Club selection for chipping

[Bigarch]

Couple Questions: Do any of you 60 degree wedge folks keep a putter in your bag? If so, why? Do you only use it when you are within 6-8 feet of the hole? If not...what's your range? Do you putt from the fringe or do you grab the lob wedge there too?

[nsxguy]

Being very bored last night I took 10 minutes to do a little research.

The OP has been here for 7 years and started 13 discussion, mostly in instruction, asking questions about what he should do. This latest topic where he says "Tell me I'm wrong" being slightly different as he's challenging others with what he believes is "correct".

In 10 of those discussions HE has started he never responded to his on thread after the OP.

It's been a week now, he's been logged on multiple times and has not replied even once to his own thread.

This is a discussion board. Why bother discussing anything with him if HE shows no interest ?

[scooterhd2]

Yes, I carry a putter. I use it for putting. I would love to only have to use it from within 8 feet, but that is unfortunately not the case. The range of it depends on the green. I will use it for almost every shot on the green, unless there is no way to the hole from where the ball is.

The vast majority of the time, I would be inclined to putt from the fringe, but I would make exceptions on long uphill putts, especially on a mutli-tiered green where distance control is much better with the lop wedge for me.

 

 

[doublehans]

If we are talking high-handicappers then its just a lot more likely they run into turf interaction issues using a 60 all the time. Plus you can take shorter swing. Just an easier stroke.

For better golfers, I agree with those that said, its sorta whatever works. There are arguments both ways and it can depend on your technique/swing. Plenty of guys can use their 60 and still play the ball mostly on the ground. For other players, the 60 and the ground are mutually exclusive.

For me, I think its easier to have consistent distance control/feel by using one club, maybe if I played more id go multiple clubs, but ive tried it and I just struggle w distance control. That said, if I have a tight lie and its possible to to bump it, I'll take a low lofted club just to avoid the risk of stubbing it, especially if the ground is noticeably soft or hard.

 

[mothon]

I agree with this 100% I used to pull LW for every shot around the green. Now I putt way more often or use the lowest lofted club that is needed.

[nsxguy]

"The vast majority of the time, I would be inclined to putt from the fringe, but I would make exceptions on long uphill putts, especially on a mutli-tiered green where distance control is much better with the lop wedge for me."

C'mon Dude, you're just trolling us now,,,,,,,,,,,,

Haven't watched any of the Traveler's today until I just turned it on a while ago.

The short driveable par 4. Dustin Johnson and Justin Thomas were 5 or 10 yards short of the green with a back pin on a multi-tiered green. EXACTLY the shot you're talking about.

Was waiting for them to flop that wedge. What a disappointment. They chipped low runners onto the green.

#3 and #6 in the world. How on earth did they get to those rankings being such idiots ? LOL

[nsxguy]

Anecdotal of course but when I first got serious about playing I was about a 10. I used a SW for virtually every ship, normally trying to carry it to the right spot and let it run out. I ummmmm,,,,,, wasn't very good.

After I took the advice of a couple of other in the club and, more importantly, watching the better of them chip (low & running of course), I finally took the hint. I got better. There's just no comparison.

When you play the low runner with the less lofted club you have more of a margin of error. Catch it a bit high on the face and the ball doesn't go quite as far in the air but spins less so it runs out. Catch it thin and it launches lower but spins a bit more which puts some "check" on the ball and it slows up sooner.

Same thing off the toe or heel. Less loft you got a chance. More loft, and I hope 20 feet is your "range". Also, with the less lofted club, if you catch the ground (just) a little bit but accelerate through the shot (as you should anyway) the ball comes off softly (of course) but has almost no spin on it so it runs out more and gets closer to the hole than if you chunk a 56 or 60. Hit the ground with those and you're toast.

Point of all that is, if you become pretty competent with judging how hard to hit the ball and do it consistently, even with a bit of a mishit you can get some big breaks from going low that you won't/don't get going high.

Personally, I've been playing in low single digits for a looooooong time and I can't recall playing with ANY really good player who tries to fly it to/near the hole when he could get it on the ground sooner and let it run.

