Let me tell you something folks. For those of us who golf, we think of this as the greatest game and hope to play it til we’re not able to walk any more. But did you ever consider the business of golf…I mean the industry as a whole. How healthy is it considering the economy, real estate slump and rising energy costs? Are more people playing or less and what exactly is going on.

Paul Vitello from the NY Times wrote an exceptional piece on the state of affairs of our beloved sport in the America. You can see it here. I encourage you to read it through its small entirety. I’m pretty concerned myself and frankly a bit dissapointed at the stark reality of the situation. I sincerely hope we can do whatever is necessary to get the game of golf back to it’s deserving good health.

Now don’t get me wrong, less golfers on courses might not be a bad thing…more room for all of us real golfers. But seriously, I do believe this trend is really more applicable to the mid-higher end courses and clubs in America. The muni tracks still get a ton of play as far as I can see.

This brings me to my point. After reading the article, what do YOU think can be done to improve the game of golf for all of us rank amateurs? Maybe faster play, making a commitment for one day per week/month to play or free instruction? What do you think of this trend?

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

There are only three ways of getting a ball close to the hole from a short distance—a chip, a pitch, and a lob. The pitch and the lob are lofted shots. They’re great when you have an obstacle, like a bunker or deep rough, in the way. The chip is a flatter shot with considerable roll. It’s ideal when there’s no obstacle between you and the hole.

I encourage players taking my golf lessons to opt for the chip shot whenever they can. It’s easier to hit than a pitch or lob, so there’s less chance of making a mistake. It’s also the fastest way of getting the ball on a predictable surface that can accommodate a less than perfect shot. The sooner you do that, the more control you’ll have of the shot and the better off you’ll be. So whenever you have a choice, go for the chip shot.

Keep It Simple
Some players try to complicate chipping. I see it in my golf instruction sessions all the time. That’s not good. Usually, the more complicated you make something, the more chance for error. That holds true for golf as in life. So keeping things as simple as possible on the course reduces your chances of making mistakes and boosting your golf handicap,

If you’re one of those players who think chipping is complicated, take a look at the seven habits below. Ingraining them not only simplifies chipping, it also improves your capabilities and builds confidence.

Habit #1: Simplify Ball Position
On chip shots, you need to position the ball so that it rests just before the bottom part of your stroke. How do you determine that? Get in the habit of taking a few practice strokes before hitting the ball. They’ll tell you where the bottom part of your swing is. Then apply that knowledge to your shot.

Habit #2: Hit Down And Through
Poor contact when chipping is when the club hits the ground before the ball. That spells disaster. It interferes with the shot and inhibits the clubface from doing its job. Get in the habit of swinging down and through on the ball when chipping. That takes the ground out of play and results in crisper contact.

Habit #3: Pick Out A Target
The key to hitting a good chip shot is picking out a target on the green, hitting it, and letting the ball roll to the hole. Develop the habit of always picking out a target on the green. A drill I use in my golf lessons to improve accuracy involves placing a set of targets at various lengths from the golfer when practicing and then working on hitting them with a chip shot. This exercises improves accuracy.

Habit #4: Don’t Get Fancy
When it comes to selecting a chip shot, keep it as simple as possible. Don’t choose a fancy shot, like a Phil Mickelson-type flop shot, when a simpler and safer shot, will do. If you miss the fancy shot, you could find yourself in big trouble—and cost yourself a lot of strokes.

Habit #5: Study The Course’s Geography
Before playing, study the course’s geography. Is there one feature that will dramatically effect how a ball is played? In the mountains, the ball tends to break toward a certain ridge. On the seashore, the ball tends to move toward the water. Learn how the land drains, make a mental note of it, and use it to your advantage when playing.

Habit #6: Study The Grain
Learn the grain of the green, especially if you are playing on Bermuda grass. Go to the center of the practice green and roll some balls toward the fringe in each direction. Make a mental note of what happens and keep it in mind chipping.

