Hitting more greens in regulation is a great way to card more pars and birdies. But you can’t always do this. Sometimes, even good shots fall short of the green, leaving you near or on the fringe. Knowing when to chip or putt in this situation can save you tons of strokes. These unwanted strokes could boost your golf handicap into double digits, so learn to make good decisions around the green as foundation of your short game strategy.
The key with shots near the green is whether you’re on the fringe or not. It can be a friend or an enemy. The fringe can prevent you from rolling into deep rough or it can stop you from rolling onto the green. Landing on or just off the fringe creates indecision. Do you chip or putt? The answer depends on your lie and the shot you have the most confidence. Whatever do, though, you must commit yourself fully to the shot, as we tell students in our golf instruction sessions. If not, you’ll probably mis-hit it.
Putting The Logical Choice
Putting is the logical choice anytime you’re near the green, whether you’re on the green or not, like when you have a slight uphill shot to the flag with obstacles in between. You probably have better control of your putter than any other club, so use it whenever you can. Putting is the logical choice when you’re on the fringe as well. Just remember to putt the ball slightly harder than normal. Move the ball slightly forward in your stance, as we tell students in our golf lessons, to ensure that you hit the ball on the upswing.
Putting is also the logical choice if the player is not adept at pitching or chipping, as with many beginners, or when the green slopes downward to the hole—unless you’re more than 35 feet or so away from the pin. Use the higher grass in the fringe to slow down the ball’s momentum so that it ends up trickling down to the hole. Chipping directly into a downhill slope makes trickling almost impossible. If you’re more than 35 feet or so from the green, consider chipping.
Chipping The Better Choice
Chipping is the better choice when you’re near the green and there’s nothing but open area between you and the pin. Chipping carries you over the fringe or any rough surrounding the green. Executed correctly, chip shots stay in the air just long enough to clear an obstacle around the green and land on target where it will then roll to the pin. Don’t cock your wrists as you take the club back unless you’re in really deep grass. Also, keep your backswing and follow-through short when chipping.
Chipping is also the better choice when the fringe is wet or unusually thick, the ball is sitting down in the grass, or it’s below the level of the green. We encourage students in our golf instruction classes to master chipping with different clubs. Just make sure the club you use has enough loft to pop the ball over the obstacle. Hold the shaft of the club vertically, with the heel off the ground, and make a pendulum-like shot, as if you were putting the ball. Some golfers favor an 8-iron and a reverse overlapping grip when on the fringe.
Putting From A Greenside Bunker
We also encourage students in golf lessons to consider putting out of a greenside bunker when the conditions are right. Putting is an option when the sand in the bunker is firm, there’s little or no lip, and the bunker is free from rocks and other debris. Considering putting also when the ball is up against the back edge and you can’t take a long enough back swing with a wedge. If you’re going to putt out of a bunker, don’t ground your club. Otherwise you’ll incur a penalty. Also, play the ball back in your stance slightly and strike the ball around its equator to put topspin on the shot.
Knowing when to chip and putt is the key to making good decisions when you’re near the green or on the fringe. There decisions aren’t easy, but the golf tips provided above help. Making the right short game decisions chop strokes off your golf handicap.
