How to pitch the ball like a tour pro
A typical pitch shot is the one needed to clear a bunker which guards a green. Stand behind the ball and visualize just where you wish the ball to land, and its flight. Face the hole and swing your arm backwards and forwards, giving you the feel of the shot. Imagine for a moment that you were going to throw the ball. The follow-through would be longer than the backswing. This is also true of your pitch shot. Remembering this will help ensure that you don’t stop on the shot: think of it as one-third back and two-thirds through. ln the early stages, it is advisable to play to the widest part of the green for safety. This will make for an easier shot.
One thing you do not wish to do is to take your next shot from deep in the bunker. Even tournament professionals do not always aim for the pin, but play ‘percentage shots’, those which offer the greater percentage chance of success in the end. Now you have the flight in your mind, select your club and study the lie. You may be tempted to loft the ball with the sand wedge, because that has the greatest loft of all the clubs in the bag. The danger is that if the ball is not cushioned by the grass, the heavy flange of the sand wedge will work against you. The ideal club for a pitch must therefore be the pitching wedge.
For the high pitch shot, assume a stance that positions the ball nearer to the left, or front, foot, forward of the centre line between your feet. Your feet should be fairly close together, the out- sides of your feet no wider than your shoulders. Your weight will be slightly more on your left side, with your knees relaxed. This cuts down the transference of weight when you swing the club and helps to keep the body still. This in turn helps you to hit down and through the ball. With this shot, a slight amount of wrist break is necessary to steepen the clubhead on the downswing, and give a little extra clubhead speed into the ball.
When striking the ball, the blade of the club, coming down under the ball, will lift it up and over the bunker to the green. Remember to follow through to ensure you don‘t ‘quit’ through the ball. Let the loft of the club do the work. Do not try to scoop. lf you do, you are likely to find yourself in the bunker. The length of your follow-through will be determined by the distance you wish the ball to pitch on the green — and remember you are not relying on much run. For a norma pitch a shot, use a lofted club to help give more lift to the ball. To play a running pitch shot, use a straighter faced club. The ball will stay closer to the ground and will have more run.
