Golf Glossary
Bump and Run
In short
A bump and run is a low approach shot in which the ball spends only a short time in the air and then rolls a long way towards the flag. You usually play it with a 7, 8 or 9-iron from close to the green. It is simple to execute and is regarded as a safe shot when the ground between ball and flag is clear.
Bump and run: meaning and basic idea
The name describes the shot exactly. ‘Bump’ means the ball hits the ground early and hops forward. ‘Run’ means it then rolls towards the hole like a long putt. Most of the distance is covered along the ground, not through the air.
That makes the bump and run the opposite of the high pitch. A pitch flies high, lands softly and rolls only a little. A bump and run keeps a low trajectory, lands just short of the green or on its edge, and the rest is rolling. Golfers also call it a chip and run or a running chip.
The shot belongs to the short game. You use it when you are a few metres off the green, for example on the fringe, at the edge of the green or on the short-cut grass in front of it. For many players it is the most reliable way to get close to the flag from such lies.
How to play the bump and run step by step
The motion is similar to a putt, only with an iron in your hands. That makes it easy for beginners to learn.
- Stance: feet close together, stance slightly open. About 60 to 70 per cent of your weight is on the front foot and stays there.
- Ball position: the ball sits in the middle of your stance or slightly behind it, so you strike it on a downward path with little loft.
- Grip: hold the club a little lower down the shaft. Hands are slightly ahead of the ball and the shaft leans towards the target.
- Movement: shoulders and arms swing as one unit and the wrists stay quiet. The backswing is short and the follow-through about the same length.
- Focus: look not only at the ball but also at the landing spot, where the ball first touches the ground.
The club stays low and flat after impact. Anyone who tries to lift the ball with the hands usually plays it too high and too short.
Club choice and the maths: how much carry, how much roll?
The loft of the club decides how long the ball stays in the air. The lower the loft, the less carry and the more roll. The usual choices are the 7, 8 or 9-iron. Some players use a hybrid or a fairway wood when the ball sits on the fringe. With a pitching wedge or sand wedge the shot becomes an ordinary chip.
A simple rule of thumb helps with planning. With a 7-iron the ball often rolls much further after landing than it flew. With a wedge it is the other way round. Another common guide is the rule of twelve: twelve minus the iron number gives a rough ratio of roll to flight. With an 8-iron the ball therefore rolls about four times as far as it flies. That too is only a guide for a flat green of medium speed. The exact split depends on three things: firmness of the ground, slope and grass length. On a fast, hard green the ball rolls further than on a soft, wet one.
That is why a trial run on the practice green is worth it. Play the same shot with two or three clubs and note where the ball lands and how far it runs. Your own table is worth more than any general number.
Practical example: 25 metres to the flag
Imagine your ball lies five metres short of the green on closely mown grass. The flag is 20 metres beyond the edge of the green, so 25 metres from you. There is no bunker or water between ball and green, and the ground is dry and firm.
You choose an 8-iron. You pick the landing spot on the edge of the green, about five metres in front of your ball. The ball flies only a few metres, hops and rolls the remaining 20 metres to the flag. If the shot comes off, the ball finishes one to two metres from the hole, which leaves a comfortable putt.
Compare that with a pitch with the sand wedge. It would have to fly high and land with almost no roll. Distance and height must be exactly right, and a small error at impact costs many metres. The bump and run is more forgiving because the ball runs calmly along the ground. If you needed two shots to get just short of the green on a par 4, a shot like this followed by one putt is often the road to par.
When the bump and run is the best choice
The shot suits these situations particularly well:
- The ball lies at the edge of the green or on the fringe, and the flag is far away.
- There is no hazard between ball and green that the ball would have to fly over.
- The ground is firm and dry and the grass closely mown.
- It is windy. A low ball is affected less than a high one.
- The green is large and does not slope strongly away from you.
It is less suitable when a bunker, water or a steep slope lies in front of the green. If the flag is just behind the edge of the green, there is no room to roll. A higher chip or a pitch is the better choice here. If you are in deep rough, avoid the shot too, because the grass slows the ball unpredictably.
The bump and run is especially common on links courses, the coastal courses with firm, undulating ground. There the amount of roll is set by the nature of the course. The principle works on any course with firm turf.
Bump and run compared with chip, pitch and Texas wedge
The short game offers several shots that differ in height and roll.
- The chip is a low shot from a short distance with a wedge or iron. The bump and run is a special form in which the share of roll is particularly large.
- The pitch flies higher and further, lands softly and rolls only a little. It needs more swing and a better feel for distance.
- The putt is played with the putter. Anyone who putts across the fringe from near the green is using what golfers call a Texas wedge. That is informal slang, not an official term.
In practice a simple order of questions helps. First ask whether a putt is possible. Then check whether a bump and run works. Only after that comes the chip with more loft and finally the pitch. That way you always choose the shot with the least risk that still reaches the flag.
Common mistakes and drills
Beginners tend to make the same mistakes with the bump and run.
- The weight slips backwards in the follow-through. The club then hits the ground first and the ball comes up short.
- The wrists collapse. That makes the ball launch high and takes away the run.
- The landing spot is ignored. Anyone who only looks at the hole misjudges the distance.
- The tempo is too slow. The club decelerates before the ball and the strike fails.
Three drills improve the shot quickly. Put a towel on the landing spot and try to hit it. Play ten balls with the 8-iron to the same flag and note where they finish. Then switch to the 9-iron and compare. That teaches you how much roll each club produces.
A coach can show you whether stance, weight and wrists are right. A few minutes are often enough to make the shot noticeably calmer.
Try it at Golf Lounge
The short game can be worked on in a targeted way at the Golf Lounge. With the PGA coaches you can book short focus sessions, for example on the short game and putting, or a 60-minute individual lesson. On request the team works with video analysis (V1 Pro) and TrackMan data, so you can see whether your stance and weight transfer work for your bump and run. You book your sessions online.
Frequently asked questions
What is a bump and run in golf?
A bump and run is a low approach shot played from near the green. The ball flies a short distance, lands early and rolls most of the way to the flag. It is usually played with a 7, 8 or 9-iron. It suits situations with a clear path to the green and firm ground.
Which club do you use for a bump and run?
The usual choices are the 7, 8 or 9-iron. The less loft the club has, the less the ball flies and the more it rolls. Some players use a hybrid. With a sand wedge the shot becomes more of an ordinary chip. Test on the practice green how far each club rolls.
What is the difference between a bump and run and a pitch?
A pitch flies high, lands softly and rolls little. A bump and run flies low and rolls a lot. The pitch needs more swing and suits a hazard in front of the green. The bump and run is simpler and safer, but it needs a clear path and firm ground.
When should you not play a bump and run?
Avoid the shot when a bunker, water or a steep slope lies in front of the green, when the flag is just behind the edge of the green or when the ball sits in deep rough. In those cases there is no room to roll, or the grass slows the ball unpredictably. A higher chip or a pitch is better then.
What is the best way to practise the bump and run?
Put a towel on the landing spot and play ten balls at it with the same club. Note how far the balls roll. Then change club and compare. That gives you a feel for the ratio of carry to roll. A coach can also check your stance and weight distribution.
As of: October 2026