In this issue we'll discuss... 1) "Putt" Your Chips Jack’s Note: You’ve gotta check out the video I just posted on my blog. It’s an incredible story of raw golf talent and courage. Remember when Tiger went on the Mike Douglas show and putted against Bob Hope? Like that, this video may be talked about for years in the future as this phenom’s first television appearance. http://www.howtobreak80.com/blog =================================================== Putting your chip is simple. Use your putting grip, which keeps the back of the top-hand stable, and play the ball just inside your left heel, if you're right-handed, or just inside your right heel, if you're left-handed. Then set the club on its toe, so the shaft is vertical, like a putter's, and stroke the ball as if you were putting it instead of chipping it. The key to putting chips well is setting the club on its toe. Doing so: * Helps replicate your putting stance, so the ball is directly under your eyes, and your motion is simpler.* Encourages the clubhead to slide through the grass, guarding against mis-hits * Gives the shot a "softer feel," allowing for a more aggressive swing. Two other bits of advice: If the ball is sitting down, tilt your body a bit, which will encourage a slight angle of descent through impact. And keep your body still, just like you were putting the ball, so as not to throw the shot off. Lastly, use a pendulum like motion, swing the clubhead up with your arms going back, and let it swing down into the ball. Try the putt your chips approach on the practice green first. Engrain the technique before using it during a round. That way you can focus on your target and not worry about your mechanics while swinging.=================================================== To execute this scoring shot, there are three keys which can be executed with any of the three clubs mentioned above: 1. Open your stance slightly2. Position your feet closer together 3. Flex your knees and hips more 4. Make a compact swing 5. Coil your upper body With the ball on a clean level lie, take an open stance, with your front foot pulled back a couple of inches. Compared to full wedge shots, this shot requires you to position your feet closer together and flex your knees and hips more than usual. Take a tighter, more compact swing, but don't rush it. Think of coiling your upper body, not transferring your weight and driving your legs. This swing is not transferable to a full swing with middle irons or woods. The ball's spin rate goes up as you switch from the pitching wedge to the gap wedge to the sand wedge. Aim closer to the hole with the gap wedge and sand wedge to offset extra spin. Expect reduced roll or even some drawback. Practice this shot by swinging while sitting on a chair or a bench, which inhibits hip turn. Swing with your heels down to restrain lower-body movement. The finish is not so full. Think of the clubhead as the hand of a clock, which should be pointing toward one-o'clock or two-o'clock at the top of the backswing. Work on the shot with all three clubs. The better you are at these shots, the more precise you'll be at hitting the green, and the more your scores will improve.
=================================================== I’ve been golfing for a few years and I am working on correcting my over the top swing, which produces very inconsistent results. Is there a drill that I can do to help correct that swing problem? I’ve been taking lessons but have never received any drills to help correct the problem. I see the video of my swing and it clearly shows that the club is not parallel at the top and I do a “Jim Furyk” movement on bringing the club down. My posture at the start and the finish of the swing is great. Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks & Regards, Josette Bell A. Thanks for the question, Josette. Swinging over the top delivers the clubhead from the top to impact on a path outside the target line and at an approach too steep to produce the desired ball flight. First, you must determine the cause. From what you say, it sounds like your problems might be body-related. In other words, you're either not turning your body correctly during the swing or your rushing the swing. You must turn your body correctly to swing your arms freely. This movement blends the vertical, lateral, and rotary movements of your swing. Turning problems generally fall into two categories: (1) under turning of the hips, and (2) swaying to the right (left for left-handers). You also could be rushing your swing, which affects the transition of your swing from backswing to downswing. In practice, work on preventing these errors by turning the right hip off line while swinging the club up with the arms, which gets the shoulders, upper torso, and shoulders fully turned. To improve the fluidity of your swing as the club changes directions from backswing to downswing, try this exercise: take your 6-iron and with your feet only a few inches apart, hit a few shots. Swing smoothly back and let your lower body unwind to start the downswing. Now make the transition as smooth as possible: sense a softness in your hands and arms, and simply let the club fall. Let gravity pull the club down before releasing the clubhead through impact. This drill helps you appreciate the sensation of swinging the clubhead through the ball as opposed to hitting at it. After a while, graduate to your normal stance. You swing should feel effortless and the ball should fly. Coming over the top plagues many weekend golfers. If you're one of them, isolate what's causing the problem. Then work on correcting it. Through practice you'll eliminate the problem and cut strokes from your scores.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. =================================================== 4) Article - Secrets To Working The Ball Until next time, ===================================================
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