How Playing Short will Save You Strokes

It's a pretty simple tip really, but it will help you to lower your scores. What you should get out of this lesson is that short is usually better regarding approach shots, and I'm going to explain a few reasons why I believe this to be true.Let's set the scene. We'll use the same example throughout. Let's say that you usually hit your 8 iron around 150 yards, and you are 160 out. Now, most golfers would probably grab their 7 iron here, and think to themselves, "I'll just take a little off this, and I'll be right on the pin".Problem: Most recreational golfers don't have the ability to add and take off power from their swings.You should focus first, and foremost, on mastering one swing, including the tempo, speed, and power that it takes to perfect that one swing. Once you start trying to swing a little easier or a little harder, problems start to sneak into your round. You are trying to play for the pin and instead, you end up in the bunker on the right side of the green, and now you've just turned a par hole into a double bogey.The difference in distance between your 7 and 8 iron should be about 10-15 yards. The Point? Hit your 8 iron every time in the above situation. Don't mess with your swing. Go with what you trust. Hit the 8 iron 150 yards, and let the ball roll onto the green. At that point, anything can happen. You may end up 2 inches, 2 feet, or 20 feet from the pin, but at least you're putting.Benefit 1: If you mishit the ball a little further than usual, you're still in good shape because you played a little short in the first place. If you hit the ball a little short, you're still okay, because chances are, you're sitting in the middle of the fairway, maybe on the fringe. Benefit 2: If you go to the right or the left, since you played the shorter club, you're not going to be as far right or left as you would have been with the 7 iron. This could mean that you are still on the green, or it could mean that you are on either side of the fairway. But chances are that you are still in decent shape. Summary: When you're trying to decide between two clubs, take a second to look at the hazards around the green. If there's a bunker or some water guarding the front of the green, then sure, it may be a good idea to take the larger club. But other than this exception, you are almost always better off, taking less club. You'll stay out of trouble, and that is the key to lowering your overall score.

by David Nevogt

The Three Most Important Factors When Perfecting Your Golf Swing

There are prior factors and there are post factors in a golf swing. Let me call upon a scientific formula to help explain this order of importance that I am discussing. The formula reads as follows:Ultimate results depend on post factor efficiency.These seven words succinctly describe the artistry of a golf swing; there are things to do, but there is a certain time to do them.First the golfer must handle his weight; but shifting the weight from one foot to the other does nothing of itself, it only places the player in a position where he can use and utilize his body correctly.Secondly, only when the golfer has the basic or prior footwork so that he is in a position to use his body to swing the club, are the hands free to exert over the club the proper sense of position and control, and the ability to apply the club correctly to the ball. In other words, a golf shot only flies as the club makes it fly, and how the ball flies is a direct result of the club position. The club position is a direct result of what the hands are doing, and what the hands are doing is the post factor that determines ultimate efficiency.No wonder so much time and effort is concentrated on the correct grip in golf.I have often said that a runner runs with his feet, but a golfer golfs with his hands. Of course, for the runner to get his feet in action, there is a lot of arm and shoulder work, and for a golfer to get his hands working, there is a lot of footwork and body action.To repeat, there are three basic factors in golf:Footwork, for balanceBody action, for powerHand action, for club controlBut to these three factors there is an order of importance, a delicate sense of timing that so many golfers miss. They fail to get the knack of properly coordinating these three factors into a working arrangement.As there is a certain order of importance, so likewise there is a certain order of performance in these three basic operations of a golf swing. In other words, in the properly executed golf shot the player moves smoothly from one operation to the other, but all operations function collectively towards the final goal of applying the club to the ball. So there is in the golf shot an order of importance and an order of performance which precludes any such thing as a one-piece swing. Be prepared to reach your ultimate goal of a smooth, flowing performance through a natural step-by-step procedure rather than through any short cut.The other comment I wish to make is that if there is error in the performance of any operation in the swing, then such an error would multiply and increase as it would be carried on into the next operation. So there must be sure performance in the execution of each of the three factors.

