How to hit that high pitch that stops fast

Here’s a scenario you might find yourself in—and if you do, you really are limited in your options. Your ball is a fair distance from a middle or back pin, and there’s something in front of you that you have to carry (bunkers, water, deep rough, etc.). You need to play a shot where the ball flies most of the way to the hole—and hopefully lands with enough backspin to stop near it. Why this shot? Think about it: You can’t afford to hit it lower, as it might catch the lip of the bunker or get caught in the last bit of high grass. And it would be risky to land it just past the obstacle and let it roll out. If your contact isn’t pure, you’re going to either be chipping again or left with a long putt. The highest-percentage play is to keep the ball airborne most of the way to the hole. It might not stop right next to the flag, but you’ll likely still be on the green with a chance to save par. In the video below, I’ve got a fair amount of fairway grass and a bunker to cover but plenty of room on the green to fly the ball most of the way there. This is what the shot looks like.

The good news is, this is not as difficult a shot to hit as you might be thinking. A few adjustments in your setup take care of most of the work. The big thing is, you have to commit to the follow-through. Sometimes average players get unnerved when they have to make a bigger swing when hitting a shot close to the green. Trust me, the ball will do what you want it to do if you don’t quit on the through-swing.

Grab one of your most lofted clubs (sand wedge, lob wedge), open the clubface a little, and then take your grip. Now set up in a stance far narrower than your normal iron-swing position. Play the ball a little forward, closer to your front foot, but not much—and you can adjust the ball position to what feels comfortable for you. Also, set your sternum in line with the ball (below, left) instead of ahead of it, as it should be for a lower-trajectory chip (below, right).

When you swing, I want you to focus on the through-swing. You’ll instinctively take the club back longer to make sure you have enough time to collect speed through the ball. Your downswing thought should be, Keep my body moving and hit with soft hands. You’ll see in the video below that my hands and wrists release freely through impact, allowing the club to finish in a longer follow-through than on other greenside shots.

Remember: Think about turning your body through to face the target and keeping your hands soft. If you trust that the club and your setup are going to do most of the work, you’ll add a really handy shot to your short-game repertoire—and save some more pars. Jason Baile, the 2025 PGA National Teacher & Coach of the Year, is director of instruction at Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, Fla. He is one of Golf Digest’s 50 Best Teachers in America.

This article was originally published on golfdigest.com