Pulling pitch shots

This topic contains 4 replies, has 3 voices, and was last updated by  Stephen 6 years, 9 months ago.

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • Pulling pitch shots
  • #870149

    I have a problem pulling pitch shots. Any thoughts ?

    #871766
    Lee
    Lee

    Hi Robert.

    Can you give a bit more on textual information. But in the meantime here’s my examples. I have a par 3 145yds up hill often with or against wind on the front 9 of my home course. I pretty much do 1 of three things after taking aim at the middle of the green; 1. Draw/pull it left, 2. Go straight at it but often short or 3. cut/push it right of the green.

    Before I started Tathata, it was a bit of a lottery which outcome I got. Now I’m either straight short or long of pull/draw left. For me here’s what’s going on.

    1. Club selection and how high I tee of the ball. The distance is never the same as they tee markers get moved back and forth and the wind is against or with, typically. As of yet I just don’t have a stock shot with PW, 9, or 8 I can go to for a 145yds. This shot is now key for me for 2nd / 3r shots into the Par4’s and 5’s and the tee shot on the Par 3.

    As a side we also have an SI 18 Par 3 as the shortest hole on the course and statistically its my worse hole (averaged over 12months of golf!!!)

    2. I have a big tendency to think of my stock yardage as the perfect strike, longest distance, fullest shot. So if I under-club I have a tendency to widen my stance drop my hands, 3qtr – full swing and over power it with speed and strength with my upper body and hands…. its going left all day long!!

    3. If I decide to play a kind of layup / lazy, half – 3/4 swing I get my timing all wrong, my top half and bottom half are disconnected, I’m a bit taller with my stance, hands are a bit easier and higher and the face ends up open and …. its right all day long.

    I’m learning to just hit a straight stock shot and know what my average stock yardage is for each club. I can then learn to make and trust the decisions over and above that about elevation, wind, ball lie, stance, pin position etc etc ….

    Right now I’m trying to do the above but by hitting wedges 20yds into a basket in my garden, with one purpose, protecting the face to keep it stock and straight and the think I most need to practice is the baseball move, surf to level and hit through impact, with correct pressure of course. All of these will keep my whole body moving as one ‘connected’, because in the points above, clearly my legs are quiet and bu arms active, or legs/hips fast and arms lazy / slow, or no pressure.

    As I build up the accuracy and distance control I’ll extend the yardage. So for now on the course I’m just trying to take one or two extra clubs.

    Let us know about your situation. Is it a draw or a pull. Is it a specific shot; Par-3 tee shot, 2nd shot on a par 4. How’s the lie/stance?

    Hope that helps for now.

    Lee (UK-Sussex)

    #880815

    It is an absolute pull.

    #882509
    Lee
    Lee

    Try a push….

    #913576

    I went thru this for a while. The simple cure for me was to make sure the motion of the pitch is driven in the same way as the full swing but obviously a mini version. The set up is slightly different in that feet can be square and weight slightly left (important to remember that the weight left is as a result of feeling like your at the end of a mini surf to level rather than just leaning left).

    Once your set up properly execute your mini swing as fast or slow as you like and as the shot dictates. Increasing pressure appropriately is crucial, as is MAKING SURE THE GLUTES GO BACK as you surf to level. If your glutes don’t go back your right knee and hip will come forward and the club (even in this mini swing) will be thrown out over the top.

    The only result of that will be a pull all day long. (And maybe the odd shank! Ouch!)

    If you hit it solid and straight with your full swing I’d practice full wedge shots and alternate mini wedge shots ensuring that (once you’ve made the slight set up changes) the feelings are the same. Max focus on surf to level and glutes back with appropriate pressure.

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.