Quickie Pitching Video - Golf Pitch Shot Technique

[mvmac]

@david_wedzik and @iacas had me doing this drill when they first taught me this pitching technique

[mvmac]

Is this pitching technique really only for distances of like 25 Yards and in?

Can use this pitching motion from up to about 75 yards, more on that below. In some cases you can "pitch" it with a 9 iron from 110 yards but that's kind of a rare shot.

Love that Freddy drill there..  I was working on exactly that last night.  I'm assuming that it will always feel like it is the same exact temp and the thing that will control the distance is really the club & how much you open it up?

Yes, you will always feel the float loading or softness. From about 40 yards and in, distance is controlled by length/speed of swing, what club you use, handle height and lean at address and ball position. More than 40 yards you start introducing some full swing techniques basically just because you're swinging "harder". If I'm going to pitch it from 75-90 yards, I'll use my 52* and just set up with a bent left arm.

[Abu3baid]

I find that the biggest issue I am having with this technique really is fat shots.  Although, I know it has been mentioned that this technique actually allows you to hit playable balls even if you hit it fat because of the use of the bounce, however it seems to me like that really continues being the issue especially if I don't have a light with some light grass underneath it.  I should be hitting better shots in the Fairway, not the rough!!

Is this because I don't accelerate enough through the shot?

[iacas]

I find that the biggest issue I am having with this technique really is fat shots.  Although, I know it has been mentioned that this technique actually allows you to hit playable balls even if you hit it fat because of the use of the bounce, however it seems to me like that really continues being the issue especially if I don't have a light with some light grass underneath it.  I should be hitting better shots in the Fairway, not the rough!!

It gives you an inch or two of leeway. Not more than that.

Is this because I don't accelerate enough through the shot?

Nobody knows… you'd have to show us your pitching motion. Put it in your My Swing thread or, better yet, upload it to evolvr. I recommend two views: FO and DL, each at regular speed and a slowed down version.

[mmoan2]

@david_wedzik and @iacas had me doing this drill when they first taught me this pitching technique

Great drill, but what was with the music? For the first 20 seconds I thought Freddy was going to turn around and look for a hug!

[mvmac]

Is this because I don't accelerate enough through the shot?

Like Erik said, post a video in your swing thread and/or to Evolvr.

Great drill, but what was with the music? For the first 20 seconds I thought Freddy was going to turn around and look for a hug!

Yeah it was like one of those Sarah Mclachlan dog cruelty ads.

[slightlymad]

Allright i think i finally got it since last time. Great way to play around the green. Far better then what i used to do. Thank you guys for this awesome tip!

[iacas]

@Ernest Jones got quite good at this in about 20 minutes total here in Erie.

I think he can attest to just how difficult it is to "give up control" and to let gravity do the work for you.

So many things are opposite what you try to do in your full swing.

- You pivot early and don't pull the hands down.

- It's a well-timed flip (though timing is aided tremendously by good sequencing, gravity, etc.)

- You roll the clubface open and in a little on the backswing

- Your weight stays forward

- You don't stretch/bend much at all

- Your grip pressure is super light

- You're almost trying to hit the ball a tiny bit heavy

[boogielicious]

@Ernest Jones got quite good at this in about 20 minutes total here in Erie.

I think he can attest to just how difficult it is to "give up control" and to let gravity do the work for you.

So many things are opposite what you try to do in your full swing.

- You pivot early and don't pull the hands down.

- It's a well-timed flip (though timing is aided tremendously by good sequencing, gravity, etc.)

- You roll the clubface open and in a little on the backswing

- Your weight stays forward

- You don't stretch/bend much at all

- Your grip pressure is super light

- You're almost trying to hit the ball a tiny bit heavy

Last week I struggled early on the pitching because I hadn't done it since November.  On one tee, while we were waiting to tee off, I practiced the pitch just as above to get the feeling back.  Let gravity do the work and have right hand palm face the sky as I pivot around my body.  I also tried keeping the handle from moving too much.   I was pitching from the rough around the tee to my friend playing catch.

