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How To Break 80 Newsletter
November 5, 2008
"The Web's Most Popular Golf Improvement
Newsletter"
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In this issue we'll discuss...
1) Hitting A Power Fade
2) Chipping With A 3-Wood
3) Question of the Week - Hitting it Fat
4) Article -
Pre-Swing Fundamentals Reduce Golf Handicaps
5) Article -
Seven Habits of Highly Effective Golfers
Jack's Note: Make sure to check out this week’s feature article on the successful habits of low handicappers. Next time you play with a guy or gal like that take notice to see if they follow these habits.
Also, as expected, a lot of you have snatched up the latest shipment of our best-selling Perfect Impact DVD. If you’re struggling with you irons, then this one’s for you.
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1) Hitting A Power Fade
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The power fade is a stroke-saving, left-to-right shot (for right-handers) you hit on purpose. It's not a slice, though it may look like one. It's an intentionally curved shot ideal for holes that turn sharply right or when most of the trouble is on the left. A great go-to shot off the tee, a power fade is easier to hit than a dead straight shot or a draw.
Below are six tips on hitting a power fade:
* Tee the ball on the right
* Pick a spot on the left
* Align your stance to the spot
* Position the ball forward
* Aim for the outside quadrant
* Swing easy and don't try to kill it.
Start by teeing the ball on the right side of the box, which gives you more room to play your ball to the right. Now, pick a spot between the rough and the fairway on the left and align your stance to it. That's the line you want your shot to travel before it begins to turn.
Next, tee the ball about a ball forward of where you normally position it. Tee it up low so that the ball's equator and the club's sweet spot line up. A lower tee encourages you to swing level through impact and guards against hitting a hooking. Also, rotate your club open a few degrees.
Take a normal swing. Aim for the outside quadrant of the ball. Striking the ball on the outside quadrant increases the chances of the ball fading. Take a nice easy swing and don't try to kill it. The faster you swing the club, the easier it is for you to turn your hands over and hook it.
The power fade is a relatively easy shot to hit. Jack Nicklaus' favorite shot off the tee, it's great to use on the first few holes you play, especially if you haven't had time to warm up.
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2) Chipping With A 3-Wood
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The last thing you need with a chip shot is leaving it short. Ideally, you want to get the ball close to the hole or sink it, if you're lucky enough. Getting it close or sinking it isn't so easy on long chip shots. That's when knowing how to chip with a 3-wood comes in handy. It's ideal for chips where you want to add more heft and loft to a shot than an iron can give you, and still get the ball close.
Consider using a 3-wood in the following four situations:
* The ball rests on hard, firm dry ground and short grass
* The green is above the ball and you have to chip up
* No bunkers or really long patches of grass block your way
* You have an opening to the green over which to roll the ball
Chipping with a 3-wood propels the ball lower on the ground than an iron, but it gives the ball a more immediate hop than a putter, which has 4 to 5 degrees of loft or less. The 3-wood's head provides more force when it strikes the ball, making the ball go farther with less effort, enhancing your touch on short grass. Naturally, you have to temper your swing a bit.
The only disadvantage of using a 3-wood to chip is that you need to stand farther away from the target line because of the club's longer shaft. To compensate, stand behind the ball before taking the shot and carefully line it up. Otherwise, use the 3-wood to chip in the same way you use an iron.
Chipping with the 3-wood is tricky, so you need to practice it to get comfortable with it before you can use it effectively. Nevertheless, it comes in handy at times, and when used in the right situations, helps you cut strokes from your scores.
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3) Question of the Week - Hitting it Fat
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Q. Hi Jack, I am a 12 handicap and have been improving since I bought your book. I am really working on my short game and am starting to get results. My biggest problem right now is the scoring zone, from 115 yards and in. It's getting to the point where I'm starting to lay back a little more so I don't have to use my a wedge. Every time I use it, I hit it fat and take a huge chunk of dirt. Do you have any suggestions?
Thank you,
Brian Rypien
A. Thanks for the question, Brian. Hitting the ball fat stems from using an excessively V-shaped swing. The swing fault has several causes:
* Standing up to see the ball through impact
* A tight lie
* A rushed backswing
* Trying to lift or scoop the ball, or
* A combination of these faults.
Have someone watch you hit. He or she may be able to help you pinpoint which fault or faults you have. Then you can work on correcting it.
Also, check your ball position. When hitting an iron, you want to strike the ball with a descending blow. To do so, you must hit the ball just before the arc's lowest point. Therefore, you need to position the ball back a little in your stance.
And make sure you're not trying to scoop the ball out of the lie to get it air born. Golfers some times do this unknowingly. If you strike the ball properly, the club’s loft will send the ball skyward.
Here's a drill that eliminates fat shots. It teaches you to hit the ball at the right impact point:
Take your normal stance with a wedge. Then ground the club. Draw a line at that spot. Now try creating a shallow divot just past where you ground the iron. Make a complete swing. Concentrate on slowing your backswing down, making a smooth transition, and maintaining tempo. After several swings, drop a ball and hit. Repeat the drill.
Practice this drill often. When you do, visualize yourself taking a U-shaped swing. Together, the drill and the visualization technique will help you eliminate fats shots, saving you strokes.
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.
