How To Break 80 Newsletter

September 21, 2010

"The Web's Most Popular Golf Improvement Newsletter"

In this issue we'll discuss...

1) Drain It From The Fringe
2) Taming The Rough
3) Drill of the Week: Maxing Out The Driver
4) Article - Five Keys To Hitting Crisp Wedges
5) Article - Building Confidence In Your Lag Putting

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1) Drain It From The Fringe

Sinking putts is hard enough without adding more complications to the mix. Golfers must adjust to not only various types of grass, but also different green speeds, to name just a few obstacles in putting. So when your ball lands so close to the fringe that your putter will catch the rough on your backstroke, you're facing a complication you don't need. To sink putts from the fringe, you must adjust your stroke so that the putter's blade avoids the rough before making impact.

Below are six keys to putting from the fringe:

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* Place your back foot on the green or fringe
* Make sure the ball is opposite the back foot
* Lean a little more weight on your front foot
* Press the shaft toward the target
* Try to feel the putter going back
* Use almost no follow-through

The key to making putts from the fringe is replacing your normal putting stroke with a slightly more up and down stroke. This assures solid contact.

When you address the ball, position your back foot so it is either even with or slightly behind the ball—whether the foot is on the green or in the rough. Then lean a tiny bit more weight on your front leg and press the shaft forward.

When you start your down stroke, feel the putter going back as you take it away, and then hit the ball with almost no follow through. The ball will pop up in the air with extreme backspin and then run to the hole.

Putting is tough enough without having to deal with extra complications. Using the approach described above to putt balls from the fringe will help you sink more putts and lower both your scores and your golf handicap.
2) Taming The Rough

It isn't always your swing that causes bad shots. Sometimes, it's the decisions you make—such as when your tee shot lands in the rough. Say you're about 200 yards from the green. You know you can reach it from there with your 3-wood. But you don't know how the grass will affect your swing. The last thing you want to do is mishit the shot and end up in the rough again, facing the same shot or worse one. Your choices are clear:

* Hit a 3-wood and go for the green, or
* Use a lesser club and play it safe.

Your lie—not your distance—is the key consideration here. To decide what to do, check how deeply the ball is sitting in the grass. Then apply these rules of thumb:

If the ball is sitting low in the grass—less that half the ball is visible—lay up. The ball is too deep to make solid contact with the 3-wood. Instead, use your 5-hybrid or 6-iron. Swing sharply down on the ball, almost like a punch shot. Finish short with your hands even with your shoulders. Your finish isn't important here, since all you're trying to do is make clean contact.

If the ball is sitting high in the grass—at least half of the ball is visible—go for it. Once you decide, don't hold back. But don't try to swing out of your socks, either. Firm up your grip pressure. Swing smoothly. And make a complete finish with a full release of the clubhead. Your finish should be high. Your hands should end up way above your shoulders.

Don't always blame your swing for bad shots. Sometimes, it's your decision that makes the difference. When you're in the rough analyze your lie carefully. Then, decide on your shot. Knowing when to go for it and when to play it safe can save you from having to put a big number down on the score card after holing out.
3) Drill of the Week: Maxing Out The Driver

When you fail to hit par 4s in two, you put a lot of pressure on your short game. So your goal off the tee should always be to hit good tee shots. One cause for inconsistency off the tee is swinging your driver like an iron. It causes pop-up, thin shots, and worm burners. Below is a drill that teaches you to swing the driver level:

Line up four balls in a row about 4 inches apart. Now hit each one with your driver. After you hit the last ball, check your tees:

If the tee is leaning forward, you hit too high on the ball. This leads to thin contact and worm-burners.

If tee is out of the ground, your downswing was too steep. This leads to pop-ups and fat shots.

If the tee looks like it did when you first stuck it in the ground, you made a level swing—the key to consistent contact.

Repeat the drill until the tees never move.

If you can't get the tees to stay put, try imagining the clubhead coming into the ball like an airplane landing or that you're driving a nail straight into the back of the ball. Above all don't hit down on the ball like you would with an iron. Level it out. You'll generate a more penetrating ball flight and more yards.

