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Chipping styles in US vs UK (hinging right wrist)

Question:

I use a more wristy stroke when I want to hit a ball with a ligh trajectory and little spin, letting it release to the hole. My firm wristed stroke produces a low trajectory shot that I’ll fly closer to the hole, since it’ll check up quickly (depending upon the condition of the greens, of course).

I agree with Joe. There are a couple of different techniques I use to get a couple of different results. Hands forward, ball back, firm wrists and a more or less putting-like motion. That’s one technique and I use it when a high ball flight and/or getting the ball check up on the green isn’t needed. Letting the wrists break, ball not as far back and a more or less pitching motion is another technique and I use it when I want the ball to fly higher and land softer. There’s a third technique that I don’t have. It is a low-to-the-ground motion with lots of wrist break and produces a hard, low, skimming shot with tons of spin that checks up severely when it hits the green. That one takes a lot of practice to do at all and lots of practice plus some talent to do well. The firm-wristed, putting-like chipping stroke is the least error-prone, takes the least practice to be able to use consistently and is such a safe shot for the easiest situations that it’s no wonder it is the shot most teachers teach first for shots from just off the green. Brent Hutto

Response:

It depends entirely on what type of shot you’re trying to hit. The firm-wristed style so often recommended to us recreational players in the golf periodicals is a safe method, but it is limited in its usefulness. The firm wrist style tends to produce a running shot, while softer wrists can help get the ball to check up and roll more slowly (and not as far). They’re both good shots to have in your bag. Randy

I guess I must be doing it wrong (no surprise) :-) I use a more wristy stroke when I want to hit a ball with a ligh trajectory and little spin, letting it release to the hole. My firm wristed stroke produces a low trajectory shot that I’ll fly closer to the hole, since it’ll check up quickly (depending upon the condition of the greens, of course). Man, I’ll sure be glad when RSG-ATL gets here – maybe you guys can straighten me out… — Joe Cartpath – www.joecartpath.com Basic Golf Clubmaking & Memphis Area Golf Course Guide and….The Memphis MG Page…

Response:

I watched a couple of the old "Big Three Golf" (I think that’s what the programs were called) taped shows some time ago and noticed that Nicklaus, Palmer, and Player all used _very_ wristy chipping and putting strokes.  It looked really bizarre.  They’re still a little wristier than younger golfers now, but nothing like they were in the "olden" days. So, maybe it’s just a matter of current fashion.  Since they all changed, they must have thought there was some advantage to firmer wrists, though.

The greens back then were a lot bumpier and slower, so just about everyone used a wristy stroke.  I use a firm wristed stroke (though I let it become a bit wristy playing on really slow crappy greens because I can’t make myself swing hard enough to make a ball go 40 feet uphill on such greens otherwise :) ) I use a very wristy chipping stroke, because I think it provides much better feel.  I think "feel" players would prefer such a stroke, while those who play by a more mechanical nature would prefer a firm wristed stroke. But just about all golf instructors teach the firm wristed stroke for chipping (at least in the US) which is probably why nearly all the pros use it today.  Luckily I’ve never taken a lesson so I don’t have my mind clouded with such bad ideas :) — I have discovered a remarkable proof which this .sig is too small to contain!

Response:

It depends entirely on what type of shot you’re trying to hit. The firm-wristed style so often recommended to us recreational players in the golf periodicals is a safe method, but it is limited in its usefulness. The firm wrist style tends to produce a running shot, while softer wrists can help get the ball to check up and roll more slowly (and not as far). They’re both good shots to have in your bag. Randy RSG-ATLANTA Information:  http://www.YouGoGolf.com/rsg-atlanta.htm Rookie Member, Starve the Trolls Society My RSG Roll Call profile:  http://u1.netgate.net/~kirby34/rsg/brownr.htm RSG FAQ:  http://ttsoft.com/thor/rsggolf.html Voiceovers/Narration/Voice Acting:  www.RandyBrownProductions.com To e-mail me, go to my website at www.YouGoGolf.com and find the link.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – On a British Airways flight to the UK recently, I picked out a British golf magazine (what else?).  There was a longish chipping instruction section which recommended that the best way to chip included a hinging and release of the right wrist.  It discussed why the stiff wristed style in the US was inferior.  Do most folks in the UK use more wrist in their chipping stroke? Is it truly superior to the firm wristed technique?

Response:

Gary Young writes: It discussed why the stiff wristed style in the US was inferior.  

