Pitch Shot - Get It Close High Or Low

By: Brad Myers

To become better at executing a pitch shot, you will need to learn how to control the initial trajectory or launch of the shot. Have you noticed that on Tour most players will use a sandwedge or a sixty degree wedge from around the green? Sometimes they will throw the ball up in the air and have it stop quickly and other times it will run the majority of the way to the hole. Here is how they do it.

A lower trajectory, you must first place the ball back in your stance with sixty percent of your weight on your left foot for right-handed golfers. This will seem odd at first. Depending how low you need to hit the shot this could be as far back as the big toe on your right foot for a right-handed golfer. Also, insure that your hands or grip are by your left thigh. This will lean the shaft towards the target and de-loft the club face otherwise, turning your sandwedge into say an eight or nine iron. For a short shot from just off the green just make your putting stroke and allow the grip end of the club to return ahead of the clubhead as it was at address. In your finish position, make sure that your grip is in front of your left thigh for a right handed player and be able to hold your finish position there for a count of three seconds.

A medium trajectory, place the ball in the middle of your stance. As you look down at your hands, the grip end of the club should be just in front of the ball. For a short shot from just off the green just make your putting stroke and allow the grip end of the club to return ahead of the clubhead as it was at address. In your finish position, make sure that your grip is in front of your left thigh for a right handed player and be able to hold your finish position there for a count of three seconds.

A high trajectory, place the ball in front of the center of your stance. The grip end of the golf club should be pointing at the middle of your body. You will notice that the more the grip end of the club moves towards the center of your body the club will look like that it has more loft on the face. For a short shot from just off the green, you will need to create some more clubhead speed to allow for the extra loft on the clubface. Insure the grip end of the club to returns equal to the clubhead as it was at address. Again, you should be able to hold your finish for a count of three seconds.

With some visualization, now you too can hit different shots. You can hit a high shot to get to that front flag or a low shot to get to the back flag. You will look like a Pro!

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