Every golfer has a blow-up hole or two. Even players on the Tour have them. A blowup hole brings out the worst in your game. What’s frustrating about these holes is you try everything you can think of to conquer them, but no matter what you do, you can’t shoot lower that a triple bogey. And because you play the course regularly, you can’t avoid playing the hole at least once a week. Beating this hole may not cut stokes from you golf handicap, but it sure would be satisfying.

Unfortunately, golf instruction sessions won’t always help you beat blowup holes. Golf instructions sessions usually cover swing mechanics. To beat blowup holes, change strategies. If you’ve played the hole aggressively, try playing it more conservatively. If you’ve played it conservatively, try playing it more aggressively. To help you beat your blowup hole or holes, we’ve provided golf tips on how to play five of the most common blowup holes. If you still can’t find an answer after reading the article, ask a teaching pro how he or she would play the hole.

Doglegs
If doglegs are a problem for you, join the crowd. You’re not alone. Doglegs usually present trouble on one side of the hole, such as a water hazard or a clump of trees. You have to be careful here. Hit the ball into the water or the trees and you’ll have to re-tee the ball and play the shot again. Our golf tip: Don’t try to be a hero on doglegs. Instead, take a club that you can handle and just put the ball in play. If trouble is on the left, aim way to the right. If you miss the shot on the right, there’s room to recover. If you pull the ball, you’ll still stay out of the hazard. Playing smart here saves strokes.

Blind Shots
Many courses have holes with blind shots. But weekend golfers don’t allow for their normal shot shape when aiming on holes like this. To hit your target, adjust your thinking. If your target is in the middle of the fairway and you hit a fade, you might end up hitting into deep trouble, if you don’t make the right adjustment. Our golf tip: Plan to hit the ball so that when it stops rolling it ends up in line with the target. If you’re right-handed and you hit a fade, aim left. If you’re hitting a draw, aim right.

Long Par 3s
Playing par 3s poorly can hurt your golf handicap. A good place to start improving your par-3 play is by learning to play long par 3s well. A common mistake with weekend golfers on this blowup hole is that they shoot for the flag and end up in nasty stuff. To beat this hole, try a different strategy. Aim for the safest, fattest landing area that gives you a chance to chip on the green and one-putt. The bigger and safer the target area, the better it is for you. Once you’re there, you can grab a short iron and play a chip and run to the hole.

Over The Water Shots
Many golfers tense up when hitting over water or another obstacle, like a cliff. That’s bad. A good way to relax is to build up confidence going over the obstacle. Our golf tip: The best way instill confidence is to practice the shot until you expect success, not failure. That may mean stopping by the course on a slow day and practicing on the hole. If you can’t do that, incorporate the scenario into your practice time. Pretend you’re on the tee and try hit over the imaginary pond or cliff.

Everyone has holes that bring out the worst in their games. Even if these holes don’t add strokes to your golf handicap, they can frustrate you badly and derail your confidence. To beat them, change strategies. The golf tips we provided above can help. If not, try asking your pro at your next golf lesson. He or she can counsel you on how to play the hole.

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How To Break 80 Newsletter

January 17th, 2010

"The Web's Most Popular Golf Improvement Newsletter"
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In this issue we'll discuss...

1) Sticking It From The Sand
2) Tee Up Whenever You Can
3) Question of the Week: Swing Hybrids Like An Iron
4) Article: Turn Short Game Practice Into Full-Swing Results
5) Article: Keys To Creating A Solid Two-Plane Swing

Jacks Note: Looking to improve your swing and lower your handicap in 2011? The best way to start is with the proper swing. We help you build a swing your buddies will be jealous of and that will earn you the respect you deserve on the course. It's all in our Full Swing DVD. There are only 23 left though so act fast.

This week we're doing something a little different, from now on the newsletter will be more blog based, so be sure and bookmark the blog!

Trouble viewing links? Your browser may be the issue. We recommend using the Firefox browser. Click Here To Download. Some email clients also distort links: try to copy and paste web urls directly in your browser, or turn on images for emails.

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1) Sticking It From The Sand
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Aiming for the middle of the green is usually the best strategy when it comes to getting out of greenside bunkers. It's easier shot and it relieves some of the shot's pressure. More pressure is the last thing you need when facing a difficult shot. But sometimes you have to go for the pin, like when you're down a stroke in match play. That requires knowing how to shape a shot from the sand.

Below are five keys to sticking it from the sand:

* Open the clubface first
* Play the ball in the middle of your stance
* Grip down the same amount as you dig in
* Set your feet to anticipate the shot
* Swing along your stance line

Two keys to executing this shot are your lie and your release. While you don't need a perfect lie, you do need one where your stance is fairly level and the ball sits cleanly. The latter is critical. It helps when trying to add spin to the ball.

You can approach this shot as a normal bunker shot for the most part. Make sure you open your clubface before you grip the club and that you rehearse the shot before you get in the bunker.

