Chipping with short irons - Is it a lost art?

[Fourputt]

This something that my grandfather was a master at and something that I'm working to incorporate into my game. Long chips are one of my major weaknesses and I'm searching for answers. I play as a single a lot so I get paired up with people all the time and I can't say I see many people that do it. A lot of the old timers around the courses I grew up on were great at it and really allowed them to score well.

So who out there does this still? Do you have certain yardages you use for different clubs or just one longer club to get the ball going and swing harder or lighter depending on distance? Would love to hear some thoughts on this.

I chip with 8I on down to 56° wedge. I most often use my PW or GW, but I also really like using my 8I when I have room to let the ball roll.

I think that us older players (man how hate being able to say that) have an advantage in this area, since we learned the game before anyone used a LW. In fact, when I started, I didn't even have a SW for several years. I learned to chip with a 7I, which was about the loft of what is now an 8I.

The idea of carrying the ball most of the way to the hole is not only not part of my normal play, but to my way of thinking it's a poor strategy if there is any other choice. And I can't see any reason to deloft a wedge for chipping when I already have a perfectly good iron with lower loft already in my bag.

 

[mikeg_74]

This is something I've been working on around the greens. Depending on the lie and distance I've been using a PW/GW/8i.

The hardest part to judge is the rollout for me, but I like the versatility a short iron or even my 8i gives me. It makes practicing fun & my rounds are more creative around the green. My goal is to have 1 or 2 chip ins a round and consistently chip up to inside of 5 ft.

 

[Fourputt]

I ever once and a while will pull an 8 or 9 to chip with but most of the time it is the 52*or 58* in the US the flop is a more common an thing than in Europe where they play a lot of links golf where you have to keep it down or the wind will take your ball when you watch the PGA the european player seem to keep it on the ground more

Believe it or not the wind blows in the US and other parts of the world too. Come out to northeastern Colorado sometime and I'll make a believer of you.

I never could get the hang of chipping with a hybrid. Both of the brands I've used seemed to have too much jump off the face when compared to an iron, so I always struggled with hitting them too hard.

I don't have any problem with chipping over multiple breaks, no more than I do putting in that situation. You read the slope, then hit the shot you think is right. Even when I misread it somewhat, I'll still usually get closer than I will trying to judge carry and spin and release. If I try the high lob and miss hit the ball, then I'm in bigger trouble, so I'll take what is for me the more dependable shot.

 

[Sox_Fan]

I have always used a lot of 9 and 7 irons to hit bump and run shots from the fringe. I have been trying with some success the same type shots from up to around 30 yards out.

 

[Otis32]

I like the idea of using lower lofted clubs and getting the ball on the ground early. The problem I have with achieving consistent chipping and pitching results is using my body/toro and accelerating through contact. Not always easy to overcome this flaw with a lower lofted club and keep from over cooking the shot. For this reason I usually save the shot for situations where I can bump it into a hill or where I have an uphill shot with a lot of green to navigate.


When tight to the green I do often pull a 7 or 8 iron and use more of a putting stroke. Like that play a lot.

 

[TheCrest4]

I started using my PW for some of these shots last season but it does require quite a bit of practice to feel comfortable. So far this season they have been hit or miss but it is a shot that can really benefit my game. I have much more success when I use this method as opposed to a flop shot or high lofted wedge.

 

[SkiBumGolfer]

I'm a major proponent of this method. I'll frequently use as low as 8i if I have a chip all the way across the green. You do have to be careful with speed, as those shots roll pretty aggressively, but I've hit some bump and runs incredibly close using this method.

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk

 

[EaglevsFalcon]

I wish I practiced this more and got a better feel for it. I'd like to have the mid iron chip in my arsenal of shots, but at the current moment, I can never decide 6, 7, or 8 and either come up really short, or roll it 10 feet past.

this is my issue right now. I have many situations arise that this skill would be useful but dont have distances dialed. It going to take some work for sure.

