Pitching problems

[MJE77]

I'm having trouble hitting shots when I don't do a full swing. I don't know what I'm doing wrong but I very often hit shots that go very low and off to the right at about 60 degrees! This is very embarrasing when I'm on a very public pitch and putt course where the fairways and holes are all close together.

I go to the local pitch and putt for practice with this and shoot higher scores than on the full courses lol.

Today at the range I tried hitting some 50 yards and in shots off the mat with my sandwedge and the first dozen I hit were near perfect and I was really happy. I wasn't even paying attention to the line of my feet it didn't seem to matter. Then I choked further down on the grip to hit it shorter (as I was hitting it 40-50 yards with just a hip-height shot) and up popped the problem of the ball flying off to the right. I put my hands back to the top of the grip and was still doing this shot and got really frustrated. I must have hit 10-15 balls on the trot that all did this before I hit my last 2 balls as full shots which were fine.

[gord962]

Re: Pitching problems

Short shots require a bit of a different approach. The club must go back along the target line and return along the target line. Try my drill http://members.shaw.ca/gord962/drills/chipping.htm

[MJE77]

Re: Pitching problems

Thanks for the quick reply and the link but that isn't really the shot I have trouble with. My short chipping whether lob shot or bump and run is pretty good for a beginner. It's when I have to hit it 30-80 yards where I have trouble coz it's too far for a chip and too short for a full swing.

[gord962]

Re: Pitching problems

Sorry!

With 30 - 80 yard shots, it is most important to accelerate through the ball. Therefore, you can not swing to the top of your backswing. This is where most people have troubles. Several problems can start here. Some try to swing all the way back and slow their tempo down. This usually creates a disconnect of your natural motions and a poor shot is the result. Another common problem is to take a full swing, start their downswing at the same speed as a full swing, then start to decellerate as the clubhead approaches the ball. This leads to all sorts of disasters with any shot. Another common problem is to bring the club back 1/2 or 3/4 or where ever they need to go, but they turn their hips fully on the backswing. The hips should not be turned, full swing, half swing, 3/4 swing. The hips should only move as they are pulled by your upper body - there should not be a conscience/deliberate movement of your hips. You are still trying to create coil against your hips, so keep your hips as quite as possible. The amount you bring your club back will disctate the distance the ball will travel, the farther you bring them back, the further the ball will go. Accelerate through the ball, keeping your hands ahead. Ensure your followthrough is the same distance (or as close to as possible) as the length of your backswing. This will ensure you have properly accelerated through the ball.

Back when I had nothing better to do than spend my days at the range, I knew exactly how far to bring my hands back to adjust for every 5 yards. Obviously, this takes quite a bit of time to establish and practice. That being said, every 10 yards you should have a club and swing. It becomes a 'feel' thing. There is no secret, other than to build a great full swing, then replicate your full swing shortening it until you learn how far bringing your hands back will affect your distance.

Better yet, don't leave yourself with those types of distances. Use course management to keep your tee shots outside the 100 yard marker if you can reach the green. I will hit the green 9/10 from 100 yards and probably only 6/10 from 60 or 70 yards, so I try not to leave myself those shots.

[MJE77]

Re: Pitching problems

I think I should get a vid of me doing one of these shots for you guys to disect. I may even be able to see the problem myself on tape.

[ph_kingston]

Re: Pitching problems

Great stuff Gord, I'll be using some of those tips myself.

One thing I've noticed with 1/2 to 3/4 shots is that it's easy to lose discipline in the set-up and swing. Apart from keeping my weight more on my front front and the ball a tad further back in the stance, I use the same routine and swing (albeit a little steeper) that I use with every other club in the bag (putter aside). From the problems you are having with one particular shot, it would seem to me that you are swinging very differently with these shots. Use the same technique that works for full shots and then all you should need to do is to adjust your coordination to adjust for the shorter swing.

Hope this helps.

Paul

[Simon Woo]

Re: Pitching problems

Tip from David Leadbetter :

If you are trying to hit 60yds, imagine you are swinging at the ball at 60mph. If you are trying to hit 40yds, imagine swinging at 40mph. Try it

[MJE77]

Re: Pitching problems

Thanks for the tips guys, will try em out when I get chance.

[computer_guy33]

Re: Pitching problems

Sounds like you might be leaving the face open when you make contact on a short swing. I've done that before. I even have the proper swing where you are hitting down on the ball and leaving the thin divot in front of where the ball was laying.

Try Dave Pelz's "Short Game Bible". Dave presents the science of the short game in layman's terms.

To summarize his book, you end up working with your wedges (P,S,L,X) and
using 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, and full swings. Even with the 1/4 swing, you still need
to accelerate fully and hit the ball. You can learn the distance with each club and later will be able to stand in the fairway knowing that a 1/2 swing with your PW will give you that perfect 70 yard shot to land within the golden eight foot distance of the cup. This will better your odds of making a one putt.

There are many other topics covered in the book, but the swing techinques mentioned above are my favorite. They have shaved a lot of strokes from my game.