Chip and run - what's your club of choice?

[LarryLong]

I've been mucking around with a few different approaches to chipping lately, as my short game has gone off the rails. Up til now I have always tried to use the same swing for every short shot and varied the club so that I would get the right distance. One of the things I'm going to try to bring into the mix is to start playing a lower risk bump and run type shot with a lower lofted iron where the opportunity presents itself.

That's all fine and dandy, but now I have to work out which iron to pull. Should I just close my eyes and grab one, or should I try to get all scientific about it?

I'm thinking that the trade-off is that less loft gives you less risk in terms of contact and consistency, whereas more loft gives you a greater margin for error for distance (if you hit it too hard with a 5-iron it will go twice as far as the same error with a 9). As you can see, I've over-thought this already, so I thought I would just straw poll OzGolf to see what the good golfers do.

What's your go-to club?

[goughy]

8i

[terrys]

i've been using 7 or 8 iron, depending how much ground i have to cover before the green surface.

[Daves]

8i

x2

8i is my go to for bump and runs shots. Though I will use a 9i or PW if a bit more loft and stop is needed, or a 7/6i if playing to pin across a lot of green and I need more run on. Use a putt type stroke.

[gazgolf1]

LW, I've tried runing it along the ground with pw - 7i, I suck at it so its a spinny lob wedge or nuthin.

[KristianJ]

Ditto to what Daves does.

Although I had a fair bit of success with the PW yesterday with 30 or so metre chips where my 53* or 58* from the same distance can at times be very inconsistent. 3 times I had that shot - all 3 times I got it within a 4 foot circle.

[Grunt]

I use almost every club in the bag but i do like chipping with hybrids or fairway woods.

[jaybam]

dad taught me to use a 7i for this shot

[mike]

Used to be 7i. Now it's 8i because that club is easier to get out of my stand bag.

[Jarro]

9/8Iron for me

[Daggs]

7 i for me love punching a low stinger over 70 or 80 with it too out of the wind.

[idgolfguy]

52* for bump and run up to 30m. Anymore is a pitch shot.

58* sand wedge for chip shots too.

[Eag's]

6, 7, 8 iron or hybrid.

[Golfnut]

For me it's anything from LW to 5i depending on how much or what is between the ball and the hole.....lately I''ve been using my 6i and 5i with great success around the greens where there's no bunkers in the way......in fact I holed a birdie from off the green with the 6i on Saturday :D

[MegaWatty]

8, 9 or PW as mentioned before depending on how much I need to clear.

[TheNuclearOne]

A mate off a + cap showed me a great little shot for bump and runs when there's not enough room to hit the green on the full. He plays a PW or even an approach wedge back a little and comes in a bit more aggressive than we would with say an 8 iron. There's a teeny bit of action on the ball that enables him to be quite crisp in his stroke and it spends less time on the ground. You don't play it where the pin is way back but you'd be hitting the green on the full then anyway. It's definitely improved my bump and run a bit.

[sms316]

Depends on what type of grass I'm playing on. Certain grasses like kikuyu will grab the ball when there is any hint of topspin.

[henno]

PW/9i/8i depending on how much time I want the ball to spend in the air more than distance. Anything over an 8i and I usually hit a little pitch.

[Dotty]

48* PW, as I don't want to think about the air-time vs. run-out ratios with various numbered-irons.

[zacdullard]

8i. I don't do it enough though, I much prefer seeing the ball in the air.

[live4golf]

8 iron.

[PeteyD]

Whatever puts it on the ground quickest (as in the edge of the green). Get a bench seat and learn to chip under it.

[matty]

6,8,PW,SW for me. A rule of thumb I use is a 6 will fly a 1/4 of the distance and roll 3/4, 8 iron 1/3 fly, 2/3 roll, PW 1/2 fly, half roll, SW 2/3 fly, 1/3 roll.

Disclaimer-: there are any no. of variables, spin can greatly affect the PW and SW but the 6 and 8 iron ratios are pretty spot on.