[iacas]

Last week I struggled early on the pitching because I hadn't done it since November.  On one tee, while we were waiting to tee off, I practiced the pitch just as above to get the feeling back.  Let gravity do the work and have right hand palm face the sky as I pivot around my body.  I also tried keeping the handle from moving too much.   I was pitching from the rough around the tee to my friend playing catch.

One thing Jason had to change was to let his hands and arms move more. I think some people hear us say that the handle won't move much, but it's important to remember that's in relation to how much the head of the club is moving .

Basically, if you're not doing a "one-piece takeaway" you're probably fine. The hands can move a foot… but the clubhead will move six feet on its arc. There's no need to "force" a bunch of wrist hinge as the only means of getting the clubhead back.

That's why the right-hand-only drill is good - you'll have to move your hands farther back than with two hands because you can't hinge it as quickly or move it as far with just one hand on the grip.

[Ernest Jones]

One thing Jason had to change was to let his hands and arms move more. I think some people hear us say that the handle won't move much, but it's important to remember that's in relation to how much the head of the club is moving.

Basically, if you're not doing a "one-piece takeaway" you're probably fine. The hands can move a foot… but the clubhead will move six feet on its arc. There's no need to "force" a bunch of wrist hinge as the only means of getting the clubhead back.

That's why the right-hand-only drill is good - you'll have to move your hands farther back than with two hands because you can't hinge it as quickly or move it as far with just one hand on the grip.

For me, the key to getting it to all come together was allowing the face to roll open on the way back while keeping it all "syrup-y" feeling. This really helps to counter-act the hit or "hand drive" instinct. Look forward to practicing this during the spring to dial in my distances.

[saevel25]

For me, the key to getting it to all come together was allowing the face to roll open on the way back while keeping it all "syrup-y" feeling. This really helps to counter-act the hit or "hand drive" instinct. Look forward to practicing this during the spring to dial in my distances.

Yea for me is almost feel like my elbows do nothing but stay in front of my body. They just glide up and down really softly. I also like the finish feel were I could drop the butt end of the club in my left pocket.

Check out how Ernie finishes, hands can drop into the left pocket. I really like to do that consciously as I watch the ball pitch towards the hole. I really can only get to that position if the club gets vertical pretty fast in the finish and the arms stay soft.

[boogielicious]

One thing Jason had to change was to let his hands and arms move more. I think some people hear us say that the handle won't move much, but it's important to remember that's in relation to how much the head of the club is moving.

Basically, if you're not doing a "one-piece takeaway" you're probably fine. The hands can move a foot… but the clubhead will move six feet on its arc. There's no need to "force" a bunch of wrist hinge as the only means of getting the clubhead back.

That's why the right-hand-only drill is good - you'll have to move your hands farther back than with two hands because you can't hinge it as quickly or move it as far with just one hand on the grip.

Its more of a swing feel that an actual motion for me when I am doing it right.  I am hinging more than my normal takeaway for a full shot.

[Hammer 4]

Yea for me is almost feel like my elbows do nothing but stay in front of my body. They just glide up and down really softly. I also like the finish feel were I could drop the butt end of the club in my left pocket.

Check out how Ernie finishes, hands can drop into the left pocket. I really like to do that consciously as I watch the ball pitch towards the hole. I really can only get to that position if the club gets vertical pretty fast in the finish and the arms stay soft.

Whoa, that's exactly how I do it...

[mvmac]

@Ernest Jones got quite good at this in about 20 minutes total here in Erie.

I think he can attest to just how difficult it is to "give up control" and to let gravity do the work for you.

So many things are opposite what you try to do in your full swing.

- You pivot early and don't pull the hands down.

- It's a well-timed flip (though timing is aided tremendously by good sequencing, gravity, etc.)

- You roll the clubface open and in a little on the backswing

- Your weight stays forward

- You don't stretch/bend much at all

- Your grip pressure is super light

- You're almost trying to hit the ball a tiny bit heavy

Great stuff obviously. Just want to highlight this for anyone working on this motion, important that the weight stays forward. Seen some players recently trying to "lift" the ball in the air, causing their weight to shift back. You basically set the weight forward and pivot around that lead leg.

[mvmac]

[saevel25]

Solid technique by Jimmy Fallon on this bunker shot.

[boogielicious]

Was he doing his best impression of Seve?