By: Jimmy Cox

Choose The Right Golf Balls For Your Game

If there is one aspect of your game that you can improve for very little money, it is choosing the right golf balls. Whilst you cannot improve your game massively without practice, patience and skill, getting the right golf balls can help speed up the process of improvement can give you an edge over your opponents. There are balls for every type of golfer, from those who require better control on the greens to golfers who want that extra bit of distance on their tee and iron shots. Whatever sort of game you have, here are some examples of the best golf balls around that will add something extra to your golf game. Balls for practiceGetting better at golf is all about practice, and so it is important to have a good stock of practice golf balls to use. These balls still need to be of a good quality, but ones that perhaps you don't mind losing if shots go wrong. Practice balls are usually cheaper, and so it is advisable to buy them in larger amounts. You can also get softer or basic plastic balls to use in your garden on park to practice shots without damaging property or hurting people around you. These balls are great if you just want to practice your swing without going to the driving range or golf course. Make sure you have a variety of practice balls to help you improve your game.Balls for added controlThere are some golf balls on the market at the moment that are great for those players who need to add control to their game. If you have the power but lack accuracy, choose a golf ball that will help you hit straighter and keep those shots on the fairway. Many balls have the ability to cut out backspin, meaning you can be sure your balls will stop on the greens where you place them rather than running away from the hole.Balls for distanceMany of the golf balls on the market today are designed to give players more distance than ever before. These balls are hi-tech and can fly through the air at incredible speed. Particularly good for those players who can swing quickly, distance balls will allow you to hit the ball further than you have imagined doing before. If you are struggling with those par 5 holes and need the extra power, then a distance ball is a good choice.Novelty ballsNot all golf balls are about serious technology and features though. There are plenty of interesting novelty balls on the market as well. From balls that flash and light up when they are hit to balls shaped like American footballs, there is something for everyone in the novelty ball market. If you want to have a little fun with your golf game, then novelty balls are a great item to purchase.

Golf Tips to Improve Your Game

In this article we will talk about some basic golf tips you can start doing today that can knock strokes off your score in no time at all. These tips are so easy to implement and are essential to any good golfer's game.The GripHow important is the grip to your success in the game? The grip is the fundamental connection between you and your golf ball. In the grip, your hands are close together and apply even pressure with the left thumb providing additional support and control of the club from underneath the grip. Taking AimWhen setting up your swing, align your feet, hips, and shoulders parallel and slightly left of the target. When your body follows rotation through your center, the stroke will send your shot in the direction that is perpendicular to your alignment. To check your alignment, stay in golf stance, and rotate your chin towards the target. A smooth, tension-free swing improves the swing motion. If you watch professional golfers, you will notice that at the top of the swing, their arms are slightly bent, and there is an intentional awareness of being relaxed throughout the swing. Keep Your Eye on the BallAs tempting as it may be to look away from your ball, it is critical to your alignment to make eye contact until it is launched. It is very tempting to look towards your target once the down swing is almost complete, but this will change your swing so stay with the ball until it is on its way to the target.The Athletic Warm-UpBefore any event, a good athlete warms up for competition. The same should be true of golf. Arrive a few minutes early before a game, hit a few shots with your range of clubs taking note of your swing, practice a few chip shots, and finally get a feel for the greens with several putts of different distances. Understanding the greens will help you later when making critical decisions.Improving Your DistanceWhat happens to improve your distance happens prior to hitting your shot. It's all in the swing. Keep a light grip on your club as you coil, keep your left foot on the ground during the backswing, and remain relaxed. Let your arms and shoulders do the work with a fully-extended, wide range of motion. Gradually increase club speed on the down stroke, and swing through the golf ball.

Golf tips: How to get crisper golf chips and pitches

Do you have a problem with overshots in your short game? There are a lot of golfers who are very confident in their power swing but lose all faith the moment it comes to hitting the ball with finesse. There are a few tips that if followed properly will improve your chip and pitch shots dramatically. These shots once mastered become a reflex and can become the cornerstone of a strong golf game.
Hitting a short shot too fat can be due to a number of causes. The first thing to try to adjust is your downswing. What you are trying to do is drive the club in a powerful downward motion. A strong diagonal instead of the usual curve motion.
Have faith in your club. Do not try to do too much. Hit the ball hard at a ninety degree angle and let the club do the rest. It will loft the ball into the air at the appropriate range. Of course you will need to adjust your power according to the distance, but this is the technique.
Another key is making sure the club head hits the top of the grass simultaneous with the ball. You should be half as intent on hitting the spot as you are the ball. This is very important.
As far as your stance, make sure your head is directly above the ball. Many golfers find it helps to crouch down some in their open legged stance. This allows a better center of gravity and less motion transference during the swing, ie, less chance for it to be inaccurate. Golfers avoid this stance when doing power swings because it interferes with the backstroke, but in this situations it is ideal.
The most important thing of all, however, is to maintain hand control. This is more important the closer you get to the green. An exercise you can try is swinging the club with just your left "protection" hand back and forth. This is to develop strength and control in that hand so you can use the other hand to guide the shot without having to worry about jerking the club.
With these tips and some practice by yourself on the green you will have the muscle memories and confidence to step into an actual game and perform with great effectiveness. There is nothing in golf that feels better than hitting an accurate short shot.

