Players taking my golf lessons often have problems getting the ball airborne. The reason: They either try to scoop the ball in the air or they have a swing fault correctible only through focused golf instruction sessions. Whatever the case, they have a hard time getting the ball in the air.

This inability has a huge impact on your golf game and your golf handicap. To improve both you need to overcome this problem. Clubs with offset design can help. They offer benefits—both performance and visual— that not only help launch the ball quicker and easier, but also help you shoot lower scores and reduce your golf handicap.

Not Just For Effect
Offset isn’t just for visual effect. It offers real benefits that help a golfer make better shots. But explanations of those performance benefits are often unclear or not detailed enough to explain why to the average recreational golfer.

There are two schools of thought on the benefits of offset. One school attributes offset’s edge to the position of the player’s hands at impact. This school holds that with the clubhead’s leading edge behind the forward-most portion of the shaft, the golfer’s hands will are farther ahead at impact. This effectively delofts the club at the moment of impact, resulting in lower shot trajectories. So while you get the ball in the air quickly, it flies at a lower loft.

The second school of thought is diametrically opposed to this theory. It contends that with the leading edge behind the forward-most position of the shaft, the club’s center of mass is moved back, causing a bowing forward of the shaft. This bowing effect increases the club’s loft, driving the ball airborne faster.

Both schools would seen to have some merit to their arguments. But club manufacturers have conducted tests on offset design. These tests that tend to confirm the second school of thought. The also confirm that offset is a vital design element in game-improvement clubs. . Clubs with offset design tend to launch the ball higher regardless of the player’s swing speed or the ball’s construction—two key factors. Why?

Tests Confirm Offset’s Importance
The clubhead lags behind the shaft slightly whether a person with a low golf handicap or a high golf handicap is swinging it. In both cases, the centrifugal force created through the swing bends the club downward and forward as the center of mass attempts to catch up with your hands. The farther back the center of mass and the more offset the club, the more pronounced the bend of the shaft.

As a result, shots hit at a variety of swing speeds, including those associated with recreational golfers, tend to launch the ball faster than those hit with clubs lacking offset, although they also tend to achieve a slightly lower apex. They also carried almost 20 yards less than those hit at a pro’s swing speed. Keep in mind that in addition to swing speed, the degree of launch is also affected by the type of ball hit.

Visual Benefits of Offset
Besides better launch angle and overall shot trajectory, clubs with offset design offer visual benefits as well. For example, you often hear players talk about the “look” of a club. They’re referring to how the club looks at address, when you’re staring down the shaft at the blade. One element contributing to this “look” is topline thickness—how the top of the club’s blade looks at address.

Certain players like a thin looking topline while others like a thicker looking topline. Recreational golfers tend to like a thicker topline. They feel more confident playing with a club with a slightly thicker looking topline than a thinner one. If you’re a golfer with a high golf handicap, odds are a smaller thinner clubhead would a bit more intimidating than a thicker topline.

Applying This Information
Applying this information to your game can help improve your scores and your golf handicap. As a player you want to play the most forgiving clubs possible, regardless of design. If you’re having problems getting the ball airborne, you’ll want clubs that helps you get the ball in the air.

If that’s the case, you might benefit from trying irons with varying degrees of offset. They can help you get the ball in the air faster and with less effort. In addition, consider offset for your woods as well. Metal woods also offer the benefit of offset. For some golfers looking to lower their golf handicaps, they may be extremely playable. Consider this are well.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros.” He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

Many players taking my golf lessons approach a full round of golf hole by hole. If they’re playing a course they’ve played before, they know where to hit the ball and where all the trouble spots are on each hole. Playing hole by hole is fine for recreational golfers, some of whom are still attending golf instruction sessions and struggling to get a handle on the game.

But if you’re an experienced golfer and you’re serious about chopping your golf handicap down to size, this approach won’t do. Instead, you need to start thinking of a round of golf as an entity in itself and to develop a strategy for playing a whole round of golf as such. In other words, you need to start thinking about developing a personal game plan for playing all 18 holes of golf.
Below are some tips you can incorporate in your game plan.

