Winter Golf Prep

The pitch shot is one of those techniques that can completely transform your scoring around the greens. A clean, controlled pitch that lands softly and checks near the hole turns bogeys into pars and pars into birdies. But a lot of golfers make it harder than it needs to be. Here's a simple pitching technique that works for most recreational golfers.

Start with a Narrow, Open Stance

Set up with your feet closer together than you would for a full iron shot. Open your stance slightly by pulling your lead foot back from the target line. This shortens your backswing naturally, promotes a steeper angle of attack, and makes it easier to rotate through the shot. The narrow, open stance is the foundation of a reliable pitching technique.

Set Your Weight Forward

At address, set about 60 to 65 percent of your weight on your lead foot and keep it there throughout the swing. This forward weight position promotes a descending hit into the ball, which is exactly what you need for clean contact on pitch shots. Hanging back or shifting weight to the trail side at impact is the most common cause of chunked pitches and thin blades.

Hinge Early on the Backswing

Take the club back with an early wrist hinge. On a standard pitch shot, the club should be roughly parallel to the ground and the face pointing at the sky when your lead arm is parallel to the ground. This hinge loads the wrists and sets up the downward strike you need. A flat, arms-only backswing leads to a sweeping motion that produces inconsistent contact.

Accelerate Through Impact

The most common mistake amateur golfers make on pitch shots is decelerating into the ball. They take a full backswing and then slow down at impact, which leads to inconsistent contact and poor distance control. Commit to accelerating through the ball and finishing with the clubface pointing at the sky on the follow-through. A shorter backswing with full acceleration is almost always better than a long backswing with a deceleration.

Control Distance with Backswing Length

Once you have a consistent technique, controlling distance becomes a matter of controlling backswing length. A clock-face mental model helps: a 7 o'clock to 5 o'clock swing covers a certain distance, and adding more length to the backswing adds distance. Spend time on the short game area building a feel for how far the ball travels with each swing length. That feel is what makes your pitching reliable under pressure.

For dedicated practice on your pitch shots and short game, visit the short game and chipping area at Redlands Mesa. Our private golf lessons and group golf clinics are available if you want personalized instruction to take your pitching to the next level.