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30 Yards in Front of Green...whatcha Got?

With no trouble in front of the green and the pin not tucked way up in front, I'm taking PW(45*) or GW (50*) and hitting a running chip. Had one of these exact shots work out really well for me at Torrey Pines South when I chipped one in for birdie this way!
 
If no trouble to go over, I'm pulling my 52* and attempting a bump and run.
 
I had a lesson on this very type of shot. For me, I'm taking my 58* wedge, and at 30 yards, I'm taking the club a bit past parallel with the ground on the back swing.

As for the swing itself. I set up to ball and target line square, flare the front foot open. The ball is in the back of my stance. With the new wedges, I'm now back-center of my stance, whereas before, it was off the inside of my back heel. My grip is more neutral, but I'm not really opening up the club face. Weight should be shifted to the front from the start. The swing feels like all wrist, but I don't think it really is. The hands turn with some wrist-cock, but it is not a side to side wrist motion. The club goes straight back on the target line, then back forward, but the hands do not release. It's almost like your trying to hold the club face open (but as mentioned, the clubface isn't open to begin with). Basically, don't roll your hands over.

For practice, I just use an alignment stick, and put it behind the ball on the target line, so I can really practice taking the club back on the target line.

You can turn through the shot, the more you turn, the lower (but spinnier) the shot will be, as it promotes delofting the club at impact (hand in front of ball). I personally don't turn too much, just because I struggle with thinning the shot when I do, but I do turn a bit.

If you fall backwards, or feel your head move to the right, you are not going to hit the shot well. This was probably my biggest struggle with learning the new pitch shot this year, and its why I spent a lot of time just practicing the mechanics of the shot. Once the mechanics are down, I then worked on knowing what length of backswing to get the desired yardage.

~Rock
 
7-iron, bump and run.
 
I would hit my 58* wedge and fly it up and hope for the best. I use the 58 for every shot, because I don't practice at all and figure with using just the one club that I can get a feel around the greens from anywhere 50 yards and in.
 
58*, ball back in my stance a bit. I find the bottom with my practice swing and get a feeling for how hard I want to hit the shot. Then I step up and commit to the swing.
 
mpeterson said:
I've started using my PW more for this shot, and running it up onto the green if there's nothing there and I'm going over fairway. If there's junk in the way, or a big piece of rough, I'll go to the 56.
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I've been going in this direction also. It's a bit easier then trying to fly it all the way since my contact on pitching as the 100% consistent.
 
Really depends on pin placement, how much green I have, and whether there's a false front or not. If it's just straight to the pin with no real elevation changes I'd opt for my 52 and play a bump and run. 56 pm grind gives me the mid height spinner that I can land on or near the green with limited run out. 30 yds is a bit close for my taste to use a mid high flight hop and stop ball with 60
 
mikedean441 said:
yeah I tend to not get cute and typicaly dont get the ball up in the air much so its always been the low shot. I just find it tough for me on tight fairways....rough has seen much better results.
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I was having this same problem, turned out I was pulling a club with too much bounce. From 30 yards out on a tight fairway, it's the 52* wedge with little bounce, standard putting-motion chip shot.
 
Off a tight lie I would probably use a 9i or PW and run it to the hole. If I've got some grass under the ball, the other option is a low spinner with the 54.
 
Two shots:

PW Bump & Run (to a normal non-humped green)

or

56* "pop" shot. Open up the face, pop the ball up, fly it 2/3 of the way and let it roll out.
 
Depends on how much green there is. If it's mostly green, I'm probably playing a pitch and run with my 50* or 54*.

If there's not much green, I probably try to pitch with the 58*.

Unless the ground is really firm, I'm probably not putting from there. Maybe an 8i bump and run, but the pin would have to be pretty close to the front of the green.
 
I hit a partial swing with my 58, I love that wedge.
 
If I can run it then I will probably take either my 49 or 52 and keep it low. Depending on how I am feeling that also is the distance for a half swing 64° as well.
 
54 or 58 degree wedge depending on how much green I have to work with. Ball in middle of stance, use the bounce on the club and try to take as little of a divot as possible. When I try to put the ball back in my stance, I tend to dig the leading edge of the club into the ground.
 
54*
Ball in back of stance
Open stance
Attempt to clip it then let it hit green and release towards hole
 
I feel ya, and I hate these shots as well. Not because I necessarily hit really awful shots, but that I feel like with a little practice I would be so much better at them. The worst ones for me are the lies that are just tight enough that anything with loft is scary, but also just far enough away that I can't putt. I feel a lot better if there is a little bit of lie to work with, and also if there's a decent amount of green to work with.

As I said, practice would make a big difference here, but it's just not as fun. I used to live close to the course I played at before I moved recently, and it was nice to be able to practice for 30 minutes no a Wednesday evening, or even a Sunday afternoon after a round. Living 30 minutes away now, it's a bit more of a hassle to do that sort of thing.
 
58* PM grind all day long. Choke up a bit, about a 1/3 swing. I've got much more comfort with that than anything else I could try.
 
Depending on how much green there is to work with, I may go with everything from a chip and run with a 50* GW or a 54* SW or a pitch with a 58* LW. My obvious goal would be to land it on the green then let roll out take the ball to the hole. I am not comfortable landing it short of the green and letting it bounce and roll the rest of the way because, to me, the amount of bounce / roll from the fairway is less predictable then what I would get on the green.
 
If there is not a lot of green to work with then I go with my 60 and land it on the green short of the hole. I get a lot of spin with that club and the ball just doesn't move much after landing. With more green to use then I would probably go with my 50 or even 44.
 
60 for me, typically I will play it in the air, but if need be can run it up by hooding the wedge. Setup is crucial when playing these shots. I like setting up with my weight on my front side with open shoulders. This let's me use the bounce effectively. If used correctly bounce is your friend.
 
If the flag is in the middle or back, I take 58*, play the ball forward in stance and try to fly the ball just over halfway to the hole and play for release towards the hole. In the flag is front of green, I'll take 58*, ball forward and swing coming across the ball to create more spin and fly the ball to the hole and check up or slight release


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Aim at the top of the flag and take my 54* wedge with a slightly open face. The goal is to be pin high if not just behind. Aiming at the top of the flag assures that I am going to be aggressive through the hit area and get some good spin.
 
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