Golf Tips and Instruction-Jan. 16, 2006
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How To Break 80 Newsletter
January 16, 2006
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This issue includes…
1) How To Chip From the Rough
2) Putting From the Fringe With a Fairway Wood
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1) How To Chip From the Rough
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Chipping from the rough is one of golf’s most challenging shots.
If you’re serious about lowering your golf handicap, then you need
to master this shot.
The problem is not the golfer, it’s the high grass. The longer the
grass, the more it wraps itself around the club’s hosel, delofting
the club on impact. What’s more, the grass trapped between the
clubface and the ball reduces spin, causing the ball to roll more
upon landing. Making the shot positions you for a makeable one-
putt.
Here’s how to pull this tough golf shot off successfully:
1. Set up as you normally would for a chip shot, but move your
hands down the club and grip it firmer than usual.
2. Play the ball forward in your stance and hinge your wrists to
produce a steeper angle of approach than normally.
3. Shift the hands and the body slightly left (forward press of the
hands) as you would with any chip shot and hit the ball with a
slightly downward movement, brushing the grass after the moment
of impact.
Remember to allow the clubhead to come through the ball because
the rough will most certainly try and prevent it from doing so.
Now, if it’s a long chip from the rough, remember to factor in more
roll when it lands on the green. If the grass is really thick, you can
play the shot like a greenside bunker shot. Open your stance and
your clubface, creating loft. Then hit the ball. You’ll come out soft,
and stop much quicker than usual.
To practice this chip from the rough shot, place a ball just outside
the first cut of rough on the fringe of the green. The grass should be
about one to one and one-half inches in length. Instead of hitting the
ball, practice just sweeping the tips of the grass. Use a low
sweeping motion employing just your arms and shoulders. After
ten sweeps, move immediately to the ball and chip it using the
same motion. Then move the ball back to higher grass and repeat
the sequence.
Chipping from the rough is one of golf’s hardest shots. Doing it
properly eliminates trouble, creates easy putts, and cuts
unnecessary strokes from your score–all of which builds
confidence in your game.
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2) Putting From the Fringe With a Fairway Wood
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The short game is a critical part of your game. Perfecting the short
game cuts strokes from your score and dramatically lowers your
golf handicap. While practicing the standard short game shots
works best, learning a “creative” shot–like putting from the fringe
of the green with a fairway wood–also pays dividends.
Putting with a fairway wood combines parts of 3 different shot types
–chipping stance, putting stroke, and a 3 wood. Golfers use the
3-wood when putting from the fringe and there’s no impediment or
the ball is up against the collar around the green.
To execute this shot, simply choke up on your 3 wood, take your
normal chipping stance, and make a putting stroke. Run the ball
right up to the hole. Some golfers use a 5 wood or a 7 wood if the
ball is in the fairway is cut close to the green with a gnarly lie. The
additional loft on these clubs tends to “pop up” the ball, clearing the
impediments. If you take this route, remember to pick out a spot on
the green to hit to that allows the ball to run to the hole.
Since distance and direction control are the keys to this shot, work
on it for a while before attempting to use it on the course.
Practicing this shot is fairly straight-forward. Drop several balls from
various spots just on the fringe of the green or place them up against
the collar of fringe of the green. Then hit away. Once you’ve practiced
these shots, move the balls further back to an area with slightly
higher grass.
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If you want to truly discover the secrets of shooting like the
Pros and creating a more reliable and consistent swing, check
out: http://www.HowToBreak80.com
Until next time, Go Low!
Jack
P.S. Feel free to share this newsletter with family and friends.
If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter, send a
blank email to htb80newsletter@aweber.com
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