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How To Break 80 Newsletter
February 11, 2009
"The Web's Most Popular Golf Improvement
Newsletter"
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In this issue we'll discuss...
1) Don't Hang Back On Uphill Par 3s
2) Downhill Lie To An Uphill Green
3) Question of the Week - Choosing The Correct Ball Position
4) Article -
Is Your Course Overtreed?
5) Article - Chipping It Close
Jack's Note: Did you guys see my fr*ee video on getting and keeping your swing on plane? It’s part of 90 minute DVD I just released called Swing Plane and in it we reveal one of the simplest yet most misunderstood parts of swinging the golf club. Next week I’ll send out another video for you too see more about swing plane and how you can improve your game with.
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1) Don't Hang Back On Uphill Par 3s
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Uphill par 3s can be tricky. If you don't play them right, they can cost you strokes. A good example of what I'm talking about is an uphill par 3 at a local course near where I live. It really throws some weekend golfers, costing them dearly. In struggling to hit the ball high, they often slice it to the side. Then they must make a recovery shot to save par.
Here are five keys to hitting this shot
* Choose the right club
* Take a normal stance
* Take some practice swings
* Visualize the shot
* Transfer weight properly
The key to making this shot is transferring your weight correctly. Weekend golfers often hang back on their back foot to give the shot loft—the opposite of what they should be doing. By hanging back, they swing up on the ball too much. The front shoulder thrusts up and the clubface stays open, producing a push.
Instead, shift your weight onto the back foot during the backswing. Then shift it forward to your front heel at impact. This move levels out your shoulders during the swing, squares up the clubface at impact, and generates the loft you need to hit the ball high and drop it on the green.
Also, choose your club carefully. Too much club sends you beyond the green. Too little club lands you short of the green. Try different clubs to see which one works best. Visualize the shot before hitting it. And take a few practice swings to rehearse your weight transfer.
Uphill par 3s can be tricky. They can also cost you strokes and a chance to make par. But if you shift your weight properly, you'll hit the green and stick.
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2) Downhill Lie To An Uphill Green
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Is there a harder shot in golf than a downhill lie to an elevated green? If there is, it's a well-kept secret. Even PGA pros dread this shot. The problem is the lie. It works against getting the ball in the air. But you can make this shot. Just resign yourself to taking what the shot gives you and don't try to do too much.
Below are five tips on making this shot:
* Use enough club to make up for the slope
* Take a normal pitching stance
* Align your shoulders with the slope
* Let your weight fall on your front foot
* Keep the clubface open at impact
You must accept the lower trajectory the slope gives you. Start by choosing the right club. Make sure it's enough to make up for the slope—even if it means coming up short on the shot.
Next, take a normal pitching stance. Align your shoulders with the slope, just as you would with any downhill lie. And let your weight fall naturally on your front foot. The tendency is to place your weight on your back foot. But that leads to hitting it fat.
The slope accelerates your body turn and holds the clubface open at impact, producing a fade. Go with it. It's much easier to hit and control than a draw in this situation. It's more likely to hold the green. And it's easier to get in the air.
Sometimes in golf you have to take what the lie gives you. This is one of those times. Fighting what this lie gives you can lead to disaster. If you're not careful, you could end up with a double or triple bogey. That's the last thing you want.
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3) Question of the Week - Choosing The Correct Ball Position
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Q. Hi Jack, A relatively new golfer (3 years averaging 36 holes weekly), I have improved from the upper 140s to the mid 80s thanks in large part to your newsletter.
I do have a question, though. There seems to be a consensus that you should center the ball in the middle of your stance on the short irons and move it forward fore the longer clubs. Impact should be just before the lowest part of your swing. Why? What does your body do to compensate for the different ball positions?
Thanks for your time and the many, many good articles
Your e-friend
Gary
A. Thanks for the compliments, Gary. You're right about the consensus. Most golfers change ball position based on the club. For example, they place the ball just inside the heel of their front foot when hitting a driver. But they place the ball towards the middle when hitting a 7-iron.
Ball positioning encourages meeting the ball at the correct attack angle. Moving the ball forward when hitting a driver ensures that the clubhead meets the ball on an upward angle—the perfect position for this club. Moving it back when hitting the 7-iron ensures that the clubhead meets the ball on a downward angle—the perfect position for this club.
Ball positioning also impacts swing path. If the ball is too far back for a right-handed golfer, the clubhead moves on an in-to-out swing path, sending it to the target’s right. If the ball is too far forward, the clubhead moves on an out-to-in swing path, sending the ball to the target's left. (Vice versa for a lefty).
But hold that thought. Jack Nicklaus, perhaps the greatest golfer ever, says there is only one correct ball position—just inside the heel of your front foot. He used the same ball position regardless of the club. If you're not sure which approach to use, try both. Use whichever way works best for you.
If you've got a golf question you'd like answered, send an email to us at questions@howtobreak80.com and we'll review it. I can't guarantee that we'll use it but if we do, we'll make sure to include your name and where you're from
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If you want to truly discover the secrets of shooting like the Pros and creating a more reliable and consistent swing, check out: http://www.HowToBreak80.com
Also, for past issues of this newsletter and some of my most recent articles, visit our blog at www.HowToBreak80.com/blog
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About the Author
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Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book "How To Break 80 and Shoot Like the Pros!". He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicaps quickly. His free weekly newsletter goes out to thousands of golfers worldwide and provides the latest golf tips, strategies, techniques and instruction on how to improve your golf game.