First Tee
Before starting the round, try to find out how the greens are playing. Are they slow or fast? Since you really can’t do that on the first green, you’ll have to rely on whatever information you can glean before you start the round. You can ask players who’ve finished their rounds. That helps. But the best way to find out about how the greens are playing is on the practice green, as I tell players who take my golf lessons.

For example, you can check the grain on the practice green by lightly dragging your putter across the green. If the grass stands up, you’ve scrapped the putter against the grain. If it stays down, you’ve scraped the putter with the grain. You can’t do this on course, but you can test the green’s collar or it’s apron without penalty. Just make sure the grass is similar to what’s on the green.

Seventh Hole
Your round is one-third over. It’s time for a tension check. You should feel some tension in some of your muscles, like your lower back, the insides of your thighs, around your ankles, and the inside of your feet. Other muscles like your jaw, neck, and shoulders should be relaxed. If they aren’t, do some stretches to loosen them. Some professional swing coaches calls this selective tension.

The 7th hole is also a good opportunity to check your time. How quickly are you playing? Perhaps it’s one of those days where for whatever reason you’re hyper, and you’re playing too quickly. At the first sign of bad shot making, slow everything down, from driving your cart to walking to the tee. In fact, be the last one on the tee.

At the Turn
The turn is a good time to review how you’ve been playing, and not just in terms of your score. Have you been too aggressive? Maybe you’ve made a few mistakes. Or maybe you’ve been too conservative. Some players cut back on their natural aggressiveness so much at the start of a round that they lose their edge altogether. Resolve to make changes on the back nine.

Also, analyze your shots. How have they been? Have you been getting good distance on them? A loss of distance, for instance, can be fueled by the failure to make a complete shoulder turn. For longer, straighter shots you need to make a complete shoulder turn—the left under your chin and the right behind your neck (for right-hander). Resolve to correct problems with your mechanics on the back nine.

Fourteenth Hole
If you decide to get more aggressive on the back nine, remember that this aggressiveness sometimes comes at a price. You’re liable to miss a green or two you might normally hit. The price of aggressiveness is tough recoveries. So be prepared to tackle these situations when they occur.

Also keep in mind that the type of putt you hit depends on the course’s playing conditions. You’ve been out there for three hours or so. The grass has grown and the sun has dried the greens out, which can both slow them down and speed them up. Once you figure out the speed of the greens for the final stretch, make it a point to hit the ball harder for uphill putts.

Final Hole
If you’ve gotten to the final hole and you feel tired, consider putting in a little more gym time. Remember, the strongest machine usually wins. But fatigue can affect your whole swing. The last hole is no time to give yourself a lesson on your swing, as Ben Hogan put it. Once you start your swing, you can’t stop it, so don’t even try. Stay calm and go with your plan.

These tips are just a few among many that you can incorporate in your game plan, if you’re playing a full round of golf. Use whatever works for you. The key is viewing the round as a whole, with its own rhythm, shifts in momentum, and so on. Doing so will help you lower that golf handicap while taking your game to a new level.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros.” He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

=================================================== How To Break 80 Newsletter

January 17, 2007

“The Web’s Most Popular Golf Improvement Newsletter”
===================================================

In this issue we’ll discuss…

1) Hitting the Long Irons
2) Club Selection Around the Greens
3) Question of the Week- Curing the Shanks
4) Article- The Benefits of Offset Design
5) Article- Five Checkpoints When Playing 18 Holes

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1) Hitting the Long Irons
===================================================
Long irons are hard to hit. Among the longest clubs in the bag, they give even good players trouble. That’s why many weekend golfers replace them with hybrid clubs. Hybrids are shorter and easier to hit than long irons, but they drive the ball just as far.

Unfortunately, not everyone likes hitting hybrids. They can take some getting used to, and not everyone has the patience or inclination to learn how to hit them. Then there are those players who’re just not comfortable hitting hybrids. If you’re one of these players, you need to learn how to hit the long irons, if you want to take your game to the next level.

