Quickie Pitching Video - Golf Pitch Shot Technique

[Mr. Desmond]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

I don't know the answer to your question.  So, what I do when I short side myself is to just open the face a little and lower the hands to get a really high "flop shot" type trajectory.  I also wouldn't mind knowing how to spin it a bit more as an alternative to this, but for now this is all I have. :)

I was hesitant to post a response, but will jump in -- I'd guess it's a combo of dynamic loft (the more actual loft given the setup and swing, the more backspin, and the more speed, the more spin - caveat on spin). If you open and lower the hands with the handle back, you are gaining loads of dynamic loft (backspin, trajectory) and creating a glancing blow. I doubt if this glancing blow helps spin -- but you gain gobs of trajectory, and the glancing blow allows you to come in with some speed, and get a ball that pops up, goes almost nowhere, and does nothing once it hits the ground.

The key is to experiment - now much to lower the hands, open? square? grip down how much? the shaft is backwards- how much?

Depends on the shot, the distance, slope of the green towards the hole.

Loads of practice.

I spend about 10-15 minutes each time at the range on this little shot... it sure takes the hit out of me, which is what I need to practice.

[Beachcomber]

Getting better.  Still digging a hair.

http://instagram.com/p/bNRgS6qzz-/

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Jakester23

What is the easiest way to create a lot of spin using this pitch technique?

Loft.

It's not really a spin technique. My studies - later confirmed by Trackman, etc. - show that the most spin occurs on about 45° spin loft - when the loft and the angle of attack are 45° (so 43° loft, -2° AoA).

A high soft shot often has 55° of loft, so you'd need +10° spin loft to spin the ball more, and that's not possible. Also not possible: striking the ball cleanly. When you've short-sided yourself, the ball is likely in rough, sand, etc. It's not a shot you can get clean contact.

LOFT is your friend. Stop the ball with the trajectory. Hands back in your stance, ball forward, hands lower, keep the weight forward. Ball will pop up like crazy.

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

I don't know the answer to your question.  So, what I do when I short side myself is to just open the face a little and lower the hands to get a really high "flop shot" type trajectory.  I also wouldn't mind knowing how to spin it a bit more as an alternative to this, but for now this is all I have. :)

Originally Posted by Mr. Desmond

I was hesitant to post a response, but will jump in -- I'd guess it's a combo of dynamic loft (the more actual loft given the setup and swing, the more backspin, and the more speed, the more spin - caveat on spin). If you open and lower the hands with the handle back, you are gaining loads of dynamic loft (backspin, trajectory) and creating a glancing blow. I doubt if this glancing blow helps spin -- but you gain gobs of trajectory, and the glancing blow allows you to come in with some speed, and get a ball that pops up, goes almost nowhere, and does nothing once it hits the ground.

The key is to experiment - now much to lower the hands, open? square? grip down how much? the shaft is backwards- how much?

Depends on the shot, the distance, slope of the green towards the hole.

Loads of practice.

I spend about 10-15 minutes each time at the range on this little shot... it sure takes the hit out of me, which is what I need to practice.

The bold in the two answers above are other ways of saying what I said.

[Jakester23]

So I should lean the shaft towards me and back towards my back foot? Ive actually done this a little bit in the yard but never changes shaft lean forwards or backwards I've just laid it down towards me.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by Jakester23

So I should lean the shaft towards me and back towards my back foot? Ive actually done this a little bit in the yard but never changes shaft lean forwards or backwards I've just laid it down towards me.

For the highest lofted shot, yes, like what I do here http://thesandtrap.com/t/54556/short-gametrajectories

[iacas]

A little bonus for y'all…

Thanks to Slice of Life for recording this one. It was a bit extemporaneous.

[cipher]

Thanks guys, that is awesome! I failed miserably on a shot like this earlier this morning. Tried it the "bad" way as shown in the video.

[saevel25]

Ok that is a very cool shot, must practice that one. I have exactly the hole i know were i've needed something like that, well two holes. Both have some nice slopes, what sucks is the course gets like concrete in the summer, so its a bitch when your on one of those things.

[Mr. Desmond]

Appreciate a new way of thinking on this delicate shot, which most of the time, using the traditional method, turns out to be not delicate at all because the ball runs and runs when I get my shoulders parallel, spread my feet far apart and get the hands low in an effort to gain more loft.

This ankle-side lob shot makes better sense in these conditions.

[Hacker James]

Thanks, I used to putt that way due to a vision problem. Never thought about doing the same thing on a pitch. Makes a lot of sense though and you are less likely to lose your balance. or......try this:  turn so your back is to the target, set up turning slightly left so you can see target line over your left shoulder. Essentially the same shot, but your focus is such that you can concentrate on striking the ball and still see the path to the target.

[inthecup]

I recently have added this to my game and it is so simple and effective it is stupid.  It virtually eliminated duffs, stubs blades.  No wasted shots around the greens.

My 60-14 is becoming my go to club around the green.

Thanks I love simple brilliance.

[Mr. Desmond]

The ankle side lob shot on slope worked well in practice - fairly easy, which was surprising.

Question 1 - when the ball is hidden in the rough on a slope, what's next besides prayer?

I did place my ball on a slope into the rough - I had to take an aggressive chop with the ankle side lob shot. But I received a similar result as a normal shoulders down the slope shot - a low runner. I am going to work with it more.

Question 2 - when your ball is impaled on the downhill side of a bunker slope (not in the bunker) and the green is on the other side? Ouch - doesn't happen much, if at all, but I was playing around with this shot without success it went into the bunker - then I thought about the Phil backwards lob shot -- but that takes talent....

[iacas]

Jerry, if the ball is coming out low it is too far towards the heel. Put it more towards the toes. Shove the clubhead down the slope.

[Mr. Desmond]

Originally Posted by iacas

Jerry, if the ball is coming out low it is too far towards the heel. Put it more towards the toes. Shove the clubhead down the slope.

Will do.

Thank you.

[jditzel]

I tend to hit my short pitches (say, 50 yards or less) sort of Lee Trevino style and keep the face from turning over, like Mark Crossfield shows here around 1:20:

Many other people I see on the course slide the wedge underneath, with the ball forward and the shaft pointing to the middle of their core, letting the club turn over like Hank Haney shows here:

Is one inherently better, or does it depend on the lie? On your swing, do you "release," or tend to hold the club from turning over?

[iacas]

I tend to hit my short pitches (say, 50 yards or less) sort of Lee Trevino style and keep the face from turning over, like Mark Crossfield shows here around 1:20:

Many other people I see on the course slide the wedge underneath, with the ball forward and the shaft pointing to the middle of their core, letting the club turn over like Hank Haney shows here:

Is one inherently better, or does it depend on the lie? On your swing, do you "release," or tend to hold the club from turning over?

I merged your thread with this one, as it will probably give you my answer.

I'll also point out that the first video is more of a distance wedge - an 83-yard shot that isn't really a "pitch" shot since it's played with a sand wedge.

[colin007]

How does this compare to the "straight-arm/Steve Stricker" style pitch mentioned in the December issue of Golf Digest?

[mvmac]

How does this compare to the "straight-arm/Steve Stricker" style pitch mentioned in the December issue of Golf Digest?

Pretty similar, set-up with a neutral handle and return it there at impact.  Weight will still be forward and you're "powering" it with your pivot, arms are "going along for the ride", not a lot of axis tilt.