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Straight forward or creative short game?

Tadashi70

Tadashi70

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I have found that I really enjoy being creative around the greens and really like pulling off the touch shots. I've been left with some tricky chips last few rounds that required perfect spin, loft and distance to get the ball close. I've almost holed out every time left with a situation like this.

Then I get a straight forward uphill chip and leave it short. And I'm standing over the balk thinking I'm going to chip in.

Maybe it's from being self taught for the first half of my golf life and playing from every plant except the easy spots. Who knows?

What about you, are you a better creative or straight forward short game player.
 
Creative...I played primarily on a par 3 course with other kids when I started. There were a lot of summer days betting each other around various flop shots, backing the ball up off of the backstop, etc...it led me to thinking about the green side stuff differently.

I like the challenge of utilize the embankments, break, etc to approach the hole differently i.e. bringing the ball in from the side and getting it close versus playing it straight knowing you can't stop it on the slope the straightforward shot gives you.

I'm rambling. I love the short game and the creativity it offers. If I'm being creative in the longer parts of the game it usually means I'm in the woods...
 
Creative for sure. I have no set club for particular shots, I'll choose based off of what I feel the shot requires. Not that I'm always correct or pull the shot off, but I love trying the risky, perfect shot, it's so rewarding when you pull it off and can give you confidence the rest of the round and beyond.

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I'm not sure. I have a variety of shots I know how to use but I do struggle to execute with any consistency. My percentage is probably a lot higher on straight forward chips.
 
I think I am creative. I will do anything from putts to pitches. I tend to leave the flop shots to the people who can pull them off!
 
Straight forward. I used to practice a ton and had a really good wedge game but all that will create now is me taking bogey instead of par.

I just don't have the touch I used to.
 
I would say I'm better creative as I grew up playing from the tough spots as well


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Creative. I love channeling some inner Seve and thinking about how I want the ball to land and roll then adjusting accordingly.
 
I don't think I'm better at either a straight forward chip or creative. I do like having a challenge and executing the shot
 
I would say I'm a pretty straightforward short game player. I don't get creative in the sense of using shots with the toe down or the toe up or face closed or using anything outside of a wedge. Every now and then I'll use a hybrid or 3w off shortgrass on the fairway green side to put it on the green. And I'll open up the face out of bunkers and rough. But those FW runner shots are rare and opening up the face out of the rough or bunker I don't think qualifies as "creative". So yeah, straight forward for me.


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I try to keep it simple. When I try to get cute bad things tend to happen. I prefer to keep it to just a couple different types of basic shots around the green outside of bunker shots (basic rolling chip, trapped spinning chip, open face chip).

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I have more fun being creative, but a lot depends on the course. I love crazy greens that allow you to use slopes on the green and use then to funnel the ball close. I have the most fun when I am aiming nowhere near the hole but can still get it close. The worst is courses who's greens aren't fast enough to use the slopes and the ball stops on slopes it shouldn't.
 
Creative for me,been using a variety of low,medium,high shots depending on what i am facing. Enjoy the many options of getting results and mixing it up


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Creative when I shouldn't be. Straightforward when I shouldn't be.

Too many times I pick/execute poorly.
 
I'm definitely straight forward, but I can't say it with a straight face when I own a pm grind 64*. Let's just say I prefer my Texas wedge, but I'm gladly let my inner Phil come out and play when the lie is right. How can you hide a smile hitting when fun shots.
 
I try to keep the game as simple as possible as that usually results in lower scores for me, but I do enjoy getting the challenging shot that requires creativity. The feeling of executing those shots exactly as planned are one of the more rewarding parts of golf to me.
 
It is something I've been practicing and for the first time yesterday actually tried different variations except for the flop shot. When I am close to the pin on the fringe it's an automatic 58* for me. But if I'm on the fringe I'll take out my AW and run it close.

The shot I was most happy about yesterday was about 50-60 yards away and typically I would hit my wedge but instead felt a little different and ran a 9iron onto the green, above the hole so a tricky downhill putt, but was happy with the shot I pulled off.

I hit about 8-12 flops when I practice and do OK but trying it in a round I have yet to feel comfortable doing it, small fear of a hosel rocket hah


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Chipping is the most fun part of the game IMO, sure I would rather have put it on the green but golf happens and being able to save a pars or even chip one in every now and then keeps me coming back.

As for technique I think I would be classified as straight forward, pick a spot and use either the 58 or 52 deg. most times get it pretty close.
 
weakest part of my game so I am focusing on executing a pretty straightforward old school short game. Partial/choked down wedges and club selection based on how much roll out I need and stance width variation to help control distance. While executing flops and hop and stop type shots are flashing and fun, i am trying to solid contact and distance control and stay away from hero type shot selection.
 
I'll put myself in the creative group. Though I do question the risk sometimes.
 
Straight forward...keep it as simple as possible. Have even started using the PW and AW much more around the greens where I used to use 54* for almost everything.
 
If I had to guess, I'd say straight forward. But I've been known to mix it up occasionally.
 
I think I've got the mind for creative, but my game doesn't always match what i can imagine. Can't always pull off those shots. But fun to try.
 
For me, creative, is hitting the fat part of a green, getting out of a green side bunker onto the green, wedging out of the thick grass just outside the collar onto the green. For my skill set, getting on in GIR or GIR+1 , is creative.
 
For me they aren't mutually exclusive. If I'm on, I am on with both straight forward and creative shots. If I'm off at any point, I can't pull off either very well.
 
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