4 Important Factors That Affect Your Golf Swing

In the game of golf, no two people ever have the same golf swing. Each person has their own individual body with its own strengths, flexiblity and range of motion. The way one person swings a golf club may not work for another person, even if they are near in body types. Every golfer has to find the playing style that fits them to help them produce the results that they want. Players that know what is going to happen to the ball when they hit it, and what factors affect that moment of impact can effectively use their body to create the consistent powerful golf swing that they desire.One thing that can help all golfers make immediate and positive improvements on their game is an understanding of the factors that affect the golf ball at the moment of impact by the golf club. Knowing what these factors are and how they affect the ball will enable you to understand what happens at the moment of impact and interpret the golf balls flight. When you understand what occurs and why, you can then make small adjustments to your swing and then see the effects on the next shot. The flight of the golf ball will tell you whether you were correct in your personal assessment and you made a good change towards a better golf swing. If you made a change that made the shot worse than before, all you should have to do is undo that change to your swing.The moment of impact (ideally the golf club sweet spot hitting the ball) is a combination of four factors that will ultimately determine what direction and how far the ball will travel. The golf ball will react to these factors regardless of how they occur. The first important factor that affects your golf swing is the angle of the clubface at the moment of impacting the ball. The position of the clubface at the moment of impact is the most important factor influencing the initial direction and the spin of the ball. The clubface must point in the direction of the target you've chosen farther down the course. If the clubface is straight and perpendicular to the golf ball at the moment of impact, it will travel straight down the course with no spin.The second factor at the moment of impact is the angle of the clubhead with relation to the golf ball. There is the horizontal angle of impact and vertical angle of impact, both of which are combined to determine the initial direction of the ball and the height of the golf balls flight path. The horizontal angle of impact determines the initial direction that the ball will travel. The vertical angle of impact will determine how high the ball will fly. Too low or too high and you lose distance in your shot.Thirdly, the clubface must hit the ball on the sweet spot. The sweet spot is the area on the face of the golf club that will transfer the power of your golf swing to the golf ball. Transferring this power effectively will maximize its potential and carry the ball far and straight down the course (as long as the angle of the clubface and the club head at the moment of impact are good).Lastly, the fourth factor that is important at the moment of impact is the the club head. The speed of your golf swing will determine how much power you transfer to the golf ball and ultimately how far it will go when you hit it on the sweet spot. The speed or power of the golf swing is not dependent on muscles alone. Other factors such as body flexibility and range of motion affect how a golfer employs those muscles in creating a fluid smooth swing.The golf swing is not just picking up a golf club and trying to blast the ball down the course. It is a combination of many factors that if you can interpret, you can influence by making adjustments to your swing. Knowing what causes the golf ball to travel as it does will allow you to improve your golf swing and gain distance and accuracy on your shots. However, knowing the cause that produces an effect, and affecting that cause to produce the desired effect are two different things, both of which can be learned over time and with practice.

How to Develop a Good Putting Stroke

Putts between 4 and 6 feet are ones that we expect to make most of the time. But research tells us that touring pros make only about 50-percent of their 6-foot putts, so the average golfer should not get too frustrated when their percentage is lower. However, with intelligent practice, we can do something to increase our success rate on this length of putt.

How to Practice
Take 10 balls and line up a straight putt of about 4 feet as I am here in picture No. 1:

It is important to practice a straight putt, because then you need only focus on the stroke and not on the break. Obviously, if you miss a straight putt you will know that you made a bad stroke; if you miss a breaking putt, you might have made a good stroke but just had the wrong speed. So it's important to pick a straight putt for this drill.
Now, start putting these putts with two objectives:

1. Make sure the putter head is going straight back as in picture No. 2 ...

2. Make sure your putter face is square to your line at all times (also noted in picture No. 3). This is the most common fault with poor putters and takes the most work and concentration, but will pay off huge if you have the determination to get it right.
Set yourself a goal for the number of putts that you can hole in a row. Gradually increase this goal until you can get up to 50. Remember, if you miss one you have to start at one again!
This teaches you how to putt under pressure, because as you reach 45, 46, 47, 48 - you don't want to start at one again - so you must make a good stroke.
The secondary benefit of this practice method is to your subconscious. As you hole putt after putt at this distance, your confidence escalates and you have less and less fear of these putts.
If you don't have time to go to the course, remember - you can practice this at home on the carpet. This drill is a great way to work on your putting stroke.

