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How To Break 80 Newsletter
October 03, 2011
"The Web's Most Popular Golf Improvement Newsletter"
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In this issue we'll discuss...

1) Tip: The Short Checker

2) Tip: Golf Swing Mechanics For Going Up and Over Trees

3) Question: Stop Topping With This Drill

4) Article: Golf Tips That Help Cut Golf Handicaps

5) Article: Honing Your Short Game Skills

Jack's Note: How's your iron game? You know you will use your irons 30-40% of the time during a round so if you want to play better golf, you should be hitting those irons flush. See this video on one move that will help you with your ballstriking.

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1) The Short Checker
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The short check shot from the fringe to a green running downhill is harder than it looks. Hit it a little too hard and the ball rolls well past the hole, leaving a long uphill putt. Stub it, and you leave yourself another tricky shot. What you want is to chip the ball as close to the hole as you can. The easier the putt, the better it is.

Below are five keys to this shot:

1. Open the club slightly
2. Play the ball back
3. Make a descending blow
4. Use a simple arm motion
5. Avoid hinging your wrists

The secret to this shot is maintaining focus. You also must make solid contact. You want to land the ball softly, check up and then release. And you don’t have much room to do it in.

The club of choice is your 60-degree wedge. Open the clubface slightly and play the ball off your back foot. Playing it back guarantees that you’ll not only deliver a descending blow, but also make solid contact. The open face adds loft and spin.

The swing is straightforward. Use a simple arm motion back and through. Avoid hinging your wrist. Aim to land the ball on the green. If all goes well the ball will grab on the second bounce and creep down to the hole, just the way you want. Practice this short check shot to help you master the shot’s mechanics and build confidence in the shot.

You won’t face a short check shot often. But mastering it will save you a stroke or two in the right situation. Who knows? It may even help you break 90 or 80 for the first time.

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2) Golf Swing Mechanics For Going Up and Over Trees
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Wayward tee shots often land in bad places—like behind a tree or a grove of trees with a long way into the green. Often, your best play is punching it out. That’s a good strategy for long hitters, but not necessarily for short hitters. They need other options. Going over the trees is one—if the golfer can get the ball up.

Below are six keys to hitting this shot:

1. Look high in the sky
2. Put a little weight on your back foot
3. Make sure there’s some cushion
4. Position the ball forward in your stance
5. Make a big swing and finish
6. Leave your pinkie finger off the club

Obviously, you need to launch the ball high to go over a tree or a clump of trees. Like many shots in golf, this one depends heavily on swing mechanics.

Take your normal stance. As you address the ball look skyward. This move lowers your back shoulder and puts slightly more weight on your back foot. Also, position the ball forward in your stance. If the ball is too far back, you can’t launch it. And make sure there’s some cushion beneath the ball so you can get under it.

Having set your stance, take a big swing and finish. Make sure your swing has plenty of speed. You should end up in a “reverse C” position, like you see in photos of pro golfers in the 1960s and 1970s. This swing and finish creates an upward hit through the ball and a higher launch.

Some golfers leave the pinkie finger of their left hand (right hand for left-handers) off the club. This lack of control helps the clubhead zip past the hands at impact for even higher launches.

Practice this shot before trying it on the course. If you pull it off, you can still save par after a wayward drive.

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3) Stop Topping With This Drill
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Q.

Hi, Jack:

Maybe you can give me a clue as to why during a round of golf yesterday I topped quite a few drives both with my driver and my 3-wood. I must say that I had not played for eight weeks due to a back injury and I didn't have a lot of confidence. When I say topped the ball I mean I would virtually drive it straight into the ground about 6 feet in front of the tee and it would travel about 30-40 yards along the ground. Could my problem be that I'm tending to elevate during my swing?

I'm 66 and I started playing 3 years ago, normally topping the ball is not one of my problems I have during a round. The one area I would like to improve is to get more distance off the tee, I average about 150-180 yards. An old baseball player, I used to hit 400-hundred foot home runs but that was many a long day ago.

Thanking you,

Ric Wickham

Australia.

A.

Thanks, Ric. Sounds like you were trying to elevate the ball, Ric. To stop topping, address the ball as you normally would, but tee it no further forward than the inside of your left heel. Positioning the ball there enables you to make contact at your swing’s lowest point. Now, use a one-piece takeaway, make a smooth transition at the top, and strike the ball with a descending blow. Finish in balance.

The Two Tee Drill described below helps eliminate topping:

Start with your 3-wood. Place a tee in the ground where you would normally place it. Now put a second tee with a ball two inches behind the empty tee in front. As you hit a few shots focus on grazing the empty tee after you make contact with the ball. Repeat several times. You’ll see your shots gaining more height as you practice.

After practicing with your fairways woods, switch to your irons. These are all clubs requiring a descending-to-level blow for consistent contact. With hybrids, separate the tees one to two inches apart. With irons and wedges, an inch apart.

As for your distance loss, there are several things you can do to gain length, including changing from regular shafts to senior shafts. Also, people lose flexibility as they age. Exercising to increase flexibility helps you regain some distance off the tee. Talk with a local teaching pro who can see how you swing. He or she may have some additional suggestions after watching you hit.

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: Golf Tips That Help Cut Golf Handicaps

...Thanks to new club technology, the average golfer hits the ball straighter and longer than ever....

5) Article: Honing Your Short Game Skills

...While putting is the fastest way to cut strokes from your golf handicap, chipping is the best way...

Until next time,

Go Low!

Jack

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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.