This player’s thinking is different. But it’s worth considering because it could dramatically impact your putting and your golf handicap. For example, practicing with a 3-iron improves your putting because it provides great feedback. If you’re a “wristy” putter or you have the yips, practicing with a 3-iron (or even a 4-iron) tells you instantly you’re doing something wrong. As strange as this suggestion seems, it may be just as helpful as attending golf lessons or reading golf tips on putting, and maybe a lot less expensive.

Alternative Putting Grips
Putting is probably the most individualized of all golf activities. Golfers have different pre-shot routines, different clubs, and different ways of reading a green. They also have different grips. In fact, there are several different putting grips out there. The most popular is the reverse overlapping grip. It’s been around for decades. Most instructors teach this grip in golf lessons, and many sports magazine provide golf tips on putting this grip. It’s an effective grip that works well for many golfers.

The most popular alternative is the cross-handed grip. With this grip you simply reverse your hands. Instead of gripping the putter with the right hand (left hand for lefties) below the left (right for lefties), you grip the club with the left hand below the right. This encourages a more pendulum action back and through. More importantly, it locks the left wrist through the stroke, preventing miscues and problems like the yips.

Another popular alternative grip is the paintbrush or claw grip, where the putter’s shaft is wedged between the thumb and forefinger, like you’d hold a paintbrush. Like the cross-handed grip, this grip prevents you from breaking your wrists. It’s also used a lot with belly putters and long putters. Then there’s the left-hand low grip that Vijay Singh uses and the underbelly grip that players use with long putters. These grips have all been effective for golfers to some degree or other.

Keeping The Subconscious Out
Most players settle on one grip and use that until they get dissatisfied with the results. Then, they make a change. But there’s a theory out there that suggests changing your grip now and then helps to stay ahead of the length/tension curve. What’s that? If you use the same grip all the time and start missing putts, your brain tries to help. Once that starts, bad things happen. Your subconscious creeps in and your putting goes south. By changing your grip every so often, you keep your subconscious out of the stroke and avoid running into the length/tension factor.

See The Line, Stroke The Putt
Regardless of your grip, there’s one thing that won’t change when it comes to putting. The rocking motion of your shoulders propels a good putting stroke—not your hands. The hands stay still as the front shoulder rocks down in the backswing and up in the follow through.

Other golf tips on good putting include: keep the wrists firm when you putt and strike the ball on the upswing. In addition, make sure your follow-through is at least long as your backswing. Follow these suggestions and you’ll whittle strokes off your golf handicap no matter how you grip the putter.

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 handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

1. Short-sided In Tall Thick Grass
2. The Sand Chip
3. Question of the Week – Stop Hitting It Fat
4. Article – Three Principles To Get Your Swing In Sync
5. Article – Two Simple Exercises To Boost Power

Short-sided In Tall Thick Grass

Shots from deep rough are hard. So are downhill putts. But is there a harder shot than being on the back lip of a bunker in tall, thick grass? This shot is about as hard as it gets. You have to deal with not only the thick grass, but also an awkward stance—since you need both feet in the bunker to hit the ball. If you miss, you could plop it in the bunker, costing you a stroke or two. It’s not your everyday shot.

Below are five keys to hitting this shot:

1. Widen your stance
2. Set your weight on front side
3. Grip down on the club
4. Hold the club tighter
5. Take the club head up quickly
6. Play an explosion shot

The keys to hitting this shot are stabilizing the lower body and keeping the clubface from closing through impact. Another key is not trying to hit a miracle shot. You’re goal is to get on the green in one. So stay within yourself.

Select a club with a leading edge, like a pitching wedge, to cut through the grass. Then, widen your stance and set most of your weight on your front side, which restricts lower body movement.

Since the ball is well above your feet, choke down on the club and grip it a little harder than normal. These adjustments keep the club from twisting in your hands as it cuts through the tall grass and from flipping over when it hits the ground.

When you swing, take the clubhead up quickly and play an explosion shot, just as you would a greenside bunker shot. Also, accelerate the clubhead through the ball. Keep the face pointing skyward after impact.

You won’t face this shot many times in a season. But it’s good to know how to hit it anyway.

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2) The Sand Chip
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If you have two golfers of equal ability playing on the same course on the same day, chances are the player with the better short game racks up the lower score. One short-game area weekend golfers need to work on is bunker play. It takes practice to master this area of the game. Meantime, there’s an alternative to the normal bunker shot that gets you out in one: the sand chip.

Below are six keys to hitting the sand chip:

• Raise the club on its toe
• Play the ball off the back foot
• Move the shaft forward
• Place your weight on the front foot
• Keep the wrists firm on the stroke
• Make ball first contact

.

The key to hitting the sand chip is making ball first contact. Start by taking a normal stance and then raising the club on its toe. Raising the club makes the shaft more upright and lessens the chance of catching the sand during the shot. If you catch the sand, the shot will probably stay in the bunker.

Also, play the ball off your back foot and move your hands forward so the shaft points to your front shoulder, which helps produce a low running shot that tracks like a putt.

Make the stroke with as little wrist break as possible and with your weight on your front foot. These adjustments allow the club’s butt end and its clubface to move together back and then through the ball.

When swinging, guard against dropping down into the ball in an effort to lift the ball out of the bunker. This miscue—the most common made with the sand chip—destroys ball first contact.

The ball comes out of the bunker low and with lots of roll. So make sure you have a low bunker lip and plenty of green to work with.
3) Question of the Week – Stop Hitting It Fat

Q. Hello Jack, I find myself in a great position on the fairway. Then, I think I’ll take a nice easy iron, whether it’s a 7-iron, 8-iron, 9-iron, or PW, depending on the distance. Instead, I take a divot behind the ball and it flops 10-20 yards up the fairway. Can you offer any help and an explanation as to what I am doing wrong? I play left handed.

Thanks,
Alan Cardiff
South Wales

A. Thanks for the question, Alan. Your miscue is called hitting it fat. The reasons for hitting it fat apply no matter which way you hit.

One reason why you’re hitting it fat could be that you’re trying to take an easy swing. When we do that we sometimes throw off our rhythm and timing. Take a normal swing instead. Other reasons for hitting it fat are an excessively V-shaped swing, a tight lie, a rushed backswing, or a desire to scoop the ball.

To avoid hitting it fat, remember that:

* Ball position determines impact point. You want to strike the ball with a descending blow with your irons, so you should hit the ball just before the lowest point of the arc.

* Loft determines trajectory. There’s no need to scoop the ball or try to get under it. If you strike the ball properly, loft sends the ball skyward.

Also, when you hit, visualize a U-shaped swing, with a pronounced “flat spot” through impact. Use that visual as a guide. Then, focus on hitting the ball at the right impact point and taking a complete backswing.

