Lower Scores with a Better Short Game

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Chuck Evans Golf, All Rights Reserved 2013 Copyright © 2013 by Chuck Evans. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be replicated, redistributed, or given away in any form without the prior written consent of Chuck Evans. Chuck Evans, PO Box 764 Gold Canyon, AZ 85178 USA

Transcript of Lower Scores with a Better Short Game

Chuck Evans Golf, All Rights Reserved 2013

Copyright © 2013 by Chuck Evans. All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this publication may be replicated, redistributed, or given away in any form without the prior written consent of Chuck Evans.

Chuck Evans, PO Box 764 Gold Canyon, AZ 85178 USA

Chuck Evans Golf, All Rights Reserved 2013

Table of Contents Drills for Putting ................................................................................................................. 3

Putting Practice Plan ....................................................................................................... 8 Chipping .............................................................................................................................. 9

Chipping Set-Up ........................................................................................................... 12 Chipping Drills.............................................................................................................. 13 The Stroke ..................................................................................................................... 18 Chipping Practice Plan .................................................................................................. 21

Pitching ............................................................................................................................. 23

Pitching Set-Up ............................................................................................................. 28 Pitching Drills ............................................................................................................... 32 Distance and Trajectory Control ................................................................................... 38 Quick Tips ..................................................................................................................... 39

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Drills for Putting To begin, you will need your putter, four golf balls, one straight three-foot-long 2x4 and an 11-inch piece of thin copper wire (or any other flexible material so a hoop or arch can be created). 2x4 Drill The 2x4 Drill is designed to teach you what it feels like to keep the Clubface square to the target during the entire Putting motion. This drill is beneficial to both "Pushers" and "Pullers" of the putter. To begin, set up the 2x4 on its side with the two-inch-wide side down. Make a couple of practice putts to see if the 2x4 is set in the proper alignment, then place tees behind the 2x4 to keep it from moving (1). As you address the golf ball, place the heel of the putter right up against the 2x4 with the putter face square to the target (2). Now for the most important part: while the putter is moving along the 2x4, the heel of the putter must stay up against the 2x4 and not open or close (3&4). If the front part of the heel comes off, the Clubface will open; if the back part of the heel comes off, the Clubface will close. If the 2x4 is set up properly to the line of the putt, there are only two ways you can miss – by either not controlling the Clubface or by incorrectly judging the putt’s speed.

(Image 1)

Place the 2x4 on your selected putting line, then brace it with tees.

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(image 2)

The heel of the putter should be flat against the board at Address.

(image 3)

In the backswing, keep the putter’s heel flat against the board (no opening or closing).

(image 4)

In the forward swing, also keep the putter’s heel flat against the board.

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Hoop Drill – Pure Putting Hoop The objective of the Hoop Drill is simple – hit the golf ball through the hoop and into the hole. Depending on your putter face alignment during Impact, this task can be simple or it can be extremely difficult! This drill also teaches you how to focus the initial alignment of the putter face at a spot three feet in front of the golf ball and square to your selected Start Line. To set up the Hoop Drill, take your 11-inch piece of thin copper wire – or any other piece of flexible material – and bend it to create an arch or hoop. The base of the hoop should be 3.5 inches wide. Choose a line on which to putt and set the hoop three feet in front of your golf ball (6 & 7). The Hoop Drill is the ultimate form of Clubface control practice!

(image 5)

Base of hoop should be as wide as the hole (3.5 inches)

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(image 6)

Place the hoop three feet in front of the ball.

(image 7)

If your stroke is correct and you control the Clubface, the ball should go through the hoop

and into the hole.

Failure to control the Clubface will result in pushed or pulled putts that will strike the

hoop.

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(image 8) (image 9)

(8)The Clubface was open when the ball left the putter face, so the putt was pushed and struck

the right side of the hoop.

(9)The Clubface was closed when the ball left the putter face, so the putt was pulled and

struck the left side of the hoop.