But maybe that's just my experience. YMMV

 

[SNIPERBBB]

You're not alone. All the better chippers here do a low runner. It's rare to see anyone lofting one to the hole unless forced.

[scooterhd2]

Not sure what your issue is. Never said anyone was an idiot for using anything other than a lob wedge. Never said my short game was better than a PGA pros. Never said my strategy was endorsed by Justin Thomas. Never labeled it the secret PGA pros don't want you to know. Never even said anything about a flop shot. Only that my proximity to the hole is closer with a LW in most circumstances. For me its like tossing a ball at the hole with my hands, very comfortable, and very natural. If that method does not work for you, then don't use it.

BTW... Both players you mention obviously see some merit in the LW. DJ carries 2 lob wedges (60 and 63). And JT carries a 57 and 61.

[nsxguy]

 

LOL. OK, I'll play.

Firstly I never said you said any of those things.

Secondly, if you're using a lob wedge from 30-50 feet short of a BACK pin on the back "tier" and expect it to hit and stay there you're hitting a flop shot. There is simply no other way to describe it.

Or did I misunderstand and you meant you were delofting/hooding your LW and hitting it into the hill in front of the tier and playing for it to release up the rest of the slope ? Doesn't matter. Few players of ANY skill level, as DJ and JT demonstrated, will play that shot over running it up the hill.

Thirdly, I never said there was no "merit" in carrying a highly lofted wedge. When I miss the green, along with my GW, SW and putter (you know, just in case I don't chip it in LOL) I also take my LW.

So who's putting words in whose keyboard ? LOL

And BTW, I well, OK, kinda sorta, complimented you in Post 30 on getting something right. "Whatever method gets me on average, closer to the hole is the better method". Very sound thinking and I'm sure you tested the 2 opposing methods quite extensively.

There are exceptions to almost every "rule". Good on ya mate !!!

 

[scooterhd2]

 

You've been playing... That wasn't a compliment, that was dig because you have some issue with how I play a wedge shot. Again, I'm not out here writing books on how to do it, or criticizing your short game or theories about it, just responding that I prefer to hit the vast majority of my shots around the green with my LW. So I'll continue to do that because it works for me. You do what works for you. And DJ and JT will do what works for them.

Unfortunate that the OP bailed, as he brought up an idea that he admitted was against conventional wisdom . Rather than actual discourse about the points he brought up in terms of high handicappers not having alot of experience or time to practice with different clubs, not alot of experience predicting flying distances with different lofts, not alot of experience in predicting descent angles and subsequent rollout of different lofted irons and wedges, issues with ball placement with different club lengths, lack of experience in predicting turf interaction with different bounces, and the point that using one predictable club (assuming you are very good with said club) could help with all of those things - the resounding rebuttal is: "that goes against conventional wisdom and thats not how most of the best players in the world do it." Yeah, that was kind of the point. If you are not the best of the best and struggle trying to play different shots, is there another way that might help you? Perhaps for some. It helped me. Might help others.

 

 

[SNIPERBBB]

The problem is your complaining that high caps don't have time to practice these shots because of all those conditions then advocate using a shot that requires much more practice in each of those conditions to be proficient with it.

If we were having a gymnastics type scoring tournament where you get separate scores for difficulty and execution, I'd go for the skyball flop most times. Because I practice it. Golf unfortunately is about execution and with little practice, I'm going low to go low.

[straight crooked]

This is the gist of nsxguy's argument and what scooter fails to counter despite his prolific opining that the rest of us "don't get it."

 

The whole "I am good with a 60* because that is the only club I practice/play with" argument is circular at best and ill founded at worst. Practicing with one club won't make you a better golfer and won't reduce your handicap. There is a reason you have 14 clubs in your bag. Each club is independently significant. The best understand this and devote time to practicing with and perfecting each club--highlighting the purpose for which it is in the bag. There is a reason that the majority of low handicappers and tour pros play the lowest shot possible whenever possible. They practice the shot and understand that it both (a) gets the ball closer to the hole when executed perfectly; and (b) gets the ball closer to the hole when executed poorly in comparison to high lofted shots. Obviously, your best lob is going to be better than my worst bump and run. But comparing apples to apples, my best bump and run is going to be better than your best lob, my average bump and run is going to be better than your average lob AND, most importantly, my worst bump and run is going to be better than your worst lob.

