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How To Break 80 Newsletter
April 25, 2007
"The Web's Most Popular Golf Improvement
Newsletter"
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In this issue we'll discuss...
1) Putting- The "Show Me The Money" Drill
2) How to Kick-Off Your Swing
3) Question of the Week- Fixing the Dreaded Shank
4) Article- The Theory of the Natural Golf Swing
5) Article- The 5 P’s of Creating A Textbook Swing
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1) The
"Show Me The Money" Drill
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Good putting demands good technique. And the utmost in limited and controlled movement during the putt. The slightest movement can throw your putting off. The same holds true for your eyes. Any deviation can affect both your aim and distance control, leading to a bad putt.
Below are six keys to improved putting:
* Keep grip pressure light for better feel
* Square up to the intended target line
* Make a full smooth practice stroke
* Keep your wrist firm
* Stay square through ball
* Strike on the up stroke
A good way to train yourself to keep your eyes steady is the "Show Me the Money Drill." To execute it, all you need is a penny (or a ball marker).
First, find a flat spot on the green. Place the coin on the ground. Then place the ball directly on top of the coin. Now, take your stance and putt as you normally would. Concentrate on seeing the coin after you've putted. By focusing on the coin, you'll find your stroke is more likely to accelerate through the ball. The drill also improves your ability to gauge distance and speed.
The Show Me the Money Drill works for three reasons. It forces you to keep you eyes steady, helping to stabilize your whole body. It prevents you from lifting out of your stance prematurely. And because you're focused on the coin and not the ball, it inclines you to make a nice clean stroke through the ball.
If want to excel on the greens, remember the putting keys. And practice the Show Me the Money Drill. Together, they'll improve both your putting technique and your golf handicap.
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2) How to Kick-Off Your Swing
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When you start your golf swing, you're going from a static (still) position to a dynamic (moving) position. If we apply Newton's law, your body's tendency will be to stay at rest. Hence, you need something to jump-start the process. A trigger serves as that something. Now some people mange to swing well without using a trigger. But for the rest of us confused about how to start the swing, off, a trigger can help you start swinging in a fluid and consistent manner.
Many golfers use the right knee (left knee for left-handers) to trigger their swings. Here's how it works:
From the address position, kick the right knee in toward the ball and hold it. You should feel your weight has shifted to the right. Now start over. Repeat the knee kick only for a second, then begin your backswing. That's all there is to it.
Mechanically, the knee kick initiates the proper weight shift toward the back foot, which is why some golfers use it. More important, it enables you to begin your swing from a dynamic position, as opposed to a static, which helps maintain a smooth and steady swing. Once you've mastered the knee kick, it can also serve as a psychological
"trigger," freeing your mind from the confusion of how to start the swing.
The knee kick is only one move you can use as a trigger. You can also use a slight movement of your head to the right as well, which is what Jack Nicklaus uses to initiate his swing. What's important here isn't what you use. It's that fact that you're using something to put your body in motion. That makes all the difference.
Experiment on the range. Find your own trigger. Then master it. Once you do, you'll start seeing better results from your swing.
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Question of the Week- Fixing the Dreaded Shank
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From Mike Horan
Fixing the Dreaded Shank
Q: Hi. Great newsletter. I look forward to receiving it every week. My problem is that I am hitting all my irons very close to the heel of the club. The worse ones result in a bad shank. Have you any suggestions? Thanks a lot.
A: Thanks for the question, Mike. Many golfers shank the ball. Shanking occurs when a ball is caught in the angle between the clubface and the hosel, spinning the ball sideways almost at right angles to your stance. A shank results from either a severe in-to-out swing path, with a closed clubface, or an equally exaggerated out-to-in swing path.
The problem is that at impact your hands—and therefore your clubhead— are farther away from your body than at address. The cause: either standing too close to the ball, preventing your hands from swinging freely past your body, or shifting your weight forward on your toes, throwing the hands and the clubface too far from the body. Maintaining too tight a grip also prevents you from swinging freely past your body through impact.
If weight shift is the problem, curling your toes inside your golf shoes, and maintaining them throughout the swing, cures it. If it doesn’t, place a golf ball under the front of each foot, pushing your weight back on your heels. Then hit some balls.
If gripping the club too tightly is the problem, focus on relaxing your grip by pretending you're holding an egg. If you squeeze the club too hard, you'll break the egg.
If your swing path is the problem, try placing a ball about a half-inch outside your ball. Then, try hitting the inner ball cleanly. Sense that your hands are closer to your body through impact and that you’re going to hit the ball on the club’s toe. If you hit both balls, your hands and the clubface are still too close to the ball. Try exaggerating the feeling until the shanks disappear.
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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