Practiced at a different course than my own after work this evening ( my wife entered a charity event, and my presence was required ) . Didn't have my putter, so used my wife's 60 and hit around 150 pitches to their practice green ( we have two pitching greens at the home course. the first is uphill, two tiered, and mimics most of our course's long chip and pitch shots. the second banks steeply front to back, very firm, and holds nothing ). The pitching green at this course has three flags, 60 yds., 70 yds., and 80 yds. The green is slightly downhill, soft and will hold most lofted approaches.
Found a great rhythm. At one point I'd landed 74 of 76 pitches onto the green. Pitching has been my Achilles heal. Tonight I think I've made a break-through; about a third of the way through the session, I started to really groove the 'box', ( as described by Ernie Els
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YxrAE0pJe8 ). I begin the swing pulling the right shoulder back, form box, then swing the box through the ball to target. Similar to the putt break-through I described previously, when I focus on my right elbow ( keep it pointing down, move it through the ball ), I get a high, straight, softly-landing ball.
Tomorrow I'm playing a practice round on the course I'll be competing at next Tuesday. I've never played well at this course. Too many manufactured holes. Hopefully I'll get past my prejudice and build a good round.