Ben Hogan once said that being accurate was more important than being long. Most pros would probable agree. As I tell players who take golf lessons from me, golf is a target game. You’ll chop more strokes off your golf handicap by hitting the ball to an exact spot 250 yards in the fairway than you will by driving the ball 300 yards into trouble. So if it comes down to a choice, take accuracy over length.

But there’s no denying the benefits—or the thrill—of smashing a 300-yard drive down the middle of the fairway. That’s sweet. The problem comes when golfers overswing trying to hit that 300-yard drive. If they’re right handed, they either slice it right or hook it left. The solution is staying within yourself and eliminating swing flaws that drain power, helping to inflate scores and golf handicaps.

Below are three key moves that I often discuss in my golf instruction sessions on hitting for power. Perfecting these moves won’t automatically qualify you for long ball hitting contests. But they will eliminate swing flaws that short-circuit power and cost you yardage. Ingrain these moves in your swing and you will find yourself hitting the ball longer, straighter, and more solidly.

Keep your elbow in front of the hip
The right elbow keys the delivery of power (for right-handers). Keep the right elbow in front of your hip, with the club parallel to the target line and the toe of the club pointed straight up and you’ll hit the ball longer and straighter, with much less effort and without over swinging. If your arms separate from your body or your elbow gets stuck behind your hip, you’ll hit it short. You should feel as if your elbow is attached to the front of your hip.

Unfortunately, players with high golf handicaps let their elbows fly. They swing over, under, or behind their right hip. Swinging over produces slices and pulls because it delivers the club on an outside path, with the butt of the club aimed left of the target (right-handers). Swinging under produces pushes and hooks because it delivers the club on an inside path, with the butt of the club aimed right of the target. Swinging the club behind your hip generates weak shots.

Uncock the wrists downward
Your wrists also key the delivery of power. If you’re wrists aren’t working properly, you can’t maximize power. Next time you watch golf on television, keep an eye on power hitters like Phil Mickelson, Charles Howell III, and Vijay Singh. They represent extreme examples of what’s called “the full release.” Their wrists fully uncock downward and the clubhead stays below the hands well into the release. Their lower hands almost come off the club.

Golfers who lack power or who have high golf handicaps tend to uncock their wrists early on through the follow-through. This move causes the club to point skyward too soon after the release. That’s a mistake. The clubhead should be below your hands just after impact, and remain slightly below them even in the release position before eventually coming up.

Maintain your arms level past impact
To achieve maximum power through release, your arms, your club, and your body must work as one. Three keys at this point in the swing are (1) the shaft becomes parallel to the target line and should be positioned just under the hands; (2) your right lower forearm (for right-handers) should be about level with your left; and (3) the club’s toe should point up. You could almost lay a club across your forearms at this point in the swing.

Some weekend golfers try to hold the clubface square past impact. This causes the left elbow to move up and away from the body, and makes the ball go high right and short. Others stop the shoulders, which lets the arms get ahead of the body, causing weak hooks and pulls. To compensate, you’ll see players flick their wrists at the end of the swing or not release the club, known as “blocking.” Neither move contributes to a sound golf swing.

Keep your elbow in front of your hip. Unlock your wrists downward. Maintain your arms level past impact. Three simple moves that I focus on in my golf lessons that deliver more power and improve ballstriking. Master these moves! If you do, you’ll be well on your way to hitting the ball longer and straighter, and slashing strokes from your scores and your golf handicap, regardless of the types of courses you’re playing.

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.

You’ve heard me talk about “swing plane” in my golf tips. And you’ve probably read about it in golf magazines. The concept confuses some golfers. They’re not sure exactly sure what it is or how it affects their scores or golf handicaps. This “golf lesson” on swing plane defines it, discusses its impact, and details how to choose which swing plane is right for you.

Swing Plane Simplified
Simply put, swing plane describes the two basic ways of swinging a club. One-plane swingers start their swings on the same plane as their shoulders. Their swings are a little rounder and flatter than two-planers’ because one-planers tend to swing around their bodies. They envision the golf ball as something they propel forward, like a tennis forehand smash.