Golf, at its core, is a simple game. Get the ball in the hole in the fewest strokes possible. If lobbing the ball to the pin gets it in the hole in the fewest strokes possible for YOUR game then by all means PLAY YOUR GAME. But don't advocate that it should be the preferred approach. It's ill founded to advocate anyone other than a small minority of players can get better by practicing/playing with only one club. All that method does is act as a crutch for refusing to spend time (and obtaining proficiency hitting pitch shots with 8i/9i/pw does NOT take much time at all) getting better at the game of golf.

At bottom, Scooter highlights 10 things that can go wrong with a lob. Scooter fails to highlight a single thing that can go wrong with a bump and run (there are a few but they are far less in number). I think that highlights the weakness of the "one club" approach enough to forego belaboring the point.

[jc4birdie]

OK, I'll do as you ask....you're wrong. Dead wrong. High handi's struggle most w/ touch shots, of which the pitch-to-the-hole-and-stop-it-dead is the ultimate representation. Heck, I'm down to a 12 hdcp, and I still operate by the maxim "if I can putt it, I will". If I can't putt, I'm gonna try to chip it. Pitching the high floater is the last resort, and I'm actually pretty decent at that shot. Just too many variables in play that if you don't have to bring them in play, don't....you'll be better off.

[scooterhd2]

Im not complaining about anything. Just stating what I club I use around the greens.

Advocating might not be the right word either as I am not recommending it for everyone or even anyone for that matter.

I'm also not talking about a flop shot. but a chip with a high lofted wedge.

I think there is some merit to it as it works for me. I'm not suggesting everyone else try it. For me, the LW requires no more practice than any other wedge. Hands forward, ball forward, neutral face, and toss. Comes out high and soft everytime. If that doesn't come easy to you and requires more practice then it is obviously not worth exploring. For me it's always been simple, repeatable, with great low point control and takes no divot - little risk with great distance control. Again works for me. I don't see why thats a problem. I've seen people chip with one hand. Seen people use chippers. Whatever works for them.

[nsxguy]

LOL. Ya got me ! But actually, it was a little bit of both. Whatever works is always the correct answer IMO.

I don't believe the OP bailed. As I pointed out he's started 13 threads and only posted as much as a 2nd time in 3 of them. Maybe not a troll but,,,,,,,, with his "prove me wrong" I'd have to wonder. Actually it's more likely, IMO, that he doesn't know how to set up his notifications so he forgot all about it. LOL

Loooong time ago when I wasn't in the top half of players in the club I belonged to I used the "1 club up in the air" method. I began to watch a lot of the better players. None of them did that. They ALL got it on the green and let it run. So I worked on it. No question it was MUCH better,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, for ME anyway.

 

Anywho, you're a 7 so clearly you "got game". So let me ask you. How much (real) testing have you done on chipping low and letting it run out vs. throwing it up in the air ? Surely you've put in some work testing it. And did you give both methods a fair shot ? Multiple practice sessions using both methods at each session ?

The OP gave a specific scenario. A foot or 2(?) off the green, on the fringe, and 15 feet of green to the pin. He also suggested to fly it within 3 feet short to 3 feet long. That's a 6 foot diameter front-to-back landing area. Let's say it's level ground and medium speed.

So you have a window of 14-20 feet away from you. I give you 10 balls. How many do you LAND in that 3 foot radius of the pin, high enough so it stays within 3 feet of the pin ? And of those how many STAY in that area ?

 

[scooterhd2]

I was an 18 handicap a year ago and played golf 2-3 times a year. Since moving to Arizona I've decided to get work at getting decent at golf. I have been playing 4 times a month which is alot by my standards. Fortunately, there is a course right next to my work and I spend 45 minutes there every day at lunch. 2 days working on putting and 3 days working on chipping. Practice has paid off, and my handicap has been dropping a fair amount. My overall game has improved, but naturally the biggest improvements have been in my short game.

