PITCHING
DO THIS How do you produce consistent height and distance on pitch shots? It comes from returning the club to impact with the loft and shaft lean similar to what they were at address (left). Watch elite pitchers and you’ll see very little hand “action” at the ball. They are gliding the club through, letting it skid along the grass, often taking only a thin divot. As those players turn through, they’re getting taller with their torso, creating space to swing through. The arc of the swing is rising a bit, which promotes contact on the bottom four grooves of the club. This takes variables out and lets you alter height and distance by simply changing the club, face angle or swing speed.
NOT THAT The perception many players have of where pure contact on a pitch shot comes from is that the hands are dramatically ahead and the clubhead smashes down on the ball to produce backspin. That’s quite different than what you really need. There’s no doubt a setup like this (above) will create a sharp angle of attack. But if you ever want to hit a shot with some loft, you’ll have to hang back and flip your hands, which brings fat and thin shots into the picture. Yes, backspin can be helpful under certain conditions, but your pitching game will be vastly more predictable when you control your distance with loft and landing angle, not how much spin you put on the ball.
GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA 93
JULY/AUGUST 2024
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