Two-planers see things differently. They don’t start their swings on the same plane as their shoulders, but on a more upright plane. Their swings are steeper and straighter than one-planers’ because they tend to swing up and down. They have to drop down to the shoulder lane to hit the ball effectively. Two-planers envision a golf ball as something to lift, like shoveling snow.

Neither swing type is better than the other, as I’ve explained in my golf tips. Justin Rose, Ernie Els, and Vijay Singh are one-planers. Tom Watson, Karrie Webb, and Colin Montgomery are two-planers. All have done well on the PGA Tour.

But you need to decide which you are. The problem is that both swing types have different fundamentals and different swing keys, which golfers must ingrain to achieve consistency. Inconsistency creeps in when golfers mix the fundamentals of one swing type with those of the other.

One-Plane Fundamentals
One-planers must learn to maintain the right plane angle and not swing back too flat. One-planers tend to pull hard with their left hands (right hands for left-handed swingers) during the downswing. When they do, the club tends to flatten and fall behind them. It also opens the clubface, so one-planers have to quickly “flip” their hands to hit the ball square.

Many one planer’s use what many players call the “magic move.” Instead of pulling the left hand down hard, they start the downswing by dropping their right arm straight down and rotating their left forearm rotate toward the ground. This move keeps the club on plane through impact. And keeps the clubface square to the ball. If you use this move, your arms will feel “short” and connected to your body turn.

Two-Plane Fundamentals
Two-planers must learn to turn their hips during their swings to generate power and consistency. Most two-planers raise their clubs just fine when they start their swings, but don’t turn their hips. That may be because they’ve been told to restrict their hip turn to generate power and maximize distance. The opposite is true. You must turn your hips to generate enough swing arc and clubhead speed for a power-laden swing.

A two-planer’s biggest challenge is feeling the clubhead must close aggressively on the downswing to keep from missing right (left for left-handers). As a result, the clubhead goes out and around and cuts across the ball from the outside. Instead of lifting the club and closing the clubface, the two planer needs to swing the club to waist high on the backswing with the toe pointing straight up. On the downswing, he or she holds off the body turn and pulls with your left forearm. The club automatically slots to the inside.

Keys To Success
If you’re a one-planer, the right-arm is your key to success. At the start of your downswing, keep your elbow up and to your side, but let the right forearm drop. This keeps your arms tight to your chest. Then fire the right hand at the ball, feeling the clubhead close for a draw and open for a fade. Practice hitting shots using just your right arm to learn the proper feel of a one-plane swing.

If you’re a two-planer, the left arm is your key to success. You must keep your arms in front of your body. One way to do this is to imagine yourself turning your shoulders while making a Karate chop with your left arm. The weight of the club produces the up and down movement you need. Practice hitting draws and fades with just your left hand to get the feel of the two-plane swing. Hit the outside edge of the ball for a draw and the inside edge for a fade.

One Plane or Two Planes
So which are you? Here’s how I suggest you decide in my golf tips: If you’re flexible, have a strong upper body, and make an aggressive move through the ball, a one-plane swing is probably best for you. If you aren’t as strong or flexible and you tend not to make an aggressive move through the ball, you’ll probably benefit more from a two-plane swing.

Every player has a natural swing plane. That doesn’t mean you can’t learn to swing with the other swing plane. It just means that your potential is higher using your natural swing plane. Keep in mind that it’s difficult changing swing planes once you’ve learned to hit either way, even if you take a lot of golf lessons.

Determine whether you’ re a one-plane or a two-plane swinger based on the suggestions in my golf tips. Once determined, work hard on perfecting your swing in practice, keeping the fundamentals and challenges in mind. Ingrain the swing during practice. During a round, concentrate on your target, not your mechanics. Choosing the right swing plane will help you achieve lower scores and cut strokes from your golf handicap.

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.

