Zach Johnson did something extraordinary in 2007—something not even Tiger Woods has done. Johnson won the Masters Tournament by 2 strokes, and he did it without going for the par 5s in two. No one can remember another player doing that in the Masters. In devising his par-5 strategy, Johnson took account of the course conditions and the strengths and weakness of his game. And he played the par 5s in a way that provided a golf lesson for anyone trying to chop strokes off a golf handicap.

Johnson’s par-5 strategy was straightforward, yet effective. He saw how long and wet the course was playing, and he knew that he didn’t hit his long clubs high enough to hold those types of greens. So he backed off on the idea of hitting the par 5s in two. Instead, he worked out his lay up shots before each round and he relied heavily on his wedge game. And he didn’t deviate from it. The result: Johnson played the par 5s in 11 under, a remarkable score.

Pin Placements No Help
Johnson isn’t a long hitter. He averaged only 265 yards on his drives for the week. He knew he couldn’t overpower the course even under optimum conditions. He also knew that he couldn’t out slug guys like Phil, Tiger, or VJ. So he decided to play within himself and he prevailed. Saturday’s play on the 15th—the hardest par 5 on the course at 530 yards— typified how he played the long holes.

In addition to length, the pin placement on the 15th on Saturday increased his difficulties: front-left, on a slope that runs hard toward the pond in front. As Johnson said afterwards: “You have to hit the ball incredibly high to even think about going for it in two on that hole. There are all sorts of bad places to miss: in the water, in the collection area, or behind the green where you have to chip it downhill toward the pond.”

Johnson knew he couldn’t hit the ball high enough to hold the 15th green. He laid up instead, which took the big numbers out of play. But he had to be accurate with his wedges to capitalize on this strategy. Controlling trajectory and backspin were critical. He could have easily backed the ball up into the water or hit it to the back of the green, leaving himself a nasty two-putt. Sticking to his strategy on Saturday helped him finish with a birdie.

Strategy Off The Tees
Johnson’s tee strategy on the par 5s was simple: hit the fairway. The light rough they added to the course takes just enough backspin off one’s shots to make it hard to control an approach, especially with the longer irons. So Johnson didn’t try gearing up to hit it long. Instead, he worked on keeping tempo on the takeaway. His goal was to approach each green from the correct side of the fairway, even if he was going to be a little farther away than the other players.

Wedge Strategy
Johnson’s wedge strategy was also simple: be accurate. His weapons of choice: 48-degree, 54-degree, and 60-degree wedges. He used both high and low wedge shots when needed, hitting them as often described in golf tips. To hit a low wedge shot, he moved the ball back a little in his stance, pushing his hands ahead at address, and finished lower to match the lower ball flight. To hit a high wedge shot, he positioned the ball more in the center and finished higher to match the higher ball flight.

Johnson’s strategy paid off. He finished one over par, two strokes ahead of Rory Sabbatini, Retief Gossen, and Tiger Woods, who all shot 291 for the tournament. Johnson’s play sparkled. It also proved instructional. It provided us with not only a golf lesson on playing par 5s, but also a great strategy for tournament play. Those of us looking to chop strokes off our golf handicaps could do worse than copy this strategy.

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 4, 2008

“The Web’s Most Popular Golf Improvement Newsletter”
===================================================

In this issue we’ll discuss…

1) Hitting Straight Irons
2) Making the Ultimate Touch Shot
3) Question of the Week – Starting The Ball On Target
4) Article – Golf Lesson: Mastering Those Par 5s
5) Article – Eliminating Exit Faults, Part II

Jack’s Note: Be sure and read this week’s tip on hitting straighter irons you guys. It’s one of my favorites and has helped me quite a bit. Also, did you hear? My brand new Trouble Shots DVD will be available in the next week or so but this week I’m actually giving it away free. Go here to claim your copy (details near bottom of page).

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1) Hitting Straight Irons
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There are several keys to hitting straight irons. But one of the most important involves the back of the lead hand. Straight iron shots are hit with the back of the lead hand square to the target at impact. That’s because the back of the lead hand mirrors the clubface. If the lead hand is square to the target, so is the clubface.

When you hit the ball with the side of your lead hand leading through impact, you slice. When you hit the ball with your lead hand turned over too much, you hook. In short, anytime the back of the left hand is compromised, you mis-hit.

