In this issue we’ll discuss…

Hitting From A Divot
Choke Down On Short-Iron Shots
Question of the Week - Hitting Long Irons
Article - Seven Secrets To Great Golf
Article - Stack and Tilt Swing Revisited

Jack’s Note: Gearing up for the holiday weekend? Well, if you’ve got golf on your agenda then you’ll want to check out the brand new Precision Putting DVD. We’ve only got a limited amount left (be sure to watch the video on that page as well about how to read greens.)


Hitting From A Divot

All fairways have divots—even those at Augusta. So don’t be surprised if you end up in a divot or two during a round. If you do, don’t try to scoop the ball out, like some golfers do. Scooping forces the club ahead of your hands and exposes its leading edge. That in turn leads to skulls and drop-kicks. But using a steeply descending blow will get you out of the divot.

Here are 5 keys to hitting out of a divot:

* Chose the right ball position
* Open your stance slightly
* Make your hands lead the club
* Stay down after the shot
* Point the club at the target

There are two ways to ensure that you make a steeply descending blow: (1) Play the ball back in your stance and lean left, or (2) take an extra club and play the ball farther forward than you normally do.

If you play the ball back, it will come out lower. Allow for some chase when it lands. If you play the ball forward, swing across the ball from out to in. Option two is tougher to execute than option one, but it let’s you hit the ball higher and stop it faster.

In addition, open your alignment by pulling your front foot back slightly. Pulling your foot back helps your front side clear through impact. Just make sure you aim the clubface directly at the target.

Since hitting from a divot is like hitting from a downhill lie, let your hands lead the clubhead through impact. And stay down longer on the shot than normal. In fact, stay down for three full seconds before looking up. Finish with your club pointing at the target, not wrapped around your body.

Sooner or later you’ll find a divot even on well-kept fairways. If so, resist the temptation to scoop the ball out. Instead, use one of the two ball positions described above and make a steeply descending blow. And stay down longer than usual.

Choke Down On Short-Iron Shots

Golfers hitting from a sidehill lie with the ball above their feet usually choke down on the club to shorten the club. For some, it’s the only time they choke down on a club. But some instructors, including Butch Harmon, a noted expert, say that golfers should choke down on all shots from 130 yards in. Choking down on short-iron shots has its limitations and its benefits. But for many, the benefits far outweigh the limitations.

Three tips when choking down:

1. Stand closer to the ball
2. Take one more club
3. Plan for some roll

Choking down improves ballstriking, provides greater control, and increases confidence in your short game. Choking down also enables you to swing smoothly and stay balanced while attaining the distance you need.

To choke down, place your hands an inch farther down on the grip than on your longer clubs. The cap at the end of the handle should be exposed, plus an inch more of the club itself. This makes the club shorter and lighter. It also makes the swing arc narrower and the swing length shorter, generating a smoother swing.

Since you’re shortening up on the club, stand a bit closer to the ball, and take your normal swing. Also, take one more club than usual. If you normally use an 8-iron, take a 7-iron instead. Again, that’s because you’ve made the club shorter. Since the club has less velocity, the shots will come out lower. Plan for some roll.

If you’re short game isn’t the best, make a change. Try choking down on your short irons. It improves your ballstriking, increases control, and boosts confidence. From 130 yards in, choking down can help you hit it close and save yourself a ton of strokes.

Question of the Week - Hitting Long Irons

Q. Hi Jack, I manage reasonably good shots (at least on the practice range) with the short irons. But when it comes to the long irons, the incremental I get with a 7-, 6-, or 5-iron seems to be marginal. Put another way I don’t seem to get as much distance with my 5-, 4-, or 3-iron as I should. Secondly, I can’t rotate my hips and transfer weight smoothly. I would appreciate some practical advice.

Thanks.
Bhaskar

A. Thanks for the question, Bhaskar. You need good tempo and timing to hit long irons. To do that think “low and slow” at address. So don’t snatch the club away from the ball at address, push it slowly away with your left arm (right arm for left-handers). That keeps the clubhead low to the ground until you begin your backswing. In addition, going back low and slow encourages your legs, hands, arms and shoulders to work in harmony, improving tempo and timing. That in turn produces a longer, straighter shot

Also, make sure you make a full turn with your hips and shoulders at the top of your swing. Weekend golfers often rush their long iron shots. As a result, they don’t make as full a turn when hitting them and mis-hit them.

Of course, you can always switch to a hybrid. That’s what they are designed to do—replace your 3-, 4-, and 5-irons. Shorter and easier to hit, hybrids provides the same distance as your long irons with the same loft. Many golfers, including many PGA pros, use a hybrid instead of their long irons.

As for your hips, the drill below helps you achieve proper hip rotation:
Tee the ball and assume a normal address position, with two clubs in your hands—a 6-iron and a 7-iron. Place the clubface of the 6-iron on the ground, with the butt end of the club against your back leg, inside your hip line. The clubhead should rests on the ground just inside of your back foot. Now hit a ball with the 7-iron. Keep your right hip back as you start down. Since the hip is supposed to slide before it rotates, the club should stay propped up. If it falls to the ground, you’ve opened your hips prematurely.

