How to Pitch like a Pro - Denis Pugh

Pitching

Good players use the length of swing and the ‘turnspeed' of their body to control their pitching distance. Using the ‘speedo' principle certainly gives you a good feeling to work on: i.e. for a 40-yard pitch shot your swing cue is 40 mph. For 60 yards, you up your speed to 60 mph. And for 80 yards – pretty much a full swing with a gap-wedge – swing at 80 mph.

While this may not be a new idea, it's still the best imagery to have in mind to control the distance you land the ball. And the key in all this is that the through-swing must always reflect the length of the backswing. So, as you see here, a 40 mph shot sees me swing from approximately hip-high to hip-high – a totally controlled motion.

Sixty takes it that little bit further, while 80 mph is my absolute max.

Next time you practise, grip down the shaft a little, establish good balance, and make what you feel is a controlled 40 mph swing. Working at that 40 mph speed will see you finish in a balanced position that ties-in perfectly with the backswing.

Depending on the loft of the club, that 40 mph swing might give you a shot of, say, 40 or 50 yards. That's your benchmark, and from there you can then up the tempo to gradually increase landing distance. A 6o mph swing with the same club might land the ball 60 - 70 yards, while 80 mph gives you a shot of 80-90 yards.

The key to all this is to recognise and get a feel for the speed of the swing that gives you this sort of control, leaving you with a professional short-game scoring system you can trust.