Quickie Pitching Video - Golf Pitch Shot Technique

[Jakester23]

Have you tried opening up the face a bit and making the same swing?

I kinda open the face as my standard setup. Maybe I could lean the handle down a little to open it a bit more. I've been hitting the shot solid so I don't want to change to much. It's such a useful shot when you have the room to hit it.

[billchao]

I kinda open the face as my standard setup. Maybe I could lean the handle down a little to open it a bit more. I've been hitting the shot solid so I don't want to change to much. It's such a useful shot when you have the room to hit it.

Yea, it's my standard pitch shot. Could be a number of reasons why you're hitting left. Have you filmed your pitch shot?

[Jakester23]

Yea, it's my standard pitch shot. Could be a number of reasons why you're hitting left. Have you filmed your pitch shot?

No. I'll get out to the range this week and take a video. Today I played and hit 3 of them. One was a touch short and left. The other 2 were very good distance but left a bit more. I was just practicing so I hit a few more later in the the round all left of target. On one hole I aimed at the right side of the green and pulled it right at the flag.

[billchao]

No. I'll get out to the range this week and take a video. Today I played and hit 3 of them. One was a touch short and left. The other 2 were very good distance but left a bit more. I was just practicing.so I hit about 10 of them all left of target. On one hole I aimed at the right side of the green and pulled it right at the flag.

Well it's consistent, and consistent is good, right? I'm wondering if you're not just swinging a little bit OTT and thus, left. Like I said, if it's consistent, the simple fix would be just to aim farther right. Shot Zones, and all :-)

[Jakester23]

Well it's consistent, and consistent is good, right? I'm wondering if you're not just swinging a little bit OTT and thus, left. Like I said, if it's consistent, the simple fix would be just to aim farther right. Shot Zones, and all :-)

I agree but it's hard on a right pin to just accept that I have to aim off the green or play for the middle of the green when I'm only 25-50 yards. I can live with it but I would like to be able just aim right at the flag.

[Zesty]

Has anyone else had a problem with sticky grass? When the grass is wet in the morning or really dry in the afternoon, my club seems to glide under the ball effortlessly. But when it is hot and humid or who knows why my club seems to grab the turf and stick under the ball. When the grass seems this way to me I use a chipping stroke but I would much rather use the pitch. Any thoughts?

[MS256]

Has anyone else had a problem with sticky grass? When the grass is wet in the morning or really dry in the afternoon, my club seems to glide under the ball effortlessly. But when it is hot and humid or who knows why my club seems to grab the turf and stick under the ball. When the grass seems this way to me I use a chipping stroke but I would much rather use the pitch. Any thoughts?

Against the grain. Fairly often. Especially from this time of the year when the grass starts to get a little course to even more when it's dormant.

If I can tell by a practice swing that there is a good possibility of the leading edge catching the grain, many times I'll just take my medicine and use a pitching wedge (or more) even though I know I'm probably not going to stop it close enough for a tap in. Had a couple of shots today where I should have gone into winter mode but was too stubborn to do it.

[iacas]

Has anyone else had a problem with sticky grass? When the grass is wet in the morning or really dry in the afternoon, my club seems to glide under the ball effortlessly. But when it is hot and humid or who knows why my club seems to grab the turf and stick under the ball. When the grass seems this way to me I use a chipping stroke but I would much rather use the pitch. Any thoughts?

Same stroke, just get the clubhead moving faster near the ball to get through the "sticky" grass (sticky for whatever reason). Whether you do that by making the swing longer, adding a little bit to it "manually," or whatever, that's fine.

[smellysell]

I really need to put in some time practicing this...

[slightlymad]

I am really enjoying this way of playing around the green. So much so i dont even try to chip anymore.

I have one question though. I think im fairly good at putting the ball where it supposed to go, however, at times the roll seems to differ substantially. Im not sure if i just judge the green badly or i have alot of fluctuation in my height of the pitch shot(i wouldnt assume so as i always use the same stance. Both feet tightly together, just in front of the ball. Weight totally on the left/in fornt of the ball)

I guess there is a difference too between shot out of the rought and from the fringe/short grass..

Any tips for practice?

[Mr. Desmond]

even try to chip anymore.

I have one question though. I think im fairly good at putting the ball where it supposed to go, however, at times the roll seems to differ substantially. Im not sure if i just judge the green badly or i have alot of fluctuation in my height of the pitch shot(i wouldnt assume so as i always use the same stance. Both feet tightly together, just in front of the ball. Weight totally on the left/in fornt of the ball)

I guess there is a difference too between shot out of the rought and from the fringe/short grass..

