Article #12
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Dear Jitterbug Gang:
I can't hit a soft pitch to save my life. I'm great at chipping, but it seems I'm too scared to let the club swing when executing pitch shots. Is there any trick you guys have that might make the standard pitch less troubling?
Jitterbug Gang Fan
Lord Berry responds:
First, let's differentiate between a chip and a pitch.
A chip is any shot from just off the green that, when properly executed, spends more time rolling than in the air.
A pitch, on the other hand, is a more lofted shot that spends more time flying than rolling on the ground.
Now, if you're having trouble with the pitch, but not so much with the chip, then you're probably correct in your assessment; you're not letting the club swing.
The problem is one of counter-intuition.
You see, a fifty-foot chip shot with say, a seven-iron, is a relatively small swing. So, after having become proficient at the low-running, seven-iron chip shot, and therefore, accustomed to the smaller swing required to run the ball fifty feet, golfers often find difficulty in making the longer swing needed when the ball must fly most of the way to the hole. This, more often than not, shows up as a nervous punch, empty of all grace and rhythm.
But, please, let's not intellectualize your troubles on a here's-what-you're-doing-wrong level. Rather, I suggest you train your body to pitch the ball the same way you've trained your body to chip.
The Drill:
First, find a seven-iron, a lofted wedge, ten balls, and a practice green with a hole cut at least fifty feet from one side or the other.
With the first five balls, you use your seven-iron to run the ball all the way to the hole.
With next five balls, use your wedge and a much longer swing to fly the balls all the way to the hole. With these five balls, however, err on the side of taking too large of a swing. Test yourself to see how long you can swing without flying the balls past the hole. Do several rounds of this, carefully contrasting the different amount of swing needed, and soon, you'll glide through your pitches with same freewheeling confidence as you exhibit when chipping.
Much Luck,
Lord Berry