While many underestimate the value of the humble pitch and putt, its benefits can’t be written off.
The pitch and putt is perfect for anyone new to the sport of golf. Think of it like an abridged version of a full round – all the fun of the full game, but short enough that anyone can have a go and get introduced to the game.
That’s not to say that playing on the pitch and putt course is necessarily easy. Most pitch and putt courses are a 3 par, but that doesn’t mean that they necessarily are a three par course.
The clue is in the name. All you need for a game of pitch and putt are your pitching wedge and your putter.
It’s perfect for anyone who’s having a hard time getting enough distance with their drives. You might not be able to work on hitting long and straight on the pitch and putt course, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t use it to improve the rest of your game.
So if you’re looking for a bit of diversity in your game, looking to introduce friends and family to the sport, or are just unsure whether or not the pitch and putt us worth it, keep reading, and we’ll tell you all about the benefits of the pitch and putt.
The Benefits of the Pitch and Putt
1. Work on your chips
A lot of us golfers probably wish we could spend more time working on our short game. It’s easily the most overlooked part of improving at golf.
That’s what makes the pitch and putt so useful! The whole game is based around your short game, most importantly, your chipping technique.
The best way to play the game is to focus on flop shots. Ideally, depending on the course length you’re playing on, you want to be hitting as many flop shots as possible, and you should be aiming to hit an up and down on every hole.
This is a great way to work on your accuracy with chip shots.
You want to make sure that you’re always hitting your mark. These courses are usually really short, so there’s not a lot of room for error.
The first time you play on a pitch and putt course, you’re either going to hit too hard or too soft. This means that you have to hit the sweet spot every time you make a swing.
But that’s the best part of the p&p, most courses are around 6-9 holes and take under an hour to finish, so you can just go round again if you’ve got the time and you’ll immediately play better than before!
2. Work on your putting
Putting is, unsurprisingly, a massive part of the pitch and putt.
If you’re struggling with your putting, this could be the game for you. Like any game of golf, it all comes down to your putting technique. If you’re sloppy on the green, you can ruin a great round.
Many struggle with putting because of how precise you have to be. You have to read the green, make sure your grip and technique is all in order, and then not choke on the delivery.
A lot of golfers really feel the tension of the sport when they’re putting. This can lead to things like the dreaded golf yips, not hitting hard enough, or overshooting the mark.
But putting doesn’t have to be so scary, and to break 100, break 90, or become a scratch golfer, you’ll need putting to be one of eof the strongest parts of your game.
Playing on a pitch and putt course with some good buddies can be a great way to work on your putting with the pressure of playing in a game, but without the pressure of a full length game of golf, or a more serious game.
3. Work on your strategy
When playing on a full-length golf course, many golfers will just hammer the ball with their driver and pick up the pieces afterwards.
This is, unsurprisingly, not the best way to play golf.
Sure, we can work on our drives and our golf strategy on a full-length course, but there’s generally a lot more room for error the longer a course is.
This is why we would recommend the pitch and putt for any beginners looking to improve their game strategy.
It’s a lot easier to pick your target and aim for it successfully on a shorter course. You can take the skills you have learned with you onto the full-length holes and feel a lot more confident in your strategy.
Good golf strategy is about finding the path to the hole in the least amount of shots. It sounds simple, but as any golfer will tell you, it’s far easier said than done.
So rather than making your shot and hoping for the best, try working on your strategy on the pitch and putt, and take what you’ve learned with you!
4. try Out New Techniques
Ever wanted to test out a new technique on the course but you were worried that it might negatively affect your game? I have three words for you: pitch and putt.
While a round on the pitch and putt should be taken seriously if you want to improve, there’s no denying that the stakes just aren’t as high as a full-length round of golf.
This why it’s perfect for trying out new techniques that you’ve heard about, or your friend tried, or you read about on Golf Guidebook.
At the end of the day, pitch and putts are mostly used for a bit of fun with the family, or to introduce a beginner to the game. And that’s for good reason. A shorter course is inevitably going to be easier than a longer one.
This is why it’s perfect to test out that new grip you saw someone use on the PGA tour, like Jordan Spieth’s chicken wing technique.
The Stakes are lower on the pitch and putt course, and you should use that to your advantage.
So if we haven’t convinced you yet to try out your local pitch and putt, the best thing I can suggest is to just try it out anyway.
You’ll be surprised how quickly you can fly through holes, and how quickly you’ll start to see your short game improve.
The pitch and putt is more than just a great way to introduce people to the sport, spend time with your family, or play a quick game on your lunch break. It’s a great way to improve your overall game, and the benefits can only be reaped once you try it out.