Here’s a drill that help eliminate fat shots:

With an iron, take your normal stance and ground the club. Make a slight mark there. When you swing, try to create a shallow divot just past where you ground the club. Concentrate on executing a complete backswing and follow-through.

This drill helps improve rhythm and ballstriking. It also ensures that you hit the ball at the right impact point in your swing, curing you of an excessively V-shaped swing.

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/newsletter11182009.php

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article – Three Principles To Get Your Swing In Sync
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/three-principles-to-get-your-swing-in-sync.php

5) Article – Two Simple Exercises To Boost Power
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/two-simple-exercises-to-boost-power.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.

Weekend golfers don’t usually practice much because it’s work. It’s also boring. Using drills when practicing changes these feeling. It’s also a good way to improve. Not only do drills sharpen your skills efficiently. They’re also are fun to do—especially if you do them with a friend. Using drills also gets you to practice longer. More practice helps you groove the proper swing and tempo.

Let’ look at drills for three common greenside scenarios. Practicing them will help you turn three strokes into two next time you play:

The Basic Chip
The basic chip is easy to execute. It’s ideal when you have a lot of green to work with. It’s also a frequent perimeter scenario, one that teachers often cover in golf instruction sessions. Your setup for this shot is key. Play the ball in the middle of your feet, your shoulders square, hands in front of the ball, and feet slightly open. Place about 60 percent of your weight on your front foot, which encourages a downward blow. Use a light grip pressure and a wedge you like. Some use a 56-degree wedge.

Drill: Place two balls about a driver’s length apart. Place your bag (or another obstacle) behind the back ball. Now drop a ball in the middle of these balls and take your chipping stance. Give yourself a good lie. Later, you can vary your lie. Now, chip the ball. If you swing back to the ball/bag and forward to the front ball, you should fly the ball about seven yards. To hit it less than seven yards, separate the two balls with a shorter club. Practice this drill until you can get it close on command.

The Choke Down
No two courses are alike. You don’t need golf lessons to realize that. Golf courses vary in the conditions of the fairways and tee boxes, and the speed of the greens. They also vary in the texture of their bunkers. The choke down shot is perfect for firm or wet bunkers. Play the ball forward from a normal bunker stance, with about 70 percent of your weight on your front foot. The key here is not releasing the club through impact. So keep your wrists firm so the club head doesn’t release.

Drill: A good way to ingrain this “no-release” feeling is to grip the club well down on the shaft. First, find a practice bunker and setup as you would for a normal bunker shot. Now, go almost down to the hosel. Leave about six inches between your hands and the hosel. Now take a swing. Make sure the club’s shaft doesn’t hit your body. This drill helps groove the feeling of keeping your wrists firm through impact.

A Tight Lie
Tight lies around the perimeter are killers. Since they come up frequently around the perimeter, perfecting this shot helps cut your golf handicap significantly. The key is to keep your swing on plane. Set up with a square stance and square shoulders. Play the ball in the center of your stance. And grip the club normally. Again, shift 70 percent of your weight on your front foot to help produce a downward blow.

Drill: Place two stand bags on the target line—one in front of you and one in back of you. Both bags are angled so the clubs are pointing toward you. When in position, they both rest at a about 45-degree angle, perfect for creating the ideal angle of attack for a good swing plane. On the backswing, you want the clubshaft parallel to the back bag. On the follow through, you want the shaft parrallel to the front bag. This is called being on plane.

The trick to improving your golf handicap is conquering the green’s perimeter. Good players almost always have solid perimeter games. Good perimeter game turns three shots into two time and time again, as I’ve written in my golf tips. Use the three drills above to make practice fun and interesting. They’ll sharpen your short game skills and help you master key perimeter shots.

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 handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

1. Hit Driver Off The Deck
2. Beating Bermuda Grass
3. Question of the Week – Use This Drill To Finish Off The Swing
4. Article – Conquer The Perimeter For A Better Golf Handicap
5. Article – Find A Putting Grip That Works… And Then Change It

Hit Driver Off The Deck

When you’re in the fairway and need something that provides plenty of distance, one option is hitting driver off the deck. It flies low and goes a long way. Driver off the deck is ideal on long par 4s with a ton of yardage left or when going for the green in two on par 5s. It’s not your every day type of shot, of course. But it eats up yardage–if you can pull it off.

Below are five keys to hitting driver of the deck:

1. Use a slightly open stance
2. Position the ball forward
3. Keep your feet and body still
4. Focus on rotating your torso
5. Make a full shoulder turn

The secret to hitting driver off the deck is re-creating your setup position at impact. Make sure you keep your hands in front of your body and strive for full extension of your arms at impact and a balanced finish.

To start, adopt a slightly open stance and a ball position allowing you to pick it cleanly from the turf. Usually, this spot is just forward of a normally teed ball.

During takeaway, keep your feet and legs as quiet as possible. This provides a solid foundation to support the swing’s power. Also, focus on rotating your torso and making a full shoulder turn for power.

From the top, turn your back toward the target, use the ground to push off on, and transfer your weight to the inside of your front foot. Now, power your hands and clubhead into the impact zone.

Next time you find yourself with a ton of yardage to the green on a par 4 or par 5 and you need something low, consider hitting driver off the deck. It’s seldom used, but it works, if executed well.

Beating Bermuda Grass

The type of grass you play on important isn’t important. It’s critical. Just ask those golfers who play a lot on Bermuda grass–a major turf species installed in sports fields, lawns, parks, golf courses, and general utility turfs in Australia, Africa, India, and South America. It’s also popular in the Southern region of the United States, including Florida and Georgia. If you’re not accustomed to playing on Bermuda grass, you’ll be surprised at how it impacts your game.

Here are five tips on how to play on Bermuda grass

• Use a normal stance
• Play the ball back
• Hit down and through
• Follow through to a finish
• Never try to scoop the ball

Bermuda grass grows aggressively in the sun’s direction. This characteristic creates a crook in its growing pattern that causes your ball to “sit up,” which in turn tempts you to try to scoop the ball from the grass. Never try to scoop the ball. Instead, use a normal stance, play the ball back a couple of inches, and hit down and through to a normal finish.

Bermuda grass also affects putting. Get a good read of the green’s grain. Know in which direction it’s running. And give the cup’s sides a good look. One half will look brown and ragged. The other half will look green and clean. The brown side is the side opposite the grain. Your putt will generally drift towards that side.

The type of grass you play is critical. If it’s not what you typically play on, find out what type it is and how it plays. Then adjust to compensate for the turf’s characteristics. It’ll save you a lot of strokes.

Question of the Week – Use This Drill To Finish Off The Swing

Q.I’m left-handed and having a hard time completing my backswing and getting a full shoulder turn. What’s a good drill to follow to get me to get my r/shoulder under my chin and then complete my downswing?

