The key to consistent pitching lies in having control
over distance. I'm going to teach you how to play three distinct shots
that will all travel different distances. With the technique in place,
as you gain confidence you won't have to worry about how far the shot
will travel and you'll be able to concentrate on where you want the
shot to finish. In each case the through-swing is a mirror image of
the downswing and that means my rhythm is smooth. You shouldn't feel
on a shorter pitch shot that you're swinging the club at a different
tempo. All you change is the length of the swing.
1 and 2
This what I call my eight o'clock swing on account
of where my left arm is pointing at the end of my backswing.
For this shot I grip well down the shaft and I hit the ball
around 30 - 40 yards. By the end of my follow-through, I'm in
the mirror-image position of four o'clock.
3 and 4
This is my medium pitch shot that travels 50-60 yards. Note
my left arm is pointing to nine o'clock. The length of the
swing is the only difference between the shots. At the end
of the swing, my arm is facing three o'clock.
5 and 6
Finally, the 10 o'clock swing. The opposite finishing position
is two o'clock. I would expect this shot to travel 70-80 yards.
Sarah's Secrets
Trust the length of your swing to determine how far the shot will
go. Don't force the swing to make the ball go 10 yards further and
don't quit on the shot for fear of flying the green.
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