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Pitching/chipping drills?

Bullitt5339

Bullitt5339

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Man, I'm really struggling with my pitching and chipping up around the green. Like under 50 yards, I'm horrible. I could probably cut 10 shots off my score if I could pitch and chip decently. I've worked on it at the practice range until I'm blue in the face, and I just can't figure it out on my own, and my work schedule keeps me from taking lessons.

Today was the last straw. #18, par 5. My drive was awesome, right in the center of the fairway, 290 out, 220 to the green. I pulled the 3 wood, just like I always do, and hit a georgeous shot, about 10 yards off the green, easy pitch over a small mound that protects the green on the right. I walked up, feeling great, and pulled my 60 degree wedge, and absolutely screwed up the shot, ended up on the fringe on the other side of the green. Ended up with par.

No matter what, I just can't get the feel for how hard to swing my wedges. I've practiced, practiced and practiced more, and still can't get it down. I was wondering if anyone had any good pitching/chipping drills that will instill some confidence in me, and help me learn the distance I need to improve my short game.
 
This should help you as much or better than anything you have seen in the past. Andy our THP Pro helps explain in video a very easy way to work on this.

The Hackers Paradise Volume 1
 
The best advice I can give you about chipping is to use a putting stroke with a club with little loft. Most people see the pro's chipping with wedges and they think they have to. The greens we play are not as fast as theirs and the best thing to focus on is hitting a club that you can let land and roll to the pin. Working on how to put spin on the ball to control the speed. A chipping stroke should be one of the most practiced shots in golf. It is a life saver and it will help you stop trying to fly the ball to the hole every time you are around a green.
 
JB said:
This should help you as much or better than anything you have seen in the past. Andy our THP Pro helps explain in video a very easy way to work on this.

The Hackers Paradise Volume 1
Click to expand...

It looks like I had the right idea, but was just missing a couple things. I wasn't putting my weight forward on my front foot being the main thing, and I never sat and measured out the different clubs. I think the measurement may help me out a lot on chipping. I used to use my 8 iron quite a bit for chipping, but have since went to using my wedges a lot more since I bought a set of expensive wedges, I felt obligated to use them, I guess....lol

I guess I'll hit the practice green during lunch tomorrow, and start figuring out my distances.

Thanks for the help.
 
Let us know how it works. Our THP Pro amollerud, featured in those videos, is always here for more questions in his section should you need them.
 
I very rarely use a wedge anymore around the green unless I have to carry a bunker. I use a 9-7 iron or my Niblick. I watched a "Playing Lesson with a Pro" on the Golf Channel not too long ago that had Gary Player. He said one of the biggest mistakes a recreational golfer can do is use wedges around greens if they are not extremely proficient in using them. He suggested using a 9 iron or such and you will have much better luck. My instructor is the same way, unless I can put my wedge shot closer than my 9 iron or Niblick 100% of the time he said don't even try it. If your goal is to shoot low scores, then you have to think of which club will give you the best miss in case you don't end up with the shot you want, and most likely a miss with a wedge isn't going to help your score very much unlike a miss with a 9 iron around the green. A miss with a wedge usually ends up with your next shot from across the green trying to chip/pitch again, a total miss chipping/pitching from the same spot or a fluffed shot that only went a few feet in front of you. A miss with a 9 iron around the green is usually just a longer putt as it rolled further than you anticipated. It's to the point now that when I approach a green and need to chip I don't even think about grabbing a wedge anymore, unless I have to carry something.
 
Here's a C&P I borrowed from a friend that talks about multi-club chipping. The golfer uses the same stroke, with different clubs for different distances. I deleted some of the info, but basic info is still there in the quote. In my chipping I use a 8i, PW, or LW depending on what I need to do. I have tried this, and it does work, but it's not for me.

"Mike Adams and T.J. Tomasi in the book "Total Golf" discuss a chipping method using multi clubs. It is a calculation you would use to choose a specific club, for specific carry, and roll distance. Myself I only use one or two clubs for my chip shots, but I do like their method that utilizes only one set stroke, being used with different clubs. They have two constants you need to remember. One being a landing area 1 foot on the green, and the other being the number 12. Below is a cut & paste on how it works. Indulge your self.
"The Two Constants;
1. Landing area on the green is 1 foot past the fringe.
2. The # 12.
The # 12 Calculation; With your normal stride measure the distance from the ball to the “1” ft. landing area. This gives you a numerator. Next with your normal stride measure the distance from the “1” ft landing area to the hole. This number gives a denominator. Then reduce the fraction, and subtract the denominator from the # 12. The left over sum matches the club number to be used.
Example 1: 2 steps from the ball to the landing area. 6 steps from the landing area to the hole. OR 2/6. Reduced, this fraction becomes 1/3. Subtract 3 from 12 which = 9 OR a 9i.
Example 2: 1 step from the ball to the landing area. 6 steps from the landing area to the hole. Fraction = 1/6. 12 minus 6 equals 6, or a 6i.
Of course with this method you would have to make adjustments for up hill, and down hill pin placements. Plus if your stride does not match your chipping stroke, other adjustments need to made. Also if there is a problem with the 1 foot landing area, such a mound.
 
I use a similar theory. In fact it was in one of the magazines last month I think. It is similar to this, LW is 4:1, SW is 3:1, GW is 2:1, PW is 1:1, 9i is 1:2, 8i is 1:3, 7i is 1:4 and so on. Meaning for every unit of pace you carry, you will get that many units of roll after landing assuming level ground, etc. The landing spot should always be about 1 pace onto the green, unless there are other factors prohibiting this. I think for mid-high handicappers this is a good method to use. When trying it out with my instructor, I was inside my wedge shots around 80-90% of the time when about 10-20yds off the green. When closer in around the green, I was inside my wedge shots almost 100% of the time. There are obviously times were you will need to carry the ball and this will not work.
 
[YOUTUBE]OTCpkYqF8Ig[/YOUTUBE]
 
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