==================================================== Newsletter - Issue 98 Date 05/23/09 ==================================================== ==================================================== TCT Quick Tips - Obvious But True ==================================================== My sons call me the master of the obvious, so true to my calling how's this one boys: 100% of your short putts don't drop. Seriously, think about that on your next uphill putt and you'll make more of them. Don Luxon came up with another thought worth mentioning regarding the spike replacement tip in the last newsletter: when you go to buy replacement spikes, take an old one with you. There are threaded spikes, locking spikes, and other assorted options that may or may not fit your shoes. Take an old one with you to be sure, and thanks for the heads up Don. ==================================================== Putting Grip For Loose Wrists ==================================================== I actually think I invented a putting grip during a lesson this week. I was teaching a couple of different putting grips to a lady who was having trouble keeping her wrists out of the stroke. I teach a pendulum, pure in-line stroke with dead hands, so wrist action is taboo. What we came up with is as follows: I had the lady, who was right handed, place her right hand on the grip in a normal "somewhat in the palms" putting grip, than I had her "smother" her right hand by just gripping her right hand with her left hand. Then we moved her left hand towards her body slightly so that her left pinkie finger was gripping the cpub, and the final adjustment was slipping her left thumb over and halfway down her right thumb, with both thumbs pointing down the shaft. This grip allowed the student to make a perfect pendulum pure in-line stroke without any use of the wrists, it was a thing of beauty. It probably can't be done with an oversize grip unless you have very large hands, but if you have a normal sized putter grip try it, you'll like it. My only problem now is naming the grip, I'm thinking of either the Tucker Smother or the Smother Tucker............. ==================================================== Golf Tip : Four Ways To Use A Hybrid Club ==================================================== I see a lot of players taking golf lessons from me who've bought hybrid clubs. A hybrid is shorter and easier to hit than a long iron. It doesn't take as long to learn to swing. And it hits the ball higher, making it ideal for shots in the fairway that must land softly on the green. But the hybrid is one of golf's most versatile clubs. It can be used in a variety of locations other than the fairway, like the fringe, the rough, the tee, and even a bunker, and in situations where you need to save strokes. Learn to hit a hybrid well and you'll chop strokes off your golf handicap. Here are four ways this club can improve your game. The Bunker A hybrid works well in a fairway bunker, as long as the lip isn't too high. You can hit this shot the same way you hit a normal hybrid shot, except for one adjustment--ball position. It's the key to making the shot. If the ball is too far back in your stance, you'll top it. If it's too far forward, you'll hit it fat. The best position is about an inch back of where you normally hit a hybrid. As you swing, keep your feet planted as much as possible and your weight centered. This steepens your swing and ensures "ball first" contact. Bump and Run Chip Shot The key to the bump and run is getting the ball on the ground as quickly as possible. The sooner it's on the ground, the more control you have over it. With the hybrid, the ball starts rolling quickly, making it easy to gauge distance. Keeping the ball low to the ground is also one of the best ways of achieving consistency with this shot. The key to hitting the bump and run is choking down on the club and holding it with a putting style grip. The idea is to emulate your putting stroke. Use a square-to-square stroke to achieve more accuracy and limit wrist movement, making it easier to judge speed and distance. Using the hybrid helps you get up and down successfully more often in this situation. On the Collar No one likes playing a ball that's up against the collar. You're never sure how to play it or what club to use, the putter or the wedge. If those two choices don't thrill you, try a hybrid. It offers benefits the other clubs don't. It has a longer, wider sole, making it easier to hit solidly and giving you a wider margin for error. More importantly, it won't slip under the ball or get stuck in the grass, as with a putter or a wedge. Address the ball with a putter style grip, but don't choke up. With the ball in the back of your stance, press the hands forward. On the backswing, cock your wrists to lift the clubhead slightly and then swing downward on the downswing. Allowing your wrists to hinge slightly helps lift the club from the collar on the backswing. The ball will pop and roll in a hurry, so read the green before hitting the shot and plan accordingly. Above the Pin When a ball ends up in the light rough on the high side of a pin, most players assume that a putt or a lob would be your only choices. But a hybrid works just as well, as long as you know exactly where to get the ball rolling on the green. Plus, it's a safer shot than a wedge. First, make sure there's room to get the club behind the ball. Then address the ball like a normal chip, with your hands slightly forward and the majority of your weight on your forward side. Your head should be directly over the ball. Chip the ball so it lands in the rough, not the fringe. The hybrid's extra momentum causes the ball to roll forward through the rough. It will then roll softly onto the green. If you really want to lower that golf handicap, learn to hit the hybrid in the situations mentioned above. You can also use it in the fairway or the rough. Keep those in mind as well. However you use it, the hybrid is a versatile club that can shave strokes off your scores. Think about adding to your bag if you haven't already. Enjoy, Tom