Around The Green With 7, 6, 5 irons

Ask yourself what club or clubs you use when you’re chipping about 5-10 yards off the green.  If you have just one or two clubs that you use then I already know that your an amateur golfer.  Any pro will tell you that they utilize all the clubs in their bag around the greens, especially when there is a lot of green to work with.  Remember the ultimate goal of chipping is minimum air time and maximum ground time.  When you’re chipping with a 7 iron you obviously have a lot of green between the ball and the cup and your trying to put to ball on the necessary line as quickly as possible in order to set yourself up for a make-able putt.  It takes time to develop the necessary feel  in order to control your chips with these clubs but you will notice that your chances of  getting up and down will increase. 

To Flop Or Not?

Every teaching professional out there will tell you the same thing when it comes to hitting those magnificent Phil Mickelson flop shots…….Don’t do it!  Putt when you can, chip when you can’t putt, pitch when you can’t chip, and flop the ball only when its absolutely necessary.  Opening the face of the club is a high risk maneuver, when hitting a proper flop shot the face of the club is almost so open that the back of the club head is resting on the ground.  If you have a 60 or 58 degree wedge you can get the shot trajectory and the amount of roll you’re looking for by just hitting a normal pitch with the ball being played off your left foot.  Try experimenting with ball postion to alter shot trajectory as opposed to opening and closing the face.

Ball Postion Is Crucial For Good Chipping

For optimal chipping results you must have consistent ball position.  The ball should be played off the inside of the right heel or the right toe with the left foot slightly open at address.  It is also important to keep your weight forward almost to the point where you will fall over.  This creates a descending angle of attack on the ball which allows the club to do the work especially when encountering deep rough around the greens.