From Mel SoleRitson-Sole Golf Schools

Develop A Super Golf Swing The Easy Way

When you're playing golf badly it isn't a lot of fun. You need great hand-eye coordination, balance, athletic ability and creativity to play golf. You may receive all the greatest golf tips in the world, take countless lessons and get superior instruction and still may not be able to gain consistency.If you've hit with your golf driver perfectly once, you can do it every time; the subconscious mind knows the correct number and sequence of muscle contractions and nerve impulses needed, called muscle memory. Concentrate totally on your game and you'll get the best score. Always be aware the mental aspect of the game contributes one way or another to the difficulty of the golf swing. Swing slowly and steadily using a nice rhythm. At the end of a backswing the hands are above the right shoulder, with the golf club pointing more or less in the intended direction of ball flight. Accomplished golfers purposely use sidespin to steer their ball around obstacles or towards the safe side of fairways and greens.Sidespin occurs when the clubface is not aligned perpendicularly to the plane of swing. As the body matures, the ability to rotate the upper torso is affected by age, and the hand action can also slow down requiring a slightly stronger grip. Ask your golf pro to evaluate your posture while swinging.Pick out a spot on the course, preferably the green of the fairway, and concentrate on hitting the ball to that spot. At the end of a swing, the weight has shifted almost entirely to the left foot, the body is fully turned to the left and the hands are above the left shoulder with the club hanging down over the players' back. Use the muscles in your legs and trunk when you swing.The backswing is a rotation to the right, consisting of a shifting of the player's body weight to the right side, a turning of the pelvis and shoulders, lifting of the arms and flexing of the elbows and wrists. Putting can become a nightmare and a condition called the 'yips' has affected not only amateurs but professionals as well; get expert advice and consider a golf swing aid.Hold a medicine ball and turn back and forth; it must be rotational to improve your driving distance. The state of the physical condition is very often overlooked as a possible cause of golf swing problems. To prevent injury and improve swing speed and distance requires your body to be both strong and flexible.Golf swing aids can be found online and are often cheaper. Golf magazines often review the newest golf swing aids and are reviewed by golfers, making it easy to choose the right one for you. Most of all don't waste your money on a golf swing aid you don't need or will never use.If you're looking for an aid to improve your stance they're not hard to find. Golf swing aids come in all shapes and sizes including apparel type accessories to correct alignment or a golf club add-on accessory to monitor your swing. You can find golf swing aids that will help you with your wrist and arm position.There are golf swing aids that act as driving range simulators. Before buying any golf swing aid, check with an expert to get an idea of what problem you need to work on first; backlift of golf swing, momentum of downward thrust or stance for example. Sporting goods stores have golf aids to improve your game.There are golf swing aids that will help you with swing alignment. There are a number of good golf swing aids on the market today.When you play a round of golf, concentrate on improving your golf swing, putting or something specific that day; have a plan in mind. There are a lot of places to get golf swing tips, golf game tips and golf instruction so when you do have time to hit the course, you'll have a plan in mind. Golfers can never get enough golf tips.

The Golfswing and How To Improve It

The Golfswing and How To Improve It

When anyone thinks about the basic elements of the golfswing they think about the grip, stance, and position of the ball and so on. People always think about the physical aspects of the game and thats only natural as thats what is in the magazines and what the professionals do in their practice lessons.
But not everyone thinks this way. These people think that the basic components are to do with radius, face, plane and the centering. Focusing on these in a lesson are sometimes as beneficial as the mechanics of the swing.
Face is the direction in which the ball travels when the clubface hits the ball. You need to have the face of the golfclub at the same direction when you bring your golfclub back as when you hit the ball.
Radius is keeping the same distance from your front shoulder to the ball. This needs to be the same all the way through the shot for you to execute the best strke.
Plane is the angle at which your club strikes the ball. To consistently get good shots this needs to be the same each time you take a shot. Like anything else practice is the key.
Centering. If you want to hit an accurate golf shot you must get this right. Every shot you take has a centre to it . You must keep your back and your head as steady as possible every time you play a shot. If you watch the professionals do it on TV you will notice how steady they keep their head and back through a shot.
You need to be able to do all the basics well to be able to repeat a good shot time after time. To be able to do one basic good and all the rest not so good is not enough.
If you want to be able to repeat a powerful and accurate shot you will need to do all these basic elements well again and again, but as with anything you must put the time in on the practice range to see the improvement in your game. If you practice these as well as the normal basics when people talk about golf, like ball position, grip and stance you will be well on your way to improving your golf handicap and enjoying your game. Golf can be a frustrating game at the best of times but it can also be relaxing and enjoyable when you get it right, happy golfing.