The course I practice at has a laughable chipping area. I only go there because it is so close. The green is tiny. Like draw a circle in a 2 car garage tiny. Maybe smaller. I think it is smaller than the practice bunker. And it sits in a sort of punchbowl, where most of the surrounding rough is at a much higher elevation, and the green slopes away. No matter where you are hitting from, there is very little green to work with, and most of the rough areas are hitting onto a downslope.

I am obviously biased on this, but short of standing down by the cart path, I don't see alot of opportunities to play bump n run type shots. Even from down there, I prefer the LW as it is an uphill lie which gets the ball up nice and high and the up slope on the green stops the ball even quicker. I've dedicated many full practice sessions to other clubs, but just get frustrated watching balls roll well past the hole, or worse yet land short of my target and hang up in the rough. I'm open to any ideas and have played countless games on this green. Hitting 9 balls with my lob wedge, taking out the 4 closest and 4 furthest and putting a tee down where the middle ball is. Then I hit from the same area with a different club and try to get the middle ball inside the mark. I've done this so many times with the SW, GW, PW, 9, 8, even a hybrid a few times. The LW wins 95% of the time. And so that is what I practice with. Over and over. 3 times a week for a year. The LW is my baby. I bring it inside while the other clubs are in the garage. I watch TXG and swing the LW around the living room. I take it out in the backyard and hit foam balls of my turf. I take it to work, where we have a practice range with foam balls and a net. And obviously it rides shotgun to the chipping range at lunch.

That being said, we all have those moments on the course where you bring a couple of clubs out because you are not sure what you are going to hit until you see the lie. Sometimes I talk myself into something else. Severe downslope where it seems like the LW will be so steep so i use a putting stroke with an 8 iron and completely botch it. Then I drop a practice ball in the same spot and hit the LW to 3 feet. You've heard my worst putt is better than your average wedge. Well MY worst putt is much worse than MY average LW. Something I need to work on, but cant tell you how many times I have completely botched a long putt that is 4 feet off the green where speed through the light rough is so difficult for me to gauge. Like I said earlier in the thread, I am at the point now where 90% of green side shots are LW for me because I know I'm giving the putter a chance to get me up and down.

As far as the OPs scenario is concerned, let me answer in 2 parts as I agree with the sentiment more than his exact statement. I wouldnt try to land the ball passed the hole from close range. On a 17 footer with a flat green the landing zone is more like 9-15 feet out. Place a tee at 9 feet and at 15 feet and I'm landing 9.5/10 balls in that range. From that close the roll is more like 5 feet, hopefully getting to a 14-20 foot shot, getting within 3 feet of the pin 17 feet away. How many end up within 3 feet of the pin is a little different because now you are punishing any slight directional misses. Honestly, any answer would only be a guess. I know that the average would be within 3 feet as I play a very similar game all the time. But some are likely to be outside that circle. I'm not too concerned about a 3 or 4 footer. What I want to avoid is a screaming 8 iron that goes 10 feet passed. Or trying to hood a GW and getting the leading edge stuck and duffing it halfway to the hole. Leave one more than 8 feet out and now the odds are against me at making the putt.

[SNIPERBBB]

Sounds like your chipping green is bigger than most of the greens on my course.

Do you ever try to practice chipping on the actual greens when the course isn't busy? When the course is busy and your waiting on the tee, chipping on the tee box is a great way to practice and kill time. Almost sounds like you've developed a chipping method just tailored to your practice area. On the practice green, practice on the other methods, your concern need only be making clean and consistent contact.

[tw_focus]

Good replies folks, nice info here. Here is my summary (and what I hope we can all get out of this) - play the shot you know, the shot you feel confident in. Don't feel you have to play a certain shot because it's the "right" way, there is no right way. Just get the ball in the hole with the tools you have, in the way you know best.

[Hawkeye77]

You didn’t already know that?

