Peter Finch: The New Way to Pitch
Many top pros - certainly those with the best short games - now use the sole's bounce far more when pitching. Peter Finch explains golf's new way to pitch
Many top pros - certainly those with the best short games - now use the sole's bounce far more when pitching. Peter Finch explains golf's new way to pitch
THE NEW WAY TO PITCH Many golfers will pitch with the ball back in stance and weight more towards the front foot so the angle of attack is travelling down, taking ball first then turf. That can work if you're trying to hit a low pitch up the green, for example.
But many top players, and certainly those with the best short games, now utilise the bounce in the sole far more when pitching.
What is bounce? Bounce is the angle between the lowest point of the sole and the leading edge when the club rests square on the ground – the bigger the angle, the more bounce a club has.
Bounce stops the club from digging in, so if you can use it, the club will glide along the surface a little more, digging in less and adding a bit more loft at impact. Combine loft at impact with a little bit of speed and a slightly descending angle of attack, and you can generate lots of backspin.
Watch all 7 videos in Peter's 'Keys to Consistency' series...
- Understanding impact basics
- Golf's set-up essentials
- How impact varies from club to club
- A bullet-proof chipping action
- Fringe putting drill
- Pressure putting practice
Pitching with the bounce The new way to pitch requires a slightly open stance with the ball fairly central and the hands a touch lower to help you engage the bounce more at impact. The shoulders should be a touch open too, so you’ll also need to open the clubface a fraction.
The club should then be a little bit more upright in the backswing – not miles outside the hands, but certainly not dipping inside the body. Then as you go through the ball, try to get the upper body and the lower body turning to the left of the target while the club travels, or feels like it’s travelling, towards the target.
This new way to pitch will engage the bounce more through the turf. You won’t see much of a divot, but the ball will pop off high and soft with plenty of spin on landing.
