Chipping/putting around the green

[Mtbryant01]

I want to hear your thoughts on if you always putt no matter what if your close enough to the green or do you like to chip? I know there are a lot of factors (bunkers, rough lie, position of pin), but what is your go to? 
 

Unpopular opinion from what I’ve been told, but I like to get one of my wedges out and chip. I like the feel and can get it close to the hole for a lot of up and downs. Doesn’t mean I have an occasional blade/chunk, but it’s something I’m confident in. 

[Pandaman]

I generally find putting safer if the ground is ok to roll over, as in not too lumpy and the grass not too long.  

[ParFore74x]

I don't mind getting the putter out when I'm on the fringe. On the other hand, I like to try to get my chip close to the hole too so it really just depends on the moment. Good time to attempt to hole out or finish with a 1 putt........or blade it 20 ' passed the hole.

[MaxEntropy]

I used to be the guy that had more faith in my chipping, even from the fringe, but when I did the Stroke Lab test last year I made a concerted effort to try to putt things when I normally wouldn't. The results showed I was consistently closer with the putter, even though the roll through the fringe/fairway is less predictable. I'm still not totally comfortable with it, but I do it anyway.

[Larryd3]

I usually chip unless I'm only a foot or so on the fringe but what I've always been told is that a bad putt will be better than a bad chip.  Think that's pretty true.  

[DaveP043]

As the OP said, its situational.  If I have just a foot or two of decent fairway-cut, I'll usually putt.  Much further than 8 or 10 feet, I'll almost always chip.  In between depends on conditions between me and the green.  And of course this general plan changes considerably when I travel to other parts of the country, or the world.  In the Pinehurst area, the turf is often much tighter, so I'll putt from much further away.  In Scotland or Ireland, I'm even more likely to use the putter from much further.  I hit a putt from about 60 yards on the Old Course once, and finished about 12 feet away.  That result would have been pretty much impossible with a lofted shot, it absolutely had to be rolling as it got close to the green.

[elvis14]

I'd love to say that I chip it because it does seem like the right thing to do and it feels good to chip it close.  But what I've learned is that I'm consistently close if I putt whenever I can.

[GaDawg]

To me it comes down to what kind of lie I have. If I am just a foot off the green and the grass is fairly smooth between the ball and the green, I will putt it. If the ball has an very nice lie, I will chip it no matter what.

[SlowNLow]

5 hours ago, Mtbryant01 said:

I want to hear your thoughts on if you always putt no matter what if your close enough to the green or do you like to chip? I know there are a lot of factors (bunkers, rough lie, position of pin), but what is your go to? 
 

Unpopular opinion from what I’ve been told, but I like to get one of my wedges out and chip. I like the feel and can get it close to the hole for a lot of up and downs. Doesn’t mean I have an occasional blade/chunk, but it’s something I’m confident in. 

Most important is you do what feels right.     It's your game, your score, etc. (unless you have an overbearing partner)  If the shot comes off, great, if it doesn't, oh well.

Last Tues I had the chip or putt scenario from greenside light rough,  did the higher percentage putt thing, had a BF and blasted the putt 15 ft. past the hole, terrible considering I was only 20 ft from the hole to start with.   After that all I could do was play the next shot.  That's all we can ever do.  Or go home.

Actually over the last two seasons I've been working hard on chipping and pitching and feel better chipping/pitching around the greens instead of defaulting to the putter.  For me I putt if the lie is tight or the grain is against, those are my weaknesses.

Edited May 8, 2020 by SlowNLow

[Kenny B]

I can and will do either depending on conditions.  However, I tend to chip mostly because I used to only putt.  When you don't chip, you will pay for it the next time when you HAVE to chip; e.g., a sprinkler head in the way.  I never felt comfortable chipping until I started to always do it.  Builds confidence.

That said, I will putt more often when I play an unfamiliar course... if conditions allow it.  I simply don't have the confidence chipping on unfamiliar grass, especially Bermuda!!

[tony@CIC]

a sprinkler head in the way.

FYI we have a local rule that if a sprinkler head is in the way you can take relief.


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[cnosil]

I am generally going to chip in most cases.  Since short game is my weakness I like to torture myself;  I'll probably switch after I blade a few over the green.  

[Mtbryant01]

3 minutes ago, cnosil said:

I am generally going to chip in most cases.  Since short game is my weakness I like to torture myself;  I'll probably switch after I blade a few over the green.  

A blade is better than a chunk/shank into sand trap right?!

[cnosil]

6 minutes ago, Mtbryant01 said:

A blade is better than a chunk/shank into sand trap right?!

Depends,   Bladed balls can go far and can end up in sand traps. 

[Jbmullin]

I usually bump and run with a 7i, then I’ve watched a couple YouTube videos, couple by James Robinson lately that showed putting from all over tends to be more successful. Also watched few recommend using 5h with putting stroke. I’m looking forward to finally getting out Monday night and trying a few things out


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[Mtbryant01]

27 minutes ago, cnosil said:

Depends,   Bladed balls can go far and can end up in sand traps. 

That last comment was more of a joke for myself saying at least I hit the ball and not the big ball first.

