ATTACK PLANCOVER STORY

JEFF

RITTERSENIOR INSTRUCTION WRITER

JEFF RITTER SHARES HIS KNOCKOUT SECRET THAT ALL GREAT BALL STRIKERS HAVE IN COMMON.

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ATTACK PLANTHE “ATTACK” MENTALITY FOR BETTER BALL STRIKING BY JEFF RITTER

The greatest players know how to compress the ball, leading to big distance with an effortless launch! In essence, they have what I call the ‘attack mentality.’ Most amateurs, however, work into the ball with just the opposite attitude, actually getting up and away from or ‘retreating’

from the hit. If you want to hit it big, you’ve got to learn how to generate the proper hitting sequence that builds leverage with the turf. To demonstrate, I’m going to share with you how to hit the toughest shot in golf. The driver off the deck! 

Here I am employing the “ATTACK” mentality. This is the key move to executing the toughest shots in golf. You must learn to go against your instinct of trying to “lift” the ball into the air. Go down after it for solid, powerful, high towering shots.

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ATTACKMENTALITY

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ATTACK PLAN

THE BRIEF

The Holy Grail of all golf shots, this one requires the attack move more than any other. Due to the low loft on a driver, most golfers, if they were to ever attempt this shot would try to gain height by lifting the ball from the turf. They would ‘retreat’ away, standing up tall, doing everything possible to get the ball air born. This is in essence one of the key attitudes that gets golfers in trouble. Trying to lift in order to launch. Your mission, to go against all instinct and go down after it with a hitter’s mentality!

THE EXECUTION

There’s little room for error with this shot, so you have to be attack

minded. Imagine trying to throw a punch while keeping your spine angle constant or passive. It would be impossible to deliver any kind of real force. The same idea applies to your golf swing. As you transition from backswing to downswing, feel your weight pressing into the ground with your left foot as your chest attacks downward towards the turf. This is an action commonly seen in most every player from Lee Trevino to Tiger Woods!

Once you’ve established your attack move, now it’s time to unwind and deliver the hit! Practice your attack mentality by thinking of the sequence: Lean, Turn, Hit! Notice how not only have I increased my spine angle during the transition, but

I’ve also remained in my tilt well past contact. Here I am staying with the shot, trusting that with good technique, even a low lofted club can get airborne. 

EXPECT

Unless you have a sweet lie with the ball perched up a bit, expect a low heater that runs like a rabbit down the fairway. If you have a driver with a little more loft than normal, you may not have much trouble getting the ball up. Otherwise, you’ll need some big time Tiger Woods speed to get your ball climbing skyward. 

SUMMARY

Keep in mind, that for most

golfers this is a shot you should never try on the course as a three wood or hybrid will advance the ball effortlessly a considerable distance. The point is to know that with good technique and an attacking, ‘hitter’s mentality,’ a skilled player can pull off basically anything. Understand the attack move and why it’s so powerful. Infuse this mentality into all of your full swing shots as a means of further developing this action common to the world’s greatest players. If you can sense how to create power through the proper movements you’ll be well on your way to longer shots and even be able to pull off something as tough as the driver off the deck, all courtesy of a knockout punch!

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THINK: LEAN, TURN, HIT

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ATTACKMENTALITY

SWING SEQUENCE: DRIVER OFF THE DECK

This sequence demonstrates the key trait that all great ball strikers have in common, the ‘attack’ mentality. This promotes a downward strike on the ball, and launches the ball into the air. This is essential to execute the driver off the deck effectively.

Jeff Ritter is coach, author and speaker specializing in peak performance and life inspiration. He teaches at the ASU Karsten Golf Course, Pin Learning Center in Tempe, AZ. Visit Jeff’s website at www.jeffrittergolf.com.

Jeff is a Senior Instruction Writer for Golf Infuzion Magazine. For more of Jeff’s articles visit www.golfinfuzion.com/JeffRitter.

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