===================================================
How To Break 80 Newsletter
March 22, 2012
“The Web’s Most Popular Golf Improvement Newsletter”
===================================================
In this issue we’ll discuss…
1) Tip: Five Golf Tips For Easy Power
2) Tip: Hitting Small Pitches
3) Drill: Learning To Hit On-path Pitches
4) Article: Golf Tips On Playing Damage Control
5) Article: Golf Tips When putting in the wind
Jack’s Note: Now that the PGA’s 2012 Season is back and in full swing, you might want to tune in and watch the competition unfold. Why … you can learn a lot observing the pros uncork their incredibly fluid swings, especially off the tee. It can be like “getting a lesson from a pro teacher” – for Free.
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.
===================================================
1) Five Golf Tips For Easy Power
===================================================
Golfers should strive for powerful accurate drives. But sometimes they throw caution to the wind and just blast away. They try so hard to hit a bomb out of the box they throw their swings completely out of whack. When that happens, the ball often lands in the woods or in deep rough. There’s nothing wrong with trying for more power when you need it. Good golfers do it all the time. But what you want is “easy” power, sort of like what PGA pro Fred Couples generates.
Below are six keys to easy power:
- Take a good backswing
- Maintain stability
- Drag arms and club
- Maintain “soft arms”
- Throw your arms out
- Time your pivot correctly
One key to easy power is torque. Torque comes from rotating your body away from the ground with the feet as the anchor. This provides leverage against the ground. Take advantage of this principal. Make a good backswing and good shoulder turn. Also, maintain your spine angle and a slightly flexed back knee. This helps create stability, which improves torque and consistency.
After making a good shoulder turn, you’re in a coiled position. The tension stored created by the coiling process must be unleashed. To do that, begin moving forward slightly toward impact with your arms and club lagging behind. You need to drag your arms and club, not the other way around.
You arms are fourth key to easy power. They must be relaxed threw the swing. “Soft arms” help generate easy power. Also, try to move both arms together during the swing, not independently. To do this, throw your arms out and extend them using a proper pivot. A correctly timed pivot causes the front leg to straighten just after impact.
Staying loose and relaxed through the swing produces easy power. When you try to hit a bomb, you often tense up. That destroys rhythm and timing, and short-circuits power. It also inhibits fluidity. Instead, stay loose and relaxed and swing smoothly and easily, like Fred Couples. His power comes from good mechanics and solid ballstriking. So should yours.
===================================================
2) Hitting Small Pitches
===================================================
Greens hit in regulations are a key statistic in golf. The more greens you hit in regulation the more pars and birdies you’ll make. But even a good approach shot can leave you a just short of the green. Putting from there is an option, but only if your path is clear. If it isn’t, then you may need to hit a small pitch. A small pitch clears the grass in the way and gets the ball rolling on the green. But hitting an accurate small pitch is tricky. Applying too much force runs the ball well past the hole.
Below are five keys to hitting an accurate small pitch:
- Position the ball in the middle
- Utilize an ultra narrow address
- Choke down on the club
- Use your normal pitch swing
- Try to “thump” the ground
Many weekend golfers try to hit small pitches by applying less force. Altering your swing like this is hard to learn and master. An easier method is adjusting your setup so you can swing with your normal tempo and rhythm.
Set up with the ball in the middle of your stance. Then close up your feet until they’re almost touching. Closing your feet lessens hip flexibility, which cuts down your backswing. A shorter backswing produces less force to the ball.
Also, choke down on the shaft of your club. This shortens your backswing a bit, siphoning off extra force. Choking down also lets you use your normal swing tempo and rhythm.
Swing forward with increasing acceleration. Try to thump the ground under the ball with the wedge’s sole. The ball comes off the clubface softly and flies the required distance you need.
Hitting a small pitch is tricky. It’s easy to run the ball past the hole or leave the shot short. But using the golf tips described above makes hitting an accurate small pitch easier.
=====================================================
3) Drill: Learning To Hit On-path Pitches
=====================================================
Accurate pitching turns three strokes into two by leaving you with highly makeable putts. But to hit accurate pitches you must get the club moving consistently down the target line on the right path. The drill below helps you master on-path pitching.
Take a 10-foot piece of string and stretch it out directly on the target line of a pitch shot. Anchor each end firmly in the ground with a tee. Place a ball just on the inside of the string. Now take a swing. Focus on keeping the clubhead aimed at the target line or parallel to it throughout the backswing and downswing. Keeping your thumbs pointed at the target line all the way helps.
Practice this drill often. The more accurate your pitches, the more chances you have of carding pars and birdies. The more pars and birdies you make, the better your chances of breaking 80.
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
Click here to view this newsletter on the web
Here are some of my recent articles:
4) Article: Golf Tips On Playing Damage Control
…Sooner or later you’ll hit a bad shot. Everybody does, even players with low golf handicaps…
5) Article: Golf Tips When Putting In The Wind
…Wind can be as much of a factor when putting as break and slope. Sometimes, it can be more of a factor…
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