by jeff ryall

Choosing the Right Golf Bag for You

Choosing the Right Golf Bag for You

Golf bags are one of the most important elements of a comfortable golf experience. If you have the wrong golf bag you are bound to be miserable if it’s too heavy, too long, too short, or doesn't have enough space for all of your clubs and golf gear. Finding the right golf bag can take some time, so it's good to think about what you really need, what you want, and even plan for additions to your golf gear in the future. Many golf pros suggest starting out with a very basic bag and growing from there as you determine your golf style and what you need and expect from a bag. Golf bags are like almost anything else in golf, there are premium bags and very simple bags and everything in between with prices to match. What works best for you may not work best for someone else, so don't take the word of another golfer as gospel, research your options and then invest. One of the most popular golf bags is the Optima 9 Deluxe cart bag. This golf would definitely fit into the premium end of things, though it will cost you less than $150. The Optima 9 golf bag is great because it offers a 14-way divider system so that you know where each club is when you are looking for it. This divider system will not only make playing more fun, your gear will also be more organized so you are less likely to lose things. This bag is its own cart and it has a strap guidance system that allows you to easily pull this cart/bag behind you as you make your way through the course. The wheels are quite steady so there is no need to worry about spillage or anything of the sort. This impressive bag also offers a rain and travel hood, so your golf bag truly can go anywhere with you. The Optima 9 Deluxe also boasts seven easy access pockets, which are important for things like gloves, a hat, sun screen, tees, and anything else you may carry with you while golfing that you won't want to have to dig for. Many consider this the best golf bag on the market, as it does offer quite a bit in the way of features and functionality. As an added bonus this exquisite golf bag also offers a cooler pocket and a putter tube. The Bang stand bag is also quite popular for those that don't necessarily need something as luxurious as the Optima mentioned above. While this is not as luxurious as the Optima this is still a great bag that has its own metal frame that acts as a stand. No longer do you have to lay your golf bag on the ground as you go about your day on the course, now your clubs will be well protected and will not have to bang around in your bag as you drop it to the ground. This is also a very affordable bag considering that it is very light weight and is a great golf stand bag. A golf travel bag may also be ideal for you depending on where you golf and when. If you like to travel around the country to experience new courses a travel golf bag is definitely in order. These are typically hard sided bags that will protect your golf clubs and gear as you travel from city to city aboard a plane, train, or even in the car. A travel bag will run you about $130 but is more than worth the investment considering how much money you have probably put into all of your gear that you keep in your bag. A golf bag is truly a personal choice, and with so many options on the market you'll have no problem finding the one that is right for you. While some of the bags may be a bit pricey sales and online vendors can save you quite a bit of money while offering quality equipment. Your golf bag is something that you should feel comfortable with, no matter what the style

Three Keys to Successful Sand Play

Three Keys to Successful Sand Play

Being successful out of the sand depends on three things: correct setup, proper technique and consistent point of entry.
You should use a sand wedge when playing short sand shots around the green. A sand wedge may vary from 55 to 58 degrees of loft with 8 to 12 degrees of bounce. I personally prefer a 58-degree sand wedge with 8 degrees of bounce.

For the correct setup, I like to draw or visualize three lines in the sand, as shown in the photos above. Each line has a specific purpose. The line going from the target to the ball and then extending beyond the ball is called the target line. The line that is about 10 degrees open to the target line is the angle of our feet or toes. Then I draw a line perpendicular to the target line originating at the ball. This represents ball position, which should be off the left heel for righthanded golfers (photo below).

Once you have the correct setup with the same amount of weight on each foot, the face of the club should be slightly open (photo at right). This puts loft on the ball and allows the back portion of the bottom of the club to bounce off the sand, as opposed to having the leading edge dig into the sand.
The start of the backswing (see Swing Sequence photos below) should be straight back or slightly outside the target line. There is an immediate breaking of the hands as you start this motion, producing a more vertical swing which encourages the club to enter the sand about two inches behind the ball (this is the point of entry).
What you are actually trying to do is to take as little sand as possible without contacting the ball. Allow the sand to lift the ball from the bunker. (You can work on getting a consistent point of entry with the Point of Entry Drill described here.)
As you make contact with the sand there should be a cupping of the left wrist. Let me explain "cupping." Assume you are wearing a watch on your left wrist and the face, as usual, is pointing outward. When contacting the sand on the forward swing, you should try to take the back of your left hand and move it towards your watch face, thereby creating wrinkles underneath your left wrist. This action is called "cupping of the wrist" and it is very necessary in producing quality sand shots. Since this motion prevents the club from closing, the ball is lifted in the air with backspin.

These are the three most important things regarding sand play around the greens. You don't have to be perfect to get out of a sand bunker, but you have enough of the basic principles to get started.

Golf Equipment: How to choose the right Iron Set?

Golf Equipment: How to choose the right Iron Set?

