We recently shot some video on generating power and distance and I’m going to be sharing them with you right now.

I’ve got a great video for you today and it’s sure to open your eyes.

Steve Soule, PGA Professional will demonstrate one of the biggest swing myths in golf instruction today.

We all want more distance right? Well you can’t hit it far if you commit this power-killer mistake.

In order to generate good clubhead speed you have to know what creates that speed and how to execute it.

But don’t listen to the golf commentators on TV because they’ve got it all wrong. In fact, they’re misleading the average golfer when they talk about this one thing and it actually hurts most of our games as a result.

Enjoy folks!

Let me know what you think of the video.

Go Low-

Jack

By Jack Moorehouse

Tournament officials at the State Farm Classic disqualified Michelle Wie recently for failing to sign her scorecard. This wasn’t Wie’s first disqualification from an LPGA tournament. Tournament officials also disqualified her for taking a bad drop at the Samsung World Championship in 2005—her first event as a professional. Her drop landed the ball 12 to 15 inches closer to the hole. Neither of Wie’s violations was intentional. But they did violate the rules.

Some rules of golf may seem pretty harsh to the average weekend player. But they’re well thought out. They prevent players from gaining an unfair advantage on another golfer. Other “rules” of golf that players should follow are more courtesy than anything else. Golf’s rules of etiquette aren’t always covered in golf lessons and golf tips, but they make the game more enjoyable and should be adhered to as well. Below are some of the more common ones that all players should follow regardless of their golf handicaps.

Play Ready Golf
In tournament play the player whose ball is farthest from the hole generally plays first, followed by the player whose ball is second farthest from the hole, and so on, until everyone has holed out. In causal play, play ready golf instead. That means hit when ready, even if you aren’t away, until you reach the green. That speeds up play. Also, be prepared to hit when it’s your turn on the tee. And don’t spend more than 5 minutes looking for a ball. The idea is get around the course as quickly as possible without hurrying. Evaluate your play honestly and often. If you’re slow, speed up.

Repair Divots
This should really read, “Repair the ground you play on.” Many weekend golfers fail to repair the course out of laziness. Others simply don’t care. But making repairs only takes a minute or two and it helps keep the course in good shape. Carry a penknife or a divot tool to repair ball marks on the green. Replace divots when you can or use the seed mix packed on the side of your cart. And rake bunkers after hitting from them. Make the bunker as smooth as you can and don’t leave furrows after raking. Ask yourself if you would want to play from the bunker. If not, then go back to work.

Be Respectful On The Green
There’s nothing worse than someone talking or making a loud noise in the middle of your putt. Stand quiet and still from the moment a player sets herself until the ball has left the club. Then you can do all the talking and moving you want. If a player is putting, don’t stand in his field of vision practicing your swing. Never, and I mean never, walk in someone’s line of play on the green, even if you are wearing spikeless shoes. And never stand in a player’s line of play either behind the player or beyond the hole. Note where every ball is on the green, and then stay clear of everybody’s line.

Turn Off Cell Phones
Many people carry cell phones on a course for good reasons. But if you have to carry a cell phone, turn it off when playing. No one wants to hear one ring in the middle of one’s backswing, especially on the tee or the green. If you’re waiting for an important call, you can always check the phone between shots. If you have to return a call, keep your voice down and step off to one side. Also, make the conversation as brief as possible.

Observe Cart Etiquette
Carts are an integral part of today’s game. But they can damage a course. So observe good “cart etiquette” when playing. Ideally, your goal is to leave no trace of having driven a cart over the course. Avoid wet areas, areas under repair, and areas that have been beaten up. Follow the directional signs club’s put out and the pathways lining the course. Instead of following each other single file before branching off, scatter—everyone taking a different course—so cart traffic is spread out. Scattering minimizes the damage done to courses by carts.

Other rules of etiquette include laying the flagstick down carefully, tamping down spike marks when walking off a green, and letting faster groups play through. Also, always check the green before leaving to make sure you or another player hasn’t left a club behind that might interfere with another player’s shot.

These are just a few of the game’s rules of etiquette. Many aren’t covered in golf instruction sessions. But you can learn them by staying alert and noticing what others do. The idea is to make the game as enjoyable as possible. Following the rules of etiquette is something every golfer can and should do, regardless of his or her golf handicap. It’s just common courtesy.

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.

In this issue we’ll discuss…

1) Increasing Clubhead Speed
2) How To Hit A Backhander
3) Question of the Week - Getting Out Of Wet Sand
4) Article - Swinging Inside Boosts Yardage
5) Article - Some Rules of Golf Etiquette

Jack’s Note: Did you see my message on hitting more greens in reg earlier this week? One of our readers showed me this old manuscript that shows a unique and effective way to hitting crisp iron shots that the Pros used back in the 60’s. A ton of you have emailed me looking for that information again. You can see it here.