And why is the stiff wristed style inferior? Seems to me that both styles have advantages and disadvantages.  For me, the less wrist, the less likely I’ll mess up the shot by blading or hitting fat. What I think this means is that an excess of tension won’t almost always ruin the shot.  So if I sense any pressure in the situation, I’ll almost always try to keep the wrists stiff. Timing is less critical.  It’s much easier to keep the hands ahead of the clubface. The other thing about stiff wrists is it promotes a lot of roll.  It’s a lot more like a putt, and I have better control over the complete line, which is good unless there are lots of intervening slopes.  Flex wrist lets me get the ball up higher (assuming I hit the shot properly), and it lets the ball land softer.  In some situations, thats the only way to get near the hole.  But even so, it’s harder to control the distance and direction of the bounce. –Mat Twassel

Response:

       (snip) I wouldn’t like to make a claim for either US style or UK style of chipping but there does seem to be a different view of what a chip is, at least in the golfing press.  The US chip is like a putt and that would necessitate a stiff wrist, whereas the UK chip is like a pitch with a closed club face so the ball flies lower.

     (snip) I watched a couple of the old "Big Three Golf" (I think that’s what the programs were called) taped shows some time ago and noticed that Nicklaus, Palmer, and Player all used _very_ wristy chipping and putting strokes.  It looked really bizarre.  They’re still a little wristier than younger golfers now, but nothing like they were in the "olden" days. So, maybe it’s just a matter of current fashion.  Since they all changed, they must have thought there was some advantage to firmer wrists, though. Zane

Response:

eek, typo, I’m a "brit", not a "vrit" :) Chris

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I don’t know if it’s superior, but I’m a vrit and have allways hinged my wrists when chipping. I find no difference in performance, but it is much more comfortable. Chris On a British Airways flight to the UK recently, I picked out a British golf magazine (what else?).  There was a longish chipping instruction section which recommended that the best way to chip included a hinging and release of the right wrist.  It discussed why the stiff wristed style in the US was inferior.  Do most folks in the UK use more wrist in their chipping stroke? Is it truly superior to the firm wristed technique?

Response:

On a British Airways flight to the UK recently, I picked out a British golf magazine (what else?).  There was a longish chipping instruction section which recommended that the best way to chip included a hinging and release of the right wrist.  It discussed why the stiff wristed style in the US was inferior.  Do most folks in the UK use more wrist in their chipping stroke? Is it truly superior to the firm wristed technique?

That’s interesting.  i don’t know the answer really. i have picked up things like that mostly from books and videos from the States, but I have got a Nick Faldo video too, and he does indeed encourage the viewers to learn how to loosen up the right "feel" hand in order to master the short game!  Also I’ve got some ageing Nicklaus books where he encouraged an "all wrists" chip. In practice I use the firm approach mostly keeping the left arm/club quite straight right to the finish, but I also practice varying amounts of wrist flex, right up to a wrists only chip or short pitch, as per Jack Nicklaus.  i can now do it very well both ways – more wrist and outside the line if i need it, in order to pop the ball up.  very firm for straight forward chip and run shots. — F.

Response:

I don’t know if it’s superior, but I’m a vrit and have allways hinged my wrists when chipping. I find no difference in performance, but it is much more comfortable. Chris

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – On a British Airways flight to the UK recently, I picked out a British golf magazine (what else?).  There was a longish chipping instruction section which recommended that the best way to chip included a hinging and release of the right wrist.  It discussed why the stiff wristed style in the US was inferior.  Do most folks in the UK use more wrist in their chipping stroke? Is it truly superior to the firm wristed technique?

Response:

On a British Airways flight to the UK recently, I picked out a British golf magazine (what else?).  There was a longish chipping instruction section which recommended that the best way to chip included a hinging and release of the right wrist.  It discussed why the stiff wristed style in the US was inferior.  Do most folks in the UK use more wrist in their chipping stroke? Is it truly superior to the firm wristed technique?

Response:

On a British Airways flight to the UK recently, I picked out a British golf magazine (what else?).  There was a longish chipping instruction section which recommended that the best way to chip included a hinging and release of the right wrist.  It discussed why the stiff wristed style in the US was inferior.  Do most folks in the UK use more wrist in their chipping stroke? Is it truly superior to the firm wristed technique?

I wouldn’t like to make a claim for either US style or UK style of chipping but there does seem to be a different view of what a chip is, at least in the golfing press.  The US chip is like a putt and that would necessitate a stiff wrist, whereas the UK chip is like a pitch with a closed club face so the ball flies lower.  I guess for the UK style chip the closed club face would result in a hinged right wrist which would then release.  Now I make these observations only from reading various golf magazines and listening to comments, on how to play a chip, made by "real" coaches rather than on how players actually do play the shots.  It may be that there are stylistic differences in the courses of both countries which would emphasise one way or the other for playing the shot. Crispin Roche

Response:

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