In this issue we'll discuss...

1) Hitting Longer Clubs From Fairway Sand
2) Simple Drill Cures Slice, Adds Power
3) Question of the Week: Achieving Consistency Off The Tee
4) Article - Five Golf Tips That Will Improve Your Game
5) Article - Knowing Wedges Can Lower Golf Handicaps

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1) Hitting Longer Clubs From Fairway Sand

Playing from a fairway bunker can be tough for people who are not long hitters. These players need to play long par 5s and par 4s carefully. A weak shot from fairway sand can take you right out of the hole and cost you strokes in the process. But developing the ability to hit longer clubs and long-iron hybrids from the sand can keep you in these holes.

Below are seven keys to hitting longer clubs from fairway sand:

* Dig your feet into the sand
* Tilt your front foot inward as a brace
* Choke down on the club half an inch
* Play the ball just inside your left heel
* Stand slightly straighter at the knees
* Take the club back three-quarters length
* Try to pick the ball clean from the sand

You need a good lie and a low front lip before trying this shot. If you have both, follow these steps:

Dig your feet into the ground just enough to create stability, and tilt the sole of your front foot inward to brace yourself and prevent swaying. Don’t dig in as much as you would with a greenside bunker. You just need to go down enough to make sure you don’t slip when you swing.

Choke down on the club half an inch and play the ball about an inch inside your front heel. Stand slightly straighter at the knees and waist to make it easier to pick the ball cleanly from the sand.

Keep your takeaway low and your back-swing three-quarter length. Sweep the clubhead through the ball while keeping your head and your spine angle still until well into your follow-through.

Above all, don’t overswing. You don’t need a miracle shot here, just something that provides some distance, hits the fairway, and keeps you in the hole.
2) Simple Drill Cures Slice, Adds Power

Many golfers hit weak slices off the tee because they turn their upper and lower bodies in unison during the downswing. That’s not good. Your downswing isn’t a single movement but a chain of events: You move your lower body first, and then you move your upper body. Your arms and clubhead bring up the rear. It’s the same movement you use to throw a ball. The drill below teaches you the right sequence of movements.

Below are the key steps to the drill:

1. Use a 9-iron for the drill
2. Put your feet together in your stance
3. Lift your front leg when taking the club away
4. Step toward the target and plant your front leg
5. Complete your swing

This drill helps you feel when your backswing ends and when your downswing begins, key points many golfers ignore when swinging. Here’s the drill:

Use a 9-iron tee and up a ball. Then, place your feet together with the ball in the middle of your stance and the club about two feet in front of the ball and off the ground. As you take the club back, lift your front leg off the grown. When your left arm is parallel, step toward the target and complete the swing.

As you lift your front leg, you’ll feel your back tilting away from the target. When you finally plant your foot, your upper boy will be back as your lower body starts to shift forward to complete the swing. This is a powerful position that helps create straighter shots and more torque in your swing. More torque means more power.

Try this drill several times. Once you’ve ingrained the right sequence of movements in your downswing, take your normal 9-iron address position and hit balls. It may take some practice, but you’ll get the feel for it and be a little closer to eliminating your slice.
3) Question of the Week: Achieving Consistency Off The Tee

Q.

Hello, Jack:

I have trouble being consistent with my driver. Sometimes the ball swings right at the end of the flight. So I change my stance and the hook comes into affect. I just can’t get it right. Can you help me with this?

Regards,
Trevor Coote
Brisbane, Australia

A.

Thanks for the question, Trevor. It’s hard to tell from your description exactly what you’re doing wrong. But one thing is clear. Your clubface isn’t square to the ball at impact, resulting in pulls, slices, and other bad shots. Failing to square your clubface often stems from a faulty takeaway. Below is a drill that can help.

Take your stance. Set the clubface behind the ball. Take the club back and stop halfway through your backswing. As you start your takeaway, think about working the clubface into a toe-up position. After stopping, turn your body to face the club. Then drop the clubhead straight down. If you executed your takeaway correctly, the clubface will be dead square. Just knowing what this feels like helps you employ the right physical movements to make this happen in your swing.

When all else fails, consider hitting other clubs off the tee. The 3-wood and 5-wood are shorter and easier to hit straight than the driver. They won’t give you the same distance as the driver, but they’ll help keep you out of trouble.

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 - Five Golf Tips That Will Improve Your Game
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/five-golf-tips-that-will-improve-your-game.php

5) Article - Knowing Wedges Can Lower Golf Handicaps
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/knowing-wedges-can-lower-golf-handicaps.php

Until next time,

Go Low!

Jack

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This entry was posted on Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 at 4:51 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.