In this issue we'll discuss...

1) Lagging Big Breaking Putts
2) Chipping From The Fringe
3) Question of the Week - Drills For Drawing Ball
4) Article - Putting Without A Putter
5) Article - Avoid Miscues To Cut Golf Handicap

Jack's Note: Still struggling with consistent contact? There are a lot of moving parts in the swing that can lead to this inconsistency. That’s why I decided to “groove” my swing and like I said earlier in the week, it’s been extremely helpful. Read more and watch the video.

1) Lagging Big Breaking Putts
A long, big breaking putt is a tough shot. Take the putt Tiger Woods had on the par-3 16th in the final round of the 1997 Masters. It had such a big break that Tiger had to turn his back to the hole and allow for a 90 degree turn halfway there. He settled for lagging the putt and two putting. Like Tiger, your best option on holes like these may be to lag the putt. But making an effective lag putt in this situation isn't easy.

Here are 5 additional keys to making this lag putt:

* Pick a spot as a point of reference
* Align yourself to the intended line
* Study the last few feet to the hole
* Determine the necessary speed
* Swing the putter at the same pace

Big breaking putts require a good read and the right speed. Use your imagination to figure out how far above the hole to hit the ball and where the breakpoint occurs. Use this as a reference. Align your arms and shoulders to the point, not to the hole, and parallel to the intended target line. The putterhead should be square to this line. Aligning oneself to the hole instead of the break point is among the biggest mistakes golfers make on a putt like this.

Now, calculate the speed required for the putt. Base this calculation on variables like grain and slope. Also, study the last few feet of the shot. That will tell you how the ball is going to behave as it dies toward the hole. Now swing the putter at the same pace as always, which helps you control speed and distance.

A good drill to sharpen your ability to lag big breaking putts is to lay down a tee and putt to it. Pick out a spot that's within a couple of feet of the tee and aim for it. That sharpens your ability to hit a specific point on the green. When you've mastered this, pick out a long, big breaking putt and go for it. Try picking a putt with an extreme break and focus on speed. Working on lagging the ball close to the hole, and don't be surprised if you sink a couple.

2) Chipping From The Fringe
Chipping the ball from deep grass to a hole cut close to your ball is as difficult a short game shot as there is. Some golfers use a lob wedge to hit this shot, but not everyone has a lob wedge or is confident hitting one. Other golfers use a putter from this distance. But the long grass can knock the ball offline. So what do you do instead? Use a 7-iron.

Here are 6 keys to this shot:

1. Take a putting stance
2. Use a putting grip
3. Stand close to the target line
4. Hold the club in a vertical fashion
5. Position the ball in the center
6. Swing straight back and straight through

The danger with trying a normal chip shot from this distance is that you could send the ball well past the hole, costing you strokes. And putting it out isn't a sure thing, since the putter doesn't have the loft to clear the grass. Instead, use your 7-iron. But hold the club in a vertical fashion, with only the club's toe touching the ground.

Using just the toe deadens the shot a bit. And since you've de-lofted the club, the ball rides up the clubface slightly, providing overspin so the ball rides forward once it hits the ground. With this shot, the ball hops out of the grass and rolls softly to the hole.

In addition, take a putting stance with a putting grip, stand close to the target line, and position the ball in the center of your stance or toward the back, which de-lofts the club. Swing straight back and straight through in a pendulum fashion, as if you were putting the ball. Keep the club low to the ground. And swing mostly with your shoulders and arms.

You can use other clubs to hit this shot, but the 7-iron seems to work best. Credit the late Paul Runyan, a two-time PGA Championship winner and a noted short game specialist, with inventing this shot. It's one alternative when you're in deep grass and the hole is close to your ball.

3) Question of the Week - Drills For Drawing Ball
Q. Hi Jack, I've always been a golfer who draws the ball, but lately I feel like I'm having trouble releasing the club (hanging on with my left hand). Consequently, I'm hitting a fade. I'm having a devil of a time correcting this. Can you suggest any drills that might help?

Thanks,
Mark Termini

A. Thanks for the question, Mark. One way to recover your draw is to find a small hill that slopes toward you. Then, drop a ball on the incline and hit some balls. Just make sure your standing on level ground and that you don't drop the ball too far up the hill.

Below are two drills that will also help:

Tennis Racket Drill
Hold a tennis racket in your right hand. (If you're left-handed, hold it in your left hand.) Swing to the halfway back position. Start making a forward transition, imitating the action a tennis player uses when hitting a topspin forehand shot. Once you feel comfortable doing this, hold a club in the same hand and hit some shots, mimicking the proper counterclockwise rotation involving the right forearm. Finally, use two hands to hit the ball

The Arc Drill
This drill teaches you to swing the club from the inside—the key to hitting a draw. Place golf balls on the ground in an arc. The arc should follow the swing path of a draw. Place your intended golf ball on the inside of the arc. Now take your normal set up and swing the club back and through, inside the arc line.

If nothing else, these drills demonstrate clearly how a golf ball must be worked in a solid and proper golf 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

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/newsletter10292008.html

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article - Putting Without A Putter
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/putting-without-a-putter.html

5) Article - Avoid Miscues To Cut Golf Handicap
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/avoid-miscues-to-cut-golf-handicap.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.

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