If you can get the golf ball through the hoop, you are well on your way to controlling the Clubface. Gaining Clubface Control starts with the smallest swing – Putting. If you are having difficulty controlling the Clubface during this short swing, imagine how difficult it will be for longer swings. Quick Tips: Keys to Putting

Eyes either over or slightly inside the Target Line

Either a right arm (Push) or rocking shoulders (Pull) stroke – no wrist action for either one

80 percent of weight favoring the target side leg and hip

Motionless head that remains centered between the feet (Tripod)

No Pivot or body motion

Longer forward swing than backswing

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Putting Practice Plan After you select which drill you will be doing on a particular day – and choose whether Hitting or Swinging works best for you – you will putt 32 balls from each distance. First, putt four balls with the use of the aid (2 x4 or hoop). Next, putt four balls without the aid. Repeat this three more times for a total of 32 putts. While you are using the aid, you should be consciously thinking about proper mechanics and working to improve your manual dexterity for Putting. When you are not using the aid, you consciously prepare during Pre-Shot then you “go on automatic” – you remove all the noise and thoughts of swing mechanics that are in your head. The goal is to see the ball, see the hole and knock the ball in the hole. Short Putts Distances: 3’, 4’, 5’, 6’ and 10’ Objectives (percentage of putts made): 3’ = 100%; 4’ = 100%; 5’ = 80%; 6’ = 70%; 10’ = 50% The above percentages are actually higher than the rates that professionals make those lengths of putts. However, you have the use of an aid for half the putts of each distance. We also set the bar higher so you actually have to jump over it rather than just trip over it!

Long Putts Distance: 20’ Objective (percentage of putts made): 20% All missed putts should finish in the “safe zone.” The “safe zone” is 12”-18” past the hole, yet depends somewhat upon the speed of the green. Distances: 40’ and 60’ Objective: Have all putts finish within one putter length (about three feet) from the hole in any direction.

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Chipping

Introduction to Chipping A Chip has minimum air time and maximum ground time. It is like a Putting motion but with a more lofted club. Like Putting, a Chip is a motion that does not exceed longer than two feet both back and through. Chip shots are used when you’re just off the green, which makes sense given the limited power that a two-foot-long swing can generate (longer shots, such as those from 20 yards away, are actually Pitch shots – and we will discuss those in detail later). You can Chip with virtually any club, even your three-wood. The key is to make the same length swing – with the same amount of power – every time. Chipping Grip For Chipping, the grip is placed in the palm and not in the fingers; this helps to eliminate any unnecessary wrist motion during the swing. 1. Place your left hand on the club with your left wrist perpendicular to the

ground – not Turned or Rolled (1). 2. Set the club set in the lifeline of your left hand – not in the fingers. 3. Place your left thumb between the grip of the club and the lifeline of your right

palm. 4. Close your right palm and hand around your left thumb and grip (2).

1. Place your left hand on the club with your left wrist perpendicular to the ground – not

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Turned or Rolled.

2. Set the club set in the lifeline of your left hand – not in the fingers.

3. Place your left thumb between the grip of the club and the lifeline of your right palm.

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4. Close your right palm and hand around your left thumb and grip.

5. Front view of correct grip

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Chipping Set-Up

The setup for Chipping is designed to get the club to move upward immediately. You should not try to take it back “low and slow!” Place your right foot directly in-line with the golf ball. Lean the Clubshaft forward until the grip is in the middle of your front thigh. Shift your entire body left until you have 80 percent of your weight on your target side foot. Your head should now be in front of the golf ball. Narrow your stance and open your stance line, but keep your shoulders square. If your weight remains on your left side and you have a relatively steep angle of attack, it is virtually impossible to hit a fat or thin Chip shot!

(image 3)

By setting up with your body shifted toward target and your head in front of the ball, you

have steepened the angle of ascent in the backswing and the angle of descent in the

downswing.

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Chipping Drills

To begin, you will need your highest-lofted wedge, four golf balls, two straight two-foot-long 2x4s and a Vision Track. For a later drill, you’ll also need an impact bag. Basic Chipping Drill Find a 10’-12’ straight Chip shot. Place one of the 2x4s in-line with where you want the ball to start – and right at the edge of the fringe and green. Place the Vision Track approximately two feet behind, and in-line with, the front 2x4 (2). Once you have the Vision Track down, place the other 2x4 on the ground to represent the Sweetspot Path (also known as the Alternate Target Line). As a refresher, the Sweetspot Path is the line the sweetspot of the club should visually “cover” – swing right on top of – from Impact to Low Point. The golf ball should be placed six inches in front of the rear 2 x4 (3). The rear 2x4 is used to ensure that the angles of ascent and descent are correct – if you strike the rear 2x4 on either the backswing or downswing, you will get immediate feedback that your angle of attack was not steep enough!

(image 1)

Proper setup of the 2x4s.

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(image 2)

Proper setup of the 2x4s and Vision Track.

