Reasons for open clubface at address on a pitch?

Question

On a pitch with a short iron, I understand why you should open up your stance(so the arms can easily go through)but never understood the open clubface. I have trouble grasping how it makes the ball trajectory higher.

Also,Is open clubface at address just getting a head start on the swing with clubface square at impact? Or is the clubface supposed to be a bit open at impact?

Gracias

Answer 1

If you open the clubface, you make the ball go higher becasue you increase the loft of the club. Think about it this way. Compare the trajectories of your 3 iron and your 9 iron. Which goes higher? (The 9 I hope). Each time that you increase the loft on a club, the ball goes higher.

Opening the clubface on a pitch gets the ball higher with more spin. Its a shot that requires practice. But, distance will be shorter. (again, you hit the ball farther with a 3 iron then a 9 iron). Its a good shot to hit to a tight flag location or if you need to clear a bunker, but otherwise, stick with a regular pitch shot. (One where don't open the face.) If you want to get good at opening the face, look up flop shots.

Answer 2

When you open up the clubface, it makes the club flatter. I you leave it at that same angle at impact, the ball will fly higher, land soft, and stop quickly.  The key is to leave it open at impact.  Most golfers will open the stance and open the clubface, but turn the clubface over at the bottom like a normal shot.  This make clubface steep at impact versus flat.  Those shot come out low and roll after landing.

Answer 3

First of all, if you set up with the face open to the target line, then you MUST bring the club square to the target line when you hit it. The ball is start out wherever the club is pointing when it strikes the ball. The reason for setting up open is that, when you snap your wrist through on the pitch, you close the face as you hit the ball. Secondly; not everyone hits a pitch that way. I couldn't make this idea work with my swing, so I just aim the club where I want the ball to go, and it works for me. If you're setting up with the face open and the ball keeps going right (or left for lefties), try that out.

Answer 4

firstly the reason its called a "Pitch shot" is because your trying to get the ball to go higher and stop quicker.

clubs are designed for a downward stroke and are angled at varying degrees for distance and  height. your 3 iron will of course not have as much loft as your 4 iron, you can tell this simply by looking at it. knowing this this means that your sand wedge or possibly a 60 degree wedge will be your highest degree loft clubs.

the problem with using a sand wedge from 50 yards is its not a full swing nor is it a half swing. your between clubs so you would likely do  this shot with a full 60 degree wedge. being the easier to judge distance wise this would be the right choice.

now that you know this lets move on to your question.

a pitch shot is designed  to fly high and stop fast. you could need this because of a ball lie that is on an uphill slope, meaning it would be easier to make solid contact and still  be able to judge the distance. another instance is when you have  a front pin placement and you don't want to land short of the green, or possible over a sand trap. All instances of not wanting to be short or possibly help in improving your shot with a difficult lie or even fly over something tall in your way without much roll.

How you do this is you line up like a normal shot then you open your stance to left of target at varying  by ranges BUT you do not move the club face. This means that you will have to rotate the club in your hands to accommodate your stance and you have a club head thats still facing the target but has opened up in loft degrees substantially. This is for THREE reasons. 1- to keep the club aligned with the target.. 2-- to open the club face so it will go higher and this is why you typically use a pitching wedge. Sand wedges are designed to bounce but are harder to hit in the fairway.

3-the bottom of your clubs are designed to cut into the ground when they hit, they don't lay flat on the ground. if you line up a shot and then release the club to a loose grip so it can spin to where it wants to be you see it wall fall open to a more flat laying position... now that you know that the clubs are designed to cut into the ground other then your sand wedge, and your setup for the flop or pitch shots you will notice the club is probably already laying nearly flat due to the way you setup. This makes it much easier to make solid contact and in essence your not hitting through the ball , your bouncing the club off the ground underneath the ball. This will bounce off the ground at an angle as opposed to cutting into it which intern removes some of the variables in the golf shot. after all thats all were doing when we play is minimizing variables. This allows you to control the shot much more easily. Your leaving the club head open on purpose to hit the ball higher and remove ground resistance from ranges anywhere say 10 yards to 50 yards. It does take practice and you need to get a feel for it so try it about 100 times on the range  before you go out armed with this new shot.

I hope that clears it up.