Golf - Preparing For That Perfect Pitch Shot

Whenever I step into my new EZ GO golf cart (which really stands out form the crowd with its EZ GO lift kit conversion) and head out onto the course I feel like someone special as heads turn from those people in their sabby looking old club golf carts. However, this feeling soon evaporates when I start playing and people see the very poor quality of my pitch shot.

The pitch shot is a classic example of the balance required in golf as both a physical and mental sport and every pitch shot you make needs to be planned carefully. Before even addressing your ball you have to examine the area you will be playing over and take note of the conditions so that you can decide exactly how you intend to make your shot.

In putting together your plan you must ask yourself 5 questions:

1. What is the target? Normally the answer to this will clearly be the hole, however when the cup has been set in a difficult position, like tucked behind a bunker or cut very close to the side of the putting green, you may well decide not to shoot directly for the hole but to have your ball land near the hole leaving you with a fairly simple shot to putt out.

2. How flat is the surface of the green? While many greens are fairly flat a lot are also far from flat and may have a substantial fall from one side to the other or from front to back. The green may also be tiered with the flag placed on one of several 'steps' in the green. Any slope on the green will obviously affect your shot as you do not want your ball to land near the hole and then rolling back down the slope away from the cup and maybe even clear off the green.

3. How far should the ball fly before it lands? Whether you are aiming directly for the cup or trying to fire your ball onto the front of the green and roll it on up to the cup it is essential to know precisely how far you wish the ball to travel through the air as this will directly affect you choice of club.

4. Will the wind affect my shot? If you are playing in windy conditions then you must gauge the effect that the wind will have on your shot. For example, you might want to change your choice of club to account for the wind and to keep the flight of your pitch as low as you can. As an alternative, you could decide that you should use the wind to your advantage and aim off target so that the wind carries your ball back onto your target line.

5. How fast is the green? The condition of the green is very important and you must gauge this against holes that you have already played or the conditions on the practice ground. Is the putting green, for example, hard and dry in which case the ball is going to bounce and might run a considerable distance, or is the green soft and wet in which case your ball could well stop dead when it lands.

By carefully considering each of these 5 questions you will find that you can select your target, chose your club and make your shot with a definite picture of precisely the line to follow in order to get the result you want.

Related Articles

Resources