Today's golf equipment manufactures make several different lines of golf clubs to fit many golfers & budgets. In order to find the best fit for your game is research. Many factors that go into this decision is Skill level, Price & Brand appeal.
Start with the skill level, if you are a scratch golfer to a 5 handicap, than the type of irons you would be looking for is a blade style that is made out of forged steel. Forged golf clubs offer a softer metal than a stainless steel, and it allows you to have more feel for the ball. Blade style irons also allow you to shape your shots with greater ease than a more forgiving golf club. Some great examples of this type of club are the Titleist 695 irons, or the Callaway X Tour irons. The Cost of these ranges from $800-$900 depending on options.
6-12 handicap players should be looking for a club that offers some forgiveness and also the ability to work the ball, but still have some margin for error. Some great examples of these irons are the NIKE CCI irons and the Callaway X-20 Irons. These clubs range from $650-$750
12-18 handicap players should be looking into a game improvement style golf club. A game improvement club is designed with large perimeter weighting, and larger sole. The purpose of perimeter weighting is to push the weight of the club around the club face, to allow the center of the face to be as forgiving as possible i.e. Large Sweet Spot. Clubs that would fit that description are the Cobra FP Irons, Callaway Big Bertha Irons & Tour Edge QL Irons. Price range $300-$550
18+ handicap players should be looking for an ultra game improvement club. These clubs vary in terms of materials and price. The concept of these irons sets is to make golf easy and enjoyable for the average golfer. The manufacturers do this in many ways. First of, almost all of the clubs in this category have a very wide sole, which makes it easier to get the ball airborne? Other features this category offers is the size of the head. The head size is much larger than a blade style to create a larger sweet spot. A good theory is that the larger the head the larger the sweet spot. This category also offers other materials such as Titanium and Polymers to increase strength without increasing the overall weight of the club. Great examples of these clubs are the Callaway Fusion Wide Sole, Cobra S9 & Nike Ignite Irons. They range from $400-$1,000 per set.
Other points to consider are golf shaft options. You have 2 options to choose from Steel or Graphite. Steel shafts are less expensive than graphite. They also offer more control for you shots, and give more ability to work the ball than a graphite shafts. Steel shafts are also known to be a stiffer shaft and offer a strong swinger a better platform to perform. Graphite shafts are more expensive than steel, but are much lighter. The difference in weight is almost half. A light weight shaft is around 55 grams opposed to 120 grams in Steel. The benefit of graphite shafts are for those golfers who have smooth tempo swings. You would let the club do the work for you when using a graphite shafted club. Graphite shafts are very popular with ladies and seniors due to there slower swing speeds.
Last but not least, hit the golf clubs to be sure which is best for your game. Manufactures have Demo Days at most all local golf course or golf shows so the end consumer can try the latest golf equipment products available.

Golf swing training aids = swing improvement

Golf swing training aids = swing improvement

The golf swing is the most crucial part of your golf game, determining if you are going to score well or have trouble during your entire round of golf. Many golfers spend much time trying to hone and improve their golf swing so that they can become the best golfers possible. There is a way you can work on your golf swing on your own time, without expensive golf lessons. Golf swing training aids are great for golf swing practice and achieving results that you can take with you to the course.
One of the most popular and useful golf swing training aids is the golf impact indicator. These can be used with your drivers, irons, and even your putter. The golf impact indicator is placed on the club face so that you can see exactly where you are striking the golf ball with your club. After you swing, a mark will be visible on the indicator, revealing if you are hitting the ball on the sweet spot. If you are missing the sweet spot with your golf swing, your ball flight and distance will be hurt. The sweet spot, or the area of the club face that the club has been designed to hit the ball, is especially important when it comes to putting.
There are some more expensive and involved golf swing training aids available. For example, you can find swing trainers that are stations made of rails to precisely guide your swing on the correct path. One of the most popular golf swing training aids is a weight that you can slip onto an iron where it will rest right above the club head. Swinging with a weight on your club will improve your strength and is perfect for stretching before a round of golf.
Not all golf swing training aids have to be expensive or complicated. Follow these quick and easy instructions to work on your golf swing with a surprisingly simple training aid. This exercise will help you improve balance, a crucial part of the golf swing.
* Place a quarter on top of your left shoe if you are a right-handed golfer, or right shoe if you are left-handed.
* Try to swing while not allowing the quarter to slip off of your shoe.
* After swinging, check to see if the quarter has remained on top of your shoe, and if not, see where it landed.
* If the coin has landed at the toe of your foot, you have moved your foot too much off the ground during your back swing.
* If the coin has fallen to one side of your foot, you may have finished on your heel during your swing.
* The goal is to achieve a balanced swing where the quarter manages to stay on top of your shoe.
Author: Brent Bonnett http://onlinegolfinfo.com/

Perfecting your putting

Putting is arguably the most important skill in golf.
Forget about reading the green until you have mastered pace. Getting this right comes from developing a smooth putting rhythm.
There are no hard and fast rules about how you address the ball - develop any style you like as long as it delivers a smooth and reliable stroke.

STEP ONE

Very few top golfers break their wrists when they putt.
Instead they let their arms hang loosely and hold the putter lightly so both hang like a pendulum from the shoulders.
Ben Crenshaw is one of the world's finest. He holds the putter so lightly he sometimes drops it - but this is how he achieves the 'touch' behind a smooth rhythm.
Set up with the ball near your front foot, the club face square to the target line and your eyes over the ball.
It is important to keep your hands level or ahead of the ball through the stroke.

STEP TWO



Move the putter away smoothly, the arms hinging from the shoulders not the elbows or wrists.
Keep the putter head as a low to the ground as possible.
Keep the putter on a line square to the target as you swing it back and then forth.




STEP THREE


Maintain your tempo through the swing, accelerating slightly into the ball.
Watch the putter head strike the back of the ball on the upswing, feeling almost as if the palm of your right hand is striking it towards the target.
The best putting strokes look smooth because the club is swung back and forward at the same speed.