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How To Break 80 Newsletter

September 5, 2007

“The Web’s Most Popular Golf Improvement Newsletter”
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In this issue we’ll discuss…

1) Turn on Your Chips
2) Pop It Through The Fringe
3) Question of the Week - Maintaining the Right Swing Thought
4) Article - Choosing the Right Swing Plane For You
5) Article - 3 Proven Power Moves

Jack’s Note: Looks like the FedEx Cup race is heating up and proving to be a success so far. In case you didn’t get my previous email announcing the new Bunker DVD, it’s set to go on sale next Tuesday Sept. 11th at 12pm ET. As a way of acknowledging the tragedy of this date 6 years ago we will be donating a portion of each sale to the Twin Towers Orphan Fund. We will only have a limited supply of this superb DVD so if you want to sign up for a priority list please go here. It’s also going to be very affordable. If you sign up, you’ll be able to get access to the DVD 30 minutes before anyone else at 8:30am ET on the 11th.

This is just a sign up list (no purchase necessary) and a chance to get a head start on everyone else.

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1) Turn on Your Chips
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The mechanics of chipping are simple. Most players learn them in a single lesson. And that’s the way all shots should be. The simpler the shot, the easier it is to learn. The goal of chipping is also simple: loft the ball over uneven terrain and on to the relatively smooth surface of the putting green.

With all this simplicity, why do some golfers fail to master the chip shot? Over time, they forget to execute one or more of the fundamentals of chipping. Among the most common forgotten fundamental is turning one’s body.

Here are five keys to chipping accurately:

* Assume ball back/hands forward address
* Choke down on the club
* Shift weight forward
* Hinge the wrists on takeaway
* Let your hands lead in the hitting zone

Most players can execute these keys fairly easily. But some players get so fixated on striking the ball cleanly when they chip, they fail to rotate their bodies during the shot. If your arms collapse and your body stops turning, the bottom of your swing ends up behind the ball, creating a fat or bladed shot. You must extend your arms and rotate your body to chip accurately.

Random Chipping Drill
One of the best exercises for improving accuracy is the random chipping drill. That’s because it closely imitates game conditions. Throw several balls around a green and then play each as it lies. Have three or four clubs at hand and picture each shot before addressing the ball. Using different clubs will help you determine which works best for you when chipping.

Practice this drill until you can chip to within a one-putt most of the time. Most players on the tour chip close enough to the hole to one-putt about 80 percent of the time, minimizing strokes.

Everyone wants to cut strokes from their scores. Chipping accurately helps. It turns three shots into two, as I’ve said before. Eliminate extra strokes by chipping well and your scores—and golf handicap—will drop dramatically.

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2) Pop It Through The Fringe
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How often has this happened to you? You hit a great approach shot, but it hits the green’s apron, rolls by the pin, and ends up on the fringe just in front of the high grass, leaving you with a tricky downhill putt. With greens rolling so fast these days, it’s probably happened to you more than once.

The problem is that you’re on short grass, but the rough is just behind your ball. You want to putt it, but the high grass might interfere with your stroke. How do you play it? One option is the “fringe putt.” This shot let’s you putt the ball near the green’s collar without getting the clubface snagged in the grass. Here are five keys to the fringe putt:

1. Adopt your normal putting set up.
2. Lower your front shoulder.
3. Take your normal putting grip.
4. Hinge your wrists going back.
5. Strike down and through.

While you use your putter for the shot, you play it more like a chip shot than a putt. Lowering your front shoulder promotes a steeper backstroke, which is especially important if you’re hitting downhill. Let your wrists hinge going back and then hit down and through the ball. You’ll feel more “hit” than you do with a putt, but that’s expected.

After hitting the ball, it will skid onto the green, and then start rolling toward the hole like a normal putt. You need a long blade-type putter for this shot, so those of you with mallet-style putters may need another option.

Work on the fringe putt next time you’re on the practice green. It provides a great option when your approach shot ends up at the edge of the rough.

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3) Question of the Week - Maintaining the Right Swing Thought
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Q. When you use the driver (or on any other shot), what should your thought or thoughts be during your swing?

Thanks,

John T. Calevas
A. Thanks for the question, John. Maintaining the proper swing thought or thoughts is essential to good ballstriking—whether it’s hitting a driver, an iron, or a putter. Many weekend golfers focus on their mechanics during the swing. If they’re having problems turning their hips properly, they focus on turning their hips during the swing. Thinking about mechanics seldom works. Usually, it throws your concentration off, causing you to mis-hit.

