Do all pros use the bounce when chipping?

[Barfolomew]

I've seen plenty of pros take divots when chipping round the greens.  Does that mean they are not playin the bounce or missed their shot?

 

I've always thought playin the bounce was a cop out... a safe way to chip if you're not on your A game.  Is it?

 

Do the best players/chippers use the bounce when they are on their A game?  A downward strike leading edge first at the ball doesn't seem that hard, off hard pan or wherever when you're dialed in... 🐈

 

 

 

Edited July 28, 2022 by Barfolomew

[Krt22]

17 minutes ago, Barfolomew said:

 

 

I've always thought playin the bounce was a cop out...

Then you have always thought wrong

[roger99]

of the pro's i play with or have seen close up..

 

no. Or a tiny fraction of an inch, cant see or hear it.

[EastTNGolfer]

21 minutes ago, Barfolomew said:

I've seen plenty of pros take divots when chipping round the greens.  Does that mean they are not playin the bounce?

 

I've always thought playin the bounce was a cop out... a safe way to chip if you're not on your A game.  Is it?

 

Do the best players/chippers use the bounce when they are on their A game?  A downward strike leading edge first at the ball doesn't seem that hard, off hard pan or wherever when you're dialed in... 🐈

The bounce is absolutely the right way to play and not a cop out. James Seickmann has studied and watched the short game greats, they use the bounce.

[Valtiel]

6 minutes ago, Krt22 said:

Then you have always thought wrong

 

3 minutes ago, EastTNGolfer said:

The bounce is absolutely the right way to play and not a cop out. James Seickmann has studied and watched the short game greats, they use the bounce.

Agreed. When Tiger talked about Seve's technique he basically described the ways in which he aggressively used bounce (hands very low and back). 

[Jim Waldron]

No.

 

Using the bounce method is actually closer to classic pitching technique than classic chipping.

 

Plenty of pros still use classic chipping, whenever they can as it is way simpler and easier to execute than what I call a "chip-pitch", a hybrid shot that has aspects of both chipping and pitching.

 

In chip-pitching where you use the bounce to "dent" the turf just behind and under the ball to create space for leading edge to get under the bottom half of the ball, you have to create about a 1/4 wrist c0ck, which is then released just prior to impact.

 

It takes a lot of practice and feel awareness to be good at that shot because of the timing involved in achieving that tiny release.

 

Classical chipping gets a bad wrap due to poor concept, ie way too much forward shaft lean. No shaft lean bounce technique is an over-reaction to that wrong mental concept of classical chipping. In other words, all or nothing or binary thinking, very common in golf instruction.

 

Why not just learn to achieve moderate shaft lean, 4-6", which is the ideal amount. But classical chipping will not work in all lies - in the rough and in very tight hard lies, it can be tough to pull off unless your technique is exceptional.

 

I teach and use both classical chipping and chip-pitch bounce technique, but will always use classical chipping as first option whenever I can.

[Krt22]

32 minutes ago, Jim Waldron said:

 

In chip-pitching where you use the bounce to "dent" the turf just behind and under the ball to create space for leading edge to get under the bottom half of the ball

 

I am not sure this is actually what happens. You can use the technique off a cart path or putting green and not blade it

[MonteScheinblum]

1 hour ago, Krt22 said:

Then you have always thought wrong

If we’re going to say that about things that improve margin of error and make things easier….I offer.

 

Teeing up driver….cop out

Range finder……cop out

pin sheet…..cop out

properly fit clubs…..cop out

launch monitors, pressure mats, 3D sensors…..cop out

golf shoes….cop out

Metal heads….cop out 

 

[ChipStrokes]

1 minute ago, MonteScheinblum said:

golf shoes….cop out

agreed!!

 

what’s the point?

[dcfas]

I’ve been yipping now for about three years. I think it began when I had a couple of bad days fatting chips, followed by overcompensating with skulling. Somehow I got into a bad pattern. 
 

