by Matthew Adams

Created on: September 24, 2010

In the game of golf a tee-shot will only get you so far. For some, in fact for most, they may not even land on the green. On longer holes, fairway play may also fall short of the green. As such, the short game around the green will usually come into play.

Around the green there can be a variety of options for golfers. Therefore, playing to your strengths around the green is the best approach. In golf strategy, this is called playing the percentages.

In the short game, there are really two types of shot around the green. The first is that of pitching. Pitching is a lofted shot which can cover variable distances. Pitches have very little roll, and so in this respect greater accuracy is required to get the ball closer to the hole. However, if they are done well then they can land very close to the hole and also cover greater distances than chip-shots.

Despite this, inaccurate pitching can leave balls some way short of the flag and even miss the green. So in this respect, some may prefer the alternative of chipping. For those not especially proficient with the pitching wedge, then chipping is a better option. The chip itself has far less loft, and lots more role than a pitch.

Chipping also has a wider selection of clubs which can cover increasingly more distance. With longer iron clubs, you can expect to chip a ball further and so it is possible to chip a ball from some way off the green. As such, it can be an alternative to pitching in this respect.

If closer to the green, then putting can even come into play. For those who have great lag putts, then this is something to consider as an alternative to chipping. If the ball lies on the fairway close to the green then a long putt can be just as accurate as a chip from the equivalent distance. You can putt a ball across greens from 30 yards, so why not do the same off the green?

Still, such lag putts will need to have good distance. So, this really is a matter of preference as to whether you chip or putt from 30 yards off the flag. By all means, for those that chip to within 3 feet of the flag often enough then stick to chipping.

As such, whether you chip, pitch, or putt from around the green can be a matter of preference. Pitching is usually for longer distance short play, while the chips and putts for when closer to the flag. However, longer chips can go quite far also. The best approach is to play to your strengths around the green.

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