On a high pitch

 Jesse Grewal 

The pitch shot is relatively a harder shot to play around the green because it requires more coordination due to the multiple levers used (wrists, arms and body). It also requires a good lie as hitting a soft high shot requires a shallower angle of approach. To achieve this ball flight we require a set up which has the centre of the body (sternum) on or slightly behind the ball position and a backswing which stays wide and yet does not come from inside the plane. 

At address the ball should be placed slightly forward in the stance and the weight should slightly favour the left side (for right handed golfers). The shoulders should be slightly open to the target line as this helps the club stay outside the hands during the takeaway. The spine should not be tilted too much away from the target and the lead arm should be soft and not rigid. Many right handed golfers end up with their left arm rigid as they feel that a straight left arm is very important. This rigid arm does not fold after impact and makes the left shoulder rise through impact and the body fall back leading to a scooping like action. The shoulders should feel almost level and not too tilted (Picture 1). The club face can be square or slightly open and the shaft should still have a forward lean towards the target. 

During the takeaway the right arm should fold close to the right side of the body and the club face should open so that the toe is pointing upwards when the club is parallel to the ground (picture 2). The club head should be outside the hands at this point (picture 3). The left arm retains its original position without folding and maintains the arcs width. The primary movement is done with the turning of the shoulders followed by a slight hinging of the wrists. This is followed by the lifting of the arms depending on the length of the backswing to achieve the desired distance the ball has to fly.  

(Grewal is currently the Director of National Golf Academy of India and CGA Hero Honda Golf Academy)