Which wedge to use when chipping/pitching based on lie

[odshot68]

I just updated my bag and added new wedges but wanted some advice as to when to use each wedge (yes I'm a lower handicap but the short game is going astray and need to fine tune it). I don't take a large divot and we have harder sand so I don't carry any bounce over 10 degrees. The lie and run have a lot to do with the shot you hit..the tighter lie you should chip while a fluffly lie where the ball sits up you should pitch (this I know..). What are the shots you should have in your arsenal with all your wedges and when should I chip with a 56 versus a 60? Also, should I chip with the 60 on tight lies versus 56 because its less bounce and hit flop shots with the 56 because there is more bounce. All my wedges have a heel grind and can be opened up. Thanks for advice.

[juststeve]

I worked with Stan Utley on my short game and as a consequence use his method. All of my short shots are hit with a 58* wedge with 12* of bounce and a heel grind that lets me lay the club open. Because I only use the one wedge I don't have any of the confusion suggested by your OP.

 

Steve

[funkyfedora]

48 for LONG chips. 52 for a little check and a lot of release. dont use 56 for chipping... 60 for tight lies. but I can do anything with the 52. Its amazing...

[duffer888]

I'm stuck playing on munis, so the only thing I don't like about the Utley method is relying on a single wedge with 12* of bounce for a bare hardpan lie. Or sand traps packed like concrete.

[juststeve]

Go see Stan at Grayhawk in Scottsdale and he will show you how to pitch the ball off the parking lot, using a 12* bounce wedge. Get the technique down and hardpan is no problem, you just get some extra spin..

 

Steve

[odshot68]

I'm stuck playing on munis, so the only thing I don't like about the Utley method is relying on a single wedge with 12* of bounce for a bare hardpan lie. Or sand traps packed like concrete.

I tried the 58 for everything...doesn't work. Either good for tighter lies or good for fluffy chips not both. You need a low bounce for hard pan and short chips.

[jones137]

I use a low bounce 60*4 on hardpan and firm fairways. I use my 47* PW out of medium packed bunkers and my 60*4 out of hard bunkers. I use my 56*11 out of the rough, out of normal sand, out of wet or normal fairway conditions. I'll rotate my 9 iron or PW with the 56*11 if I want to get more rollout.

 

Works for me.

[odshot68]

I use a low bounce 60*4 on hardpan and firm fairways. I use my 47* PW out of medium packed bunkers and my 60*4 out of hard bunkers. I use my 56*11 out of the rough, out of normal sand, out of wet or normal fairway conditions. I'll rotate my 9 iron or PW with the 56*11 if I want to get more rollout.

 

Works for me.

I think I have been hurting myself with a 58 with 10 degrees of bounce..with the 60 at 6 it should help with the hard chips...PW out of sand???

[funkyfedora]

It depends on the lip and how close the pin is to the bunker. I sometimes use a 9i if there is a drasticly low lip. I just use a putting stroke...

[ktbfsu]

geoff ogilvy has some interesting short game advice in this edition of golf magazine:

 

tighter the lie, the lower the loft (of your wedges).

 

square set up rather than open to the target line. think "draw" when you chip rather than "out to in" or "fade".

 

lots of against the grain and/or counter-intuitive stuff.

[jones137]

I use a low bounce 60*4 on hardpan and firm fairways. I use my 47* PW out of medium packed bunkers and my 60*4 out of hard bunkers. I use my 56*11 out of the rough, out of normal sand, out of wet or normal fairway conditions. I'll rotate my 9 iron or PW with the 56*11 if I want to get more rollout.

 

Works for me.

I think I have been hurting myself with a 58 with 10 degrees of bounce..with the 60 at 6 it should help with the hard chips...PW out of sand???

 

For me, lower bounce helps off of tight lies. Even my 60*8 was still pretty good off of tight lies. I like the PW out of a hard packed bunker because it has less bounce than my sand wedge but more than my 60*. I just play it like a normal chip shot. If the sands real hard I'll use my 60 and try to pick it clean.

[Dizz]

I'm stuck playing on munis, so the only thing I don't like about the Utley method is relying on a single wedge with 12* of bounce for a bare hardpan lie. Or sand traps packed like concrete.

I tried the 58 for everything...doesn't work. Either good for tighter lies or good for fluffy chips not both. You need a low bounce for hard pan and short chips.

 

Works for me and a lot of others as well. The 58 off hard pan is a shot I love to play. Open the face slightly, the ball back in your stance and nip it...awesome shot to have. The only time I don't use the 58 is a long bunker shot or a something close enough on the fringe that I can putt.

[johnu]

The lie and run have a lot to do with the shot you hit..the tighter lie you should chip while a fluffly lie where the ball sits up you should pitch (this I know..).