At this point I’m working on improving. The band-aid, or short term solution, has been to hood the club, put it back in my stance, and make a shallow swing through to the target. This works, but for a limited number of shots.

 

I’ve found the better solution is to focus on ball position, my head over the ball, more vertical, with a slower, longer back swing. I let the club release near impact. 
 

I find if the position and tempo are right the bounce works, whether I’m a couple inches behind at impact or not. 

Edited July 28, 2022 by dcfas

[Krt22]

21 minutes ago, MonteScheinblum said:

If we’re going to say that about things that improve margin of error and make things easier….I offer.

 

Teeing up driver….cop out

Range finder……cop out

pin sheet…..cop out

properly fit clubs…..cop out

launch monitors, pressure mats, 3D sensors…..cop out

golf shoes….cop out

Metal heads….cop out 

 

It's basically shooting fish in a barrel these days, it's no wonder everyone is scratch 

[PhillipG78]

If the club wasn't meant to use the bounce it wouldn't have it. 

[Valtiel]

As a personal anecdote, since switching over to more "use the bounce" types of techniques I have literally not had a bad chipping day from a strike standpoint and it's purely distance control that has been the difference between the good and bad days, which comes down to me. 

Edited July 29, 2022 by Valtiel

[Cwebb]

It depends on what your definition is for "using the bounce"

[Chunkitgood]

While all pros don’t necessarily do the same thing, you should use the bounce strictly for help when the shot does not come off as desired.  Don’t believe me?
Let’s ask Paddy.  (Hope that’s not offensive.) (Looked it up, it may be but me grammudder was from the ould sod, or may as well have been, so I’ll use it anyway.)

 

Seriously, I think chipping like most every other shot is about spin loft.

[Asics10]

Using the bounce is like cheating... You can literally hit 3 inches behind the ball, or off the cart path and still hit a good shot. 

[Double Mocha Man]

2 hours ago, Krt22 said:

You can use the technique off a cart path

 

Not using "bounce" off a cart path.  Closing the face down a bit.  With bounce your club will bounce off the asphalt or concrete.

[Krt22]

7 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Not using "bounce" off a cart path.  Closing the face down a bit.  With bounce your club will bounce off the asphalt or concrete.

The core element of using the bounce is a very shallow strike (with minimal shaft lean). With the right technique it will skid along the path, not bounce off it. It will bounce if you are too steep

 

 

[Double Mocha Man]

1 minute ago, Krt22 said:

The core element of using the bounce is a very shallow strike (with minimal shaft lean). With the right technique it will skid along the path, not bounce off it. It will bounce if you are too steep

 

 

 

But say you're exposing 10-11 degrees of bounce, with no shaft lean.  Then the leading edge of your club is above the cart path.  They sell low bounce wedges for Texans who play on firm, dry turf so they can pick it clean...

 

I use the bounce on all of my wedges, but never on a hard surface.

[Krt22]

2 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

But say you're exposing 10-11 degrees of bounce, with no shaft lean.  Then the leading edge of your club is above the cart path.  They sell low bounce wedges for Texans who play on firm, dry turf so they can pick it clean...

 

I use the bounce on all of my wedges, but never on a hard surface.

Just becasue you don't do it, doesn't mean it can't be done.  Using the bounce isn't about bouncing the club into the ball, it's there for extra margin such that if you hit it slightly fat the club doesn't dig, it instead skids across the ground.

[otto6457]

19 minutes ago, Krt22 said:

The core element of using the bounce is a very shallow strike (with minimal shaft lean). With the right technique it will skid along the path, not bounce off it. It will bounce if you are too steep

 

 

I had forgotten about this technique.  Back in the late 80"s I went to a golf clinic taught by Bill Moretti down in Austin,TX.   He used a 2 X 4 with a cup of sand on it it teach bunker play.  I got pretty good hitting wide open wedges off of a 2 X 4.

 

Good times.

