Chipping/Pitching Problems

PRO · December 22, 2011

Flips & Skulls

Ive been having some problems with my chipping and pitching. Lately my misses have been thin shots and skulls when chipping off tight lies. The problem is, as I come into impact, the club head wants to release past my hands and the face also wants to close. I am interpreting this as a flip. I am basically having trouble keeping my hands ahead of the club face and ball into impact as well as keeping the face open. The biggest problem I believe is that for whatever reason, the butt of the club naturally wants to point towards my belt buckle through impact and just after, instead of me being able to keep my hands ahead of the face/ball at impact. To add insult to injury, the more I try to lead with my hands through impact, the more I feel like the face wants to close. Hopefully this makes some sense and someone here will be able to offer me some advice. Any questions, let me know.

Thanks

MonteScheinblum · December 22, 2011

[quote name='PRO' timestamp='1324599540' post='3977687']
Ive been having some problems with my chipping and pitching. Lately my misses have been thin shots and skulls when chipping off tight lies. The problem is, as I come into impact, the club head wants to release past my hands and the face also wants to close. I am interpreting this as a flip. I am basically having trouble keeping my hands ahead of the club face and ball into impact as well as keeping the face open. The biggest problem I believe is that for whatever reason, the butt of the club naturally wants to point towards my belt buckle through impact and just after, instead of me being able to keep my hands ahead of the face/ball at impact. To add insult to injury, the more I try to lead with my hands through impact, the more I feel like the face wants to close. Hopefully this makes some sense and someone here will be able to offer me some advice. Any questions, let me know.

Thanks
[/quote]

I could go into a long winded diatribe, but...

It is very likely that your arms have stopped moving at impact..or in the very least, have slowed down.

PRO · December 22, 2011

[quote name='MonteScheinblum' timestamp='1324601011' post='3977793']
I could go into a long winded diatribe, but...

It is very likely that your arms have stopped moving at impact..or in the very least, have slowed down.
[/quote]

LOL...Ill listen to whatever you have to sayin your long winded diatribe. How do I keep my arms moving if this is the case other than just thinking about keeping them moving?

sennett0r · December 22, 2011

do you accelerate through impact?

MonteScheinblum · December 22, 2011

[quote name='PRO' timestamp='1324601302' post='3977821']
[quote name='MonteScheinblum' timestamp='1324601011' post='3977793']
I could go into a long winded diatribe, but...

It is very likely that your arms have stopped moving at impact..or in the very least, have slowed down.
[/quote]

LOL...Ill listen to whatever you have to sayin your long winded diatribe. How do I keep my arms moving if this is the case other than just thinking about keeping them moving?
[/quote]

:friends:

I would bet if you go out and hit chips and just be aware of what I said, you will immediately feel it and improve on the very next shot.

It's one of those things where once you are made aware of the problem, it is an immediate, 'How was I not aware I was doing this?"

Keep the shoulders rotating and the arms will continue to move through impact.

There is a possibility that your back swing is too long for the length shots you are hitting and causing all of this.

PRO · December 22, 2011

[quote name='sennett0r' timestamp='1324607426' post='3978201']
do you accelerate through impact?
[/quote]

I try to...Im sure sometimes I decelerate

PRO · December 22, 2011

[quote name='MonteScheinblum' timestamp='1324613999' post='3978729']
[quote name='PRO' timestamp='1324601302' post='3977821']
[quote name='MonteScheinblum' timestamp='1324601011' post='3977793']
I could go into a long winded diatribe, but...

It is very likely that your arms have stopped moving at impact..or in the very least, have slowed down.
[/quote]

LOL...Ill listen to whatever you have to sayin your long winded diatribe. How do I keep my arms moving if this is the case other than just thinking about keeping them moving?
[/quote]

:friends:

I would bet if you go out and hit chips and just be aware of what I said, you will immediately feel it and improve on the very next shot.

It's one of those things where once you are made aware of the problem, it is an immediate, 'How was I not aware I was doing this?"

Keep the shoulders rotating and the arms will continue to move through impact.

There is a possibility that your back swing is too long for the length shots you are hitting and causing all of this.
[/quote]

Thanks for the advice....I know my backswing is too long almost always so Im going to work on shortening it and making sure I turn through the shot and keep everything moving.

bossdog · December 22, 2011

You might wanna try using the bounce more off tight lies. The bounce gives you the biggest room for error and it's simple. You can open the face a little, slide the club open on the backswing and then just swing down from there. Or if u have a good lie set your hands a little back and try to slide the flange under the ball.

Vintage1976 · December 23, 2011

Very good advise given already. For really difficult tight greenside lies, often I will hit sort of a chop-chip with the ball back at my rear foot and not much concern for follow through. My hands don't ever get back to the ball, they lead the whole way. It comes off the club pretty low and hot and usually I have no problem chasing this shot all the way to the hole. Just something to try at the practice range.

bobilishious2 · December 26, 2011

Can I make a different suggestion which it may be worth checking before trying anything else. Are you sure the ball isn't too far forward in your stance? If the ball is too far forward it will undoubtably be very hard to lead with the hands through impact and comfortably beyond and as such the club will want to pass the hands. This would also be true if your weight is too far back as it will shift the low point.

MonteScheinblum · December 26, 2011

[quote name='bobilishious2' timestamp='1324933801' post='3989463']
Can I make a different suggestion which it may be worth checking before trying anything else. Are you sure the ball isn't too far forward in your stance? If the ball is too far forward it will undoubtably be very hard to lead with the hands through impact and comfortably beyond and as such the club will want to pass the hands. This would also be true if your weight is too far back as it will shift the low point.
[/quote]

Nice Bob. :good:

mikpga · December 26, 2011

Allow the body to turn completely toward the target with a pitch shot...

Just do it, trust it, and see what comes of it...

Think of a "9 to 3" swing motion, simply at a slower rate of speed...

Face the target...

MonteScheinblum · December 26, 2011

[quote name='mikpga' timestamp='1324938439' post='3989693']
Allow the body to turn completely toward the target with a pitch shot...

Just do it, trust it, and see what comes of it...

Think of a "9 to 3" swing motion, simply at a slower rate of speed...

Face the target...
[/quote]

Another great answer. This thread is Golfwrx at it's best.

You get several quality answers that essentially have the same information (or slightly different takes) said in different ways...and you find the one that makes the most sense.