When you need to hit a pitch shot that launches high and stops quickly, it’s essential to learn how to use the bottom of your club — the bounce — properly. If your wedge digs into the turf, you may overreact by trying to avoid the ground entirely, which often leads to bladed shots.
Hitting the ground is not the issue — using the club’s bounce correctly is. That’s just one of five ways you can avoid chunking the ball. Check them all out below.
1. Use a club with bounce
Choosing the right club is critical. For a true pitch shot, you should use a lofted wedge with bounce:
- Sand wedge: 54–56°
- Gap wedge: 50–52°
- Lob wedge: 58–60°
Bounce helps the club glide through the turf rather than dig. It provides forgiveness if you contact the ground slightly early and gives you the confidence to hit the ground without fear of chunking the shot.
2. Ball position
Ball position greatly affects how the club interacts with the ground. To encourage the club to glide, play the ball slightly forward of center.
With the club centered in your stance and the ball just forward of that line, you preserve both loft and bounce. If the ball is played too far back, the shaft naturally leans forward — reducing loft, reducing bounce, and increasing the chance of digging.
3. Shaft lean
Forward shaft lean takes bounce off the club, making it more likely to dig. At address, the handle should point toward your center — or even slightly behind it — to add loft and expose the bounce.
You can favor your lead side with your weight, but be careful not to combine that with forward shaft lean. This applies at both address and impact.
4. Pivot and release
Your motion through the ball matters just as much as your setup. A proper pitch swing allows the clubhead to release, rather than holding angles and leaning the shaft forward.
Feel your trail hand help the clubhead catch up to — or even slightly pass — the handle. Finish with your weight forward, using a small pivot so the club can sweep the grass under and after the ball. Avoid falling back or trying to “help” the ball into the air.
5. Properly fitted wedges
Great technique matters, but wedge fitting also plays a major role in how the club interacts with the turf. Your wedge lofts, bounces, and gapping should fit your swing and course conditions.
I send most students — and my own family — to True Spec Golf for club fitting. Having wedges that glide instead of dig can significantly improve your short-game consistency.
If you’d like more information on how to execute the various short-game shots and a calibration system to lower your scores, consider exploring my short-game course, which covers both chipping and pitching.
