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

The last time the Open was here, in 2000, Tiger was the only player to break par in the tournament; he finished at 12-under par, and Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez tied for second place at 3 over.

But not sure I would expect that kind of a romp this year considering Tiger is still rusty.

Pebble is set up to run firm and fast.  Couple that with a links course with insane winds and ocean looming everywhere, it’s gonna be  a struggle to stay at even par for most of even the best pros.

Now I haven’t even made a pick yet for my favorite because there’s one thing that scares me more than all the other conditions.  THE ROUGH.  Sorry Phil and Tiger and all you long bombers…gotta hit the fairways, gents…or you can start to look silly.

Because of the extreme difficulty of this event, anything can happen and anyone can win….but I’d like to hear from YOU. Who do YOU think will win this week and be crowned the reigning U.S. Open champ? Just post your answer here in the comments. Answer correctly and we’ll put you into a drawing on Monday June 21st for selection my products. If your name is drawn, you get to pick any three of our award-winning DVD’s or instructional books (we have thirteen to choose from)…on the house. And yes, we pay for the shipping too

There’s only one rule….only those posts submitted by end of day Thursday will count. Those who vote after that won’t be counted toward the contest because by then you will have an unfair advantage. You’re more than welcome to post at any time though! Good luck and I hope you choose wisely and get some instructional products for free!

Tags: u.s., open,, tiger, woods,, phil, mickelson,, lee, westwood,, golf,, rough,, toughest, major,, who, will, win, 2010, us, open

Today’s professional golfers are better than ever. They’re also fitter than ever. Look at players like Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. They’re in great shape. Annika Sorenstam also was in great shape when she played. Good players know that as their fitness level increases, their play improves—all things being equal. They also know that improvements in strength, flexibility, and endurance are often the difference in lowering your golf handicap two, three, or even four strokes.

Unfortunately, many weekend golfers can’t hit the gym as often as they’d like. They’re too pressed for time. If they’re not ferrying the kids around, they’re doing home improvement projects. Or, they’re completing a work report a colleague needed yesterday. These activities place a huge demand on their time, making it hard to find the time to exercise. But even if you’re short on time you can improve your strength, flexibility, and endurance with a little forethought and good planning.

Limber Up and Loosen Up
New golfers realize very quickly that the golf swing requires movements that they don’t normally make. Ingraining these motions is among the biggest problems weekend golfers face, especially if they have sedentary jobs. Golf lessons and golf tips don’t do much good if a golfer’s body isn’t pliable. Stretching is a good way to make you pliable. It doesn’t take a lot of time and it can be built into your daily routine. You can do simple stretches at work or before you start a round. The key is using the time you have wisely.

For example, if you’re taking a golf cart during your round, loosen your shoulders and back with this exercise: Stand next to the canopy post, your feet shoulder-width apart. Grab the post with both hands, keeping your arms fully extended. And pull away from the post. Hold that position for one long breadth, and then repeat facing the opposite direction. Do this exercise while your playing partners hit their drives. Stretch also while changing in the clubhouse as well.

Strength And Flexibility
To lower your golf handicap, it helps to improve both your strength and flexibility. Improving these two things can help greatly in your quest to go low. But you don’t have to start pumping iron for two or three hours a day to increase your strength. Instead, buy some basic fitness equipment to use at home. Then when you’re home, look for opportunities to use them, like between commercials of a basketball game or your favorite TV show.

For example, an inflatable stretch ball ($20 to $60 in most sporting goods stores) is a good low-tech piece of exercise equipment. The stretch ball provides you the added benefit of maintaining your balance while performing different exercises. Also, you can grab a five-pound dumbbell or whatever is handy, and do sit-ups using the ball. Extended your arms with the weight while doing the sit up. This exercise improves the strength and flexibility of your shoulders, arms, and abdomen.

Develop A Plan
If you’ve read my golf tips newsletter, you know I recommend using a pre-shot routine to insure consistency. Consistency should also be a key component of your fitness regimen. If you really want to start chopping strokes off your game, develop a fitness routine with help from either a trainer or your own research and stick to it religiously. It will work wonders for your game.

One final tip: Try to incorporate compound exercises in your program. They work on two or more parts of your body at the same time. Here’s an example of one: Lie flat on the floor, grab one arm, and pull it across your body. Now rotate your hips so your belly button is pointing in the opposite direction of the extended arm. Bend your legs at the same time so your knees are touching the ground. Hold this position without lifting your shoulders for several seconds. Relax and repeat. You can even do this exercise in bed before getting up.

The key to benefiting from any exercise program is consistency. But you must exercise regularly. If you can get to a health club, that’s great. Do it. If you can’t get to a club regularly, develop an exercise program that you can do at home when the opportunity occurs. It can be yoga, Pilates, or whatever, just as long as it focuses on increasing your strength and flexibility. The better shape you’re in, the easier it is to chop strokes off your golf handicap.

If you’re serious about getting more yards from your drives—and shaving strokes from your golf handicap—work on launching the ball. It’s a golf tip not always covered in golf lessons. The higher you hit the ball, with the right amount of spin, the father it goes. Take Hank Kuehne. He’s among the PGA’s longest hitters. He uses a driver with nine degrees of loft. Most PGA players use seven or eight degrees. Weekend players couldn’t hit a driver with these lofts. For them, a good loft for a driver is 10.5 degrees or above.

Keep in mind that golf has no uniform equipment standards. So determining driver loft accurately is tricky. When measured the same way, most drivers come within a degree of the loft printed on the club. Driver loft performance stems from several factors. Only ball flight can tell you a club’s true dynamic loft—a function of measured loft, center of gravity, moment of inertia, and face roll. An adjustment to your stance and swing will helps generate more loft and more yards off the tee.

Below are four golf tips on generating more lofts:

Flare Your Forward Foot
In golf instruction sessions you’re taught to flare your left foot (right foot for left-handers) about 45 degrees on your drives. It’s a good golf tip. It increases the speed at which the hips unwind during the swing. Kuehne, however, turns his toes in. That’s because his hips unwind too quickly. Turning his toes in restricts hip movement during his downswing. Weekend golfers usually need to speed their hips up, so they need to flare the front foot. This in turn lets them swing the club faster.

Hit A Fade, Not A Draw
You may have told during a golf lessons to hit a draw off the tee. A draw often generates more yards because of the roll. But you can also hit a fade for distance. Jack Nicklaus did. Hitting a fade let’s you swing the club hard without having to worry about hooking it out of bounds. Weakening your grip helps when hitting a fade. To do that lay the thumb of your gloved hand on the shaft so that the thumb and forefinger points more toward your chin rather than your right shoulder (left shoulder for left-handed golfers.)

Sweep The Ball Off The Tee
The easiest way to get more distance off the tee is to change your angle of approach into the ball. In other words, hit up on the ball, not down. If you have an over-sized driver use longer tees. This gives you the optimum angle to launch the ball. For weekend golfers, optimum launch angle is anywhere from 10.5 to 14 degrees. To sweep the ball off the tee, set your spine angle at address so your front shoulder is higher than your back shoulder.

Pause At The Top
Pausing at the top is the last of the four golf tips. Start by taking the club all the way back. Then, pause at the top for a split second before committing to the downswing. Many weekend golfers get out of sync by making a sloppy transition to the downswing. Some golfers start their downswing before they’ve even completed their backswing. That’s not good. Also, if you pause at the top, you can swing as hard as you want on the downswing and still stay in rhythm.

