small business magazine

Every time I step into my new EZ GO golf cart (which really stands out form the crowd with its EZ GO lift kit conversion) and head out onto the course I feel like someone special as heads turn from those people in their sabby looking old club golf carts. However, this feeling soon evaporates when I start playing and people see the very poor quality of my pitch shot.

The pitch shot is a classic example of the balance demanded in golf as not only a physical but also a mental sport and each pitch shot you take needs to be carefully planned. Before you even begin to address your ball you must look at the area you are playing over and take careful note of the conditions in order to decide just how you are going to to play your shot.

In putting together your plan of action you must ask yourself 5 simple questions:

1. What am I aiming at? Normally the answer will be the hole, but if the cup is in a difficult location, such as tucked behind a bunker or cut close to the side of the putting green, you might well decide not to shoot at the hole but to land your ball near the hole leaving you with a relative simple shot to hole out.

2. How flat is the surface of the green? Although many greens are quite flat many are also a long way from being flat and have a large fall from front to back or from on side to the other. The green may also be tiered with the flag set on one of two or more 'steps' in the green. A slope on the putting green will obviously affect your shot because you do not want your ball landing near the hole and then rolling back down the slope away from the cup and perhaps even clear off the putting surface.

3. How far must the ball fly before it lands? Whether you are aiming directly for the hole or attempting to get your ball onto the front of the green and roll it up to the cup it is essential to know precisely how far you want the ball to fly through the air as this will directly affect you choice of club.

4. Will the wind affect my shot? When you are playing in the wind then you will need to gauge the effect that the wind is going to have on your shot. For example, you may wish to to think about changing your choice in club to account for the wind and keep the flight of your pitch as low as you can. Alternatively, you may decide that you should use the wind to your advantage and aim off target, allowing the wind to carry the ball back onto the target line.

5. How fast is the green? The state of the green is exceedingly important and you have to judge this against holes which you have already played or conditions on the practice ground. Is the putting surface, for instance, dry and hard in which case your ball is going to bounce and may run quite a distance, or is the putting green wet and soft in which case the ball may well stop dead when it lands.

By thinking about each of these five questions carefully you will be able to select your target, pick your club and take your shot with a clear picture of just the line you need to follow in order to get the result you wish for.