Do you break your wrists chipping or keep them solid or both?

[higherplane]

Practicing see many different methods, was taught to break wrist but switched 2 years ago to solid wrist as fewer moving parts, question what do you think is better and why?    

[Gusset]

Looking forward to hearing people's thoughts on this one.

I do both, mainly as a method to regulate distance, with both chipping and pitching clubs. For carrying it up to 20 yards, I use no wrist break. Beyond that it's gradually more wrist break (with a longer swing).

[Kenny B]

One is not better than the other; just better for each golfer.  A few years ago I gave Phil's "Hinge and Hold" method a try.  Wasn't for me.  My wrists are crap anyway, so less is better for me.  I patterned my shots off Stricker's method, but even he doesn't keep them solid... there is a little break, and longer shots have more break.  The only solid wrist shots I use are putts and bump and runs with my putting stroke.

[Vegan_Golfer_PNW]

I break my wrists and rotate. Works for me. Depending on lie I will break more if I have to be more steep. This was something my coach and I worked on the end of last year and I am never going back

[russtopherb]

As solid as I can. I try to “keep the triangle” and change distance via length of backswing. 

[twyatt700]

Depends on the shot I am hitting and how you want to control the traj of the ball. I would practice both just so you can have options around the green.  I feel that you need a solid stock chip with limited wrist motion and then more creative shot that require more loft being delivered and the wrists to move ala the short game chef style. 

[cnosil]

before I answer, what are you considering a chipping?   I see numerous definitions that range from the basic off the green chip to 20+ yard pitch shots.  

[GaDawg]

If you are referring to chipping as being off the green 10-15 yards, I use my 50* wedge and use my putting stroke. If a have to carry a bunker, I will use 56 or 60*.

Edited September 19, 2023 by GaDawg

[RickyBobby_PR]

33 minutes ago, cnosil said:

before I answer, what are you considering a chipping?   I see numerous definitions that range from the basic off the green chip to 20+ yard pitch shots.  

Beat me to it and curious to see what the definition is.

but will say that for most pitch and all chips there’s no wrist set for me

[Hacker60521]

I try to keep things as simple and consistent as possible. My pitch shots max out around 30 yards with 7 yards of carry. I keep my wrists as still as I can and rotate from shoulders / core. I change carry and run by using different clubs but always the same setup 

Edited September 20, 2023 by Hacker60521

[RoverRick]

I use wrists even with putting. I think the whole “take your hands out and use the big muscles” is nuts. Putting and chipping are delicate. Can you sign your name using the big muscles? Can you spin your body faster than you can slap someone? Pick your line and landing spot and focus on the speed with you wrists supported by the body.  Get the speed right and you will likely be within 5’. Get it wrong and it doesn’t matter what muscles or technique you used. 

[Hacker60521]

1 hour ago, RoverRick said:

I use wrists even with putting. I think the whole “take your hands out and use the big muscles” is nuts. Putting and chipping are delicate. Can you sign your name using the big muscles? Can you spin your body faster than you can slap someone? Pick your line and landing spot and focus on the speed with you wrists supported by the body.  Get the speed right and you will likely be within 5’. Get it wrong and it doesn’t matter what muscles or technique you used. 

@RoverRick you and I are definitely opposite on this one. I don’t use my wrists when chipping, and I keep them as calm as possible while putting as well. For putting I have more of a pendulum swing from my shoulders instead if my wrists. Not trying to create a heated debate — just highlighting the difference.

[RoverRick]

@Hacker60521 In putting, I try to keep my left side as stable as possible with my arm against my side but my left wrist subtle. I have a couple of inches between my hands and pull back and push through with my right hand. I feel as though my left side provides the base and a hinge where the club face cannot twist. I’ve missed numerous putts because of misreads or speed issues, but I do not recall missing one and feeling like I twisted the club face off line or “made a bad stroke” in a month. 
 

In January, I tried every form of putting, but I find it very easy to twist my shoulders when I try to just rock my shoulders. 
 

In chipping, I of course allow my body to turn in support of my hands (which are really just clamps, and it is wrists that move). But I am more a “hands provide the speed” player all the time. I’ve gone back and forth with this, but when ai try the “body provides speed” swings, I end up injuring myself. 
 

You are 100% right. There are many ways to do this and every teacher likes his way to do things and thinks it’s best. 

