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How To Break 80 Newsletter

January 24, 2008

“The Web’s Most Popular Golf Improvement Newsletter”
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In this issue we’ll discuss…
1) The Punching Fade Off The Tee
2) Pitching From A Sideslope
3) Question of the Week - Drills For The Snowbound Golfer
4) Article - Four Cures For Your Slice
5) Article - Eight Great Golf Exercises (Part II)

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1) The Punching Fade Off The Tee
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The punch fade off the tee is a highly useful shoots. Yet recreational golfers seldom use it. In fact, most recreational golfers never even think about it. But knowing how to hit it comes in handy in a variety of situations. It’s ideal on short par 4s without much run, when hitting into a cross wind, or when driving into a strong headwind.

Here are five keys to the shot.
* Open your stance slightly
* Play the ball toward the middle
* Use a slightly more upright backswing
* Extend the right arm through impact
* Be aggressive with body movement

This shot won’t run as much as a shot that’s turned over, so you have to plan accordingly. Begin with a slightly open stance, with the ball more toward the middle of your stance, as you would if you were playing an ordinary fade. Use a more upright backswing to encourage a steeper angle of attack into the ball while the right arm extends against a bent right wrist.

It’s critical through impact that you don’t allow the right hand to release over the left. Instead, keep the left hand and arm above the right. This holds off impact and creates the desired left-to-ball flight. Also, be aggressive with body movement. Make sure your body leads the club, and never allow it to pass, even after impact. And abbreviate the club and clubface at the finish.

Hitting this shot doesn’t always look pretty. In some cases it looks downright ugly. But it does come in handy in certain situations, so it’s a useful shot. Work on it in practice so you’ll know how to hit it when you need it.

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2) Pitching From A Sideslope
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When a PGA pro hits an approach shot, it usually holds the green. However, when a recreational golfer hits an approach shot, it doesn’t always hold the green. In fact, the shot often runs off the green onto a sideslope This leaves him or her with a tricky little pitch shot, especially if the lie is above the player’s feet.

Keep these five keys in mind when hitting form a slide slope:
1. Choose the right club
2. Keep weight on toes
3. Don’t extend your arms
4. Grip down on club
5. Swing a little harder

The key to this shot is deciding where to aim. The ball usually falls in the direction of the slope on short shots, just like with long shots. With the ball above your feet, the more loft you use, the more the ball will go left. Experience will tell you which club to use and how far left the ball will go with that loft.

Keep your weight more on your toes to stay in balance. Don’t extend your arms, since you need the break in your wrists to play the shot. Grip down on the club and swing a little harder to compensate for the shorter swing arc. If you have some rough in front of you on the shot, try using a sand wedge and making ball first contact.

Find a green with a sideslope and practice hitting different clubs from different lies. This will give you an opportunity to find out which club you’re most comfortable with when hitting this shot. Keep a close eye on how far left each shot goes, then make adjustments accordingly. The goal is to get the ball close enough for a short makeable putt, which will cut strokes off your score.

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3) Question of the Week - Drills For The Snowbound Golfer
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Q. For those of us in the frozen reaches, how do we maintain the golf swing during those months when we cannot be on the golf course? Are there some exercises we can do indoors during the inclement weather?

Thanks,
Don R.

A. Thanks for the question, Don. Unfortunately, not all of us live in a climate where we can practice outdoors year round. That doesn’t mean we can’t work on our game. Blow are indoor drills designed to help you master three key scoring clubs—the putter, the pitching wedge, and the driver.

Putter
Drop two phone books on the floor. Position them far enough apart so that your putter head barely squeezes through them. Place a golf ball between the books, assume your putting posture, and make your stroke. Use the books as a visual guide to match the lengths of your backstroke and forward-stroke. Matching the lengths ensures a smooth swing with perfect tempo. You’ll find it difficult to guide your putter between the phone books unless your stroke follows the intended putting line. If your putter strikes the side of either book, you strayed off-line.

Pitching Wedge
Find about 10 feet of open floor space. Put a small towel on the floor and stand about 10 feet away. Use a short, smooth stroke, keeping your hands ahead of the club face. Try chipping 50 balls onto the towel. Practice so the balls land on the towel, not come to rest on the towel. Start with an 8-iron, and then move to a 9-iron, and then to a wedge. The more you practice, the better control you’ll have over those short chips.

Driver
Sit down in a chair. Spread your feet out wide and keep them flat on the ground. Hold a 7 or 8 iron out in front of you. Hold the clubhead with one hand and the end of the grip in the other hand. Raise the club over your head and rest the shaft across your neck and shoulders. Turn your shoulders to the right. Hold this position for a few seconds. You should feel a lot of torque along your left side. The turn your shoulders back and face forward. Relax and repeat. This will improve your turn and add power to your drives.

These drills improve control of the three most important clubs in your bag—the driver, the putter, and the wedge. You can do them in your house or your garage. Each focuses on fundamentals you must master to take your game to the next level.

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/newsletter01232008.html

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article - Four Cures For Your Slice
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/slicecure.html

5) Article - Eight Great Golf Exercises (Part II)
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/exercise2.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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