Many Thanks,
Edward

A. Thanks for the question, Edward. One reason golfers have problems like yours is that their strong sides dominate the swing. In your case, that’s your left side. The Let Go Drill helps equalize your sides and trains you to finish your swing off correctly. It’s a simple drill, but if practiced enough, works wonders.

Here’s the drill:

Swing slowly back to the top using a 7-iron. Make sure your make a full shoulder turn on the swing. As you swing through, let go of the club with your left-hand (right hand for right-handers). The club will fly through the impact zone and continue to a full finish. You can’t stop it. Repeat the drill until you feel you’ve trained your right arm (left arm) to keep moving and are finishing full on every shot.

Next, hit balls. Tee up every ball. Now swing. You should feel how doing the drill brings equality to your sides. When you hit shots, the right hand (left hand) leads the club into impact . You’ll be amazed just how far you can launch the ball down the fairway with just your left arm finishing the shot.

It may feel awkward at first practicing this drill, but you’ll get used to it. When it’s time to hit balls, focus on regaining the feel of equality you achieved in your practice sessions.

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 – Conquer The Perimeter For A Better Golf Handicap

Article – Find A Putting Grip That Works… And Then Change It

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.

All golfers want to become great shotmakers. That’s because it takes your game to the next level. Good shotmakers magically turn three shots (or more) into two. But becoming a great shotmaker isn’t easy. The secret is learning to hit certain key shots and practicing them until you’ve mastered them. These common but critical shots save you when in trouble. They’re the kind that golfers often ask me for golf tips on. Master them and you can play with anybody.

Thick Rough Pitch
This shot helps you get up and down. The key to this pitch is cocking your wrists early in the swing and releasing them fully through impact, just like you’re taught in golf lessons. The goal is to get out of the rough going in the right direction. Trying to do too much here hinders the shot. Think of it as if it were a semi-buried bunker blast. You want to get out in one.

To hit this shot, use a low-bounce iron or wedge. Play the ball back in your stance, open your feet slightly, and place your hands above the ball. Also, increase grip pressure slightly, which helps drive the clubface through the thick grass, and aim the clubface square to the target. Now, accelerate and hit down. Plan for an abbreviated finish and expect a lower ball flight with extra roll.

3-Wood Punch
Use this shot when the driver gets you in trouble. It gets you back on the fairway in good shape for the next shot. Align yourself parallel to the target. Position the ball slightly back from normal. And strengthen your left hand grip (right hand grip for left-handers), lessening your wrist cock and shortening your overall swing. Set the club head first, then the forward lean in the shaft toward the target. But be careful. The forward lean makes it look like the clubface is open.

Two key golf tips here are (1) take the club back inside the target line and (2) start hinging your wrists when the club gets about knee high. These moves steepen your swing significantly, helping you hit a low, punch shot.

Mid-iron Fade
Use the mid-iron fade when needing a high, soft-landing shot. Aim your body slightly left (right for left-handers) of target at address. Position the ball in its normal spot. And squeeze the grip of your left hand slightly (right for left-handers), delaying the release of your hands through impact. Also, open the clubface slightly to help you put cut spin on the shot.

The key to this shot is making sure the left arm (right for lefties) leads the right side of the body through impact, as I tell students in my golf lessons. So take the club back slightly on an outside-to-in path and hinge your wrists earlier than normal. This primes your swing to hit the fade.

Bump-And-Run
This shot is a great stroke saver when you’re within a 100 yards of the green. The goal is to get the ball to bounce a couple of times short of the green, and then roll close to the hole. Use a hybrid, an 8-iron, a 9-iron, or a pitching wedge, but not a sand wedge. It puts too much spin on the ball. Expect the ball to pop up, hit the ground, and then run to the hole.

To hit this shot, take a slightly closed stance, play the ball back, lean the shaft forward slightly, and hinge your wrists. Maintain the wrist set to the finish. Pivot your chest toward the target as your arms swing through. Make a descending blow and swing in a shallow U-shaped arc, taking a small divot in front of the hole. At the finish, the club’s toe points skyward

The eight shots described in these two articles are lifesavers. If you’re serious about shaving strokes of your golf handicap, you’ll learn them. Study golf tips on them. Take golf lessons on them. And practice them. Do whatever it takes to master them. Once mastered, they’ll help take your game to the next level.

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 handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

To Flare Or Not To Flare
How you set up your feet helps determine how much power you deliver at impact. Some golf instruction sessions teach weekend golfers to widen their stances a bit and flare their front foot for more power. These adjustments increase the speed at which your hips unwind and enable you to swing the club faster. But what if your hips already unwind too fast on the downswing? In that case turn your foot in and use a narrower stance. These adjustments restrict the unwinding of your hips on the downswing, providing more consistency on your drives.

Neutralize Your Grip To Hit A Fade
Players often read golf tips that say you must hit a draw to hit it farther. But that’s not the only way to hit it long. Some golfers, Jack Nicklaus included, like to hit a power fade off the tee. Employing a power fade allows you to hit the ball higher and maximize carry distance. Generally speaking, the longer the ball stays airborne the farther it goes. You can hit a power fade by weakening your grip. To do that, lay the thumb of your glove hand on the shaft so that the crease made by the thumb and index finger points more toward your chin than your right shoulder (left shoulder for left-handers).

Sweep The Ball
The quickest way to launch a ball off the tee is to change your angle of attack. That’s the angle at which the clubhead travels on its way to impact. Hitting the ball on a downward path results in a negative angle of attack. Hitting the ball on the upward path results in a positive angle of attack. No great driver, as I once read in a golf tips magazine, employs a negative angle of attack. Instead, they use a positive angle of attack. They sweep the ball off the tee. To do this, set your spine angle at address so your front shoulder is higher than your back shoulder. This adjustment lets you shallow out your swing so you can hit the ball on the upswing at the optimum launch angle.

Pause At The Top
The final adjustment in maximizing distance off the tee is making a full shoulder turn, as I’ve said often in my golf tips and golf lessons. Pausing at the top of your swing for a split second helps you do this. It also helps get everything in sync before making a smooth transition to your downswing. But many weekend golfers make a sloppy transition. If you pause at the top of your swing, you can swing as hard as you want on the downswing and still stay in rhythm.

If you’re serious about maximizing your distance off the tee—and increase your chances of shaving strokes off your golf handicap—get the ball airborne. Swing speed is a key to hitting the ball great distances. So is leg strength, which helps determine how quickly you can turn your hips. A third factor to launching it long and far is loft. The higher you hit the ball with the right amount of spin, the father it goes. Launching a ball with the right amount of spin at setup. Use the adjustments discussed above to help you setup for maximum distance off then tee.

