Double-hit chip

[straightshooter]

Last time I played, I double-hit a short chip when my ball had sunk pretty far into the rough.

5 years ago this happened to me too often, I studied the problem, practiced, and I figured out a fool-proof way on how to avoid this. I would share my findings with you if I could, but for the life of my I cannot remember what I figured out back then, and I didn't write down notes either!

So I am taking the easy way out, and I am asking you for advice on how to avoid this problem, to help me refresh my memory! What I figured out back then was related to golf-technique, not club-selection, but I will take any advice!

[alangbaker]

Originally Posted by straightshooter

Last time I played, I double-hit a short chip when my ball had sunk pretty far into the rough.

5 years ago this happened to me too often, I studied the problem, practiced, and I figured out a fool-proof way on how to avoid this. I would share my findings with you if I could, but for the life of my I cannot remember what I figured out back then, and I didn't write down notes either!

So I am taking the easy way out, and I am asking you for advice on how to avoid this problem, to help me refresh my memory! What I figured out back then was related to golf-technique, not club-selection, but I will take any advice!

If I had to suggest a method, I'd say hit it like a bunker shot: open face, aim left, swing left, ball comes out right.

That way, the ball and the club are going in different directions after impact.

[Ty_Webb]

Whenever I've done it, it's been because the club sticks in the grass and the ball pops up very slowly, then, because it feels so weak, I instinctively try and push the club through. Then, the club comes through as the ball is coming down again and hey presto. I think the way to stop it is to try and overcome that instinctive reaction. Basically, once the ball is stubbed, you have to take your medicine. Trying to help at that point is counterproductive. Hard to tell yourself that quickly enough though.

[swerve]

From this month's golf digest:

THE DOUBLE-HIT
You have a situation in which the club gets 'stuck' (in the long rough) at contact, followed by a rapid acceleration of the shaft. That's the only way that the clubhead can catch up to the ball. The ball has to be moving fairly slowly for that to happen.

Experience suggest chip shots of approximately 10 yards are the most susceptible to double-hits, which correspond to low clubhead speeds. I'm not aware of anyone ever being penalized for a double-hit on a full shot."

"The player accelerates the club after hitting the ball," says panelist George Springer. "Try it: With a little practice you can do it every time. It's a neat trick-but don't do it during a tournament."

Adds panelist Martin Brouillette: "Combining the requirements of a steep swing plane with a high-lofted club explains why this occurs most exclusively with wedges and would be impossible with the driver."

Of course, even a putt can be double-hit. "My partner," Axe says, "once managed it twice in successive holes on crucial two-footers.

CHUCK'S TIP: Problem is, the clubhead is going to the target and runs into the ball. To avoid it, play a cut swing, where the club swings left after impact."



all from this month's golf digest.

[straightshooter]

Thanks everyone! Ty, the way you describe it is exactly what happened. Alan, interesting approach, I wouldn't have thought of that myself for a chip! Swerve, sorry I made you type all that! I read that Golfdigest today(!), or so I thought: The article was extremly well-hidden in a double-foldout Callaway ad!

I can't wait to hit the practice area tomorrow!

[Bulls9999]

If memory serves me correctly, I think I have double-hit balls when I've use a very slow swing speed.

Originally Posted by Ty_Webb

Whenever I've done it, it's been because the club sticks in the grass and the ball pops up very slowly, then, because it feels so weak, I instinctively try and push the club through. Then, the club comes through as the ball is coming down again and hey presto. I think the way to stop it is to try and overcome that instinctive reaction. Basically, once the ball is stubbed, you have to take your medicine. Trying to help at that point is counterproductive. Hard to tell yourself that quickly enough though.

[straightshooter]

Sometimes the terms chipping and pitching seem to overlap. In my case, this was definitely a chip. I was only trying to hit 'fly' the ball 1 or 2 yards, and roll it in the rest of the way.