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(image 3)

By setting up with your body shifted toward target and your head in front of the ball, you

have steepened the angle of ascent in the backswing and the angle of descent in the

downswing.

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Impact Bag Drill Begin by using the same 2x4 and Vision Track setup as with the previous Chipping drill. This time, though, we’re going to add an impact bag in too. Place the impact bag at Low Point (where the Sweetspot Path/Alternate Target Line and the Plane Line intersect). Turn your pitching wedge upside-down – to practice and get the “feel” of this swing, you’re going to start by swinging only the grip end of the club so there’s no Clubhead to focus on. Trace the Vision Track back, down through Impact and into the impact bag. Make sure that the Clubshaft is vertical – or even forward-leaning – at Low Point (8). Once you have acquired the feel of striking the bag with a vertical or slightly forward-leaning Clubshaft, flip your pitching wedge back over so you’re holding it normally and try to recreate that feel.

(image 6)

Address: Trace the Alternate Target Line by swinging the grip end of the Clubshaft back

and through into the impact bag.

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(image 7)

Backswing: Trace the Alternate Target Line by swinging the grip end of the Clubshaft

back and through into the impact bag.

(image 8)

Impact: Trace the Alternate Target Line by swinging the tip end of the Clubshaft back

and through into the impact bag.

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The Stroke

To start the backswing, simply bend your right elbow while maintaining the length of your left arm (4). Take the Clubhead away from the ball along the line of the Vision Track, Key #4 Sweetspot Path, and rear 2X4 all the while keeping your weight on the target side foot. Your head should remain “steady” – Key #1, the weight forward – Key #2 You've reached the end of your backswing when the grip of the club gets to your trailing thigh. There is no cocking or uncocking of your left wrist in Chipping or Putting, so your left arm and the Clubshaft should remain in one straight line throughout the entire swing.

(image 4)

The backswing is initiated by bending the right elbow.

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For the downswing, simply straighten your right elbow – push downward (into the ground) and outward (away from you) until both arms are straight. If done properly, you should take a small divot in FRONT of ball.

(image 5) (NOTE: the follow-thru motion is an exaggeration)

Straighten your right elbow by pushing downward and outward until Follow-Through

(both arms straight).

We recommend keeping the Clubface “looking at the ball” when Chipping. When doing so, the Clubface will not turn nor roll during the swing – the Clubface will stay square to the arc.

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(image 5)

Regardless of the length of your Chip shot, the ball should always land one pace onto the

green.

No matter the length of the Chip, the ball should always land in the same spot – one pace onto the green (5). The front 2x4 will also let you know if you are controlling the Clubface. If the ball takes off right or left of the 2x4, you either opened or closed the Clubface or were Off Plane.

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Chipping Practice Plan

Chipping and Rhythm It’s important in Chipping, just like in any other shot, to have good Rhythm and pace throughout the swing. We define Rhythm as the left arm (for right-handed players) and Clubshaft moving through the golf ball in one straight line (not a bent line). If your left arm and the Clubshaft are in-line at Impact, you are bringing the whole club into the golf ball and correctly compressing the ball. Conversely, throwing the Clubhead at the ball or trying to manipulate the Clubface causes the Clubhead to move upward at Impact instead of downward. This disrupts the straight-line relationship between your left arm and the Clubshaft, which in turn leads to a loss of power and consistency. The results are those thin, skulled shots that take off and scurry across the green. Maintaining Rhythm keeps the pace of the swing even and smooth rather than jerky and wobbly. When we discuss going to Follow-Through and checking the Clubface, keep in mind that we advocate it for all swings. No matter the distance, we take all swings to Follow-Through, both arms straight. Quick Tips: Keys to Chipping

For longer Chip shots, change clubs – not the motion

Weight favors your target side foot

Ball position is back of center to ensure proper Impact

Ball is struck with a descending blow

Clubface does not open or close during the swing

Hands remain passive during the swing – no flipping of the wrists

At the Finish, your target side arm and the Clubshaft remain in a straight line Chipping Practice Plan As you practice Chipping (and all other types of swings), make sure that your focus is on performing the swing correctly and not on ball behavior. Learn to execute correctly even if you miss the ball at first – and practice until you don’t miss it anymore!

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After you select which drill you will be doing on a given day, your practice progression for Chipping is as follows: 1. Execute four shots while thinking about what you are trying to do with the aid

of the tools and drills provided – you are on “manual.” 2. Execute four shots without the aids and on “automatic” – not thinking about

mechanics and just “letting go.” See the ball, see the hole, hit the ball in the hole.