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 Keys To Hitting Crisp Wedges
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/five-keys-to-hitting-crisp-wedges.php

5) Article - Building Confidence In Your Lag Putting
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/building-confidence-in-your-lag-putting.php

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

By Jack Moorehouse

Greens hit in regulation (GIR), as we've said in our golf tips newsletters, is a critical statistic in golf. GIR measures how often you hit greens with your approach shots, setting you up for a birdie putt. The more greens hit in regulation, the lower your scores. Hitting accurate approach shots is a must if you want to score well and cut your golf handicap. Obviously, you'll need to put in some work perfecting your iron shots if you're a poor iron player.

But even with hard work, you'll still occasionally miss approach shots. If you end up in no man's land—40 yards or less from the green—you're often faced with a critical decision on what to do next. With courses becoming longer and longer, you may find yourself facing this decision more and more. Two shots that can help make that decision easier are the bump-and-run and the putt-chip. These shots are often taught in golf instruction sessions because of their stroke-saving capabilities.

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The Bump-And Run
The bump and run is easy to hit. All you need do is follow some simple rules. The first is: select a good landing spot. A general rule of thumb cited in golf lessons is to fly the ball about two-thirds of the way to the hole, then let it run the final third. When you pick your spot, which is usually short of the green, figure on a lower trajectory. Next, set up for a low shot. Narrow your stance with your front foot slightly open, play the ball back of center, and set your hands off the inside of your front thigh.

Once set up, take a short backswing. With a 9-iron all you need to do is take your arms back to waist high with just a touch of wrist hinge. This gives you about 25 yards of carry and 15 of roll. If you need to hit it farther, use an 8-iron. For shorter shots, use a pitching wedge. Your backswing length controls the shot's distance so there's no need to adjust your through swing. Also, turn through the shot just as you would normally do. Stop your follow through waist high.

Two keys with the bump-and-run are (1) release the club through impact and (2) keep your lower body still. If you release the club through impact, you'll strike the ball with a square clubface. You did it right, if the toe of the club points skyward in your finish. If you keep the lower body still, you'll ensure good solid contact. Start sliding here and you'll have trouble making crisp contact and possibly mishit the shot.

The Putt Chip
Another par saving shot they teach in golf instruction sessions is the putt-chip. Short chips are critical to breaking 80, 90, or 100. They can turn two shots into one, saving you strokes. The shot's mechanics are straightforward. Use your normal putting grip, play the ball inside your front heel, and set the club on its toe. Then use a pendulum like swing to chip the ball onto the green. If the ball is sitting down, place more weight on your front foot. This encourages a slight angle of descent through impact.

The key to this shot is setting the club on its toe. Simplifying your motion, hitting off the toe helps replicate your putting stance. It encourages the club to slide through the grass. And it "softens" the shot, increasing feel. In addition, keep your body still when swinging. Swing the club up with your arms going back. Then let it swing down.

Two shots can help save par when your approach shots misses: the bump and run and the putt chip. The bump-and-run provides a safe option when faced with a tight lie. The putt-chip removes the fear of chipping and puts the feel back in. Both shots help generate more pars, if executed correctly. Master them and they'll also help you chop strokes off your golf handicap.

In this issue we'll discuss...

1) Make Short Work Of Short Putts
2) Five Keys To Solid Irons
3) Question - Preventing Pushed Shots
4) Article - Save Par With These Shots
5) Article - Erase A Bad Ballstriking Day
1) Make Short Work Of Short Putts

Four-footers are among the game's most common putts. They're also among its most missed putts. Often, we can credit the miss to a poor setup. When your setup is off even two-footers are challenges. A poor setup causes your putter to swing out of position on your backstroke. Since the putt is short, it's hard to recover during your forward stroke. Nail your setup and you'll sink more four-footers!

Below are five keys to a good putting setup:
*Stand up straight and then bend
*Position your hips over heels
*Keep your eyes over the ball
*Put your hands under your shoulders
*Match your shaft to your forearms

If you set up correctly, you'll be relaxed and confident when stroking the putt. What's more, you'll position yourself to move your arms and shoulders freely and keep your head still.

