Golf Tips and Instruction-April 19, 2006
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How To Break 80 Newsletter
April 19, 2006
“The Web’s Most Popular Golf Improvement Newsletter”
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In this issue we’ll discuss…
1) The Best Club For Pitching?
2) How To Apply Proper Grip Pressure
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1) The Best Club For Pitching?
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Seventy percent of all shots are played from within one hundred yards of the green. That’s a startling but accurate statistic. Needless to say, one of the keys to lowering a golf handicap is accurate pitching, and one of the keys to accurate pitching is club selection.
Now, some people use a pitching wedge, some the sand wedge and others the lob wedge. Hands down, the best one to use though is the sand wedge. Why? Well, it has an advantage over the pitching wedge because it generates more loft than the latter, giving the ball more height in flight and more backspin. Thus, you can hit a fuller shot with the sand wedge than the pitching wedge from the same spot. The pitching wedge does not have enough loft and the lob wedge in many cases has too much.
So, here are the keys to pitching with the sand wedge: Adopt a normal address as if you were hitting a drive. Keep the grip and posture the same as well, then do the following:
• Divide your weight equally between sides
• Move the front foot back slightly
• Play the ball in the center of your stance
• Position your hands ahead of the ball
• Keep your backswing short and steep
• Hit the ball cleanly before the ground
The emphasis of the swing is on your hands and arms, not your body. Moving your front foot back (away from the ball) opens your stance slightly, allowing the club to clear your hips. Keep the shoulders lined up with the intended target line, however. Also, keep your wrists flexed in the backswing, ensuring that the club remains in the slanted position—as it was at the beginning of the swing—when it strikes the ball. The steeper swing creates a deeper divot.
Some golfers shy away from using a sand wedge unless they’re in a bunker. That’s because of the club’s sole, which differs substantially from the pitching wedge’s. Placing the hands in front of the ball, however, neutralizes the difference in the soles, enabling you to capitalize on the sand wedge’s advantages.
So, next time you’re 100 yards and in and especially for the “half shots” like 50 yards, try using the sand wedge. You may just be surprised at the results.
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2) How To Apply Proper Grip Pressure
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Losing control of your grip is a serious fault. Any loosening of your grip leads to re-grip at some stage, affecting the alignment of the clubface at impact and the ball’s flight path. Overswingers are prone to this fault.
To avoid the fault, apply pressure at three key points (for right-handers):
• the last three fingers of left hand
• on your left thumb
• on your right index finger
Never hold a club tightly. Apply just enough pressure to provide a secure hold yet still feel the clubhead’s weight in your fingers. Wrap the last three fingers of your left hand firmly around the club’s butt-end, securing the club. Apply a little pressure with your left thumb as you place the lifeline of your right hand over it. Push the right index finger lightly against the shaft, sealing your grip.
If you know how to do it, you can use grip pressure to control the ball’s path. To hit the ball from right to left, lighten the grip pressure of your left hand, enabling your right hand to take over at the swing’s bottom and closing the clubface at impact and drawing the ball. To prevent hooking, hold on tightly with the last three fingers of your left hand, preventing your right hand from taking over at the swing’s bottom.
To test grip pressure, imagine this-pretend you are holding a tube of toothpaste or a small bird like a dove. Too tight and you’ll squeeze the toothpaste out of the tube too rapidly. Too softly and it will slide through your hands. Most of it hold it too tightly so work on getting a more “neutral” grip pressure and watch your scores start to drop.
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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
Also, for past issues of this newsletter and some of my most
recent articles, visit our blog at www.HowToBreak80.com/blog
Until next time, Go Low!
Jack
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