To generate more power, golfers often try to swing the club harder than normal. That doesn’t always work. If you really want to get more distance off the tee, use loft to launch the ball. To help do that, flare your forward foot, sweep the ball off the tee, and pause at the top of your swing. Also, hitting a power fade can get you more distance, if hit correctly. Incorporating these golf tips into your swing will help you get more yards off the tee and, hopefully, help whittle down your golf handicap.

Despite a five month absence from the game and competition, he’s still a 4-1 favorite by most bookmakers.

But let’s be honest….it will be difficult for him to pull it off.

With the off course distractions and absence of  Tiger all together, there have been many players emerge as viable contenders for this year’s Masters.

My short list would include Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Ian Poulter and yes, Freddie Couples.

Mickelson?  Well, of course he can pull it off but I am just leary of any guy who can go from shooting a 58 in a  practice two weeks ago to struggling to make the cut at the Shell.  That kind of inconsistency this close to the Masters is dangerous.

Because of the extreme difficulty of this event, anything can happen and anyone can win….but I’d like to hear from YOU. Who do YOU think will win this week and be crowned the new Masters Champion? Just post your answer here in the comments. Answer correctly and we’ll put you into a drawing on Monday April 12th for selection my products. If your name is drawn, you get to pick any three (3) of our award-winning DVD’s or instructional books (we have sixteen to choose from)…on the house. And yes, we pay for the shipping too

There’s only one rule….only those posts submitted by end of day Thursday will count. Those who vote after that won’t be counted toward the contest because by then you will have an unfair advantage.

And oh yeah….only ONE VOTE per person.  You can’t list several…just pick your favorite.

You’re more than welcome to post at any time though!  Good luck and I hope you choose wisely and get some instructional products for free!

Tags: 2010, masters, golf, tiger, woods, return, favorite, win

If you’d love to do that then go here and watch this video now:

http://www.golfbizinabox.com/indexa.htm

It’s a FREE video and if you’ve got any interest in turning your golf hobby into a great lifestyle business I strongly recommend you watch that video now.

Here is the link again:

http://www.golfbizinabox.com/indexa.htm

After watching the video make sure you sign up for free to find out more.  This could be your year to do something totally new and unique that could change your life for the better.

Jack

P.S. If you’re interested in golf just a little bit then you can turn that interest into a great little business to provide some nice extra cash. Or you can turn your golf interest into a hugely profitable golf business that gives you everything you want in life.  The choice is yours if you know how.

Then follow the instructions in the video!

1) How To Drain 15-Footers
2) Knock It Close From Ultra-Short Range
3) Question of the Week – Dropping It Close From A Long Distance Bunker
4) Article – Use Forward-Shaft Lean To Hit Crisp, Clean Shots
5) Article – Curing Your Putting Woes

===================================================
1) How To Drain 15-Footers
===================================================
Alignment is a precursor to your shot. If you’re not aligned properly in the box or on the fairway, you’ll be away with your shot. The same holds true in putting—especially when it comes to mid-range putts. If your putterface points open just a degree left or right of your intended target on a 15-footer, you’ll miss the hole by three inches. If you want to drain more 15-footers, aligning yourself to the hole is key.

Below are six keys to a dead on alignment method:

1. Hold your putter with your dominant hand
2. Stand behind the ball with your putter
3. Walk to the ball holding your putter in one hand
4. Set the putter behind the ball
5. Keep your eyes on your line the entire time
6. Turn your eyes down to the ball

If your read is right, you have a good chance of draining mid-range putts. The best way to make sure your read is right is by aligning yourself with the hole.

Start by taking the putter in your dominant hand. Then walk behind the ball to determine your line. Make sure you’re directly behind the ball. Now walk to the hole, holding the putter in your hand. Keep your eyes on your line. Set your putter behind the ball and point the face at the target.

Keeping your eyes on your line, take your stance and place your other hand on the grip. Once you’re settled in, turn your eyes down. Look at the hole to identify distance and pull the trigger. Once you set the putter down, don’t re-aim it. You’re already aligned it dead straight.

Practice this method a few times to you nail it down. Once you do, it will help you drain more 15-footers.

===================================================
2) Knock It Close From Ultra-Short Range
===================================================
Normally, you shouldn’t break the game’s basics. But sometimes you find yourself in a situation where you must—such as when you have a decent lie in a greenside bunker and the hole is up close. If you can’t hit the ball high from the bunker, it will be hard to drop it close using your standard bunker shot. Instead, try this alternative.

Below are 7 keys to this shot:

1. Set up square to your target
2. Play the ball forward in your stance
3. Tilt your upper body away from target
4. Aim for an inch behind the ball
5. Keep your weight back at impact
6. Allow the club to pass under your hands

In this situation your standard bunker shot calls for you to hit a cut shot. This won’t work here. Instead, grab your lob wedge from the bag and set up square to the target, with the clubface pointing to your landing spot. Position the ball off your front heel and tilt your body away from the target.

In addition, aim for a spot an inch behind the ball and keep your weight back as the club enters the sand. You should feel like you’re slapping the club against the sand under the ball.

As you swing the clubhead past your hands, don’t slap it to the left (right, if your left-handed). Your right hand should flip under your left, so that the club points straight up in your follow-through, not back behind you. The ball should come out high, like a flop shot, and drop near the hole.

Normally, you shouldn’t disregard the fundamentals. But sometimes, you must. Hitting a flop shot from a bunker is one of those times. This shot is worth trying if your bunker shots barely clear the bunker’s front lip, or you take too much sand when using a sand wedge and leave the ball in the bunker.

=====================================================
3) Question of the Week – Dropping It Close From A Long Distance Bunker
=====================================================
Q. Hi, there. I’m have so many problems hitting out of the sand from about 50 to 80 yards out. They never seem to stick for me on the green. But as soon as I get up close, you’d think I was I pro. Please help it’s driving me crazy.

Thanks again
Dan Borse

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

A. Thanks for the question, Dan. Don’t feel too bad about not being good at this shot. It isn’t easy. But there is a technique that should give you a better chance of hitting the green and sticking.

First, use your 9-iron on this shot. It gives you the extra distance you need to hit the green.

Take your normal stance. Set your clubface slightly open at address, but square it like you usually do. Pull your feet in closer together, but don’t dig them into the sand too much, just a little. This will produces a shallower divot when you swing and gets the club and the ball moving faster down the target line.

When you swing, turn through the shot, just like you do with a normal iron shot. You’ll need extra body with this shot, so keep everything moving—body, arms, and club—to a full finish.

And keep your back heel down. You won’t have a solid stance with this shot, so keeping your heel down helps stability. And don’t try pivoting on your back heel. You’ll lose your balance.

These adjustments, combined with extra body behind the ball, should land you on the green and leave you in position to complete the up and down.

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 – Use Forward-Shaft Lean To Hit Crisp, Clean Shots
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/use-forward-shaft-lean-to-hit-crisp-clean-shots.php

5) Article – Curing Your Putting Woes
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/curing-your-putting-woes.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.

1. Add Ten Yards To Your Irons
2. How To Make A Restricted Swing Shot
3. Question of the Week – Eliminating The Reverse Pivot
4. Article – Designing The Perfect Golf Swing
5. Article – The Toughest Shot In Golf

1) Add Ten Yards To Your Irons

How well do you hit your irons? If you rarely take a good divot, chunk the longer clubs or hit them thin, and/or leave your approach shots short, you’re leaking power. Swinging harder only drains more power from your swing. That’s because your arms outrace your body, the true seat of power in a golf swing. You must plug those power leaks in your iron swing to add yards to your swing:

Here are six keys to plugging those power leaks:

1. Maintain your head behind the ball
2. Assume a powerful back arm position
3. Keep the shaft is ahead club at impact
4. Keep hips and arms are in the same place
5. Make sure the back of your front hand faces the target
6. Transfer your weight to your forward foot

.

