When weekend golfers watch the pros hit unbelievable shots their amazed. The typical reaction is often “How do they do that?” It’s not magic. It’s solid fundamentals, plus hours and hours of practice and constant attention to their swings. Or course, the fact that most of the pros have been honing their swings since they were kids doesn’t hurt either.

Weekend golfers can learn a lot by studying the pros. They just need to look closely. Below we describe some golf tips derived from watching various players over the years. These mini golf lessons may not help you hit the long, straight drives, towering long irons, and delicate wedge shots the pros do. But they will improve your swing and cut strokes from your golf handicap.

Power and Accuracy In The Swing

Chip Beck isn’t nearly as famous as Tiger Woods. But he is a respected member of the Tour. Beck’s known for his accuracy off the tee. It stems primarily from an on-plane swing. He swings his arm up the plane rather than around his body. That keeps the club moving toward the target, generating accuracy. If you were to draw a line from his hands to the ground when he’s in his finish position, it would point exactly where the ball was at address—a sign that he swung up the plane.

Mark O’Meara is known for his power. He generates it by making a complete shoulder turn at the top of his swing. A right-hander, he keeps his back pointing at the target as long as he can before committing to his downswing. Keeping his back facing the target allows his right elbow to stay close to his body, dropping the club inside. This starts his shots to the target’s right. When combined with the proper clubhead release, this swing draws the ball back to the left. It’s a good way to eliminate a slice.

Brad Faxon is known for his putting. But he also excels at getting off the tee. The secret to his swing’s success is in his right elbow. A right-hander, he keeps the elbow bent and close to his right hip as he approaches impact. This delivers the club to the ball from the inside, eliminating pulls, pull-slices, and pop ups. In addition, Faxon keeps his right shoulder markedly lower than his left before impact. That keeps his head behind the ball. It also produces more leverage, which in turn increases clubhead speed.

Tips On The Downswing

Vijay Sing is among the world’s best golfers. He’s also among the world’s highest money winners annually. His classic swing combines precision and accuracy. It includes a narrow downswing with the clubface close to his left shoulder. A wide follow-through with the club and arms launched from his shoulder sockets also contributes to his classic swing. To create this swing, he keeps his arm and hands relaxed. His legs and hips power the downswing as the club’s weight lags behind until impact. Once the club is released, his arms follow the club’s wieght into the finish. This creates a free flowing swing.

Although he’s small, Shigeki Maruyama generates enough power to play with the big boys. How does he do it? He does it with solid mechanics. Most notably, he keeps his hands high at the top of his backswing. High hands expand the swing arc and increase clubhead speed. Meanwhile, a massive shoulder turn allows him to keep his head behind the ball. It also allows him to shift his weight properly and sets up a more powerful and athletic downswing. To better rotate his hips, Maruyama flares his right toe out at address.

Watch the pros whenever you can. It’s like getting a free golf instruction session. So use the opportunity wisely. It can provide valuable golf tips, like those discussed above, that can cut strokes from your golf handicap. They might even transform your game. So keep a close eye on the pros on Sundays.

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.

In this issue we’ll discuss…

1) Use Your Knees For Better Pitches
2) Getting The Most Out Of Practice
3) Question of the Week – Grooving A Proper Swing
4) Article – Golf Tips From The Pros
5) Article – A Golf Lesson On Beating Tiger Woods

Jack’s Note: Did you guys know that when it is said that you must “turn your body around the ball” it can be a tad confusing? Specifically, you could actually do the turning part correctly but gain no power or consistency. It’s true. The trick is you have to get your hips involved in that turn. And what I mean is in addition to simply turning your torso “around” the ball, you must ALSO make a very slight lateral movement with the hips in the direction of the target to commence the downswing. Absent that little move and you’re cheating yourself and making things a lot more difficult.

Think that tip might be worth a shot? Well, I got it from my colleague Mike and it was part of the conditioning and flexibility program I did with him a while back. If your interested to learn more about Mike and his tips, check him out.

