There’s no doubt that Geoff Ogilvy is playing well lately. He won the US Open recently and came damn close this year as well.

And you know what? I believe he’s as solid as they come.

But there are others out there that are saying he’s just a lucky guy playing well in all those majors and he’s a “right place,
right-time” kind of guy…kind of undermining his accomplishments.

But let’s broach a larger topic of a trend I see on Tour lately that I’m sure you’ve noticed as well…

Are the Aussies taking charge of the PGA Tour?

Must be something in the water down under but whatever it is, it makes for good golf and has caused quite a clamor in the industry. It seems every weekend we see Stuart Appleby, Adam Scott, Robert Allenby and many other Aussies dominating the tournaments. And I know many of you enjoy watching these guys light it up as well.

Why are they so successful lately?

They’ve been known to focus hard on the fundamentals of the game and have a history of dedication to their craft. They take their jobs seriously and not only want to perform well but to excel at what they do.

And it’s fun to watch. But…there may be a common thread to their success…

To the Touring pros, it’s no secret amongst that a lot of the Aussies use a simple training aid to hone their swings both on tour and when at home. The company that manufactures it is based there and have spent a lot of development and training time with the Aussie pros.

I won’t get into it too much because you can read about it yourself here.

I told a small group of you last year about my experiment with this training aid because I had been struggling with proper lower body movement, sequence (hips before arms, etc.), timing and balance.

This ridiculously easy mechanism helped me with all those difficult things and ingrains them as more natural for my swing.

But a word of caution…it’s not for everybody. Nevertheless, I thought you should know about it considering it’s one of the Tour’s best kept secrets.

If you’re more of a “visual” person, check out the video with Ian Baker Finch.

Let me know what you think about the Aussie trend folks. I know many of you reading this live down under so please weigh in!

Fairways and greens (and one-putts),

Jack

By Jack Moorehouse

Professional courses like Torrey Pines or are no picnic, even for the pros. For weekend players, forget it. PGA courses have narrow fairways (less than 30 yards wide), punishing rough, and lightening fast greens. They also have length. One mistake and you’re putting a big number up. Putt enough big numbers up and you’ve had a miserable round, damaging your golf handicap.

While you may never play a PGA course, you probably play courses you find hard. These courses give you fits. They also frustrate you. Maybe they don’t fit your game. Or, maybe they’re too long. Whatever the case, you don’t play them well—even when you’re swinging the club your best. Still, you want to play these courses. They’re a challenge. And they teach you a lot about golf. It’s like taking 18 golf lessons.

Below are some strategies to keep in mind next time you play a tough course:

Stay Focused
The hardest thing about playing a difficult course is the mental grind. Every hole, it seems, is narrow and long, with deep rough. Or, it has a tricky layout. Or, you have to carry water a lot. With these courses, you must stay focused. You can’t let a bad break throw you off.

Instead, stay within yourself and don’t try to do more than you can do. If a bad break occurs—your ball hits the pin and bounces off the green, a good drive ends up in a fairway bunker, a well-struck iron fails to make it over the water—don’t let it throw you. Take some time on your next shot and get yourself under control.

Play From The Fairway
Another goal when playing a difficult course is playing from the fairway. Resign yourself to the fact that you probably won’t hit many greens in regulation. And stop thinking long and deep off the tee or hitting the green on second shots. Instead, focus on staying short and accurate and hitting your targets on the fairway.

In addition, play par 4s like short par 5s. Use the 3-wood, the 5-wood, or the longest club you can hit straight instead of the driver. Pick out a target within range and go for it. If you shoot for a bogey, you’re staying away from the kind of trouble that leads to a triple bogey. Playing conservatively has its advantages.

Get Back In Position
One hallmark of hard courses is the rough. Hard courses often have deep, thick rough that entangles a clubhead just prior to impact, causing you to mis-hit. Once you get in the rough on these courses, it’s almost impossible to get out. You end up wasting a shot or a couple of shots trying to hit the green.

Instead, aim for the 150-yard or 100-yard marker, or from a spot where you know you can hit a full shot. Then, go for it. If you hit that target, you have an easier shot to the green. And you won’t have wasted a shot trying to do something you couldn’t do anyway.

In addition, when you do hit from the rough, don’t just take a mindless practice swing. Play your practice swing to the depth of the ball. Find a similar patch of grass and practice your swing to the depth that your ball sits. Use this information to calibrate your real shot.

Get The Ball On The Same Tier
Another hallmark of hard courses are the greens. Often, these courses have tiered greens. The idea about getting back into position holds for them, too. On any shot—chip, pitch, or sand—aim for the same tier as the hole, even if you’re only 30 feet away. You’re chances of two-putting from there is greater than the same chip from a nasty lie or the same spot.

