Quickie Pitching Video - Golf Pitch Shot Technique

[Big Lex]

5 minutes ago, iacas said:

It can be used out to 60-80 yards or so.

They aren't the same motion. The backswing and follow through vary dramatically. Chips use the leading edge, pitches use the glide/bounce. They're on a spectrum, sure, but at opposite ends.

From longer distances, do you use a less lofted wedge or 9 iron to get the distance? Or do you make a longer swing? I realize that either of these would give more distance, but the technique taught here specifies that the club moves back more because of wrist cock than from arm swing. So I'm wondering if, when you want to hit a longer shot, whether you recommend keeping the same length backswing but more loft, or lengthening the swing? (Assuming that the shot does not require the higher trajectory of the more lofted club).

If they aren't the same motion, why do you write, in the text crawl at the end of the video, "pitching and chipping are essentially the same motion."?

 

[iacas]

8 minutes ago, Big Lex said:

From longer distances, do you use a less lofted wedge or 9 iron to get the distance? Or do you make a longer swing? I realize that either of these would give more distance, but the technique taught here specifies that the club moves back more because of wrist cock than from arm swing. So I'm wondering if, when you want to hit a longer shot, whether you recommend keeping the same length backswing but more loft, or lengthening the swing? (Assuming that the shot does not require the higher trajectory of the more lofted club).

Any combination of those things: longer swing, less lofted club (though I rarely leave my wedges as they have a lot of bounce, to 14° with my PW), etc.

10 minutes ago, Big Lex said:

If they aren't the same motion, why do you write, in the text crawl at the end of the video, "pitching and chipping are essentially the same motion."?

Because the video is over five years old and YouTube doesn't let you replace a video with an updated one. What that means is that what looks like a "chip" can still use a pitching motion, and the setups are similar. The motions themselves are fairly different - more arm swing for a chip, leading edge used, handle forward through impact and follow-through, and the opposite for a pitch.

[MattM]

Working on this technique all winter has my scrambling percentage over 25 for the first two rounds of the year.  That is really good for me!

[boogielicious]

2 hours ago, MattM said:

Working on this technique all winter has my scrambling percentage over 25 for the first two rounds of the year.  That is really good for me!

Excellent. It will improve as you play more too. I played for the first time on Sunday and have not really been practicing this technique much. Had a few misses. So it's back to the practice green or the back yard for me!

[b101]

@iacas - further to your help in the Edel wedges thread, I wondered if you'd mind checking my thoughts on my technique with a wedge shot quickly. I've read through the thread and come back to it about three times over the past year, meaning that my technique has gotten better and better. Whilst I think I use the bounce, I doubt I do anywhere near as much as you guys. I'd love to get this sorted if I'm to get an Edel fitting later in the year, so your help would be brilliant .

I definitely don't feel 80/20 weight on front foot, probably need the ball a touch further forward (it's always further back than I think!) and could do more with the float-loady pivot? If I were picking one thing to practise, it would be the float-loady feel at the moment, but if anything else leaps out at you, it'd be hugely appreciated. FYI, as Brian always wants loads of detail on the flight, the ball popped up nicely, high and straight, pitched about 25 yards on and stopped after one small hop with next to no divot (maybe a tiny one about the size of a pound coin - 25mm square) on pretty wet turf - the same was true for the next four shots and all ended within 5 feet of my flag.

Many thanks as ever - the help you guys give is invaluable.

Ben

Edited April 9, 2016 by b101

[iacas]

I'd look to quiet the lower body and let the elbows and arms be softer and more flexible.

[Suchmo]

Perhaps I'll be corrected on this, but I have a couple of problems with this technique:

1. In the UK, the ground is pretty wet/muddy for 7-8 months of the year. During this time, the 'slop' room of this shot simply isn't there. Half an inch behind the ball is dead, bounce or no bounce. Off a tight lie? Fine. Dry mud? Fine. Cart path? Fine. English turf outside of summer? Nope.

2. As a fairly new player learning the basics of the full swing (i.e. the first three keys), this method requires movements that are the near opposite of the full swing and I worry that this could interfere with my learning of the full swing.

Alternatively, I might just be doing it wrong. Thoughts?

Edited April 12, 2016 by Suchmo

[Ernest Jones]

On April 9, 2016 at 6:32 AM, b101 said:

@iacas - further to your help in the Edel wedges thread, I wondered if you'd mind checking my thoughts on my technique with a wedge shot quickly. I've read through the thread and come back to it about three times over the past year, meaning that my technique has gotten better and better. Whilst I think I use the bounce, I doubt I do anywhere near as much as you guys. I'd love to get this sorted if I'm to get an Edel fitting later in the year, so your help would be brilliant .