Play the ball toward the middle of your stance to promote ball first contact, and grip down on the club the same amount that you dig your feet into the sand. Set your feet slightly open for a cut shot or slightly closed for a draw. Swing along your stance line.

The proper release is key here. If you want to fade it to a pin tucked on the right side of the green, hold off on the release a split second. If you want to draw the ball, release the club naturally.

Remember: Your club can't touch the sand before the shot. If it does, you have to change clubs.

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2) Tee Up Whenever You Can
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Golfing great Jack Nicklaus believes that when you should always tee up your ball whenever you get the chance. That's because teeing up a ball makes it easier to hit. So tee up the ball whenever can on par 4s and par 5s. And always tee up a ball on par 3s. But keep in mind that different clubs require different tee heights.

Below are the general rules on tee heights for different clubs:

* You should tee up
* An iron shot so the ball is just above the ground
* A hybrid shot so the ball is about a half inch above the ground
* A fairway wood so that a quarter of the ball is above the face
* A driver so that half the ball is above the face

You tee the ball up differently for different reasons. When you tee up a ball for an iron or a hybrid shot, you want to keep the grass from getting between the clubface and the ball. That increases your control over distance and direction. Grass interferes with your ability to put backspin on the ball, so it doesn't behave predictably.

Hybrids have more weight built into the sole. You want the weight to get under the ball, so you can take advantage of the technology. The same holds true for fairway woods and drivers.

But don't forget to make adjustments for your swing tendencies. Putting impact tape on a clubface tells you exactly where you're hitting the ball with the club. Use that information to make the necessary adjustments to hit the ball flush.

Tee up the ball whenever you get a chance. It provides better control over direction and distance—two things can help golfers chop strokes off their handicaps.

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3) Question of the Week: Swing Hybrids Like An Iron
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Q.

Hi Jack.
 
Having viewed Bobby Eldridge's Perfect Impact DVD, I now understand a whole lot better the difference between a driver swing and an iron swing. My question is where does a #3 Hybrid fit in?

I look forward to your answer.

Regards
Brian Hall

A.

Thanks for the questions. Swing hybrids like irons, but you first need to make a couple of adjustments, depending on where you're hitting from—tee, fairway, rough, or bunker. Use a normal posture and stance.

Below are some guidelines for swinging a hybrid:

In the tee box, tee the ball very low. Position it near the center of your stance but towards the target. Use a smooth tempo, with a full swing. Complete the follow-through.

From the fairway, position the ball closer to the center of your stance. Swing the club down and through the ball. Hit the ball first then take a small divot.

From a fairway bunker, position the ball in the center of your stance and dig your feet into the sand. Use a shorter swing and sweep the ball off the ground. You need a good lie to hit this shot.

From the rough, position the ball in the center of your stance. Use a 3/4 backswing, with a full follow through and a smooth tempo. Accelerate the downswing through the ball.

You can also use a hybrid to hit a bump and run. In this case swing the club as you normally would swing an iron.

You can also see more about the hybrid club in How To Break 80: Hybrid.

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.

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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

Click here to view this newsletter on the web

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article: Turn Short Game Practice Into Full-Swing Results

http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog/2011/01/17/turn-short-game-practice-into-full-swing-results/

5) Article: Keys To Creating A Solid Two-Plane Swing

http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog/2011/01/17/keys-to-creating-a-solid-two-plane-swing/

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

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About the Author
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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.

How important is your short game to your golf handicap? The following statistics tell the story: On average about 60 percent of your shots occur within 100 yards of the hole. Of these, about 65 percent occur from 60 yards in. More important, about 80 percent of the shots golfers lose to par occur inside of 100 yards. Obviously, when it comes to scoring, your short game is paramount. Perfecting it is the key to quickly chopping strokes off your golf handicap.

But that doesn’t mean you should stop practicing your full swing. You can’t break 90 or 80 without a good full swing. In fact, mastering your “long-game” is important, too well. So what do you do if your practice time is limited? Do you practice the shot-game instead of the long game? Fortunately, you may not have to choose between the two. While you still must work on the longer clubs, practicing your short game can help you hone an effective full swing—all while chopping strokes off your golf handicap. To do this, you must be aware of the similarities between your short-game and full-game swings.

Below are a description of these similarities as well as some golf tips on how to improve your full swing and master your chipping and pitching.

Chipping Swing And Full-Swing Similarities
One place where your chipping swing and your full swing are similar is at impact. For example, we teach players who take our golf lessons, to set up for chips with 80 percent of their weight on their front feet, their shafts leaning forward, and their back feet rolled in with their heels just off the ground. We also teach them to keep their shoulders in line with the target and their hips slightly open. It’s the same for the full swing. So in mastering one type of swing you’re also perfecting the other.

Another area of similarity between swings is eye alignment. In both cases, your eyes should be level to the ground at impact. If you tilt your right eye lower than your left eye at setup, you’ll shift your weight to your back foot. That’s not good. Keeping your eyes level gives you the best chance of putting the swing’s bottom ahead of the ball during impact. But it’s easier controlling your movements with a shorter swing than a longer one. So in mastering your chipping swing, you’re also perfecting your full swing.