Man I used to use the 7 and 9 irons all the time and got away from it. I think the shots were more predictable when I did it and your reminder just may cause me to go revisit it, hmmm.

Good thread!

I think wedge tech has gotten better to where we can be more aggressive with them than we used to as well. I think stopping the wedge is the sexier shot compared to a "boring" chip and run. Both definitely have their place

I chip with 8I on down to 56° wedge. I most often use my PW or GW, but I also really like using my 8I when I have room to let the ball roll.

I think that us older players (man how hate being able to say that) have an advantage in this area, since we learned the game before anyone used a LW. In fact, when I started, I didn't even have a SW for several years. I learned to chip with a 7I, which was about the loft of what is now an 8I.

The idea of carrying the ball most of the way to the hole is not only not part of my normal play, but to my way of thinking it's a poor strategy if there is any other choice. And I can't see any reason to deloft a wedge for chipping when I already have a perfectly good iron with lower loft already in my bag.

Couldn't agree more. Do you think the advent of the golf cart and not having our bags at our hip for our greenside shots plays a role? Old school golf was so much craftier than today's style I think. Old schoolers have that "just get the ball in the hole" mentality that I just love. Simple but really effective.

This is something I've been working on around the greens. Depending on the lie and distance I've been using a PW/GW/8i.

The hardest part to judge is the rollout for me, but I like the versatility a short iron or even my 8i gives me. It makes practicing fun & my rounds are more creative around the green. My goal is to have 1 or 2 chip ins a round and consistently chip up to inside of 5 ft.

the rollout is definitely tough. the hardest part is convincing myself that this easy little chip stroke is going to roll out 30yds.

 

[EaglevsFalcon]

I like the idea of using lower lofted clubs and getting the ball on the ground early. The problem I have with achieving consistent chipping and pitching results is using my body/toro and accelerating through contact. Not always easy to overcome this flaw with a lower lofted club and keep from over cooking the shot. For this reason I usually save the shot for situations where I can bump it into a hill or where I have an uphill shot with a lot of green to navigate.


When tight to the green I do often pull a 7 or 8 iron and use more of a putting stroke. Like that play a lot.

I had that issue too. I found that a square clubface popped chips to the left because of that stuck in the grass issue. I started opening the clubface slightly and it seems to have solved that problem.

 

[Mark_UK]

I'll always choose to bump and run it rather than fly it to the hole if I can. Far easier to execute and far easier to judge the distance on a ball that runs along the ground than flies through the air.

 

[bobcat]

(Click above to open Niblick picture attachment)


If you truly want to develop a deadly shortgame, I suggest you pickup a full set of the 2011 Cleveland Niblicks. These clubs are really fun to practice with and soon you will be geting up and down far more often than you ever did before. If you are serious about scoring improvement, this is the best equipment change you can make...just replace your conventional wedges with these 2011 Niblick short game hybrid wedges!

- PW (42*) - For chips shots and full PW shots from the fairway

- DW (49*) - For pitch shots, finesse shots, and GW shots from the fairway

- SW/LW (56*) - For sand shots and LW shots from the fairway

:act-up:

 

[darnall]

If I am within 10-15 feet of the edge of the green I always use a 5-9 iron to chip depending on how much carry versus rollout distance I need. The only time I hit a lob wedge is if I have to carry over a bunker to get on the green. I actually have much better results if I end up just off the green and can chip with an iron than I do if I am on the green looking at a long putt.

 

[rallo]

My father still does it, and i'll pull it out on occasion. He would play anywhere from a 5iron to a 9iron for the shot... I tend to keep it steady with a 7iron... and if I don't feel confident i'll just pull a 52* and hit a pitch/chip combo

 

[Smithfaced]

I used to play little bump and runs with 7,8,9 irons. Now it just depends if I need to play a high shot or a low shot. The vast majority of the time I use a PW for low shots and a 58 for high shots. It has worked well for me to keep things very simple.