How important is the pitch shot in golf?
Consider that if Kenny Perry had made just one out of two good pitch shots on the final two holes at the 2009 Masters, he would now be picking out ties for his new green jacket.
But how important is the ability to hit consistent pitch shots for the average golfer? According to Jack Snyder, Head Golf Professional at Glenmore Country Club, a high handicap golfer could take up to 18 strokes off his or her score card. That’s a stroke a hole.
“I often hear golfers admit that they are terrible putters,” Jack said. “Frequently, it’s not that they are terrible putters, but weak with their short games. They make bad pitch shots and don’t give themselves a chance to make putts.”
The chip shot is something less than a full swing, usually made within 20 to 40 yards of the green. It’s not terribly difficult, Jack says, but it’s a shot the average player simply does not practice.
“I see golfers on the range hitting away with full irons up to drivers all the time, but rarely do I see them practicing with pitches to a close target,” he noted.
Jack said the pitch shot starts with the proper club selection – a sand wedge, not a nine iron or pitching wedge.
“Loft is your friend with a pitch shot,” Jack emphasized. “A sand wedge gives you higher trajectory so you don’t need to put spin on the ball to hold the green. With a high loft, the ball settles quickly.”
Jack teaches his students to position the ball in the center of their stance with the weight ever so slightly on the front or target leg. This helps the golfer from over swinging.
The key to a good pitch shot, Jack says, is accelerating through the ball, but limiting the back swing in distance.
“Before I play tournaments I practice my pitching by putting three towels out at 20, 30 and 40 yards,” Jack explained. “Then I try to hit each towel. To gauge the distance, I start with a 9 o’clock swing, taking the club half way back to full.”
By reducing the swing to an 8 o’clock or to a 7:30 o’clock position, the golfer then becomes aware of how far back to take the club to travel the required distance.
Jack says that the pitch shot includes a normal grip with a very slight wrist unhinging on the back swing, but absolutely no sense of release on the forward swing.
“You accelerate, but not exaggerate the club head speed on impact,” he states. “You must follow through to hit the ball crisply.”
A common mistake that average golfers make when attempting a close-in pitch shot is playing the ball too far back in their stance. This causes a steeper swing, which can result in hitting on top or behind the ball.
“Golfers also tend to use too much wrist action on their pitches and they often quit on the shot, rather than accelerating through the swing. Another mistake is the club choice, using too much club and knocking the ball over the green,” Jack concluded.
Bottom line: if you want to improve your putting, get closer to the hole with an accurate pitch shot. And if you want to knock a bunch of strokes off your score card, practice your pitching at least as much as you practice the other shots in your bag.
