# Forget being another Tiger: use your trusty iron chip



## Butz (Nov 17, 2006)

Forget being another Tiger: use your trusty iron chip 

How many times has this happened to you? You hit a great approach shot to find out that the ball has slipped off the side or back of the green and is resting comfortably in the first cut of fringe, with just enough grass where the putter may not be able to make solid contact, and a tight enough lie where you could easily blade any of your wedges.

The common approach to this situation is to take a "shorter" club, i.e. wedge, sand wedge, lob wedge, etc., and hit a low-percentage shot that has to stop or release in a precise manner. We all remember Tiger's incredible shot from across the green at Augusta on No. 16, where he caught the ball so precisely that it stopped at the top of the hill, and with absolutely perfect speed, crept down the slope, then with one last dramatic rotation, fell in to create what most certainly was the shot of the year.

Well, that's Tiger, and he does things with the golf ball that will be talked about forever. When it comes to the average player, this scenario would call for the "trusty" iron chip. This shot is probably the most popular among my students, in that it is so easy to pull off, and more importantly, so consistent.

Take a 6,7, 8, or 9-iron and put the ball back in your slightly-open stance. Make sure that your weight distribution is favoring the front of your lower body and the shaft of the club is angled towards your target. Your hands should be very soft on the club and lower than usual. I like to have my right hand just touching the steel below my grip. Simply take the club away, moving only your shoulders. This is very important, as many of my students try this, and accomplish everything in the execution, only to hit the ball fat or thin because they "flip" their wrists. The wrists need to be very passive and quiet. Swing the shoulders identically angled to the putting stroke and hold the club at the end of your swing.

Follow these simple steps to chipping with a mid iron and you'll see an immediate improvement to your scoring!

Naples Sun Times - Forget being another Tiger: use your trusty iron chip


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

I agree totally with that philosophy, although I will probably use my PW for the shot, since that is my usual "go to" chipping club. The average player isn't going to need the kind of shot that Tiger made there, because he will never see greens running at 12-13 on the stimp. And I can assert from personal experience that you will make better scores in the long run by taking the chance of being a bit long with a conventional chip than you will by trying to nip a LW and skulling it over the green, or stubbing it and facing the same shot all over again. You can learn make that 10 foot uphill putt a lot easier than you can learn to flop or nip a LW from a tight lie. When it goes wrong with the LW, the likelihood of holing your next stroke is minuscule.  

Other things to consider along these same lines. When they shortside themselves (i.e. miss the green on the same side as the hole is on, leaving no green for the ball to roll out on), most amateurs tend to try to make the miracle pitch, and end up still off the green and still shortsided. I have learned to take my medicine and focus first on getting the ball on the green. I still try to make the best shot I can, but I plan the shot so that a miss still leaves me putting, even if from farther away than I would like. :thumbsup:


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## 65nlovenit (Dec 8, 2006)

Just a quick question Rick,

*he will never see greens running at 12-13 on the stimp*.

What exactly is the stimp, am assuming its some kind of measuring device?

Del


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## Golfbum (Oct 14, 2006)

65nlovenit said:


> Just a quick question Rick,
> 
> *he will never see greens running at 12-13 on the stimp*.
> 
> ...


The Stimpmeter is a simple piece of equipment used to measure green speeds.
Read all about the use of a STIMPMETER here.


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## 65nlovenit (Dec 8, 2006)

Tks Golf Bum..... interesting site....

Del


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## Butz (Nov 17, 2006)

65nlovenit said:


> Tks Golf Bum..... interesting site....
> 
> Del


I 2nd the motion 
Many thanks...really for this site


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## cesc (Mar 3, 2007)

The stimpmeter looks very interesting.


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