Some noteworthy, Chicago pitchers were Fergie Jenkins (Cubs), Wilbur Woods (Sox), Early Wynn (Sox), Hoyt Wilhelm, (Sox) and Kerry Wood (Cubs). I do not know whether these pitchers were amateurish golfers, although they were certainly amateurs if they played golf. Nonetheless, good golfers must be good pitchers.
On the golf course, good pitches will often determine whether golfers score eagles and birdies. This does not mean that they must wear pitchers’ mitts and have catchers behind the holes to catch golf balls. Golf pitches are special swings with golf clubs.
Pitches come in handy when golfers must hit golf balls high to clear hazards (water hazards, sand bunkers and rough) and/or to produce minimum amounts of roll after the balls land. The teeing grounds of par three holes may require golfers to pitch to score GIR (greens in regulation). Second, third and fourth swings from fairways may also require that golfers use pitch shots.
Pertaining to par three holes, pitches are especially effective against putting greens that are small and/or have steep slopes. When used in combination with backspins, pitched balls will usually only roll two feet or less after they land. However, a negative result of pitched, golf balls is that they produce substantial and unsightly divots on greens and fairways.
In retrospect, pitched golf balls will rarely leave smaller divots than the divots that chipped shots produce. This is because when hitting pitch shots from the fairways, golf clubs must dig deep into the ground. On the putting greens, since pitch shots fall from steeper angles, they have greater impact upon putting greens’, relatively soft surfaces. (During pitches, worms may learn how to fly.)
Cog Hill’s “Dubsdread” will likely require that golfers hit pitch shots to every putting green if they want to score pars or better. This is because this championship golf course has more than 100, sand bunkers, most of them clustered around the putting greens. (Cog Hill is at 12294 Archer Avenue in Lemont, Ill. “Dubsdread” is this golf facility’s, number four course.)
If you are a salesperson, it is discourteous to pitch your products to a fellow-competitor as he/she is preparing to pitch. Likewise, you do not want to hear pitches when you are preparing to pitch. Golfers who are pitching will usually become sliders if they are wearing sandals.
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