[alangbaker]

Originally Posted by straightshooter

Thanks everyone! Ty, the way you describe it is exactly what happened. Alan, interesting approach, I wouldn't have thought of that myself for a chip! Swerve, sorry I made you type all that! I read that Golfdigest today(!), or so I thought: The article was extremly well-hidden in a double-foldout Callaway ad!

I can't wait to hit the practice area tomorrow!

I think the toughest part might be recognizing the need to avoid the double hit when under the pressure of a tough chip...

[straightshooter]

Originally Posted by alangbaker

I think the toughest part might be recognizing the need to avoid the double hit when under the pressure of a tough chip...

I didn't make any practice swipes through neighboring similar rough, like I probably should have, and will do from now on. Mental error!

[JPsuff]

.


I never realized that this was such a problem or that it required certain strategies or techniques in order to avoid doing this. Maybe I'm just lucky, but in all the years I've been playing this game, I do not recall ever double-hitting a ball under any circumstances. This may very well be because I usually employ a cut swing on almost every short chip, pitch, flop, pop, and whatever else I hit near a green so maybe I have a built-in immunity to it. But I don't recall ever seeing anyone else double-hit a shot either. Of course, I don't usually watch other's shots that closely, so I may have simply missed it.
As far as I know, the only double-hit I remember actually seeing was the infamous shot by T.C.Chen, but that's it.


-JP

[Diane]

Originally Posted by JPsuff

.I never realized that this was such a problem or that it required certain strategies or techniques in order to avoid doing this. Maybe I'm just lucky, but in all the years I've been playing this game, I do not recall ever double-hitting a ball under any circumstances. This may very well be because I usually employ a cut swing on almost every short chip, pitch, flop, pop, and whatever else I hit near a green so maybe I have a built-in immunity to it. But I don't recall ever seeing anyone else double-hit a shot either. Of course, I don't usually watch other's shots that closely, so I may have simply missed it.
As far as I know, the only double-hit I remember actually seeing was the infamous shot by T.C.Chen, but that's it.
-JP

I double-hit far more often than I care to admit - usually out of the sand. I can't tell you how frustrating it is.

[straightshooter]

Originally Posted by JPsuff

I never realized that this was such a problem or that it required certain strategies or techniques in order to avoid doing this.

I do admit that I am overreacting a bit, because this is a sensitive issue left over from when I started out. And like most penalties, it tends to be extremely painful, because you've hit a lousy chip already, and then you get another stroke piled on!

My chipping needs some work anyways, and the fix (for what is a single-instance occurance so far this season) will probably be part of my general chipping technique / consistency improvements.

And, if you really want to hit one, to see one for yourself, I can give you some advice!

[Diane]

Originally Posted by straightshooter

And, if you really want to hit one, to see one for yourself, I can give you some advice!

S2 - It takes a special talent and I doubt JP has it.

[PA PLAYA]

I remember doing it years ago. Ball was in the thick stuff in a hazard, couldn't ground the club, couldn't take practice swings in the general area that was similar to the condition of the horrid lie. Huge swing, ball came out in slow motion, caught it with the leading edge of the club.

In essence, the fault wasn't mis-reading the lie, which is usually the case. The error occured in judgement, as I refused to do the rational thing like accepting the penalty and taking a drop.

[alangbaker]

Originally Posted by PA PLAYA

I remember doing it years ago. Ball was in the thick stuff in a hazard, couldn't ground the club, couldn't take practice swings in the general area that was similar to the condition of the horrid lie. Huge swing, ball came out in slow motion, caught it with the leading edge of the club.

In essence, the fault wasn't mis-reading the lie, which is usually the case. The error occured in judgement, as I refused to do the rational thing like accepting the penalty and taking a drop.

In as sense, that amounts to the same thing.

You misread the lie as one in which taking a swing would usually be better than taking a drop...

[JPsuff]

Originally Posted by Diane

S2 - It takes a special talent and I doubt JP has it.

And I hope it's something I never get good at.


-JP