[COACH9]

When the situation allows I will return the loft and bounce on my 52* as my chip of choice. The effort used in the stroke feels equivalent of a putt from a similar distance. That way I don't concern myself with landing spot, just effort of stroke.

[nsxguy]

18 to 7 in a year is exceptional even for a talented newbie. I expect you've played a lot of different sports over the years and have pretty good to excellent hand-eye coordination. But let me tell you, the next 11 shots better are a heck of a lot tougher. LOL Have you taken lessons ? Or gotten there on your own ?

I love Arizona, the Phoenix area in particular. Sooooo much excellent golf. Thought of moving there about 2008 but didn't do it

It sounds like your chipping green almost "forces" you to hit the higher shot. But if you've put in all the practice you say and the higher shot works better for you, good on ya.

So let's take that OP situation once more. Firstly I'm too lazy to go back again but I don't think he meant to LAND the ball 3 feet past the pin, just that from 3 feet in front to 3 feet behind was an acceptable result.

But let's take that scenario and make a slight change. Instead of being a foot or 2 off the green on the collar having 17 feet to the pin you're just barely on the green. Would you chip it then ? or would you putt it ? You'd putt it of course. And why ? Because a putt is a much shorter, more controllable stroke, most everyone can judge how hard to hit a putt AND you don't have to get it up in the air at all,,,,,,,,

Now, that "screaming 8 iron going way past" that you talk about. Surely you realize that to fly the ball even only 10 feet or so you still have to bring that LOB wedge back a bit, say 3 feet or so and accelerate through the shot to carry it that far, yes ? Take that 8 or 9 iron back about 12-18 inches and go through it (almost ?) like a putt and it flies about 3 feet and runs the rest of the way. A very short stroke almost akin to putting the ball.

Anyway, I would suggest trying a lower lofted club, not necessarily PW, 9 & 8 but maybe GW, SW along with your LW and try chipping on more level types of surfaces and to a green very much like a putting green. I mean carrying the ball different distances around the green is great but the 2nd part of ANY chip is being able to learn how it runs out and that's not easy to do on poor chipping greens.

FWIW, I can count on one hand the number of times I've chipped with W/9/8 in the last year. I might use one of them on that very shot we've discussed; 30 or more feet uphill to a pin on a shelf - even if my chip was too spirited it'd likely end up no further away than the back fringe. Not ideal but better than the shot not quite cresting the shelf and coming back to me. LOL

Guess I was lucky in that the putting green where I practiced here in SoFlav was open for chipping as well as putting and was huge. Late afternoons I'd be all by myself and could practice all sorts of chips & lobs on "real" grass,,,,,,,,,, and putt them out as well from time to time.

Anyway, if you feel you've given the lower shot as much testing as you need to to decide to go high, who am I, or any of "us" I guess, to say different. There are exceptions to most every rule so I guess, in this case, you're one of 'em.

Keep on keepin' on !!!

[harolease]

I carry 60 cause it’s versatile especially on courses that have undulations around the green.

I agree low shots find the hole more often then flop so for me I “chip” if I can. But there is other times when the lob will get it close. For example when I miss in a bad spot and have a fast green running away from me.

Also I can deloft the 60 and “chip” with it. Thought I use a 54 or higher for chipping most of the time. There are a few time (severe downhill lie with fast green running away from me ) that 60 will get me closer. Golfers forget that

[scooterhd2]

I grew up at the boys and girls club, and was exposed to alot of sports. That's pretty much all we did everyday. If you ever need a badminton or field hockey partner, than I am your guy.

No lessons yet. Just practice, and watching youtube videos. Might finally take a series of lessons in the winter as a teacher I have been following will be in the area, and I finally feel like my game is respectable and my understanding of what I am doing and what I want to be doing is somewhat clear to me, so hopefully they are more impactful. But yes, I am not envisioning shaving another 11 strokes, LOL. I'd like to challenge par on a good round, which right now looks like having the potential to save 4 or 5 strokes. Played really great over the weekend and shot 75 (par 71) on Saturday and 76 (par 70) on Sunday.

