How do you chip out of a divot without blading it?

[74 thing]

I had two to three shots today around the green where my ball was in a severe divot or hold and only about 1/2 the ball was above the grass. Well I tried to play it as a normal chip but bladed it across the green. I know I am suppose to try to hit down on it but I am not sure where to play it in my stance and exactly how to play it.

Thanks for any tips.

[SilverUberXeno]

For a divot that severe, I'd choke way up to where the heel was way above the toe- so you could get the toe down into the divot and make DECENT contact with the ball, at least.

Practice this at least 3 times though, because the ball goes WAY off the line you'd think it'll go on when you have it at such an angle like that. You need to close the clubface 30-40* to get the ball to come off straight if you're digging it out with the toe. But once you know that, you will have a chance out of divots.

Or, just hit more greens

[FATC1TY]

Play somewhere that people fix them better.

Other than that, I have no help for you. I rarely have that issue, so I haven't had to really try it.

[mddubya]

Foot wedge, :emot-ange

[gwlee7]

If you are near the green like that you can play them like you would a plugged (not fried egg) bunker shot. You choke down on a wedge to the steel and then chop down on the back of the ball like you are using the club as a hoe. You'll need to practice this one a few times as well because the ball will tend to come out low and hot. You'll need to practice with all of your wedges to get a feel for which one will give the result needed for the shot at hand.

[warbirdlover]

I'd move the ball... (unplayable lie )

[ezra76]

I don't believe I've ever seen a divot near the green like that. Are you sure it wasn't just sitting down in the rough? Nobody should take a divot that close to the green so I don't see how there could be one.

As far a regular divot. Come in steeper with the ball little back and weight on front foot. Take a bigger divot than the one that is there, dig it out.

[Bignose]

Near the green, I'd be tempted to putt it. Sure it isn't going to behave super regularly, but if the situation is as bad as you say, getting it on the green alone should be considered a reasonable success. And by putting it, I think that you give yourself the best chance to at least get on the green, and by using the putter, chances are pretty good that you won't make that bad of contact either. That is, flat, thin, etc. just won't be that terrible when using a putter. Sometimes it may just be best to take your lumps and just get it on the green.

[WMitch6]

I don't believe I've ever seen a divot near the green like that. Are you sure it wasn't just sitting down in the rough? Nobody should take a divot that close to the green so I don't see how there could be one.

As far a regular divot. Come in steeper with the ball little back and weight on front foot. Take a bigger divot than the one that is there, dig it out.

That's what I was thinking. Why would there be a deep divot close to the green?

[Pa Jayhawk]

For a high majority of my chips, I generally chip with the club "Toe'd down" a bit. In doing so I get alot more control and clean contact with the ball even if the ball is in less than desirable rough or other condition. Much easier to get just the tip of the toe of the club to the ball, as opposed to the entire blade of the club. You just need to get used to aiming a tad bit to the left, or slightly more for more lofted wedges, to account for the fact that the blade being toe'd down will push the ball off to the right due to the loft of the club.

So even if you don't want to change you normal chiping to this method, you may try it for less than desirable chips. Although you may find, as I did, that it may be better for almost all circumstance. You naturally get used to how to aim for each wedge, and I also get more control because the ball is closer to your body as a result.

The key is trying to do what will give you the best contact with the ball. Many will tell beginners to put the ball way back in your stance for this, however that will put more backspin on the ball, and reduce your consistency in that the ball will more likely react differently for each shot depending on how it hits the green or how much grass gets trapped between the ball and clubface.

[Stanters]

That's what I was thinking. Why would there be a deep divot close to the green?

Temper maybe? Someone try a Phil special?

[Wi-Golfer]

If I am in moderate rough with maybe a foot or two to go until I hit the fringe, using the putter works pretty darn well. Holed one out the other day & I was about 5' from the fringe.

[Pa Jayhawk]

... also, many will also use the toe of the putter to do this, turning the putter face 90*, almost like a hammer, if you have a blade style putter. There are occasions where I will use the toe of my hybrid in the same manner, for certain unusual circumstances, as I do not have a putter that would work this way. May be worth practicing this sometime.