[HardcoreLooper]

Since we haven't gotten a definition, a chip to me is a low shot that runs on the ground much more than it carries through the air.  I try to use little to no wrist in this.  At the First Tee, we teach kids to make the letter Y with their arms and the shaft of the club and to keep that Y intact.  

A short shot that carries through the air at least as much as it rolls out (if not more) is a pitch to me.  I try to use the Parker McLachlin simple pitch method, which really takes the wrist out of the shot.  

 

I hadn't actually seen my interpretation of this technique until today, when my buddies unearthed some footage we shot earlier this year and released the CBX Full Face 2 wedge review.

The camera adds 20 pounds, so there are obviously three cameras on me.  

 

[GolfSpy_APH]

I think I would say both, but more I have a different feeling of which hand is leading the way. For bunkers I usually have my bottom hand feeling like it is guiding and the power for my shot. Then for others I have my top hand feeling like it is guiding the stroke. I dont actually pay much attention to what my wrists are doing. 

[Josh Parker]

I use both depending on the situation depending on my lie and the shot that I'm required to make. 

[Shrek74]

I fall under the "depends on the situation" camp.

I can go out to about 50 yards without breaking my wrists. I just go to a 50* or PW for that longer of a distance to make it happen.

Anything more than that I'll adjust loft, utilize the partial swing, and go a little more wrist break. I just try and keep the wrist break to as small as required verses a full break on partial swings. I use a version of the clock method for those partial swings with break. The higher on the clock, the more break.

[Billy Bob]

I'm a big fan of this Phil Mickelson series called Secrets of the Short Game. Lots of great short game instruction, from long and short pitches, chip shots, bunkers, putting, and playing difficult turf conditions and lies near the green.  I think that consistently following his advice on set up and stroke fundamentals helped my short game a lot a few years ago. Started saving a LOT more pars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhzY7TIMnMU&list=PLPC2xk2dt2cKUVehHVytOlkS5K998abw5&index=8&pp=gAQBiAQB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBv_OA8ZE3A&list=PLPC2xk2dt2cKUVehHVytOlkS5K998abw5&index=9&pp=gAQBiAQB

[jolter1]

Unless it is an excessively long chip, I try to keep my wrists solid. 

[silver & black]

I chip with solid wrists... more like a hard putting stroke. I pitch with 'some' wrist involved, but not like a full swing... if that makes any sense...lol.

[jamesstarns]

I keep the wrists out of chips and pitches as much as possible.   It’s one of the best parts of my game.  I try to picture chips as putts and want to at least make it past the hole to give it a chance to go in or at the most an up and down.  Back in the late 70’s/80’s I used a 7 iron mostly but  now depending on the lie and distance I will mostly use a PW but will go to a different  club if needed to make sure I can get to the back of the ball first.  I rarely use my 52 or 56 wedge because for me they are very easy to mess the shot up.   I prefer full or mostly full shots with those wedges. 

[Beakbryce]

Mostly keep the wrist quiet while chipping. Have some stock yardages:

30 and 40 yards=58 wedge

50 yards=54 wedge

60 yards=50 wedge

Place the ball just inside the back foot and use a straight back straight through putt stroke that is slightly longer. Hands ahead with a square clubface. Not much if any body rotation. This is a good running chip method for me. If one doesn't stay down though this shot it is a shank waiting to happen. Practice it every day. Can use it for low ball flight for longer than 60 yards but that requires a lot of practice and feel figuring out yardages. 

When pitching, break the wrists with the ball maybe an inch forward of the chipping spot which gets height and more spin. Play this with more of the bounce. I am with the group that uses the body to turn through the ball, facilitated by lifting my right heel a little. If I am short sided with a bunker or hazard, I make sure to get it on the green and take the bogey if I miss the putt. Probably the only time I don't go for it when in trouble.

Difference between pitching and chipping for me is the height of the ball. I chip most of the time because our greens are open to the front and at least one side and it is easier to adjust the stock yardage for green speed than figure out bounce bounce stop.

[Fish64man]

I think the answer to this question is actually both. I prefer a solid wrist for a majority of chip shots. However when I’m in need of something special I will break my wrist and I’ll only do it with my 60 in my hand. It also depends on lie conditions and other factors. I do not recommend wrist flipping on any tight lies or you will find out how to hit a 30 yard blade shot on command.

[Stuka44]

I chip/pitch, with solid wrists, back to a distance of @ 50-60 Yards.  Keeping feet close together, open to my target, using less lofted wedges the further I get from the hole.  No wrist break until I am far enough away to make regular set up, more or less 3/4 to full power swing.