But for a flattish green where you can land it on the green on first bounce the 6 and 8 iron ratios are gold.

The 8 iron is the money club for me. I'll usually pace out the distance. If I have 18 steps to flag I pitch it at 6 step mark. Up and down about 2 out of every 3 attempts .

[chappy1970]

6,8,PW,SW for me. A rule of thumb I use is a 6 will fly a 1/4 of the distance and roll 3/4, 8 iron 1/3 fly, 2/3 roll, PW 1/2 fly, half roll, SW 2/3 fly, 1/3 roll.

Disclaimer-: there are any no. of variables, spin can greatly affect the PW and SW but the 6 and 8 iron ratios are pretty spot on.

But for a flattish green where you can land it on the green on first bounce the 6 and 8 iron ratios are gold.

The 8 iron is the money club for me. I'll usually pace out the distance. If I have 18 steps to flag I pitch it at 6 step mark. Up and down about 2 out of every 3 attempts .

Matty comprehensive summary there, easy to understand and presumably to implement, cheers

[solarman]

Cleveland Niblick Chipper/wedge/hybrid/putter.......just jokin'....8I.....or was I jokin'.

[solarman]

Tomson has been using his hybrid from the fringe to great success it would seem.

[TheNuclearOne]

Just for clarification are we talking the genuine bump and run that bounces before the green or are we hitting it on the full? My answer was for shots bouncing before the green but it seems some are talking chipping onto the green on the full. Maybe i've misunderstood lol

[Yossarian]

I only chip from the fringe really, anything more than that is a mini pitch, I do most work from sixty in with my lob wedge. The odd shot with my gap wedge.

[Moe Norman]

I use my 23* hybrid, its the only good shot I have around the greens.

[Ferrins]

I just visualize what I'd like the ball to do and then grab the club that will do it.

I will use every club in the bag including the putter for a pop and run.

[LarryLong]

Looks like I'd better get on a first name basis with my 8 iron. Thanks all for the suggestions.

I like the idea of chipping with a hybrid, but I know that I would put one in 4 over the back of the green. I just don't have that kind of touch. Hopefully a bit of practice will give me some good feel for flight and roll distances and I can adjust to something loftier when I need it. Dunno about 2 out of 3 up and downs though, I think I'll be happy if I can finish on the green every time and maybe get up and down one out of every four or five. My current stats would be quite a bit worse than that.

The bench seat idea is interesting, might try that out.

And I guess if all else fails I can just turn gay and get myself a Cleveland Nibledick. :) Actually, if they didn't cost so much I'd consider trying one for giggles. They are probably less gay than walking one foot towards the green to play your second chip.

[jaybam]

I just visualize what I'd like the ball to do and then grab the club that will do it.

I will use every club in the bag including the putter for a pop and run.


Can back him up on this. I once watched him use his driver to get out of a greenside trap at Gailes. Mind you took about 5 swipes at it till it came out but he did it in the end ;)

[Daggs]

Just for clarification are we talking the genuine bump and run that bounces before the green or are we hitting it on the full? My answer was for shots bouncing before the green but it seems some are talking chipping onto the green on the full. Maybe i've misunderstood lol

Yeah massive difference i think most are talking chip with release not BUMP n RUN .... but title may have got them there.

I play on scrapes and we use BUMP n RUN extensively .
And it does work on greens. but i do use an 8 or 9 on greens.

It doesnt mater if its 5 mtrs or 50 mtrs i set the shot up an look hard at the pin and gauge how hard i would have to throw the ball to get it there .
7i all the time ( consistency) i work on getting it to 5 feet, 26puts on Saturday im good with that at this stage.

[moree golfer]

I use 7 iron like you Daggs. Dunno why I chose it but when the green get quicker in winter I might try the 8 iron for a little more lofted bump n run.

[TheNuclearOne]

Yeah massive difference i think most are talking chip with release not BUMP n RUN .... but title may have got them there.

I play on scrapes and we use BUMP n RUN extensively .
And it does work on greens. but i do use an 8 or 9 on greens.

