Golfing Advice - Planning For The Faultless Pitch Shot
Author: Donald Saunders
Category: Sports
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The pitched shot is a classic example of the balance demanded in golf as not only a physical but also a mental sport and every pitch shot you take must be carefully planned. Before you even address your ball you must look at the area you are playing over and take note of the conditions so that you can decide precisely how you intend to play the shot.
When deciding upon your plan you have to ask yourself 5 questions:
1. What am I aiming at? Normally the answer will clearly be the hole, however if the cup is in a difficult position, like tucked in behind a bunker or cut very close to the side of the green, you might well decide not to aim directly for the hole but to have your ball land close to the hole leaving you a relative simple shot to putt out.
2. How level is the surface of the green? While the majority of greens are quite flat some are also far from flat and have a sizeable fall from front to back or from on side to the other. The putting green might also be tiered with the flag situated on one of two or more 'steps' in the green. A slope on the putting surface is obviously going to affect your shot because you do not want your ball landing close to the hole and then rolling down the slope away from the cup and possibly even right off the green.
3. How far should the ball fly before it lands? Whether you are aiming straight for the hole or trying to fire your ball onto the front of the green and roll it up to the cup it is essential to know exactly how far you require the ball to travel through the air because this is going to directly affect you choice of club.
4. What effect will the wind have on my shot? If you are playing in the wind then you must estimate the effect that the wind will have on your shot. You may, for example, wish to change your choice in club to accommodate the wind and keep the flight of your pitch as low as possible. Alternatively, you might decide that you should use the wind to your advantage and aim off target, allowing the wind to carry the ball back onto your target line.
5. How fast is the green? The state of the green is exceedingly important and you need to judge this against holes which you have already played or the conditions on the practice ground. For example, is the green hard and dry in which case the ball will bounce and could run quite a considerable distance, or is it wet and soft in which case your ball could stop dead when it lands.
By considering each of these questions carefully you will find that you can pick your target, select your club and take your shot with a clear picture of exactly the line to follow in order to get the result you are looking for.
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Keywords: pitch shot, choice of club, choice of target, wet or dry green, windy conditions
View Count: 178
Date Submitted: 11/22/2009
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