Tip no. 14 - Pitching
with Pachesham Golf Academy

Modern golfers have the advantage of a wide choice of pitching clubs, or wedges, to help make the business of pitching easier. But whatever your choice of weapon, the basics of the short pitch are the same. Sharpen you short game with this simple tip.

• Accurate pitching reduces your golf handicap. Turning three strokes into two by pitching close to the pin cuts strokes from your scores. Learning to pitch accurately is crucial to improving your game. • The tendency for many amateurs is for the swing to be either too long, in which case the club head decelerates through impact, or too short, in which case the club head is flicked through impact. Either way it costs you strokes. • Next time you are practicing your pitching, picture yourself standing in a clock face, with your left arm as the 'hour hand' swing the club as far through as you swing back, for example 8 o clock to 4 o clock, 9 o clock to 3 o clock etc. • This method will encourage you to keep the club accelerating through impact.

THE COMPLETE ONE MINUTE TIPS, WITH   No. 1: Common Ball Flights - your golf ball is your teacher! No. 2: The Set Up - grip, stance and posture No. 3: The Straight Shot - getting the basics right No. 4: The Fade - for a gently-curving, soft-landing shot No. 5: The Pull - trees down the left? No worries! No. 6: The Hook - commonest fault in lower handicappers No. 7: The Pull Hook - eliminate this destructive shot No. 8: The Draw - for a penetrating, powerful ball flight No. 9: The Push - water to the right? No problem! No. 10: The Slice - cure this curse of the high handicapper No. 11: The Push Slice - fix it and keep out of the thick stuff No. 12: The Swing - backswing and downswing explained No. 13: Distance - tips for hitting it further No. 14: Pitching - master this basic scoring shot No. 15: Chipping - turn three into two around the green No. 16: The Lob - loft it and stop it close - like 'Lefty'! No. 17: Bunker Shots - no need to fear these any more! No. 18: Putting - tips and drills to end those three-putts No. 19: Awkward Lies - uphill, downhill and sidehill shots No. 20: The Thin or Top - fix this infuriating fault No. 21: The Fat or Duff - cure it and hit the ball clean! No. 22: Plugged Lies - don't give up, get out! No. 23: The Shank - how to cure 'the unmentionable' No. 24: Club Selection - some distance guidelines No. 25: Basic Rules - every golfer should know these No. 26: Course Management - learn to play the percentages For more help, see your PGA pro, or contact: Pachesham Golf Centre, Oaklawn Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 0BP For all Lesson Enquiries Email: lessons@pacheshamgolf.co.uk Tel: 01372 843453 - Web: www.pacheshamgolf.co.uk Copyright ©Pachesham Golf Centre 2011, reproduced with permission