On holes close to the edge of the green, hit lofted shots, instead of low running shots that can sail past the green. And make sure you’ve spent time on the practice green before hand. Try to get a read on just how fast the green is. In fact, make your first half dozen practice putts long ones, just so you can get a reading on the green’s speed. Once you have that, translate that information when putting.

Hard courses are a challenge to a golf handicap. But they reward you if you take a more calculated approach. Study the course before hand. Stay focused after bad shots. Get back in position. And be careful on the greens. These golf tips help you tame a tough course and improve your scores on them.

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

June 25, 2008

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

1) Hitting Tiger’s Stinger
2) Five Keys To Maintain Tempo
3) Question of the Week – Maintaining a Level Shoulder
4) Article – Taming A Hard Course
5) Article – Sand Solutions

Jack’s Note: Ever wanted a perfect, reliable and consistent swing? Well, this week I posted several brand new videos for our Fast Track Members on how to do this in four simple steps. Didn’t see them? You can log in here. These added goodies are just one of the benefits of the program. If you’re not a member yet and want to hear what all the fuss is about, go here to sign up .

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1) Hitting Tiger’s Stinger
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Ever player needs a “go to” shot, one that he or she can hit accurately under intense pressure. In Tiger Wood’s case, it’s his “stinger” or knockdown shot—a low bullet that cuts through the air. This type of shot is great on windy days. A knockdown shot works under all kinds of weather conditions, is conservative in nature, and highly controllable. It is a scoring shot, since it enables the golfer to play into the green.

Here are five tips on hitting the stinger:

* Swing at a normal speed
* Start when parallel to the ground
* Turn the back of your hand down
* Relax your arms when you swing
* Keep the hands in front of the ball

The key to hitting a stinger is staying on plane with your swing. Swing at full speed and keep the hands in front of the ball, from address through impact. Your goal is to keep the ball low and under control, especially if you’re playing into a headwind.

Use a one-piece takeaway for the shot. But start the club’s release when the shaft is parallel to the ground. Turning your left hand (right hand for lefties) downward delofts the club. Also, try to keep your arms as relaxed as possible during the swing. Trying to “muscle” the ball results in a higher shot and more backspin, the opposite of what you want.

Players sometimes finish with the forward swing low and only half completed, and the wrists not fully released, as they would be in a normal shot. In addition, the follow-through should be a mirror image of one’s backswing. If it is, it tells you that you’ve stayed on plane throughout the swing.

The knockdown shot travels low and rolls when it hits the ground, providing added distance if the ball is in the fairway. It’s a great shot to know when the pressure is on because it’s the ultimate control shot.

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2) Five Keys To Maintain Tempo
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Tempo is the speed of your swing. It’s the time it takes for you to complete your swing, from start to finish. When hitting the ball well, your tempo is the same for every swing. When hitting the ball poorly, your tempo is different for different clubs.

Good tempo is as much mental as physical. In fact, it may even be more mental than physical. Below are 5 keys to maintaining tempo:

1. Relax at the start of your swing
2. Use the same speed for every swing
3. Keep the club’s limits in mind
4. Check your finish after a swing
5. Step off and swing one-handed

The start of your swing keys your tempo. As you start your backswing, your body turns in unison. In other words, your hands and arms move in sync with the rotation of your trunk. To achieve a good tempo at the start of your swing, you need to relax. Take a few deep breaths, exhale fully, and waggle the club. Opening your mouth relaxes you as well.

You lose tempo when you swing too hard. Instead, try to achieve the same smooth tempo for every club. Ease up on your swing and remind yourself that every club has its limits—even your woods. In other words, stay within yourself. When you need more distance, take a longer club. And don’t think you have another gear for the driver. You don’t.

One tempo check is your balance at the end of your swing. If you’re not in balance at the end, you’ve lost tempo. Rate your balance at the end of your swing from 1 to 5. Anything less than a 3 means your swing is too fast.

If you lose tempo during a round, you can recover it. Step off and take some practice swings with just your right hand (left hand for lefties). With one hand on the club, it’s hard to rush your swing. Swinging one-handed also teaches you to build speed gradually through your swing.

Good tempo produces good swings. Good swings produce good ballstriking. And good ballstriking helps lower your golf handicap. Now who wouldn’t want that?

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3) Question of the Week – Maintaining a Level Shoulder
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Q. Hi Jack, I play off a 17 handicap and hit very few greens in regulation per round.My downfall is a dipping left shoulder on the backswing, which reduces power.This also leads to a reverse pivot, slicing, and fat shots. My goal is to break 80 and improve my long game, but I have been stuck on this handicap for 3 years now. Until I solve this problem, I don’t feel as though I am going to progress much further. Can you suggest some effective drills for a better swing plane?