[Tom the Golf Nut]

It's all about course conditions for me. Im typically a chipper but if the fringe is in good condition and mowed tight I'll putt up to about 2 feet off the green. I have confidence in my chipping thanks to a former co worker that was a scratch golfer at the time. I was new to golf and asked him to give me some lessons. I show up to the course with my full set of shiney new clubs. He told me to put them back in the trunk and come back with a putter and a wedge. For weeks it was chip and putt. He said some day I will thank him. It is one of the strongest parts of my game.

Thanks Phil.

[tchat07]

For me it comes down to distance or layout from the hole. I personally am awful at rolling putts outside of 40 feet so for me I feel more confident taking a wedge. It also is a mental thing to hit a crap putt from 40 then go up and putt again vs a wedge then a putt, at least i can change clubs. I also struggle with uphill putts but excel chipping into a hill so I choose wedge there also.

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[Kenny B]

We have a lady at my club that putts everything.  I've seen her putt from 20 feet off the green and get it close.  I've tried it; it's not that easy, and takes a lot of practice to get the speed right rolling through the fairway grass, fringe, and green.  Our fairway grass around the green is fairly smooth so it's doable.  She's not that good of a chipper when in the rough around the green, so I see why she putts.  If you do anything enough, you eventually get pretty good at it.

[CarlH]

The goal is to obtain the lowest score ... whatever works (legally) is fair game.  I have a friend who is a great chipper and never putts if he's off the green.  Others putt from far off the green because they can't chip worth a hoot.  I typically will chip unless I'm fairly close to the green and hole and feel a putt would serve me better than a missed chip.

[Jchris05]

Depends on my confidence and conditions. If greens are slow and a lot of green to work with i would generally chip. Faster greens I would putt. I use the same the same putting stroke with my wedge and my putter and seem to have better luck with the wedge then my putter. Cause let’s face it me getting the ball in the hole from of the green is all luck and nothing to do with my skill haha

[GolfSpy_SHARK]

19 hours ago, Mtbryant01 said:

I want to hear your thoughts on if you always putt no matter what if your close enough to the green or do you like to chip? I know there are a lot of factors (bunkers, rough lie, position of pin), but what is your go to? 
 

Unpopular opinion from what I’ve been told, but I like to get one of my wedges out and chip. I like the feel and can get it close to the hole for a lot of up and downs. Doesn’t mean I have an occasional blade/chunk, but it’s something I’m confident in. 

I actually prefer to chip around the green. Does depend on how much real estate I have to work with but prefer chipping (always more fun to drain a chip vs a putt)

[DaveP043]

15 hours ago, elvis14 said:

I'd love to say that I chip it because it does seem like the right thing to do and it feels good to chip it close.  But what I've learned is that I'm consistently close if I putt whenever I can.

The right thing to do is whatever gives you the best chance to score well.  Never make a decision based on what someone else says is the "right thing to do".

12 hours ago, tony@CIC said:

FYI we have a local rule that if a sprinkler head is in the way you can take relief.

There is actually a Model Local Rule for relief from Immovable Obstructions near the green.  It seems to be used more where conditions favor putts from off the green, Scotland in particular.

[Erik-M]

it is very unlikely that I would putt from around the green.  I think it come from spending all my free time nipping balls from off my carpet seeing how I can manipulate spin with ball position and opening and closing club face. I would recommend putting for people who don't practice chipping around the green a lot. I never seem to put the correct weight on my putts from off the green either so maybe I just need to practice it more.  However the majority of my practice is done in my living room and yard so I am a product of my situation. 

[GolfSpy BOS]

I probably rely on chipping more than I should. But Last season I started using something like an 8 iron vs a wedge to just get a little lift before it starts rolling.


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[2puttbogey]

Short game is so much about feel that it will depend on what is feeling better that day. I may have my putting stroke working well or have great feel so chipping. I go with what feels right at the time.

[xOldBenKenobiX]

I get a lot of looks for going to the putter around the greens, but I'm looking for the best chance to get the ball into or close to the hole. 

I've never been the greatest chipper, but I've done decently well from around the green with the putter. 

[Letthebigdogshunt]

Depending on the conditions I find that a good putt is better than a good chip and a bad putt is better than a mediocre chip. So I usually putt when near the green unless the sprinkler heads are in the way

[beelzeberto]

I've been putting more lately if i'm within three feet of the green. Chipping hasn't been working too well

[TR1PTIK]

On 5/8/2020 at 1:04 PM, Mtbryant01 said:

I want to hear your thoughts on if you always putt no matter what if your close enough to the green or do you like to chip? I know there are a lot of factors (bunkers, rough lie, position of pin), but what is your go to? 
 

Unpopular opinion from what I’ve been told, but I like to get one of my wedges out and chip. I like the feel and can get it close to the hole for a lot of up and downs. Doesn’t mean I have an occasional blade/chunk, but it’s something I’m confident in. 

Totally depends on the lie and hole location. I don't have a "go to" shot around the greens - I play what I think the situation calls for unless it's something I simply don't have confidence in. However, if it is only a couple inches off the green, I am more likely to putt.