Tag: Sam Snead

The Secret to Shaving Strokes for a Solid Player

The Secret to Shaving Strokes for a Solid Player

Article by Golfdiscountsale2







The other day, my friend and I were having coffee and he was whining about how his game has become stale. He really believes he has reached a plateau where there are no more strokes to be gained during a round of golf. He was depressed, to say the least, but he was also wrong.My buddy is no Sam Snead (and neither am I) but he’s a solid player. (Taylormade R9 Forged Irons) His drives are usually reasonable in both distance and trajectory, meaning he doesn’t hook or slice anymore than the rest of us. His mid-game is good, he knows how to choose and use his long irons, his close game is very good and he can get out of a bunker when he finds himself in one. Now if you’re a good putter already, this probably won’t work for you. But if you normally get on the green in regulation and then have to putt more than twice to get into the cup, well, maybe you, too, could shave some strokes off your game by simply improving your putting abilities.What I suggested to him is something I think we can all learn from. If you four or five putt most of the greens on your course, (Cleveland CG15 Black Pearl Wedge) you’re adding a lot of strokes to your overall score. My suggestion to my friend was that rather than try to improve the other parts of his game, if he would simply putt one less stroke (on those four and five putt holes) he’d shave a significant amount of strokes off his game. If he could take one putting stroke off each hole, he’d save 18 strokes!There are a gazillion tips on putting–some work and some are just goofy–but nothing will improve your putting more than practice. My friend never spends time on the practice green and it shows when he’s on the course. But in his case–and in a lot of other cases, I suspect–there is really no other part of his game that he can significantly improve. And, frankly, he doesn’t need to spend time on his drive–he’s got that nailed. (Callaway X-22 Irons) He needs to spend time putting. That’s what’s killing his score card.If you know–or even suspect–that your putt is poor, get off the driving range and get on the putting green. You will be amazed at how fast your putting can improve when you spend just a little time each week practicing those putts. That improvement will carry over to your next round of golf, too, and you’ll see strokes simply fading away. Practice those putts!



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Six Lessons We Can Learn From Sam Snead

Six Lessons We Can Learn From Sam Snead

Article by Jack Moorehouse







Copyright (c) 2006 Jack Moorehouse

Like many of golf’s great players, Sam Snead relied on swing keys to help him achieve consistency. As his membership in golf’s hall of fame attests, these swing keys served him well during his career. What’s interesting is that many of them are still used by today’s pros to do the same thing.

Below are several time-tested swing keys that can help you achieve consistency and knock that golf handicap down a few notches.

1. Relax Your HandsYour hands are one of the keys to your swing. If your hands are tight and tense, your body will be tight and tense, and you won’t be able to swing freely. If your hands are loose, you’ll not only hit the ball farther but you’ll even swing smoother as well.

Snead used to think of gripping the club with the same amount of pressure you’d use to hold a bird just firm enough to let it fly away but not firm enough to hurt it. Others think of holding a tube of toothpaste in their hands, just firm enough to squeeze a little toothpaste out of the tube but not hard enough to push out too much.

2. First Move DownDifferent golfers key on different things to begin their swings. Some focus on pulling downward with the left arm (for right-handers). Others concentrate on turning the front hip in slightly. Still others key on lowering the left heel slightly. For Snead, it was all these things. Since you can think of all them at once while you swing, choose whichever move reminds you to make your first move down.

3. Hit The DimpleA lot of my students ask during golf lessons what to look at when putting the ball. Apparently, a lot of people also asked Sam the same question when he was playing on the tour. He had a simple answer. Pick out a dimple on the ball and try to hit it.

The idea is to make the club strike the farthest back part of the ball every time. Zero in on that particular dimple, then putt away. If you hit that dimple squarely your putter is probably moving and facing in the right direction. You’ll get solid contact unless you’re chopping at the ball or swing up to it. Aiming for the dimple will improve consistency.

4. Cure The SliceThe slice is probably the biggest swing fault among recreational golfers. To cure a slice, check to see that:

* The club starts back inside the line* Your left side is completing the turn* The left arm/hand dominate the backswing/downswing* The stance is not the same for the intentional slice, hindering a complete pivot.

