Today I'm going to answer a question sent in by Jerry about chipping and pitching. He references the video, Short Game with Kenny Knox, PGA and is looking for an explanation on Kenny's techniques.
Kenny Knox is a 3-time PGA TOUR champion and one of the best short game players of his era. That's why I was so excited when Kenny joined up with Swing Surgeon Golf. I'll do my best to explain what Kenny demonstrated in one of our best selling videos to date.
In the second video on "Basic Chipping Technique" Kenny states that in general he likes to fly a chip 1/3 of the way to the hole with a 2/3's roll. This 1/3, 2/3 technique seems to conflict with the "Rule of 12" for picking the best iron. For example, an 8 iron will fly 4 parts and roll 1 part while a pitching wedge will fly 2 parts with a 1 part roll. Please explain.
Jerry
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Keep it vertical!
The Surge
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Comments
Rule of 12
What I understand of the Rule of 12 (which I also don't adhere to) is that Jerry confused it a bit. The ball will roll a distance equal to the distance it flies times the difference between the club number and 12 (PW being 10, SW 11 for these purposes). So an 8 iron would roll 4 times the distance it flies. There are just too many underlying assumptions in that rule to make it reasonable to use on course. It assumes a level flight and a level roll, the speed of the greens isn't taken into account, breaks aren't taken into account, hills, chipping from a high or low point, and so on. Learn the feel of your clubs through practice. That's the rule that matters. I've been known to chip with every club in my bag other than the driver (actually, in the days when my driver was the same size as a 3 wood, I chipped with it, too), even my 1 iron when I still carried it.
7th hole and #9
Robert,
Living here and playing muni as you did before your move to Texas you remember #7 and #9 formerly #16 and #18. Anthow the par 4 dog leg left I hit a reasonably good drive of about 250 down the middle left and just before the next shot I told Cindy (my normal playing partner) that all I need is 3 good shots as I hadn't had a birdie yet. My third shot from 155 with my 7 iron landed just past pin high left. I had a 40 foot putt that I drained for shot number 3. After surviving the up hill par 4 8th with a bogie 5 I again said that all I needed was 4 good shots on the par 5 9th hole (our last hole of the day).
Good drive of about 260 and then my 3 wood flew to the front left of the green leaving me an up hill 30 yard pitch to a front pin. Using my 45* pitching wedge I landed the ball just on the fringe and it rolled 10 feet to with in a kick in 2 footer for birdie. Fun way to finish. So while Surge recommends 1/3 to roll 2/3's where possible, he has also said that we want to do what ever it takes to reach the green and then roll the desired length.
"the right club and shot for the need".
Hope you're hitting them straight and long in Dallas.
I also use what ever club is best for the situation and the least lofted club where ever possible.
chips one third two thirds
After hearing you basically trash the rule of 12 regarding where to land chips - because of so many variables - wind, grain, elevation etc, I have two comments
1. Aren't the same variables present when you are using the 1/3 - 2/3 technique?
2. Didn't you and your son advocate the rule of 12 in a prior short game video?
Not
nu2,
Don't recall Surge and DJ ever advocating a 'rule of 12'. So a no or not on that comment. In those teaching videos, time and time again they advocated minimal air time and maximum roll again and again. They even recommended a putter or three wood at times. Less air and more roll like a putt, Surge has always been consistent on that one.
What happened to Pitching Surge?
What happened to Pitching Surge? Or did I blink and miss it ; - ) ?
The rule of 12 I have known for a long time. Complicated it isn't but in chipping I am more successful just playing feel. During my off course swing sessions I have got into the habit of swinging on the golf mat on the deck [patio, porch call it what you will] and then chipping on the front yard grass with EVERY club in the bag bar the putter. Silly? Not IMO. It gives me confidence chipping with any and every club. My go to club from the fringe to just off the green in the rough can is the 17deg Hippo driving iron. It looks like a straight faced hybrid and also is very good for gaining distance from under overhanging tree branches.
A recent tip I tried which seems to work for me is: hold the club to be used at waist height, more in the palm of both hands than the fingers. Instead of having the butt end of the club pointing at the forward thigh have it in line with the belt buckle and the leading edge of the club vertical in front on the same line, when taking the grip on the club. Then set up with the leading edge of the club at the target [or intermediate aiming point in front of the ball], with the lead arm resting on the chest,
with the feet close together facing towards the target. Then just rotate
the shoulders back and through. I was very surprised at the accuracy and control this tip gave me.
It is my intention to try the same set up etc with minor modifications on close in pitch shots in future. Once the weather is kind enough to give it a fair go on the course, just to see results ; - ) DH
Swinging
Just finished a swing session on the deck mat between showers. As I took the first club in hand, the sun broke through and there was a sun shower with a beautiful rainbow too. Good session after toooo long without one. Another sun shower with the rainbow as I finished. An omen perhaps : - ) of better weather to come. Keep on hitting them long, straight consistently where ever you are. DH
The flight to roll ratio
The book total golf page 182 has a flight to roll ratio. You take flight/roll and subtract the roll from 12 to give you the right club. 11=sand wedge 10=pitching wedge 9=nine iron and so on. example 5parts flight and 20 parts role would be1/4. 12-4=eight iron. I tried this and like it.