Golf Tips & Instruction – 9/10/08
How To Break 80 Newsletter
In this issue we’ll discuss…
1) Be Wary of Course Designers
2) Hitting Irons Like The Pros
3) Question of the Week – Simple Golf Exercises
4) Article – Five Instant On-Course Fixes
5) Article – Ryder Cup Captures Fans Interest
Jack’s Note: We’re ramping up for what appears to be a pretty good Ryder Cup matchup next week…even without Tiger. I initially said we didn’t have a chance but I believe based on the lineups the US has a pretty decent shot at it.
Also, to clarify the video I sent earlier this week…we are offering a $171 discount off the entire DVD collection. That means you can have access to all our titles (Distance, Driving, Putting, etc.) for a ridiculously low price never offered before. More details here.
1) Be Wary of Course Designers
Be wary of course designers. They can cost you strokes. Designers want to create fair, but challenging courses. So they sometimes play tricks on you—especially with tee boxes. They’re not always aligned squarely to the hole or to the best line for a drive. In fact, the designers often align the tee boxes right or left of the true line to deceive you. Making tee boxes oval shaped increases the deception.
Here are five tips on overcoming a designer’s tricks:
* Assess the situation carefully
* Pick out a specific target
* Align feet, hips, and shoulders
* Align your clubface to the target line
* Stay within yourself
There’s nothing in the rules of golf that says course designers must help you. Or, that course superintendents must help you. The way a superintendent mows the grass doesn’t always give you a true aim down the course for example. So take some time to study the hole before teeing off to assess the situation and select the true target line.
Also, pick out a specific target on the fairway. Align your feet, hips, and shoulders to the target. Then, align your clubface to it. Visualize the flight path needed to hit the target before swinging.
In addition, stay within yourself when teeing off. Golfers often overswing trying to hit a bomb from the tee. It’s nice to belt out a deep drive, but it’s more important to be accurate than long, especially if deep rough borders the fairway.
Aim and alignment are important. A bomb off the tee can cost you strokes if you’re not aligned properly. Take a few extra seconds to determine the best line for your shot. Don’t be fooled by things like the angle or the shape of the tee boxes or the mowing pattern on the fairway.
2) Hitting Irons Like The Pros
Do you marvel at how long the pros can hit their irons? I know I do. Not long ago I read where Tiger Woods birdied a par 5 by hitting driver then pitching wedge. That had to be a long pitching wedge. The key to belting an iron is maintaining a firm front side (left for right-handers, right for left-handers). Weekend golfers often slide forward as they move into their downswing, which means their front hip fails to clear.
Here are three things you should feel when solid irons:
1) Back hip turning down
2) No sliding of hips
3) Full extension of arms downward
If you feel these things when hitting, your front side will be firm. That in turn means your arms aren’t bent and getting slack through impact, and that your chest isn’t turning, so you’re not swiping at the ball. It also means that your hands aren’t breaking down and flipping over through the hitting area and that the extension in the front arm flows down and through the muscles in your front side and thigh.
Here’s a drill to help you firm up your front side:
Take your setup. Have some one place an old shaft in the ground two inches in front of the outside of your front foot. Angle the shaft back to allow for free hip clearing. Swing back normally. Start down. Once you make a solid weight shift into your left side, rotate your left hip in time to avoid the shaft. If your hip touches the shaft, you know you have to work harder to tame your front leg drive.
The drill trains you to maintain a firm front side when hitting irons. That helps create more solid strikes, which in turn will drive the ball farther, maybe not as far as Tiger Woods, but far enough to chop strokes off that golf handicap.
3) Question of the Week – Simple Golf Exercises
Q. Hi, Jack, Do you have golf exercises that would help my golf game?
Joseph Cordani
St. Lucie West, FL
A. Good question, Joseph. There are many good exercises that will help improve your game. But without knowing specifically what area of your game you want to enhance it’s hard to provide examples. Nevertheless, many good sources of golf exercises exist, like videos, CDs, books, and so on, where you can do some research. Visit your book- store. Also, try a google search, if you have access to a computer. In addition, check with a specialist in golf conditioning, like Mike Pedersen. He has his own Web site (www.mikepedersengolf.com) on the topic. It can help you pinpoint specific exercises.
Before starting a program, get evaluated to determine your golf fitness level. It’s critical because it defines your limitations. Once you know those, you can create a program designed to strengthen your weaknesses and improve your game. If you’re looking for a complete golf-conditioning program, focus on strength, flexibility, endurance, and nutrition. If you’re a senior golfer, focus on flexibility and strength. Both decline as we age. Keep in mind also that you don’t necessarily need a gym to exercise. You can do many golf exercises at home or in your office. You just need a few minutes a day and a little space.
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/newsletter09102008.html
Here are some of my recent articles:
4) Article – Five Instant On-Course Fixes
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/five-instant-on-course-fixes.html
5) Article – Ryder Cup Captures Fans Interest
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/ryder-cup-captures-fans-interest.html
Until next time,
Go Low!
Jack
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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.