Start by standing up straight and hold the putter out in front of you. Rotate your elbows inward and rest them on your rib cage. Now tilt forward from your hips until your putter rests under your eyes. Doing this makes it easier to achieve four key putting setup positions.

A good setup positions your:

(1) hips over your heels, for good weight distribution and better balance
(2) eyes over the ball's inside edge, for the best optical view of the target line
(3) hands under your shoulders, so you can to swing back and through naturally
(4) shaft and your forearms in a straight line.

If the shaft and you forearms aren't in a straight line, your club is either too long or too short.

Missing easy four-foot putts adds strokes to your score and shakes your confidence. Lack of confidence leads to more missed putts. Nail your set up and you'll break this cycle.

2) Five Keys To Solid Irons

Hitting greens in regulation is critical. But when you swing too fast and add too much lower body action to your swing, you mishit your irons. You also miss greens with approach shots. You can feel this swing flaw in your feet. You'll be up on your right toe (left toe, if your left-handed) way too early. When you notice yourself swinging your irons too fast, go back to basics and remind yourself of the keys to hitting solid irons.

Below are five keys to hitting solid irons:
*Plant your front foot
*Make a post
*Maintain a forward bend
*Form a sideways "C"
*Finish on the outside edge

Hitting crisp irons is a matter of leverage. Start your swing by planting your front foot. It must be planted to acquire the leverage needed to hit solid irons. That's not just for weekend golfers. It's for everybody.

After planting your front foot, straighten your front leg and transfer all your weight onto your front heel. Posting your front foot gives your hands something to sling past, sort of like a whip.

After impact, maintain your forward bend toward the ball, forming a reverse "C." Try to keep the same amount of bend you establish at address. If you pull your weight through this bend, you'll catch the ball crisply every time. If you lean backward, you'll catch it thin.

When finished swinging, most of your weight should be on your front side. In fact, you should feel as if your weight is on the outside of your front foot—with your hips facing the target and your front shoulder chasing the ball.

If you're not hitting crisp irons, you may be swinging too fast. Return to basics. Follow the five keys to hitting crisp irons and focus on re-gaining your rhythm. You'll hit crisper irons and more greens.
3) Question - Preventing Pushed Shots

Q.

Hi, Jack:

I have been striking my irons pretty well over the past few months, but when I get into a spot that I need to hit a solid wedge shot from 50 yards to a 100 yards out, I can't get a solid hit. Half the time they go straight right. I feel that my swing does not change much, but I can't figure it out.

If you have any helpful hints I would appreciate it. By the way I went out this last weekend and shot a 79. Not only was it the first time I broke 80, but the first time I broke 90 as well. Keep up the good work.

Thanks
Brad Drummond

A.

Thanks for the question, Brad. Sounds like you're pushing your wedges. Some minor changes will help.

The clubface's position at impact ultimately determines a shot's shape. If the clubface is slightly open (or square) at impact and you employ an in-to-out swing path, you'll push the shot right (left, if you're left-handed).

To stop pushing, turn your right-hand grip slightly to the left. This prevents your right hand from becoming too active and keeps the clubface square through impact. Also, play the ball slightly forward at address (from your normal wedge) and open up your upper body in relation to the target line.

Halfway into your backswing, make sure the toe of your iron points skyward. Also, work on clearing your body through impact. You should feel as if your hips are opening up towards the target and your front shoulder is moving forward as you strike the ball. You should also feel as if the club's grip end is moving left but that the clubface remains open. If the pushing problem is severe, cup your left wrist at the top of your swing.

This drill helps you stop pushing your irons:

Lay down two clubs parallel to the target line. The first runs along your feet and points toward the target, and the second runs outside the ball and points toward the target. This creates a track with the ball in the middle. Then, swing. Keep your cap's brim in line with the outer club. This keeps your head on your swing path. If the brim of your cap shifts beyond the outer club, you'll push the shot.

Practice this drill faithfully and you'll eliminate pushed shots.

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 - Save Par With These Shots
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/save-par-with-these-shots.php

5) Article - Erase a Bad Ballstriking Day
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/erase-a-bad-ballstriking-day.php

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.