To hit straight iron shots, you must ingrain the feeling of the back of the lead hand facing the target at impact, with the shaft leaning slightly forward. This position produces a nice divot on the forward side of the ball pointing directly at the target. Below are two drills to help you learn to hit straight irons.

Lead-Hand-Control Drill
To master your feel for guiding the clubhead back to the ball square at impact, practice hitting irons with just your lead hand. Grip more firmly if you have trouble returning the clubface square to the ball. Keep practicing until you’ve ingrained the feeling. Then put the other hand on the club lightly. Adding the second hand increases control. Start by hitting short wedge shots. Repeat the drill with a 7-iron. Repeat it again with a 3-iron.

Squash the Sponge Drill
Place a thick rectangular sponge under the front of your forward foot. Now turn back. As you do, you should feel some pressure on the sponge. As you change direction and execute your downswing, the pressure on the sponge should increase dramatically, squashing the sponge. To do that, your body must move forward in the correct fashion, transferring tremendous energy into your arms.

The last drill is a favorite of David Ledbetter, the golf guru. He uses it to teach students how to make a smooth, yet powerful downswing. When done in conjunction with the lead hand drill, the combination helps you to hit longer, straighter irons.

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2) Making the Ultimate Touch Shot
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Because greens are so fast these days, approach shots often bounce off and into the grass beyond the fringe. If the pin is within a few feet of where the ball stops, you face a delicate shot—one that can cost you if you’re not careful. You must get the ball to clear the grass, land softly on the green, and sidle up to the pin to save strokes. Doing that isn’t easy.

Here are five keys to hitting this shot:

* Use your most lofted wedge
* Choke down on the club
* Stand closer to the ball
* Swing like you putt
* Keep the clubface square

The key to making this shot is preventing the grass from catching the club’s heel. With shots like these, the grass can grab and twist the heel as it approaches impact, resulting in a chunked shot or other type of mis-hit.

To compensate, use your most lofted wedge and choke down a little. The leading edge of the wedge cuts through the grass while choking down creates a shorter shaft, giving you more feel and less power.

In addition, stand closer to the ball, offsetting the shorter shaft. Standing closer also props the clubhead up on its toe, which reduces the risk of the club’s heel catching the grass as it nears impact.

The swing is a simple brush stroke back and through, just like you’d use for a long putt. To maintain the club’s loft, hold the face square to the hole through impact. That helps pop the ball up and over the grass.

This shot is easily mastered with a little practice. Knowing how to hit it will save you a ton of strokes around the green. Not to mention a lot of aggravation.

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3) Question of the Week – Starting The Ball On Target
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Q. Hi Jack, I have a tendency of pushing my tee shots to the right or snap hooking them to the left. How can I start the ball on the target line more consistently and not push it way right or snap hook it left?

Thanks,
MGR

A. Thanks for the question. The key to starting the ball on target is squaring your clubface at impact. When you contact the ball, however, your clubface is either opened or closed, causing a slice or hook.

He’s a drill from pro golf instructor Jim McLean that teaches you to square the clubface:

Take your address position, with the clubface square to the target. Swing the club halfway back, consciously thinking of working the club into a toe-up position. Now turn your body to face the club and drop the clubface straight down. Your clubhead should still be dead square. If it’s not, then you have a problem.

But just knowing that when the toe of the club points up, the clubface is square helps you employ the right physical movements to make it happen.

Also, when practicing the drill, think “hand back of clubhead.” Then “then turn to the top,” you’ll quickly learn what your arms, hands, and shoulders must do to swing the club back into the square question. The added bonus: You take the bad angles out of your swing.

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.

===================================================
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

To view this newsletter online, please visit:
http://www.howtobreak80.com/newsletter06042008.html

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article – Golf Lesson: Mastering Those Par 5s
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/golf-lesson-mastering-those-par-5s.html

5) Article – Eliminating Exit Faults, Part II
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/eliminating-exit-faults-part-2.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

===================================================
About the Author
===================================================
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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How To Break 80 Newsletter

May 28, 2008

“The Web’s Most Popular Golf Improvement Newsletter”
===================================================

In this issue we’ll discuss…

1) Determining Ideal Grip Pressure
2) Putting Preparation Pays Off
3) Question of the Week – Keeping Your Head Down
4) Article – Swing East, Hit Hard – Couples Style
5) Article – Eliminating Exit Faults, Part I

Jack’s Note: Hey folks. I know I’ve been kind of under the radar lately but here’s why. For the last few months I’ve been working on something BIG and it’s going to change the way you play golf. All I can say at this point is that if you’re looking to get serious and take your game to the next level, you’ll want to pay attention. Keep an eye out next Tuesday, the 3rd for more details.