3. Repeat the first two steps three more times, for a total of 32 strokes. 4. Duplicate this process for shots of 20’ and 40’ on a regular basis until you can

take the habit to the course.

The objective here is to either hole the shot or, if you don’t hole it, get the ball to stop within one club length from the hole. By improving your proximity from the hole with these lengths of shots – along with spending more time practicing your three-foot putts – you will begin converting potential bogeys and double bogeys into birdies and pars. When you can take your habit to the course, plan your swing during Pre-Shot and execute consistently, you know your habits are formed. The habit-building process takes as long as it takes, and it is different for everybody. When playing after a habit-building practice session, play on “automatic.” Mentally let go and allow the motion to make the shot. Remember that growth is an uneven process. Progress rarely follows a straight, upward path – so do not be alarmed by occasional regressions. Use the practice range and green to build habits. Use the course to practice playing on “automatic” and to evaluate the progress of your habit development. While doing these drills, you are not only improving your up-and-down conversion percentages but you are also building the fundamental, correct alignments required for great golf. Remember to keep track of and monitor your improvement each time you practice Chipping – it’s the only way to ensure that you’re continually making progress. This length stroke is ideal when working on any, or all, of the 5 Keys. If any of them are hard to maintain in a stroke this length think how difficult it will be with a full swing!

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Pitching

For a Pitch shot, your right forearm does not exceed a “parallel to the ground” position in the backswing. Your left wrist will also cock during the swing. Pitch shots have maximum airtime and minimal ground time. While there are numerous variations of the Pitch shot, this curriculum covers the basic Pitch shot. We will also touch briefly upon several specialty Pitch shots, such as greenside bunker shots and the lob shot. The basic difference between Chipping and Pitching is that you add a Cocked Left Wrist when Pitching. By doing this, you have added a second source of power. In (Chipping), we strive to have a motionless body. Now in (Pitching), there will be some shoulder motion, but only enough to accommodate the length of swing – which is the right forearm not exceeding horizontal to the ground (1). Your right forearm can stay lower than this, but anything higher results in a Full Swing and not a Pitch shot.

(image 1)

When Pitching, your right forearm does not exceed a horizontal to the ground position in

the backswing and you have a Cocked Left Wrist.

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Wedges are for control – not for distance. By shortening the swing, you have more control and precision. Great wedge players have always had shorter swings when using a wedge, and poor wedge players make too long a swing and try to hit the golf ball too far. As in all swings, the Clubhead must move downward and outward On Plane along the Alternate Target Line. The club continues down and out until it passes Low Point – the outside of the left shoulder – and reaches Follow-Through.

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Pitching Grip For Pitching, follow these steps to take your grip: 1. Using only your left hand, position the grip so that it runs diagonally across

your fingers and under the heel pad. (1) Ensure your left wrist is perpendicular to the ground – not Turned or Rolled. (2)

2. After your left hand is in place on the grip, add your right hand to the club with the right wrist perpendicular to the ground – not Turned or Rolled. (3)

3. Place your left thumb between the grip of the club and the lifeline of your right palm, then close your right palm and hand around your left thumb and grip. (4)

(1) Using only your left hand, position the grip so that it runs diagonally across your

fingers and under the heel pad.

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(2) Ensure your left wrist is perpendicular to the ground – not Turned or Rolled.

(3) After your left hand is in place on the grip, add your right hand to the club with the

right wrist perpendicular to the ground – not Turned or Rolled.

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(5) Place your left thumb between the grip of the club and the lifeline of your right palm,

then close your right palm and hand around your left thumb and grip.

Front view of correct grip

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Pitching Set-Up

For Pitching, I recommend aligning your body square to the Target Line. The ball should be positioned in the middle of your chest, and 60 percent of your weight should be on your target side leg – and it should stay there during the swing. A Pitch shot will have minimal Pivot motion in the backswing, but you have the option of rotating through in the downswing. Remember that in any setup, your head always remains in the center of your feet. So, if the ball is positioned behind the center of your chest, your head would be in front of the ball. And if the ball is positioned ahead of the center of your chest, your head would be behind the ball. With the club out in front of you, slightly bend your knees. Now bend forward from your waist until the club is soled behind the ball. The goal of a good setup is to help ensure the proper start-up motion and encourage tracing of the Plane Line. It takes no athletic ability at all to have a world-class setup, so anyone – including you – can look as good as any Tour player at Address.

