By Bobby Eldridge Head Professional,
PurePoint Golf Reprinted with permission
Golf Pitching Follow Through – Introduction
After the leading edge of the golf club enters the turf there are two places it can go.
If the swing was too steep the leading edge will continue to swing further down into the turf. If the clubhead continues into the turf this is referred to as hitting the shot fat. Most of the time if you hit your pitch shot in this manner there will be a layer of turf between the clubface and the golf ball. If you do not make contact with the golf ball first and you make contact with the turf the golf ball will not travel the desired distance.
Anytime the clubhead makes contact with the turf first the layer of turf between the clubhead and the face of the golf club acts as a cushion. This cushion is not a good thing. The shot will not be a solid hit. The impact will be weak and the ball will come up short every time.
The second place the leading edge can go after it enters the turf is to travel on a line towards the target, not down into the turf but more level to the surface. If you swing the golf club on the correct arc in the backswing and downswing, the leading edge will enter the turf under the golf ball and glide through the turf and come out of the ground a few inches in front of where it entered.
This part of the swing is crucial. As the leading edge is cutting its way through the turf it has to eventually come out of the ground and start to swing up. This is where your shot can fall apart. The leading edge must come out of the ground, however, it must come out of the ground on a low plane. After impact with the golf ball the clubhead must continue on cutting through the turf and following through low to the ground.
Golf Pitching Follow Through – Low
When the clubhead comes out of the turf it has to stay low all the way to the finish. Everything is relative, if you have a short pitch the clubhead will follow through low and the follow through will be short. On a longer pitch shot the follow through will be longer however it must stay low to the ground.
Why you ask? If the clubhead comes out of the ground too fast and swinging up too much, you will bottom out the arc too much and wind up scooping the ball. The bottom of the arc has to be long and shallow after impact. It can not be a short arc at impact. Swinging the clubhead up quickly after impact will cause a thin or topped pitch shot.
Golf Pitching Follow Through - Finishing the Swing
After impact the clubhead has to continue swinging. At the moment of impact the left hip has to turn back behind you in order for the clubhead to come out of the ground. If the lower half of your body does not turn out of the way, the club head will have a tendency to get stuck in the ground.
Golf Pitching Follow Through - The Left Hip
If you turn the left hip out of the way too soon in the downswing the clubhead will not reach the bottom of the arc, and you will either top or scull the golf ball.
Most of the times when you are faced with pitch shots around the green you won't need strength to pull the shot off. Turning the left hip out of the way does not have to be associated with strength. The left hip turning out of the way plays two roles. One making sure the leading edge does not get stuck in the ground and number two it plays a huge role in accuracy.
When you turn the left hip out of the way it allows the clubface to stay square through impact and continue on around you on the arc allowing the golf ball to start on target.
The left hip does not have to spin out of the way. It simple turns counter clock wise as the arms swing the golf club down into the turf. As the left hip is turning, the right heel begins to slowly come up off of the ground.
Golf Pitching Follow Through - Checkpoints
When you have completed your finish from the 11 o'clock backswing, the right heel should face the sky, the shoe laces of the right foot should face the target, your belt buckle should face the target and your hands should be just above waist high.