In this issue we'll discuss...

1) Stop Shanking Short Chips
2) Stopping It Dead In Its Tracks
3) Drill - Fixing A High Weak Slice
4) Article - Golf Tips On Sand Strategies
5) Article - Set Up For Solid Ballstriking
1) Stop Shanking Short Chips

Is there anything more maddening than shank a short chip shot? Doing so adds an extra stroke to your score and turns a potential par into a bogey or double bogey. Even when you grip down, you still seem to shank the chip. Weight shift is one reason why you do it. Gripping down the wrong way is another. Together, they create the perfect conditions for a shank.

Here are five keys to the shot:

*Grip down on the club
*Settle into your address posture
*Shift your weight to your arches
*Keep your right knee from creeping
*Move the knee forward when swinging

Many weekend golfers take their posture then choke down on the club. That's asking for trouble. Because of the chipping club's short shaft—made shorter by choking down—your weight shifts to your toes. This forces you to hang over the ball, creating the conditions for a shank. Your weight is drawn even more toward when you open your shoulders.

Instead, grip down the club first, and then move into your address posture. Make sure you shift your weight over your arches. Once you set your hands, bend from your hips with just a slight knee flex. You should feel like your butt is sticking out, with your arms settling under your shoulders.

When you go to make your swing keep your right knee from creeping out toward the ball. Move it toward the target through impact, not in front of you. When you practice this shot, lay a club on the ground along your toe line. Use the shaft to guide your leg action.

Stop shanking those short chip shots like some weekend golfers do and you'll save yourself both strokes and frustration.

2) Stopping It Dead In Its Tracks

Short-siding yourself can cost you strokes. If you have to carry a water hazard or a bunker to a tight pin, your ordinary run-of-the-mill lob shot won't do. It will probably leave you with a long putt for par. What you need is to hit a high lob shot that stops dead in its tracks. But every time you try to hit a high lob, you skull it, sending it across the green. Getting a high lob to stop in its tracks is all in how you set up.

Below are five keys to this shot:

*Position the ball forward in your stance
*Tilt the shaft away from the target
*Maintain the cupped wrist throughout
*Make a long smooth swing
*Make a three-quarter finish

This shot requires practice. But once you've ingrained it, it will save you a ton of strokes. The key to the shot is cupping your left wrist (right for left-handers) and maintaining it cupped throughout the swing.

*Use your lob wedge. Address the ball as you normally would for a lob shot. Position the ball half way between the center of your stance and your front foot.

*Tilt the shaft away from the target. When you lean the shaft back, your left wrist cups or leans backward. Maintain the cup from start through impact and all the way into your follow-through.

*Use a long smooth swing. Keep your hands behind the ball at impact, allowing the sole of the club to slide underneath the ball. Follow through to a three-quarter finish.

The aggressive shaft lean at setup adds loft to the club without forcing you to open the clubface. Opening the face reduces its hitting area, making for a risky shot.

Practice the shot until you've ingrained it. It's a good option when you've short-sided yourself and need to stop the ball dead in its tracks.
3) Drill - Fixing A High Weak Slice

This drill is for players that hit high weak slices. The problem stems from a swing fault called "crossing the line." It starts when you try to increase power by taking an extra long backswing. This causes your arms to swing way past their natural stopping point. When that happens, you cross the line (the clubhead pointed right of the target at the top of your swing). This fault causes inconsistent contact and misses that go high and wide to the right.

Many players would benefit from stopping at what would be their three quarters position. If that doesn't work try using a Nerf football when your practice your backswing. Wedge the football between your elbows. Try stopping it from falling out by keeping your elbows together as you make your backswing. Make sure you complete your backswing with a full wrist cock. That's what gets you parallel at the top, not your arms.

If you lift your right elbow while the football is wedged in there, it will fall out and you'll lose power. You need to keep your elbows together at the top and pointed parallel to the target line for a powerful top position.

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 - Golf Tips On Sand Strategies
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/Golf-Tips-On-Sand-Strategies.php

5) Article - Set Up For Solid Ballstriking
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/Set-Up-For-Solid-Ballstriking.php

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