Method of checking the ball w/ pitching or chip shots

[Sandy]

Put the ball back in the stance,you will come down on the ball steeper and generate spin.The mistake higher handicap players make is that they THINK the ball is back,but it isn't,its probably in the middle of the stance and yet they think its at the back.

There's a good tip in one of the golf mags this month regarding this, and how often people set the ball in relation to their toes when they open their stance for chips, usually meaning they're actually playing the ball forward and not back.

It recommends setting the ball in relation to your back heel rather than your toe to get it properly back in your stance. I tried it yesterday down the range and it seemed to help in getting the ball position right.

 

[twofast2s]

yeah.. i acutally read that mag.
and somewhere i read the best way to see where your feet are aiming are through heels, not toes. i tried this and i kept stepping on my clubs.. wonder why my balls were going to the right (that sounded naughty =) ).

 

[gunning4u]

I think if you want to get the ball to check or spin backwards a lot of it has to do with the ball you use. Until last year I was a big noodle or titleist dtsolo guy, I hit them well off the tee felt soft around the green but I couldn’t really get them to check or spin much. Last year a friend who was an assistant superintendent at a nice CC would find ProV1’s all over the place and he gave me some to play around with. I have no problems getting a ProV to check if I play it back and pinch it good. The ProV1x’s are more of a distance ball and they have a little less spin and don’t bite as hard on the greens, but they fly a little straighter on slight miss hits, but I can still get them to check up if I hit it right. If I want to get the ball to check or spin I just play it back in my stance and concentrate on making sure my left wrist is firm at impact and ahead of the ball. You don’t want your wrist to be breaking at impact and scooping the ball like you would do on a flop shot. I hope this makes sense.

 

[DisKoDucK]

You know, i've never really understood this idea of checking the ball. I'm pretty new to the game so getting good contact is really all i'm after at this point, but wouldn't it be just as effective to land the ball a little bit shorter then roll it?

But then again if you don't have enough green to work with, you might have to check it? Lol i think i just answered my own question, but maybe I didn't...




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[Fourputt]

You know, i've never really understood this idea of checking the ball. I'm pretty new to the game so getting good contact is really all i'm after at this point, but wouldn't it be just as effective to land the ball a little bit shorter then roll it?

But then again if you don't have enough green to work with, you might have to check it? Lol i think i just answered my own question, but maybe I didn't...

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I agree with you. Hitting a short pitch and having the ball check up fast may look sexy, but it's not that easy for most of us to execute. The much higher percentage shot is to chip and let the ball roll to the hole. If I'm in a position where I actually need the shot.... well then I'm just in the wrong place....:biglol:

 

[twofast2s]

right now i don't consider myself good to gauge the flight duration and rolling distance w/ a particular club. i can kinda get the ball land where i want to, but pitching a lob wedge about 10 yrds and see the ball "glide" over the green another 10 yrd + off the green due to the weather condition.

i'm at the point where i can feel the softness of the ball, and i do feel that the ball is rather hard and the green is very unpredictable where it's almost like ice.

maybe when it's warmer outside and use softer ball w/ better wedge i'll know if my swing produce sufficient spin.

 

[dave.]

Checking the ball is easy,its just that few players bother to practice.