It doesnt mater if its 5 mtrs or 50 mtrs i set the shot up an look hard at the pin and gauge how hard i would have to throw the ball to get it there .
7i all the time ( consistency) i work on getting it to 5 feet, 26puts on Saturday im good with that at this stage.

You mean you play on sand greens? I learnt to play golf on them and spent my first 7 odd years at a sand green club. I went against the norm and used my PW from 10 meters or so back and the 8 iron (hitting the sand on the full) in real close. From 30 or so and more my theory was to aim to land on the very front of the sand, a bit short and it hopped on, a bit long and it usually held from the height. Worked really well for me but most of the big guns visiting for the opens came in hopping. The best of them actually delofted a PW and punched it in low and running.

[Daggs]

You mean you play on sand greens? I learnt to play golf on them and spent my first 7 odd years at a sand green club. I went against the norm and used my PW from 10 meters or so back and the 8 iron (hitting the sand on the full) in real close. From 30 or so and more my theory was to aim to land on the very front of the sand, a bit short and it hopped on, a bit long and it usually held from the height. Worked really well for me but most of the big guns visiting for the opens came in hopping. The best of them actually delofted a PW and punched it in low and running.

I know where your coming from

We are classed as a sand greens course although we dont actually use sand . we use what they call skimps ,its a bi-product from the old mines . Black and course and oiled .
Problem is the bases are so hard if for some reason you hit a thin patch your history and could end up any where its just much more reliable to run it on..
Ive never actually played on a full sand green..

[Hawkers2008]

Either my 54 degree or my pitching wedge

[virge666]

I use the bump and run a little differently. I use a formula based method to do chip and run shots.

Lets take 3 clubs... 56 degree, PW and the 8 iron.

Step 1.

I pace of the distance, or guestimate by pacing half the distance and doubling it. I do this whilst my playing partners are tending to their own issues so as to not slow anyone down.

Step 2.

if I hit a basic chip shot with no wrist action, the ball acts very predicably. If I use a 56, the ball will fly 2/3s of the way and roll for 1/3 of the shot. The pitching wedge is about 50/50 and the 8 iron is about 25/75. 6i is just over 10/90

Step 3.

I don't put the ball off my back toe and lean forward, I find that the spin on the ball in unpredictable, sometimes it will grab and sometimes it won't. Ball in middle of stance and hit ball with no wrist action. The ball flies with backspin, grabs a little bit and then rolls out.

Other notes.

I want to bouce the ball on the flat bits, NEVER into banks or mounds if I can get away with it. I would rather pitch it onto a downhill as it is predictable whereas an uphill is not.

I want to bounce the ball as close to me as possible, the closer I bounce the ball to me - the easier the shot is.

You get more roll out of the rough, less roll with tighter lies.

Yes, you can play this shot in a bunker... !

Open the clubface for a bit more spin

[dhills2]

Thanks Matty & Virge... I think I will adopt your basic ratios & pace out some distances on the practice green the next time I'm having a chip - though I might have to limit myself to two clubs to start until I find some consitency... methinks 50 degree & 8 iron might be the go. 50 degree should let me think 50 fly 50 roll but be a tad more aggressive into the ball & 8 iron based on everyone's recommendation.

[Moe Norman]

the key to chipping with a hybrid is to give it a stroke more like a putting stroke than a chipping motion.

the best bit is you can't flub it, nor can you knife it - which is why I like it. Way less can go wrong

[jaybam]

the key to chipping with a hybrid is to give it a stroke more like a putting stroke than a chipping motion.

the best bit is you can't flub it, nor can you knife it - which is why I like it. Way less can go wrong

Tried this a few times of late. Can be quite a handy shot to have in the bag when used properly. Just trying to judge how hot it comes off the face is the biggest hurdle i have had with it.

[virge666]

The hybrid is a great choice depending on what grass you play on.

Couch and other small leaf grasses are fine.

Kyke will kill you doing this, unless it is mown VERY short. The ball just bounces everywhere.