Here are 5 tips for hitting your long irons:

• Focus on tempo and timing
• Think low and slow
• Push the club away
• Keep the clubhead low
• Make a full turn

You need excellent tempo and timing to hit long irons well. If you’re too quick with your swing using a 1-, 2-, or 3-iron, you’ll probably find yourself in trouble after the shot. Since a smooth rhythmic swing is paramount with these irons, you need to think, “low and slow” at address.

To start low and slow, push the club away from the ball with your left arm and hand (for right-handers) at address, keeping the clubhead low to the ground, instead of snatching the club away as you start your backswing. This movement encourages you to make a full turn with your hips and shoulders during your swing.

Maintaining your tempo and timing is key when hitting long irons. By taking the club back slowly and rhythmically, your legs, torso, shoulders, hands, and arms will work in harmony, generating a longer, straighter shot. Think low and slow when you hit the long irons and you’ll slice strokes off your golf handicap.

=================================================== 2) Club Selection Around the Greens
===================================================
Even good golfers make bad choices when it comes to club selection around the greens. Maybe it’s because it’s a pressure shot. In any case the right selection—along with the right swing—sets up an easy putt, possibly for a par or a birdie. The wrong selection—even with a good swing—leaves a long difficult putt, maybe for a double bogey or worse.

The problem is spin. Using a higher-lofted club puts a lot of spin on the ball, which can be difficult to control. Using a lower-lofted club puts more roll on the ball, so you’ll need more room for the shot. Naturally, you want to select the club that’s right for the shot.

Two schools of thought exist when it comes to club selection around the greens. Some people use their favorite club for every shot near the green. They simply open up the club’s face to generate more loft, and hence, more spin. They then hit the ball harder or softer depending on the shot.

Other people change clubs. If they need a shot with more spin than roll, they’ll use a more lofted club, like a sand wedge. If they need a shot with more roll than spin, they’ll use a less lofted club, like a 5-iron or a 7-iron. Using a slightly open stance, they’ll take an identical swing for both clubs.

Both approaches work, if the shots are executed properly. However, many golfers prefer the second approach because it has fewer variables involved, making the shot easier. You just need to remember to choke down on a lower lofted club for better control.

Ultimately, your approach will be a matter of personal choice. Try both and see which you’re more comfortable with, then practice it frequently. Remember using the right club around the greens can be the difference between a par or a birdie and a double bogey or worse.

=================================================== 3) Question of the Week- Curing the Shanks
=================================================== From Graham Battershill, Surrey, England

Curing the Shanks

Q. Hi, Jack. I’ve developed a shank lately on my wedges. This is becoming a real pain, especially around the greens, where I lose shots. Can you help with this situation?
A. That’s a good question, Graham. Thanks. There’s nothing worse than having the shanks. Even the pros shudder at the mere mention of the word. A shank occurs when a ball is caught in the angle between the clubface and the hosel, spinning the ball sideways.

The problem is that at impact the player’s hands—and therefore the clubhead— are farther away from his body than at address. The cause: either standing too close to the ball, preventing your hands from swinging freely past the body, or shifting your weight forward on your toes, throwing your hands and clubface too far from the body.

If weight shift is the problem, curling your toes inside your golf shoes, and maintaining them throughout the swing, cures it. If it doesn’t, place a golf ball under the front of each foot, pushing your weight back on your heels, then hit some balls. Maintaining too tight a grip also contributes to the shanks. Gripping the club tightly prevents it from swinging freely past the body through impact.

If your hands are the problem, place a ball about a half-inch outside your ball. Then, try hitting the inner ball cleanly. Try to sense that your hands are closer to your body through impact and that you’re going to hit the ball on the club’s toe. If you hit both balls, your hands are still too close to the ball. Try exaggerating the feeling until the shanks disappear.

If you’ve got a golf question you’d like answered, send an email to us at questions@howtobreak80.com and we’ll review it. I can’t guarantee that we’ll use it but if we do, we’ll make sure to include your name and where you’re from.

