| Copyright (c) 2007 Jack Moorehouse
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| | your forward swing should match your
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| Golf is a thinking man's game. You've
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| | backswing in length and speed, and that
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| probably heard this said a thousand
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| | the pace of your swing should never slow
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| times. But when they talk about golf
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| | until after impact. Below are some other
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| being a thinking man's game, they're
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| | key principals I discuss in golf
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| primarily talking about the short game.
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| | instructions sessions on the short game.
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| Shots beyond 125 yards are rather basic.
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| | Never swing hard with a short club.
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| You select a club, pick a target, and hit
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| | With rare exceptions, you should never
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| the ball with a full swing. Shots from
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| | swing the 8-iron, 9-iron, or wedges with
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| 125 yards in are more varied. Two balls
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| | full force. The short game is about
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| lying 5 yards apart and just 30 yards
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| | control. If you need more distance use a
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| from the hole may require different shot
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| | longer club.
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| strategies and techniques.
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| | Survey the land before hitting.
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| Understanding the short game is the key
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| | Hitting accurate shots from 125 yards or
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| to golf. It's also key to lowering your
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| | shorter requires you to understand things
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| golf handicap. A shot from 150 yards out
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| | like slope, types of grass, sand
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| requires one or two decisions. But a shot
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| | textures, the effect of moisture, and the
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| from 20 yards or 30 yards away requires
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| | type of bounce and roll you'll get in
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| several decisions. Considerations include
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| | various areas of the green.
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| lie, pin placement, type of shot, type of
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| | Don't be cute.
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| swing, and so on. That's why I tell
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| | When faced with a high, floating shot
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| players who take my golf lessons that if
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| | over a bunker, creek, or ridge, don't try
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| they're serious about improving their
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| | to hit it close to the pin. Hit it up on
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| game, they must delve deep into the short
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| | the green and settle for a 20-foot putt
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| game.
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| | or even a 40-foot putt. Good short game
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| Two Ways to Go
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| | play is about strategies, skills, and
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| Two types of shots dominate the short
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| | percentages-not hitting miracle shots.
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| game-low running shots and high floating
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| | Concentrate on centered impact.
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| shots. Low running shots are preferable
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| | Because the clubs are shorter, centered
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| to high floating shots because they're
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| | impact with the scoring clubs is easier
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| easier to control. They're also easier to
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| | than with the long irons and woods. But
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| hit. High floating shots can lead to
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| | you still have to concentrate on it.
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| mis-hits, so you want to stay away from
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| | Almost ever shot you hit in the short
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| them, if you can.
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| | game requires solid, square contact.
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| To hit a low running shot, take a
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| | Visualize the shape of your swing.
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| slightly open stance, play the ball back
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| | The shape of your swing gives you a
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| in your stance, square the clubface, keep
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| | mirror image of the shot's trajectory. A
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| your hands ahead of the clubhead, and
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| | steep, V-shaped swing tends to produce a
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| swing shallow and U-shaped. Also,
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| | high-arching shot. A shallow U-shaped
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| maintain firm wrists through the swing,
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| | swing tends to produce a lower,
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| don't release the clubhead at impact, and
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| | humpbacked shot.
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| finish low and abbreviated.
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| | Loft is the essence of the short game.
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| To hit a high floating shot, take a
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| | The loft angle of a wedge or short iron
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| slightly open stance, play the ball
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| | has complex effects on your shot. When
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| forward in your stance, open the
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| | your high lofted club isn't sending the
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| clubface, keep your hands even with the
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| | ball high in the air, it's doing
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| clubface, and swing steep and V-shaped.
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| | something else-it's softening the force
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| Also, keep your wrist actively hinging,
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| | of your swing by turning launch force
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| use a full release at impact, and finish
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| | into spin, and installing a set of brakes
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| full and in balance.
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| | on your shot, again through spin.
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| Work on hitting both types of shots in
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| | Keep these basic short game principals in
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| practice, as I've said in my golf tips.
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| | mind next time you play. Use them as the
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| Learning to control these shots is the
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| | foundation of your short game.
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| foundation of a good short game. Also,
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| | Learning to play the short game well is a
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| don't throttle back or try to hit a
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| | challenge. It takes time, patience, and
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| three-quarter- swing with these shots.
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| | practice. It also requires you to think
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| Take a full swing. Some players need to
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| | about every shot you take near the
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| practice hitting these shots with a full
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| | greens. But the pay-off is worth it. It's
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| swing to convince themselves of that.
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| | the quickest, most effective way of
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| Basic Principles
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| | cutting your golf handicap down to single
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| In my golf lessons I breakdown short game
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| | digits and becoming the player you've
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| play into a few basic principals. The
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| | always wanted to be.
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| most important of these are probably that
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