 

Now back to your regularly scheduled forum posts

[Double Mocha Man]

9 minutes ago, Krt22 said:

Just becasue you don't do it, doesn't mean it can't be done.  Using the bounce isn't about bouncing the club into the ball, it's there for extra margin such that if you hit it slightly fat the club doesn't dig, it instead skids across the ground.

 

I am in total agreement. Put your sand wedge on the kitchen table and eyeball how far above the table surface the leading edge of the wedge is when you are exposing the bounce.

 

It's kinda like when you are hitting out of a greenside sand trap and there is only a thin layer of sand above the hard packed sand underneath. You open the club face, but the club won't dig in so you end up with a bladed shot.

[jomatty]

13 minutes ago, Krt22 said:

Just becasue you don't do it, doesn't mean it can't be done.  Using the bounce isn't about bouncing the club into the ball, it's there for extra margin such that if you hit it slightly fat the club doesn't dig, it instead skids across the ground.

The fact that it is called the “bounce” confused me for so long.  I just couldn’t visualize what Inwas trying to accomplish.  If they called it the “slide” or the “skid” I think more people would grasp the concept quicker.

[jomatty]

3 hours ago, Valtiel said:

 

Agreed. When Tiger talked about Seve's technique he basically described the ways in which he aggressively used bounce (hands very low and back). 

When you use the bounce do you carry your hands low like Seve often did?  I have to remind myself to keep my hands a little higher or I tend to have heel issues

[Krt22]

5 minutes ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

I am in total agreement. Put your sand wedge on the kitchen table and eyeball how far above the table surface the leading edge of the wedge is when you are exposing the bounce.

 

It's kinda like when you are hitting out of a greenside sand trap and there is only a thin layer of sand above the hard packed sand underneath. You open the club face, but the club won't dig in so you end up with a bladed shot.

A hard pan bunker shot is different than a chip. There is more speed and the goal is to hit the sand first, so you can bounce it into the ball and skull it. In that case you want less bounce and less speed.

[skraly]

18 minutes ago, jomatty said:

When you use the bounce do you carry your hands low like Seve often did?  I have to remind myself to keep my hands a little higher or I tend to have heel issues

That’s why a lot of pros with great short games have their lob wedges 3-4 deg. flat.

Edited July 29, 2022 by skraly

[jomatty]

6 minutes ago, skraly said:

That’s why a lot of pros with great short games have their lob wedges 3-4 deg. flat.

My wedges are flat but I still find that I have trouble if I have really low hands and try to use the bounce.  Perhaps there is something in my technique that is off.  I always just assumed that a little higher hands were better for shots relying on the bounce.

[skraly]

2 minutes ago, jomatty said:

My wedges are flat but I still find that I have trouble if I have really low hands and try to use the bounce.  Perhaps there is something in my technique that is off.  I always just assumed that a little higher hands were better for shots relying on the bounce.

Hard to know without seeing your swing.  You may need to open the club face a little more or your wedges may need some heel relief.

[Valtiel]

27 minutes ago, jomatty said:

When you use the bounce do you carry your hands low like Seve often did?  I have to remind myself to keep my hands a little higher or I tend to have heel issues

In bunkers absolutely, off of different turf conditions less so. The idea as I understand it is lower hands, slightly open clubface, and a shallower path (which the low hands help with). This gives you a longer low point and higher effective bounce to give you more room for error while the shallowness reduces skipping/skulling problems. Like skraly said above, we'd need to see your actual technique to comment on the heel issues you mentioned. 

[jomatty]

2 minutes ago, Valtiel said:

In bunkers absolutely, off of different turf conditions less so. The idea as I understand it is lower hands, slightly open clubface, and a shallower path (which the low hands help with). This gives you a longer low point and higher effective bounce to give you more room for error while the shallowness reduces skipping/skulling problems. Like skraly said above, we'd need to see your actual technique to comment on the heel issues you mentioned. 

I appreciate it.  In the bunkers I’m much more comfortable with low hands.  I was speaking more about chips and pitches.  Not really an issue, as I can get the ball up plenty quick and have good results with how I do it, but was curious about others and how low they keep their hands.  Thanks