===================================================
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

To view this newsletter online, please visit:
http://www.howtobreak80.com/newsletter01172007.html

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article- The Benefits of Offset Design

5) Article- Five Checkpoints When Playing 18 Holes

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
break80ezine@aweber.com
=================================================== About the Author
===================================================
Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80 and Shoot Like the Pros!”. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicaps quickly. His free weekly newsletter goes out to thousands of golfers worldwide and provides the latest golf tips, strategies, techniques and instruction on how to improve your golf game.

I’ve given countless golf lessons over the years with a great deal of success. In that time, I’ve held golf instruction sessions for hundreds of golfers, none of which were alike when it came to their swings. That’s why I started writing golf tips for weekend players. Everyone has, or seems to have, swing faults peculiar to his or her golf swing.

While every player is different, some faults are more common. I see them time and time again. Neither the player’s level, genders, size nor does matter. If you’re a recreational golfer—with limited time to practice—you probably have one of these swing faults.

Fault #1: Pull Hook
Hooking is probably the second most common fault among weekend golfers. The problem usually is in you setup. Since most golfers are right handed, there’s a tendency to emphasize that side of your swing. The problem often is in your setup. Your right arm is tense, your right shoulder rides high, and your right hip’s cast toward the ball. Inevitably, this leads to a descending blow that causes a duck hook.

The cure is simple. Relax your right arm. Take your normal setup, then shift your hips laterally to the left a bit. This setup raises the left shoulder and relaxes your right arm. It also puts your left side in a more dominant position. As you take your backswing, you should feel as if you shift your weight go no further than the inside of your left foot before beginning your downswing. This approach helps you stay behind the ball and maintain your balance throughout the swing.

Fault #2: Upper-cutting
If you’re mid- and long-irons are coming up short, you’re probably upper cutting the ball. Weekend golfers and those that lack hand strength, often try to help the ball get airborne. They reinforce this notion by setting up with their weight on the back of their heels, the right shoulder inordinately low, and the right arm (for right-handers) bent to an extreme.

The golfer with this type of swing must spin out and fall backward to hit the ball, swinging up rather than down. This increases the loft of the club, sending the ball skyward.

Once again, your set-up is the key. The simplest way to cure this swing fault is to drop your left shoulder enough to allow you to turn it under your chin. Now aim your shoulder on a line parallel to the target line and distribute your weight more evenly. Move the ball back a little in your stance as well.

This setup encourages a better, less restricted shoulder turn and a more descending angle of attack. Remember the loft of the club will drive the ball airborne. You don’t need to help it.

Fault #3: Blocking
Many recreational players who take my golf lessons “block” the ball. When asked about it, they say they’re trying to get the feeling that the back of their left hand (for right-handers) is going toward the target. This swing thought is not good.

What you want to feel is your arms and hands on the “inside” of the ball and moving left after impact. You must maintain the triangle of the chest, arms, and hands on the backswing and follow-through.

One way to cure blocking is to feel as if you’re driving your right shoulder down and past the ball, with your hands in a more passive role. This type of action through the ball allows you to use the larger muscles of your body more. It also allows you to make a good follow-through. An added benefit: It’s much easier on your back.

Fault # 4: Flying elbow
While a flying elbow is most common among golfers with high golf handicaps, many players with low golf handicaps also do it. Players who’ve played baseball before turning to golf often have this problem as well. The basic problem is that you let your right elbow (for right handers) detach from your body in and effort to generate more distance for yourself, instead of letting the club do the work.

One of the best ways to cure this problem is to start with your left elbow pressed against your chest. Now swing the club back until you feel like your hands are touching your right shoulder and then start forward. If the left arm stays in this position on the backswing, you’ll get a full shoulder turn, a flatter plane, and a less dominant right side.

They’re you have it—the four most common swing faults I see when giving golfer lessons. These faults are common among golfers with high golf handicaps.

But you don’t need hours of golf instruction sessions to cure these faults. Just follow the golf tips I’ve provided and you should be able to cure them with practice.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros.” He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.