Chip

Everything I read says you have to hit down on the ball. However, when I am just off of the green and the ball is resting quietly on the grass – almost as though there is a cushion of air under it – I find I can get the club under the ball and bounce it gently on to the green. If I were hitting down on the ball I don’t have as much control for these very shot chips.

Last week the ball was resting off the green on a very steep embankment – I had to chip down to a green that sloped away from me. I thought, on that embankment I cannot get a proper stance – So I angled my club under the ball and with my body way out of position I hit the ball very gently – I thought I chickened out and it was too gentle – the ball rolled about 30 feet down hill and into the cup….

Hitting under the ball like this – is it totally wrong – and do you always have to hit down on it….

Thanks,

James

Yes you should. OK, you can get away with a little push under the ball with a lob wedge when close to the green and only want the ball to pop a few feet and stop, or like you explained to roll down a slope but it's still risky. Hitting under the ball has a high chance of catching the ball with the leading edge and thinning it across the green. Hit down on it with an accelerating blow, by varying the club, length of back swing and follow through you can chip the ball anywhere with control.

I thought hitting under the ball was ideal for the flop?

Generally speaking, if I'm on the fringe, I grab the putter.

As for chipping, yes, hitting down gives you a much more predictable result, time and time again. Trying to scoop or slide is just asking for death. By death, I mean a bladed shot.

I hit a flop by opening the face of the wedge, hitting a downward blow left of target with a high follow through and no hand action, just like a green side bunker, except the ball is centre of stance with the flop and forward in the sand.

Yes, I use a putter where I can but I said "Close to the green" depending on distance, the cut, how wet the ground, the lie, etc, a chip is often the better shot.

The law of my short game... (Probably plagiarised from some golf web page, but, I'll run with it...)

If I can putt, I'll putt...
If I can't putt, I'll chip...
If I can't chip, I'll pitch...

Now, all I need is the self discipline to apply whoever's law that is...

Of course, each step in the decision making process for the above rule takes into consideration lie, ground condition, hazards in play etc etc...

Not to mention my lack of confidence in my own short game...

Yes, I use those rules, just like life in general:

Don't run if you can walk,
Don't walk if you can crawl,
Don't stand if you can sit,
Don't sit if you can lie.

I know I used to mistake "hitting down on the ball" with hitting the ground just behind the ball. You can hit the ball alright most of the time this way but chunks and blades can happen more often too. When you hit down on the ball, the ball should be contacted first as the club travels on a steep angle and actually contacts the ground slightly in front of the ball. If you come in flat under the ball in a scooping fashion all kinds of problems can result.