Golf Tips & Instruction 06/11/09
In this issue we’ll discuss…
Negotiating Around Trees
Severe Downhill Greenside Chip
Question of the Week - Maintaining Tempo Increases Consistency
Article - Play Bethpage Black Course Free
Article - Go To Shots Trim Scores And Golf Handicaps
Nobody plans to end up behind a tree. But even the best of us end up there occasionally. A tree requires a decision. You either have to go over it or go under it. Going over it is risky. It requires crisp contact and a lot of carry. It’s the option to choose if you have to get it close to the green with little roll or if there’s a bunker in front of it. A safer play is going under the tree by playing a punch shot. If you choose wrong, it can cost you big time.
Below are five keys to playing a punch shot under a tree:
Use a long iron or a hybrid
Play the ball in the middle
Use minimal cock in the wrist
Employ a sweeping motion
Make ball-first contact
If you decide to go high, on the other hand, play the ball forward in your stance. Open the clubface. And keep your weight on your back foot. As you take the club back, make a full backswing, with a swift and steep wrist cock. The wrist cock is the key to getting the ball in the air.
Begin the downswing by turning—not shifting—forward. This is critical. If you shift your weight forward, you de-loft the club. Also, keep the clubface open well through impact. And don’t try to scoop the ball. Trust the loft on your club.
Don’t let one bad shot ruin your hole. When behind a tree, weigh the decision carefully. If you’re not adept at going over the tree, don’t risk it. Go under it and try to set yourself up for the next shot.
Severe Downhill Greenside Chip
This is one tough shot. No doubt about it. You have to deal not only with a difficult lie, but also with the green’s break. Why? From a down hill lie, the ball rolls more than normal after hitting the green. Thus, you must factor in break and speed to have any chance of getting the ball close.
Below are six keys to the shot:
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Chose your most lofted club
Adjust your weight to the slope
Play the ball back in your stance
Aim the clubface at landing spot
Keep your hands forward
Choose your most lofted club. Address the ball with an open stance. And adjust your weight to the slope of the hill. Align your club as perpendicular to the ground as possible. Doing so will force your weight on to your forward foot, which is where it should be.
Next, play the ball in the back of your stance. Position your hands forward with the clubface aiming at your chosen landing spot on the green or fringe, where you want the ball to start rolling. As you start your back swing, swing along the ground and keep your hands low to the ground well into the finish. This is key.
Also, don’t hesitate to land the ball on the fringe, if that’s your best landing spot. The ball has some spin so it will roll through the fringe before stopping. Whatever you do, don’t try to scoop the ball. It doesn’t work from this lie—or from any other lie for that matter.
This shot is a challenge. But it can be made, if you remember our keys. You probably won’t face it a lot during a round, unless you’re playing on a very hilly course. Even then, you might not get it more than once a round. But knowing how to hit it can save strokes.
Question of the Week - Maintaining Tempo Increases Consistency
Q. Hi Jack, I am a weekend golfer and play to a handicap of 12. My swing is out to in and I end up slicing while using irons. My ball placement for long irons is centre, mid irons an inch back of center, and one inch back for short irons.
I have been experimenting with ball placement and would like to know if this placement is good or I need to bring the ball closer to right foot.
Regards
Yash
A. Thanks for the question. Ball position is a fundamental question golfers often take for granted. There are two schools of thought on the subject. Jack Nicklaus says there’s one position for the ball—opposite the heel of your front foot. When Jack played, he used this position for every club.
Tradition says change ball position depending on the club. The driver’s ideal ball position is just inside the heel of your front foot. The ideal long-iron position is slightly back from drivers’ ball position. The ideal mid-iron position is one or two balls back from the long iron position. And the ideal short-iron position is in the middle of your stance. Keep in mind you may have to make adjustments for slope and lie.
These different positions place the ball at the lowest point in your swing given the club’s length and swing taken. In addition, positioning the ball at the different positions encourages clean contact with a crisp descending blow—the key to blasting solid iron and wood shots.
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:
Play Bethpage Black Course Free
Go To Shots Trim Scores And Golf Handicaps
Until next time,
Go Low!
Jack
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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 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.
