You are on the fringe/frog hair of the green. There are no significant imperfections between your ball and the green. Do you putt or chip?

I will almost always putt.

I don't like putting thru more than a couple feet of fairway or fringe grass. A straight-faced, low loft chip shot using say a 7, 8, 9 iron is really not unlike a putt anyways, just a few tweaks in setup. I understand that you have to play what is comfortable but I think averaged out over thousands of shots, the basic chip has got to be more reliable.

Depends on the hole, and whether we're talking fringe, or frog hair, and how much. I've run across some holes where there is "frog hair" and then fringe. In many cases, I will putt from the fringe, but it depends on where on the fringe. If the ball is up against the fairway/rough, but on the fringe, I'll chip it.

Lately I've been using the hybrid for when off more than say 2 feet. Kind of a cross between a putt and a chip. It gets the ball barely up so it skims the top of the grass.

At the three courses at my home course, the fringes are very grainy. On my shorter shots, I use my wedge like a putter, on the longer shots, like jfurr said, I use my 3 hybrid like a putter. Also, if I am against the fringe, due to the grain grabbing my putter on the backswing, I will use the same guidelines as above.

I will putt from anywhere if the surface is smooth. Chip if I have to carry something like a bump or sprinkler head. Pitch if I have a false front or extreme back to front slope.

I've had too many experts tell me that I should always putt if the path to the green is flat, tight, and my lie is good. I respect their opinions enough so that I follow their advice even if I think I can get it closer with a chip.

I try to putt always because I find I'll likely get it just as close to the hole either way, but this way I get another stroke with my putter and get good feeling with it going into my next putt which is likely a putt to save par (cause if I'm on the fring it means it was my approach shot).

I personally putt anything that I possibly can. A decent putt for me will always be as good or better that a chip or pitch any day. I have been known to putt out of bunkers with fairly flat lips and right on the collar, again better with a putt than a sand wedge any day.

[

mrcgamble wrote:

]I personally putt anything that I possibly can. A decent putt for me will always be as good or better that a chip or pitch any day. I have been known to putt out of bunkers with fairly flat lips and right on the collar, again better with a putt than a sand wedge any day.[

]

I putted out of a bunker for the first time a few weeks ago. I went up and down to save par, so I was pretty stoked with the result even though it felt and looked horrible.

You can put from 60+ yards if you want.
Its easy, look at this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLJG-6BDtD4&feature=relmfu

I putt when it makes sense... I'm using the hybrid bump and run sometimes too, I think there is no simple answer. It all depends.

Nice putt tho

[

gpickin wrote:

]]]]]You can put from 60+ yards if you want. Its easy, look at this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLJG-6BDtD4&feature=relmfu I putt when it makes sense... I'm using the hybrid bump and run sometimes too, I think there is no simple answer. It all depends. Nice putt tho [[[

]]]
More and more lately I'm doing the seven iron bump and run when I'm in the short grass right off the green but don't feel comfortable putting due to bumps, patchy grass, etc. I've found I can bump and run almost as accurately as I can putt. I haven't mastered the hybrid bump and run yet. I can't seem to control the distance as well as I can with the seven iron.

Interestingly, I find that distance control is priority number one when on or around the greens. That's why I won't ever use less than my pitching wedge (and even that rarely) when I'm close to the green unless I'm hitting under a tree. But in that same vain, I find that club selection around the green is absolutely critical. A 7i chip with as small of a swing as I can correctly take will go clear across all except the largest greens.

Heck..my 100 yard punch shots are little more than chip shots with a 5i.