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How To Break 80 Newsletter

November 28, 2007

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

1) Determining Correct Spine Angle
2) It’s All In The Lean
3) Question of the Week - Hitting The Fairway Bunker Shot
4) Article - Get the Most from Your Equipment
5) Article - Forget The Score

Jack’s Note:

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1) Determining Correct Spine Angle
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Your spine angle must be correct to hit a ball straight and long. Unfortunately, golfers don’t always achieve the correct spine angle. They stoop from the waist, slouch their backs, overly flex or straighten their legs, and/or “glue” their chins to their chests. If that’s you, don’t feel bad about it. Even professionals struggle with their posture occasionally. So check your spine angle periodically.

Here are five keys to setting the correct spine angle:

1. Bend from the hips not the waist
2. Flex your knees slightly
3. Stick your butt out
4. Keep your chin up
5. Tilt your front shoulder slightly

It’s easy checking your spine angle at home. Just stand in front of a full-length mirror and turn your head. But what about when you’re on the course? What do you do then? Below is a drill that helps you check your spine angle when playing:

Address a ball with your back to the sun so your shadow falls in front of you. Have a friend place three balls in a line along the front edge of your shadow. Your spine should tilt back slightly at address, so the line of balls should angle to the right from your perspective, if your right-handed, or to the left, if your left-handed. Now swing the club to the top and hold. Check your shadow.

If your shadow covers the balls on your backswing, you’re tilting toward the target and setting yourself up to hit a pull/slice. If your shadow is to the right or left of the balls, depending on whether you’re right-handed or left-handed, you’re approaching impact from the inside, the first step in achieving a powerful consistent swing.

Bad things happen when your spine angle is off. Check it periodically to make sure it’s correct, whether you’re on or off the course. Remember, you need the correct spine angle to hit the ball with authority.

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2) It’s All In The Lean
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To chop your golf handicap down to size, you need to master three shots around the green—the low runner, the mid-trickler, and the high softie. Knowing how to hit these shots saves strokes and positions you for makeable putts. When putting, it’s always nice to have makeable putts.

Shaft lean and spine lean at address are the keys to mastering these shots. Each requires a different shaft lean and spine lean to execute successfully. Shaft lean and spine lean control the height of each shot and how much the ball runs after it hits. To help, we’ve summed up the basics of each shot below.

* The low runner is a low risk shot. You need plenty of green for this shot and a tight lie. You also need the least loft of any of the three shots. Play the ball back in your stance, keep your front shoulder lower than the back shoulder, and lean the shaft forward.

* The mid-trickler is a moderate risk shot. You need a moderate amount of green for this shot and a rather grassy lie. Play the ball in the middle of your stance, keep your shoulders level, and lean the shaft forward slightly. You want to take advantage of the true loft of the club.

* The high softie is a high-risk shot. You need the least amount of green for this shot and a rough-like lie. Play the ball forward in your stance, keep the back shoulder higher than the front shoulder, and maintain a vertical shaft, adding loft to your club.

Practice these three shots whenever you can. And don’t be afraid to try them on the course. Mastering them will turn you into a veritable scoring machine. And that will drive down both your scores and your golf handicap.

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3) Question of the Week - Hitting The Fairway Bunker Shot
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Q. Hi Jack, Do you have any advice for hitting the fairway bunker shot?

I am good in the bunkers around the green and have no problem getting out. The fairway bunker shot, however, gives me problems. I have two results. Either I hit the shot fat and just get over the lip, or I over-compensate and hit the ball so thin it catches the bunker’s lip and just gets out onto the fairway.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
Jennus Burton
Tucson, AZ

A. Thanks for the question. If you’re using a long iron or a 3-wood, minimize the use of your lower body when hitting the ball. Golfers tend to drive down on the ball when using these clubs, lowering their centers of gravity. This in turn causes them to hit behind the ball. To hit a fairway bunker shot with a long iron or 3-wood, you need to pick the ball cleanly from the sand using your arms instead of your lower body.

You could also switch to a 5-wood or 7-wood. Many weekend players do better with these woods from a fairway bunker. To hit a 5-wood or 7-wood out of a bunker, use a descending below rather than picking the ball clean. Open the clubface slightly, which gives you a little extra bounce off the sand, play the ball back a bit in your stance, and dig your toes into the sand, reducing the chances of you hitting a fat shot. Above all, don’t overswing.

Golfers try to really drive the ball when hitting from a fairway bunker. Instead, pick out a target within reach, focus on making good contact, and swing normally. Getting out of the bunker and onto the fairway in position for the next shot is your primary goal. You can do that if you stay within yourself.

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/newsletter11282007.html

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article - Get the Most from Your Equipment
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/equipment.html
5) Article - Forget The Score
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/forgetscore.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.

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