Every time I climb into my new EZ GO golf cart (which really stands out form the crowd with its EZ GO lift kit conversion) and head out onto the course I feel like someone special as heads turn from those people in their sabby looking old club golf carts. However, this feeling soon evaporates when I start playing and people see the very poor quality of my pitch shot.

The pitched shot is a superb example of the balance required in golf as not only a physical but also a mental sport and each pitch shot you make needs to be planned very carefully. Before you even address your ball you need to examine the terrain you are playing over and take note of the conditions so that you can decide precisely how you are going to to make your shot.

In putting together your plan you have to ask yourself 5 questions:

1. What is my target? In many cases the answer to this will clearly be the hole, however if the cup is in a difficult position, such as tucked in behind a bunker or cut close to the side of the putting green, you may well decide not to shoot at the hole but to have your ball land near the hole leaving you with a fairly simple shot to putt out.

2. How flat is the surface of the putting green? While the majority of greens are fairly flat some are also far from flat and may have a substantial fall from one side to the other or from front to back. The green might also be tiered so that the flag is situated on one of a number of 'steps' in the green. Any slope on the putting green will obviously affect your shot because you do not want your ball landing near the hole and then rolling back down the slope away from the cup and maybe even right off the putting green.

3. How far will the ball fly before landing? Whether you are aiming straight for the cup or attempting to shoot your ball onto the front of the putting green and roll it on up to the flag it is critical to know just how far you need the ball to fly through the air as this will directly affect which club you choose.

4. What effect is the wind going to have on my shot? If you are going to be playing in windy conditions then you will need to gauge the effect that the wind is going to have on your shot. You might, for example, wish to to think about changing your choice of club to accommodate the wind and to keep the trajectory of your ball as low as possible. As an alternative, you might decide to use the wind to your advantage and aim off target, allowing the wind to carry the ball back onto the target line.

5. How quick is the putting green? The condition of the green is extremely important and you will have to gauge this against the holes which you have already played or the conditions on the practice ground. Is the putting surface, for example, dry and hard in which case the ball will bounce and could run a considerable distance, or is the putting surface soft and wet in which case the ball might well stop dead where it lands.

By carefully considering each of these five questions you will be able to pick your target, select your club and make your shot with a clear picture of exactly the line you have to follow to achieve the result you are looking for.