Chip of Putting Green

[KrudlerAce]

Just watching the Australian Open on television and watched in amazement as John Sendon hits his sand wedge off the back of a green and puts it to within 1 foot of the whole. There was a huge slope separating the two teirs of the green and this was the only way he could get it close by carrying the slope. To me this was a very gutsy shot played to pure perfection.

Just wondering if any members have played a similar shot with success or not? How did you go about executing the shot? The commentators were saying how difficult a shot it is and should always be played with caution.

[GregJWillis]

Re: Chip of Putting Green

The shot is not hard in the fact that do not do anything differently from a normal chip from the fairway, but it is hard in that you are doing it on the green that you don't want to take a divot, and look like a hack needing to walk to the middle of the green to replace a piece of the green.

So pinching it perfectly at the exact bottom of the swing arc...that is hard. And do it in front of a crowd...even harder. Pulling it off? Priceless.

[kbp]

Re: Chip of Putting Green

Phil, at the Masters (I think), a few years ago hit a big flop shot from one part of the green to another.

Sometimes when I’m practicing chipping and pitching I’ll retrieve the balls on the green by hitting them back to the chipping area with casual, easy pitches or chips. Use the bounce of the club so you don’t dig.

[BrianW]

Re: Chip of Putting Green

I practice flop shots a lot as it is a shot often needed on my home course. The greens are very long, narrow and uneven with deep greenside bunkers against their edges.

It is easy to find yourself behind a deep greenside bunker where you need to hit the ball high and short so that it stops up rather than roll into a bunker the other side. You can also find yourself just on the green but with the pin tucked away around a bend with a large hump of fairway between you and the hole, in this case you can only putt the ball very wide of the pin or flop the ball over the hump so that it lands soft near the pin.

As you become more accomplished at these shots I find they give a real buzz when they come off well. In the case of hitting one off the putting surface it needs a shallower attack angle and a longer smooth swing with a high committed follow through.

[KrudlerAce]

Thanks

Thanks for the comments guys!

[bill reed]

Re: Chip of Putting Green

Hi Ace
at St Andrews you have double greens and you could have a putt of upwords of 100 feet and you really need to hit a 7 or 9 iron but on the greens at St Andrews i would never dare do that so hit my putt as hard as i could with the putter and left it 20 feet short.
takes a brave man to chip on the greens of St Andrews.
cheers
Bill

[GolfJunkieSr]

Re: Chip of Putting Green

My favorite shot is the flop shot. This is especially true for the shot KA discribed Sendon making. It is a shot I have always played well. It is a shot that comes easy for me, and I devote little practice time to it. I can pull it off with out taking a divot. Just lucky in that respect I suppose.

My other favorite is getting out of green side bunkers, but that's for another topic.

GJS