How do you attack this situation?

[Sean]

Last time out I was confronted with a new situation and I'm wondering how you guys would go about it...

I chipped up to a green and the ball came to rest in the longest fringe. It went from green to about 6 inches of fairway-ish length grass and then some longer rough for two feet or so until it hits a bunker, my ball was about 1 inch in to the long rough with maybe 6 feet to the pin.

I tried some practice strokes with the putter but it got hung up in the grass on a few of them, twisting the head, so I gave up on that.

Then I thought about hitting SW as a little chip shot but it still seemed tough with the long grass to get the right speed on it.

Next up I considered using a wedge and blading it, almost like a putt, I figured this would eliminate the club hanging up in the grass. Still seemed a bit dangerous though.

Then I thought about doing a little chip with my hybrid which I figured had enough loft to pop it just a little bit on to the green or at least on to the mid-length stuff, and let it run to the pin, even on a very short/weak swing.

I ended up going with the hybrid and it worked, I didn't hole out but I was within 6 inches (it rolled about 2 inches left and 3 inches past the hole)

What would you guys have done? Am I missing an option I should have considered?

[Adam Pettman]

Are you confident hitting a flop shot?? Its a very hard shot to perfect but its my most useful shot around the green.

[Sean]

No, I can't hit a 6 foot flop shot. At least I don't think I can as I've never tried it. That would be something I'd have to try on the practice green first

I can hit 'em high and stick 'em with some more room but not 6 feet so that wasn't an option for me.

[ezra76]

Sounds like you made the right choice for you. I use my 58* wedge on a chip that short from the thick stuff. Open stance, open face, out to in path. Not sure I'd try to flop it that close unless it was into the downslope of the green.

[Adam Pettman]

Originally Posted by Sean

No, I can't hit a 6 foot flop shot. At least I don't think I can as I've never tried it. That would be something I'd have to try on the practice green first

I use that shot quite frequently but you're right it needs practicing otherwise you'll thin the ball straight across the green into an even more difficult situation.

[ezra76]

Just wanted to also mention that when chipping downhill I just try to hole it or go by. There is really no point in leaving it short and putting downhill. I'd rather have a 10ft. uphill putt than 4ft. downhill one.

[JEFF4i]

Depends a lot on the slope of the green and lie. As Ez said, preferable uphill putt no matter what.

My two most immediate options would be either a putt and just a strong pull through the grass, or a flop shot that goes high, lands maybe an inch or two in from the fringe, and dribbles down.

[RickinMA]

a year ago I may have tried to flop it and might have been OK distance wise, but could have msised the line a few feet either way - I think I've gotten a bit wiser the more I've thought about the game (thanks in part to this forum) and now I'm thinking I'd go with a higher percentage shot for me (keeping it close to the ground and rolling it)

I've been chipping with each of my irons lately, depending on which one will give me just enough loft to get the ball to the spot I want to land it on the green and release toward the hole

for 6 feet, I'd probably use a putter stroke with a PW or AW - the hybrid is a good option too, I just haven't practiced it enough

[Fourputt]

First comment... you are off the green and still only 6 feet from the hole??? What sort of course is this?? A properly set up course won't have any hole cut closer than about 9 feet onto the putting surface... and that's at least 10 feet from the sort of lie you are describing.

But, given such a setup, I think you made the choice that most players would make... I certainly would have used my hybrid as you did. Quite frankly, I don't see it as a flop situation, as that shot leaves virtually no room for error... either hit it perfectly or you are quite screwed. With the hybrid chip, at worst I'm down in 3 from there, and I even have a reasonable shot at holing the chip.