Video of Tom Kite Pitch-Chip from Down The Line High FPS Entire Ball Flight

[nevets88]

This looks to me like an Utley type swing, ball is in middle of stance, bounce utilized, barely/no divot. Maybe it's windy or the angle, even looks like there's a little draw to it. Just let this thing repeat and admire.

https://instagram.com/p/0YSOq3qeAO/

Off topic, but love how so many more high fps videos are available now since iPhone got 120 fps.

[iacas]

This looks to me like an Utley type swing, ball is in middle of stance, bounce utilized, barely/no divot. Maybe it's windy or the angle, even looks like there's a little draw to it. Just let this thing repeat and admire.

https://instagram.com/p/0YSOq3qeAO/

Off topic, but love how so many more high fps videos are available now since iPhone got 120 fps.

The iPhone 6 does 240 FPS. :)

Still a bit more manipulation than I'd like to see. He's "forcing" (for lack of a better word) the bounce to engage, he's "forcing" the path a bit left, etc. He's still pretty square at impact, and has to hold the face off a little bit more than I like.

Most PGA Tour pros pitch this way, but it also requires a bit more maintenance and practice than I like to see.

[mvmac]

The iPhone 6 does 240 FPS. :)

Still a bit more manipulation than I'd like to see. He's "forcing" (for lack of a better word) the bounce to engage, he's "forcing" the path a bit left, etc. He's still pretty square at impact, and has to hold the face off a little bit more than I like.

Most PGA Tour pros pitch this way, but it also requires a bit more maintenance and practice than I like to see.

To me it looks too "armsy" and that requires him to force the bounce to engage. Kite is obviously very good at these kind of shots but he's kind of making it harder than it has to be.

I tend to prefer this style, this is Dufner. More pivot, club head slightly inside the hands. Both can work, from my experience having a pitching style that's more pivot based and letting the club "release" is less maintenance.

[David in FL]

To me it looks too "armsy" and that requires him to force the bounce to engage. Kite is obviously very good at these kind of shots but he's kind of making it harder than it has to be. I tend to prefer this style, this is Dufner. More pivot, club head slightly inside the hands. Both can work, from my experience having a pitching style that's more pivot based and letting the club "release" is less maintenance.  [URL=http://thesandtrap.com/content/type/61/id/116200/] [/URL]

[quote name="iacas" url="/t/80887/video-of-tom-kite-pitch-chip-from-down-the-line-high-fps-entire-ball-flight#post_1117629"] The iPhone 6 does 240 FPS. :) Still a bit more manipulation than I'd like to see. He's "forcing" (for lack of a better word) the bounce to engage, he's "forcing" the path a bit left, etc. He's still pretty square at impact, and has to hold the face off a little bit more than I like. Most PGA Tour pros pitch this way, but it also requires a bit more maintenance and practice than I like to see. [/quote] I'm not sure that I understand what you mean by "forcing the bounce to engage". Can you explain that a little more, and contrast it with what you'd rather see? Thanks!

[SavvySwede]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mvmac

To me it looks too "armsy" and that requires him to force the bounce to engage. Kite is obviously very good at these kind of shots but he's kind of making it harder than it has to be.

I tend to prefer this style, this is Dufner. More pivot, club head slightly inside the hands. Both can work, from my experience having a pitching style that's more pivot based and letting the club "release" is less maintenance.

Quote:

Originally Posted by iacas

The iPhone 6 does 240 FPS. :)

Still a bit more manipulation than I'd like to see. He's "forcing" (for lack of a better word) the bounce to engage, he's "forcing" the path a bit left, etc. He's still pretty square at impact, and has to hold the face off a little bit more than I like.

Most PGA Tour pros pitch this way, but it also requires a bit more maintenance and practice than I like to see.

I'm not sure that I understand what you mean by "forcing the bounce to engage". Can you explain that a little more, and contrast it with what you'd rather see?

Thanks!

My guess would be "forcing the bounce to engage" means flipping. Really need a face on view for this kind of shot.

[iacas]

I'm not sure that I understand what you mean by "forcing the bounce to engage". Can you explain that a little more, and contrast it with what you'd rather see?

Flipping, actively throwing the wrist angles out because you're otherwise coming in steep and with the leading edge of the club.

[mvmac]

I'm not sure that I understand what you mean by "forcing the bounce to engage". Can you explain that a little more, and contrast it with what you'd rather see?

Thanks!

As @iacas said, forcing it would be consciously or actively trying to flip it rather than just letting it happen. Kite doesn't put himself in a position to "let it happen". I'll try to film a quick video tomorrow or Sat.

[David in FL]

Flipping, actively throwing the wrist angles out because you're otherwise coming in steep and with the leading edge of the club.

As @iacas said, forcing it would be consciously or actively trying to flip it rather than just letting it happen. Kite doesn't put himself in a position to "let it happen". I'll try to film a quick video tomorrow or Sat.