My least favorite shot right now is a long putt, so I am rarely excited to be on the fringe or just a foot off the green where putter is the easy choice for just about everybody. Shot 76 on Sunday at Dinosaur Mountain. Beautiful course. Was even on the front with 4/9 GIR, 5 1 putts, 13 total putts. Putter was hot, but I was leaving my self lots of putts inside 12 feet. Got up and down 3 times with the LW to within 3 feet, one being a tap in that lipped out. 6 over on the back with 6/9 GIR, 3 3 putts, 21 total putts. The back is supposed to be the easier side as it plays more downhill with bigger greens, but the long putts killed me

Went to crap on 10 which is a 152 yard par 3 from an elevated tee box. Wind is gusting pretty good to the left and theres a large bunker on the left side. Looking back I probably should have hit more of a punch shot, but in the moment I decide to hit a high 9 iron starting at the right edge of the green and to let the wind carry it toward the pin. Must have got a decent amount of cut spin on it, as I started it perfectly on my line but it just never moved. Landed 4 or 5 yards passed the pin, but on the far right side of the green and rolled a touch onto the first cut. Seems like a decent leave by my standards. It is safe, and I have the putter in my hands. Now I have a 50 foot putt that starts uphill then goes downhill and sweeps hard to my left. Before, and definitely after watching one of my playing partners scream it passed the hole, my thought was to not run it by as it would take off. Bad on me, as my putt is horrendous. I'm too focused on the downhill portion. I really needed to hit it hard as the big break in the uphill portion requires to play it even further uphill. Never had a chance. My 50 putt is 15 feet short. Left myself the scariest part of the first putt. Luckily I manage to stop it within 2 feet to collect my bogey. When envisioning my line, which I still think was pretty good, I'm picturing the high point, where the ball needs to be to roll down the hill at the pin. I failed miserably to get it up to that point with the putter, but honestly with the LW from there I am taking the uphill portion out, landing on my point and letting it roll down the hill. Sounds crazy but a LW from there gets me closer than 15 feet. Obviously I need to work on lag putting as I get why that should feel more comfortable than hitting a wedge 1 foot off the green, but right now my distance control is just not very good. Less guesswork with the wedge in my hands. Ultimately, a better leave than the right side (which was my intentional target on the box), would have been short, where the putt is uphill. Even 10 yards short, would have made for an extremely routine LW hitting into a nice upslope that stops the ball quickly. That's a shot I have practiced 1000 times and is one I am looking to hole, rather than praying that it gets close.

 

[llewol007]

Use what gets the job done. Each lie is different and if you are set in only using one or two clubs, then you to learn about opening the face or closing down the face to get the shot type. I myself have a 52 and 58 degree but depending on length and position of my chip, I end up using up to an 8 iron if need be. Not a one chip is exactly the same. Example. Chip is tucked close with a close pin placement versus being two or 3 steps off with a pin a good distance away with plenty of green to work with. No way would you approach the two the same. So imagination has to come into play for sure. The thing about chipping is you have to practice different chips and not practice the same chip over and over and over because once you get a shot that does not match what you have been practicing, your mind will be locked and you will not know what to do.

[oikos1]

Amazing that skee ball and slow pitch softball are being used as comparisons as to what loft to use. Some players just have a knack with using a higher loft. If you're good with a 60*, you can eliminate variables on the green that can be the difference between getting up and down.

[Mike_C]

I have used various techniques over the years. Back in the days when all I carried was a 56 degree SW as a kid, I used almost exclusively, got good with it. I did take some lessons from a pro who got me thinking about trying to use less lofted clubs and use the technique Curtis Strange talks about in the video. It took some practice, but I also got very good at that also, and that is how I chipped for many years with pretty good success. But as I got older I just didn't seem to have the touch with either much without practice. Now that I do practice much more, I go with the less lofted shot the most, but a lot of that has to to with conditions. I grew up in the north with grass where the ball sat up nicely, hitting a SW/LW anytime from those lies was pretty easy. Since I have moved south and play on tight bermuda grass which also can be sandy, I try to avoid the high lofted wedges unless it is a must. I have at times also used the hybrid chip from just off the green with decent success, but again, I have to practice it a lot to get the feel.