Also, we almost had a nostalgic winner at The Open last weekend. But alas, Paddy Harrington came along and gave Norman yet another major runner-up finish. Good stuff to watch, even sans Tiger. What did you think?

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1) Increasing Clubhead Speed
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There’s nothing wrong with sacrificing distance for accuracy off the tee. A 225-yard drive down the middle beats a 260-yard drive to the rough every time. If the rough is really deep, you’ll face a tough a second shot. But adding an extra 10 or 15 yards to your drive without losing accuracy isn’t bad either. So how do you do it? Increasing clubhead speed is the answer.

Below are four tips on increasing clubhead speed.

1. Make a complete turn
2. Lift your chin
3. Soften your wrists
4. Turn your hips strongly

Making a complete shoulder turn maximizes clubhead speed. Many weekend golfers fail to do this. That slows clubhead speed and costs them yardage. Your shoulder turn is complete when your left shoulder (right for left-handers) turns underneath your chin and your back is pointed directly at the target. So lift your chin away from your chest to enable your shoulder to turn underneath.

Also, soften your wrist during the downswing. Many weekend golfers stiffen their wrists instead. Keeping your wrists soft allows the clubhead to lag behind your hands. The longer the lag lasts, the more clubhead speed you’ll generate when you finally release the club at impact.

In addition, turn your hips strongly through the swing. This move, along with soft wrists, encourages your left arm to lead the clubhead into the ball at impact—a key power move. Turning your hips strongly whips the clubhead through the ball at top speed.

These four tips increase clubhead speed in the downswing. That in turn generates at least 10 to 15 yards more on drives without sacrificing accuracy off the tee. Distance and accuracy is what you want.

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2) How To Hit A Backhander
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What do you do when your ball comes to rest too close to a shrub or a wall to take your normal stance? You can turn around and hit opposite hand, which means you have to swing with the club flipped upside down. Or, you can hit a backhander. It gives you more punch than using your opposite hand and is easier to hit because you’re using your dominant hand.

Below are six keys to hitting a backhander

* Use one of your wedges
* Stand about six inches to the side
* Rest the clubhead on its toe
* Bend your elbow as far as possible
* Slap the clubhead at the ball
* Accelerate through the ball

Club selection is key with this shot. Use one of your wedges. Wedges have larger faces, so you’ll have a broader hitting area. The wider the hitting area the better since you won’t be looking at the ball when you hit it.

Stand about six inches to the side of the ball, with your back to your target. Grip the wedge in the middle of the handle with your dominant hand. If you’re right-handed, grip it with your right hand. If you’re left-handed, grip it with your left hand. Flip the club around so that it faces the target and the clubface rests on its toe.

Cock the club by bending your hand and forearm using your elbow. Hinge your wrists a little. Now, straighten your arm and slap the clubhead into the back of the ball. Keep your upper arm as quiet as possible. Accelerate through the ball. Make sure the club doesn’t go past your hands.

You can expect to get about 10-15 yards with this shot. The key is accelerating through the ball. And don’t try to do too much with a backhander. Your goal is getting the ball in good position for your next shot.

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3) Question of the Week - Getting Out Of Wet Sand
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Q. Hi Jack, I have every DVD that you’ve put out including the sand trap DVD. But there’s one question that I have and it is not answered on the DVDs. I would like to know how to get out of a sand trap that’s wet and almost hardpan without hitting the ball thin.

Thanks,
Lou Kasitz

A. Thanks for the question, Lou. The key to getting out of a bunker containing wet sand is figuring out the sand’s hardness before hitting the shot. You can do that by walking in the bunker. It’s called the shoe test. Here’s what to do next:

* If the sand is firm, set up a little wider than usual, make a low sweeping take away, and hit down briskly about 1 inch behind the ball.

* If the sand is hard-packed, play the ball as you would from hard dirt. Square the blade at address, play the ball back in your stance, set the hands ahead of the ball, and pick the ball cleanly off the surface

* If the sand has a thin crust and soft sand underneath, play the shot as a typical bunker shot. Use a sand wedge, especially if the sand is deep and powdery.

If the sand is hard packed, try replacing your sand wedge with a pitching wedge. It digs in and under the ball better than a sand wedge, preventing skulling.

Be weary of bunker that has loose sand over a harder surface—the trickiest of all bunker shots. Attack these with a heavy-flanged wedge, like a lob wedge. Use a sand wedge, if you don’t have one. Also, be weary of digging a little too deeply into the hard underbelly. When that happens, the club head slows down, causing you to leave the ball in the sand.

