Stop it on a dime: Akshay Bhatia’s 3 keys for spinny pitch shots

Spinning shots around the greens isn’t just a trick that will impress your playing partners—it’s a skill that will come in handy when you have little green to work with or need to stop the ball quickly.

Despite its benefits, many amateurs—like myself—still shy away from this shot. For me, it’s because the shot seems really intimidating and I don’t believe I’m ‘good enough’ to hit it. But, it’s actually much easier than you’d think. 

While searching for tips on how to increase my spin around the green, I came across a video of two-time PGA Tour champion Akshay Bhatia breaking down his signature spinny pitch. In the clip, he explained that the key to mastering this shot just comes down to three simple adjustments. 

To see if it was really that easy, I tried them out on my own and to my surprise his keys worked. For the first time in a long time, I’m able to stop the ball on the green and it’s transformed my short game—and now you can transform yours too. To add this shot to your arsenal, copy Bhatia’s keys below.

Open your clubface

Setting the clubface open is Bhatia’s first key to creating spin on these shorter pitch shots. By setting the face open, we expose and utilize more of the club’s grooves as the ball travels up the face. In turn, this maximizes our friction—which is a key component to creating tons of spin.

Personally, I like to open my clubface before placing my hands on the grip. This ensures that I maintain an open face throughout the entire move. 

Ball position back

The second adjustment Bhatia makes is playing the ball back in his stance. Moving your ball position back allows you to make ball first contact, which is another key for maximizing friction—and as a result our spin.

Drive forward, handle forward

Lastly, when creating spin on these shorter pitch shots, Bhatia says that he thinks about driving forward with his body and avoids letting the clubhead pass his hands.

“I drive forward with my body and keep the handle forward,” Bhatia says, “You’re not trying to add any kind of loft into the shot.” 

By keeping your hands forward, you will create a bit of forward shaft lean at impact and reduce your dynamic loft—which is another key for generating spin around the green.

Practice, practice, practice

When I first tried this shot, I’ll be honest—it didn’t go exactly as planned. But after a bit of practice, I started generating serious spin and stopping the ball on a dime. That became a game-changer, especially on courses with tiered greens where precision is everything.

If you don’t master it right away, don’t get discouraged. Like any great shot, this one requires a few reps. When it comes to hitting spinny wedges, practice is the fourth and final key.