question about pitches

[Erik_K]

I played my first round yesterday and while just about every facet of my game needs attention, the pitching was severely bad. Here's what happens...

Blade goes under the ball and the result is a shot that goes almost straight up, not much carry. This might be of some use when the pin is very close to me and I need to get the ball over a bunker or something.

Skulled pitch shots

So it seems that when I try to use more bounce, I "overdo" it and the ball goes no where. I realize that I cannot play with a leading edge divot. On the other hand, I do tend to skull pitches, and even chip shots.

As far as I can tell I don't flip my wrists nor do hang back on the right foot. What is seldom discussed with pitching is that you (may) need to come down on a rather steep angle (swing more left) to make solid contact. I know I have been guilty in the past with bunker shots in that I swing too much to the right.

Can someone review the takeaway for the pitch? Also how about the path into the ball? Is it more left than one would realize? I am wondering, in my case, if the technique is decent (hands OK, good pivot, no deceleration) but if I am too shallow, the blade is hitting the ball in the wrong spot (?).

I tend to not have much wrist cock for full shots and maybe I need an earlier set followed by a slightly more leftward path.

Erik

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

I bet a dollar your takeaway is very inside. Go practice pitch shots with a slightly open stance and use a takeaway that FEELS outside to you. Don't change anything else.

 

[Erik_K]

Thanks, Jim. I will work on the clubhead going more outside and see what happens.

Erik

 

[globus]

What has really helped my pitching is just doing my takeaway until the butt end of the club is pointing to the ground, pivot and release until the butt end of the club again points at the ground in my follow through.

Grooving this action and controlling distance from 30 yards up with my pivot speed has really improved my pitching. Additionally this wrist release has improved my ball striking with full swing irons.

 

[bgoodyear]

From BM on another thread "Instead, think about keeping the butt of the grip close to your beltline throughout the shot. The best players in the world keep the distance between the club and their belt constant. This move gives you a slightly flatter angle of descent into the ball, lessening the chances of chunking the shot and also forcing the right wrist to release a bit - that adds loft and produces both more spin and more consistent contact. Practicing right-hand only pitch shots will help ingrain the proper motion, too."

I'm liking this swing thought

 

[softconsult]

It's something I have posted before and is an affirmation of the prior post. My one and only Brian lesson, last 10 minutes of it. I was complaining about chunking chips. Chipped a couple. He said "Pop Out". I followed his constant distance of hands from beltline instruction, and hit 5 or so chips. Problem instantly solved, and has stayed solved.

 

[Matt 4-L]

I find it sometimes hard to use the bounce if my grip starts getting on the strong side, I chip/pitch much better with a neutral to weak grip, maybe something to play with.