The 30 yard pitch shot is a very tough one for golfers at all levels. So what is the secret to playing this shot? Well, the first one is to never put yourself in a position where you are faced with this shot. In the 2005 British Open, Tom Watson asked Jack Nicklaus why he didn't try and 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 best golfer in the history of the game didn't want to face this delicate shot, don't feel bad if you don't feel comfortable playing it either!

• Chuck demonstrates several approaches to avoid chunking a 30 yard pitch shot
• Use a hybrid with a fairly square stance, ball off the left instep, weight slightly forward, and a normal grip to carry most of the way then roll like a putt
• The 3 wood with the same stance, setup & stroke will carry a bit less and roll more
• With a 7 iron, the ball is a bit back, off the right big toe, to come down more sharply & fly all the way to the green
• With the 56 or 60 wedge you want to use the bounce to avoid digging into the ground
• Get the bounce to release down, allow the hands to release a bit, have the ball & divot up in your stance
• The wedge is a riskier shot, more suited for playing out of the rough for the first cut

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30 Yard Golf Pitch Shots