Putting Greens News & Blog

Chipping vs. Pitching: Exploring the Gray Area Part 1

Thursday, July 6th, 2006

One of the most common mistakes made by newer golfers has to do with the difference between chipping and pitching. The truth is that these are two completely different shots that should be used in different circumstances.

The first difference is the lie. If your ball is within five yards of the edge of the green (and not sitting in sand) you would be well served to use a chip shot. Also called a ‘bump and run’ shot, the chip shot is a low-loft shot designed to clear a small patch of rough but also have a significant amount of roll. Chip shots are very important shots for scoring in that they are more accurate than pitch shots.

Lower lofted clubs are best for chipping; a 7-iron, an 8-iron, or a 9-iron will all work well. Next, consider your body position. Your feet should be close together, at less than shoulder width, to keep your swing nice and quiet. Treat it like a putt; use your shoulders and the weight of the club, but keep your hips out of it. Remember, you’re going for as little loft as possible and you want the ball to start rolling quickly. You’ll have more control overall with your ball on the ground this close to the hole.

As a general rule, the ball will roll for twice the distance it was airborne with a good chip shot. Since you’re using a low-loft club, there will be very little backspin on the ball as it is, so you’ll get quite a bit of run out of a good pitch.

The stroke is easy if you remember to keep your body quiet and the backswing under control. Used correctly, a solid pitch is a powerful weapon in your golfing arsenal. You’ll see the difference on your scorecard.