Pre-Address: Take your grip and approach the ball

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Address: Body is square to the Target Line, ball is in the middle of your chest, and 60

percent of your weight is on your target side leg.

As with Chipping, I recommend not turning or rolling the clubface when Pitching – so the Clubface will stay “facing the ball” during the entire Pitching motion.

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(clubface looking at the ball)

Although it’s not mandatory, we strongly encourage you to start with your hands in an “impact” position at Address (left arm and Clubshaft forming a straight line, with the Clubshaft leaning slightly forward). It’s now time to move the golf club. Use your right forearm and right hand to “pick the club up.” From a down-the-line view, your right forearm and the Clubshaft must point at the Plane Line as you are taking the club back. Once the right forearm is horizontal to the ground, the grip end of the club needs to point at either the golf ball or the Plane Line. If it's not pointing at one of these, you are Off Plane. Stop immediately and fix this! While you’re allowed to have some turning of the shoulders during the backswing, you should not be shifting any of your weight off your target side leg. Keeping your weight on your target side leg prevents swaying (side-to-side movement of the body) during the swing. In the downswing, simply drive your right arm down and out while keeping your right wrist Bent (which in turn ensures you have a Flat Left Wrist) all the way through Impact, to Low Point and to Follow-Through. You will have very little, if any, Pivot motion during the backswing.

If you do this properly, you’ll strike the ball first and then take a Divot.

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The Divot should start in front of the ball and extend until Low Point. Always make sure to strike the ball first, then the turf. Impact is the moment of truth. If the key alignments are not maintained, you’ll hit shots high, low, thin, fat, left, right – any way except for what you meant to do. Our goals at Impact are to have: your hands in front of the Clubhead; the Clubface in a proper relationship to our Target Line; a proper grip in relation to the Clubface; an On Plane Clubshaft; a feeling of “pushing” on the back of the Clubshaft; and your left arm and the Clubshaft in a straight line. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of the left arm/Clubshaft alignment. Without it, you’re not sufficiently supporting the Clubshaft.

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Pitching Drills

To begin, you will need your highest-lofted wedge, four golf balls, access to a bunker, one two-foot-long 2 x4 and a Vision Track. A Line in the Sand Start by drawing a “line in the sand.” This line represents the golf ball, so take your Address position with the line in the center of your chest. Place the top of your sternum in front of the golf ball and keep it there during the swing (3). Make a Pitch-length backswing and strike the sand in front of the line, making sure that you only go to Follow-Through. This helps to ensure that you are controlling the club. The key is keeping the Clubhead below the hands at follow-through and the Clubshaft leaning forward. Having the Clubhead in front of the hands (5) is not acceptable if our goal is to strike downward! Likewise, if the Clubhead moves up above your hands and into a waist-high location, your hands need more education.

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(Top photo) Setup for the Line in the Sand drill. The yellow line represents the top of the

sternum.

(Bottom photos) Go only until Follow-Through – the Clubshaft should be vertical and the

Clubhead behind your hands.

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Great Wall of China The second drill is called the Great Wall of China. In preparation for this drill, you need to build a wall of sand approximately six inches high and six inches wide. At Address, the wall of sand should be in the middle of your chest (6). Make your Pitch-length backswing while keeping your weight on your front foot. Then, swing down and try to completely destroy the wall! Just skimming the top is no good, as this means you do not have enough downward motion. When you do it correctly, the club will feel like it stops – that’s just the feel of a proper, heavy Impact. Continue through the wall to Follow-Through while keeping the Clubhead below your hands. This heavy feel of Impact is what every swing should feel like! Once again, the key is to have a very forward-leaning Clubshaft. Keep in mind the idea of taking the entire Clubshaft into impact rather than just the Clubhead.

(6) Setup for the Great Wall of China drill.

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Focus on having a very forward-leaning Clubshaft.

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Vision Track/2x4 Pitching Drill Let’s now move on to our other mainstay training aids, the Vision Track and the 2x4. For Pitching, place the ball eight inches in front of the 2x4. This guides you through the proper angle of ascent in the backswing and the proper angle of descent in the downswing. With the Vision Track placed on the Alternate Target Line, begin making Pitch-length swing. Make sure that you are driving the club down, out and forward all of the way through Low Point and into full extension (Follow-Through). If the swing is executed properly, your Divots should be in front of the golf ball.

