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Changing Your Address With Each Different Club Loft

Golf becomes easier whenever you can eliminate any variables that pertain to the swing, yet the classic methods of teaching involved some very complex changes and ball positioning.

The Old Advice

The traditional theory for hitting irons stated that has the loft of the club increased, the position of the ball address shifted to the right, and the stance became more and more open. Every club, therefore, required its own stance.

Today’s Advice: Keep It Simple

The system that most professional use today is much simpler. The right foot is moved closer to the left as the loft of the club increases, and the ball is positioned slightly closer to the golfer, because the shaft of the club is shorter.

But regardless of the club being used, the stance is always kept square to the line of flight and the ball is always played off the heel.

A Secret Sand Shot

There is a unique sand shot that could otherwise be a little known secret amongst professional golfers. It was years ago during the British Open when I saw Phil Rogers take a bunker shot I’ve never seen before.

The setup for this secret bunker shot must have the ball located in the sand very near the back bank of the bunker. And the bunker wall must be so steep that you will not be able to draw the club back in your normal fashion.

This particular shot can be attempted hundreds of times without success unless you have the right recipe. Here are the instructions:

1. Simply assume your normal trap-shot stance.
2. Now pick the club straight up, but breaking your arms the same as you would if you were picking up an ax before chopping a piece of wood.
3. Now hit down approximately 2 inches high on the ball with overly strong right-handed action.

There cannot be any follow-through all or else the clubhead will bury itself into the sand. The arc of the shot is up and down instead of back and forth, just like a woodcutter, but your shot will be a success.

Ever Get Trapped By A Tree?

The best way to approach the situation of being trapped by a tree, so to speak, is to put yourself into a trance.

Every golfer tends to miss a high percentage of shots that are in serious trouble, such as one where a tree limb is totally preventing a full backswing. And all too often, the reason for a mess is not the awkward lie, but rather a failure to be able to concentrate on the execution.

Switch Your Thoughts

You start to think about the tree instead of hitting the ball. What you should do for any such shot as this is to take your position over the ball and try a tentative backswing. Once you have established how far back you can take the club, repeat the restrictted swing over and over until you feel comfortable enough to make the swing within your restricted zone.

Once you have done this, put yourself into a trance and forget about the obstacle. Put all your concentration into striking the ball as firmly and properly as possible. Even if your club hits the tree on the backswing, you are now prepared for this and your new-found concentration will help you to complete the shot.

Are You Hitting Fat? Check Your Head

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Junior Golf Clubs: How Small Should A Child Be To Use Them?

There are two ways to outfit a youngster who is just starting to play golf. You can either pass down the Parent’s clubs as is, cut them down to fit, or buy junior sized clubs. Either method can work just fine, depending upon how old the child is and his or her size.

Two important points must be kept in mind: First, a child should start with clubs that he can manage easily. Otherwise, he will have trouble learning a basic, rhythmic golf swing. Second, he should start using adult clubs, which are cut down, as soon as he can handle them.

If the child is 10 years or younger, he should definitely be using junior clubs. They are very light, short, and balance to fit a young child this age. These clubs should be the ones he learns the fundamentals of golf with.

As soon as he shows some proficiency with these clubs, the child should start swinging adult clubs that are cut down to fit his height. This will probably happen around age 12. Once he has mastered the cut-down clubs and grows a little bit taller, adult clubs will be the next investment.