In this issue we’ll discuss…
1) Use Practice Swings Wisely
2) Master This Pitch Shot To Go Low
3) Question of the Week: New Clubs Take Time
4) Article – Nail Your Address To Improve Ballstriking
5) Article – Taking Your Game To The Next Level
Trouble viewing links? Your browser may be the issue. We recommend using the Firefox browser. Click Here To Download. Some email clients also distort links: try to copy and paste web urls directly in your browser, or turn on images for emails.
1) Use Practice Swings Wisely
We see it all the time. A golfer walks up to the ball, takes a quick practice swing, and then hits the ball. The golfer took her practice swing or swings without having a purpose in mind. That’s too bad. By taking her practice swing for granted, she missed an opportunity to groove her takeaway for her real shot and it could end up costing her strokes. If you want to cut down on bad shots, use your practice swing wisely.
Below are five keys to a good practice swing:
CB Advertisement
* Take your normal stance
* Picture your ball flight
* Waggle the club
* Hinge the club up
* Rotate the clubface open
You want the clubface to stay square to the arc of your swing during your takeaway. This is often hard for players to visualize, so they do it poorly. Rehearse this move in your practice swing. Here’s how:
Take your stance with a picture of your ball flight in mind. Now waggle the club and start your takeaway. As you go into your takeaway hinge the club up and rotate the clubface open relative to the target line. Now complete your backswing, make a smooth transition to your downswing, and accelerate through impact to a balanced finish.
If you keep the clubface shut relative to the target line, you’ll bring the clubface back to impact closed. Or, you’ll try to open it just before you hit the ball—and you’ll probably open it too much. Neither of these things is good.
Take practice swings seriously. Use them to groove your takeaway and start your swing off correctly. If you do, you’ll eliminate a common cause of bad shots and greatly improve your ballstriking.
2) Master This Pitch Shot To Go Low
Making good pitch shots is critical to going low. Landing it close from within 100 yards turns three shots into two and a bogey into a par. But hitting a good pitch shot is easier said than done. These shots are hard when you’re in the fairway. When you’re in the rough, they’re even harder. The last thing you want to do is come up short. If you do, the ball could bounce anywhere. It could jump into a nearby bunker or even land onto hardpan.
Here are six keys to this shot:
* Choose the right club
* Pick out a landing spot
* Position the ball in the middle
* Shift your weight to your front foot
* Make a controlled backswing
* Accelerate through the ball
Your first priority on wedge shots from the rough is carrying the green. If you’re putting on the next shot, you’ve given yourself a chance to save par.
Start by picking the right club. For shorter pitches, use a lob wedge. For longer pitches use a sand wedge or a pitching wedge.
After choosing a landing spot set up with the ball in the middle of your stance and your weight favoring your front foot. This encourages you to hit down on the ball. Now make a controlled backswing and pause briefly at the top. Then shift your weight forward on the downswing and accelerate through impact to a balanced finish.
Don’t try to scoop the ball in the air. Instead, let the club’s loft do the work of creating the height you need to reach the green. And don’t ease up on the shot. If you do, your weight will stay back and the clubhead will pass your hands, which could result in hitting the shot fat.
Good pitches are the secret to going low. Master the pitch shot from the rough and who knows how low you’ll go.
3) Question of the Week: New Clubs Take Time
Q.
Hi,
I’ve played golf for 6 years now and went from hitting around 110 to low 90s using the same clubs. I even broke 90 a few times. I went and had my clubs fitted to my length and lay of the club. From that point on I’ve been hitting fat shots and just spraying the ball all over the place. I am guessing this is a mental thing. But right now I’m confused and haven’t a clue as to what is going on with my swing.
Confused,
Steven Newland
A.
Thanks for the question, Steven. It takes time to get used to new clubs—even clubs that have been fitted to you.
Also, you’re could be swinging too easy, which is why you’re hitting them fat. Or, you could be taking an excessively V-shaped swing. A rushed backswing and a desire to scoop the ball also cause bad shots.
When you swing, visualize a U-shaped swing, with a pronounced “flat spot” through impact. Use that visual aide as a guide. Also, focus on hitting the ball at the right impact point and taking a complete backswing.
With your irons, remember to strike the ball with a descending blow. Try to hit the ball just before the lowest point of the arc. Also, there’s no need to try to scoop the ball or get under it. If you strike it properly, loft sends the ball skyward.
Here’s a drill for eliminating fat shots:
With an iron, take your normal stance and ground the club. Make a slight mark there. When you swing, try creating a shallow divot just past where you ground the club. Concentrate on executing a complete backswing and follow-through.
Good luck with your new clubs. In time you’ll recapture your old swing.
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:
4) Article – Nail Your Address to Improve Ballstriking
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/nail-your-address-to-improve-ballstriking.php
5) Article – Taking Your Game To The Next Level
http://www.howtobreak80.com/articles/taking-your-game-to-the-next-level.php
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/newsletter.htm
This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010 at 1:43 pm and is filed under Golf Newsletters. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
No comments:
Post a Comment