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Try a Free Live AI Golf Lesson →30 Yard Golf Pitch Shots
The 30 yard pitch shot ranks among the most challenging shots in golf for players at every level. So what’s the secret to playing it well? The first rule is to never put yourself in a position where you face this shot unnecessarily.
At the 2005 British Open, Tom Watson asked Jack Nicklaus why he didn’t try to drive a particular hole after Watson put his tee shot on the green. Nicklaus replied, “Because the 30 yard pitch shot isn’t my best.” If the greatest golfer in the history of the game avoided this delicate shot when possible, you shouldn’t feel bad if it makes you uncomfortable either.
There are numerous ways to play this shot — from a putter to a lob wedge — but simplicity and margin of error should always drive your club selection. Every approach to this shot requires both a plan and a goal. Goal number one: no matter what, your next shot must be taken with the putter.
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High handicap golfers give away strokes constantly on these pitch shots by attempting low-percentage plays. The popular approach today is to grab the 60 degree lob wedge and fly the ball all the way to the hole with maximum spin. It looks impressive on television but represents the lowest-percentage option — short of a full flop shot — for most golfers in this situation.
Our first goal is getting the ball on the green so the next shot is taken with the most accurate club in the bag — the putter. The plan involves determining which club gives the greatest margin of error while still getting the ball close to the hole and meeting that primary objective of guaranteed green contact.
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