1) Use Your Knees For Better Pitches

Jim Furyk, one of the better PGA pros, has an unusual swing. It’s not something you’d really want to copy. But one thing you will want to copy is the way he squares the clubface at impact when pitching. Even in deep rough, he keeps his clubface square to the target line. That’s his key—and yours—to hitting a great pitch shot

Below are 6 tips to pitching it close:

* Take a narrow stance
* Open your lower body slightly
* Position the ball near the middle
* Shift forward a little
* Keep hands passive throughout
* Push the knees forward

Jim’s wedge shot is a model to copy. It’s classic. A right-handed player, he takes a narrow stance, sets up with his lower body slightly open, and positions the ball just forward of the middle. He also leans forward on his front foot. Altogether, he has about 60 percent of his weight on his front foot. Leaning encourages a steeper swing into the ball.

In addition, he keeps his hands passive. There’s no crossover. When you hit pitch shots, your hands can’t get overly active—especially from deep rough. It ruins the shot. Instead, Jim keeps his right positioned under the left. It’s almost like he’s making an underhanded toss. Yet he’s not trying to scoop the ball.

But the key to Jim’s accuracy is his knee action. He uses his knees to propel the club through the ball. This allows his front shoulder to move forward on almost the same line as his front knee. The right shoulder action—combined with passive hands—keeps the clubface square to the ball at impact—the secret to a solid pitch shot.

If you’re having trouble with your pitch shots, copy Jim Fuyrk’s mechanics. There’s nothing unusual about it, yet it’s highly effective.

2) Getting The Most Out Of Practice

Does this sound familiar? You stop at the practice range before playing to iron out a swing flaw. Using a driver, you hit shot after shot. Perfect! Then you head for the first tee. Once there, something happens. Instead of belting one down the middle, you slice one into the rough—same old swing and same old flaw.

The walk from the practice range to the first tee is the longest in golf. Below are 5 tips Butch Harmon, the noted golf teacher, uses that shortens the walk:

1. Leave your ego in the clubhouse
2. Work on your weaknesses
3. Use an iron off a tee
4. Check your aim
5. “Play” the first hole

Good players know how to make the transition from the practice range to the first tee. Start by leaving your ego in the clubhouse. Remember that you only have 14 clubs and you can only hit a ball so far. So don’t get caught up in trying to kill the ball. It hurts your swing. Instead, work on your weaknesses.

Also, make things as simple as possible. Use a 7-iron or an 8-iron off a tee. That makes it easier to get the ball in the air. Focus on what you’re working on. Don’t cloud your mind with too many swing thoughts. And check your aim. Hit a ball to the right side of the range. Then hit one to the left. Keep changing targets.

Finally, play the first hole mentally. Go through your pre-shot routine and hit the tee shot you want to hit. Move to your approach shot and do the same. Then imagine hitting a good chip shot and putting the ball in. Practice those shots while on the range. Do this exercise a few times. It not only prepares you mentally and physically for the first hole, it also instills confidence.

3) Question of the Week – Grooving A Proper Swing

Q. Hi Jack, I heard that the main difference between an amateur and a pro is that amateurs tend to hit from outside and pros from inside, and that almost all amateurs have the “over the top” move.

How can I feel the right sensation hitting from inside and making a swing without the “over the top” movement? Can you describe the right moves? Can you give me some drills?

Thank you,
Kyriakos Papakyriakou

A. Thanks for the question, Kyriakos. If you want to ingrain the feeling of hitting from the inside, use the “magic move”—a phrase coined by Harvey Pennick. He was a highly respected teaching professional. This move ensures that you’re taking the right swing plane as you start into the downswing. Here’s what to do:

As you begin your downswing, shift your weight onto your left foot while, at the same time, bringing your right elbow back down to your body. That’s all there is to it.