I definitely don't feel 80/20 weight on front foot, probably need the ball a touch further forward (it's always further back than I think!) and could do more with the float-loady pivot? If I were picking one thing to practise, it would be the float-loady feel at the moment, but if anything else leaps out at you, it'd be hugely appreciated. FYI, as Brian always wants loads of detail on the flight, the ball popped up nicely, high and straight, pitched about 25 yards on and stopped after one small hop with next to no divot (maybe a tiny one about the size of a pound coin - 25mm square) on pretty wet turf - the same was true for the next four shots and all ended within 5 feet of my flag.

Many thanks as ever - the help you guys give is invaluable.

Ben

In the feel category ...I like to feel I'm all arms on the backswing and all hips on the downswing and the club just falls into the ball. Like @iacas said, quiet lower body (all arms going back) and supple arms and wrists (just fall into the ball as you pivot).  

[Jakester23]

1 hour ago, Suchmo said:

Perhaps I'll be corrected on this, but I have a couple of problems with this technique:

1. In the UK, the ground is pretty wet/muddy for 7-8 months of the year. During this time, the 'slop' room of this shot simply isn't there. Half an inch behind the ball is dead, bounce or no bounce. Off a tight lie? Fine. Dry mud? Fine. Cart path? Fine. English turf outside of summer? Nope.

2. As a fairly new player learning the basics of the full swing (i.e. the first three keys), this method requires movements that are the near opposite of the full swing and I worry that this could interfere with my learning of the full swing.

Alternatively, I might just be doing it wrong. Thoughts?

Without seeing a video it's hard to say if your doing it wrong. It is completely different from your full swing but that doesn't mean you can't learn them simultaneously. This shot helps your game so much it's worth the time it takes to learn.  As far as your 1st point goes I've hit this shot off very soggy ground without a problem.  You can still hit behind it and get decent results. I actually use it out of wet bunkers which works great.

[saevel25]

2 hours ago, Ernest Jones said:

In the feel category ...I like to feel I'm all arms on the backswing and all hips on the downswing and the club just falls into the ball. Like @iacas said, quiet lower body (all arms going back) and supple arms and wrists (just fall into the ball as you pivot).  

Another good feel is that the hands stay around waist high, but let the clubhead hinge more. 

I am finding the active wrist, then active pivot is the best combo for me. Sometimes I still get a bit, drag the hands forward. Sometimes I like to feel the club pass the hands earlier. I know one feel was thump the ground below the ball might be a good mental image as well with the pivot. 

[iacas]

7 hours ago, Suchmo said:

1. In the UK, the ground is pretty wet/muddy for 7-8 months of the year. During this time, the 'slop' room of this shot simply isn't there. Half an inch behind the ball is dead, bounce or no bounce. Off a tight lie? Fine. Dry mud? Fine. Cart path? Fine. English turf outside of summer? Nope.

Unless the ground is literally muddy, the AoA should be shallow enough that it'll still slide a bit. What's the alternative? Try to clip it perfectly with the leading edge? Pitching still ives you a bit more room for error. Not much in soft conditions, but "more."

7 hours ago, Suchmo said:

2. As a fairly new player learning the basics of the full swing (i.e. the first three keys), this method requires movements that are the near opposite of the full swing and I worry that this could interfere with my learning of the full swing.

Yes, it's almost the opposite, but you can learn two things. You putt differently than you hit your driver.

[Suchmo]

The fact that I am indeed finding it far easier to 'clip it using the leading edge' does suggest that I'm not performing the technique correctly. I'll try to post a video in my swing thread and go from there.

[Suchmo]

I think I might have discovered where I was going wrong: On the backswing (and downswing) my right elbow was getting away from my body, and I was consequently getting the elbow stuck behind my body a little. Watching Erik's 'pitching from rough' video again, it dawned on me how different it looked. I tried again off sodden ground and boy did it feel better with better results. 

BIG thanks to those who replied to my earlier points.

Edited April 13, 2016 by Suchmo

[saevel25]

Looks like Mark Crossfield is starting to learn the ways of the bounce :) 

I liked a few points on this video. 

1. Even with a bare lie (though they have a decent amount of grass ) you can hit a substantial amount behind the ball and get away with it. 

2. When Mark describes what he needs to do. It's lot's of clubhead movement with little hand movement. Then letting the club release and glide under the ball more. 

 

[saevel25]

From Matt Kuchar, a guy who's ranked in the top 30 in pitching from 30 yards and in over the past three seasons, 

 

[Frank62]

Aside from the pitching tips that's a nice story about Kuchar and his old man.

Edited May 17, 2016 by Frank62

[Suchmo]

This method works so well once it's engrained (the 'dealing cards' feel was important for me). I genuinely enjoy shots around the green now and I'm finding that my control out of bunkers is improving due to the similarity in the method employed. To anyone struggling to get used to this technique or questioning it's effficacy, I'd recommend that you persevere with it.

Edited May 17, 2016 by Suchmo

[saevel25]

I like the video with Dave giving the pitching lesson. He describes more of very soft elbows. I think that is a big key to the pitching technique. I think it allows the dealing cards motion to happen a lot easier. It also allows you to use the weight of clubhead more, and let it glide under te ball.