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 handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

1. What’s In Your Bag
2. Five Keys To Hitting It Straighter
3. Question of the Week – Easy Fixes For Golfers Who Pull
4. Article – Maximizing Distance Off The Tee
5. Article – How To Become A Great Shotmaker (Part II)

What’s In Your Bag

If you’re just starting to play golf, you probably don’t care about what’s in your bag. But you should care. Carrying too many clubs can make a difference in your scores. It can create confusion when choosing a club to hit and cost you strokes. Carrying too many clubs can also slow down your rate of improvement. Smart golfers carry only the clubs that suit their games.

Below are five tips on what to carry in your bag:

• Driving club with 13 to 16 degrees of loft
• Fairway wood with 19 to 23 degrees of loft
• Oversized irons with forgiving design
• PW and SW with substantial bounce
• Putter with heel-toe weighting

A good beginner’s set includes a driving club with 13-16 degrees of loft, with a regular-flex shaft of standard length. Using a 3-wood as your main driving club is a good idea for beginners. It’s shorter and easier to hit than a driver. Later, you can switch.

A good beginner’s set also includes a fairway wood, with loft of 19-23 degrees and a shaft with the same flex as your driving club. If you’re using a three wood off the tee, use a 5-wood in the fairway.

You should also carry a set of oversized irons (5, 7, 9) with a forgiving design, perimeter weighting, and low center of gravity. Choose irons with light, flexible shafts (graphite or steel). Also carry pitching and sand wedges with substantial bounce (12 degrees). The bounce helps prevent the leading edges from digging.

In addition, you should carry a putter that feels comfortable. You may be using this club for a long time. So you want it to feel good. Other putter features to look for are heel-toe weighting and a shaft length that fits your posture.

Golf lessons are important. But not as important as what you carry in your bag. If you’re new to golf, use a half set of clubs. Until you can hit those correctly, you don’t need any more.

Five Keys To Hitting It Straighter

Your goal on every hole should be to hit the green in regulation. That would leave you with a putt for birdie, or better still, an eagle. Hitting a green in regulation is hard if you can’t hit it straight. Hitting slices and/or hooks all the way down the fairway makes it difficult to reach the green in regulation. But a good swing combined with a good line of play should produce a straight shot.

Below are five keys to hitting straight shots:

• Relax your right side
• Memorize the line of play
• Visualize the image of the target
• Fix the line of play in mind
• Start on the line of play

The mental preparation you do before you swing is critical to hitting straighter—and longer— shots. Begin at set-up by thinking about relaxing your right side (left side for lefties). The thought helps keep that side of your body lower through impact.

Next, visualize the line of play and commit it to memory. Create a visual image of this pathway in your mind. When it comes time to hit the ball, the path you want the ball to travel on is fixed in your mind.

In addition, start the club on the line of play. An on-line takeaway increases your chances of actually hitting the ball where you want and often helps compensate for a bad swing.

Triangle Takeaway Drill
This drill grooves a one-piece takeaway and helps you start the club on the line of play. Select a driver. Grip the clubshaft a few inches below the club’s handle and place the butt end of the club gently against your stomach, at a point just above your belt. Practice making small swings while concentrating on keeping your arms close to your sides with the club touching your navel.

Combining this drill with the mental keys described above will help you to hit straight and accurate shots with regularity. That’ can’t hurt your game.

Question of the Week – Easy Fixes For Golfers Who Pull

Q.You always have advice for slicers, but none for us “pullers.” I couldn’t slice in a million years, but I can “pull,” even hook, all day long. It’s more pronounced with my fairway woods. Help!

Roger
Council Bluffs, Iowa

A. Thanks for the question, Roger. Believe it or not, slices and pulls stem from the same fundamental swing flaw—approaching the ball on an out-to-in swing path. To eliminate pulls (and slices), you need to learn to swing on an in-to-out path and square off the position of the clubface through impact.

Try one or more of these fixes:

1. Close the overall alignment of your body
2. Close your clubface a little
3. Encourage your right arm (left arm for lefties) to close early in the swing
4. Encourage your right arm (left arm for lefties) to aggressively cross over your left (right).
5. Strengthen your grip

To strengthen your grip, move both hands to the club’s right until you can see three knuckles. Left-handers would move their hands to the club’s left.
Fixing a pull is often a case of trail and error. So you may have to try a combination of these fixes until you find the right answer. But the solution to your problem is there somewhere.

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 - Maximizing Distance Off The Tee

Article - How To Become A Great Shotmaker (Part II)

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.

Usually, we attribute the difference between a good putter and a poor putter to mechanics. Good mechanics produces good putting. Bad mechanics produces bad putting. Good mechanics are what most golf lessons and golf tips emphasize. And that’s fine. You can’t be a superior putter if your mechanics are wrong. But mechanics aside, what else makes one golfer a better putter than another? Research shows that focus and concentration is the difference, underscoring the importance of the Quiet Eye.

The Quiet Eye
Simply put, the Quiet Eye occurs when your gaze remains absolutely still on the ball just before and as the stroke is performed. Two key elements in the Quiet Eye are location and duration. Research shows that golfers who putt well focus on either the back or the top of the ball. Which is better? Both locations improve accuracy, but a weight of evidence now favors the back of the ball. As for duration, good putters have a Quiet Eye duration of two or three seconds on average. Less skilled player held their gaze steady for one or two seconds on average.

Why is the Quiet Eye so critical when you putt? Your hands are controlled by your brain, which gets valuable information from your eyes. As you putt, your brain must organize 100 billion neurons. Your gaze keeps these neural networks informed. They in turn control both your hands and body when putting. But these networks stay organized for only a short period, creating a window of opportunity that must be used when it’s at its most optimal: This is the Quiet Eye period.

Unfortunately, the Quiet Eye is the first thing to go when under stress. It moves with the stroke. When you choke, the billion cells in your brain lose their effectiveness in solving the putt’s slope, curvature, distance, and location problems. Even hours of golf instruction sessions and practice focused on mechanics may not be able to save you when the pressure is on. On the other hand, developing proper mechanics builds confidence—another key element in putting. But confidence may not be as critical to putting accuracy as the Quiet Eye.

Developing the Quiet Eye
Routine Research shows that an average golfer using a pre-shot routine based on the Quiet Eye sinks more putts than when not using the routine—whether the routine is learned in golf lessons or self-taught. Visualization is a key element of this routine.

Focus on the hole
Once your putterhead is set behind the ball, pick a specific location on the hole where you want the ball to go, like a blade of grass or a small feature on the cup’s front lip.

“See” the ball go in
Look at this location for about two seconds. Visualize the ball going into the hole.

Scan from the hole to the ball
Smoothly shift your gaze without interruption from the target to the back of the ball. Your gaze should move efficiently and calmly.

Eye on the ball
Fixate on the back of the ball. Imagine just the right contact of the putterhead on the ball. Picture a line through this contact point to your spot on the hole.

Stay steady
Maintain a Quiet Eye on the one spot on the back of the ball from the backstroke through contact. Don’t peek! Take a look at your ball going in the hole only after putting.