As the weight shifts to the left and the elbow drops down, the club falls automatically into the right slot inside for the correct swing plane. The move flattens the swing ever so slightly. But that’s the ideal position from which to swing the club down at the ball and deliver the clubhead squarely to impact..

Note also that the move encourages the angle in your wrists to be retained until impact. That’s where your power is stored.

If you want to eliminate the “over the top” feeling you have, try using the Towel Drill. Grab the ends of a towel, one in each hand by both hands. Set up as if you were going to hit a driver. And take the towel back and through, as if you were making a full swing with a club. Keep the towel extended.

This drill ingrains a smooth takeaway and transition to downswing. Both the magic move and the Towel drill encourage a smooth, powerful 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/newsletter01282009.html

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article – Golf Tips From The Pros
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/golf-tips-from-the-pros.html

5) Article – A Golf Lesson On Beating Tiger Woods
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/a-golf-lesson-on-beating-tiger-woods.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, go to http://www.howtobreak80.com/newsletter.htm

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.

A good first step to achieving a low golf handicap is perfecting your swing. A flawless swing exudes power and rhythm. That’s why smart golfers take golf lessons and read golf tips—to root out their swing flaws. If your swing is flawless—or close to it—you’ll hit the fairway more often. You’ll also set yourself up for hitting good approach shots and making more pars and birdies. But if your swing has flaws, you’ll hit into trouble more often than not, racking up big numbers on your scorecard. More importantly, you’ll never achieve that low golf handicap.

Below are descriptions of the five most common swing flaws among weekend golfers. Actually, they’re probably the five most common swing flaws period. If you have one of them in your swing, stamp it out. But even if you don’t have one, you should be aware of them. Even good golfers can form bad habits because of one of these flaws, so it’s good to know how to correct them. When evidence of one appears, root it out quickly. Otherwise, you’ll ingrain it and have a hard time eliminating it. More importantly, you’ll have a hard time achieving that single digit golf handicap you’ve always wanted.

1. Inside Takeaway
This flaw ruins your swing before it begins. Typically, a golfer’s swing is “up and around.” Most golfers don’t have a problem with the “up” part. But they do have a problem with the “around” part, whipping the club too far to the inside. That ruins ruin their swing. If golfers come too far inside on the takeaway, they’ll probably come from the outside on the downswing, producing a slice. To eliminate this flaw, take the club straight back with the face pointing at the ball, not toward the sky or feet.

2. Over The Top
Coming over the top traps you into making a false turn. Your shoulder turns 90 degrees, but the rotation doesn’t really position you behind the ball. That in turn forces your weight over to your left side (right side for lefties), leading to numerous mistakes. Only a level shoulder turn produces a powerful backswing coil. It also creates a flatter swing and keeps your elbows and wrists from breaking down. Focus on turning your front shoulder over your back knee and you’ll eliminate this flaw.

3. The Pull
Some golfers are more prone to this flaw than others. But we probably all commit it at one time or another. Often, the golfer’s first move down is a rapid turn of the shoulders. That moves the clubshaft above the downswing space, resulting in a pull. If the clubface is left open, it turns into a slice. In a fundamentally sound downswing, the hips reach their peak speed before the shoulders do, with the hands and clubhead bringing up the rear. This sequence creates the whip-like motion that defines a powerful swing. If you find yourself coming across the ball, think sequence—hips, shoulders, hands, and club.

4. Slice/Hook
Even good drivers slice and hook occasionally. Either can occur if a golfer’s lower and upper bodies are not in sync. When a golfer slices, her legs usually outrun her body on the downswing. This causes the golfer to swing too much from the inside with an open clubface. Conversely, when you hook the ball, your arms are too far in front of you and your lower body hasn’t turned. To fix synching problems, remind yourself that on any given day, one’s body is rarely in the same state. You’ll need to adjust to how your lower and upper bodies feel on any given day.

