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How To Break 80 Newsletter
October 11, 2006
"The Web's Most Popular Golf Improvement Newsletter"
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In this issue we'll discuss...
1) Using a Long Putter
2)
The
Low Line Drive: A Different Approach
3) Question of the Week
-Hitting
a Hybrid
4) Article -Four Simple
Exercises To Improve Distance and Accuracy
5) Article -Stan Utley's Simplified Chipping and Putting Methods
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1)
Using a Long Putter===================================================
If you’re dissatisfied with your putting,
consider a long putter. Used by golfers to cure the yips and other
putting problems, the long putter is a proven alternative to the
traditional club. Putting with a long putter is considered better by
some because it provides more consistency from stroke to stroke since it
uses the larger, easier-to-control muscles and has fewer moving parts to
coordinate.
The secret to success with a long putter
is the set-up. Below are five keys to a proper long-putter set-up (for
right-handers).
-Stabilize the top of the putter
-Have the right palm face the target
-Make sure the clubshaft forms a
straight line
-Align shoulders and lead arm
-Keep the putter shaft vertical at address
After addressing the ball, stabilize the
putter’s top by pressing your left hand lightly against your breastbone.
Keep a light hold on the putter’s grip and avoid creating tension in the
hands or arms.
Next, make sure the right hand palm faces the target line. You may slide
the handle between the fingers or set your forefinger down the side of
the grip, allowing you to feel what the putter is doing.
Once you’ve squared away your grip, form a straight line with the putter
by aligning your shoulders and lead arm parallel to the target line, and
setting up to the ball so the putter shaft is vertical at address.
During the stroke, your lower body and trunk remains still, ensuring
consistent center to center contact, while the right shoulder moves in
unison with the right arm. You should feel as if your right palm is
rolling the ball toward your target. Finish smoothly.
If you’re serious about changing how you putt, consider the long putter.
It’s a viable option to traditional putting and a cure for putting
problems like the yips. Just keep in mind that your set-up is the secret
to putting well with this club.
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2) The Low Line Drive: A
Different Approach
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The low line
drive is a highly versatile shot. It helps you control the ball in a
heavy wind, reach a back pin position, or find a hole cut on top of a
two-tiered green. But it’s not an easy shot to make. Fortunately,
there’s another approach to hitting this shot that simplifies the
process.
To hit a low line
drive, most players play the ball back in their stance, press their
hands forward, lean left (for right-handers), and “punch” the ball with
a three-quarter swing. If performed correctly, this shot drives the ball
forward on a low trajectory and provides the distance you need.
Unfortunately, this approach carries hidden dangers. Moving the ball too
far back in your stance forces you to point the clubface/shoulders right
of target, opens up the possibility of hitting a shank, and causes you
to lunge at the ball from the top of your swing. If you fail to punch
the ball correctly, you risk increasing backspin and trajectory.
Here are 5 steps to a different approach:
-Assess the situation
-Go down two clubs
-Grip down on the
grip
-Take normal set-up
and swing
-Aim for a low
trajectory
First, assess the situation carefully. Decide if you really need to hit
a low line drive. If you do, go down two clubs more than the distance
requires and grip down on the club just above the shaft. If the
situation requires a 9-iron but conditions are really windy or the pin
is in a back position, for example, drop down to a 7-iron and choke down
on the club to just above the shaft. Now take your normal set-up and
swing.
These two adjustments give you the distance you want without the loft.
Choking down on the club shortens the swing arc, reducing clubhead
speed. As a result, the 7-iron shot flies the same distance as the
9-iron but without the trajectory.
If the trajectory is too low for the shot, drop down a club and slide
your hands halfway down the grip, then take your normal swing. Dropping
down to an 8-iron lengthens your swing arc, boosts clubhead speed, and
increases trajectory.
Practice this shot the next time you’re on the range and see how it
feels. Then try it a few times on the course. Choose whichever approach
works best for you.
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3) Question of the Week
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From
Kamal
Hitting a Hybrid
Q. Hi, Jack, I am working on hitting my hybrid woods when on the
fairway. I have heard it is really beneficial to use them on
the fairway, but I’m not consistent enough with them to be
of any real help. When is the best time to use them? What’s
the right posture and stance? Thanks for your help.
A. Thanks for the questions. Designed to replace your long
irons, the hybrid is like a cross between an iron and a
wood. It’s easier to hit than a fairway wood or a long iron
and has a loft from 16 degrees to 25. It also has a low
center-of-gravity, a slightly smaller head, and a lower
profile. The hybrid is practically a “universal” club. Use
it off the tee, from all lies in the fairway and rough, in
fairway bunkers, and near the green, for pitch-and-run
shots. Use a normal posture and stance but make these
adjustments:
Off the
tee:
Tee the
ball very low. Position it near the center of your stance
but towards the target. Use a smooth tempo, with a full
swing. Complete the follow-through.
In the
fairway:
Position
the ball closer to the center of your stance. Swing the
club down and through the ball. Hit the ball first, then
take a small divot.
From a
fairway bunker:
Assuming
a good lie, position the ball in the center of your stance
and dig your feet into the sand. Use a shorter swing and
sweep the ball off the ground. Complete the follow-through.
From the
rough:
Position
the ball in the center of your stance. Use a 3/4 back swing,
with a full follow through and a smooth tempo. Accelerate
the downswing through the ball.
In front
of the green:
Pitch and
run shots as you normally would.
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
P.S. Feel free to share this newsletter with
family and friends. If you would like to subscribe to this
newsletter, send a blank email
to
break80ezine@aweber.com
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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
award-winning 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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