Ditching high-loft wedges around the green in favor of a hybrid bump-and-run is one of golf’s classic pieces of advice, but do the numbers actually back it up? That was something I wondered recently, so I decided to conduct a small experiment.
We put three amateur players through a 30-shot test to see if putting with a hybrid produces better proximity and consistency than traditional wedge options. And not only did they test their mettle on both types of shots, when it came to the hybrid bump-and-run, this was their first time ever trying the shot.
Here’s how the experiment went.
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The Setup
Distance: 10 yards from the hole.
Target Corridor: A 3-yard wide landing/finish zone bounded by alignment sticks.
Format: Three players hitting 10 shots each (five with a hybrid, five with their wedge of choice).
Round 1: The hybrid bump-and-run
Using a simplified putting motion, all three players demonstrated immediate control and consistency. Out of 15 total attempts with the hybrid, six shots landed and finished inside the 3-yard target zone. Remarkably, performance was balanced across the board — each player successfully placed exactly two shots inside the target corridor. The wide sole and low loft of the hybrid significantly lowered the penalty for off-center hits.
Round 2: The wedge of choice
When players switched to their preferred wedges for five attempts each, dispersion widened considerably:
58° Wedge: Three out of five inside the target zone.
54° Wedge: Two out of five inside the target zone.
60° Ultra-High Loft Wedge: Zero out of five inside the target zone (including two shots that missed the green entirely).
The takeaway
Putting with a hybrid provided better proximity and consistency to get the ball from 10 yards away from the hole to within the target corridor. From the 30-shot test, the hybrid option produced a combined six successful shots inside the target zone. This was one additional shot over the wedge options that produced a combined five successful shots inside the target zone. More importantly, the high-loft wedge options (specifically the 60° wedge) introduced massive variance, resulting in complete misses off the putting surface.
How to play the hybrid chip
If you’re ready to try the hybrid option for your next approach shots, we have three steps to get you started.
1. Set up like a putt: Stand closer to the ball so the shaft sits more vertical, raising the heel slightly off the turf.
2. Choke down: Choke down near the bottom of the grip for maximum control.
3. Use a putting stroke: Keep your wrists firm and let the wide sole glide across the turf without digging.
For recreational golfers looking to eliminate costly turf interaction errors around the fringe, trading in ultra-high lofts for a hybrid bump-and-run offers a wider margin for error and tighter proximity to the hole. So next time you are unsure whether to play the chip or a bump-and-run, opt for the latter. It’ll save you strokes in the long run.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: golf.com
