Quickie Pitching Video - Golf Pitch Shot Technique

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

Erik and Mike offered excellent instruction on pitching as well as 5SK. Although the pitching technique is new and a work in progress, I was able to hole out from 50 feet on Saturday using the pitching technique taught on Friday, and used it numerous times yesterday with success. It was my "go to" shot, and I had a lot of them.

The one difference I found with Erik and Mike is that you can take what they teach you and you will see immediate results. I've had numerous instructors over the years, and I can't say the same for any of them.

Thanks appreciate that.  Yes, I can concur that Mr. Desmond hit some excellent pitch shots yesterday, on course with very tight lies.  Fun to see.  Also very impressed with Golfingdad's pitching on Sunday, he made this one 20 yard pitch over a bunker with not a lot of green to work with, look very easy.  Bounce and speed are our friends :-)

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by iacas

This is a bit of a mutual pat on the back.

Golfingdad and Mr. Desmond both attended the 5SK class on Friday. On Sunday and Monday I was able to play with both of them (sorry, I'd include Tristan, but I didn't get the chance to play with him).

I think their pitching was incredible. I think they'll both tell you they didn't have those shots prior to Friday. I think it's a testament to how well Mike and I teach pitching, and how GD and MD were able to take what they'd learned and put it into play immediately, and with some awesome results.

Thanks for the compliment, but mostly for the instruction!  I hit a couple of really nice pitch shots using this technique, however, those aren't the ones I'm most pleased with.  I hit a couple of mediocre ones, and those are the ones that made me smile.  Here's why:  Their technique is all about using (and understanding) the bounce of the club on pitch shots.  You have tons of room for error when your using the bounce because you are not digging into the ground.  I hit one really fat and it still easily got up onto the green and gave me a 20' chance at a par.  Prior to Friday that shot would have gone 3 feet.  Also keep in mind that I learned this technique Friday in about one hour, did nothing golf related Saturday, and practiced it for about 5 shots Sunday prior to playing.  That's how easy it is.

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

Erik and Mike offered excellent instruction on pitching as well as 5SK. Although the pitching technique is new and a work in progress, I was able to hole out from 50 feet on Saturday using the pitching technique taught on Friday, and used it numerous times yesterday with success. It was my "go to" shot, and I had a lot of them.

The one difference I found with Erik and Mike is that you can take what they teach you and you will see immediate results. I've had numerous instructors over the years, and I can't say the same for any of them.

But Mike and Erik get 5 thumbs up ... if I had 5 thumbs.

Yup.  I don't have the same experience with different instructors as Mr. Desmond, so I don't really have any "horror stories" of bad teachers or anything like that; I just know that in my mind (and I think a lot of others) that there is a stigma towards teaching in general where some people are afraid of teachers "rebuilding" your swing, or the proverbial one step back to go two steps forward thing.  With Erik and Mike (and from personal experience I can also add Dave, James, Stephan, Brian, and Bob Townsend) there is none of that.  The best analogy with them is that it's like a puzzle.  Some pieces are easy, some are harder, some are really hard, but everything is always adding and improving upon the whole picture.  There is never (not in my experience at least) any going backwards, or removing any puzzle pieces.

I brought my dad and father-in-law to the class hoping that they could improve just a little bit and start enjoying the game more.  My dad has much too high expectations for himself, which combined with his swing struggles, leads to a lot of frustration on the course.  He has an almost totally horizontal shoulder turn and the most over the top swing I've ever seen.  His arsenal of shots is a severe pull, severe pull slice, and his best shot is a somewhat medium pull-cut.

After 1/2 hour of introduction of 5SK, then 10 minutes of instruction, he started hitting the ball straight (even a small push-draw on some!!) for the first time in my life.  IMMEDIATELY!  I told both Erik and Mike on Friday that the shots he was hitting then were the best I've ever seen him hit.  Ever. It practically brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it - I shit you not.  I cannot wait to play with him again.  Kudos to Erik and Mike and 5SK!!!!!!!

One last thing regarding the pitching technique:

You can use it for virtually any shot outside of a putt to 40 or 50 yards.  You almost never need to bump and run, or chip, or whatever.  This (almost) covers it all.

[cipher]

This has got me hoping for some tax money to make a trip out to Erie.  Thanks for sharing guys.

[Rick Martin]

Manzella is a well-respected PGA pro instructor, but watch this video and don't tell me that he's not over-complicating the instruction.  For instance, "imagine a buddy on your left shoulder invading your personal space and you're trying to flip him off?".......I find this video funny to listen to.

http://www.pga.com/golf-instruction/instruction-feature/short-game/short-shot-pivot-video

[Jakester23]

Ok I read this post entirely and think I get it. So what club or clubs do u typically use with this type of shot?

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Jakester23

Ok I read this post entirely and think I get it. So what club or clubs do u typically use with this type of shot?

I often use my 60° but that's largely because it has the most bounce. It works with virtually any club.

[Jakester23]

How far can u hit this shot with your 60?

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Jakester23

How far can u hit this shot with your 60?

That depends on where you personally choose to draw the line between when it stops being a pitch and starts being a shorter full swing.

And I don't know why I'd need to pitch the ball from 70 yards - that's just a partial lob wedge.

[anthony]

I use it with my 56 and 61 the most, but have used it with my 50 and pitching wedge also. Depends on the shot really. The majority of shots are with my 56 though.

[iacas]

No: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ukv5MJdk0A

Why:

[cipher]

Erik, with the shot on the left are you taking the bounce out of the equation?  I assume you are using the 60 and coming off at 27 degrees?

[jamo]

No: [URL=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ukv5MJdk0A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ukv5MJdk0A[/URL] Why:

Not to mention: So if you're looking to hit the ball high... (I realize it's not perfect because she chunked the left one, but she also swung much slower there. And that thing with the hips height was sloppy.)

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by cipher

Erik, with the shot on the left are you taking the bounce out of the equation?

Yes that's why we don't recommend it for pitch shots.  Won't find any good pitcher of the ball looking like the left pic.

Some nice video from Mario Bevilacqua this week at the Heritage

[cipher]

Thanks Mike, so it you want to hit a low pitch shot, such as the angle on the left you would suggest a setup more like the one on the right and a lower lofted club correct?

[SloverUT]

A little late to the show on this thread but had a question in regards to the hip shoulder/movement between Erik and Dave.  To my inexperienced eye it seems as though Dave's shoulders stay square a bit longer and his right hip either moves more slowly through the swing or even less.  Erik's right hip seems to start movement very early and quickly and thus his upper body opens up more quickly.

Is there any importance to this, if I am seeing it correctly, or is this just a random difference between your two different swings?

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by cipher

Thanks Mike, so it you want to hit a low pitch shot, such as the angle on the left you would suggest a setup more like the one on the right and a lower lofted club correct?

Can do either, set-up with the handle more forward or go to a lower lofted wedge.  For myself I go to my 52* wedge or my pitching wedge.  Other just change handle location.  Whatever you feel works best for you through trial and error.

[rehmwa]

Bumping up now that the snow is melted.

THANKS - this thread has really opened my eyes and I have so many more tools close in that I thought before.  It's paying off big.

[mvmac]