Post by pythagoras345 on Sept 24, 2010 2:44:48 GMT -5
There are many things that you have to think about when chipping, flopping, pitching, and bottom wedge punching.
First is power. It is very easy to get your power to 100%. Use this to your advantage. Shorten your back swing and take an easier, softer stroke and you will find it easier to hit it straight consistently. For some shorter shots, a mere flick of the wrist will get full power and should be easy to hit straight.
Second is ball flight. Unlike the full swing that has second half flight (slice, hook, or come back to center) around the green you only really have first half (straight, left or right) as there is just not enough air time for the spin to move the ball much. As a result, swing plane angle is more critical than club face angle. If your swing plane angle is 10% O/I, your ball is going left.
Third is lie angle. Lie angle is very similar to swing plane in that is the direction your ball travels off the club – left, right or straight. So this is VERY important around the greens! Do not try to adjust for lie angle with swing plane or club face angles. You still want to target square, square. Simply move your target arrow to compensate for lie angle. I draw an imaginary perpendicular line to the lie line and aim that imaginary line at the flag. Typically that ends up being an over compensation, but it gives you a vision to work off of as you are getting a fell for the amount of correction needed. (keep in mind that the green probably also slopes the same way as your lie angle - specifically out of bunkers, so your ball will often roll in that direction as well. If this is true the perpendicular line is often spot on)
Forth is hit type option (putt, chip, pitch, flop). There are some exceptions (nasty lie or nasty break in green), but I almost always take the one with the least air. So if it lets me putt, I almost always will. If I am close enough to chip (and my chip will clear the rough), I almost always chip. If I can pitch or flop the correct distance, I almost always pitch. Most take the exact opposite approach to this. Meaning they go for flop shot first, because it is easier to stick tight. But my logic is this, I just have to be good enough that I am getting down in two no matter what (whether I have a 5 foot putt after a great flop or a 15 foot putt after a marginal pitch). With that attitude, I want to take the option that gives me the best chance of holing the first shot. The more often my ball is rolling by the cup, the greater my odds are of making the shot. Flop shots just never go in. So even if I only make 1 in 10 of my chips, it is better than the flop option. You make a lot more when you are trying to make it rather than just trying to get it close!
Fifth tip. Get the distance right. Find front and back edge yard markers. Determine distance between them, determine ratio of pin to each one (3/4 to back marker, ¼ to front marker) and thus calculate your distance. Secondly, cycle through your shot options using button 1 to get a better reading on distance. EA will always give you enough club to get to pin. So if it gives you pitch option of 27 yards, pull arrow towards until a club change, if that club is 22 yard pitch, you know you are at least 23 yards away. Now if you can actually see the arrow, when it changes clubs, you know exactly where the 22 yard mark is located (make sure you u do this BEFORE you move arrow left or right for break, wind or lie correction). Now go to flop option, if it gives you flop club with 25 yards, you know you are at most 25 yards away! So if downhill or with wind you might choose to pitch the 22, but uphill or into the wind the 27 – or even higher. (THIS TIP WORKS ON ALL APPROACH SHOTS – NOT JUST AROUND THE GREEN)
Sixth tip. ALWAYS take a practice shot when facing a tough shot. This includes deep bunkers, less than 85% lies, or if the green is way elevated or way below. These shots often need you to club up or down 2 or 3 clubs. Getting this wrong is a sure bogey or worse. The practice shot gives you the visual trace line. I can not tell you how many times the practice shot trace line showed me I was not going to get up to the elevated green, out of the trap, or I was going to sail it over the green!
Seventh tip. If you are within 20 yards, check out the chip option. Not because you can chip that far, but because it shows you a portion of the putting grid. You can get an idea of how the green breaks for your pitch. Now your pitch is only going to roll a few feet so it is not going to break much - so your not going to aim very far outside cup. But the up or down of green might make the difference in proper club selection!
First is power. It is very easy to get your power to 100%. Use this to your advantage. Shorten your back swing and take an easier, softer stroke and you will find it easier to hit it straight consistently. For some shorter shots, a mere flick of the wrist will get full power and should be easy to hit straight.
Second is ball flight. Unlike the full swing that has second half flight (slice, hook, or come back to center) around the green you only really have first half (straight, left or right) as there is just not enough air time for the spin to move the ball much. As a result, swing plane angle is more critical than club face angle. If your swing plane angle is 10% O/I, your ball is going left.
Third is lie angle. Lie angle is very similar to swing plane in that is the direction your ball travels off the club – left, right or straight. So this is VERY important around the greens! Do not try to adjust for lie angle with swing plane or club face angles. You still want to target square, square. Simply move your target arrow to compensate for lie angle. I draw an imaginary perpendicular line to the lie line and aim that imaginary line at the flag. Typically that ends up being an over compensation, but it gives you a vision to work off of as you are getting a fell for the amount of correction needed. (keep in mind that the green probably also slopes the same way as your lie angle - specifically out of bunkers, so your ball will often roll in that direction as well. If this is true the perpendicular line is often spot on)
Forth is hit type option (putt, chip, pitch, flop). There are some exceptions (nasty lie or nasty break in green), but I almost always take the one with the least air. So if it lets me putt, I almost always will. If I am close enough to chip (and my chip will clear the rough), I almost always chip. If I can pitch or flop the correct distance, I almost always pitch. Most take the exact opposite approach to this. Meaning they go for flop shot first, because it is easier to stick tight. But my logic is this, I just have to be good enough that I am getting down in two no matter what (whether I have a 5 foot putt after a great flop or a 15 foot putt after a marginal pitch). With that attitude, I want to take the option that gives me the best chance of holing the first shot. The more often my ball is rolling by the cup, the greater my odds are of making the shot. Flop shots just never go in. So even if I only make 1 in 10 of my chips, it is better than the flop option. You make a lot more when you are trying to make it rather than just trying to get it close!
Fifth tip. Get the distance right. Find front and back edge yard markers. Determine distance between them, determine ratio of pin to each one (3/4 to back marker, ¼ to front marker) and thus calculate your distance. Secondly, cycle through your shot options using button 1 to get a better reading on distance. EA will always give you enough club to get to pin. So if it gives you pitch option of 27 yards, pull arrow towards until a club change, if that club is 22 yard pitch, you know you are at least 23 yards away. Now if you can actually see the arrow, when it changes clubs, you know exactly where the 22 yard mark is located (make sure you u do this BEFORE you move arrow left or right for break, wind or lie correction). Now go to flop option, if it gives you flop club with 25 yards, you know you are at most 25 yards away! So if downhill or with wind you might choose to pitch the 22, but uphill or into the wind the 27 – or even higher. (THIS TIP WORKS ON ALL APPROACH SHOTS – NOT JUST AROUND THE GREEN)
Sixth tip. ALWAYS take a practice shot when facing a tough shot. This includes deep bunkers, less than 85% lies, or if the green is way elevated or way below. These shots often need you to club up or down 2 or 3 clubs. Getting this wrong is a sure bogey or worse. The practice shot gives you the visual trace line. I can not tell you how many times the practice shot trace line showed me I was not going to get up to the elevated green, out of the trap, or I was going to sail it over the green!
Seventh tip. If you are within 20 yards, check out the chip option. Not because you can chip that far, but because it shows you a portion of the putting grid. You can get an idea of how the green breaks for your pitch. Now your pitch is only going to roll a few feet so it is not going to break much - so your not going to aim very far outside cup. But the up or down of green might make the difference in proper club selection!