The basic principle of hitting a pitch and run and chip shot has always been the same for as Long as I have been playing and teaching golf; minimum air time, maximum roll. Let's look at each of these principles.
Minimum air time incorporates two concepts. One is the height or loft of the ball, and the second is the distance the ball flies in the air. We want the minimum amount of each for two reasons. First, less swing is needed to hit a shot with less height and distance in the air. Less swing means less margin of error, which conversely increases the probability of success. The second reason for minimum height is that it reduces what I call the 'penetration value' of the ball into the green. A lower ball flight tends to hit and skip into a pure roll faster than a higher and steeper landing where the ball may penetrate (make a ball mark), which will reduce the forward energy and roll and maybe the direction. We say in our teaching that we want the ball to roll out like a putt, which makes it easier to pick a line, to visualize it and feel it, to hit a good shot.
Maximum roll is simply defined as we want the ball landing on the green as close to the fringe as is comfortable to be sure that, first and foremost, the ball does land on the green. We want the ball landing on the green (whenever possible) because the green is the most consistent surface and will absolutely give the best and most consistent straight in line bounce and skip into a roll like a putt. Landing in the fringe is playing with fire because of all the variables it opens up. It may bounce off line, it may not bounce at all, and since the grass is longer, will likely not roll out enough to reach the hole. These are too many bad variables that can happen, so we eliminate them by picking our landing spot on the green.
Since minimum air and maximum roll is our plan, we should always choose the least lofted club that will comfortably give the height and air time that will, if hit correctly, land on our spot or landing zone on the green. This club may be different for the same distance you are from the green depending on the distance of the roll needed, and for the slope of the green in the direction of the roll. Hitting down slope needs more loft as it will roll out more because it is going downhill. Naturally hitting into the slope needs a club will less loft because the ball is traveling uphill. Uphill and downhill also apply to Bermuda grasses when hitting into the grain (growing against or into you), which is slower and down grain (growing in the direction with you), which is faster.
I decided to write this because for the past few years on Tour, I have seen the pros hitting a lot of pitch and runs and chips with wedges that don't roll out well. That is, they hit the ball and after it lands and begins rolling out, it starts to backspin, check up, or as I call it, 'nibble' a little. This reduces speed, can change the line if the ball skids, and in many cases, the ball comes up short of the hole. This nibbling is predictable, but the big mystery is knowing how much. I also see many shots blown way by the hole as the player adds a little more hit, knowing it will nibble, but doesn't get enough and the shot powers by the hole.
The key to this nibbling is the square groove wedges, which grab the ball more to put more spin for control. This was the outcome of pros wanting more control of the ball out of the high rough for longer pitch and full shots where they can spin the ball to stop it from bouncing and rolling over the green into the greenside rough, from which they also wanted the same results. The Tour pros, and any amateurs who buy these expensive clubs, got their wish with these square groove wedges. But, I believe it made hitting the greenside pitch and run and chips shots (especially from fairway length grasses and short rough) more difficult because the nibble causes these shots to come up short or, when it doesn't grab enough, long. I believe that their scrambling (getting it up and down) stats are lower and thus scores are higher. All because of the uncertainty and unpredictability of the amount of nibble the ball will have in its roll out.
The USGA and R&A have seen these square groove wedges change the game of golf with these shots spinning and grabbing and holding the green when playing out of the rough. They changed the groove rule and outlawed square grooves starting next year on the PGA Tour and, I believe, for all major amateur tournaments and maybe college golf too. There is a grandfather clause for the rest of the amateur golfers (I believe 10 years) to continue playing by the rules in their club and friendly rounds. (Note: You can check with the USGA www.usga,org/equipment/guide/guide_to_the_rules.html# for the exact ruling on who is affected and for the time frame for the amateur extension.)
I will close this article with a 'Surge Says' prediction. I will predict that starting next year, the PGA Tour stats for scrambling around the green, and for all the amateurs who have been using square groove wedges, will improve and go up. Why? Because these around the green pitch and runs and chips will not nibble, and cleanly run out and finish closer to the hole, increasing the number of up and downs. Judging speed and distance will become more simple and easier as these shot will again be 'running out like a Putt.'
The Surge!
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