Pitching Basics

Video Transcript

If we eliminate your pitching disasters we can probably take about six strokes off your handicap. The two problems you could be having is either sticking the club in the ground behind the ball hitting a fat shot or coming up on the ball catching it right in the center sending a screamer across the green. In all probability to hit those two shots, you’ve taken the loft off of the clubface, actually twisted it closed. Where it’s suppose to be open as it goes back, if I hold the club right in front of me and I pivot my body to the right, you can see how much of the face you would be able to see as I go back. Keeping the clubface consistent as I go back and through. If you take the loft off the face going back, you’re going to have to use your hands down at the bottom to put loft back on it. You can imagine how inconsistent you will be if you’re always closing an open clubface. So let the face naturally open with the pivot motion of your body back and through and if you do you’ve got the right amount of loft on the face and you are able to hit nice, soft pitches. So keep those tips in mind, keep that face consistent with your pivot going back and through and you won’t be so afraid to hit down on your golf ball. You’ll be a great pitcher.

Mike LaBauve
Kierland Golf Club
15636 N. Clubgate Drive
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Tel: 480-922-9283

Mike LaBauve is one of the world's greatest short game instructors and teacher to LPGA phenom Grace Park. He is listed as one of Golf Magazine's Top 100 Teachers and Golf Digest's #31 instructor in the world.

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