The key to hitting power irons is to arrive at impact with a descending blow. Unfortunately, some golfers swings are so flat, they can’t return the iron squarely to the ball at impact.

Here’s a drill that teaches you to generate good clubface-to-ball contact with your irons:

Stick an umbrella in the ground. Next, place a ball on the ground so that when you take your stance the heel of your back foot is about two feet from the umbrella. Swing back. If the club hits the umbrella, your swing is too flat. Take numerous practice swings until you’re sure you’ll miss the umbrella on the way up. Before you hit balls, move the umbrella back six to ten inches, so you won’t hit it on the way back down. But use it as a reminder. Move it back to its original position when practicing.

If your backswing path is flat, you can’t return the club squarely to the ball. You’ll hit weak irons no matter how fast or hard you swing. Work on the drills like the one described above to ingrained its fundamentals and plug the power leaks. Making solid contact consistently adds yards to your irons and cuts strokes from your scores.

2) How To Make A Restricted Swing Shot

You can hit a shot in the woods even on the best of days. When that happens, chances are good you’ve lost your ball, but not always. If you do find your ball, it may be lodged tightly up against the base of a tree. While you can make a full backswing, you can’t follow-through without slamming into the trunk. Knowing how to make a restricted swing can save you and your club.

Below are five keys to this shot:

• Take a shoulder-width stance
• Play the ball toward the middle
• Hinge your wrist quickly
• Power the club down with your arms
• Pull back at impact

The secret to making this shot is not to slow your swing down, but to maintain your normal speed and take a smaller swing. That way you can pull your club back at impact.

Select a mid- or short iron for the shot. (A shorter club is easier to control and doesn’t travel as fast as a long iron.) Take a shoulder width stance, play the ball as close to the middle of your stance as possible. But if you must play the ball forward, that’s okay. Just place more weight on your front foot.

Take the club back by hinging your wrists quickly. Swing your hands back to hip height, then power the club down with your arms. Pull the club back the moment you make contact with the ball, almost as if the club were rebounding from the ball. Try to take a steep divot.

Many golfers slow their swings with this lie. That leads to mis-hits. Maintain your swing speed, take a shorter swing, and pull the club back at impact. This will save your hands and your club. If all goes well, you’ll find yourself back on the fairway in good position.

3) Question of the Week – Eliminating The Reverse Pivot

Q. Hi, Jack, Lately, I can’t seem to hit the ball with a lot of power. My friends tell me I’m making a reverse pivot when I swing. Can you tell me what that is and how to correct?

Marion Luig
Charlotte, NC

A. Thanks for the question, Marion. A reverse pivot results from poor weight transfer. Normally, you transfer weight to your back foot when swinging, then onto your front foot during the follow-through. With a reverse pivot, you do the opposite. This flaw constricts the proper turning of your body, costing you power and accuracy.

The reverse pivot stems from many things, including an obsession with keeping your head down and/or your left arm (right for left-handers) rigidly straight. Allowing your head to turn to the right (left for left-handers) slightly as you turn back helps. It encourages your spine to rotate and gets your weight moving in the right direction. Allowing your arm to bend slightly is okay, too.

This simple drill helps eliminate a reverse pivot: Adopt your address position. Place the club across the back of your shoulders. Make a slow turn, as if you were going to hit the ball. Set up and do it again. The club encourages you to move your head and spine a little as you turn. It also encourages better balance.

Do this drill as often as you can until you’ve ingrained the feeling. Try to remember the feeling when you go to the range or to the course. With practice, you’ll make solid contact and drive the ball.

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 – Designing The Perfect Golf Swing
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/designing-the-perfect-golf-swing.php

5) Article – The Toughest Shot In Golf
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/the-toughest-shot-in-golf.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.

1. Use This Grip On Short Putts
2. Chipping From Thick Greenside Rough
3. Question of the Week – Use This Drill To Improve Your Chipping
4. Article – Five Equipment Myths: Fact Or Fiction
5. Article – Five Golf Tips On Buying Balls

Use This Grip On Short Putts

Bad things happen when we decelerate the clubhead on either a swing or a putt. Acceleration in golf is the increasing speed at which the clubhead moves through the ball. It’s important for both full shots and short putts. So if you’re missing a lot of short putts, you may be failing to accelerate the putter through the stroke. It’s a habit many develop from time to time. Using an alternative putting grip is an option to prevent this habit from hurting your putting.

Key these five tips in mind when using this putting grip:

• Keep your hands ahead of the ball
• Adopt a left-hand low grip
• Minimize excessive wrist movement
• Follow through on the putt
• Hold the finish for a couple of seconds

The left-hand low grip (right hand for left-handed golfers) has helped many golfers accelerate through short putts. Using this grip keeps your hands from releasing too much. It also keeps the putterface facing the hole, even after contact with the ball, and encourages acceleration through the stroke.

Acceleration Drill
Find a hole on the practice green that permits you to set up for a flat straight putt. Place a sand wedge perpendicular to the line of the putt, so the face is down and the thinner part of the shaft lies across the putt’s line. The shaft should lie just on the cup’s edge.

From the distance of three feet, putt the ball to the hole with sufficient speed so that the ball hits the shaft, pops into the air, and falls into the hole. If you decelerate the putterhead through the stroke, you’ll generate insufficient speed to overcome the shaft in front of the hole. But smooth acceleration produces enough speed to hole the putt over the shaft.

Make this drill part of your normal practice routine. It teaches you to accelerate through putts and boosts confidence on short putts critical to good scoring. If you’re really brave, try this drill on short break putts as well.
2) Chipping From Thick Greenside Rough

Some golfers like to hit a normal chip shot from thick greenside rough. That’s a hard shot to pull off, even for veteran golfers. The problem is the grass. It can twist the club’s hosel as the clubhead cuts through it, which makes controlling the shot difficult. On a delicate shot like this, you need optimum control. Otherwise, it can cost you strokes. Here’s another way to play it:

Below are five keys to hitting a shot from really thick greenside rough:

• Use a sand wedge
• Open your stance
• Play the ball back
• Pick a landing spot
• Make a steep swing

Smart golfers know the benefits of being creative around the green. Instead of relying on a single short-game shot, they learn different shots around the green and let the situation dictate the shot. A short chip from greenside rough is one situation where it pays to have mastered different shots around the green.

Start by selecting a more-lofted club than normal. The club of choice is the sand wedge, but you could also use a lob wedge. The key with these clubs is the “bounce” on the clubface’s bottom. The bounce enables the club to cut through the snarled grass without getting entangled. Clubs with less bounce lack this capability.

In addition open your stance slightly to allow your hands to clear and play the ball back in your stance. Before hitting, pick out a landing spot on the green. Now make a steep aggressive swing. The ball pops out of the grass, bounces a couple of times on the green, and rolls to the pin.

Chipping from thick greenside rough is a challenge. But if you master the shot, you can turn three or more shots into two. Just remember that a club with more loft provides more margin for error.