Habit #7: Develop A Sound Set-up
Your goal should be to develop a sound basic set-up and swing—one that you can use on every chip shot and that enhances your chipping. If you need to get loft on a shot, try a sand wedge or a lob wedge. You’ll generate more loft and less distance with these clubs without having to change your set-up or stroke.

Improving your chipping isn’t easy. It takes practice, dedication, and a willingness to make changes in your game. But working on creating the right golf habits in your chipping pays off. Ingraining them turns three shots into two and chops strokes from your golf scores and your golf handicap. It also builds confidence. In golf you can never have too much confidence.

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.

Two students taking my golf lessons have similar games. Both hit the ball fairly straight. Both are good at avoiding trouble when they can. And both have good short games. Their golf handicaps are also similar—one has a 15 the other a 1r. You could almost call them two peas in a pod.

But they differ on one issue. They have different approaches to improving their game. One works hard at the practice range perfecting his technique. He visits the range more than he plays and works on different shots. The other prefers to improve by playing. She plays every chance she gets. She seldom practices. So what’s better for your game: playing or practicing?

Both approaches have merit. Let’s examine the advantages and disadvantages of each and then I’ll tell you what I tell players who attend my golf instruction sessions.

Playing Argument
One problem with practicing, in addition to being boring, is that it’s one-dimensional. It’s like reading a golf tip. Golf is an art, not a science. It’s more than hitting a fantastic drive, a great chip that leaves you close, or a beautiful approach shot that stops dead on the green. You can’t learn those things on the practice tee.

Another problem with practicing is that it’s limited. You can’t emulate all the different types of shots you might face or the different types of lies you might get on a course. Also, in practice you can hit the same shot over and over again. Playing requires you to hit different types of shots. And you’ll never know what type of shot you’ll end up with on the course.

A third problem is that it creates a “mulligan” mentality. If you hit a bad shot on the practice range, you can adjust and hit the shot again. Do that enough times and it becomes all too easy to shrug off the shot and hit another ball. On the course you only have one crack at a shot. You either make it or you don’t. That means you have to bear down on every shot.

Practice Argument
It’s true golf is an art. The object is to get the ball in the hole. And the best way of doing it is by building a correct, repeatable swing that produces good shots. You want a swing that fits your game and that you can control. The only place you can learn that is on the practice range. That’s the place to build and groove your swing.

Also, practice is what you make of it. You don’t have to hit everything from the practice tee. You can hit balls off side hills, play games with yourself that force you to bear down, or do practice drills in your house or your apartment. You can create almost any situation you want. What’s more, practice is the ideal place to work on something new without increasing your score or golf handicap.

More importantly, you don’t have to develop a mulligan mentality from practicing. If you try your best on every shot, pick out a target each time, and take a practice swing on every shot, you can come close to emulating game conditions, so you can learn to bear down under pressure. If you remember that it’s quality, not quantity that counts, you’ll get the most out of practice.

Conclusion
Both arguments are forceful. My opinion as a professional golf teacher who has given hundreds of golf lessons to players with different abilities is that you need to do both to improve your game. Of course, you have to build a repeatable swing and learn to execute different shots to achieve a low golf handicap. You also have to experiment with new things from time to time. The best place to do those things is on the practice tee.

But forced to choose, I’d select playing over practicing. In addition to being more fun, playing requires creating and executing different strategies. Playing also expands your imagination. What separates great players, like Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, from average players, isn’t just their golf handicaps but their imaginations and how they use them on the course. Keep that in mind when playing or practicing.

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

February 13, 2008

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

1) Starting the Downswing
2) Reduce The Triangle on Short Shots
3) Question of the Week – Keeping Focus Throughout Your Round
4) Article – Improving Your Game: Practice or Play?
5) Article – Seven Keys To Highly Effective Chipping

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1) Starting the Downswing
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What’s the difference between hitting a weak shot and a powerful one? It’s synchronization. If the key movements in your swing aren’t synchronized, they will be out of sequence and you’ll hit a weak shot. If they are synchronized, your movements will be in sequence and you’ll hit a powerful shot.

