Last time out, I had a putt where I had to putt my ball well off the green and close to the first cut of rough. Is it legal for me to pull out a wedge instead, even though I'm on the green?

Its legal

You may use any club for any stroke.

Great, thanks guys

Just don't let the greenskeeper see you

I remember last year (2 years ago?) at the Masters I saw Phil flopping over part of the fringe off of (and onto) a two tiered green.

Edit: This was a joke, for those who didn't get it.

It is perfectly legal, however, outside of a tournament round, it is generally considered very bad form. Unless you are skilled enough to do it with out roughing up the green at all. Taking a divot on the green does not just upset the greens keeper. It generally will upset any members who may have to putt over that spot in the coming week.

Calc did it a The Open a few years back. He said his distance control was better chipping than putting (it would have been a very long putt).

Why don't they establish a rule prohibiting chipping on a green?

If you want to use a driver to PUTT your ball on the green, that's ok. Just no CHIPPING allowed.

That's fine. Then I also want to establish a rule saying no clubs other than 6-P, SW and LW for chipping anywhere not on the green. I also want a rule saying no 5-irons off of the tee unless it's a par 3 with between 180 and 215 yards from the tee markers to the hole. Also, a rule on when you may use a putter. Only on greens and cart paths. No hitting irons off of cart paths.

....I can think of even more pointless rules to make on club selection, but I think for now we're better off letting people make their own decisions on club and shot selection.

-mini

Mickelson did it last week at Quail Hollow. Picked it clean...no visible mark and no one yelled FIGJAM.

Sergio did it at Augusta and Faldo was like, "Ooh, Sergio, don't let anybody see you do that, those greens are sacred!"

My last sentence was sarcasm and I think made you miss my point.

If people are concerned that chipping on a green could damage it, then why not prohibit chipping on a green?

Is this really true? I can chip when my ball is on the green? What happens if I make a mark on the green? Can it be the case that there is a course ruling that chipping is not allowed on the green?

This is a rule I wished I had known before, I much prefer chipping 60 feet (20 yards) then putting.

Calc took a huge divot out a green at St Andrews in the 90's with his lob wedge. It was the double green, I think 7/13... He was booed by the scots.

Mickelson did it at the 2007 Nissan Open, and the shot came to be known as the 'Phili Dip'.

http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/articl...1596973,00.html

There's no rule against chipping on a green but you better not be causing any damage or you could be held liable for it.

I think I remember now having watched that on TV.

I also found this on you tube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KQ3PDDhFuw

Can I get into trouble if I do it? I much prefer chipping than putting when more than 15/20 feet away. (actually sometimes I think that I wish I was outside of the green so that I can chip)

Then let's prohibit putting from the fairway.

There's already a rule for "wrong green" if you happen to hit it off line. I think that's sufficient.

-mini

Pretty sure course rule against it where I have played.

Mini,

I know you're only 26 but you're old enough where you should understand the point I'm trying to make: chipping on a green could cause damage to it, so why don't they prohibit it if it's frowned upon at many golf courses?

Putting from the fairway causes absolutely no damage to the fairway.

I sincerely hope you're not trying to make a living on the mini tours....

I played at a course where one of the greens was a "two-tier" green that was actually more like a two story green. The lower tier was about 10 feet below the upper tier with a very steep slope. The lower tier was full of divots where people were pitching to the upper tier. Putting to the top required a very powerful putt. It was a bit ridiculous.

I saw michael cambell do this fairly recently. He took a monster sized divot

Ever seen a kidney shaped green with a bunker in the middle of it? In many cases, you are better off flopping over the bunker with a wedge than trying to putt your way around it.

In most cases, the NEED to use a wedge on the putting surface is the result of a poorly designed green complex or pin placement.

Whether the green could be damaged isn't relevant. And since turf is a living surface, it will heal over time, just like the divot you took in the fairway.

your golf score is less important than the condition of the greens

many greens I play on are in bad enough shape without divots on them

just putt like a normal person, even if you have to roll it through some fringe or go off the correct line because of an obstacle in your way

+1

Almost all courses that I have played on have a local rule that prohibits chipping on the green. I guess this is to protect it from hackers that pretend to play the final round of a major in contention while drinking beer with their buddies.

What do you mean held reliable for? If there is no rule against it... I am not saying that I am going to do it, but it's good to know that the options exists, in most of my chips I don't make divots because I don't use lob or sand wedges very much.

First of all, you should seldom if ever have to chip on the green unless it's a usual situation. I think in my 35 years of playing only one instant came up where it would have been advantageous to chip vice putt but I didn't do it for whatever reason at the time. You need to examine your game (your putting) if you think that chipping routinely on the green would be a better option. Yes if you damage a green then you're responsible for it!

I don't think I am going to start chipping on the green, but if I need to then I know that I can. Regarding my responsibility, if there is no specific ruling, I don't see why I would be responsible for a divot on the green but no on the fairway. If the course rules out chipping on the green (which I understand), then I should be held responsible, otherwise I don't see why I would be.

Just let your local Superintendent know what your intentions are and he/she will give you the correct response.

If a superintendent doesn't want me to chip on his precious green, he shouldn't be placing the pin in locations which require a shot to be putt off the green in order for the ball to be holed.

Sounds fair to me!!

Or better yet maybe your approach shot shouldn't be so errant or out of position.

If memory serves me right, wasn't chipping fairly common up to the fifties when opponents routinely "stymied" their opponents in singles matches? I believe that since your opponent didn't have to move his or her ball unless it was within 6" of yours, you might have to chip over it. I have seen old film of Bobby Jones and others doing this. I don't know whether they used a putter to do this, but I know the ball jumped up and over as though it had been chipped. I hope someone can fill in the blanks on this.

I love how some in here are fearful that they are now going to find divot marks on every green they play with. It's not like chipping on the green is going to become a common occurance.

It's the same as owning a gun. Don't take away my right to have it and I'll pray that I never have to use it anywhere besides the practice range.

It's very rude to do it in a non-tournament round. Most courses if they see you do it, Public sometimes Private will kick you off the course.

That's just silly. So errant to be on the green!

WOW, I thought you always had to putt when on the green... even if you didn't use a putter to do it.

I've had a couple instances where I've had to putt through the fringe and once a bit of the second cut to give my ball a chance at the hole.

Of course the last time it was on the 18th hole, right in front of the clubhouse... not that I'd be trying a flop shot... but a chip would have been better than a putt in that instance.

If I recall correctly, cant you only chip on your own green and if your ball lies on another green you must take relief (cant remember if this was usga or a local rule at my club)

LB...

You are correct. If you are on a green different than the hole you're playing, it's nearest point of relief off the green, no closer to the hole and play away, no penalty.