 

IMO, if the ball sits down in a fluffy lie, you may have no choice to hit some kind of pitch shot or flop shot if you can't get the club on the ball with a chip stroke. Otherwise, it's a matter of how far you want to carry the ball in the air versus rolling towards the hole. Mostly roll, then chip, mostly carry, then pitch. If the lie is so tight you don't feel confortable pitching, then chipping or even putting is going to be more effective for you. As far as have the ball sitting up, I don't agree about pitching if the carry and roll dictate a chip. It's too easy to get under the ball with a lofted wedge and end up way short, or blade the ball if you overcompensate for the ball sitting up. A delofted club in the chip shot has the biggest hitting surface and the most margin for error.

 

As far as the club for chipping, I use lower lofted clubs from 60 degree wedge up to 6 or 7 irons depending on how far I want the ball to roll.

[martinez]

I have two rules I follow with my short game and it keeps it pretty simple for me.

 

1) When chipping I use whatever loft I can play an aggressive shot with...that is a club that I can give forward momentum to the ball and not feel like it is going to run past the hole. Generally looking to land the ball a yard to two yards on the green. If I have to land a particular club closer to the edge than that I will take more loft.

 

2) When pitching I look to use trajectory as the first way of stopping it, spin secondary. I want the ball to land softly even if it doesn't have a great deal of spin on it.

 

Learn to use three parts of your wedge to strike down into the ground. The leading edge for shots you want to have forward momentum, the bounce for pitch shots off good and or fluffy lies and the heel for firm sand and hard-pan lies.

[78blades]

I just updated my bag and added new wedges but wanted some advice as to when to use each wedge (yes I'm a lower handicap but the short game is going astray and need to fine tune it). I don't take a large divot and we have harder sand so I don't carry any bounce over 10 degrees. The lie and run have a lot to do with the shot you hit..the tighter lie you should chip while a fluffly lie where the ball sits up you should pitch (this I know..). What are the shots you should have in your arsenal with all your wedges and when should I chip with a 56 versus a 60? Also, should I chip with the 60 on tight lies versus 56 because its less bounce and hit flop shots with the 56 because there is more bounce. All my wedges have a heel grind and can be opened up. Thanks for advice.

 

 

For wedges the new Niki VR's are impressive and come with a "c" grind. I have Edilon's and like them, but had to have a "c" grind done of them. I also pull the OME shaft and put in rifle spinner 5.5 wedge shafts.

 

I don't subscribe to the "only one shot for any type of lie". It depends on many things and how well I'm controling my ball. If I'm not controling my ball I want it on the deck ASAP. I don't do flop shots unless there is no other alternative and I never try to draw my ball back with spin, way too risky for me.

 

I don't have a bunch of spin with my wegdes so I always plan on run out and control that with the height of my chip. If I need to have the ball hit and stop within a foot or so, its the 60*. The majority of the time its my 52*, but I practice with 7i-LW on pitches. I am becoming very partial to my 17* rescue club off of the frog hair, (that is another thing the rescue clubs do better than anything else I've found). IMO, you just have to practice with your clubs, I'd suggest 7-LW and see which ones you like. BTW, I learned how to play golf back in the early 60's and my pitching & chipping were terrible, so I learned the bump & run game then which as helped out a lot now.

[dlygrisse]

I'm stuck playing on munis, so the only thing I don't like about the Utley method is relying on a single wedge with 12* of bounce for a bare hardpan lie. Or sand traps packed like concrete.

I tried the 58 for everything...doesn't work. Either good for tighter lies or good for fluffy chips not both. You need a low bounce for hard pan and short chips.

I have read Utley's book and really liked his basic pitching technique. I tried a 58* with higher bounce and did not like it, and still using the 58 08 for most of my pitch shots and sand shots. I dont use Stan's method for everything, dont like his bunker technique, and I have some other specialty pitches I still use that are not part of his book. I still open up my stance and clubface for extra high flops.

 

Would love to go to Greyhawk and see him, but it's not in the budget right now.

 

I will use a 52* on occasion if the ball is in the back of hte green or I am into the wind, I will also use a pW or a 7 iron for longer chips where I want run on the shot, going up a hill or slope.

 

I find my 58* versitile from all types of lies so I dont think about bounce, just the traj. of the shot I want to play. I used to be in the same boat at you and did not gain consistency until I ditched the 56* and 60* and just went with a 58* and used it for all the shots I used the 56* and 60* for. JMO, YMMV.

[laxbc101]

I worked with Stan Utley on my short game and as a consequence use his method. All of my short shots are hit with a 58* wedge with 12* of bounce and a heel grind that lets me lay the club open. Because I only use the one wedge I don't have any of the confusion suggested by your OP.

 

Steve

Steve,

Could you expand on the Utley method with a 58* 12* bounce wedge?

I bought a new Vokey with these specs and would like to know the right Utley way to hit shots.

Thanks

[odshot68]

thanks for all the ideas...I need some serious work...

[juststeve]

laxbc101:

 

In a nut shell.

 

For both chips and pitches:

 

1. Narrow square stance;

 

2. Put weight on forward leg and keep it there.

 

3. Pivot is around forward leg.

 

4. Club swing is a miniature full swing, inside and low on the way back, back to the inside and low on the forward swing.

