Under pressure around the greens, the first thing to break down is forearm stability. When the trail hand takes over and flips at the golf ball, the leading edge digs into the turf on one shot and blades the ball across the green on the next.
Brent Witcher places the TrueStrike foam block between the forearms just above the wrists to lock in upper-body structure and make shoulder and torso rotation the engine of every pitch shot.
See the full step-by-step station on the TrueStrike Pitching Connection Drill page, or watch Brent demonstrate the setup below.
The drill
Brent Witcher (Director of Instruction at The Back Nine West Midtown; 2009: Jack Nicklaus Award Winner, Nations Top NCAA Division II men's golfer, 2008-2009: All-American Golfer at Valdosta State, 2015: Valdosta State University Hall of Fame) uses the TrueStrike impact and connection trainer to give golfers immediate physical and visual feedback on every repetition.
This drill utilizes the TrueStrike training aid, placed between the forearms, to enforce connection and stability during the pitching motion. It encourages the use of proper shoulder and body rotation, preventing the common fault of becoming too "handsy."
Setup
- Place the TrueStrike device between your forearms, just above the wrists.
- Grip the club as normal, ensuring the device remains securely in place.
How to run the drill
- Take your pitching stance, ensuring the TrueStrike is keeping your forearms connected.
- Execute practice swings and pitches, focusing on turning your shoulders and body.
- The device forces your forearms to stay stable and move in connection with your body rotation, eliminating excess wrist/hand action.
- Practice until you feel the body rotation driving the swing, rather than the hands.
When the TrueStrike stays lightly compressed between your forearms, your wrists cannot flick independently at the ball. Your chest and shoulders have to keep turning through impact.
Watch the drill
View the full guided drill on pathpal →
Why it works
Great wedge players maintain a quiet relationship between their forearms and their sternum on pitch shots inside 50 yards. Amateur golfers frequently stall their chest rotation on the downswing and try to scoop the ball into the air with their hands.
Take the wrist flick out of your pitching stroke and let your chest rotation control the loft.
Wedging the TrueStrike block between your forearms just above the wrists stabilizes the entire forearm triangle. Because any independent wrist hinge or flip changes the spacing between your forearms, the block immediately tells you when your hands try to take over.
Who this is for
- ✓Golfers who get handsy or flip their wrists on chip and pitch shots
- ✓Players who alternate between chunked pitches and bladed skulls across the green
- ✓Anyone whose chest stops turning on finesse wedge shots inside 50 yards
- ✓Golfers who want a simple, repeatable rotational pitching motion
Try it
Place the TrueStrike block between your forearms just above your wrists, grip your sand or lob wedge normally, and work through 20-to-40-yard pitch shots.
- Tuck the TrueStrike foam block securely between your forearms just above the wrists and take your grip
- Make 10 smooth practice swings brushing the grass while keeping your chest turning to the target
- Hit 15 pitch shots of 20 to 35 yards, feeling your shoulders and torso carry the forearms through together
- Remove the TrueStrike and hit 5 pitch shots to lock in the connected, quiet-wrist release
This drill uses the TrueStrike trainer from the pathpal training system. Shop the TrueStrike or explore the Complete Training System to get everything you need in one kit with Free U.S. Shipping.
Related drills
If this drill matches what you are working on, these three guided drills build on the exact same movement pattern:
Hit down and through chip shots drill
Taught by Brad Pluth. Master the Vertical Plane: Achieve a Steep Angle of Approach for Crisper Pitch Shots. View drill →
"X" Plane Drill for chipping
Taught by Cody Carter. Master Your Wedge Swing Plane and Path. View drill →
Train Tracks Drill for Putting and Chipping
Taught by David Potts. Consistent chipping with improved club path. View drill →
About Brent Witcher
Frequently asked questions
Where does the TrueStrike sit in the Pitching Connection Drill?
Place the TrueStrike foam block directly between your forearms just above your wrists before taking your normal pitching grip.
Why do handsy pitch shots cause chunks and blades?
Flicking the wrists moves the low point of the swing arc backward behind the ball and rapidly changes dynamic loft, leading to heavy turf contact or thin strikes.
Does this drill eliminate all wrist hinge on pitch shots?
It eliminates excess, independent hand and wrist flipping while allowing your forearms and shoulders to rotate together as a stable unit.
What distance shots work best for this drill?
It is ideal for short-game pitches and chips from 10 to 50 yards where torso connection and consistent spin loft are most important.
Can I practice this drill on an indoor chipping mat?
Yes. The TrueStrike block requires zero floor setup and works anywhere you can swing a wedge.
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