Landing your golf ball softly on the green like a butterfly with sore feet from 30 yards out can turn a potential bogey into a simple tap-in par. This shot, the humble pitch, is one of the most valuable tools you can have in your bag. This article will walk you through exactly how to hit it, covering the proper setup, the simple feel of the swing, and how to dial in different distances so you can get up and down more often.
First, let’s clear something up. People often use the words "chip" and "pitch" interchangeably, but they are two very different shots with different goals. Think of it like this:
You’ll typically hit a pitch shot from distances where a full swing is too much power, but a simple chip won’t reach the green - usually anywhere from 20 to 50 yards out. It’s your go-to shot when you need to carry an obstacle like a bunker or a patch of rough, or when you’re hitting to an elevated green and need the ball to stop quickly.
Walking up to a pitch shot starts with picking the right club. Your wedges are designed specifically for this job, and the loft on the clubface is what produces that high, soft flight. Your main options are:
My advice? Start with your sand wedge. Consider it the standard tool for pitching. As you get more comfortable, you can begin experimenting with the gap wedge for lower shots and the lob wedge for higher ones. This simple system - one swing, three different clubs - is an easy way to get three different results without overcomplicating your thought process.
More than half the battle with pitching is won before you even start your swing. A solid and repeatable setup puts you in a position to make a clean, crisp strike every single time. It's different from your full swing setup, so let's walk through it step-by-step.
For a full swing, you want a wide, stable base. For a pitch shot, you want more feel and rotation. Narrow your stance so your feet are just inside your hips. A good guide is to have about one clubhead-width of space between your heels. This narrower stance helps your body rotate more freely through the ball, which is a big part of hitting good pitches.
For a standard pitch shot, the best place for the ball is right in the center of your stance. If you draw a line from the ball, it should point directly to the buttons on your shirt. This position helps you strike the ball at the bottom of your swing arc, which is essential for that ball-first, turf-second contact that feels so pure. Moving it back will produce a lower flight, and moving it up can help produce a slightly higher one, but the middle is your reliable home base.
This is extremely important. We want to encourage a downward strike on the ball, letting the loft of the wedge pop it into the air. To do this, you need to set about 60% of your weight on your front (lead) foot. It’s not an aggressive lean, just a subtle pressure shift. You should feel comfortably planted on that lead side.
At the same time, let your hands hang so they are slightly ahead of the clubhead. This creates what's called "forward shaft lean." This small move presets a solid impact position and prevents the tendency to scoop the ball. Imagine your hands, a point on your chest, and the ball all forming a lowercase ‘y’.
Pitching is about finesse, not raw power. For better feel and control, grip down on the club about an inch or two from the top. This effectively shortens the club, making it easier to control the clubface and your swing speed. This is one of the simplest and most effective ways to add precision to your short game.
So, to recap the setup: feet narrow, ball middle, weight forward, and choke down. Lock that in, and you're ready to make a swing.
Forget trying to power this shot. The pitching motion is not a mini-version of your full swing, it’s a different kind of swing altogether. It’s driven by your body’s rotation and a relaxed arm swing, a bit like a firm pendulum.
The best way to control your pitching distance is to vary the length of your backswing. Imagine your body is the center of a clock face. For most pitch shots, your arms will swing back somewhere between 7 o'clock and 10 o'clock.
The key here is that the follow-through should mirror the backswing. If you take it back to 9 o'clock, you should follow through to 3 o'clock. This creates symmetry and rhythm, which promotes acceleration through the ball.
One of the biggest mistakes amateurs make is swinging a wedge with only their hands and arms. A good pitch is a body-driven shot.
From your great setup position, the feeling should be that you use your chest and shoulders to rotate back away from the ball. Feel your arms and chest move together as one unit. There should be a natural hinging of the wrists, but it’s a consequence of the motion, not something you’re actively trying to do.
As you transition to the downswing, simply unwind your body. Let your chest rotate through towards the target. Since your weight is already forward, it’s easy to lead with your hands and make that crisp, descending blow. Remember, you are not trying to lift the ball. The loft of the wedge will get the ball airborne for you. Your job is to strike down on it, and the ball will pop up.
Your finishing position is an excellent indicator of a good pitch. You should finish with your chest facing the target, your belt buckle pointing at the target, and your weight almost entirely on your lead foot. You should be balanced and in control.
If your pitching shots aren’t going as planned, there's a good chance you’re falling into one of these common traps. Here’s what to look out for.
This is the most frequent issue. It comes from the incorrect impulse to try and "help" the ball into the air by flicking your wrists at impact. This scooping motion ruins your swing arc, leading to either thin "skull" shots that fly way over the green or fat "chunk" shots where the club hits the ground first.
The Fix: Keep the forward press you established at setup. The feeling you want is that your hands are leading the clubhead through the impact zone. A good drill is the "Towel Drill." Place a small towel under your lead armpit (your left armpit for a righty). Your goal is to make swings without dropping the towel. This forces your arms and body to rotate together as one unit, preventing your arms from detaching and flipping.
This is a fear-based habit. When a golfer is nervous about hitting a short, delicate shot, they often slow the club down right before impact. This is probably the number one cause of the dreaded chunk shot. The club loses momentum and digs into the ground behind the ball.
The Fix: Focus on making a smooth, committed follow-through. A good thought is to make sure your chest finishes facing the target. Remember the clock system: swing back to 9 o’clock and accelerate through to 3 o’clock. Never stop the swing right at the ball.
Building a solid pitching game is about mastering a repeatable setup and a simple, body-driven motion. With a narrow stance, weight forward, and a focus on rotating your chest through to a balanced finish, you'll be knocking it close to the pin in no time. Stick to a smooth rhythm and trust the loft of the club to do the work, and you will see your scores begin to drop.
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