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Pitching - Backswing - Length
8 O'clock
9 O'clock
11 O'clock
An article by: Bobby Eldridge on 12-17-2007
This article has been read 14559 times.
Most sets of golf clubs come with a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. In the past 20 years the game of golf has been blessed to have the arrival of a couple of very important new clubs. The first one to arrive on the scene was the invention of the LOB wedge. The LOB wedge is a loftier version of the sand wedge with not quite so much bounce on sole of the club. Bounce is the very bottom of the golf club and it is the part that stops the leading edge from digging into soft turf.
The next invention was the GAP wedge. The GAP wedge is a club that has more loft than your pitching wedge and not as much loft as your sand wedge.
Nowadays many golfers carry all four wedges. They come in handy more than you might think.
If you have three different length backswings and four wedges you now have 12 very different pitch shots. I know some of you are saying I just want one or two short shots I can trust. Well guess what, you will have a wonderful short game arsenal when you are finished with this program.
Once you get the method down you can easily apply it to all of your wedges. If you want to improve your short game you have to have more than one or two pitch shots in your bag. The golf courses today are more demanding around the green and you have to have pitch shots that run as well as pitch shots that have more loft and less roll.
Now let's talk about the three different length backswings. 8 o'clock/9 o'clock/11 o'clock.(#22 - #24)
For the shortest of your pitch shots you only have to take the club back to the 8 o'clock position. The 8 o'clock position is when the shaft has not reached a parallel position to the ground. This length of backswing is good for all of those tiny pitches where the hole is tucked close to the fringe. Sometimes you will find yourself in the back of a steep green and you have to make a delicate pitch shot down the hill to the hole. Both of these examples would be a perfect time for an 8 o'clock length backswing.(#22)
The 9 o'clock backswing is when the shaft has swung back parallel to the ground. This length backswing will add more distance, loft and backspin compared to an 8 o'clock backswing.(#23)
When you are faced with the short pitch shots around the green where you need more distance or height, you will have to swing the golf club back a bit further to the 9 o'clock position. If you have to fly the ball over a bunker, steep slope or rough this is when this backswing comes in handy.
Lastly, if you have to pitch the ball further and with maximum height and backswing this is when you have to use the 11 o'clock backswing.(#24)
No more grey area around the green. If you want to improve and become the best pitcher of the golf ball and give yourself a chance every time of getting the golf ball on the green safely and next to the hole, you have to learn all three length backswings.
You can continue on to the next series of golf lessons about the pitching downswing. The first lesson in the Downswing series of golf lessons is on the correct downswing. Or you can view golf lessons on the golf Follow Through, Introduction, or Setup.
This article has been read 14559 times.
Pitching Instruction - Backswing Length
When you chip a golf ball you have one golf swing and three different clubs to control the distance you want the golf ball to travel.Pitching - 3 Backswing Lengths
When you pitch a golf ball you have three different backswings that control the different distances you want your pitching clubs to travelMost sets of golf clubs come with a pitching wedge and a sand wedge. In the past 20 years the game of golf has been blessed to have the arrival of a couple of very important new clubs. The first one to arrive on the scene was the invention of the LOB wedge. The LOB wedge is a loftier version of the sand wedge with not quite so much bounce on sole of the club. Bounce is the very bottom of the golf club and it is the part that stops the leading edge from digging into soft turf.
The next invention was the GAP wedge. The GAP wedge is a club that has more loft than your pitching wedge and not as much loft as your sand wedge.
Nowadays many golfers carry all four wedges. They come in handy more than you might think.
If you have three different length backswings and four wedges you now have 12 very different pitch shots. I know some of you are saying I just want one or two short shots I can trust. Well guess what, you will have a wonderful short game arsenal when you are finished with this program.
Once you get the method down you can easily apply it to all of your wedges. If you want to improve your short game you have to have more than one or two pitch shots in your bag. The golf courses today are more demanding around the green and you have to have pitch shots that run as well as pitch shots that have more loft and less roll.
Now let's talk about the three different length backswings. 8 o'clock/9 o'clock/11 o'clock.(#22 - #24)
For the shortest of your pitch shots you only have to take the club back to the 8 o'clock position. The 8 o'clock position is when the shaft has not reached a parallel position to the ground. This length of backswing is good for all of those tiny pitches where the hole is tucked close to the fringe. Sometimes you will find yourself in the back of a steep green and you have to make a delicate pitch shot down the hill to the hole. Both of these examples would be a perfect time for an 8 o'clock length backswing.(#22)
The 9 o'clock backswing is when the shaft has swung back parallel to the ground. This length backswing will add more distance, loft and backspin compared to an 8 o'clock backswing.(#23)
When you are faced with the short pitch shots around the green where you need more distance or height, you will have to swing the golf club back a bit further to the 9 o'clock position. If you have to fly the ball over a bunker, steep slope or rough this is when this backswing comes in handy.
Lastly, if you have to pitch the ball further and with maximum height and backswing this is when you have to use the 11 o'clock backswing.(#24)
No more grey area around the green. If you want to improve and become the best pitcher of the golf ball and give yourself a chance every time of getting the golf ball on the green safely and next to the hole, you have to learn all three length backswings.
You can continue on to the next series of golf lessons about the pitching downswing. The first lesson in the Downswing series of golf lessons is on the correct downswing. Or you can view golf lessons on the golf Follow Through, Introduction, or Setup.