Recreational golfers will go to great lengths to buy a set of clubs. They’ll research manufacturers, compare models, and read reviews. They’ll test clubs on the practice range or on the curse, if they can. They’ll even go to professional clubmakers to be fitted for new sticks, if they think that will help. Their goal is to find the right set of clubs, one that will help them improve their games and lower their golf handicaps.

Step #1: Create Categories
Divide golf balls into three categories: High Spin/High Performance, Medium Spin/Recreational, and Low Spin/Low Compression. Some balls will overlap into two categories. If you have a low golf handicap, you could add a category: Very High Spin/High Performance.

Step #2: Categorize Balls
Research the balls you’re considering and note their characteristics. Then place them in their respective categories. For example, the Titleist Pro V 1 falls in the Very High Spin/High Performance category. The Nike One Platinum falls in the High Spin/High Performance category. And so on.

Step #3: Assess Your Swing
Assess your swing. Be honest. Do you have a tendency to put excess sidespin on your drives (slicing or hooking)? Or, do you need to put more spin on the ball? While the need to reduce spin is common, some people actually need to add spin to their shots.

Step #4: Make Your Selections
Review the characteristics of the balls you are considering and match them to your swing. Make your selection carefully based on your swing. Choose two or three candidates for testing.

Step #5: Test The Balls
Go to a practice range and test the balls. Use four clubs to test them: driver, strongest fairway wood, mid-iron, and a wedge (53-57 degrees). Select one ball as the winner and try playing with that. If you’re not comfortable with that try another until you find the right one.

Keep in mind when conducting test that the right ball is one that satisfies every part of your game. But the characteristics that work for one club may not work for another. That’s why you test them with four different clubs.

Keep in mind also that woman often need a low-compression ball that produces very high rates of spin. So do male senior golfers. These players have ball speed and launch conditions that are too low. They require special golf balls.

This five-step approach isn’t as technology-driven as the first approach. But it provides a practical method for selecting the right ball for your game, one that will help you reduce your scores and cut strokes from your golf handicap. This method might not be as precise as a more scientific method, but in lieu of the resources needed to go to a clubfitter, it will help you choose a ball that will help reduce your golf handicap without even attending a golf instruction session.

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.

Conventional wisdom isn’t always the solution in golf. For example, when holding instruction sessions, I advocate using your left side to ignite your swing. This approach eliminates several common swing errors. Golfers igniting their swings with their right sides often start the club back too quickly or jerk their hands too far inside the target line during the takeaway, throwing the swing off. Fearing this, teachers giving golf lessons preach the left side approach to starting the swing.

Unfortunately, learning the left side approach is a challenge. Since most people are right-handed, their right side is their strongest. It’s also their most natural. Teachers preaching the left side approach are asking players to do the unnatural using the weaker side. It’s no wonder that many golfers have problems learning this approach. Some golfers never do. If this is your problem, you can use the right side approach to ignite your swing if you make some adjustments.

The Right Advantages
One notable player using the right side to ignite his wing is Spaniard Seve Ballesteros, who for a time was one of the most feared golfers on the PGA Tour. Self-taught, Seve adopted the right side approach when he was young because he couldn’t master the left side approach. It was so bad he almost quit the game. Instead, he switched to the right side and it eventually paid off. He eventually mastered the approach and it took him to the highest levels of golf.

However, when Seve first made the change, he fell victim to many of the swing errors teachers preach against in golf instruction sessions. Eventually, he made some adjustments that helped him eliminate these errors and grove his swing. That made a big difference in his game. Making these adjustments allowed Seve not only to better control the pace of his takeaway, but also to pull the club away on the correct path and keep it traveling on the right plane and arc.

The Right Approach: The Hip
One adjustment you must learn to make involves synchronizing your upper and lower bodies. The problem with using the right side approach is that it discourages you from getting your lower body into the swing. Instead of getting your whole body into the swing, you get only your upper body, short-circuiting power. You need to make an adjustment to keep both bodies synchronized.

To do, turn your right hip clockwise an instant after pulling the club away from the ball with your right hand. This minor adjustment encourages your lower body to participate in the swing and stay synchronized with your lower boy. The result: a longer straighter shot geared to chopping strokes off your golf handicap.

The Right Approach: The Grip
Another key to the right side approach is the right grip. To be effective your grip must tie in with the right side approach because it dramatically influences one of the most critical parts of the golf swing—the takeaway.

Here are five keys to the right grip:

1. Stretch the thumb down the shaft
2. “Marry” your two hands
3. Adopt neutral grip
4. Overlap the pinky finger
5. V’s must point between your chin and shoulder

A neutral overlapping grip offers many advantages. By setting the club diagonally across the base of the fingers and partially in the palm of your left hand, your will achieve a secure, unified, and flexible grip. To increase control of the shaft, you should allow your thumb to stretch down the shaft as far as possible. But be careful you don’t over stretch the thumb. That throws off your control.

In addition, make sure your pinky finger overlaps the first finger of your left hand. This removes enough muscle from your stronger right hand to prevent it from over powering your left, yet still allows it to remain in control, since it sits closer to the clubhead than the left. It’s also vital that the two V’s formed by your hands point between your chin and right shoulder. This assures you that your palms are parallel and in a neutral position.

Combining a neutral overlapping grip with a slight turning of your right hip will enable you to ignite your swing with your right side. However; we must always remember one thing, whether using the right side or the left side to start our swing. Acquiring a swing designed to lower your golf handicap depends on achieving an effective sequential action and reaction of the entire body. That’s conventional wisdom you can take to the bank.

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.