STEP FOUR


Follow through to the hole with your club, not your eyes.
It is good to practice keeping eye contact on the spot where the ball was rather than trying to see where it has gone.
Practice counting two seconds in your head before you allow yourself to see how well you've done.

source http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/golf/skills/4238292.stm

Drive like Tiger

The driver is the longest and least forgiving club in the bag.
It will ruthlessly expose flaws that go unpunished with shorter clubs.
Some golfers opt to play a safer club from the tee, such as a fairway wood or a low iron, if they are having problems with their driving action.
But nothing beats the feeling of letting one rip with the biggest club in your bag.

STEP ONE

Take a wider stance than usual and stand two or three inches further back from the ball than you normally do.
The ball should be positioned just inside your left heel.
Tee the ball up so about half of it shows above the head of the driver.
Accuracy is more important than distance.
To focus your mind, aim at a small target, such as a hollow or mark on the fairway, rather than a general one.

STEP TWO

Concentrate on keeping the clubhead low to the ground to create a wide arc as you take the club back

STEP THREE

Do not overswing.
It's very important to control your power.
Do this by keeping your right knee bent and making sure you don't overbalance onto the side of your right foot.

STEP FOUR

Swing back through the ball as smoothly as possible letting the club do the work.
Concentrate on 'sweeping' the ball off the tee.

STEP FIVE

Follow right through to the target.
Don't forget to follow the path of your ball, especially if it has landed in the rough.

Golf Tips - Back Pain And Golf Can Be Improved With Exercise And Stretching

Back Pain Caused From Golf

The repetitive nature of the golf swing predisposes the back to stress, strain, pain and injury. Back pain in golf is the most common injury among amateur golfers world wide. This is so prevalent that entire books have been written and chiropractors have dramatically improved their bank accounts thanks to golfers coming in 2 to 3 times a week indefinitely.
The golf swing requires both golf specific strength and flexibility, specifically in your core area to withstand the stress the low back is under. If your core is weak or inflexible, all the pressure goes right into the lower back, glutes and even hip area.
Rotating your upper body over a stable lower body is the physical demand we are talking about that can wreak havoc on golfers' low back and cause a high level of pain.
This movement occurs over a hundred of times per round when you combine practice before play (hitting balls), preshot swings before every shot, actual swings, and not to discount bending over to put the ball on the tee and to get it out of the hole after you've made your putt.

Golf Exercises To Withstand The Pressure

Golf exercises are one of the quickest ways to eliminate and prevent back pain from occurring. Exercises specific to the core from a rotational standpoint will be the most effective. The golf swing is a pure rotational movement, so training your body with exercises involving core rotation will give you the best return from your efforts.
These exercises do not have to be performed in a gym, nor with fancy equipment. You can incorporate simple and effective exercises with light dumbbells, exercise tubing and weighted medicine balls. All very inexpensive and available at most local fitness equipment stores in your locale.

Golf Stretching To Keep The Tension Out

Since the golf swing requires a higher level of flexibility, it is only wise to implement golf stretching exercises that isolate the core, lower back and even the glutes.
These stretches can be both dynamic (movement) and static (holding), depending on the time they are done. For example, before golf or practice should be dynamic stretches to prepare the body to perform, and after golf or after a warm shower in the morning should be static stretches isolating the above mentioned areas.
Golf stretching is only effective if done consistently. Preferably on a daily, if not every other day basis. Muscles can "go back" very quickly if left alone. They are elastic and can easily be improved, as well as quickly tightened if not stretched regularly.

The End Result A Better Game And Healthy Back

I hope this article has opened your eyes to the importance of fitness, exercise and stretching to not only reduce or eliminate back pain, but to improve golf performance and longevity of the game.

by Mike Pedersen source http://www.golflink.com/golf-tips/tips/pedersen001.asp

Basics!

Keep It Simple

When you're not sure which club to use, stick to what you know. For your first tee, use a wood. When it's a close shot, use a low iron or a pitching wedge. Whenever you're mid-range, use a middle iron. Finally, use a putter when you're on the green.
Don't try to use a fancy club unless you know what you're doing. When in doubt, stick to what you know. Oftentimes, simplest is best!

Keep Your Stance In Line

When you're using middle irons, your feet should be about shoulder length apart or a little wider. The bigger an iron you use, widen your feet. If you go smaller, keep your feet closer together.
Always remember that address and grip often influence the outcome of a shot much more than the actual swing.

Use A New Ball

When you are making a difficult shot, especially if there's water around, use a new ball. Take out a shiny new one and toss that old one aside. This is a mental trick. It makes you value the shot more.
You can hit that old crummy ball any which way and who cares, right? But you don't want to lose a shiny new ball, and you'll think a lot more about where that ball is going to go.
Use A Little Psychology

A Mental Image

The fairway is so vast and broad. Sometimes it can be distracting while you are putting, just looking all around and seeing how far it can go in either way.
Here's a mental imagery exercise some pro golfers do: They imagine that the fairway is just a narrow strip. All that green on either side doesn't exist at all. It's just a straight shot from the tee to the hole.
Try this next time you golf. Imagine it's just you, the ball, and the hole. Make all that extra green disappear.

