John Phillips Tuition Series: Pitching
Swing / High Pitch Shots / Lower Pitch Shots

High Pitch Shots

The high pitch shot is used by lots of tour players such as Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia. They play these short shots over bunkers or when the flag is near to the front of the green. Try playing these with your S/I or with your lob wedge if you have one, remembering not to play this shot with your sand iron if the ground is very hard or if there is little grass to play the ball from. The sand iron has more bounce than a lob wedge or even the pitching wedge, and is designed to bounce off the sand and not dig in.

For this shot, play the ball slightly forward in your stance, open the club face, keep your hands level with the ball, stand with your feet closer together and aim left of the target. Make sure the club nips the grass and does not down through impact. Always try to remember to make a longer follow through than backswing and the result will be a shot that goes high and lands soft on the green.

Lower Pitch Shots

The low pitch shot can be played where there is a strong cross wind or the flag is placed well back on the green. To play this shot move the ball back in your stance, with your hands set slightly more in front of the ball. This will take the loft off the club allowing you a steeper angle of attack and in turn the ball will fly lower and run more when landing on the green.

.	When playing this shot try to make a slightly shorter punched swing. This in turn will help with the control.

Pitching: Swing / High Pitch Shots / Lower Pitch Shots