things to consider.

1. Do you always play the same type of golf ball? Many beginners play what they find and this doesn't help the short game because golf balls react differently. It is always better to play with one kind of ball, doesn't matter what kind, since it will behave the same.

2. Are you using the same kind of stroke? I.e. short and quick compared to long and smooth every time? A short quick stroke will generally put more spin on the ball than a long smooth one. If you are changing the way you hit the ball this will have an effect on whether it checks up or not.

3. You may not be factoring in the condition of the green properly. A ball hit into an upslope will check more than one hit onto a flat green, etc. This is a skill gained with experience. But you have to have consistent technique first.

[broken27]

In an edition of some golf magazine I was reading a few years ago, they gave ratios for how far a club will travel in the air versus how far it will roll.

SW - 1:1
PW - 1:2
9i - 1:3
8i - 1:4

and so on. By using this ratio, you can select your club based on your needs. Pop-up shots that need to land on a small patch of green will require SW (or LW), while longer shots that have ample green to work with might merit the 8i.

Personally, I suffer from the same thing as you mentioned, poor execution. I found, however, that settling on one club to use for the time being, has allowed me to gain some consistency in my chipping/pitching stroke. Now I'm almost ready to start experimenting with different clubs.

Dan

[jeffc]

here's what i focus on:

for general chips I use a Gap Wedge with mimimal bounce. I try to think of the following:

locate the spot on the green where you want to land the ball and focus in on that, not the hole.
ball back in stance.
hands forward
try to strike down on the ball
follow through
don't get wristy.

when I have to get the ball up quickly, I use a lob wedge. For bump and runs, I use a 7 iron. The key more often than not is to try to get the ball rolling as quickly as possible.

[powerlefty]

Here's what Kevin Haime advocates. Always use the same chipping motion and calibrate yourself - unless of course you are back further and need to pitch or if you have no green to work with in which case you may want to flop it. Practice by chipping each club to a point on the green and then actually measuring the carry to run ratios. For example, my sand wedge runs out about 1.5 times as far after the ball lands on the green as the distance the ball flies through the air. My Pitching wedge is about 2:1. Etc, etc.Once you have calibrated yourself on a FLAT, average speed, surface always try to chip the ball so that it just carries a few feet onto the green and starts to roll as soon as possible. You can adjust the ratios based on uphill, downhill, etc. He suggests using this method all the way down to about a 6 or 7 iron.

It works well - if you take the time to calibrate yourself and if you practice a consistent stroke.

[Kilroy]

I took Kevin's short game class and the technique is sound. I used to play all chips with a SW and got fairly good at getting the ball close to the hole. I found the "putt chip" over the fringe with a variety of clubs tough to master due to the almost overwhelming mental gymnastics of ratios for bump and run with different lofts. So I stuck with the SW.

Lately I have been using a 7 iron for most of my "chip putts" or an occasional 5 or a 9 depending on the fringe distance to carry. Symplified so as to not bee too tough, but very effective. I only use the SW if I need to stop it fast.

Good "chip putts" are usually within "good putt" range which is closer than "good chip" range

Another BIG benefit is that a topped or toed "chip putt" usually is WAY better than the same miss-hit with a stronger flop shot. (skulled over the green )

[kewarken]

At the risk of sounding like I'm trying to teach my grandmother to suck eggs, I believe that we're inventing a new term (chip putt) for something that already has a name.

From the golfing dictionary:
http://www.worldgolf.com/wglibrary/r...ce/dictionary/

chip shot A short approach shot of low trajectory usually hit from near the green. It is normally hit with overspin or bite.

chip-and-run A chip shot including the run of the ball after landing. Also known as 'bump and run'

pitch A short shot lofting the ball into the air in a high arc and landing with backspin

Chip=low, pitch=high.

cheers,

Kris

[wantobegolfer]

Practice makes perfect. Make sure your ball is in the middle of your stance, weight slighty on your left foot (right handed golfers). Your hands have to be ahead of your ball, when you look down, your hands should be between your front heal and the ball. Now here's the key, "DON'T BREAK YOUR LEFT WRIST!" alot of golfer try to scoop the ball. Let the club do the work, your wrist on your right hand can act as a hinge when you draw the club back, but dont break your left wrist on the follow through, make it one with the club. Good luck!

[Rusty]

Hi;

Well I ended up at Meadows Thursday morning to try some of the suggestions.
If I was within 12 to 15 feet away from the hole, the Chip-putt worked great.
Further than that and I had to "putt" too hard to control the club.
I seemed to do better with just the Sand wedge on the longer shots(30 ft.from green), where I had to land it softly.
All in all it was a pretty good day, and I think I used just about every tip given, so thanks alot.

Rusty