The Golden Rules of Pitching

By By Scott Holden

One of the most common complaints I hear from golfers is: "I'm absolutely terrible from one-hundred-yards-and-in to the flag. I don't strike the ball solidly and I can't control my distance or direction."

The first thing I tell them is, "You're not alone."

Let's examine this problem as it relates to a larger issue, and that is, how one approaches and plays the game of golf.

I believe approaching this problem from this point-of-view will accurately expose this common complaint for what it truly is, a symptom of a larger problem.

In my view, golfers tend to approach and play the game of golf like any other "ball-and-bat" game.

They grab the club tightly with their hands and then, instinctively, of course, try to create all of the power needed to strike the ball an appropriate distance solely with their arm and hand strength.

This approach tends to feed on itself and leads to other common problematic symptoms such as: gripping to tightly, too much tension in the arms, hands, and shoulders, swinging the club off-plane, a lack of proper coil with the torso, and releasing the club too early on the downswing.

Without question, the arms and hands play a very important role in the golf swing, but as they swing they MUST be synchronized with the coiling and uncoiling of the golfer's torso.

That is why golf is such a difficult game. It takes a tremendous amount of work to learn how to synchronize the arms, wrists, torso, and leg action that takes place in an athletic golf swing.

So, you're asking, what does this have to do with one's poor chipping and pitching?

Well, to a certain degree, a golfer can get away with having overactive arms and hands in the full swing, but it will usually destroy their short game. Around the green, with respect to most chipping and pitching, a golfer's arm and hand action must calm down.

There are two golden rules that most golfers with short game problems should live by:

Golden Rule #1:

Around the green, the body is the boss! More specifically, when I refer to the "body", I mean the upper torso.

The arm swing and wrist hinging must greatly diminish and the power should be supplied by the pivoting of the upper torso.

The arm swing and wrist hinge is not needed for most short shots.

Golden Rule #2:

All chips and pitches MUST be struck with a slightly descending blow with the hands ahead of the ball at impact.

The grip MUST precede the clubhead to play well around the green. Remember this mnemonic: choke down, lean left (toward the target), and strike down.

Give these "Golden Rules" a try. Making the body the leader and the arms and wrists followers will help keep your chipping and pitching motion in better "synch."

Better technique always leads to better ball control and you must learn to control your ball to play this game well.