3) Question of the Week – Use This Drill To Improve Your Chipping

Q. Hi, Jack, I somehow developed a case of what I call “chipping yips.”. I’ll be 20 feet (or less) off the green, put my weight to the left, keep my hands ahead of the ball, and wind up scooping my right hand under it, which shank’s the ball right. Any chance I can lose this bad habit?

Tom Wells.

A. Thanks, Tom. Golfers sometimes lose the feel of a good chipping stroke. This leads to bad habits, like trying to scoop the ball instead of hitting down on the ball. Scooping forces you to collapse your left arm and wrist (right arm and wrist for left-handers) at impact. You need a stiff left wrist at impact to hit a good chip. Below is a simple drill that teaches you to make a good chipping stroke by keeping a stiff left wrist at impact:

Start by sticking a pen or pencil under a watchband on your left wrist. This automatically flattens your left wrist at impact. Now practice hitting chip shots. Make sure to brush the grass after hitting the ball with a slight downward stroke. This may be a new feel for you, so stick with the drill even if the initial results aren’t as good as you’d like. Eventually, you’ll ingrain the feel for the stroke. Now take the pencil or pen out and chip some more balls using the same stroke.

This proven drill works. Use it whenever you find yourself trying to scoop the ball on a chip. And remember, a good chip turns three or more strokes into two.

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 Equipment Myths: Fact Or Fiction
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/five-equiptment-myths-fact-or-fiction.php

5) Article – Five Golf Tips On Buying Balls
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/five-golf-tips-on-buying-balls.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.

Painful because it is SO EASILY CORRECTABLE that it just kills me to think someone is robbing themselves of distance and accuracy without even knowing it.

If you’re 55 years or older and are starting to lose distance on your shots or can’t seem to hit the ball consistently straight, then you’ve absolutely got to watch this video.

http://www.break80today.com/seniors/senior-golf-swing-mistake.php

Pay close attention at about the 34 second-mark…Bobby will show you exactly how many seniors look when attempting a backswing.

Today’s drill will show you exactly how to cure this problem and even if you don’t have this problem, this video will help you realize how to hit the ball properly with less effort.

Tap on the link below to check it out.

http://www.break80today.com/seniors/senior-golf-swing-mistake.php

Enjoy!

Jack

P.S. This video tip is part of the brand new Seniors DVD which we recently launched. Learn how to play the best golf of your life with this unique and proven system.

We just put the finishing touches on one of the finest DVD’s we’ve ever done…and it’s designed strictly for Seniors.

There’s a short video about it which you can see here:

http://www.break80today.com/seniors

With guys like Tom Watson and Greg Norman turning back the clock and competing (if not winning) against competitors half their ages, it should serve as real inspiration that age now is a small factor in how well you play.

As a senior, you should still be able to hit the ball far, make pure contact and putt lights-out.
And I’m gonna show you how.

For years you guys have been clamoring about us coming out with a DVD specifically for Seniors and now we’re ready to deliver it to you.

And oh yeah, did I mention that the method we’re teaching is designed to be be 100% PAIN-FREE?

Here’s some of what you’ll learn in the DVD:

* How to hit more greens in regulation.
* Achieve greater distance than you imagined possible.
* Stop worrying about bogies and start making pars and birdies again.
* Special methods and techniques for seniors only

http://www.break80today.com/seniors

You don’t have to worry about being one of those old duffers that nobody wants to play with and everybody wants to play through. I’ll make sure of that!

Enjoy!

Jack

P.S. I forgot to mention the DVD is 30% off if you order it now. So save yourself some money – as well as some time.

And if you can look me in the eye and tell me your game couldn’t use more distance off the tee, I’d say you’re probably not telling the truth.

So let’s talk about distance. There’s this guy who has created quite a buzz recently in the golf world. He’s been featured in Golf magazine and many other golf outlets such as the Golf Channel.

And I’m gonna show you how he hit it 400 yards in just a minute.

But surely you’ve heard of this him…guy named Nyle Pruitt. I have been getting a bunch of emails and inquiries about this guy so I got a hold of Tim Oyler from Performax Golf (the guy who shoots all those HD videos for Nyle).

Now, I’d never heard of that product before so many of my readers started asking about Nyle but do remember one teaching Pro friend of mine mention his name recently.

Tim (from Performax) and I chatted and it turns out he has a pretty interesting story. Tim told me he is a fanatic golfer but he was sick and tired of being out driven and ridiculed by his friends. So he
drove from Oklahoma to Texas to track down a Long Drive Champion called Nyle Pruitt in the hope of finding out his secrets to hitting long drives.

Now Nyle has a really impressive long drive resume (he even played on Tour for a number of years) and Tim convinced Nyle and a bunch of his buddies to spill the beans on all their secrets…then he videotaped them doing it.

You can check it out here.

YES! You heard that right. Tim has Nyle the “Nyleator” Pruitt and his long drive buddies showing you their secrets…and it’s absolutely FREE.

In the videos you’ll see step by step stuff like:

==> The #1 mistake most bad golfers make with their swing.

==> How to easily and naturally add yards to your drive using stuff you already know. (If you can hit a baseball, swing a tennis racquet or even skip a rock on a lake…this will work for you)

==> Why everything any golf pro has ever told you is dead wrong…and how your lower body is the secret to longer drives and a safer back.

==> And much, much more…

Tim has agreed to give my readers access to some of Nyles’ best videos.

But don’t worry…even though Nyle is a pretty solid well built dude…these techniques will work for you no matter where your game is or what physical condition you’re in.

In fact Nyle’s Power Secrets have been scientifically tested by doctors, chiropractors, engineers, orthopedic surgeons and are proven to prevent injury and increase longevity. (Heck–half the people who use his techniques are in the golf business as players, coaches or therapists.)

Now I got Tim to give you a special never before released to public video when you visit this page.

There’s more great content coming for you from Tim and Nyle over the next few days so keep an eye out for it.

Enjoy!

Jack

P.S. By the way, these guys have a complete system for hitting the ball a country mile called “Power Secrets”. They normally sell it for $97 on their web site but I’ve arranged a deal with them so you can get it for free. Read here for more details.

Tags: nyle, pruitt, long, drive, power, secrets, drive, free, trial

1. Setting Your Body Square
2. Slamming The Brakes On Approach Shots
3. Question of the Week – Keeping Your Left Arm Straight
4. Article – Golf Tips From A Swing Machine
5. Article – Using A Green-Reading Routine Improves Putting

Setting Your Body Square

If you watch a lot of golf on TV, you might have noticed that no two setups are alike. Some players flare both feet. Some are square with the right and open with the left. Others are square with both feet. These stances all have one thing in common: balance. Pro golfers adjust their stance to accommodate their core rotation. The result: better lower body balance.

Here is a five-step test to determine your core rotation:

• Stand 3 feet from the corner of a room
• Set your feet parallel and face the corner
• Close your eyes and relax your body
• Open your eyes after a second or two
• Determine if your body has moved.

Some players achieve perfect balance with a square stance. Usually, these players have a strong core-conditioning program. But most of us have some degree of core rotation requiring a change in stance to achieve balance. The test above helps determine your core rotation.

After taking the test, widen your stance by two feet and repeat the test. You’ll probably see a change in your core rotation. Now, flare your left or right foot until your torso points directly at the corner after you open your eyes. Start from the beginning every time you change your stance. Do that until you’re square. Keep in mind your stance changes with even the slightest alteration of stance width.

Balance affects your golf swing. Without it, your chances of executing a fluid yet powerful swing diminish. You achieve balance when your body core is centered. But tension, strength of abdominal muscles, and other changes cause you to rotate subtly left or right. Use the test above to determine your core rotation, and then square up your stance to achieve balance.

