Short Game FAQ

A chip is a low-running shot with minimal air time. A pitch is a higher shot that lands softly with more carry and less roll.

• Chip -- use when you have green to work with between you and the hole. Played with a putting-like motion, lower-lofted club (7-9 iron or PW). Ball rolls most of the way.
• Pitch -- use when you need the ball to stop quickly (short-sided, over a bunker, tight pin). Played with a wedge (SW, LW) with more wrist hinge and a longer swing.

The general rule: chip when you can, pitch when you must. A chip's simpler motion produces more consistent results for most golfers.

Chunked chips are caused by the club bottoming out behind the ball, usually from trying to help the ball into the air.

The fix:

• Keep weight on your lead foot -- set up with 60-70% on the front foot and keep it there throughout
• Hands ahead of the ball -- at address and at impact, the shaft should lean toward the target
• Let the loft do the work -- resist the urge to scoop. Trust that a descending strike with a lofted club will get the ball airborne.

Practice the "coin drill": place a coin 2 inches in front of the ball and try to collect it after contact. This trains a forward-leaning strike.

A flop shot is a high, soft shot that lands with almost no roll. Use it only when you need to carry an obstacle and stop the ball quickly.

How to hit it:

1. Open the clubface wide -- aim the face at the sky before taking your grip. Use your highest-lofted wedge (58-60 degrees).
2. Open your stance -- aim your feet 30-40 degrees left of target (right-handers). Swing along your foot line.
3. Slide under the ball -- make a long, accelerating swing. The club glides under the ball using the bounce of the wedge.
4. Commit to the swing -- decelerating on a flop shot causes skulled shots. This is an aggressive swing for a short carry.

This is a high-risk shot. Only use it when there is no safer alternative. Practice on the range before taking it to the course.

In a greenside bunker, you do not hit the ball directly. You hit the sand behind the ball and let the sand carry the ball out.

Setup and technique:

• Open the face -- aim the clubface right of target, then align your body left. This exposes the bounce of the wedge.
• Dig your feet in -- this lowers your base and ensures you hit sand, not the ball
• Enter 2 inches behind the ball -- splash a dollar-bill-sized divot of sand toward the target
• Accelerate through -- the biggest bunker mistake is quitting on the shot. Make a full, committed follow-through.

Think of it as throwing sand onto the green, with the ball along for the ride.

Bounce is the angle between the leading edge and the lowest point of the sole. It prevents the club from digging into the turf or sand.

• High bounce (12-16 degrees) -- better for soft sand and fluffy lies. The sole skids rather than digs. Good for players with steep swings.
• Low bounce (4-8 degrees) -- better for firm sand and tight lies. Allows the leading edge to get under the ball on hardpan.
• Mid bounce (8-12 degrees) -- the most versatile option for varying conditions.

Bounce is your friend, especially in bunkers. When you open the face, you increase effective bounce, which helps the club glide through sand instead of digging.