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How To Break 80 Newsletter
January 31, 2007
"The Web's Most Popular Golf Improvement Newsletter"
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In this issue we'll discuss...
1) Increasing Wrist Cock
2) Reduce the "Triangle" on Short Shots
3) Question of the Week- Dealing With A Downhill Bunker Lie
4) Article- Three Situations Where Your Instincts Are Not Correct
5) Article- How To Use Your Legs: Part II
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1) Increasing Wrist Cock
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Next time you're on the tee watch your playing partners closely. See which of them cocks his or her wrist correctly. Don't be surprised if none of them do.
Most weekend golfers don't cock their wrists the right way. It's one of the most common swing faults among recreational golfers. They merely lift the club in the air with their arms, and then start their downswing by spinning their right shoulders toward the ball.
Cocking your wrists incorrectly throws your swing off. It forces you to take the club outside the line of play and to cut across the ball from outside to in, generating a slice. That's not good. The lack of wrist cock also encourages very little hand action. That in turn results in a loss of power and distance.
When you increase your wrist cock, you're able to pull down on the club with your left arm and hand (for right-handers) from inside the line of play. This in turn enables you to generate more club speed and swing along the inside path the way you are supposed to. With your hands making a larger contribution to your swing, you are now able to hit the ball longer and straighter.
Wrist Cock Drill
After watching your partners hit from the tee, have one of them watch you to see if you are cocking your wrists correctly. If you're not cocking your wrist correctly, try this:
Next time you go to the range, trying hitting some balls using a cross-handed grip. By holding the club cross-handed you can't help but increase the angle between the clubshaft and your left forearm at the top of the swing, which is how it should be. That will give you the feel of cocking your wrists correctly
After hitting cross-handed for a while, return to hitting the ball with your normal grip. You should notice a difference in the way you hit the ball. Try it and see.
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Reduce the "Triangle" on Short Shots
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Short approach shots can be tricky. They can also be costly. Mis-hit one even slightly and you can find yourself facing a three-putt opportunity or entirely off the green. But a simple pre-swing adjustment in your stance helps improve your ability to hit short approach shots almost immediately.
Many recreational golfers address the shot as if they were going to take a full swing. They maintain the same stance as if they were taking a full shot. They also hold the club at the end of the grip. This stance and grip make it harder to control the shot, increasing the player's chances of mis-hitting the ball.
The key to hitting better approach shots is getting more "intimate" with the ball. Doing so produces solid, more consistent contact. Over time, the solid more consistent contact will increase your ability to land the ball closer to the hole on short approach shots, eliminating unnecessary strokes.
Visualization Technique
If short approach shots are a challenge for you, here's a technique that can help you overcome it.
Visualize a triangle on the ground formed by the toe of each shoe and the ball. The triangle should have sides of equal length. If the sides are more than 12 inches long, you're probably giving up too much control. Adjust your stance until the sides of the triangle are 12 inches long and choke down on the club for a shorter swing.
Some people believe that you can do well by shortening the triangle's side by less than 12 inches. But that's a question of personal preference and practice.
Reducing the triangle is a simple adjustment that you can make easily. At first, you may feel cramped and uncomfortable. But as you practice with it, you'll begin feeling more and more comfortable each time you use it. In the end, you should see your ability to control short approach shots improve.
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Question of the Week- Dealing With A Downhill Bunker Lie
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From Willy Serrrano
Dealing With A Downhill Bunker Lie
Q. Hi, Jack. Could you describe the set up and ball position for a downhill bunker lie? Usually, I don't have any trouble with a regular bunker shot. But I usually end up on the other side of the green with a downhill lie. Thanks for the tips!
A. Thanks for the question, Willie. As you've probably realized already, you need to be really careful with a downhill bunker shot. There's a real danger of mis-hitting the ball and sending the ball over the green. But you can't let that intimidate you.
Your set-up is the key to hitting this shot properly. Use an open stance, bend from the waist more than usual, and position your weight on your heels just a bit. Also, keep your head at the same level, your knees flexed, and your spine angle constant throughout the swing. Focus on a spot in the sand just behind the ball. Shorten up on the club.
As you start your backswing, take the club back on the outside, and then hinge your wrists, setting the shaft on an upright plane and enabling you to come down on the ball on a steep angle. Swing the clubhead through the sand and under the ball along a line parallel with your feet, just as you would with a normal bunker shot. The out-to-in swing path sets the ball on a low but direct trajectory toward the flag.
The ball comes out of the bunker a little right of your aim, with just a trace of slice spin, so make allowances. And don't try to do too much with this lie. Getting the ball out of the bunker and on the green is the priority.
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
P.S. Feel free to share this newsletter with family and friends. If you
would like to subscribe to this newsletter, send a blank email to
break80ezine@aweber.com
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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.
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