Most amateur golfers make life harder than it needs to be around the greens. When faced with a short shot, many players instinctively reach for a high-lofted wedge —even when there’s no trouble to carry — and try to fly it most of the way.
If executed properly, it’s a shot that’s sure to impress your playing partners, but it also demands a ton of skill and consistency. Catch it thin, and the ball rockets over the green. On the other hand, heavy shots will leave you with a very short walk to your next shot. Before you know it, you’ve made the dreaded double chip — one of the quickest ways to throw away strokes.
Instead, GOLF Top 100 Teacher David Armitage recommends a simpler alternative: the bump-and-run.
Because the ball spends more time rolling than flying, it’s easier to control and produces a more reliable roll. Reducing the chance of costly mistakes. It’s a reliable shot that every golfer should have in the bag, and one you can learn with just a few simple keys.
1. Club selection is key
Tour players often choose a high, soft shot around the greens. That makes sense since they practice those shots every day. Recreational golfers don’t.
“When in doubt, reduce the loft and reduce the risk,” Armitage says.
Choose the club that gives you the greatest margin for error while still producing the shot you need. Around the greens, the smartest play is often the simplest one. With a bump-and-run, pick the club that suits the shot and gives you confidence standing over the ball.
2. Stand closer and set the club upright
A few simple setup adjustments make this shot much easier to execute. Start by standing closer to the ball and choking down. Grip the club like you would a putter. Then set the shaft upright so the toe is pointed down toward the ground.
The last setup key is the most important. Let your weight favor your lead side as you finish getting set up. Then, keep your weight forward as you swing. This encourages clean, center-face contact and produces a predictable strike.
3. Keep your wrists quiet
One of the biggest advantages of the bump-and-run is that it removes unnecessary hand and wrist action. This simplifies the motion and keeps the clubface stable through impact. Plus, solid contact is easy to repeat and the ball rolls more consistently.
It’s important to remember that instead of hinging your wrists as you would with a wedge, you need to let your shoulders control the stroke. The motion should feel almost identical to the pendulum motion that you use on the greens.
4. Treat it like a putt
The key to a great bump-and-run is a smooth, controlled motion, and the easiest way to achieve that is by shifting your mindset. Think of these shots as long putts rather than chips.
Because the ball lands significantly short of the hole, most of your distance comes from roll. That means you should control distance the same way you would on the greens: by changing the length of your stroke, not by swinging harder.
Need the ball to roll farther? Make a longer stroke. Need it to stop sooner? Shorten your backswing while maintaining the same smooth tempo.
Just as you would with a long putt, take time to read the green before hitting this shot. Since the ball spends most of its journey rolling, factors like slope and grain will have a much greater influence on where it ends up.
Now that you know how to hit a bump-and-run, the bottom line is simple: if there’s no trouble to carry, this is usually the smartest option. It may never look as flashy as a flop shot, but it’s far more reliable.