Slamming The Brakes On Approach Shots

Tour pros have a wide variety of approach shots to go to when they’re within 100 yards. Among their favorites is a low wedge shot that lands on the green and stops dead after a couple of hops. This lets golfers get close without having to hit a more lofted club, like a lob wedge. These clubs are harder to hit, presenting a higher risk of mis-hitting the shot. This low wedge shot reduces that risk and saves you a stroke or two in the process. This shot is also useful when it’s windy, since it keeps the wind from influencing the ball’s flight.

Here are five keys to the low wedge shot:

• Use a 9-iron or pitching Web
• Set weight on the front foot
• Make a short swing
• Lean forward during shot
• Steepen the angle of attack

Ideally, you want to use a 9-iron or pitching wedge for the shot. Set up so your body weight favors your front foot. Then shorten your swing. Make sure you finish before your hands pass shoulder level. This keeps the shot low. Leaning forward steepens your angel of attack into the ball and imparts more spin to stop the ball.

If you have a bad lie—the ball is in a hole or divot—you must steepen your angle of attack even more, if you want to slam on the brakes when the ball hits the green. In addition to placing your weight on your front foot, de-loft the club slightly by leaning the shaft forward. As your body turns through, steepen your downswing, hitting the ball first.
Mastering this low wedge shot takes practice. But it’s worth the time and effort. Used correctly, it can save strokes when you’re within 100 yards.

Question of the Week – Keeping Your Left Arm Straight

Q. Hi Jack, How do you keep your left arm straight when using your driver? I hit my driver okay by reducing my back swing but have the tendency now and then to take too much causing my arm to bend.

Regards
James R.

A. Thanks for the question, James. Your left arm (for a right hander) must be straight at impact to make solid contact. But a straight left arm during the backswing is another matter. If you can keep it straight through the backswing, you’ll produce more distance because your swing radius is wider. But some people—either because of age, a lack of flexibility, or injury—must bend the left arm a little during the backswing. That’s okay, as long as the rest of the swing is sound.

But to maximize distance, you’ll need to re-establish the correct width of your backswing arc as you transition to the downswing. To do this, your right elbow must form a right angle as it folds back at the top of the swing, forming an “L” shape. In this position your left arm, is comfortably straight (not tense) and your club is parallel to the ground, assuming you hinge your wrists correctly. From there it is simply a matter of bringing the club down straight through impact

One way to maintain a straight left arm during your backswing is to imagine some people standing behind you when you swing. As you take the club think of trying to touch them with the club. That will keep your left arm extended and maximize swing radius.

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:

Article – Golf Tips From A Swing Machine

Article – Using A Green-Reading Routine Improves Putting

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.

• Hit It Close With Super-Soft Pitches
• Using Your Wrists To Turn On Power
• Question of the Week – Chipping It Close From A Downhill Lie
• Article – Splitting The Fairway
• Article – Three Drills To Fine Tune Your Tempo

Hit It Close With Super-Soft Pitches

To hit it close when there’s a bunker between you and the pin, you need both loft and distance control. You have to get over the bunker, but you don’t want to roll too far past the pin. Hitting a high, floating lob shot with your 60-degree wedge is an option. But it takes practice to master this shot. It’s also risky. You could hit it thin and land in the bunker. The super-soft pitch is a safer alternative.

Below are five keys to hitting super-soft pitches:

• Sole a 56-degree wedge
• Play the ball slightly back of center
• Keep your shoulders level
• Swing your arms and chest away
• Stop your swing just after your back knee

The key to this shot is pre-setting your body in the correct impact position. This helps you strike the ball with just the right amount of spin and loft.

Sole your 56-degree wedge with the face square and pointing directly at your target. Don’t open the clubface. Play the ball slightly back of center and lean your shaft forward, without closing the clubface. Also, line up your grip with your sternum about an inch in front of the ball. Make sure your shoulders are level and your arms hang straight down. Ease off on your grip pressure.

Make your backswing by swinging your arms and chest away from the ball using an easy hinge of the wrists. Your path should feel straight, but with a slight turn. Stop your backswing just as your hands pass your back knee. You want to return the club, shaft, and weight to your start-up position. Finish your swing with your hands low and directly in front of your chest.
When you execute the shot correctly, your club descends into the bottom of the ball, creating the correct loft to send it into the air, land softly on the green, and roll close to the pin.

Using Your Wrists To Turn On Power

Poor ballstriking can cost you a lot of strokes. Several common swing errors lead to poor ballstriking. But if you’re also slicing the ball, it’s a good bet you’re not releasing the club properly. That can get you into serious trouble. More importantly, it can balloon your golf handicap.

Properly releasing the club:

• Ensures solid contact with a square clubface
• Adds power to your swing
• Allows clubhead to exit hitting zone on plane.

These advantages work together to assure golfers hit longer, straighter shots. If you think you’re not releasing the club properly, try these simple golf tips:

Hinge your wrists fully after impact: Golfers plagued by poor ball striking don’t release their wrists properly. Instead, they keep them firm and lift the club onto the next plane. This results in a swing flaw known as the “chicken wing,” in which the golfer never bends his front arm. When swinging the club, your front arm should bend, but with your elbow pointing toward the ground as your wrists unhinge.

Swing your driver with just your back arm and hand: This exercise ingrains the feel of a powerful release. As your hand reaches your back knee on the downswing, begin unhinging your wrist and then really unload through the hitting zone. Also, bow your back wrist as your hand come through contact and “throw” your club at the target.

Make swings with both hands on driver: But make sure to unhinge your wrist fully through impact, so that the wrist of your backhand is bowed and the wrist of your front hand is cupped. If you start hooking, add more body turn to the shot.

Work on these golf tips for better ballstriking. When your shots start flying straighter and farther, you know your releasing the club correctly.

Question of the Week – Chipping It Close From A Downhill Lie

Q. Hi Jack, On the course I play a lot, I seem to face a lot of downhill chips. I either run it way past the hole or dub it, leaving me with nearly the same shot and a very bad temperament! Any advice?

Jeff Bramhall
Bronxville NY

A. Thanks for the question, Jeff. Chipping from a downhill lie is tricky. If you’re not careful, it can cost you two or three extra strokes. Extra strokes can turn a good round into a not so good round.

Having chosen your club, you want the contact point to be where it would be from a level lie. So you need to adjust your body position and center of gravity to account for the slope. To do that, set up with your front shoulder low and your stance slightly wider for stability. Brace yourself on your front knee and set your weight on the inside of your front foot.

Position the ball back in your stance. (How far back you position the ball you’ll learn from experience.) Keep your hands ahead of the ball at address. Now hit down firmly. Work the club under the ball. And lead the hands down the slope.

If the ball is in the rough, you’ll also have to account for the grass. Even if you swing hard, the grass can still catch your clubface and twist it. Since your goal is to get the ball out of the rough, you’ll need as much loft as you can get. Follow the same guidelines as above, but use a sand wedge and open your stance even more.

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

Here are some of my recent articles:

Article – Splitting The Fairway

Article – Three Drills To Fine Tune Your Tempo

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.