The Quiet Eye may be an objective measure of “being in the Zone,” according to some experts. This idea of being in the Zone, or in the “flow,” as some athletes say, has been around for a long time. But until now, there has been little scientific evidence that the Zone exists—let alone can be measured. Developing the Quite Eye technique might not only help you access the zone when putting, it might also help you achieve better putting accuracy, knocking strokes off your golf handicap.

For more about the Quiet Eye, see the Quiet Eye Web site (http://quieteyesolutions.com) or the Web site of Dr. Joan Vickers (http://www.kin.ucalgary.ca/nml) , a leading researcher in this area.

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 handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

But did you know that there is one part of the golf swing that can REALLY RUIN your game if not done correctly? See, there’s one thing that can ROB your swing of precious distance and proper ball contact and it can be really frustrating trying to figure it out.

So, I’ve made a short five minute video that shows you exactly what this miscue is and how to avoid it.

Yes, this is part of our latest Seniors DVD but in fairness to those who are not seniors, this same concept and instruction applies so it would be beneficial to see this eye-opening video. It’s just that this issue is more prevalent in seniors but trust me, there are still a great majority of us who commit this mistake, regardless of age.

Make sure to watch the entire video because some of the best drills and explanations are toward the end.

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.

But match play is a highly popular format. Many golf leagues use it. Many tournaments do as well. So if you’ve never played this golf format, rest assured you probably will. Done right, match play is a lot of fun, especially if you’re on a team. It also provides some variety from stroke play. And it gives you a different perspective on your game. Obviously, you have to approach it differently than you do stroke play.

Below we describe five popular match play strategies. They’re time-tested strategies that work. Keep them in mind whenever you play match play.

Form A Game Plan
To win, you must form a game plan—and stick to it. This is a key golf tip on match play. Don’t let your opponent dictate play. Take control of it early and try to keep it throughout the match. Size up your opponent and the golf course. Disregard golf handicaps when doing this because they don’t mean much in match play. Then, decide how to play each hole based on your capabilities. In formulating your game plan, keep one thing in mind: pars win matches.

Apply Pressure Whenever You Can.
Among the keys to winning at match play is applying pressure. It can cause opponents to make mistakes or take bad swings. So apply pressure whenever you can. For example, if your opponent hits a good drive and you can afford to sacrifice a little distance, try to hit just short of him. That way you can apply pressure by hitting it close. This is an excellent strategy to employ on the closing holes. Making him/her press even a little bit in an effort to match your shots often results in a poor swings.

Control The Match’s Tempo
Controlling tempo is another way to apply pressure to your opponent. If he/she is hyper and fidgety and likes to play quickly, take the opposite approach. Play at a moderate speed, especially if you make a mistake, like skulling one out of a greenside bunker when your opponent is on the green. Take your time raking the bunker and walking to your ball. It allows you to simmer down and it gives him some time to think about his putt. Controlling tempo isn’t always easy. I know. I once had a student taking golf lessons that couldn’t sit still. It was all I could do to slow myself down when playing with him. Just be careful that you don’t unduly delay the game.

Control Your Opponent’s Putting
Putting is just as important in match play as it is in stroke play, if not more important. Concede short putts early but not late in the match. Don’t give your opponent the opportunity to practice any shot that might help him or her later on. This is an old golf tip that works. If your opponent isn’t used to putting short ones, it will be that much harder for them at crunch time.

Know When To Gamble
Know when to gamble and when not to. If you’re down 2 with 3 to play and your opponents plunks one a foot from the hole, it’s obviously no time to lay up. The trick is to recognize those times when it’s absolutely necessary to gamble, when gambling is worth the risk. As you play this format more, you’ll learn when these times occur. Keep them in mind. It may help you in the future.

Match play isn’t about you and the course in a quest for the lowest golf handicap you can achieve. It’s a contest about you against the golf course AND an opponent. That added element makes match play challenging and fun.

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 handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

1. Throw Away Those Bunker Problems
2. Five Equipment Tips From The Pros
3. Question of the Week – Making Captain Hook Walk The Plank
4. Article – Sink More Putts With The Quiet Eye
5. Article – Five Match Play Strategies That Work

Throw Away Those Bunker Problems

The biggest obstacle to getting out of bunkers isn’t always physical. Sometimes it’s psychological. Many golfers execute the mechanics of a bunker shot perfectly. But after a bad shot or two, they become too tentative with their swings. That, in turn, causes them to mis-hit the shot, which costs them strokes.

Below are six tips to keep in mind when hitting from a bunker:

• Open the clubface
• Form the grip
• Choke down on the club
• Open the stance
• Aim right of stance
• Dig a solid foundation

The mechanics of bunker shots are straightforward. Start by opening the clubface first and then gripping the club. This ensures that the clubface stays open throughout the swing. Many weekend golfers do the opposite.

Also, choke down on the club to improve control and compensate for digging your feet into the sand. Digging your feet in tells you how soft the sand is and how the club will react when it enters the sand. Digging your feet in also provides a solid foundation, so you won’t slip when swinging.

Open your stance by pointing your feet, hips, and shoulders left of the target line (right of the target line for left-handers). Aim the clubface right of your stance, placing it in line with the target. Then, swing away.

Here’s where weekend golfers often mess up. Afraid of mis-hitting the shot, they take a half-hearted swing and either skull the shot or hit it fat. To prevent this, imagine yourself picking up a handful of sand and then throwing it back over your shoulders at the finish.

Visualizing this commits you fully to the shot, improves the shape of your swing, and allows your sand wedge to glide evenly through the sand, splashing the ball out softly on the green.

Don’t let bunker shots intimidate you. Adjust your stance to the type of sand in the bunker. Then, commit fully to the shot using the sand-tossing image. You’ll get out in one every time.

Five Equipment Tips From The Pros

How important is confidence to your game? Most experts say it’s a critical to playing well. Usually, you can boost confidence by practicing. But sometimes you can boost confidence by finding a club that feels just right. Since that’s hard to do, you may be forced to tailor your existing clubs to improve feel.

Below are five equipment tips employed by the pros to improve feel:

1. Shrink the putter grip
2. Tip the club’s shaft
3. Change shafts completely
4. Counterbalance the club
5. Check the driver’s clubface

Good putting requires a good touch. That’s especially true on the Tour, where the greens are fast and slick. To enhance feel, the pros will often fit their putters with thinner grips. Better feel can only improve your putting, not harm it.

Tipping refers to how a shaft is cut before being placed in the club head. Most times, players who shorten their clubs cut from the grip’s end. But for extra stiffness and increased control, the pros cut their shafts from where it’s inserted into the clubhead.

Today, shaft options exist for nearly every kind of player. If you want to imitate the pros, change your shafts to high-performance ones. Better yet, get fitted for your clubs by a clubfitter.

