This may seem counterintuitive, but with most pitch shots you want your swing to bottom out slightly before you make contact with the ball, thus engaging the wedge’s bounce and allowing the club to slide underneath the ball and produce a soft shot.
I call the area two inches behind and two inches in front of the ball the “slide zone,” where the clubhead grazes the turf before and after striking the ball.
To develop a feel for this, place a coin behind the ball at address. Set up as you normally would but, instead of focusing on hitting the ball, try to clip the coin before making impact. Because the coin is low on the ground, you’ll instinctively swing lower and shallower for better contact.
It’s a great drill for helping those who tend to lift up and hit a lot of skulled shots. It’s a great drill for those who hit a lot of skulled shots because you need to allow the club to land and release or slide past the ball. A few practice shots with a coin is all it takes to kick that habit.
Krista Dunton is GOLF Top 100 Teacher and a coach at Berkeley Hall in Bluffton, S.C.
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