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.

This entry was posted on Friday, January 30th, 2009 at 8:50 pm and is filed under Golf Newsletters. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.