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 has to be carefully planned. Before you even begin to address your ball you have to examine the area you will be playing over and take careful note of the conditions so that you can decide precisely how you intend to play your shot.
In putting together your plan you will need to ask yourself 5 simple questions:
1. What am I aiming at? In many cases the answer will clearly be the hole, however when the cup is in a difficult position, like tucked in behind a bunker or cut very close to the side of the green, you may decide not to shoot directly for the hole but to have your ball land near the hole leaving you with a fairly easy shot to putt out.
2. How flat is the surface of the green? While the majority of greens are fairly flat some are also far from flat and have a substantial fall from front to back or from on side to the other. The green may also be tiered with the flag set on one of several 'steps' in the green. Any slope on the green is obviously going to affect your shot because you do not want your ball landing near the hole and then rolling down the slope away from the cup and maybe even clear off the putting surface.
3. How far must the ball fly before landing? Whether you are aiming straight for the hole or attempting to fire your ball onto the front of the putting green and roll it up to the flag it is essential to know exactly how far you want the ball to fly through the air because this is going to directly affect which club you choose.
4. What effect will the wind have on my shot? If you are playing in the wind then you will have to estimate the effect that the wind is going to have on your shot. You might, for example, wish to to consider changing your choice of club to account for the wind and keep the trajectory of your ball as low as possible. As an alternative, you might decide that you should use the wind to your own advantage and aim off so that the wind carries your ball back onto the target line.
5. How quick is the putting green? The state of the green is exceedingly important and you need to gauge this against the holes that you have already played or the conditions on the practice ground. For instance, is the putting green dry and hard in which case the ball will bounce and could run some distance, or is it wet and soft in which case the ball could simply stop dead when it lands.
By considering each of these five questions carefully you will be able to choose your target, pick your club and make your shot with a definite picture of exactly the line you need to follow in order to get the result you are looking for.
In putting together your plan you will need to ask yourself 5 simple questions:
1. What am I aiming at? In many cases the answer will clearly be the hole, however when the cup is in a difficult position, like tucked in behind a bunker or cut very close to the side of the green, you may decide not to shoot directly for the hole but to have your ball land near the hole leaving you with a fairly easy shot to putt out.
2. How flat is the surface of the green? While the majority of greens are fairly flat some are also far from flat and have a substantial fall from front to back or from on side to the other. The green may also be tiered with the flag set on one of several 'steps' in the green. Any slope on the green is obviously going to affect your shot because you do not want your ball landing near the hole and then rolling down the slope away from the cup and maybe even clear off the putting surface.
3. How far must the ball fly before landing? Whether you are aiming straight for the hole or attempting to fire your ball onto the front of the putting green and roll it up to the flag it is essential to know exactly how far you want the ball to fly through the air because this is going to directly affect which club you choose.
4. What effect will the wind have on my shot? If you are playing in the wind then you will have to estimate the effect that the wind is going to have on your shot. You might, for example, wish to to consider changing your choice of club to account for the wind and keep the trajectory of your ball as low as possible. As an alternative, you might decide that you should use the wind to your own advantage and aim off so that the wind carries your ball back onto the target line.
5. How quick is the putting green? The state of the green is exceedingly important and you need to gauge this against the holes that you have already played or the conditions on the practice ground. For instance, is the putting green dry and hard in which case the ball will bounce and could run some distance, or is it wet and soft in which case the ball could simply stop dead when it lands.
By considering each of these five questions carefully you will be able to choose your target, pick your club and make your shot with a definite picture of exactly the line you need to follow in order to get the result you are looking for.
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The author has been publishing articles on various topics for many years now. Visit his latest web site which supplies information on EZ GO golf carts and EZ GO lift kits as well as much more.
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