Whether it's a short chip or a long drive, you have to accelerate the clubhead through impact on all golf shots. It's an essential fundamental. Unfortunately, many amateurs fail to do this with their pitch shots, resulting in too much movement of the arms and upper body as they try to scoop the ball into the air (above, left).
The pitching motion, even for a short pitch, should be fairly concise, though you accelerate through the strike. A good feeling from a fairly narrow stance is to put the breaks on with the body and arms just past impact. That snaps the clubhead through the hitting area like you're whipping a towel. So, shorten up your follow-through but keep the clubhead accelerating past impact (above, bottom). Your pitches will improve dramatically.
*David Leadbetter is a Golf Digest Teaching Professional based at ChampionsGate near Orlando. He operates 26 golf academies worldwide. *
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