1) Hitting Shots That Stick Saves Strokes
2) Tee Height Strategy With Oversized Drivers
3) Question of the Week – Hitting Down Produces Best Results
4) Article – Two Drills To Help You Achieve Solid Contact
5) Article – Better Balance Equals More Consistency

1) Hitting Shots That Stick Saves Strokes

Golfers are always looking for ways to shaves strokes off their scores. Hitting approach shots that hit and stick is a great way of doing that. Hitting these types of shots is almost mandatory on courses with firm greens. On these greens the ball hits and bounces off, leaving you with a long chip back instead of an easy putt. That adds strokes to your score.

Below are four tips on hitting shots that stick

* Grip the club at its full-length
* Move the ball up slightly in your stance
* Place a little more weight on back foot
* Use a higher follow-through and fuller finish

When the greens are firm, you must hit it really high to hold the green or get it in there close. To do this, you must produce more backspin—the result of increased swing speed.

Start by choosing a club with plenty of loft, like a 9-iron or pitching wedge. Make sure the clubface is clean and there’s some grip left on it. Using the right ball—high spin/soft cover— also helps.

Grip the club at it’s full-length. and move the ball up slightly in your stance—maybe a half a ball or so. Depending on the lie, you may want to place a little more weight on your back foot at address. Also, keep your head down when you swing until your back arm pushes it up. And use a higher-follow through and fuller finish when you swing.

Placing a little more weight on your back foot helps keep your weight behind the ball and not on top of it. Staying on top of the ball is more of a knock down position. Using a higher, full finish increases swing speed, which is what you need to add backspin to the ball.

This type of approach shot carries more than other balls, but it won’t roll far when it hits the ground. On softer greens, the ball often sticks right where it hits. On firm greens the ball tends to roll off. Regardless of what type of greens you play on, learn to hit approach shots that stick and you’ll chop strokes off your handicap.

2) Tee Height Strategy With Oversized Drivers

More and more golfers are buying drivers with oversized clubheads. The larger clubhead is more forgiving, cutting down on mis-hits. Fewer mis-hits off the tee generally mean better scores. But how high do you tee the ball with these huge clubheads to get the most out of them. Do you tee it in the middle of the face? Higher up? Lower down? It depends.

Below are five tips on teeing the ball for big clubheads for a normal drive:

* Make sure half the ball is above the top line
* Place your weight slightly on your back leg
* Tilt your shoulders slightly upward
* Position the ball in line with heel of front foot
* Place hands slightly behind the ball

The key is the type of trajectory your want. For a normal trajectory place the tee so that half the ball is above the clubhead’s top. Position your weight slightly on your back leg and tilt your shoulders slightly upward. Then, line up the ball so that it’s just off the back heel of your front foot and place your hands slightly behind the ball. This set-up puts you in the best position to take advantage of the large clubhead.

If you’re down wind or looking for some extra distance, try teeing the ball even higher, say about two-thirds above the driver’s topline. That promotes a higher launch angle. Also, position the ball just forward of your normal set-up, which places your hands farther behind the ball than usual. Place slightly more weight on your back foot.

When battling a crosswind or hitting into the wind, try teeing the ball lower than usual, with about one-third of the ball above the club head’s topline. Maintain the same ball position as normally and balance your weight almost evenly over both feet. This more level set-up helps you launch the ball lower to prevent the wind from really affecting the ball’s flight.

Bigger clubheads means fewer mis-hits. But they can confuse you when it comes to how high to tee the ball. Try these golf tips on tee height next time you play and you’ll get the most out of your oversized driver.

3) Question of the Week – Hitting Down Produces Best Results

Q. Hi Jack, We have a beautiful 7500-yard course in Bangalore. I am 60 years old and have learnt the game over the last 3 or 4 years. My handicap is 21. I find hitting down with my irons easier than playing with my woods. I carry a 3-wood and 3 rescue clubs, 20, 23, and 26 loft, instead of 3, 4, and 5 irons. I have tried sweeping the ball with these clubs, but the results are poor off the fairway.

Thanks
Salil Punoose

A. Thanks for the question. One of the biggest problems with hitting the 3-wood and the hybrids is the club’s loft. Since these clubs don’t have much loft, golfers often try to scoop the ball in the air. This causes them to hang back on their right side and swing up on the ball. This, in turn, has the opposite of the intended effect: The club makes contact on the upswing and the golfer tops the shot.

When you address the ball, position it back in your stance a couple of inches. Many weekend golfers position the ball inside the heel of their front foot, just as they would a driver. That’s not back far enough. They either top it or skim it along the ground. But you’re not hitting a driver. Move the ball back toward the center of your stance and hit down on the ball, like an iron.

If you hit the ball with a descending blow, you’ll scrape the grass or even take a small divot. To do this, you must shift your weight to your front side and swing through the ball, letting your arms fully extend. Think about keeping the clubhead traveling down the target line for as long as possible. This helps keep the clubface square.

And don’t try to blast the ball out of sight. I know it’s tempting. If you’re using a three-wood, the green is probably out of reach. And swinging hard throws off your tempo, causing mis-hits. So why risk it. Instead, dial it down a notch. Pick a spot on the fairway. And ease up on your swing. Use the same tempo as you would with an iron.
In addition, try using a 3-wood off a tee next time you’re at the range. That will help you get used to the idea of hitting down on the ball to get elevation. Above all, trust the club’s loft.

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

To view this newsletter online, please visit:
http://www.howtobreak80.com/newsletter09092009.php

Here are some of my recent articles:
4) Article - Two Drills To Help You Achieve Solid Contact

5) Article – Better Balance Equals More Consistency

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.

But when someone comes out with an instructional product that proposes an entirely new swing (just as when the “Stack and Tilt” swing came about), I want to learn more.

You’ve probably seen Don Trahan’s infomercials (Peak Performance Golf DVD’s) on the Golf Channel or late night television. It’s a relatively new product that came out this year. He’s also running a ton of advertising on the web as well on the major golf sites.

And it’s being touted as “pain free” and good for middle-age and seniors because I guess you don’t have to make a full shoulder turn?

And you know what? I have no clue if this product is junk or if it’s a real gem. Which is why I’m posting here so you guys can give me any experiences you’ve had with this product or give me the lowdown on exactly what is “revolutionary” about this product.

I want to make this clear–I am NOT endorsing this product. I just want to see what you guys thought of it since they were spending so handsomely with all that advertising.

So, leave a comment below if you have any data on Mr. Trahan’s product…myself…and others would like to know.

The web site is http://www.peakperformancegolfswing.com/dvd-series.

You can also get more info on his home page at http://www.peakperformancegolfswing.com where he offers some freebies such as training videos (I haven’t downloaded them so I’m hoping you guys can give me your 2 cents.)

I am keen on this because I know the modern golf swing can be complex sometimes. If someone can simplify it somehow, I’m always game to listen.

Look forward to your comments.

Jack

Harold is actually very accurate from 145 yards and closer. But his main problem is that he can only drive the ball about 200 yards. This leaves him long approaches and he does not get to play to his strength of that 145 yard and closer mark.

Watch as Bobby makes two small adjustments to his swing to add significant distance.

Please let us know what you think of the video by commenting below and if the advice works for you!

Enjoy!

Jack

1. Secrets To Great Ballstriking
2. Swing Left For Soft Pitches
3. Match Up V’s For Straighter Shots
4. Question of the Week – Preventing Pushed Shots
5. Article – Short Cuts To A Lower Golf Handicap
6. Article – This Year’s PGA Championship Won’t Disappoint

Jack’s Note: Seems like we had a little snafu in last week’s ezine. The tip entitled “Swing Left For Soft Pitches” contained some of the prior week’s content. Sorry about that folks. We are including last week’s missed tip below. (So you get 3 tips this week instead of two).

