Bump-and-Run
A bump-and-run is a low chip that uses the fringe and green to deliver the ball — bumped onto the surface just past the fringe and allowed to run to the hole like a putt.
Common in links golf and any firm, fast condition, the bump-and-run plays the ground as a tool rather than the air. It uses the slope and grain of the green to direct the ball, which makes it more predictable than carrying the ball to the hole in the air. Any club from a 5-iron to a 9-iron can be used depending on the length of run required. Many instructors teach it as the first short-game shot for beginners because it most closely resembles a putt and minimizes the risk of flips and skulls.
Example
Running a 7-iron through the fringe from 30 feet — "bumping" it onto the green and letting it roll 20 feet to the hole — is a bump-and-run in a typical links scenario.
Related terms
- Chip-and-RunA chip-and-run is a low, bouncing chip that gets on the putting surface quickly and rolls toward the hole — the safest short-game choice when there is room between the ball and the green edge.
- ChippingChipping is a short shot played from just off the green — a small swing that gets the ball rolling on the green quickly, using the putting surface to carry it to the hole.
- Green ReadingGreen reading is assessing the slope, grain, and speed of a putting surface to predict how much and which way the ball will curve from its starting line to the hole.
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