Thanks.  I'm just struggling to understand how what Kite is doing differs from the normal hinge/unhinge that I normally use.  It alsoh seems to me to be very close to what you've also talked about here, which I've always liked.....

[Ferguson]

I’m glad to see someone posted this. Tom Kite as we know was a student of the late great Harvey Penick. In the Little Green Video , there are 7-8 minutes are dedicated to chipping and pitching with Tom Kite. The segment explains Tom Kite’s approach to chipping and pitching as tossing the ball on the green. It’s fascinating to listen to Tom explain the “tossing” technique. If you can find it – please watch it. It’s time well spent.

[iacas]

Thanks.  I'm just struggling to understand how what Kite is doing differs from the normal hinge/unhinge that I normally use.  It alsoh seems to me to be very close to what you've also talked about here, which I've always liked.....

It's not the same.

Kite's using a little more leading edge, a steeper plane, and he has to more actively time the throwing of his wrists. Those are all (again, only a little - it's not like anyone is saying his technique is terrible) in conflict with what we prefer to see:

• Shallower exposes bounce on its own
• Pivot-driven downswing
• Clubhead falls on its own without active anything

[Zeph]

It's not the same.

Kite's using a little more leading edge, a steeper plane, and he has to more actively time the throwing of his wrists. Those are all (again, only a little - it's not like anyone is saying his technique is terrible) in conflict with what we prefer to see:

Shallower exposes bounce on its own

Pivot-driven downswing

Clubhead falls on its own without active anything

Does that mean the speed or movement of the hands needs to change compared to what he does, to let the clubhead catch up? With the style he uses today, do the hands go too fast to allow the clubhead to drop only with gravity? Let the hands slow down as they approach the impact area to allow the clubhead to catch up?

[mvmac]

[David in FL]

Thanks Mike.

[natureboy]

As @iacas said, forcing it would be consciously or actively trying to flip it rather than just letting it happen. Kite doesn't put himself in a position to "let it happen". I'll try to film a quick video tomorrow or Sat.

But isn't Kite one of Dave Pelz' original 'dead hands' distance wedge pupils? Could it be what you see as an active flip is just the right arm swinging ('tossing') through in a gravity-driven, but loose-armed motion?

[mvmac]

But isn't Kite one of Dave Pelz' original 'dead hands' distance wedge pupils?

Kite isn't hitting a distance wedge, he's just pitching it.

Could it be what you see as an active flip is just the right arm swinging ('tossing') through in a gravity-driven, but loose-armed motion?

"Gravity driven" would involve utilizing the pivot. @iacas explained it pretty well here.

Kite's using a little more leading edge, a steeper plane, and he has to more actively time the throwing of his wrists. Those are all (again, only a little - it's not like anyone is saying his technique is terrible) in conflict with what we prefer to see:

Shallower exposes bounce on its own

Pivot-driven downswing

Clubhead falls on its own without active anything

[natureboy]

Kite isn't hitting a distance wedge, he's just pitching it.

"Gravity driven" would involve utilizing the pivot. @iacas explained it pretty well here.

Do you define a distance wedge as a shot using (partial) full swing mechanics? Distance wedge by Dave Pelz' definition is what I meant.

Looked to me that he is hitting to about 90 feet (30 yards) rather than 45 feet (15 yards), but if it's closer he could be doing a 'max spin' pitch which is a non-stock pitch for him per Pelz' system. If that was the case and there was a lot of shaft lean, I would think the trajectory would be lower and the follow-through shorter. I expect he still largely uses Pelz' system because he worked long and hard at it (ingrained feels) and helped him nab a major.

I agree it's steeper than your recommended stock pitch (which I like a lot). Just saying that what I understand of his stock shot is intended to be 'dead-hands' with the pendulum arm swing synchronized with the body turn squaring / releasing the club 'automatically' with the right arm loosely 'tossing' under & through. Not sure that steeper always equals 'active' hands.

[iacas]

Do you define a distance wedge as a shot using (partial) full swing mechanics? Distance wedge by Dave Pelz' definition is what I meant.

Distance wedges are Full Swing Motion shots. They don't use pitching mechanics.

[natureboy]

Distance wedges are Full Swing Motion shots. They don't use pitching mechanics.

By who's definition, though? As far as I am concerned a 'pitch' is just a non-full shot that flies more than it rolls...and I've even heard pros use an inverted definition with 'chipping' (though I think it's wrong).

My read of Scoring Bible doesn't jive with his 'Distance Wedge' being full-swing mechanics. By definition they are intended to be partial shots used inside a player's lowest full-swing distance. They lack kinetic chain / sequence, hands are 'dead' or passive. The primary similarity with full swing mechanics is there is some body rotation and a wrist cock.