Golf Tips and Instructions 01/28/10
In this issue we’ll discuss…
1) Pitch It Close Every Time
2) Punch It Out From The Trees
3) Question of the Week – Lag Putting Is Your Best Option On Long Putts
4) Article – Four Quick Fixes To Salvage A Bad Round
5) Article – Five Golf Tips That Help You Set Up For Power
Forget about those booming drives. If you can’t pitch it close, you’ll never go low. Ask any pro. But some weekend golfers hit short pitches because they don’t know how to control the distance of their shots. So from 30 yards, they’re vulnerable. If your pitch shots fall short or fly too long, you maybe using the same swing for every pitch or you consider the pitch swing the same as a small full swing. Neither method works.
Below is an alternative to these methods:
1. Set the club early in the backswing
2. Then turn all the way through
3. Hold your finish at backswing height
4. Open the face for high pitches
5. Close the face for lower pitches
The set and hold method encourages consistent contact and consistent distance control—exactly what you need to pitch it close. Follow these steps:
Take the club back as you normally do, but hinge your wrists early in the process. For a 30-yard pitch, that’s about hip high. Once you’ve done that, commit to accelerating through the ball. Not accelerating through the ball is a common pitching mistake. Keep the angle between the clubshaft and your front forearm. Then, use your body to do the rest.
For a high pitch shot, play the ball forward in your stance and open the clubface the appropriate distance. Aim a few feet to the left of your target (right for left-handers).For a lower pitch shot, play the ball toward your back foot and close the clubface down a few degrees. Aim a few feet to the right of your target.
The set and hold technique gives you a consistent, predictable shot. You don’t need to release or use a lot of arms. Practice the shot from about 30 yards out and before you know it, you’ll be pitching it close almost every time.
2) Punch It Out From The Trees
Here’s the situation: You’ve just shanked one deep into the trees. There’s a gap on a line with the green, with just enough room to squeeze through without too much risk. But you’ll need to hit a shot that flies low to avoid the overhanging branches, doesn’t spin so it won’t rise, and releases once it hits the fairway.
Here are five keys to hitting this shot:
1. Select a club you have confidence in
2. Play the ball just back of center
3. Take a short flat backswing
4. Make sure your left wrist faces the ground
5. Finish with the club pointing left of target
Keep one thing in mind when sizing up this shot. The farther the gap is from you, the wider it must be. Otherwise, you won’t make it through. Every yard the ball moves it will go offline.
Select a club you have confidence in. Some players use a long iron. Others, use a hybrid. Use whichever club you can control the best, since you’ll need to stay beneath the overhang. Playing the ball just back of center in your stance will help keep the ball low.
To reduce spin, make a short flat backswing. Keep the shaft below your right shoulder (left for left-handers) when you go back. And try to swing the club a little behind you. To make it run once it hits the fairway, make an aggressive release. The back of your left wrist should face the ground, with the club pointing left of your target (right for right-handers).
Actually, you can use this shot whenever you need to keep the ball low and you want to run it to your target. It’s also an option when you slice everything you hit. It will keep the ball straight and low.
3) Question of the Week – Lag Putting Is Your Best Option On Long Putts
Q. Hi Jack. My question is on controlling long putts. I always seem to leave it way too short and go far too long on these putts, sometimes right over the hole. My normal putt is pretty compact and works out ok for most putts within 10 feet. But I was recently putting for eagle on a par 5, and ended up barely making par. I’m constantly 3-putting or more when I’m over 10 feet. It’s truly frustrating.
Thanks for you input!
Eddie Rosario
Dominican Republic
A. Thanks for the question, Eddie. With a 20- to 40-foot putt, lag putting is your best option. It reduces the chances of three-putting and eliminates the pressure of trying to sink the putt.
Start by stepping off the distance to the hole to get a good idea of how long the putt really is. Then, follow your normal putting routine. When taking your practice strokes, face the target. It gives you a feel for the type of stroke you’ll need for the putt. Standing taller in your stance encourages a long, smooth stroke.
Also, visualize a three-foot ring around the hole. Aim for the ring and take a nice easy stroke. Make sure your follow-through equals your takeaway. Your goal is to get the ball within the three-foot circle, which is easier than trying to sink the putt. This leaves you with a highly makeable putt, if you’re successful.
Speed and distance control are also keys to long putting. Your stroke’s tempo is usually the culprit when speed is off. That’s because the stroke’s pace controls the ball’s speed. Practicing with a metronome helps evens out your stroke in terms of beat and length, which in turn improves pace.
To improve distance control, practice fringe putting. Start at the fringe on one side of the green. Try putting the ball as close to the opposite fringe as possible with out touching it. Also, try putting with your eyes closed. Blind putting forces you to visualize the stroke needed to sink the putt. It also helps speed and distance control. Finally, putt with confidence. It’s the single biggest factor in putting.
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
Here are some of my recent articles:
4) Article – Four Quick Fixes To Salvage A Bad Round
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/four-quick-fixes-to-salvage-a-bad-round.php
5) Article – Five Golf Tips That Help You Set Up For Power
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/five-golf-tips-that-help-you-set-up-for-power.php
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.