Any tips for practice?

Hi - take another look at the first post video.

It says feet close, but not tightly together.

It says ball is in middle of stance

Weight on left side (not totally).

If the ball is in the back of your stance, that can lead to more inconsistency in spin and contact.

I also face the fact that I am not a scratch player and will have inconsistency in spin. I practice to reduce that inconsistency, but it will exist.

You will make adjustments out of the rough depending on the lie -- ball laying on top of rough (do not sole the club at the bottom) or in the bottom of the rough (more like a bunker shot).

[iacas]

I guess there is a difference too between shot out of the rought and from the fringe/short grass..

Any shot from the fringe may spin more than a shot from the rough.

It sounds to me like you have to do a little more "reading" the lie (and perhaps the firmness of the green). That's all. Takes a little time and experience. And sometimes you'll still get them wrong… PGA Tour players do sometimes (and their conditions are almost exactly the same week to week).

[David in FL]

Hi - take another look at the first post video.

It says feet close, but not tightly together.

It says ball is in middle of stance

Weight on left side (not totally).

If the ball is in the back of your stance, that can lead to more inconsistency in spin and contact.

I also face the fact that I am not a scratch player and will have inconsistency in spin. I practice to reduce that inconsistency, but it will exist.

You will make adjustments out of the rough depending on the lie -- ball laying on top of rough (do not sole the club at the bottom) or in the bottom of the rough (more like a bunker shot).

Agree, I see this a lot.  When someone gets a little scared of chunking a shorter pitch or chip, they tend to move the ball back....in a somewhat futile attempt to catch the ball before the ground.  That leads to a very steep angle into the ball and further chunks and inconsistencies.....which in turn causes them to move the ball even further back.  It becomes somewhat of a vicious circle.

Doesn't necessarily help when they're a mid-to-high hcp using a 60* wedge with 4* of bounce either.....

[DrvFrShow]

If I'm playing a shorter chip, depending upon the ground in front of me I may use a 7 or 8 iron and run it, or at most my 56/10 on a short pin. If it's summer and it's a tight lie and I'm on fairway close to the green I'll putt if possible. I added the 30 yd lob shot to my arsenal this year for the "over the bunker" shots. I came up with my own little technique and it's pretty consistent.

[Lihu]

If I'm playing a shorter chip, depending upon the ground in front of me I may use a 7 or 8 iron and run it, or at most my 56/10 on a short pin. If it's summer and it's a tight lie and I'm on fairway close to the green I'll putt if possible. I added the 30 yd lob shot to my arsenal this year for the "over the bunker" shots. I came up with my own little technique and it's pretty consistent.

Take a look at this. It has helped me select clubs with success.

[slightlymad]

Hi - take another look at the first post video.

It says feet close, but not tightly together.

It says ball is in middle of stance

Weight on left side (not totally).

If the ball is in the back of your stance, that can lead to more inconsistency in spin and contact.

I also face the fact that I am not a scratch player and will have inconsistency in spin. I practice to reduce that inconsistency, but it will exist.

You will make adjustments out of the rough depending on the lie -- ball laying on top of rough (do not sole the club at the bottom) or in the bottom of the rough (more like a bunker shot).

Ofcourse weight is never 100% on left.

Where the ball is in your stance, is not determined by relation to the right foot i dont think. It can be, but it doesnt have to be. I would assume it is more to do where the ball is in relation to the upper body I dont think the position of the right foot matters that much to be honest, right?.

On a tight lie i generally open the face alot. If im on top of rought i close it. Not sure if this is the correct way, but it seems to work fine.

[billchao]

Where the ball is in your stance, is not determined by relation to the right foot i dont think. It can be, but it doesnt have to be. I would assume it is more to do where the ball is in relation to the upper body I dont think the position of the right foot matters that much to be honest, right?

I believe ball position is important as it relates to your lead shoulder, but how your feet are positioned will affect that relationship. [quote name="slightlymad" url="/t/39411/quickie-pitching-video-golf-pitch-shot-technique/510#post_1070417"]On a tight lie i generally open the face alot. If im on top of rought i close it. Not sure if this is the correct way, but it seems to work fine. [/quote]I may or may not open the face on a tight lie. It depends on the circumstances. I do set the face more square when the ball is sitting up in the rough to reduce the chance of sliding the club under it.

[slightlymad]

Somewhat, sure. But not as much as your feet would led you to believe. Those damn feet.