Nowhere is synchronization more critical that in your downswing. Two body parts—the right hand and the right knee—must start the downswing simultaneously and at similar pace for you to produce a power-laden swing, whether you are using a driver, a wedge, or a middle iron.

Here are five keys to starting your downswing:

* Keep head still
* Avoid sliding forward
* Start right hand/right knee in unison
* Point hand/knee toward ball
* Stay behind the ball

The key to executing a good downswing is synchronizing the movement of your right knee and your right hand. Having completed the backswing, you should move these two body parts by first turning your right hand and right knee slightly toward the ball and then starting them downward in unison and at the same pace.

Unfortunately, some golfers start their downswing with the right knee only. Their hands and arms trail their body as it moves toward the target. To square the clubface and hit a good shot, these golfers must manipulate the club with their hands at the last second or they’ll hit the ball to the right of the target.

Other golfers are all arms. They make and out-to-in downswing with very little body movement. This is known as “casting” because it resembles an angler casting with a rod and reel. This becomes a slice or pull, neither of which is what the golfer intended when he began his shot.

If you want to get more power from your swing, start your downswing with your right and knee in synchronizations. Doing so eliminates the need to make last minute adjustments to your swing to square the clubface to the ball. You’ll find yourself hitting the ball farther and straighter.

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2) Reduce The Triangle on Short Shots
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You must hit crisp, accurate shots consistently to master the short game. Many players could improve their short games immensely by simply making a minor pre-swing adjustment. This adjustment allows you to get more intimate with the ball at address and provides greater control of the shot.

Here are five keys to hitting crisper short shots:

* Take a normal address position
* Position the ball as usual
* Visualize a triangle formed
* Determine the length of the triangle
* Reduce sides to the appropriate length

Once you’ve taken your normal set-up at address and positioned the ball, visualize a triangle on the ground formed by your clubface and your two feet. The sides of the triangle should be of near equal length and should not exceed 12 inches. Maintaining 12-inch sides moves you closer to the ball and improves control over the shot.

Making the adjustment to a smaller triangle is relatively simple for most players. At first you might feel cramped a little, but that will pass with practice. The feeling should be replaced afterwards with a greater sense of control over the shot.

Sometimes, players may want to decrease the length of the triangle sides by less than 12 inches for more control. Other times, they may want to increase the lengths slightly beyond 12-inches, such as when playing in a strong wind or when their arms are unusually long in relation to their height.

While you may need to adjust the length of the triangle sides slightly, try to keep it about 12 inches. Remember, the longer the triangle sides, the farther you are away from the ball. The farther you are from the ball, the less control you have over the shot. Mastering the short game is all about control.

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3) Question of the Week – Keeping Focus Throughout Your Round
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Q. Dear Jack, I have been playing golf for 5 years now and have a 16 handicap, with most of my improvement happening this year (thanks to some of your tips). The problem is I always seem to play two totally different 9’s. I play the front 9 well and the back nine poorly, or vice versa. What do I need to do to keep the momentum at the same level?

Regards,
Osborne Karuva

A. Thanks for the question. No one can maintain momentum for an entire round of golf. It’s too long. Even the pros can’t do it. So how do you play well for 18 holes?

Good players learn to “snap back.” That means taking your mind off the task at hand and then returning to it. Successful golfers learn to snap back between holes and shots. It keeps them fresh—and focused—for critical shots.

You can develop this ability with practice. Next time you’re on the range, do this. Pick out a target, complete your pre-shot routine, assume your stance, and hit the ball. Now, stop. Think about a TV show, a good movie, or an upcoming event. After a minute, pick out a target, complete your pre-shot routine, assume your stance, and hit the ball. Repeat the sequence several times.

In time you’ll learn to snap back like a pro. In addition, always use a pre-shot routine, train your self to play target golf, employ visualization techniques, and learn to use key trigger words, such as “focus” or “let it go.” They’ll all help you play well for an entire round.

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/newsletter02132008.html

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article – Improving Your Game: Practice or Play?
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/improving-your-game-practice-or-play.html

5) Article – Seven Keys To Highly Effective Chipping
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/seven-keys-to-highly-effective-chipping.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.