5. Poor Coil
Ever heard someone say, “keep your head down” after a bad shot? That’s not something you’d hear in a golf lesson or read in a golf tip. Stuffing your head between your shoulders limits your ability to turn. It also causes you to lose your spine angle, resulting in all sorts of trouble. Instead, think “keep your chin up.” That allows your front shoulder to pass underneath and generates a strong backswing coil. When you head is low, you can’t turn. When your head is up, your neck aligns with your spine. It becomes easier to make a strong full turn. If you find yourself hitting weak shots, keep your chin up and your neck straight.

Chances are good you have one of these five common flaws in your swing. If you’re serious about achieving a low golf handicap, a good first step is eliminating them. A flawless swing encourages power and accuracy. So take golf lessons, read golf tips, and practice as often as you can. Do everything you can to iron out these flaws and you’ll be on the road to becoming a scratch golfer.

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.

Most golfers like playing on wide holes. They feel much less pressure because they don’t have to be as accurate. Unlike narrow holes, which often demand pinpoint accuracy, wide holes allow for mistakes. You can mis-hit one off the tee and you won’t always be penalized. With luck, you might still have a decent approach shot. That’s why many golfers attack wide-open holes in an effort to shave strokes off their scores and their golf handicaps.

But don’t be fooled. Wide-open holes can be touch. Their openness often fools golfers into missing obvious trouble spots. That’s why smart golfers never take these holes for granted. They can hurt your scores and your golf handicap just as much as narrow ones. In my golf instruction sessions, we teach students to view holes not as wide or narrow, but as “penal” or “non-penal.” This approach encourages golfers to look for challenges on holes regardless of what they look like.

Forcing Players To Think
Skilled golf course architects don’t try to dictate the method of play. Instead, they create holes that force players to think. Often, they rely on strategic risk-reward hazards and on angles that tempt players into play toward the edges of the golf course. For example, narrow holes place a premium on being “down the middle.” But that’s not always the best approach on wide hoes. Sometimes, it’s better playing close to a rough or a hazard with a driver. On some holes, like doglegs, playing close to the edge cuts 20 yards to 30 yards off the hole.

Take the par 5 14th on the Old Course at St. Andrews—among the most strategic holes in all of golf. The hole supports multiple strategies and routes. It rewards good choices and penalizes bad ones. Golfers are challenged by the lay of the land, the wind, and their own capabilities. To reach the flat plateau of what is called the “Elysian Fields,” which gives golfers a chance to get to the green into two, golfers must risk a severe penalty—out of bounds down the right side. The safer left side, on the other hand, brings into play a series of bunkers but is longer to the green.

Alister McKenzie, the great golf course architect, once observed a foursome playing the 14th. He noted that each of the four golfers chose a different strategy for playing the hole. He also noted that each golfer played the correct strategy given each player’s capabilities. When a hole is sufficiently wide enough, it maximizes the number of playing angles available on approach shots, increasing the value of well-positioned drives. But wide holes can still penalize you severely for making mistakes. The golf lesson here is to choose the strategy that offers the best risk-reward component and that fits your capabilities.

Reviewing the Options
Now compare the 14th hole with the par 4 17th. It temps players to drive their balls as far right as possible. A ball positioned far to the right and close to the out-of-bounds line offers the best angle of approach. It also minimizes the chances of finding the legendary “Road Bunker.” The aggressive route is a blind shot over the corner of the Old Course Hotel. It’s not an easy shot to make, but it’s much shorter to the green.

A safer shot down the right side means the player must deal with the Road Bunker on his second shot. The hole also provides a third option—a drive to the left, a lay-up to the right, and a straightforward pitch. Again, the choice of strategy depends on the situation, the risk-reward component, and the player’s capabilities. A lesser player would probably opt for the third option while a stronger play would probably go over the hotel.

Don’t be fooled by wide holes. They can hurt your score and your golf handicap just as much as narrow ones. A good golf tip is to look at each hole closely. See it not as narrow or wide, but as penal or non-penal. This approach forces you see the challenges it provides—even the hidden ones. Then, you can sample the various routes to the hole and pick the best one.

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.