July 16, 2018
Controlling a Pitch Shot
What is a pitch? The pitch flies high and lands soft on the green, as opposed to the chip that flies low and roll a lot. Pitch shots are hit with the wedges: lob, sand, gap or pitching wedge. Pitches do not roll very far once they land. And they’re not supposed to. You generally use the pitch shot when there is trouble (sand, water, etc.) between the ball and the hole. Mastering these shots can be very important in saving par and creating birdie opportunities on long par 5’s.
- Choose the wedge that gets you over the trouble but near the hole.
- Playing the ball slightly back in the stance to encourage a descending blow. Some players keep the weight on their left side throughout the entire swing. See if that works for you.
- Having said that, higher pitch shots are played with the ball more forward and with a bigger swing. Lower pitches are played with the ball more towards the back and with a smaller swing.
- Visualize your shot and rehearse the proper length of the swing it as many times as it takes until it feels right for the shot you want to make. Remember to hit the ground where the ball will be at address (high, low, or regular pitch).
Remember: Once you visualize the shot and rehearse the swing, fully commit to the shot. Strike it exactly like your final rehearsal swing. Then, commit. No seconds thoughts!