And oh yeah, [rant] why is golf so damned expensive? $40 for 12 balls. $80 for a shirt. I think golf is an absolute rip-off sometimes and have some ideas about how to change that…more on that later.

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1) Determining Ideal Grip Pressure
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How do you determine how much grip pressure to apply? Some teachers recommend gripping the club as if you were holding a small bird in the palms of your hands. Since few people have actually done that, that scenario might not work for everyone. Here’s another approach to determining the ideal grip pressure

Below are 6 steps to finding the ideal grip pressure:

* Check your grip first
* Raise the club vertically
* Let it slide down
* Firm up your grip
* Lower your club horizontally
* Place it behind the ball

Maintaining just enough grip pressure throughout your swing helps you swing smoothly and rhythmically. Check your grip before you address the ball to determine if you are holding the club correctly. Now, raise the club vertically. When the club’s vertical, release grip pressure until the club slides down through your fingers. That’s obviously too little pressure. But it’s a starting point.

Next, grip the club and raise it vertically again. This time apply just enough pressure to prevent the club from sliding through your fingers, but no more. Now, lower the club horizontally. This move increases grip pressure to the level you should use when swinging the club. Finally, lower the club to the ground.

Your grip tightens naturally as you lower the club. And you should feel most of the pressure in the last three fingers of your bottom hand, especially the little finger. That’s your ideal grip pressure. Try maintaining this pressure during your swing.

Apply too little grip pressure and you lose your grip—and maybe the club. But strangling the club is just as bad. It prevents your hands and wrists from doing their jobs. It also causes you to tense you arms and body, destroying your swing’s rhythm. Use the technique above to determine your ideal grip press and you’ll find yourself with a more fluid, more rhythmic swing.

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2) Putting Preparation Pays Off
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Many weekend golfers don’t prepare much for a match. They don’t practice much between rounds. They don’t hit balls much between rounds. And they don’t study courses much between rounds. They just show up and play.

There’s nothing wrong with that. But if your serious about improving your game, preparation is key, especially when it comes to putting. If you want to putt like the pros, you must prepare like the pros.

Here are four keys to putting preparation:
* Learn the greens you play
* Take notes on break and grain
* Chart the green
* Anticipate speed changes

Most of us have courses that we play regularly. Maybe they’re close to home. Maybe we like the way they’re laid out. Or, maybe we feel they challenge our game. Whatever the reason, we find ourselves playing them again and again. If that’s the case, then learning the greens you play often cuts strokes from your scores. It’s a key part of preparing for a round.

Professional golfers chart the greens they play regularly. Tiger Woods does that with his caddy all the time, revising his notes in preparation for big tournaments. So do other professionals. They take note of different pin locations and how the greens break. They take note of the grain’s direction and any trouble spots. And so on. They do as thorough a job of preparing for greens as possible. That prevents surprises during a tournament.

Also, if they’re “feel” putters, they use lead tape on the bottom of their putters when greens are slow. That helps them make a consistent stroke no matter what the greens speed. Perhaps you should do the same.

Preparing for the greens you play a lot increases your familiarity with them, making you more comfortable when playing them. It also boosts your confidence. If you’re comfortable and confident on a green, you’ll sink more putts.

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3) Question of the Week – Keeping Your Head Down
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Q. Hi Jack, I noticed as I watch golfers on television that they tend to keep their heads down a long time, looking at the ball well after the club has moved through the hitting zone. When I compare that to what the average amateur golfer’s habits, I don’t see too many people staying down that long. Personally, I struggle trying to stay down longer through the swing. How important is keeping your head down?

Thanks,
Dick Koppy

A. Thanks for the question, Dick. Keeping your head down is important. But keeping it down too long contributes to the slice inducing “chicken wing.” That’s where your back elbow moves away from your body during the swing. Locking your head in position throughout your swing also creates other swing faults—not to mention neck and shoulder problems.