Counterbalancing a club adds weight away from the clubhead. That shifts the club’s balance point more toward the shaft’s middle, providing a more balanced feel. Look for counterbalanced shafts when buying clubs. Or, add lead tape.

Tour players carry drivers with either square faces or faces that are a few degrees open. These types of faces help prevent big hooks. Consider making the change if hooking is a major problem. But be careful, they also produce a lower ballflight.

Making equipment changes won’t guarantee you’ll shoot par next time you play. But it can boost your confidence. And confidence is vital to playing well, so anything that boosts it is worth considering.

Question of the Week – Making Captain Hook Walk The Plank

Q. Hello Jack, I’ve been playing golf for two or so years and have been trying hard to apply as many golf tips (plenty from you!) to my game as I can. I very rarely slice the ball, but instead I hook/draw the ball too often without getting the ball in the air (mostly from the fairway).

Thanks
Mark Piper

A. Thanks for the question, Mark. Fixing a hook can be just as hard for some as correcting a slice is for others. To correct a hook, you must adjust your swing and then practice the new swing until it’s ingrained.

Basically, there are three ways to fix a hook:

Use a slicer’s grip
Hooking is sometimes due to excessive hand and wrist rotation through the downswing. So instead of hitting the ball with a squared clubface, you hit it with a closed one. If that’s why you hook, the cure is to adopt a slicer’s grip. At address, instead of having the two folds in your hands between both thumbs and index fingers pointing to the right shoulder (right-handers), point both folds more toward your sternum. The change prevents a too closed clubface at impact and encourages you to get more of your body into your swing.

Turn and burn
You may also be hooking because you fail to turn your body during your swing. When the body fails to turn, the clubface closes too fast, causing the ball to hook. To cure this problem, speed up your turn to the target. Increasing your body’s rate of rotation delays the closing of the clubface, eliminating the hook.

Equipment Changes
A third way to fix a hook is to through equipment changes. You could fatten your grips, making it more difficult for you to over-rotate your hands and hook the ball. Or, you might try shortening the shafts on your club. The shorter shafts make you stand a little more upright. You may lose some distance by doing this, but it’s better being on the fairway short than out of bounds long.
Any of these three approaches will correct your hook. The trick is discovering which one works for you. When you do, practice until it becomes second nature.

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

To view this newsletter online, please visit:
http://www.howtobreak80.com/newsletter10212009.php

Here are some of my recent articles:

Article- Sink More Putts With The Quiet Eye

Article - Five Match Play Strategies That Work

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.

The first step in fixing your game is determining problem areas. Once you’ve done that, you can develop a game plan designed to abolish swing flaws. Lastly, you must work on ingraining technique. Determining your problem areas does you no good if you don’t correct them. Below are some areas of your game to examine when things go bust. We’ve also provided some golf tips to help streamline practices.

Ups and Downs
When you miss greens, you must be prepared to play different shots. The only thing you should think about after missing a green is making par. Scrambling up and down trims strokes from your golf handicap. When facing a chip shot, think in terms of two techniques—hitting the ball with a closed clubface or an opened clubface. Use your closed clubface when you want to run the ball or hit from hardpan. Use your open clubface when close to the pin or from long rough.

Also, use the club’s leading edge, not the toe, to determine the club’s true angle. At practice, spread balls at various spots off the green and then chip them on the green. Experiment with different shots to get the feel of each. While taking golf lessons and reading golf tips in magazines are also good ways to improve your chipping, the best way is to practice chipping as much as possible. The best chippers are self-taught.

Rough Escapes
Shots that miss the green often find the rough. Previously, players used the sand wedge from the rough. Today, players have the 60-degree wedge. They need to use their imaginations a lot less. The key for playing from the rough with the 60-degree wedge is follow-through. Good rough players complete their follow-through. Poor rough players don’t. Don’t get so concerned about getting out of the thick stuff that you stop at contact. Also, try to prevent your right-hand (left-hand for lefties) over the other hand. Keep the clubface open and you’ll get more height on your shots.

Lag Putting
Lag putting is all about pace. Golf tips in sports magazines agree. To lag put well, read the green before getting to it. You want to see the fall of the ground before you reach the hole. Also, after determining your line, make a few practice strokes while looking at the pin. When you look at the target, it sends signals to your brain to move your arms and shoulders the correct speed to putt the ball the right distance. This doesn’t happen when taking practice strokes with your head down.

Putting
Some say that the key to putting is maintaining the triangle formed by your forearms and hands during your stroke. Others say that it’s confidence. More than likely it’s a combination of the two. By keeping the keeping the triangle intact, you eliminate al wrist action, which can kill a putt—short or long. Instead, power your stroke with the muscles in your shoulders. If your wrists push the putter past your hands, you won’t be able to control distance putts. Practice with a metronome for rhythm. Or try putting with your eyes closed. It forces you to visualize the stroke and helps feel and speed.

Hopefully, these two articles give you a game plan to implement when things go bust. And trust they will. Like the pros, you’ll experience a rough patch when it comes time to playing. But if you stop to fix your game, you’ll never go bust. Pre-empting major problems before you ingrain bad habits keeps your golf handicap low.

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 handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

The caddy chatted about a number of things, like the changes he saw during his time on the bags, such as the introduction of metal shafts and metal clubheads on drivers. The best part of his article, though, was his take on what he thought was the difference between weekend golfers and professional golfers. Below are some of the golf tips he thought would help weekend players trim strokes from their golf handicaps.

Play To Your Strengths
Playing good golf isn’t about shaping shots. It’s about shaping shots to your strength. Many players with high golf handicaps don’t play this way. Instead, they let the course dictate their shots. In other words, they hit without thinking. Then play whatever lie they get—uphill, downhill, etc.. But smart golfers control their shots. They look for targets that favor their strengths—even if they’re adept at working the ball. In most cases they stick with what comes naturally—no matter where the pin is on the green. Play to your strengths and you’ll cut strokes off your golf handicap.

Stick With Your Routines
Pre-shot routines are the key to consistency. Players like Justin Leonard and Jim Furyk are known for their pre-shot routines. But fans don’t realize the amount of pressure professional golfers face. To achieve consistency under great pressure, pro golfers use a routine for each shot. This systematic approach ensures that the golfer is in the right frame of mind to hit a shot. More importantly, it ensures proper setup, which, in turn, dictates proper positioning of the body. Develop a routine you’re comfortable with. And remember to set the club first before the body.

Keep A Solid Forward Leg
Not keeping a solid forward leg is among the most common errors instructors see in golf lessons. Watch the pros on TV—men or women—and you’ll notice that that they all keep a solid forward leg. They have to if they want to generate the kind of shots they need to compete on the tour. A solid forward leg helps you swing along your body, not around it. Keep the knees flexed, but the forward leg solid. You’ll see both your ballstriking and shotmaking greatly improve.