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.

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.

There’s no denying the hybrid’s popularity. More and more golfers are carrying them in their bags, and more and more manufacturers are making them. Hybrids are even growing in popularity among PGA pros. Designed to replace the longer irons in your set, hybrids are easier to hit the 2-, 3-, or 4-iron. They’re also more versatile. In fact, hybrids are among the game’s most versatile clubs. Once you learn to hit them, they can help you chop strokes off your golf handicap right away.

But choosing the right hybrid is a delicate task. First, assess your game. Then, review the hybrids available. And finally, decide on what you want from a hybrid. Do you want a hybrid that corrects for off-center hits or one that offers more workability? Having done this, you’re ready to choose your hybrid. Knowing something about a hybrid’s design makes choosing easier. Three design elements to key on are bulge, gear effect, and center of gravity.

Advantages of the Hybrids
The hybrid is cross between an iron and a wood. It’s intended to replace you’re the longer irons. Because it’s shorter than a long iron, it’s easier to hit. Generally, hybrids have a loft of from 16 degrees to 25 degrees. They also have a low center-of-gravity, a smaller head, and a lower profile than a wood. Hybrids are practically “universal” clubs. You can use them on the tee, from all lies in the fairway and the rough, in fairway bunkers, and near the green, for pitch-and-run shots. Hybrids can also be used for short chips from 50 feet and in.

Hybrids take some getting used to. But you don’t need golf lessons to master them. Reading golf tips in magazines also helps. Once you’re mastered them, they’re a powerful weapon in your arsenal. Tests prove that hybrids improve performance. Golfers using hybrids tend to hit longer balls than players hitting long irons by about 15 percent. That’s because hybrids let players cock and uncock their wrists more easily. This in turn lets them maintain a longer cocking action and a steeper angle of attack, generating more power

Battle Of the Bulge
Bulge is the measured radius of an imaginary circle whose edge lines up with the clubface. A shorter bulge means radius means more curvature of the clubface. In simpler terms, irons are flat. But woods are rounded from heel to toe. That roundness is bulge. Bulge mitigates gear effect—the tendency of toed shots to hook and heeled shots to slice. With bulge, off-center hits start in the opposite direction of the ball’s spin. So the shot finishes at the target.

Bulge tells you if a hybrid plays as more of an iron or a wood. Generally, the farther back the center of gravity the stronger the gear effect. The stronger the gear effect, the more manufacturers round the clubface to counter act it. If a hybrid has a flatter face, its center of gravity is probably positioned more forward like in an iron. The hybrid with a larger bulge radius is more workable. Most manufacturers know how much bulge is appropriate for their hybrids. You can measure bulge by taking a credit card and seeing how much it rocks against the hybrid’s clubface. The more it rocks the more the clubface’s bulge.

Also keep in mind that flat faces rebound slightly less than rounded ones. Hybrids with flatter faces are a better choice for players looking for distance control instead of total distance. If you tend to hit in the center of the clubface, you might be less concerned about off-center performance. Put another way, better players like hybrids with less bulge because they’re more workable. Lesser players like hybrids with more bulge because they improve performance more.

Hybrids are a great addition to your bag. They’re ideal for numerous situations once you learn to hit. Once mastered, they’re as close to a universal club as there is. But if you want one that will help shave strokes off your golf handicap, you need a hybrid that’s right for your game.

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.

You often hear people during golf lessons say: You drive for show, but you putt for dough. This old saying emphasizes the importance of putting. And it’s dead on. About 30 percent of your strokes during a round are putts. Many are from 10 feet in. These are pressure putts. They’re the kinds of putts you must make every time, if you want to record a low golf handicap. Here are five golf tips on how to sink more of these putts.

Tip #1: Train And Trust
Poor putting from 10 feet in isn’t always due to a bad stroke. Sometimes, it’s due to a lack of concentration. Two keys to making more pressure putts is (1) thinking positively and (2) focusing one swing thought. Don’t think about what happens if you miss the putt. Think about how to make the putt. In addition, pool all random thoughts into a single decisive thought before making the putting.

You can practice both tips by adhering to what experts call the “train and trust” principle. Practice often enough to train yourself to make a repeating stroke. If you do that, you’ll learn to trust your stroke. Then, when you have a 10-foot putt, you’ll be free to concentrate on the target rather than worry about hitting the ball squarely. It works for PGA pros, like Davis Love III. It will work for you.

Tip #2: Lighten Your Grip
Some athletic principles apply to all sports. One is that tension interferes with fluidity, causing you to miss short putts. In other words, tight muscles reduce speed and feel. Many great putters fear what tension does to their performance. So they compensate. They make it a point to hold the club loosely when facing pressure putts. A light grip pressure with your arms relaxed at address and throughout the swing frees you from all tensions. That lets you release the club freely with full extension. You’re less likely to push or pull the putt.

