Had some ongoing issues with serious pitching divots on our home fields and the corresponding argument of whether the pitcher is leaping or maintaining parallel with the ground. I went out and bought some Pro Mounds packing clay. I rarely find products that I rave about but this is one. Took about an hour to dig out a 60" x 24" x 12" trench and then re-compact with the Pro Mound. Since doing that 3 weeks ago we have had dozens of pitching sessions and thousands of pitches with virtually no divots. I spend about 15 minutes a week smoothing and re-compacting to keep the area level. I can now definitively tell you that one of our pitchers was leaping. Very slight but caught her on tape with her drag leg about an inch off the ground. Best money and elbow grease I have spent on softball in a while.
Got tired of the leap/drag divot hole IP arguments
- Thread starter SoCalDad
- Start date
Welcome to Discuss Fastpitch
Your FREE Account is waiting to the Best Softball Community on the Web.
Coach-n-Dad
Crazy Daddy
- Oct 31, 2008
- 1,007
- 0
I am so glad that I read this post. I have been wanting to install a GOOD pitching circle in my backyard.
How many bags of the packing clay did you need for the 60" x 24" pitching lane?
How many bags of the packing clay did you need for the 60" x 24" pitching lane?
- Feb 5, 2010
- 222
- 16
Diamond pro make a similar products including a brick that when watered bonds together. 300 bricks in a pallet 4" X 8" X 2 1/2"
I bought (10) 50 pound bags and have used a bit over 8 bags on the pitching mound so far. The instructions called for digging down 4 inches below the surface, wet, spread clay,tamp and compact and then place a 1" layer of infield dirt on top. I dug down 12" since we had a very bad mix of dirt and then refilled about 4" with a high quality soil. I then added 7" of the clay, tamped and placed the dirt on top. Depending upon how thick the layer you install you could probably use fewer bags. My next project is the batters box and catchers station.
Yep, wanted to buy those but my local store only carried the packing clay. The bricks seemed easier to install but when I priced out shipping the cost was almost 40% higher. With the amount I have invested in DDs softball over the years could have retired early...
