During the Presidents’ Cup to Medinah Country Club, you are likely to see players faced with a decision: use a putter from the suburbs or reach for another club. On a course with large and undulating greens, thinking outside the putter can sometimes help you get the ball closer to the hole.
But which club is better in these situations? All have their pros and cons, and knowing what the pros of each club are can be crucial to getting the ball close to the hole.
Check out below for a list of every club you can use.
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Putter
This is the natural choice for most golfers, and keeping the ball on the ground is generally a safe approach. The challenge comes from the 50-plus feet, when it can be difficult to generate enough speed to cover that ground.
7-iron
Many golfers have been told to “bump a 7-iron.” It can be effective, but remember that a 7 iron is designed to launch the ball and create speed. The ball comes off your face much faster than with a putter, so your movement needs to account for that.
Hybrid
A hybrid can be useful when you need the ball to travel along the green. It also produces more speed from the face, allowing you to make a smaller movement while still covering a lot of ground. It is particularly useful on long and uphill shots from the fringe.
My advice
Try all three clubs in the same hole location and pay attention to how the ball behaves. You will quickly see that each requires a different backswing length, and you may even notice a different sound at impact.
Personally, I like the hybrid when I need the ball to roll a long way from right off the fringe. It allows me to make a smaller movement while creating enough speed to get the ball to the hole.