Benefits of pitch & run

With the long dry spell that we have been experiencing of late, ground conditions have really hardened up.

This is making it very difficult to fly a ball onto the green and have it stop. With this in mind it’s time for some old-school tactics.

We all know about the chip and run shot from close by the green, but have you ever played a pitch and run?

It’s not really a different shot, it’s just played from further away, up to around 80 to 100 yards.

The pitch and run is a great links shot, but can also be played very effectively on inland courses, especially when the wind blows or the ground is firm. Today I’ll show you how… The pitch and run is actually quite a simple shot to play, it’s really all about choosing the correct club for the shot.

In today’s pictures I am using an 8 iron although you can use almost any club in your bag, the ball will simply pitch more or run more depending on your choice.

Step 1 - Your feet should be quite close together with the ball towards your back foot and your weight favouring your lead side.

Step 2 - You should now swing back around half way keeping your hands very passive, with little to no wrist hinge.

Step 3 – Now swing through focusing on moving your arms and body in time, once again keeping your hand action to a minimum.

You should keep an even tempo and remember that it’s the length of your swing and the club you select which will determine how far the ball travels and NOT how hard you swing.