Tip #3 Keep Your Head Still
Keeping your head still is a must when under pressure. Many golf instruction sessions and written golf tips stress this point. That’s because it’s tried and true. Keeping your head still keeps the putter on path throughout the stroke. Weekend golfers often move their heads on short putts so they can see if the putt goes in. Sometimes, they peek too soon. Focus on the back of the ball until contact. Then, keep looking at that spot until after you count two. Listen for the ball to go in. This golf tip keeps your head locked in place until well after the stroke is made.

Tip #4: Lock Your Legs
If you move while putting, you’ll miss the putt. Stay still to sink pressure putts. A key to staying still is keeping your legs locked. They stabilize your lower body during the stroke. To feel this, take your normal putting stance. Then wedge a rubber ball between your knees. Squeeze the ball a little to keep it tight, creating a solid foundation. Now hit putts. This exercise develops the feeling of stability essential for a consistent stroke under pressure. Remember the feeling when making pressure putts.

Tip # 5: Use “The Quiet Eye” Technique
The secret to good putting, says Dr. Joan Vickers, a researcher at the University of Calgary, is using your eyes to detect the right information about distance and direction. Then using your mind to relay the information to the rest of your body. The Quiet Eye, as Dr. Vickers calls it, may help explain what being “in the Zone” is. Her research suggests that The Quiet Eye is the difference between average putters and great putters.

A Quiet Eye routine has the following characteristics:

* Pick a specific location on the hole.
* “See” the ball go in the hole at that spot.
* Scan from the hole to the ball calmly.
* Fixate on a spot on the back of the ball.
* Remain fixated on that spot through contact.

A Quiet Eye routine isn’t taught in many golf lessons on putting. But it works for many golfers. When combined with the other article tips, it will help you sink more pressures putts. That in turn will cut strokes from your scores and your golf handicap. You may not be able to drive for show. But you can always learn to putt for dough.

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.

What makes Tiger Woods so good? One thing is his “make-range” average. He has a wider make range than his opponents. Simply put, Tiger’s ADPM—average of the total distance of holed putts—is about six feet longer than the Tour average. That means Tiger sinks more putts on average from further away than the field—a decided advantage. Put another way, Tiger makes the long ones others miss and rarely misses the short ones. This combination is hard to beat no matter how good your golf handicap.

You may not be able to beat Tiger Woods, but can take a golf lesson from him. Since good putting lowers scores, you should work on widening your make range. The wider it is, the more strokes you’ll slash from your scores. The more strokes you slash from your scores, the lower your golf handicap. It’s that simple. Among the best ways to widen your make range is to drain those 12 to 15 footers that often plague you. Sink more of these and you’ll quickly cut your handicap down to size.

Control Putterhead Speed
The key to draining these 12 to 15 footers—or any putt for that matter—is your ability to control putterhead speed. It determines your ability to control ball speed. Most experts agree that ball speed is one of the most important factors in putting, if not the most important. If your ball speed is off, you’ll miss a lot of putts—short or long. Learn to control ball speed and you’ll sink your fair share of 12 to 15 footers. But you first need to know how to control putterhead speed.

You have three ways to control putterhead speed:

* Spot aiming
* Roll visualization,
* Feel focusing.

Some people are better at spot aiming than roll visualization and feel focusing. Others are better at roll visualization than spot aiming or feel focusing. Then there are those better at feel focusing than spot aiming or roll visualization. Each method uses the eyes to send signals to the brain to apply the necessary energy for the putt. You must find out which method allows you to control putterhead speed best.

Fine-Tuning Your Stroke
A two-part drill tells you which method allows you to control putterhead speed best. Drop a coin on the practice green. Then place a ball about 10 feet from the coin. Now survey the green just as is often discussed in my golf tips. Note if the putt is uphill or downhill, breaks to the right or to the left, and so on. Develop a mental picture of it.

Your job is to roll three putts from the same distance and stop all three within the space of a putterhead behind the coin. You can place a second coin behind the first to get the idea of how far to get the ball to stop no further than one putterhead-length past the coin.

Before hitting the first putt, adopt a plan that will ensure the accuracy of the golf ball’s roll using one of the three methods. For example, if the putt is uphill you may want to adjust your focal point beyond the last coin to account for the terrain. Or, you may want to ingrain a picture of the last four feet of roll. Or, you my just want to focus on feel when trying to make the putt.

Sink Three Than Move Back
Use one ball for the drill. If successful, retrieve it and putt from the same spot. Keep putting until you hit three straight putts from the same distance. If you don’t, start over. Keep doing the drill until you find the best method—spot aiming, roll visualization, feel focusing—to do the job. Having done this, add a foot to the putt’s length. After each successful attempt, add another foot. After a while, you should know which method offers you the best result. Use that method in practice.

Take a golf lesson from Tiger. Widening your make range by determining the putting method that helps you sink more long distance putts. It’s. The wider your make range, the greater your chances of sinking 12 to 15 foot putts than before. This in turn will help chop strokes off your scores and your golf handicap. Your make range may never be as wide as Tiger Wood’s or even the average pro’s. But the wider it is, the lower you’re golf handicap will be.

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.