One of the secrets to lowering your score in golf is to be able to get up and down from around the green in 2 shots or less at least 50% of the time. This is assuming you are in the 10-20 yard range from the hole. The great part about chipping and putting is it doesn’t take high end club head speed or expensive equipment or lessons, but rather a simple technique and lots of practice.
Putting
Every golfer experiences the frustration of putting. You land on the green with two nice shots, then miss two or three putts to blow your birdie opportunity. You ask yourself; how can I cover a long distance with so much precision and fail to make the short shot? Although it may look easy, putting is a complex skill that requires practice and precision to consistently make shots. You will need a good eye for breaks, and you need to be mentally tough to handle the pressure of making pressure putts.
As the saying goes, “practice makes perfect.” However, just putting around on a practice green will only take you so far. The old adage “drive for show and putt for dough” is especially true when a low score or personal best round is on the line. Making putts for pars and bogeys can save a round, whereas missing a fairway can be overcome with a good iron shot. If you are looking to improve your golf game-and your putting in particular-adding pressure situations to your practice routine will only help your game out on the course.
Chipping and Pitching
The goal when chipping or pitching is to get the ball in the hole or as close as possible for an easy putt. Most beginners will aim a foot or two before the hole and then get upset when they hit a perfectly struck ball past the hole and off the back of the green. Yes, they might have hit a great shot right where they wanted, but they did not account for how much the ball would roll once it hit the green. As golfers, we need to remember that the green rules the ball. Very rarely will you have a straight, level path to the hole! This means that slopes and undulations on the green will affect the roll of the ball. If your ball is rolling and conforming to those slopes and undulations, the better the chance you’ll have of sinking the shot.
That being said, your goal should be to hit the green about a third to halfway between the edge of the front of the green and the hole. Your landing spot will depend on the club you choose. The key is to judge how much green you have to work with, and how close you are to the green. Using a pitching wedge, the ball will travel in the air about 60%-65% of the distance to the hole and roll 35%- 40%. This is because a pitching wedge has a high loft. You should use a pitching wedge when you are close to the green or need some extra “touch” to lightly guide the ball along an intended path on the green.
Have you ever thought about using a 7 or 8-iron to chip? When using these clubs you can expect the ball to travel about 40% in the air and to roll 60%. These clubs have a steeper face and will set the ball on more of a line drive path if you hit them properly. These types of shots are excellent from 30-40 yards with a pretty clean line and the cup in the mid to back of the green. Aim for the very front of the green, even slightly before the green to try and get one bounce in before making contact with the green. Going even lower, a 5 or 6-iron will travel about 30% in the air and roll 70%. These shots will probably be used sparingly, but they do have a function. A prime location for this type of shot would be when facing a green that is moderately uphill and 50 yards out.
The chip shot is where you can turn three shots into two. This means chipping close to the hole for a one-putt, instead of a two-putt, which is the heart of scoring.
