Having learned the movements required to make the full swing, let’s turn our attention to the shorter length shots. Ones that require you to modify the full swing into a part. In this article, we will learn to ‘pitch’ the ball.
Distance in pitching is controlled by the length of swing you make. Let’s say that the maximum distance you hit with a sand wedge is 90 yards. What would you do if you need to hit the ball 70-60–50 yards? You would swing shorter. The further you want to hit the ball, the more backswing you take. Simply put, the swing for a pitch is a curtailed version of a full swing.
This is a shot that requires more flight than roll and will cover about 90 per cent of the distance in the air. Hence, we need to select one of the more lofted clubs in the bag – either the sand wedge or the pitching wedge. The difference being that a pitching wedge will roll just a bit more after landing.
Pic 1 shows the set-up. The ball is positioned in the middle of the feet, as we want to make contact with the ball first. We want the bottom of the swing arc to be ahead of the ball. As this is a short-range shot, even a slight mishit will result in an average outcome. To get more control, hold the club a bit lower on the grip (we call this ‘choking down’ on the grip). Keep the body weight favoring the left foot and hands slightly ahead of the ball.
{{/usCountry}}Pic 1 shows the set-up. The ball is positioned in the middle of the feet, as we want to make contact with the ball first. We want the bottom of the swing arc to be ahead of the ball. As this is a short-range shot, even a slight mishit will result in an average outcome. To get more control, hold the club a bit lower on the grip (we call this ‘choking down’ on the grip). Keep the body weight favoring the left foot and hands slightly ahead of the ball.
{{/usCountry}}Pic 2 shows the backswing. As I mentioned, this is exactly how you would swing the club back if making a full swing. Only difference being, here we stop short to control the speed that we need to generate in the downswing.
Pic 3 shows the impact position. The lower body stays quiet throughout the swing. We simply rotate the upper body down and through the ball, letting the clubhead accelerate, and making contact with the ball in a descending angle. The hands at impact are ahead of the clubhead, eliminating chances of a ‘flick’ wherein the clubhead passes the hands.
Some players try to get control of the swing by practicing specific lengths of the backswing (club head position – knee high, belt high, shoulder high), while others practice feel for distance by looking at the target and reacting to it. Both are correct. It depends on which concept your mind understands better.
There are infinite permutations and combinations in pitching. With distance and height of the shot being the two factors, if you set up by increasing the loft on the clubface – the same length of swing will result in shorter distance.
As I always advise my students, take your sand wedge and a bucket of balls to the practice green and play shots from different spots. Each unique situation can be handled if you learn to play with various combinations of length of swing and loft. Regular pitching practice will be immensely helpful in getting good at this kind of shot.
(The author has been a golf professional for over 20 years)