Ouch. My miss on chips and pitches is towards the toe so I never hit the "hosel rocket" on short shots. Have experienced it on the full shots where I really get the full effect. My disaster shot on pitches is the double-hit. I'm getting quite good at it as I get too scoopy these days, If you are just seeing it on pitches, practice a few with a second ball perpendicular to the one you are hitting to help your eye focus on catching the shot more towards the toe. When all else fails, seek professional help. :) Cheers!

Plenty of YouTube videos..Michael Breed has a few good ones.

What Dale said, seek professional help......they just pop up from no where with everyone at every skill level.....he/she can show you what to do when they pop up.....run as fast as you can to see a professional......cheers

At least for me, my hand position at address is not where I return to on the downswing and they are farther away from my body at impact (typically out to in swing path). I use two drills to reinforce the proper path when this happens. I place a rolled up towel just outside my ball so that if my path is out to in, the club head strikes the towel first before the ball. This forces me to come at the ball from more inside (in to out). Can use a empty box from a sleeve of balls, a piece of wood, etc, but the towel ensures no damage to your club as the drill is done. The second drill I use is to place an alignment stick in the ground directly in front of me at an angle extending up towards me as I am addressing the ball so that my hands are below the stick at address--then I will hit shots (can be pitches, half-swings, full swings, etc) with the intent of always having my hands come under the alignment stick during the approach and impact. If your hands move away from your starting position too far when you are making the downswing and approaching the ball, they will contact the stick and show that the path was not correct. As you said, you did not feel any change in the swing which I can appreciate--that is the part that makes us all say "where did that come from?"

If it was only one whats the problem? Every Sunday when I watch the tour someone muffs a shot or two. No big deal ,shrug it off and carry on. Don't make it bigger than it is.

I've been there. If it happens again, I would see a professional as Dave suggested.

In the meantime, if you would like to do something about it, I would watch a couple of YouTube videos. I have attached a YouTube link. In my opinion, the more you think about it, the more likely it is to happen next time you have a 'straight forward' pitch onto the green.

Keep us updated.

Alex, went through this earlier in the year. It went along with a lot of pulls I was hitting. I figured out my left shoulder was going way left on my way down. I have squared it up and the problem has gone away. Hope this helps as a swing thought, but I would suggest having someone look at your swing.

Take everything out of your right pocket and put it in you left pocket.
Works for Tin Cup!!!
Happy Playing.

For all who care to see the shot in question ‍♂️