Instead, do what the pros do. They focus on their swing tempo and rhythm, and on making a smooth transition from their backswings to the downswings. They retain a mental picture of the proper ball flight and say to themselves something like “low and slow” as they swing the club. Or, they count mentally—”one” on the backswing and “two” on the downswing. This approach enables them to concentrate on hitting the ball solidly with a nice smooth swing.

Think about your mechanics during practice, not when playing. When playing, concentrate on making a one-piece takeaway and a smooth transition from backswing to downswing. Do those things and you’ll hit the ball solidly time after time after time.
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.

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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

To view this newsletter online, please visit:
http://www.howtobreak80.com/newsletter09052007.html

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article - Choosing the Right Swing Plane For You
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/swingplane.html

5) Article - 3 Proven Power Moves
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/power.html

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

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About the Author
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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 see a lot of players taking golf lessons from me who’ve bought hybrid clubs. By now, you’ve probably bought one yourself. If you have and you’re using it, you know it’s a good replacements for your 3- and 4-irons. A hybrid is shorter and easier to hit than a long iron. It doesn’t take as long to learn to swing. And it hits the ball higher, making it ideal for shots in the fairway that must land softly on the green.

But the hybrid is one of golf’s most versatile clubs. It can be used in a variety of locations other than the fairway, like the fringe, the rough, the tee, and even a bunker, and in situations where you need to save strokes. Learn to hit a hybrid well and you’ll chop strokes off your golf handicap. Let’s look at four ways this club can improve your game.

The Bunker
A hybrid works well in a fairway bunker, as long as the lip isn’t too high. You can hit this shot the same way you hit a normal hybrid shot, except for one adjustment—ball position. It’s the key to making the shot. If the ball is too far back in your stance, you’ll top it. If it’s too far forward, you’ll hit it fat. The best position is about an inch back of where you normally hit a hybrid. As you swing, keep your feet planted as much as possible and your weight centered. This steepens your swing and ensures first ball contact.

Bump and Run
The key to the bump and run, as I’ve mentioned in my golf tips, is getting the ball on the ground as quickly as possible. The sooner it’s on the ground, the more control you have over it. With the hybrid, the ball starts rolling quickly, making it easy to gauge distance. Keeping the ball low to the ground is also one of the best ways of achieving consistency with this shot.

The key to hitting the bump and run is choking down on the club and holding it with a putting style grip. The idea is to emulate your putting stroke. Use a square-to-square stroke to achieve more accuracy and limit wrist movement, making it easier to judge speed and distance. Using the hybrid helps you get up and down successfully more often in this situation.

On the Collar
No one likes playing a ball that’s up against the collar. You’re never sure how to play it or what club to use—the putter or the wedge. If those two choices don’t thrill you, try a hybrid. It offers benefits the other clubs don’t. It has a longer, wider sole, making it easier to hit solidly and giving you a wider margin for error. More importantly, it won’t slip under the ball or get stuck in the grass, as with a putter or a wedge.

Address the ball with a putter style grip, but don’t choke up. With the ball in the back of your stance, press the hands forward. On the backswing, cock your wrists to lift the clubhead slightly and then swing downward on the downswing. Allowing your wrists to hinge slightly helps lift the club from the collar on the backswing. The ball will pop and roll in a hurry, so read the green before hitting the shot and plan accordingly.

Above the Pin
Here’s a shot that I’ve never mentioned in my golf tips, but can save strokes. When a ball ends up in the light rough on the high side of a pin, most players assume that a putt or a lob would be your only choices. But a hybrid works just as well, as long as you know exactly where to get the ball rolling on the green. Plus, it’s a safer shot than a wedge.

First, make sure there’s room to get the club behind the ball. Then address the ball like a normal chip, with your hands slightly forward and the majority of your weight on your forward side. Your head should be directly over the ball. Chip the ball so it lands in the rough, not the fringe. The hybrid’s extra momentum causes the ball to roll forward through the rough. It will then roll softly onto the green.

If you really want to lower that golf handicap, learn to hit the hybrid in the situations mentioned above. You can also use it in the fairway or the rough. Keep those in mind as well. However you use it, the hybrid is a versatile club that can shave strokes off your scores. Think about adding to your bag if you haven’t already.

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.