Instead, let your head turn naturally through the ball for maximum power. Watch Annika Sorenstam. She allows her head to turn toward the target through impact. This enables her to clear her hips, creates better arm extension after impact, and relieves the strain on her back and neck.

If you lock your head in position, try this drill:

Tee up a ball. Now place another ball about two feet in front of the first and slightly inside the target line. Hit the first ball while looking at the second one. Looking at the second ball rotates your head toward the target while keeping it in sync with the movement of your upper body. Also, it allows your hips to clear easily and your arms to extending fully through the swing, adding extra distance to the shot.

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.

===================================================
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/newsletter05282008.html

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article – Swing East, Hit Hard – Couples Style
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/swing-east-hit-hard-couples-style.html

5) Article – Eliminating Exit Faults, Part I
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/eliminating-exit-faults-part-1.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

===================================================
About the Author
===================================================
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.

Most golf lessons focus on the backswing or the downswing. So do most golf tips. But there’s growing interest in post-impact actions. The pros call it exit strategy. And it’s a great learning tool. It tells you not only went wrong during the swing but also what to correct. As a result, exit strategy is quickly becoming a focus for golfers. If you’re serious about cutting your golf handicap, you’ll also make it a focus.

To understand exit strategy, you start with two master keys: (1) Your lead wrist must remain flat through the swing; and (2) your club must hit a wall that runs behind you and extends all the way to the target. In addition, exit strategy includes three basic finishes: control, speed, and a blend of the two. Each finish says something about your swing. In this article we elaborate on the basics of exit strategy. In the next, we’ll review typical exit faults.

Master Keys
Two master keys drive exit strategy. The first says that no matter how you swing the club, your lead wrist remains flat throughout. For a right-hander, the lead wrist is your left hand. For a left-hander, the lead wrist is your right. Since the clubface mirrors the wrist, the clubface also remains flat. Keeping a flat wrist maintains the extension you need in your swing for solid contact and power.

The second master key says that you must imagine a wall running behind you and extending all the way to the target parallel to the target line. For the club to stay on plane, it must hit the wall as it moves to the inside and upward after impact. Where the club hits the wall is the key to your exit strategy.

Maintaining this image of striking the wall promotes solid contact. More importantly it gives players an idea of how the body, arms, and club move after impact to produce different shots. That’s the key to the strategy’s value as a learning tool. Examining your exit strategy tells you a lot about what you did during the swing and provides a visual aid for correcting the fault or faults.

Basic Exit Strategies
In addition to the two master keys, we have three basic exit strategies. Each has its own objectives and its finish. Let’s look at each.

Exit Strategy #1: Control
This strategy focuses on control. The most accurate players control ball flight without manipulating the clubface with their hands. With this exit strategy, the player makes a big turn through impact, pulling the lead arm and the grip end of the club to the wall first, followed by the club head.

This “hold on” action reduces face rotation. The body turn squares the clubface for control. With a neutral grip, this strategy creates a fade. But with a strong grip, you can hit it straight. Pro golfers exhibiting this strategy are Zach Johnson, Paul Azinger, and David Duval.

Exit Strategy #2: Speed
Players using this strategy fully release the club, which lets them maximize distance instead of accuracy. The body breaks more quickly, allowing the arms to zip past it. The forearms rotate and the wrists recock. The clubface hits the wall before the grip.
Releasing the club and re-cocking the wrist boosts speed. But the extra clubface rotation reduces accuracy. With a neutral grip, a player using this strategy tends to hit a draw. Pro golfers exhibiting this strategy are John Daly, Luke Donald, and Adam Scott.

Exit Strategy #3: Blended
The blended exit strategy is a mix of the control and speed strategies. With this strategy, both the clubface and the grip hit the wall simultaneously. Players use this strategy when trying to hit a straight shot.

With this strategy, your body arms, and club work in unison right through impact, releasing the club straight down the target line and producing a nice combination of distance and direction. Players exhibiting this strategy include Hunter Mahan, Boo Weekly, and Tom Kite.

If you’re wondering about Tiger’s exit strategy, he employs all three. Which strategy he uses depends on the situation and what he’s trying to do. Most professional players use all three-strategies as well.

In part two, we’ll examine common exit faults to see what they tell you about your swing. We’ll also examine how to correct these faults, which will help you cut down 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.