Pitching Fundamentals: The Shot Between a Chip and a Full Swing

A pitch shot fills the gap between a low chip-and-run and a full wedge swing — more carry distance and a softer landing than a chip, without needing the extreme technique of a flop shot. It's one of the most commonly needed, and commonly mishit, shots in golf.

Setup differs from a chip

Unlike the narrow, minimal-movement stance used for a chip (see our one chip shot guide), a pitch uses a slightly wider stance and more body rotation, since the swing itself is longer. Ball position should sit slightly forward of center, and weight should favor your lead side, similar to a standard iron setup but scaled down.

Swing length controls distance, not effort

As with full iron shots (see our iron distance control guide), varying pitch distance by swing length rather than swing effort produces far more consistent results. A shorter, three-quarter-length backswing at your normal tempo for a shorter pitch; a longer swing for a longer one — not the same length swing slowed down or sped up.

Loft choice depends on the situation

A pitching wedge or gap wedge suits pitches where you want more roll after landing; a sand wedge or lob wedge suits pitches where you need the ball to stop quickly, such as a shot to a tight pin. See our wedges equipment guide for how loft gapping across your wedge set supports this decision.

The three-length practice system

Practice pitches at three swing lengths (waist-high, chest-high, and shoulder-high backswing) with a single wedge, noting the carry distance for each. This mirrors the clock-face system from our iron distance control guide and gives you three reliable, repeatable pitch distances rather than guessing at partial swings on the course.