How To Break 80 Newsletter

April 16, 2008

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

1) Work on Lag Putting
2) Getting Back To Basics: The Pre-shot Routine
3) Question of the Week - Make Captain Hook Walk The Plank
4) Article - Start With Your Stats, Part I
5) Article - Watch Out For Hidden Handicaps

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1) Work on Lag Putting
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If you’re like most players, you spend time on the practice green hitting six-footers or eight-footers before a match. That’s fine, but you practice long putts as well. They will give you a feel for the green’s speed and for how hard you must hit the ball to make a long one. With a 20-foot to 40-foot putt, lag putt to reduce the chances of three-putting.

Here are five tips on lag putting:

* Step off the distance to the hole
* Take practice strokes behind the ball
* Stand taller in your stance.
* Take a long smooth stroke
* Imagine a 2-foot ring around the hole

Stepping off the distance gives you an idea of how long the putt really is. Do this quickly so as not to delay others. Facing the target when taking practice strokes provides a feel for the stroke you’ll need to get the ball close. Standing tall while putting encourages a long, smooth stroke. And imagining a two-foot ring around the hole lessens the pressure off by giving you a bigger target. Aim for the ring, not the hole.

Try this exercise to improve lag putting: Take five balls to the practice green. Put tees in the green 20, 30, 40, and 50 feet from the hole. Your goal is to putt all five balls within three feet of the hole. Mix it up. Start at 40 feet, then move to 30 feet, then 50 feet, then 20 feet. Mixing distances prevents you from just grooving a slightly longer stroke and hones your feel for speed and distance.

But don’t change distances until you get all five balls within three feet of the hole. If you miss, start over again at the same distance. Trust me. If you put four in, you’ll feel the pressure of putting the fifth close to the hole.

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2) Getting Back To Basics: The Pre-shot Routine
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Weekend golfers often have problems with swing mechanics after a long layoff. That’s no surprise. Even the best golfer needs to get back in tune if he or she hasn’t played for a few months. If that’s you, try going back to the basics. And one of the best places to begin is with your pre-shot routine.

Below is a good pre-shot routine:

1. Stand behind ball/visualize the shot
2. Position yourself parallel to the target line
3. Place the clubhead behind the bal
4. Square the clubface to the target
5. Look at target/visualize shot
6. Relax your arms/waggle the club
7. Look at the target again
8. Sense the shot, exhale, and swing

Pre-shot routines help develop swing consistency. Each component of the routine helps you swing the club correctly. The components also can be modified to suit your needs. But you must use a routine every time you take a shot. Repetition develops consistency and consistency cuts strokes from your scores.

A pre-shot routine prepares you physically and psychologically for hitting the ball. It helps eliminate bad swing thoughts and it sharpens your focus. If you’re interrupted, step away from the ball and start the routine again. Re-starting focuses you squarely on hitting the ball.

Take time to develop your own pre-shot routine. Once developed, practice it until you’re comfortable with it. You can practice it in the comfort of your home over the long winter months to stay sharp. And you should work on it before getting on the course after a long layoff. It’s a good way of getting yourself back in the groove if you haven’t played for a while.

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3) Question of the Week - Make Captain Hook Walk The Plank
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Q. Hi, Jack, At times I can hit the ball reasonably straight off the tee. I rarely ever slice. Sometimes, I hit a nice draw, too. My problem is, I tend to develop a hook the more I play a round. It can even turn into an “almost” duck hook at times. I don’t hook irons, but I can’t seem to make an on-course correction, once Captain Hook shows up.

I know there aren’t any quick fixes in golf, but I thought you might have a few suggestions. I’m a 16 handicap.

Thanks,
Dick Olmsted
Glen Ellyn, IL

A. That’s a great question, Dick. I don’t recommend making on-course complicated adjustments. It tends to mess up your swing during the entire match. Instead, try compensating for it during the match, and then go to the range later on and correct the problem.

When playing, try moving all the way to the left of the tee box. (Vice versa if you’re left-handed.) You can move all the way over. Just make sure the ball is teed between the markers. If you move outside the markers, make sure the ground you’re standing on is flat. Moving compensates for the hook without altering your swing.

At the range, try working on one of these five adjustments individually. Each is designed to produce a swing that delivers the clubface on a better impact through impact.

1. Weaken your right hand grip
2. Open up your upper body in relation to the target line at address
3. Make sure the toe of the club points skyward
4. Work on “clearing” your body through impact
5. Hit shots from a sidehill lie with the ball below your feet.

Then, find a combination that eliminates your hook. Once you find the right combination, work on ingraining it until the fix is “permanent.”

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/newsletter04162008.html

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article - Start With Your Stats, Part I
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/start-with-your-stats-part-1.html

5) Article - Watch Out For Hidden Handicaps
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/watch-out-for-hidden-handicaps.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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