Move On
Golf is as much mental as it is physical—maybe more. One of the keys to conquering the mental side of golf is not letting bad shots get to you. That’s why it’s important to acknowledge—and accept—that you will occasionally hit a bad shot. Nobody hits perfect shots every time, not even Tiger Woods. And sometimes, luck works against you. It’s okay to get a little angry now and then, but don’t let that anger get to you. And don’t dwell on it. Let it go. Move on. There’s nothing you can do about the bad shot anyways. It’s done. Focus on the next shot. Remember, winning is a positive state of mind.

Use Shadowing Putting
Professional golfers are all great putters. When they err, it usually isn’t mechanical. It’s things like keeping their eyes on the putter head or poor rhythm. To combat this, the pros use a simple drill, called shadow putting. When it’s your turn to putt, turn your back to the sun so it casts a shadow in front of you. While watching your shadow, make a few practice strokes. Imagine you’re swinging to the beat of a metronome. Once you have your rhythm, move to the putt. In golf instruction sessions, instructors tell people to back off the putt if they feel their rhythm is off. Then take a few practice strokes emulating the metronome all the while. That’s good advice.

One other golf tip from the caddy is to perfect your posture. Good posture leads to proper weight shift and a more fluid release through the ball. Weekend golfers often over look good posture as a key fundamental, as they do the other fundamentals in this article. But my thinking is: if a fundamental is important enough for the pros, it’s important enough for myself and players trying to whittle down their golf handicaps.

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 handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

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.

1. Reading Break From Off The Green
2. Achieving A Good Swing Plane
3. Question of the Week – Hitting From a Bare Lie
4. Article – Five Golf Tips From An Old Caddy
5. Article – Fixing Your Game When Things Go Bust (Part II)

Reading Break From Off The Green

Playing from the fringe is trickier than it looks. Unfortunately, some weekend golfers take this shot for granted. Smart players don’t. They approach the shot with the idea not of sinking the shot, but of just getting it close. But dropping one in from off the fringe every so often saves strokes and boosts confidence.

Below are three golf tips for playing the fringe:

1. Play the same amount of break
2. Hitting a low running shot
3. Hitting a high shot onto the green

Next time you’re on the fringe, remember these three scenarios:

* If you’re putting from the fringe (or hitting a low or high shot) that’s going to land on the fringe, play the same amount of break as you would for a putt. Be sure to take into account the direction of the fringe’s grass. If the grass is dark, the grain is against you. It will slow down your ball. If the fringe is shiny, the grain is with you. It will speed up the ball.

* If you’re hitting a low running shot with a low lofted club, a fairway wood, or a hybrid, the amount of break depends on the slope of your landing area. Low shots hit with these clubs travel faster than those hit with wedges. Thus, the slope in the line will affect your ball less, at least until the ball slows down as it approaches the hole.

* If you’re hitting a high shot onto the green with a short iron or wedge, keep in mind that shots with these clubs travel slower than those hit with less lofted irons. That means they’ll be more affected by the slope in the line.

Don’t take the shot from the fringe for granted. Study the break carefully and put a good shot on it. Sinking one from the fringe saves you at least one stroke and sometimes two. It also boosts your confidence.

Achieving A Good Swing Plane

Some experts consider swing plane the most important concept in golf. Others disagree. But one thing is clear: achieving the correct swing plane is critical to solid ballstriking. Staying on plane in golf relates directly to how straight, high, and far you hit the ball.

Below are five keys to a great swing plane:

1. Rotate your upper body against steady hips
2. Retain the triangle formed at takeaway
3. Keep the hands parallel to the target line
4. Maintain the bend in your knees
5. Don’t move the club behind you

To envision a perfect swing plane, imagine a dotted line drawn from the ball through the club shaft and grip. This is your swing plane line. The club should remain on this dotted line on the same plane angle through takeaway until the club shaft is parallel to the ground. From there, the club may move slightly off plane as you complete your backswing. This is natural.

At the top, the transition from backswing to downswing drops the club back on the dotted line so the club approaches the ball on the same plane as before. The rotation of your forearms through impact keeps the club on line well into the finish. While the bend in your knees formed at address creates a solid platform to support your return. Don’t allow the club to get behind you or under the swing plane during your backswing.

Swing Plane Drill:
Grip down on the shaft of a short iron so that the club’s butt end almost touches your belly. As you swing back, maintain the triangle formed by your hands and forearms by keeping the butt end of the club pointing at your belly until the head is just outside your back foot. As you start our downswing the drop your arms so the butt end of the club points away from your belly. This is the correct delivery position.

Do this drill correctly and your clubface will remain square and on plane. As a secondary check make sure the club head lies outside the hands and your top arm sits above your bottom arm.

No one has a perfect swing plane. But good ballstrikers keep the club on plane throughout the key parts of the takeaway and follow-through.

Question of the Week – Hitting From a Bare Lie

Q. Hello Jack, Thank you for all your advice. What are you supposed to do when you’re 50 yards from the pin on a bare lie? I find sand wedge has so much risk (topping/thinning etc.) that it’s just too much trouble. Yet, you’re too far out for a putt/chip. It looks like a sitter at that range — but it seldom is.

Best regards,
Tony

A. Hitting from a bare with a sand wedge is risky. It’s an easy shot to botch, since the ground is less forgiving than the grass. So you want to be as conservative as possible with the shot.

To avoid a mis-hit, use a 9-iron instead of a sand wedge. A 9-iron has a sharp leading edge, which cuts through the back of the ball, but offers less risk than the sand wedge. Also, use more of a chopping motion when you swing. Aim for the lower half of the ball when you swing. You want to hit the ball cleanly off the ground.

Otherwise, you don’t need to make many other adjustments. Take your normal stance, put your weight on the front foot, position the ball toward the back of your stance, and place your hands in front of the ball.

You must practice the shot to perfect it. Pick a spot about 50 yards from the green with a hardpan lie. Take the setup described above except with no ball. Practice by sticking the club in the ground using an up-and-down motion, instead of a back-and-forth one. After taking several practice swings, drop a ball on the hardpan and hit away using the same motion.

Repeat this sequence until you hit clean shots regularly. Don’t worry about distance or accuracy in the beginning. It will come as you master the shot.

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 – Five Golf Tips From An Old Caddy

Article - Fixing Your Game When Things Go Bust (Part II)

Until next time,

Go Low!

Jack

P.S. Feel free to share this newsletter with family and friends. If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter, go to http://www.howtobreak80.com/newsletter.htm

About the Author

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80 and Shoot Like the Pros!”. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicaps quickly. His free weekly newsletter goes out to thousands of golfers worldwide and provides the latest golf tips, strategies, techniques and instruction on how to improve your golf game.