Secrets To Great Ballstriking

All great ball strikers have one thing in common. They keep their spine angles consistent throughout the swing. It’s one of the secrets to making solid contact. While spine angle varies for different body types, it must stay the same from the start of the backswing until after impact. If it doesn’t, all sorts of bad things happen—from fat shots to toe hits. If you’re ballstriking needs help, check your spine angle.

Below is a drill designed to check your spine angle. It’s simple enough to do in your backyard using plastic balls.

Take a wire hanger and bend the hook in a circle. Straighten out the rest of the hanger and then stick that end in the ground. Bend the wire toward you just enough so that the circle hangs over the hitting area. Place a ball under the hanger so that the circle frames the ball. When you set up to the ball, you should be able to look down at the ball through the circle. Make sure it is in line with the target when swinging.

It’s okay if the ball appears to move sideways when swinging. If your head moves to the right (for right-handed golfers), the ball moves to the right of the circle’s center. Just make sure the ball returns to the circle’s center at impact.

If the ball shifts up or down out of the circle’s center, you’re changing your spine angle when swinging. In other words, your head is moving too much vertically, resulting in an inconsistent point of contact with the clubhead.
This simple drill reveals if you’re changing your spine angle when swinging. If you want to make solid contact every time, you must maintain a consistent spine angle. It keys good ballstriking.

Swing Left For Soft Pitches

Good pitching is a fast way to chop strokes off your golf handicap. In fact, it’s probably the fastest way to do it. When you pitch the ball close, you save yourself a stroke or two every time. By close, I mean near enough to where you have an easy putt. To pitch it close, you must know how to hit soft shots—the kind of shots that roll about a yard or so after hitting the green.

• Use an open stance
• Open the clubface a bit
• Make an upright swing
• Hold onto the club firmly
• Don’t let the toe pass the heel

If you study good pitchers of the ball, like the 59-year-old Tom Watson, who came within a whisker of winning this year’s British Open, you’ll notice they all swing the club and the left arm (right arm for right-handers) to the left of the target after impact. That creates a nice soft pitch.

Using a sand wedge, open your stance and the clubface a bit. Then, make an upright swing. Doing this encourages the clubface to cut across the ball slightly, imparting sidespin, which helps the ball stop. The key is to hold on to the club firmly with your left hand after impact. Don’t let the clubface’s toe pass its heel the way it does normally.

To see if you’re doing it right, check your divot after hitting the shot. It should be rather small and should point to the left of your target. If it does, you’ve hit the shot right.
This shot is a somewhat advanced. So if you’re a poor pitcher, work on the basics before trying it. But if you’re a good pitcher and you want to improve accuracy, this shot may be just the thing. Practice it to master it.

Match Up V’s For Straighter Shots

Fred Couple’s uses a strong left-hand grip. Tiger Woods uses a neutral grip. And Ben Hogan featured a weak left-hand grip. There’s no one grip that’s perfect for everyone. That’s why some instructors don’t insist on everyone using the same grip. But there’s one grip constant everyone should adhere to: The V’s formed by your grip should match up for longer, straighter shots.

Here’s a routine for gripping the club so that the V’s match. The routine is for right- handed players. Left-handers must make the appropriate changes:

• Place the clubhead down on the ground using your left
• Adjust the club so that the grip is in your fingers.
• Adjust your left hand so that your thumb points straight down.
• Place the grip in the fingers of your right hand.
• Put the crease over your left hand. They should fit perfectly.
• Place the index finger and thumb of your right hand on the grip.
• Make sure your right thumb points slightly toward your right shoulder.

Gripping the club incorrectly is a common error. Combining a weak left hand grip with a strong right hand grip is probably the most common grip error. That’s because the hands fight each other. You can’t hinge either wrists properly going back. And you can’t release the club with speed and accuracy coming down.

Often, it’s the left hand that’s the problem. If the V of your left hand is aimed at your nose, rotate it so it’s aimed somewhere between your right ear and your right shoulder. That way the V on your left hand matches the V on your right hand. When you look down at address, the V’s should run parallel to each other and point somewhere between your right ear and shoulder.

Left-handers, of course, must reverse the hands in our description. But regardless of how you hit the ball, commit this fundamental to memory. Then it becomes second nature and you won’t have to think about it when you play.

Question of the Week – Preventing Pushed Shots

Q. Hi Jack, I’m having trouble pushing my shots to the right. What causes a pushed shot? I suppose I’m sliding forward during my downswing. Does it have something to do with my swing plane? Or is it my ball position? I put my ball at the middle of my stance with my mid- and short irons. Can you give me some tips on how to cure this problem? Or do you have some drills for it?

Thanks,
Hernan

A. Thanks, Hernan.

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.

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

Halfway into your backswing, make sure the toe of your iron points skyward. If the pushing problem is severe, cup your left wrist at the top of your swing. 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.

This drill helps you stop pushing your irons:
Lay down two clubs parallel to the target. The first should be along your feet and the second outside the ball. This creates a track with the ball in the middle. Then make your 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 for good.

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:
Article – Short Cuts To A Lower Golf Handicap

Article – This Year’s PGA Championship Won’t Disappoint

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.

Three Techniques To Sink More Putts
Positive Stats Build Confidence
Question of the Week – Different Bunkers, Different Shots
Article – Gain More Yardage With Oversized Drivers
Article – Wedge Secrets

Three Techniques To Sink More Putts
Golf tips on driving say to visualize the ball’s flight path before hitting. “Seeing” the flight path in your mind helps achieve it. Visualization works with putting, too. Talk to great putters and they’ll probably say that “seeing” the ball go in before they putt helps them sink more putts. Or, they’ll say they use some other visualization technique when putting.

Below are three techniques to help you sink more putts:

* Visualize the hole
* Putt to a picture
* See the ball path

Visualization banishes technical thoughts. By trusting in your stroke and concentrating on a target, you’re more likely to achieve the desired result. When putting, keep the hole in mind. Even though you’re looking down at the ball, paint a mental picture of the hole. By “seeing” the hole, you’ll make a more confident and smoother stroke through the ball.

Visualization also helps on big breaking putts. With big breakers, hitting to the apex of the curve is critical. To do so, develop a mental picture of the apex and then putt the ball between the picture’s borders. You’ll be surprised how accurate you are with these putts.

In addition, visualizing the path of a putt helps achieve the proper speed and break to putts. Some golfers favor approach over “spot putting”—aiming at a target, such as a small blade of grass, and trying to roll the ball over that point. Depending on how hard you hit the putt that spot may or may not be helpful. Instead, visualize a railroad track leading to the hole and putt along it.

Here’s a final tip: Use a CD to see if your eyes are directly over the ball when putting. Center the ball on the CD, then stand over it in your putting stance. If your eyes are directly over the ball, you’ll see them on the CD’s surface.

Positive Stats Build Confidence

Players who track things like fairways hit, greens hit in regulation, putts per round, and up-and-down conversions should be careful. While keeping stats can reveal a lot about your game, be wary of what you track. Keeping the wrong stats can focus you on the negative about your game—things missed instead of things made. This can chip away at your confidence. Instead, keep positive stats that build confidence and trust.

Here are four examples of positive stats:

1. Up and downs
2. Sand saves
3. Times sticking to a routine
4. Five best shots

Golfers often use statistics to judge their play. That isn’t always best. Instead, use statistics to observe, not judge, your game. For example, if you track fairways hit, you might observe: “I’m hitting more fairways since I started picking a target instead of just blasting away.” This approach not only teaches you something about your game, it also boosts confidence and trust.

