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Golfing Advice - Setting Yourself Up For That Faultless Pitching Shot
Each time I climb into my new EZ GO golf cart (which really stands out form the crowd with its EZ GO lift kit conversion) and head out onto the course I feel like someone special as heads turn from those people in their sabby looking old club golf carts. However, this feeling soon evaporates when I start playing and people see the very poor quality of my pitch shot.
The pitch shot is a classic example of the balance required in golf as not only a physical but also a mental sport and each pitch shot you make must be planned carefully. Before you even start to address your ball you need to examine the terrain you are playing over and take note of the conditions in order to decide exactly how you are going to to play the shot.
When drawing up your plan you will need to ask yourself 5 simple questions:
1. What is the target? In many cases the answer will clearly be the hole, however if the cup is in a difficult location, such as tucked behind a bunker or cut very close to the edge of the green, you may well decide not to shoot for the hole but to land your ball close to the hole leaving you a fairly simple shot to hole out.
2. How flat is the green? While most greens are flat many are also a long way from being flat and have a sizeable fall from one side to the other or from front to back. The putting surface might also be tiered with the flag placed on one of several 'steps' in the green. A slope on the green is clearly going to affect your shot because you do not want your ball landing close to the hole and then rolling back down the slope away from the cup and perhaps even right off the green.
3. How far must the ball fly before it lands? Whether you are aiming directly for the cup or trying to get your ball onto the front of the putting green and roll it up to the cup it is essential to know just how far you wish the ball to travel through the air because this will directly affect you choice of club.
4. Will the wind affect my shot? If you are going to be playing in windy conditions then you will have to gauge the effect that the wind is going to have on your shot. You might, for example, wish to to consider changing your choice in club to accommodate the wind and to keep the trajectory of your pitch as low as you can. Alternatively, you may decide that you should use the wind to your advantage and aim off target so that the wind carries the ball back onto the target line.
5. How quick is the putting green? The condition of the green is extremely important and you have to gauge this against holes that you have already played or conditions on the practice ground. For example, is the putting green dry and hard in which case the ball is going to bounce and may run a considerable distance, or is the green wet and soft in which case your ball might simply stop dead where it lands.
By considering each of these 5 questions carefully you will be able to pick your target, select your club and make your shot with a clear picture of exactly the line you must follow in order to get the result you want.
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