In addition to sharpening your green-reading skills, you also need to develop a green- reading routine. Developing one helps improve your putting. It not only provides a systematic way to putt, it also relaxes you, and it prepares you physically and psychologically to putt, which helps sink more putts. This in turn boosts your confidence. And confidence—as I’ve said in my golf lessons and golf tips—is the key to lights out putting.

Below is a green-reading routine I use in my golf instruction sessions. It gives you an idea of what a good routine looks like so you can develop your own.

Approaching the Green
Getting the big picture helps when putting. Take a mental inventory of the green as you approach it. Note its general shape. Also, note which way it slopes. Is it sloping away from your ball or toward it? Does it fall off to one side? The green’s larger features impact your putts more than the smaller breaks, so get a good look at these as you approach the green.

Calculate Distance
Most golfers take only general assessment of distance before putting. Accurately assessing distance is as critical to good putting as judging the break correctly. Pace the distance from the ball to the hole, just as you would if you were in the fairway. In general, figure one inch of backswing for every foot of green.

Determine Speed
In addition to calculating distance, you also must determine the putt’s speed. Always look up slope to get an accurate idea of the elevation. As the elevation for your putt changes, so does your target. For an uphill putt, hit the ball with enough speed to go a few feet beyond the hole. For a downhill putt, hit the ball with enough speed to stop a foot or two in front of the hole.

Judge the Break
Since few greens are perfectly flat, odds are your putt breaks. Try squatting behind the ball to gauge the high and low side of the break. Look from your ball to the hole. After determining the break, walk over to the low side and look at it. Looking at the break from the low side offers a better picture of the slope than looking from the high side. The closer the break is to the hole the more impact, since the ball slows down as it gets to the cup.

Put It All Together
Having determined distance, speed, and break, you now must put it all together. You must create an accurate picture of the ball rolling to and falling into the hole. Keep these rules of thumb in mind:

• Putts breaking left to right enter the hole left of center.
• Putts breaking right to left enter the hole right of center.
• Downhill putts break more because you hit them softer at the start.
• Uphill putts break less because you hit them harder at the start

Putts from the fringe need special attention. How the break affects your ball with putts and chips depends on how long the ball spends in the air. The longer your ball stays in the air, the less your ball breaks.

Sinking more putts, as I’ve said in my golf tips and golf articles, is the fastest way to chop strokes off your golf handicap. Among the keys to sinking more putts is improving your ability to accurately reading greens. Accurate green reading helps you determine a putt’s speed, distance, and break. Make sure you spend time developing this skill whenever you visit the practice green. It’s worth the time and effort.

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 handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

]]> http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog/2009/10/07/using-a-green-reading-routine-improves-putting/feed/ 2 http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog/2009/10/05/golf-tips-from-a-swing-machine/ http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog/2009/10/05/golf-tips-from-a-swing-machine/#comments Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:00:25 +0000 jack http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog/?p=671 You might not think that a swing machine invented to test shafts could also help lower golf handicaps. But it can. You just need to study it. Called Iron Byron, this machine was developed by a leading research facility for a shaft manufacturer more than 40 years ago. Iron Byron has the world’s only perfect swing—one with power, accuracy, and control. It’s a swing that every golfer strives for when he or she goes to the range. Let’s see what golf tips we can glean from the machine’s swing that can help you transform your swing.

But first, here’s a little history of Iron Bryon’s birth. It all began in 1963. Gurdon Leslie, vice president of True Temper, asked Battle Memorial Institute, an Ohio research and development facility, to build a machine to test his company’s shafts. In response, Battle engineered Iron Byron, which copied the swing of the legendary Byron Nelson. Why him—because even at 50, he hit shots with machine-like consistency when tested by George Manning, the project’s head engineer. Today, there are more than 40 Iron Byron machines installed worldwide.

Three Key Elements
While the machine’s key purpose is to test golf equipment, its can also be used to illustrate swing’s critical features. While you might think the machine’s design is rather complex, it’s actually quite simple conceptually. It contains three key elements that all good golf swings—human or machine—have:

1. Circular Body Rotation
2. Unrestricted Hinge
3. Constant Forward Tilt

All three elements are critical. If you “disrupt” one or more during a swing and it breaks down, causing you to mis-hit. Do this often enough and you’ll add strokes to your scores and golf handicap.

Iron Byron’s power source is its drive cylinder. Attached to it is a rigid metal arm holding a golf club. A pneumatic motor drives the arm. It has no power of its own. It needs the motor to work properly. What implications does this design have for your golf swing? The rigid metal arm resembles your arms during a swing. They should remain powerless and still until you coil or uncoil. Your legs and hips, on the other hand, act like the machine’s motor. They drive your torso. If you want drive the ball farther, you must use your “pneumatic motor” (legs and hips) to rotate your torso faster, not your arms.

An Unrestricted Hinge
The metal arm has a sleeve that grips a club. The sleeve attaches to the arm by an unrestricted hinge. It enables the club to hinge fully at the top of the swing, unhinge at impact, and re-hinge during follow-through. If rust occurs, it restricts the hinge’s movements. Tension in your wrists is like rust on the hinge. It “builds” in your wrist the harder you try to hit the ball with your arms. This slows down the unhinging process. Eliminate the tension from your arms and wrists and you’ll unhinge faster and keep the clubface square at impact.

The third key element of Iron Byron’s golf swing is forward tilt. The machine is mounted at an angle, enabling the club to reach the ball. Once the machine is set on this angle, it never raises its drive cylinder or lowers it during the swing. Your torso is your “drive cylinder.” When you bend from the waist to assume the step up position, you set your body’s spine on an angle. Just like the machine, you have to maintain this spine angle throughout the swing. This maximizes your chances to find the ball’s sweet spot.

This article contains a brief overview of Iron Byron’s mechanics and how they compare to a human’s golf swing. If you want a more in-depth golf lesson-type analysis, you can go to www.swingmachinegolf.com. There you’ll find a book written by Paul Wilson, a veteran teaching professional. Titled Swing Machine Golf—The Fastest Way To A Consistent Swing, the book shows you how you can become a human swing machine and improve your power, accuracy, and control. Accomplish that and you’ll trim strokes from your golf handicap.

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 handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

]]> http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog/2009/10/05/golf-tips-from-a-swing-machine/feed/ 13 http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog/2009/10/01/the-man-behind-the-400-yard-drive-nyle-pruitt/ http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog/2009/10/01/the-man-behind-the-400-yard-drive-nyle-pruitt/#comments Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:52:28 +0000 jack http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog/?p=664 Huge drives. We all want them but sadly most of us have no clue how to do it.

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

]]> http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog/2009/10/01/the-man-behind-the-400-yard-drive-nyle-pruitt/feed/ 3 http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog/2009/09/30/666/ http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog/2009/09/30/666/#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:15:34 +0000 jack http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog/?p=666 In this issue we’ll discuss…
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.

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