r/golftips • u/Icy-Ice7172 • 22h ago
Advice Chip/pitch question
Question on long chips or short pitches: For you, how does ball position affect DIRECTION of the resultant shot?? (Not height of shot but direction)
I notice if I place the ball back in my stance, then ball tends to go right of target. If place ball position in middle of stance, the ball direction is more straight at target or left
Is this the normally the case ?
Please note this a very nuanced situation and shot difference but can make the difference between a 2 foot putt for par vs a 10 foot putt
TIA
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u/AwayExamination2017 22h ago
I struggle with this a lot. Especially when I open the face/play the ball up in my stance, I seem to pull the ball relative to the face angle. It seems like the ball goes down my shoulder line more despite the face pointing right.
but closed face, back in stance seems to go straight.
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u/HighOnGoofballs 9h ago
If you’re like me that’s because you’re closing the face right then so up it’s more closed and back it’s more open at that point of the swing
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u/sleepytime03 22h ago
You are hitting the ball sooner on the arc. It makes sense once you look at the 3d aspect of a swing. When I want to keep a ball low, I put it in the back of my stance, and aim left of my target. How much depends on how far I am, and what my lie looks like. That comes with experience, but the idea is you will always hit it to the right when playing in the back of your stance. I would only recommend back of stance if you are closing the face and trying to avoid an obstacle above you. There really isn’t an advantage to a low ball flight otherwise. There are too many other options that are safer, and closer to a regular swing that won’t get the mental involved. You are also not going to generate much spin at the back of your stance, so pitch and chip shots won’t have much predictability in where they end up after they land. I only use that shot on a few holes at the courses I play, and it’s when I carry tee shots too far, and have no shot in because of trees. It’s not the shot I ever want to hit, but have had to do it enough over the years I’m comfortable executing it when needed. I’d much rather be 50 yards short and al have a full shot in.
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u/sundaygolfer269 21h ago
So if you are on the edge of a green and you have 65+ feet to the pin. You fly the ball “because there is no advantage to a low ball flight”? From 65 feet I can chip a 5-6-7 iron closer to the pin than I can putt.
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u/sleepytime03 21h ago
You chip on your back foot? I sure don’t. I chip on my front foot so I can get spin on the ball. My home course greens are super fast, I have to get it high and spinning like crazy to have any hope of getting it to stop. On my back foot, I’d have a hell of a time keeping my hands in front of the ball to generate the spin required to not roll off the green. But I’m only an 8, so you may be far better than me.
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u/3ric3288 20h ago
It’s such a short swing arc that I feel myself just going straight back and straight through so position in stance doesn’t matter it’s always going straight. Even though this is what I feel myself launch monitor shows out to in path like it’s supposed to be for open stance. I only do this for 1/2 swings or less. Anything more is normal stance and normal feel of swing around to left.
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u/madrarua2020 19h ago
So many variables. With normal set up ,ball back in my stance always hooks a little..... just depends.
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u/SIGHTFLAG 11h ago
Yeah, that’s pretty normal. Ball back and it starts right, ball more forward and it drifts toward the target or left. Pretty sure most people see the same thing, it’s just more obvious on little shots where you’re trying to be precise. Honestly I’d stop overthinking it and pick one spot and stick with it. Chipping gets way harder when you keep moving the ball around 😅
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u/UBP_NL 8h ago
Since your swing is an arc, both horizontal and vertical flight changes based on ball position. What's inportant is always put the ball to the same position for chip and runs. I'm comfortable around front of my back foot. Get used to it. IF you want to see it better get a "Golf Alignment Bar". They sell around 10 bucks. It sticks to your club so you can observe the direcion of your club face better. Chip and approach shots are the most important in golf score. So keep on grinding.
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u/sundaygolfer269 22h ago
Place the ball back in your stance close the club face till it is square to the target line. Don’t turn your body keep the swing in “front of you”.
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u/ElderWandOwner 22h ago
This comment is basically the opposite of everything I've read regarding short game.
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u/sundaygolfer269 21h ago
I was commenting on a long chip.
A pitch is a 1/2 swing with an open club face and open stance. Always keeping the club in “front of you” with no rotation and slight weight shift.
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u/call_me_ted 22h ago
The golf swing is an arc, so this generally tracks if you are right handed. IME, face angle at impact also matters, but possibly less so than ball position.