Golf Tips: The Pitch Shot

The pitch shot in golf is a close cousin to the chip shot and certainly a shot that you must develop your competency with this shot to complete your short game arsenal.

The biggest problem that I see time and time again with people who struggle with executing any type of pitch shot is that they decelerate their clubhead just before impact.

One concept that will help you begin to execute crisp pitch shots is to think of a shorter backswing with a longer follow through.

Now, I don’t mean to take an abbreviated short backswing and then a rapid jab at the ball with a semi manufactured follow through, but we do want the concept of a consistent lengthy follow through.

Many times the cause of deceleration just before impact is because the golfer has taken much too big of a backswing… and at the last moment the brain tries to adjust to the perceived too much distance by decelerating the club……. and yuk… or is that yak.

As you practice your pitch shots work to keep your backswing as short as necessary to get the job done with a smooth tempo. With the longer pitch shots make sure that your left hand leads the club through the shot and you don’t ‘flip’ the club at the golf ball.

As we mentioned in a previous lesson work your pitches to a static target using different clubs so you’ll begin to develop that all important ‘feel’ for your clubs and what they are (or aren’t) capable of. As you do this you’ll begin to develop a nice rhythm to your pitch swing and your confidence in this shot won’t be far behind.

The key to developing those deadly pitch shots lies in how much practice you allot for this part of your game. Remember, work to shorten you backswing and extend that follow through. Deceleration is the kiss of death for a pitch shot.

Your success is directly related to your time spent working on this shot.