Most bunker shots have a slight margin for error. Attack them confidently, regardless of the type of sand they contain.
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

To view this newsletter online, please visit:
http://www.howtobreak80.com/newsletter07232008.html

Here are some of my recent articles:

4) Article - Swinging Inside Boosts Yardage
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/swinging-inside-boosts-yardage.html
5) Article - Some Rules of Golf Etiquette
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/some-rules-of-golf-etiquette.html
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/newsetter.htm

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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.

By Jack Moorehouse

The Internet is a great invention. In fact, it’s one of the greatest ever. It’s also among the best resources around for learning about a topic. Usually, all you have to do is type a keyword or two in a search engine and you’ll get a wealth of information on a topic. It wasn’t always that way, though. In the early days the Internet was rather cumbersome to use. But thanks to the World Wide Web, the Internet is now among the world’s most practical information gathering tools.

For golfers looking to improve their golf handicaps or who just want to play more, the Internet is a godsend. It provides everything from online golf tips and video golf lessons to descriptions of golf courses and details on golf trips abroad. It even provides in-depth information on equipment and training aids. It helps both amateurs and professionals. And it’s simple to use.

Below are two sites we uncovered that will interest today’s golfers. One is designed to help you improve your golf handicap. The other is designed to help you enjoy playing the game pain-free. We’ll continue to monitor the Internet and highlight sites like these as we discover them.

Shot By Shot (www.shotbyshot.com)
This Web site is for those serious about cutting their golf handicaps. Created by Golf Research Associates (GRA), formed in 1989 to develop and market statistically based, golf performance analysis programs. The site provides a complete statistical analysis of your game. It analyzes everything from the long game and sand shots to the short game and putting, and it applies proprietary methods of analysis to determine your strengths and weaknesses. What’s good about this easy-to-use site is that it not only provides detailed reports on how you played, but also pinpoints where you need to improve first.

ShotByShot’s proprietary methods analyze every part of your game. Its methods have been tested and refined over the last 10 years, resulting in an accurate game analysis program based on a database that now exceeds 24,000 rounds. Professional golfers use the site to improve their games. So do amateurs. The Golf Digest and Pinehurst Instruction Schools uses the site to improve student’s play, as do the men’s and women’s college golf teams at Clemson, Duke, and North Carolina. GOLF Magazine gave the site, which has an annual subscription fee, an “Excellent” rating.

ShotByShot embodies the creator’s idea that traditional statistics (fairways hit, greens-in-regulation, sand saves, and the number of putts) provide little insight into how you play. In fact, they could even be misleading when used as performance indicators. The sites approach enables avid golfers to accurately determine the strengths and weaknesses of their games. This information focuses a player’s practice efforts and accelerates his or her improvement process.

The site is simple to use. First you record the data on your scorecard as you play. The site provides special scorecards you can print out to make the process easier. Then you enter the data into the site. Next, you select a target golf handicap group. The site then compares your results with that of your target group. After comparing data, the site reveals which area of your game you need to practice the most. Given this information, you can focus your practices on improving this area. Once you’ve improved the area, you can start the process all over again, until you get to where your want to be in terms of skill.

GolfersMD (www.golfersmd.com)
GolfersMD is another good resource for golfers. The official health and fitness content partner of the Golf Channel, it specializes in health information for golfers looking to improve their health and their game. GolfersMD is a comprehensive online health community, dedicated exclusively to injury prevention and treatment for golfers. Through insightful articles, expert-hosted videos, and an ever-growing community of golfers sharing information, GolfersMD educates, enlightens and empowers golfers with solution-focused content.

The site covers the top golf injuries, including back pain, knee pain, and shoulder injuries. It provides a symptom checker to help you pinpoint your health problem as well as a doctor finder to help you locate physicians near you who specialize in golf–related health problems. It provides insightful article and videos on topics like hydrating your body for better golf and the impact of caffeine on golf performance. And it provides the latest news and information on technology and equipment to maintain a golfer’s health.

In addition, there’s a forum where golfers can discuss health-related issues and an extensive library of health-related videos, as well as mental tips from Dr. Morris Pickens, psychology coach for Zach Johnson, 2007 Masters Champion. Other topics covered include physical fitness with Dr. Robert Donatelli, nutrition with Susan Hill, and short game, full swing, and playing equipment with Jerrett Garner. There’s even a Web store where you can buy health-related products online.

GolfersMD.com provides valuable practical health-related information to help gofers of all golf handicaps play pain free. ShotByShot.com offers practical advice to help golfers of all golf handicaps excel. They’re just two of the many Web sites out there devoted to improving your game. Given time and the creativity of entrepreneurs, more and more of these sites will emerge. We’ll keep you posted.

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.