The Dreaded 40-60 Pitch Shot

A few days ago I played a round at Arizona Grand Golf Resort. Although they don't have much in the way of a driving range, it is one of my favorite courses to play. They do, however, have an nice area to practice your chipping, pitching, and putting before your round, of which, I should have taken better advantage.

I drove the ball pretty well, but problems arose when I was left with a second shot of between 40-60 yards. I hear it all the time that this is one of the hardest shots in golf, and after this round, I'm not going to argue.

I ended up shooting an 82, but there were four or five situations that if I had executed the shot better from this distance, I probably would have shot a 75. Like we talked about in my post about the fairway bunker shot, this is a shot that most golf courses don't have the facilities to practice such a shot. It can become very nerve racking when faced with a shot that is unfamiliar.

Being able to execute this shot is what will have me consistently in the 70's. I'm driving the ball well. My full shots into the green are improving, and I am not 3-putting as much. When I hit the green in regulation, I am averaging 1.8 strokes, which all but guarantees that I make a par.

I found the following video with a swing thought that I think I can grasp. I've stated before that I am more of a feel player, and the technique described goes along with that philosophy. Hopefully I can start to see improvement in this area. It may be the only thing that is holding me back from getting into the single digit handicap range.

If you have any thoughts, drills, or even your own frustrations with this shot, feel free to share them. Those of you who have set goals, and are really trying to improve, know the frustration that comes from struggling with a part of your game that may be holding you back. But I am convinced that if we take it one step at a time, we will get better. Have a great round and always hit your target.