In this issue we'll discuss...

1) Out Every Time From Long Bunkers
2) Get Down For A Ball Below Your Feet
3) Question of the Week - Achieving Consistency off the Tee
4) Article - Strengthen Core To Reduce Golf Handicap
5) Article - The 2010 U.S. Open

Jack's Note: Wow, what a U.S. Open last weekend!  We got so caught up in the excitement we forgot to send out the newlsetter to you guys last week. Sorry folks!

Congratulations to Dennis Lavery for correctly picking the winner of the 2010 U.S. Open (Graeme McDowell).

We will be contacting you Dennis Lavery so you can receive your complimentary DVD's.  Way to go!

Also, if you're still struggling with hitting the ball consistently, it could be your swing plane. Go here to watch a video on how to find your perfect swing plane.

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1) Out Every Time From Long Bunkers

No one likes having a 40-yard bunker shot. But they happen. The keys to getting out of long bunkers are widening your stance for stability, keeping your lower body still, and picking the ball clean from the sand. That sounds easy. But some players struggle with this approach. They tend to dig into the dirt at impact, which can derail the shot. Below is another way to hit this shot.

Here are five keys to hitting this long bunker shot:

* Set up as if you were putting
* Move closer to the ball
* Use a reverse over-lap grip
* Keep more weight on your front foot
* Make a U-shaped swing

The key to making this shot, as we’ve said above, is preventing the club from digging into the sand at impact. If it does, you’ll dissipate the force behind the ball and the ball will probably stay in the bunker. Instead, try this:

Using a sand wedge, set up like you were about to putt. Move closer to the ball and employ a reverse overlap grip. Now make a U-shaped swing controlled by your body turn, not a V-shaped arm-swing.

Keeping your weight on your front foot, make what feels like a long aggressive putt by rocking your shoulders and turning your stomach area. The club should enter the sand just behind the ball and skim through it, not dig into it, giving you the distance you need to hit the green.

This shot is somewhat similar to a putt/chip with an 8-iron from the edge of the green. Mastering this long bunker shot may take a little practice, but once you’ve got it down, you’ll get the ball out every time, saving strokes.
2) Saves Strokes By Hitting Effective Pitches

Want to cut strokes from your scores? Hit pinpoint pitches. Hitting accurate pitches is the key —the kind that hit the green and stop dead right on target. A common mistake when trying to hit pitches is taking the club back low, with straight stiff wrists. This type of swing leads to scooping. Scooping leads to mis-hits. The stiffness in your hands and arms also hurts your sense of feel, hampering accuracy.

Below are five tips on hitting pinpoint pitches:

1. Set up with a slightly open stance
2. Open your clubface.
3. Shift your weight forward.
4. Hinge your wrists in the backswing.
5. Swing hard to generate speed.

Hitting accurate pitches isn’t hard. The secret is creating height and backspin to stop the ball when it hits.

Start by setting up with a slightly open stance and an open clubface. Shift your weight forward and keep it there. A big shift while swing makes it harder to bring the club back to a consistent impact point.

To generate height, hinge your wrists in the backswing and swing hard. The harder you swing, the higher the ball goes—without adding distance to the shot. With height and backspin, the ball stops dead when it hits. Practice this shot on the range until you’ve ingrained it.

Also, spend time on the range moving your hands up and down on the grip in one-inch increments. By gripping down an inch, you can subtract five to eight yards from the shot without changing your swing. Note how the changes affect your yardage. You’ll have to get closer to the ball. But you won’t be changing your swing.

Hitting more effective pitches saves strokes big time. It turns three shots into two and sets the stage for more par putts. Sink a couple of those per round and you’ll quickly lower your scores.
3) Question of the Week - Achieving Consistency off the Tee

Q. Hello, Jack:

I have 4, 5, and 6 hybrids. Seems like I hit them fine on the practice range, but when playing, I have a tendency to hit them off the toe? Any suggestions would help. At times, I am afraid to pull one of these clubs out of the bag.

Thanks,
Russ Breeden

A. Thanks for the question, Russ. Toe hits occur when the arms lose extension through impact.  This often results from a player trying to lift the ball off the ground, pulling the swing path too far inside. To cure the problem, focus on swinging down on the ball and making center-face contact. Also, try swinging the club around your body more.

Here's a drill that can help:

Stick two tees in the ground, parallel to each other, but about a clubhead length apart. One tee should be closer to you and one farther away. Set up to the tee that's closer to you, but swing at the one that's farther away. Try picking the tee out of the ground on your swing. Practice this drill until you can pick the tee out of the ground instinctively

This drill flattens your downswing path, forcing you to extend your arms through impact. The drill also gets you to swing the club around your body more.

The tee drill is a simple but effective. It will eliminate toe hits and save you strokes—and probably some embarrassment in the process.

Also, when you're on the course or the range, visualize two balls and try hitting the outside one.

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 - Strengthen Core To Reduce Golf Handicap
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/strengthen-core-to-reduce-golf-handicap.php

5) Article - The 2010 U.S. Open
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/2010-us-open.php

Until next time,

Go Low!

Jack

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This entry was posted on Friday, June 25th, 2010 at 1:54 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.