Regards,
Martin Braunton Auckland, New Zealand.

A. Thanks for the question, Martin. Achieving a level turn of the shoulders (and hips) is one of the keys to an effective golf swing. A level rotation promotes consistent ballstriking and lays the foundation for achieving maximum distance. Unfortunately, weekend golfers tend to execute poor turns by lifting, tilting, or dipping their shoulders. These actions destroy key angles formed by the back shoulder, hip, and knee.

A good drill to curb this problem is taking practice swings at half speed with your left arm only (right arm, if left-handed). Focus on making a level turn with the shoulder and hips, and stop at the top of the backswing to make sure your right side angles have been maintained. Keep doing this until you’ve ingrained the movement. Then switch to using two hands. Once you ingrained the movement, you’ll be primed for power and on the right swing plane every time.

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/newsletter06252008.html

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article – Taming A Hard Course
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/taming-a-hard-course.html

5) Article – Sand Solutions
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/sand-solutions.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.

The difference between good and great isn’t always physical. Sometimes, it’s mental. Take Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. Both are gifted players physically. Both have great short games. And both have creativity and imagination. But Tiger, it seems, has a more disciplined approach to the game than Phil—or any other player on tour. That’s why he plays so well and wins so often.

If one player has a more disciplined approach than another, chances are good he or she will have a lower golf handicap, even if the two have equal amounts of physical talent. In fact, sometimes a player with less talent outscores a player with more talent because of a great mental approach. The key to shrinking your golf handicap, golf lessons and golf tips not withstanding, might just be developing a more disciplined mental approach.

Strive for Soft Focus?
On the course, strive for soft focus. What do we mean by the term “soft focus”? Dr Bob Rotella, the well-known sports psychologist, offers a great example of soft focus in his book The 15th Club. It’s a term borrowed from Padraig Harrington, a golfing client of his. Rotella worked with Harrington before his British Open win in 2007. Harrington wanted to change his mental approach to the game and he contacted Rotella. Here’s how he describes Harrington’s focus:

As Padraig begins his pre-shot routine, his mind is clear. He’s thinking about only one thing: his target. But his focus does not cause his jaw to jut or knuckles to go white. It’s not grinding. It’s not that intense. Because he already knows that he’ll accept whatever happens to his shot, he’s relaxed.

Rotella explains that Padraig doesn’t watch the leader board. He relies on his caddy for that type of information. Sometimes his caddy tells him in words. And sometimes he tells him by his club choice. Harrington doesn’t want to break his focus on his target by looking at the leader board and starting to think about the implications. Instead, he wants to focus just on the task at hand.

Later, Rotella describes a situation in the British Open where Harrington loses focus. Instead of stepping off and refocusing, as we’ve suggested in our golf tips, Harrington went through with the shot, drilling it into a hazard. Not only did it cost him a penalty stroke, but it also left him with a difficult second shot. That’s what losing focus does to you. Fortunately, Harrington recovered and won the tournament.

Other Mental Keys
In addition to soft focus, Rotella points out other mental keys that helped Harrington win the British Open and that can help weekend golfers cut their golf handicaps. These mental keys include:

* Visualize the shot
* Use a pre-shot routine
* Commit to your swing
* Accept the result

Of these, perhaps the most important is accepting the results of your shot. Sometimes even the best of shots goes awry. Maybe it rolls into a divot on the fairway. Or, the ball takes a bad bounce and lands in a bunker. Whatever the case, you need to put the results out of your mind and focus on the next shot. Thinking about a mistake two holes before or how bad your luck is only serves to distract you and ruins your focus.

The other essential mental key is visualizing the shot. No matter what level you play at, you need to eliminate conflicting thoughts before you swing. You must commit to your shot whatever it is. You must also have a clear idea of where you want the ball to go and how you’re going to get the ball to go there. If you don’t have that clear picture, stop and regroup. Then clear your mind of everything but where you want the shot to go.

Develop A Mental Routine
Achieving the right mental discipline is something every player should add to his or her game. But keep in mind that even the best players fall short of achieving the right mental attitude on every shot. Few players manage to keep their minds focused on every shot during a casual round of golf never mind a club championship. But trying to visualize each shot will pay off by eventually improving your ability to focus.

The best way of staying focused for a shot is developing a mental routine as well as a physical routine before hitting. The mental routine should have the concept of soft focus as its foundation. Of course, a good mental routine won’t replace the need for taking golf lessons and reading golf tips. But running through your mental routine before hitting the ball can help you cut strokes from your scores and your golf handicap.

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.