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How To Break 80 Newsletter

February 20, 2008

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

1) Avoiding Flubbed Pitch Shots
2) Straightening Pulled Iron Shots
3) Question of the Week - How To Hit Solid Irons- Help!
4) Article - Key Reasons To Get A Golf Handicap
5) Article - All You Need Is Glove

Jack’s Note: You guys tell me, is the game and industry of golf booming or not in America? Tiger’s at his arguable best right now, ratings are at record highs for TV viewing but what about the economy? Read more here if interested. It’s a real eye-opener article.

Need golf help? Read below.

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1) Avoiding Flubbed Pitch Shots
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Two things cause a flubbed pitch shot: 1) a ball positioned too far forward, or 2) a decelerating downswing. If the ball is too far forward, you’ll hit it fat, producing a weak shot. If the club decelerates during the downswing, you’ll approach the ball on too steep an angle, botching the shot.

Here are six keys to avoiding a flubbed pitch shot:

* Play the ball toward the center
* Move the front foot back slightly
* Place your weight on the forward foot
* Turn shoulders and arms away together
* Complete your forward swing
* Shift your weight through the impact zone

Hitting a good pitch shot starts at address. You need to make some adjustments to your normal stance and ball position to make solid contact. Shorten the distance between your feet, adopt a slightly open stance, and move the front foot back slightly. Also, keep your hands ahead of the ball and place your weight on the forward foot.

On the backswing, turn the arms and shoulders away at the same time. Don’t let your arms get out ahead of your body. Atop the backswing begin turning the body toward the target while the arms drop downward. If you’re using a sand wedge, the club of choice for a standard pitch shot, make sure you make ball first contact.

More importantly, make sure the backswing and the forward swing mirror each other in length. In other words, the length of the backswing determines the length of the forward swing. However, the downswing should be faster than the backswing. And don’t forget to shift your weight forward through the impact zone, even if it’s a short pitch.

Don’t let a flubbed pitch shot cost you strokes. Keep our six keys in mind next time you have a pitch shot and you’ll make solid contact every time.
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2) Straightening Pulled Iron Shots
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We’ve all pulled an iron shot now and again. Usually, a pulled iron spells disaster, no matter how you cut it. If the pull is severe enough, you may land out of bounds. If it’s not too severe, you may land in the rough or in a fairway bunker. Either way, it’ll probably cost you strokes and boost your score.

Keep these six keys in mind to eliminate pulled iron shots:

* Assume a stance parallel to the target line
* Distribute your weight evenly
* Position the ball toward the middle
* Allow your arms to lead in the backswing
* Let your body lead in the downswing
* Keep the right elbow tucked

A pulled shots usually results from a poor set-up. Typically, the shoulders face way left, the ball is too far forward in your stance, and the weight resides too much on your front foot. To prevent a pull, adjust your stance. Align yourself parallel to the target line, position the ball more toward the middle at address, and distribute your weight evenly on both feet. The result is an out-to-in swing path and a deep divot.

As you swing, allow the arms to lead the backswing inside the target line. But let the body lead in the downswing and focus on keeping the right elbow (left for southpaws) tucked in through impact. From here, allow the club to release and square through impact as you turn toward the target.

Keep the six tips in mind when on the fairway and you’ll eliminate pulled irons shots. The key is remembering to swing from inside the target line to outside the target line. You may want to trace this inside-out swing path in slow motion before hitting the ball. The concentrate on following this swing path during your shot and you’ll eliminate the pulled iron shot for good.

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3) Question of the Week - How To Hit Solid Irons
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Q. Jack:

Do you have any advice on hitting the ball first and then the grass for iron shots? I am good with irons in general, but when it comes to hitting the required distance with a particular iron I have problems. I have noticed that I tend to hit an inch or two behind the ball and, in turn, take a divot much before I make contact with the ball, losing on distance.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Hanif Paracha, Karachi, PK

A. Thanks for the question, Hanif. Three things immediately come to mind. All three are easy to fix. First, check ball position. Sometimes the ball creeps up and back in your stance without you realizing it. Play your short irons in the center, middle irons an inch forward of that, and longer irons another inch forward.

Second, check your set-up. Set-up errors like weak left-hand grip, poor posture, and bad aim start a chain reaction of compensations that prevent solid contact. Study your set-up in a mirror between rounds. Make sure it is solid. If not, make changes. Practice setting up correctly in front of a mirror until it’s ingrained.

Third, check weight shift. Good iron contact comes from a descending strike. To hit down, your weight must be moving toward the target. A lot of golfers hang back on their right side when hitting irons. Hit some irons with your feet together. You won’t be able to hit off your right side without losing your balance.

While these aren’t the only errors that contribute to poor iron play, they are among the most common with weekend golfers.
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/newsletter02202008.html
Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article - Key Reasons To Get A Golf Handicap
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/key-reasons-to-get-a-golf-handicap.html
5) Article - All You Need Is Glove
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/all-you-need-is-glove.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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