Chipping Low Point

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Blitzpackage569

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Recently I had noticed that when I chip the ball(short chips around the green) my contact with the ground comes at the ball, rather then after the ball. My question is, on a short chip should contact with the ground come after the ball, or does the nature of the shot make ideal contact a bit different then a full swing?
 
mgranato

mgranato

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Here are the 1st grade definitions that I use...

Chip - ball spends more time on the ground.
Pitch - ball spends more time in the air.
 
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Blitzpackage569

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For me my definition is similar to mgranatos, but along with that I consider any stroke using just the basic motion stroke to be a chip, and anything longer then that to be a pitch.
 
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softconsult

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I confess to never really thinking about precisely defining the two shots.
To me, probably from age 15, a chip was a low shot and a pitch was a higher shot.

Here is Utley's definition, which makes sense to me. "In a chip shot you are reducing the
loft of the club through impact and hitting the ball first, and then the ground with the leading edge of the club. In a pitch shot, you're playing the shaft in a more neutral position and hitting the ground with the bounce on the bottom of the club, and then the ball." He goes on to explain why the distance comparison doesn't work, and why the flying versus rolling definition doesn't work. I'm to lazy to type it out.
 
mjstrong

mjstrong

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mgranato said:
Here are the 1st grade definitions that I use...

Chip - ball spends more time on the ground.
Pitch - ball spends more time in the air.
Click to expand...

This is the def'ns that I'd use, assuming a flat landing surface. Sometimes, the ball will run a lot (down a slope, etc.) after even after a pitch shot...
 
mjstrong

mjstrong

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Stan Utley's def'ns:
Chip shot - leading edge contacting ground first
Pitch shot - bounce/flange contacting ground first
 
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goley

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For me a basic way of defining a chip/pitch shot is not using a golf club at all. If you can stand from where ever the ball is and gently underhand toss the ball with out much effort or without taking a step, I would classify this as a chip. If the ball is far enough away that you need to take a step and use your body I would then call this a pitch. Not saying this is universal or that a chip shot has no pivot, but it is an easy way for a student to get a feel for the shot and choose the proper club and set up. I can hit chip shot with the front edge or mid sole or the back edge and can also hit pitches with all three options. All depends on what you are faced with and the action that you want on the ball.
 
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dlam

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goley said:
For me a basic way of defining a chip/pitch shot is not using a golf club at all. If you can stand from where ever the ball is and gently underhand toss the ball with out much effort or without taking a step, I would classify this as a chip. If the ball is far enough away that you need to take a step and use your body I would then call this a pitch. Not saying this is universal or that a chip shot has no pivot, but it is an easy way for a student to get a feel for the shot and choose the proper club and set up. I can hit chip shot with the front edge or mid sole or the back edge and can also hit pitches with all three options. All depends on what you are faced with and the action that you want on the ball.
Click to expand...

Good post! I cant agree any more.

You can define it anyway you want....as long it it works for you on the course.
I dont want to get into semantics but any shot that the effort is like a putt would be what I consider in my mind a chip regardless of the proper definition.
There is so many options....high or low chip

A pitch in my mind is a mini version of the full swing.
 
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softconsult

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"You can define it anyway you want....as long it it works for you on the course."

So would describe a successful flop shot as a chip? After all, you did say you can define it anyway you want.

In my opinion, statements like the one I quoted follow the logic of saying, "Don't worry Johnny, if you think 2 x 2 = 5 it's ok." I think your statement works if it is restricted to your own use. The problem occurs when you communicate your definitions to others.
 
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dlam

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Stevooooo,
I guess the can of worms is open.......I respect how you like to challenge others to explain their ideas.I'm not a golf teacher, but because I participate in this golf forum I will comply.

Okay, the textbook definition does not really help me on the course. If I ask 10 different golfers how to chip or pitch I likely will get ten different techniques and some different definitions of a "pitch" or "chip".
Maybe we can some fun and define putting too.

The short game is an art not a science, for a particular shot around the green there is usually more than one method to get it in the hole. So I'm not going tell young Johnny " that's the wrong way to chip" if it gets he gets it close to the hole.

If you have to pigeon hole me to define a pitch vs a chip then I think that a "chip "is much like a putt which requires less energy without a hip pivot. So a 10 yard flop shot can be a chip shot according to my definition.
A "pitch" shot in my mind requires more energy and hip pivot is involved......a 40 yard flop can be a pitch shot.
These two "flop shot" are quite different in set up.
Again we can have some fun and define flop shot.
But I rather just play golf.
 
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ZAP

ZAP

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This whole thread is about the definition of chip versus pitch. What's next the definition of quality? lol.

Before anyone finds me to kill me I am just joking.
 
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