How To Break 80 Newsletter

January 30, 2008

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

1) Don’t Scoop The Pitch Shot
2) Foot Positioning - A Key To Shotmaking
3) Question of the Week - Create A Wider Swing Arc For More Power
4) Article - Igniting Your Swing With The Right Side
5) Article - Choosing A Ball That Fits Your Game

Jack’s Note: Did you guys see Tiger’s win last weekend? I mean is that guy scary-good or what? I myself think he’s going to have a career season and I look forward to watching as he breaks old records and sets new ones. What did you guys think? I’d love to hear your thoughts. You can read more on my Tiger rant on my blog.

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1) Don’t Scoop The Pitch Shot
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Mastering the pitch shot is essential if you want to reduce your golf handicap. It turns three shots into two and occasionally into one, as I’ve said previously. However, to master this part of the game, you must learn to hit crisp, accurate shots. That’s hard to do for many recreational golfers, who have a tendency to scoop the ball off the ground instead of hitting it.

Here are six tips on eliminating the tendency to scoop the ball:

* Use a more lofted club
* Play the ball back
* Lean the shaft forward
* Increase the angle of descent
* Keep the wrist flat through impact
* Pick out a target

Using a more lofted club helps eliminate the tendency to scoop the ball. Many golfers use an 8- or 9-iron to hit a pitch shot, the traditional club of choice for pitch shots. However, using a higher-lofted club, like a sand wedge, helps curb the golfer’s tendency to scoop the ball.

Using a more lofted club also lets you play the ball back a little in your stance. This in turn forces you to increase the shaft’s forward lean and the downward angle of attack through impact—both of which are critical to hitting good shots. Increasing the downward angle of attack also increases consistency when hitting from different lies because you strike the ball higher on the clubface.

Finally, make sure you pick out a landing spot on the green. Tiger Woods thinks it’s critical to pitching. And he should know. Experience and playing conditions will tell you just how close the target should be to the hole and how much roll you’ll need to get it close. And keep the left wrist (for right-handers) flat through impact.

Eliminating the tendency to scoop the ball off the ground is a critical step in learning to hit crisp, accurate pitch shots. It also improves accuracy and increases consistency from different lies. Mastering the pitch shot is vital if you’re really serious about reducing your scores.

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2) Foot Positioning - A Key To Shotmaking
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Sometimes small things in golf can make a big difference. Ernie Els uses a simple swing technique to help him control the speed of his swing and focus on what he needs to in order to hit the ball well. As he starts his backswing, Els thinks “Low and slow.” This simple swing thought reminds him that he needs to start his club off low and take a slow backswing before transitioning to his downswing. Judging from Els’ success on the tour, this swing thought works.

Another small adjustment that helps recreational golfers improve shotmaking is foot position at address. Basically there are three positions for your feet at address.

* Straight Ahead
* Fade
* Draw

Each of these positions contributes significantly to your ability hit the type of shot you want when you want to hit it.

With the straight-ahead position, the stance and foot position are parallel to the target line. The front foot is flared open just a bit, which allows your hips to clear more easily during your swing, and the back foot is square to the target. Use this position when you’re trying to the ball straight down the middle of the fairway.

With the fade position, the stance and foot position are slightly open to the target line. In other words, the hips are facing slightly to the left of the target line for right-handers, or slightly to the right of the target line for left-handers. In addition, the front foot is flared open slightly and the back foot is toed in a bit. Use this stance and foot position when hitting a fade.

With the draw position, the stance and foot position are “closed” to the target line. In other words, the stance and foot position are pointed to the right of the target line, if you’re right-handed, and to the left of the target line, if you’re left-handed. The font foot is square to the target, and the back foot is flared open slightly. Use this position when you want to hit a draw.

Check your foot position every time you hit the ball. Make sure it is appropriate for the type of shot you’re trying to make. If it is, then you can swing away with confidence.

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3) Question of the Week - Create A Wider Swing Arc For More Power
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Q. Hi Jack, I’m not sure what you mean exactly by launch angle. Is that standing further away from the ball and having a wider arc? I struggle to get the distance I know I am capable of getting off the tee with my driver. I use tees of just over 3 inches and I’m one of those players who try to get extra distance by muscle power and faster downswing. What should I do?

Regards
Damian Davies (Australia)

A. Great question, Damian. Launch angle is the initial elevation angle of the ball (with respect to the ground) immediately after impact with the clubhead.

If you want to generate power off the tee, develop a better technique and work on creating a wider arc, which is what really produces power and provides the added distance we all want.

Greg Norman does two things to create a wider arc and generate more power: (1) he points his left toe toward the hole slightly, encouraging his left side to clear out more easily through impact, and (2) he hovers the club above the ball, promoting a smooth one-piece takeaway and building rhythm. Together, these two moves help him widen his swing arc.

Here are 5 additional keys to a great drive:

1. Widen your stance for stability
2. Hover the clubhead above the ball
3. Make a full shoulder turn
4. Don’t rush the back swing
5. Hit hard with your right hand

Above all, don’t rush your backswing. Rushing narrows your swing arc and creates a tendency to swing straight down on the ball, sapping your power. Also, maintain a straight left arm during the backswing, re-establishing the radius of your swing and generating power at impact, and hit hard with your right hand. It’s almost impossible to hit too hard with your right hand.

In addition to improving your technique, taking advantage of the playing elements helps generate more distance. Those elements include the wind. Use a following wind to add extra distance to your drive. Also, teeing the ball higher than normal generates higher ball flight, with more carry through the air, so that you can get more distance.

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/newsletter01302008.html

Here are some of my recent articles:
4) Article - Igniting Your Swing With The Right Side
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/igniting-your-swing-with-the-right-side.html

5) Article - Choosing A Ball That Fits Your Game
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/choosing-a-ball-that-fits-your-game.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.