For a quick cure, try hitting the ball to the right of the fairway. This approach aids in bringing the club into the ball more from the inside than the outside.

5. Lobbing to the GreenSnead always relished a challenge. And trying to hit a lob shot over a hazard to the green is a challenge. Snead’s advice when pitching over a hazard with little green between him and the hole was simple: You want the shot to fly high and land soft-one that will settle in its tracks. To execute this shot, you first need to address the ball with the clubface laid back more than usual, increasing the loft.

Once you’ve done that, take the club straight back and break your wrists early in the swing. Strike down through the ball with the hands leading through the clubhead, and with the wrists snapping into the ball. This produces a high lob that lands softly. The whole swing should be leisurely and rhythmical.

6. Swing in “Waltz” TimeEveryone has his or her own pace. Some golfers play at a fast pace. Others play at a more leisurely pace. If you had seen Sam play, you would have noticed that he always swung the club slowly and smoothly. He called it swinging in waltz time and that was his swing key for keeping his swing under control.

Sam liked to tell the story of the time he gave a lesson to player who played like he was going to a fire. He couldn’t get at the ball quick enough in an effort to try and hit the ball 400 yards. The divots were flying father than the balls. Afraid the guy might hurt himself, Sam stepped in and told the guy to slow his swing down. Next time Sam saw the man, he was amazed. The man had slowed his swing down to waltz time.

Sam Snead was one of the games best players and teachers. Like many golfers he used specific keys to trigger his golf swing and achieve consistency. The six we explained above were just a sample. By incorporating them into your swing, you’ll be well on your way to reaching that single-digit golf handicap you’ve always wanted.



About the Author

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 handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction. http://www.howtobreak80.com

The Best Solution to Drawing a Golf Ball – 4 Easy Steps

The Best Solution to Drawing a Golf Ball – 4 Easy Steps

Article by Sean O’Kelly







Most of us who don’t hit the golf ball for great distance hope to improve our long game by drawing, or imparting a little hook, on our long shots. For any beginner as well as some intermediate players this might initially appear extremely hard, however with a little knowledge of what we are attempting to accomplish plus a little practice, anyone can be hitting this shot consistently.

There are two key benefits to draw the golf ball:

• Distance. Hitting a ball which has a hook spin will cause the ball to roll a greater distance than will a fade spin.

• Accuracy. If we are able to consistently strike the ball with a controlled draw, we could aim to the right of our target and allow the golf ball to shape toward our target area.

So to understand how to draw a golf ball, we have to first consider the grip. The main elements, then, to get a hook grip are as follows:

1. Place the grip of the club along the base of the fingers. This permits you to produce increased power as a result of greater wrist hinge, while doing so enhancing your control, or feel, for the club.

2. Do not grasp the club too hard. As the great Sam Snead once said, “If a lot of people gripped a knife and fork the way they do a golf club, they’d starve to death”.

3. When gripping the golf club using a normal grip, the “V” between your thumb and forefinger points at the right shoulder for right-handed golfers, and the left shoulder for left-handed golfers.

4. To draw a golf ball, make use of a strong grip, which can be achieved merely by moving your hands on the club so the “V” is to the right of your right shoulder (and of course to the left of your left shoulder for lefties). This will automatically shut the face of the club as it approaches the ball, imparting a counter-clockwise, or hook spin.

These simple methods to draw the golf ball are only general, as each golfer will have to experiment how strong his grip must be for the ideal effect. For example, those with naturally strong hands might find a stronger grip unnecessary to bring the club into proper position.

The final component that must accompany the hook grip to properly draw the golf ball is correct swing path. In the event the club on impact doesn’t go through the ball, that is, if it cuts across the ball on an outside to inside path, the closed face of the club will result in a “pull” shot. This for a right-handed golfer will cause the ball to go far to the left. The path of the golf club head needs to be on a slightly inside to outside plain. The desired result will be achieved when the grip and the swing path of the club work together.



About the Author

My name is Sean O’Kelly, for more tips and information on how to improve your long game, click HERE, and for an interesting perspective on how to play golf for free, click HERE for a 50 page guide.