A1 -Address A1.5 – Start-Up A3-Top

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A6-Release Point A7 – Impact A7.5 – Follow Through

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Distance and Trajectory Control

Distance and trajectory control in Pitching can be accomplished by merely changing one or two pieces of the stroke. You can vary Impact shaft location or vary exit location. There are basically three different shaft angles at Impact; (1) Forward leaning (2) Vertical or (3) Backward leaning. (Some players refer to these as leading edge, sole, or trailing edge wedge shots.) You can also vary the exit location, meaning where you stop the stroke. Abruptly after Impact – like a punch shot, a half finish, or a full finish. Another way to control distance is by varying the speed you use to hit the shot. And yet another way to control distance is to simply change clubs. Let’s say that when using your sand wedge you normally hit a Pitch shot 50 yards. If you have a 65-yard shot, make the same Pitching motion but use your pitching wedge. If you have an 80-yard shot, again make the same Pitching motion but use your 9 iron. When hitting Pitch shots with various clubs, note that the ball will fly about 80 percent of the distance it would for a full swing shot with that same club.

Varying your exit locations:

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Quick Tips

As you finish reading this chapter, I hope you've embraced the step-by-step process required to build a repeatable golf swing that will enable you to reach your golf goals. I cannot stress enough that a Putt is in a Chip, and a Putt and a Chip are both in a Pitch. Soon enough, you will see how all three are in the Full Swing. Pitching, is the middle ground of building a golf swing. The next step is the Full Swing. In the Full Swing, we go from Address to the Top and to the Finish with no regard for the ball or Impact. During the Full Swing, the alignments, Plane and Clubface Motions you've been working on in Putting, Chipping, and Pitching are simply applied to a longer swing. The Full Swing, can never be better than (Putting), (Chipping) or (Pitching). Any problems that arise in these areas will be magnified in a Full Swing. For example, a swing flaw with your driver is actually rooted in your Chipping and Pitching swing – and the flaw is just being magnified now that you’re using a longer club. So if you try and go from Pitching to Full Swing and you're not having success, it means you’re not ready to graduate out of Pitching. Stay focused, stay precise and build more precision into Putting, Chipping and Pitching until they are second nature. Review/Quick Tips: Keys to Pitching

Weight slightly favors the target side foot at Address and throughout the swing

Ball is positioned under the sternum

Cocked Left Wrist

Right forearm is not to exceed horizontal to the ground at the end of the backswing

Hands/wrists remain passive – no flipping

Backswing and downswing should be the same length (unless you are varying the exit locations)

Four ways to vary the distance of a Pitch shot: change Impact shaft location, change exit location, change speed or simply change clubs

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After you select which drill you will be doing on a given day, your practice progression for Pitching is as follows:

1. Execute four shots while thinking about what you are trying to do with the aid of the tools and drills provided – you are on “manual.” 2. Execute four shots without the aids and on “automatic” – not thinking about mechanics and just “letting go.” See the ball, see the hole, hit the ball in the hole. 3. Repeat the first two steps three more times, for a total of 32 strokes. 4. Setup first from 50’ away from the hole, giving yourself at least 20’ of green to work with. Do the 32 ball drill as described above. Then find a 75’ shot with at least 25’ of green to work with and perform the 32 ball drill again. Your objective is to get the ball within five feet of the hole from 50’ away, and within 7.5’ from 75’ away. 5. Hit ten shots to varying distances. I would suggest starting at 25 yards and moving up 25 yards at a time until you reach 100 yards. The goal would be to LAND the ball within a radius of 2.5 feet at 25 yards, 5 feet at 50 yards, 7.5 feet at 75 yards, and 10 feet at 100 yards.

When playing after a habit-building practice session, play on “automatic.” Mentally let go and allow the motion to make the shot. As with Putting and Chipping practice, remember to keep track of and monitor your improvement each time you practice Pitching – it’s the only way to ensure that you’re continually making progress.

Well, that’s it! Please feel free to call me at 480.331.4653 or email at [email protected] if you have questions or to schedule your private coaching session. You can also go online at http://ChuckEvansGolf.com to see some of our articles and videos. I’d love your feedback as well so if you have any suggestions or comments on what else you would like to see from me, just let me know! Happy Golfing and keep it in the short grass! Chuck P.S. Follow us on Twitter/ChuckEvans or Facebook/ChuckEvansGolf