Pitching Swing And Full-Swing Similarities
The pitching swing also is similar to the full swing in several areas. Consider the takeaway of a full swing. In golf lessons we tell students that a one-piece takeaway is essential to a good swing. A good takeaway increases your chances of keeping the club on the correct plane and hitting good shots. You pitching swing also benefits from a good one-piece takeaway. So in practice a one-piece takeaway for a pitching swing, you’re also working on the takeaway for your full swing.

Another key area of similarity between the two swings is wrist hinge. Hinging your wrists as you take the club back puts you on the proper swing plane and in the proper position to hit down on the ball. That’s a fundamental of both a good pitching swing and a good iron swing. Unfortunately, many weekend golfers don’t hinge their wrist enough regardless of the type of swing it is. To achieve perfection, you must make an “L” with your left forearm and clubhead in your backswing—whether you’re pitching, driving, or hitting long irons.

Practice Dills That Work Similar Fundamentals
Practicing drills designed to help you master similar swing areas are a good way to perfect your short and your long-game swings simultaneously. Take the Hinge-and-Hold drill. It requires you to grip a wedge about mid-shaft and make a backswing as if you’re pitching. Then, swing down over the top of an imaginary ball while keeping the butt end of the club from hitting your body.

This drill helps ingrain body motion and the hinging you need with any club, regardless of the type of shot you’re making.

You need to master the short game to quickly chop strokes off your golf handicap. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t work on your driving or long iron shots. You still need to do that. In fact, you need to master both to break 80 or 90. But knowing the similarities between the swings enables you to pick out drills that will not only help generate improved full-swing results but also better short-game play.

Golf swings fall into one of two basic types—one-plane and two-plane. Golfers with one-plane swings bend over more and swing around their bodies more. Conversely, golfers with two-plane swings stand upright more and shift their weight from back to front. Both swing types can help a golfer chop strokes off his golf handicap. Which type you use depends on your natural swing tendencies. The key is finding which swing type works best for you and mastering its fundamentals. Last time, we provided golf tips on the one-plane swing. Below we provide golf tips on the two-plane swing.

One way to think of the two swing plane types is to imagine an airplane trying to land on a concrete runway. Too much forward movement keeps you circling the airport. Too much up and down movement sends you crashing into the ground. Neither event is good. A swing like the one we teach in our golf lessons employs the right combination of forward and backward movement. To improve your golf handicap, you must first determine if you’re a one- or two-plane swinger.

What Kind Of Swinger Are You
The following drills can help you decide what type of swinger you are: First, stand farther from the ball, bend over, and hold your driver like a hockey stick. Now swing in a flatter more “around” path. Next, stand upright, swing back, and thrust your hips at the ball before your arms swing through. If you hit better shots from the first position, you’re a one-plane swinger. If you hit shots from the second position, you’re a two-plane swinger.

Ever player has his own natural swing tendency. For two-plane swingers, timing, tempo, and rhythm are key watchwords. The two-plane swing is ideal for hitting the flat-faced (long) irons in your bag, like the 3-iron and 4-iron. The two-plane swing is not so ideal when hitting short irons. To improve short-iron play, two-plane swingers should focus on golf tips designed to get them swinging on a more in-to-out swing path and on a flatter arc through impact than that of a one-plane.

Golf Tips For A Two-plane Swingers
Two-planer swingers favor a left-to-right shape for their “go to” shot. In other words, they like to hit a gentle fade. Not playing the ball forward enough—opposite the front heel—can cause a two-planer’s fade to become a weak push slice. Two-planers also need to be careful they don’t push their hands forward after moving the ball up in their stances, disturbing shoulder alignment. Keeping the hands slightly behind the ball for two-planers squares shoulder alignment.

Two-planers tend to come down on the ball steeply. That makes hitting short irons a challenge. Doing drills designed to create the feel of a longer, flatter bottom of the swing helps two-planers to improve their short iron play. Another way two-planers can make short-iron swings easier is to hit more three-quarter punch shots. Restricting the backswing and the follow-through takes much of the “up” out of the swing.

Keys For Two-plane Swingers
If you’re a two-plane swinger, keep the following golf tips in mind:

* Stand upright a little more. Standing tall facilitates the transfer of weight that your swing needs.
* Keep the hands relatively relaxed and hanging in front at address. Don’t reach for the ball when swinging.
* Push your hips through the ball to keep them in front of your arms on the downswing. This gets the club moving automatically on an in-to-out basis.
* Pull the club down with your left arm (right, if your left-handed) on the forward swing. Resist the temptation to swing your arms really fast.

There are many ways to swing a golf club. The best are covered in golf instruction sessions. But all golf swings fall into one of two categories. They’re either a one-plane swing or a two-plane swing. Neither is better than they other. Which you use depends on your natural swing tendencies. But to take your game to the next level, you must determine the type of swing that fits you. Then work on drills that help perfect this swing type, so you can chop strokes from your golf handicap.