What it boils down to, at least for me is figuring out how far a small swing will carry the ball and then seeing how fall the ball rolls out from there. When I practice say with an eight iron, I focus on where the ball lands, not the target distance, as I find that I tend to focus too much on the target and carry the ball to far and then past the hole.

But I must say some of the best chippers of the ball I have played with tended to hit one club most of the time, mostly a sand wedge, they would close it down/play it back to let it roll out, open it up to hit it high, they had tremendous confidence in the club. But one of my golfing buddies I had growing up would chip almost everything with an 8 iron if he could, even chip out of bunkers with it if the lip wasn't too high, he was a master of it as long as the shot was doable.

[nsxguy]

First thing first. Make more paragraphs. Makes reading a longer post a LOT easier. LOL

 

Secondly, I get the chance to play psychiatrist. LOL NOW it appears you've revealed the problem. It's your (distance) PUTTING. LMAO

 

You're a newbie to the sport. I'll relate a story. We had this guy at my club. A pretty darn good player (about a "5" as I recall). Was,,,,,, ummmm,,,,,,,, a bit portly. Didn't hit it very far but had a very good short game. But even in the short game his specialty was lag putting. From pretty much any distance he seldom seemed to leave himself anything but a tap-in.

 

So one morning after we had picked teams and had a long wait before we teed off I asked him about it and have been using his "method" ever since. And I've never heard anybody else actually use it.

 

He explained to me his last thought before pulling the trigger was to hit it "XX feet". Of course he'd already picked his line.

 

To get to this of course it takes a fair bit of practice. He suggested one practices specific distances (your choice) to try to get a feel for specific distances. On a level putting green pace off 10 feet and hit putts from there. Repeat from 20, 30, even 40. Get the feel of "XX feet, hit it XX feet".

 

It actually doesn't matter whether you're really 10 feet, or 20, or 30 so long as you're getting the (relative) "feeling" from the different distances.

 

Now the beauty(?) of this is, especially from distance, you're not trying (so much) to hole it but to leave yourself the easiest next SHOT; the objective of every shot in golf until you've got a reasonable chance to knock it in the hole.

 

So from distance you don't have to be nearly perfect to leave it from say, 3 feet short to 3 feet past. On a 30 foot putt that's an "acceptable miss" of 20%. That's a lot.

 

Now, READING the green. Of course one needs to account for things like slope, grain, how firm the surface is, etc. but this goes into the "calculation" as well before you strike the putt.

 

As a new guy to golf, as well as you've already progressed, I expect there is still quite a lot you can learn about green reading. Lord knows, as long as I've been playing I'm not a great reader of greens. My personal issue was I didn't really have to be since I played 95% of my rounds on the same course.

 

Hardly even need to read a green you've played so many times before. LOL Now that I'm no longer playing the same course all the time I've gotten a fair bit better at it. Not great, but better.

 

So it kinda sorta goes like this once you've got your line. "OK, 18 feet to the hole, slightly uphill and into the grain. Hit it 23 feet.". Or "8 feet, severely downhill AND with the grain. Hit a 2 foot putt." Now, hopefully you've gone through your mental gymnastics well before it's your turn. LOL

 

My personal thought pattern before the putt is, while I'm aligning myself over the ball, I tell myself "Soft hands, shoulders, thru to the target, XX feet". I don't really concentrate on any of those things except for the distance. The 1st 3 are simply mental reminders. I don't focus specifically on them if that makes any sense. The distance is what I think of last, right before I pull the trigger.

 

Anyway, I've been using my buddy's system for the better part of 25 years or so and it works far better than my old method (whatever it was). I guess it was something like "OK, the ball's here, the hole's there. Hit it to the hole" (or whatever LOL)).

 

I've related the system to an older player from my old club up north telling him who taught it to me (who he of course also knew was a terrific putter) and he's tried it and uses it. Helped him a fair bit on distance as well. Not so much on "makeables" - he's always been a poor putter.

 

Might be worth a try. Good luck.

Edited October 6, 2020 by nsxguy