 

5. Right elbow works up the right side on the backswing, left elbow up the left side on the forward swing (for right handers).

 

6. Stan teaches a swing with passive arms powered by the pivot.

 

To Chip:

 

1. Hand ahead at address club shaft leaning forward.

 

2. Hinge the wrists going back and hold them coming through. Left wrist bowed to target.

 

3. Ball then turf with leading edge of club.

 

4. Finish is very low.

 

To Pitch:

 

1. Hands above ball at address, not much shaft lean if any.

 

2. Hinge wrists going back full release coming through with club face held open. Right hand works under not over the left.

 

3. Full use of the bounce on the wedge seeking to hit the turf with the bounce right under the ball.

 

 

 

Steve

[duffer888]

laxbc101:

 

To Pitch:

.

.

.

3. Full use of the bounce on the wedge seeking to hit the turf with the bounce right under the ball.

 

This is the part where I am uncomfortable with the Utley method using a single wedge with 12* of bounce on hardpan, as this requires you to be too precise. Any bit of fatness in this situation results in a skull.

 

Last year, I played a 5412/5810 setup and I liked it, except when I was on a tight, hard lie. I've gone back to a low bounce 60 this year, and combined with a 5410, I find maximum versatility. A 5412 would be optimum, but I can get by with the 10.

[odshot68]

laxbc101:

 

In a nut shell.

 

For both chips and pitches:

 

1. Narrow square stance;

 

2. Put weight on forward leg and keep it there.

 

3. Pivot is around forward leg.

 

4. Club swing is a miniature full swing, inside and low on the way back, back to the inside and low on the forward swing.

 

5. Right elbow works up the right side on the backswing, left elbow up the left side on the forward swing (for right handers).

 

6. Stan teaches a swing with passive arms powered by the pivot.

 

To Chip:

 

1. Hand ahead at address club shaft leaning forward.

 

2. Hinge the wrists going back and hold them coming through. Left wrist bowed to target.

 

3. Ball then turf with leading edge of club.

 

4. Finish is very low.

 

To Pitch:

 

1. Hands above ball at address, not much shaft lean if any.

 

2. Hinge wrists going back full release coming through with club face held open. Right hand works under not over the left.

 

3. Full use of the bounce on the wedge seeking to hit the turf with the bounce right under the ball.

 

 

 

Steve

 

Steve,

I find this technique does not work for flop shots or when it needs to stop quickly..please advise.. are they better methods available or is this it?

[juststeve]

There are other methods arounds. Better is in the eye of the beholder.

 

As for flop shots:

 

1. For me they are a last resort;

 

2. Stan's method accomodates them just fine. Just open the club up, use the bounce and release keeping the club face open.

 

In a lot of respects Stan's pitching method is flop shot lite. Using the bounce you are slipping the club under the ball. Same as a flop shot, just a matter of degree.

 

Steve

[gir2]

I play just a 56 degree with 14 degrees of bounce right now. Soon I'll be getting a 60 deg with low bounce, which will be better because I tend to be reasonably accurate in getting the ball to land where I want it, but have trouble judging how much, and in which direction, the ball is going to run out.

[retep]

i plan on using the 58 for everything. i think ernie els said something like that at some point so because he said so it must be true and best for everyone in the entire world. baahahahaaa. actually just seems like a decent plan. i practice with the new 52, the 58, the W. it seems like lie dictates all. so when i play in florida i tend to not have any 58 action at all and no high pitches as i skull em too often with the tight lies. Or i just need more practice. probably more practice.

[laxbc101]

laxbc101:

 

In a nut shell.

 

For both chips and pitches:

 

1. Narrow square stance;

 

2. Put weight on forward leg and keep it there.

 

3. Pivot is around forward leg.

 

4. Club swing is a miniature full swing, inside and low on the way back, back to the inside and low on the forward swing.

 

5. Right elbow works up the right side on the backswing, left elbow up the left side on the forward swing (for right handers).

 

6. Stan teaches a swing with passive arms powered by the pivot.

 

To Chip:

 

1. Hand ahead at address club shaft leaning forward.

 

2. Hinge the wrists going back and hold them coming through. Left wrist bowed to target.

 

3. Ball then turf with leading edge of club.

 

4. Finish is very low.

 

To Pitch:

 

1. Hands above ball at address, not much shaft lean if any.

 

2. Hinge wrists going back full release coming through with club face held open. Right hand works under not over the left.

 

3. Full use of the bounce on the wedge seeking to hit the turf with the bounce right under the ball.

 

 

 

Steve

 

Steve

When you say "right hand works under not over the left", doesnt this lead to scooping? I dont understand this part

Thanks

[juststeve]

No. I don't recommend scooping. What I am talking about is keeping the loft on the club through and beyond impact. You do that by not letting the right hand move over the left through the strike. In other wordds keep the right hand under.

 

Steve