Chip Shots vs. Pitch Shots
Chip Shot
Chip Shots vs. Pitch Shots. It is important to have a predictable system of controlling carry distance and roll diastanc with your chip shots and pitch shots.
A chip shot is meant to be a low trajectory shot with minimal spin. I use the basic chip shot when I am within 3 steps of the putting green. The goal is to get the ball on the green as soon as possible and have the ball roll to the hole like a putt. To hit a chip shot you want to use as little wrists and possible almost like a putt. In fact, I use my putting grip. Grip down to the bottom of the grip and lean slightly on the front foot. The only moving part of your body is the upper body! I suggest that the chip shot have a predetermined swing length. That is a 7-5 swing or as I feel it, my hands go back to my rear leg and follow through to my front leg. My hands go “leg-to-leg”. So, with a predetermined swing length, each club in your bag will roll the ball an exact and predictable distance. On green speeds stimping 9.5 to 10, the SW rolls the ball 5 yards from the front of the green, the GW rolls the ball 10 yards from the front of the green, the PW rolls the ball 15 yards from the front of th egreen, etc. Of course you will need to fine tune your club selection based on conditions such as uphill, downhill, wet greens, dry greens, etc.
I love the chip shot and you will be surprised at how many shots will drop in the hole with this system.
Pitch Shot
A pitch shot is meant to be a higher trajectory shot with more spin. However, the ball will still roll some because the average player is using a distance ball compared to a high spin ball. A pitch shot will be used when you are further than 3 steps away from the green. Most players will use a SW to execute this shot. The goal is to land the ball at an exact distance and let it roll the remaining distance to the hole.
We are going to use a similar stroke as the Chip Shot, although it is ok to use your wrists a little. Upon the downswing there is some lower body rotation. Now here is the system. We will have three predetermined swing lengths that will produce 3 exact and predictable carry distances. The 7-5 o’clock swing will produce 10 yards of carry. The 8-4 o’clock swing will produce 20 yards of carry. And the 9-3 o’clock swing will produce 30 yards of carry. Generally speaking, if the hole is 40 yards away, use the 9-3 swing, if the hole is 30 yards away, use the 8-4 swing, and if the hole is 20 yards away, use the 7-5 swing. Of course, you will need to fine tune your swing time based upon course conditions such as wind at you or against, uphill or downhill, soft greens hard greens etc.
Chip Shots vs. Pitch Shots
With a little practice you will be able to dial in those distances with pro-like precision. Learning the chip shot vs. the pitch shot and how to control their distances will lower your scores overnight. Become a master of the Short Game and enroll in one of the Ultimate Golf School’s “Short Game Schools”.