But if you use the wrong statistics to judge your game you may develop a negative mind-set. Let’s say you’re tracking how often you three-putted. If you’re three-putting a lot, you know you need to practice. But that mind-set can undermine your confidence and trust when playing, if you’re not careful. In other words, if you think you’re a poor putter, you’ll be a poor putter.

Positive statistics have a better impact. They build confidence and trust. For example, if you count the number of up and downs you make, you’ll start thinking your good at up and downs. Then when you have one, you’ll feel good about making the shot.

Keeping stats can reveal a lot about your game. But be wary of what you track. Keep stats that boost confidence and trust. You’ll be surprised at how building confidence and trust can lower your golf handicap.

Question of the Week – Different Bunkers, Different Shots

Q. Hi Jack, I have the toughest time getting out of bunkers. I put my weight on my forward foot, and I open the clubface and follow all the way through. But I’m not sure if I should come down steeply and then follow thru or sweep it through. No matter what I try it usually takes my two or three shots to get out.

Please help.
Barbara Botich

A. Thanks for the question, Barbara. You didn’t give us much information on the bunker you were in or the kind of lie you had. Was it a greenside bunker or a bunker that’s farther away? Does the bunker have a high or low lip? Was the ball buried in soft sand or was it lying on top of hard-packed sand? Without that information, it’s hard to give you specifics on the swing. In shorts, different bunker require different bunker swings.

In general, if you’re in soft sand and you have a low lip, you’d open your stance and aim the clubface toward the target line. You’d keep your wrists passive as you take the club away and the clubface open throughout the swing. On the downswing you’d sweep the club along your bodyline, hitting about an inch behind the ball.

On the other hand, if you’re in soft sand with a high lip, you need a steeper angle of attack to pop the ball over the lip. While your set-up is the same, your swing differs. To create a steeper angle of attack, hinge your wrists in the backswing as soon as possible and swing your arms up instead of low and around.

In addition, as your body turns, sense that the club is “cocked” to the sky. Now, hit down and through about an inch behind the ball with extra force. The path of the clubhead should run parallel to the alignment of your shoulders, hips, and feet. The combination of left alignment and open clubface sends the ball straight while the angle of attack drives the ball up and over the lip, landing it softly on the green.
To practice the high bunker shot, try the head cover drill. Place a head cover a few inches behind a ball in a steep greenside bunker. Take the club back without hitting the head cover, hinging your wrists during the takeaway as soon as possible. If you hit the head cover, you know you didn’t hinge your wrists fast enough.

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

To view this newsletter online, please visit:
http://www.howtobreak80.com/newsletter08052009.php

Here are some of my recent articles:

Gain More Yardage With Oversized Drivers
Wedge Secrets

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.

Mastering The Hybrid Chip Saves Strokes
Walking The Line

Article – Accuracy Is Critical At Turnberry
Article – Finding And Fixing Swing Faults

Mastering The Hybrid Chip Saves Strokes

Having just missed the green and landed in a tight, fluffy, or unpredictable lie, you instinctively reach for you wedge. But wait! A lot of things can go wrong with a wedge. You can pop it up, chip it past the green, or cause it to check, costing you strokes. In a fluffy lie, a wedge often can slip under the ball, causing a flubbed shot. Your hybrid is a better option. It does everything a wedge does with better control and less risk.
Here are six keys to executing the hybrid chip:

• Adopt your putting stance
• Choke down on the shaft
• Shift your weight forward
• Place the ball forward
• Use your putting stroke
• Play for plenty of roll

The hybrid is the most versatile and most forgiving club in your bag. Chipping with it almost guarantees the ball gets airborne a few feet, and then immediately starts rolling toward the target. You don’t have to worry about checking the ball, popping it up, or slipping the wedge under the ball.

Use a putting stance. Choke down to a comfortable level. Position the ball slightly forward in your stance. And shift your weight slightly to your front foot. When swinging, make a putting stroke. Glide the clubhead across the grass, just as you would with a putter.

The ball gets airborne quickly, and then hits and runs. For best results, read the green just as you would for a putt and play for plenty of roll. Play the break like you would if you were putting.

The hybrid chip is great from about 10 yards out. Using the hybrid this way feels a little awkward at first. But with practice, you’ll increase your comfort level.
Mastering the hybrid chip cuts strokes from your scores. It’s a highly effective way to chip from just off the green.

Walking The Line

Bad alignment leads to bad shots. You can’t hit a good shot if you’re not aligned properly, not without a lot of luck. Unfortunately, many golfers set up with an alignment error, like closed shoulders and open feet. Bad alignment invites disaster. If you want to hit shots like a pro, align your clubface and your body to your target once you’ve determined what it is.

Here’s a five-step routine that guarantees proper alignment:

1. Identify your main target
2. Pick out an intermediate target
3. Place your clubhead behind the ball
4. Grab the club with both hands
5. Step into your stance

Start by identifying a main target. It can be the flag, a distant pine tree, or a dark patch of grass. Use whatever works. You may even want to imagine a ballflight for the shot. Keep the ballflight in mind as you start the swing.

After identifying a target, find an intermediate target—something a few inches in front of your ball and in line with your target. Place your club behind the ball in line with both the intermediate and the distant targets. Then, step to the ball, placing you’re feet parallel to the target line.

Another approach to proper alignment is to simply make sure the leading edge of your club is perpendicular to the target line. Then set your feet accordingly, making sure they’re parallel to the target line.

Whichever approach you use, place two hands on the club when you set your feet. That way you don’t spend too much time standing over the ball. That can kill a shot.
Practice setting up to the ball using a routine. Then, take it to the course and use it with all your shots. It increases your consistency and helps eliminate bad shots.

Question of the Week – Curing The Yips

Q. Hi Jack, About a year back I was playing to a handicap of 9. However of late I have developed the yips. I have a major problem with 2 to 3 foot putts-at times double touching the ball. Because of this I am now playing to a handicap of 14. My confidence in my putting is shattered. Please advise on a course of action.

Regards,
Balli

A. Thanks, Balli. There’s no set way to cure the yips. What works for one person may not work for another. Still, all cures for the yips have one thing in common. They lock the left wrist (for right-handed putters) in place, encouraging a pendulum like action in your swing. Keeping the left wrist quiet keys a sound, repeating, and successful putting stroke.

When the PGA’s Bernard Langer first had the yips, he used the cross-handed grip to cure them. When he got them again, he used the “clamp” grip-a grip in which a golfer’s right hand is “clamped” to the wrist of the left hand. Langer was right-handed. Other golfers have even used a long putter or a belly putter to cure the yips with varying degrees of success.

But the reverse grip seems to be the most popular approach. Here are five keys to this cure:

• Assume a normal putting stance
• Place the left hand below the right
• Lock the left wrist as you putt
• Swing back and through, low and smooth
• Keep the head down throughout the putt

As I said, the reverse grip works well for some but not for others. But whatever cure you try, you still must practice it. One of the best tools to help improve putting is a metronome-a device for keeping tempo for music. The metronome encourages a smooth stroke and a rhythmic tempo. It’s great to practice with when you can’t get to a practice green.

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

To view this newsletter online, please visit:
http://www.howtobreak80.com/newsletter07152009.php

Here are some of my recent articles:

Accuracy Is Critical At Turnberry

Finding And Fixing Swing Faults

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.