Often I see players, when attempting top lay a pitch shot, lift their arms and therefore the club head when impacting the ball trying to lift it in the air.  The player should be attempting to use the loft of a sand iron or pitching wedge rather than this incorrect technique.

There is a saying; 'To get the ball to go up, the club must come down'.  To achieve this try the following:

• Set-up with weight on the front leg
• Hinge wrists upward on backswing
• Allow the club head to fall into the ball on the downswing whilst turning shoulders

Obviously there is more to a pitch shot than the above, but to get the club to come down and therefore the ball up, try the above and watch the ball stop dead on the green!