chipping

Terminology – How Confusing!

/ The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

I love to visit golf  blogs.  I have a few favorites and I like to post comments on great articles.  Well the other day I was posting on MindfulGolfer.com regarding chipping and pitching.  Well, not paying attention or something (actually not enough coffee probably) I confused golfing terms.  I confused chipping and pitching.  So I thought I would write the definitions of these terms to make sure I am all squared away.  So here it goes:

Chip shot – a chip shot is generally a shot played around the green in which the player hits the ball into the air and rolls it forward towards the hole.  The distance the ball travels in the air depends on the distance the ball is from the hole.

Pitch shot – is played from 30-60 yards.  The ball goes high in the air with very little roll when the ball hits the green.  The idea is to stop the ball quickly close to or in the hole.

Bump and Run – the ball has very little height after contact and lots of roll.  It is generally used around the green in place of a chip shot.

More in-depth definitions can be found at About.com Golf.

The confusion occurred when I said I use my 7-iron for a pitch shot instead of chip shot or bump and run.  Needless to say, I confused my host.  I have clarified my remarks, but I realized how easy it is to confuse people when talking about golf.  So in the future, I am going to make sure I use the correct terminology when talking about golf, especially to people who may not know their meaning anyway.  I love learning new things!  I am a grateful golfer!

Breaking 100

/ The Grateful Golfer / 9 Comments

According the National Golf Foundation (quoted on GolfBlogger.com), only about 55% of golfers break 100.  This is a surprise to many including myself.  A quick search indicates that the number actually varies but 50% is close enough.  So the question is why do only half score in double digits?

Many will say it is their swing, equipment, the course, the conditions or the person they play with that is the problem.  Well this may be true, but realistically I believe the answer points to one area.  Practice, Practice, Practice!

So that was easy.  Thanks for tuning in!

I know, most of you are saying hey can you be more specific!  Come on, give a little.

Golf Made Simple.com breaks down all areas of golf and the difference between shooting 105 and 95 consistently.  

I am a Golf Noob.com breaks down the process of breaking 100 to course management, shot selection, approach shots, and putting.  Of course these are all important.

Pro Golf School.com talks about why people do not break 100.  Their points are good and offer a possible framework to success.

I know, enough already.  What is the secret to breaking 100 and not having to change my entire game or spend 10 hours a week doing it.

PRACTICE YOUR SHORT GAME!

Yup, that is it.  Most amateurs generally waste 2-4 strokes a hole around the green.  That adds up to 36 shots a round.  Yup, don’t deny it, it is true!  The short game is the key to breaking a 100.  Into the Rough talks about how to break 100 and they emphasize practicing your short game as the key.

For immediate success, to go the course 30 minutes early and practice your putting.  Ian Hardie at GolfHabits.com has a three-part series on putting that is excellent and will save you those all important strokes.

Chipping will work, but will take more time and practice.  KeepMyGolfScore.com has great chipping tips.  Additionally, my earlier post called Chipping In, provides seven tips to success round the green.

Ultimately, any practice of your short game will lower your overall score.  It really is the key to breaking 100.  See you on the links!

Sand Play – Not Just a Day on the Beach!

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Out of the Sand

Hitting it close out of the sand!

I was reading a post by Ian Hardie from Golf Habits – Simply Better Golf called “Don’t hit the ball out of a sand trap”.  He talked about how to successfully play out of the sand.  His advice resonated with me because this skill is one of the least practice of all.  There are many aspects to consider when playing out of the sand.  To expand on Ian’s post here are a couple of things to consider.

In a green side bunker that has compacted sand and no lip….use a putter.  This type of shot is called using a Texas Wedge.  Strike the ball with some authority and you will find that the ball will play like a bump and run shot.  It works very well, especially if you are not confident with your sand wedge.

In a green side bunker that has compacted sand and a lip….use a 8 iron.  Play it exactly like a bump and run from the fringe.  Ensure that you do not take any sand and make contact with the ball first.

From a green side bunker with soft sand regardless of the lip…use a sand wedge and follow Ian’s advice.  It really does work.  One important point about this type of sand shot (and all others aswell) is the follow through.  You must follow through towards your target and the club head must finish above your head.  If you follow through your ball will come out of the sand just like the pros!

If you are in a fairway bunker and you are plugged….use your sand wedge or pitching wedge and get the ball in play.  Sometimes it is best to take your medicine and advance the ball 50 yards down the fairway than to hit your next shot from the same bunker.

If you are in a fairway bunker and you are sitting on top of the sand….use one club more than you would from that distance.  If you are right-handed, aim a bit left and opposite if you are a lefty.  Make sure you do not use any legs and the ball will travel the distance you wanted….one club more is the key to this successful shot.

Playing out of the bunker is an important skill.  Making an up and down from the bunker is rewarding and significantly lowers your score.  If you get a chance to practice, take advantage of the opportunity.  Remember, playing out of sand traps is not just another day on the beach!

See you on the links!  I am a grateful golfer.

Chipping – Being Aggressive

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I have been off golfing lately and was wondering why most of my approach shots are significantly short.  I watch the pros and see them discussing which club to use, the wind, the ball location, what they are going to eat for lunch….ok not so much.  Ultimately, they take in many factors that most of us do not consider.  So what makes them so special that most of the pros are putting from 10 feet instead of 20 feet like the majority of amateur golfers.

Well it has to do with how aggressive they are when hitting their approach shots.  Whether they are 100 yards out or 10 yards; the pros try to sink the ball every time.  They figure it is best to be long the consistently short.  As my friend once told me, 100 percent of short shots do not go in!  I tend to agree with that analogy.

So what to do?  I recommend that you try to sink your approach shot with no fear.  It is easier to adjust distance if you are aggressive and you also have the line if the ball goes past the hole.  I know it sounds difficult, but actually it is not.  Focus on sinking your approach shot and you will find that your putt (if you miss the hole) will shorter and the chances of making it will significantly increase.

Putting From the Fringe

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As I watch Vijay Singh use his belly putter from the fringe at the PGA Championship, I wonder if the putter is the best club to use.  Granted the The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort is in fantastic condition and their fairways are as manicured as most greens, I still wonder if using a putter from 10 yards off the green is a wise move.  Obviously, for Vijay Singh, it was a good move as he went up and down for par.  But in reality was it really the smart play?

The courses I primarily play (Laurentide Golf Course, Osprey Links, Clear Springs Golf Course) it is unlikely that a putter would be the club of choice from 10 yards off the green.  Since the putter cannot be use, now what?  I have discussed this many times with a multitude of golfers and suggest that there is no clear answer.  However, given a choice I would prefer to use my 7 iron first and my 52 degree wedge second.

The 7 iron shot is a bump and run pitch.  I use this shot only when the ball is on the short grass.  I set the club up like a putter and often use the same grip.  I press my hands slightly forward and lead slightly on my left foot (I am a right-handed golfer).  I ensure that more weight is on the inside of my left foot to ensure crisp contact on the ball.  Next I lock my wrists and swing the club with my shoulders.

A very important aspect of this shot selection, and I cannot overstate this point, is to keep focusing on my club hitting the ball.  Then I count to 2, still looking at the point where my club struck the ball, then I look up.  Keeping your head down will ensure that your ball remains on the line you chose and that solid contact occurs every time.

There you have it, my solution to lowering your score.  I plan to use this shot tomorrow.  I am a grateful golfer.

What club do you like to use from 10 yards off the green on the short grass?