Pinpoint pitching takes solid technique and good judgment. Judging the distance of a pitch shot comes with experience. Yardage markers and range finders help when measuring distance. Developing good pitching technique, on the other hand, takes practice—lots of it. Your goal: To develop a rhythmic swing that produces a consistently accurate ball flight—a swing you can trust when faced with a difficult pitch shot.
Below are the 5 keys to developing a pitch shot you can trust:
1. Shorten you backswing
2. Open your stance slightly
3. Strike it squarely
4. Release the clubhead
5. Execute the follow-through
Visualizing your torso as a rotating drum, with your arms moving in harmony, is a good image to maintain when practicing pitch shots. Keep these golf tips in mind when hitting pitch shots as well:
• Shorten your backswing by gripping down on the club. This reduces the backswing to a tidy, compact three quarter effort and increases club control. Just remember to transfer your weight correctly.
• Open your stance slightly to help you clear out the left side. It gives this side a “head start.” That’s exactly what’s needed to swing the clubhead down on the correct path.
• Clearing the left side gives you room to deliver the club squarely to the ball. Keep your shoulder wide open and your hands slightly ahead of the ball through impact.
• Release the clubhead freely toward the target. Don’t try to steer it. When you do that, you often mis-hit the shot.
• Move into the follow-through after releasing the clubhead. Your weight should be positioned over your front foot and the club should have moved toward the hole as you finish your swing.
You want to make ball/turf contact when hitting a pitch shot. Here’s a simple drill that helps you do that:
Place a head cover about 18 in (48 cm) behind the ball. Then hit several pitch shots, making sure the clubhead doesn’t make contact with the cover on the downswing.
The cover forces you to keep your hands ahead of the clubhead just a little longer. It also encourages a slightly steeper angle of attack on the ball.
