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Attack hidden pin locations by shaping your pitch shots. Here’s how

Attack hidden pin locations by shaping your pitch shots. Here’s how

GOLF editor Zephyr Melton hits shot with a wedge

Sometimes you have to shape your pitch shots to reach hidden pins.

GOLF.com

Welcome to Play smarta regular GOLF.com column on game improvement that will help you become a smarter, better golfer.

We would all love it if the hole was always cut right in the middle of the green. If there is enough room to miss on both sides, our scoring averages would likely plummet.

However, as we all know, a hole location right in the middle of the green is quite rare. Often the hole is cut closer to one side or the other of the green, hidden behind bunkers with water hazards.

When a pin is tucked like this, it can be a challenge to get the ball close to the hole, even with a wedge in your hand. However, if you know how manipulate the ball flight of your pitch shots can make attacking hidden pins much easier.

How to shape your pitch shots

Shaping your pitch shots to access tucked pins is a high-level skill to master, but the technique is actually quite simple.

“It’s something they do during the Tour to gain access to pins,” says GOLF Top 100 teacher Jonathan Yarwood. “It’s advanced, but it’s not as hard to do as you think.”

To get started learning the skill, all you need to do is manipulate a few things in your setup and swing to get the ball to work with draw or cut spin.

Cut the pitch

Let’s start with a pitch that moves from left to right (for a right-handed golfer). At address you want to open the face of the club and then also open your stance a little. Move the handle a little closer to your lead leg and take the club outside a bit during the takeaway. During the downswing, focus on turning your body and pulling the club handle toward your lead pocket while keeping the front of the club as open as possible.

“Effectively, you pull the path to the left and keep the face open,” says Yarwood. “That thing comes up in the air from left to right, hits the green and checks to the right.”

Draw pitch

A draw pitch is great for taking some spin out of your pitch shot, especially if you have a false front protecting the green. To start, take a little more club than you normally would and then focus on taking a longer and wider backswing. During the downswing, roll the toe of the club and use a slow rhythm as you come through impact.

“That negates some of the backspin,” Yarwood says.

Pros hit these shots every week while competing on Tour – and with a little practice, you can add them to your arsenal too.