Pitching advice please.

[EaseNgrace]

Im generally doing alright since coming back to the sport after a 7 year break, I just dug my clubs out of the cupboard brushed off the dust and somehow my swing feels more comfortable than ever. From a 9 iron right up to my driver, no problems. But as soon as I get a wedge in my hand I go to pieces. I remember my short game being my strong point as a junior, now im wasting up to 10 shots a round with complete duff shots.
From 50 yards and less, I either hit 2 inches behind the ball and it travels about 2ft or I catch it thin and it goes 20 yards through the green. It seems it's become a mental issue as I expect it before addressing the ball.
Any tips please? Help

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I'm guessing you are maybe swinging too long for the length of shot and decelerating into it which is a common cause of hitting it fat. You need to be feeling a short crip action, short back and then really accelerate through impact. The other side of that coin is getting too worried about the fat so you subconsciously lift looking for the ball before impact and hence raise the point of impact and thin it.

 

[Owen_Thomas_14]

This is one of my faults after a break away from the game and i found i had the ball too far forward in my stance causing me to thin the ball. Try putting the ball an inch or two back from middle and this will force you to hit the ball into the ground giving you spin and control. Hope this helps and welcome back to the game.

 

[Smiffy]

If I fat a chip or wedge shot into the green it's normally because I have got a little too keen to see where the ball is going and take my eye off the ball a fraction too early, thereby lifting my head slightly. Whenever I stand over a shot like this I try to repeat to myself "watch the mark the club makes, watch the mark the club makes"....this helps.

 

[bobmac]

Start with a narrow stance. 3-4 inches between your heals.
Place the ball in the centre of your stance or one inch towards your back foot.
Hold the club near the bottom of the grip.
Have more weight on your front foot and have your hands slightly in front of the ball.
When you swing, try and keep the backswing shorter than the follow through making sure the club isnt slowing down into the ball.
Try and hit the dirt under the grass just after the ball so you take a small divot.
This is the main problem I see with people who struggle to pitch. They dont take a divot. It's just a flick which often leads to the duff or thin.
When you hit down on the ball, the ball goes up.
Give it a go and watch the ball lift up into the air.

Hope this helps

 

[EaseNgrace]

Thanks for the great advice guys. I have just returned from a round today and having practiced for 30 minutes before hand I noticed a vast improvement. I think the stance was my main problem, addressing the ball with far too much of an open stance like a flop shot So I narrowed it up a bit and took into account your other advice and hey presto things are looking up, out of around 10 pitch shots during the round only 1 duff. As opposed to 10
I'll soon be back on form again it seems i've forgotten the basics during my time out.

 

[drawboy]

I have just booked some lessons with my pro to sort this very problem out for me, I am crap anywhere from 100 yrds in and it's costing me badly, If I can start scoring with the wedges I will be single figures again soon.

 

[RGDave]

I've been "there"...and it was scary.

Two things spring to mind.

1) practice starting at 20-25 yards, hitting the shots with very small swings. I honestly believe that with a small swing you a) have more control, b) you'll discover it doesn't take much to get the ball quite a long way and c) small swing means acceleration through the ball = less duffing.

a.t.m. moment, I'm playing anything under 50-60 yards with a surprisingly small swing, hardly even 1/2 swing.

Build UP from here rather than DOWN from a full or 3/4 swing.

2) Fix your technique (follow Bob's advice) and practice.

I've had one (only 1) lesson on pitching and my pro's advice helped me no end with getting set up properly. I thought I knew the technique, but he spotted a few fundamental flaws.
This might not be relevant to you, but basically he suggested setting up square with a narrow stance and neutral grip, choked down a bit (or a lot for a really short shot) THEN simply move my left foot back "opening up". I was going wrong by going in open straight away and then "hooding" the face to sort of counter-act the fact that the face seemed open. I NEVER hood the face now, it feels open, but it's faced at the flag and essentially, I play cutting across the line with the face always at the target. This seems to get some height on the shot and nice, tidy, cut spin on the ball.