Picture The Track

Another mental trick that helps many golfers make their shots is to picture the ball coming backward from the hole to the tee. This is a trick many bowlers and players of other sports use. Just imagine the ball rolling backward in a straight line from the hole.
One More Tip Using Your Eyes
Beginners often lose speed on their putts. They end up slowing down and getting the ball close to the hole, but not quite there.
When you're putting, try to put the ball just past the hole. This is an especially good tip if you have the habit of getting short of the hole. Picture it going further than the hole, and that will help you keep your speed going through the swing. Your swing will be more solid.

Extras - Chipping

Easy Chipping Drill

When you're practicing chipping, use a chair or lean against a wall to brace yourself. You can use anything at all, as long as it's hard and solid.
Just lean your left leg against the chair or wall or whatever, and put your weight into the forward foot. This is a great drill to practice getting a good downward swing and chipping just right.

by Mandy Fain source http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=455402

Golf is Good for Your Health

Golf is Good for Your Health

Everything about our lives is busy. We not only do our work at work now a days, but carry work with us. Cell phones, video conferencing and wireless Internet allow work to be done anywhere and anytime. Technologies advancements have helped business reach across the globe and do more work with greater speed than ever before. Yet, some businesses are seeing a decrease in workers productivity. A person can find themselves asking, "how can this be?"
Well, technology allows people to complete tasks with less physical exertion. Escalators, elevators, and cars make it easy to get where you are going without moving very much. We even have buttons to open car doors for us and save the time and effort to do it ourselves. Along with the weight control benefits of exercise lost due to all this technology, we also lose the benefits for reducing stress that come from exercise. And with stress is on the rise for many Americans these benefits are greatly needed. Stress reduces work productivity and causes businesses millions of dollars in lost work due to this reduced productivity and absenteeism associated with stress.
Lucky for the golf lover, golfing is not only recreational, but also a great healthy activity. A key to success in using golfing to reduce stress is to get all the exercise out of it that you can. If a person walks the golf course they walk 4-5 miles. Even though it is stop and go walking, it is still beneficial. An average American needs to take 10,000 steps a day to maintain weight, that is about 5 miles. Golf is the perfect solution for the goal to move more. Unfortunately, there is starting to be a trend to use a cart while golfing instead of walking. It has been said, "walking is the way that golf is meant to be played." Supporting this statement is that fact that participants in the PGA tournaments are required to walk the course. Part of playing the game is having the endurance not only to play, but also to travel in between holes. Playing traditional golf, including walking the course, also shows respect for the game.
Other benefits of walking, other than reducing stress, are time to unwind and slow down. Because most people are busy all the time, and always in a hurry to get to the next task. Walking the golf course allows a person to relax and take the time to fully enjoy what they are doing. When you have a cart, you quickly get in it to move quickly to the next hole. The person who does this robs them self of the time to look at the course and enjoy being outside. Slowing down gives you the time to think, contemplate and figure out life's problems. Stress is reduced not only for the body, through exercise, but also the mind through pondering. If you aren't able to walk the entire time due to lack of conditioning or poor health consider these suggestions:

1) walk 9 holes, use a cart for 9 holes

2) if golfing with a partner each walk half the time and use the cart half the time

3) take someone with you as a driver, to transport only between holes

4) start by walking everything you can other than the actual travel to each hole

5) Take the stairs more often, park further away from the fronts of businesses, and take a 10 minute walk on your lunch break to work up to more physical endurance.

6) Take time to slow down, enjoy the course and get all the benefits that golf has to offer.

The Basic Rules to Playing Golf

The Basic Rules to Playing Golf

The game of golf is not only physically but also mentally challenging. It is a strategic game that has many fans around the world. Golf is played by hitting a golf ball using golf clubs on an area called the teeing ground. Once the ball has been hit, it will travel along fairways and into the next prepared area, where a hole is found. This prepared area is known as the putting green.
Simply put, the target of the game is of course to put the ball into the hole in as few hits as possible. This means that a golfer has to complete the hole by hitting the golf ball from the teeing ground into the hole in the putting green using the golf club in as little strokes as possible. A round of golf usually means a play of 18 holes.
There are two basically two kinds of play in golf. In the match play, the winner is determined according to the number of holes lost and won. In the other kind of play, which is the stroke play, the winner is the golfer who uses the least number of strokes to complete a round.
In playing the game, there are two very fundamental rules to adhere to: Play the course as you find it; and play the ball as it is found.
Should the rules above be difficult for you to follow, keep in mind that you should at least play fair at all times. How do you determine what is fair and what is not? Read on and find out some rules which will give you a greater understanding on how to be a fair player in playing golf.
Basic Golf Courtesy
Do not stand, move or talk too close to a golfer who is about to make a stroke.
Play without any delay. Leave as soon as the other members in your group leave.
Try your best to play when everyone in your group is already out of the way.
Try to replace the divots as much as you can. And if you have walked into a bunker, don't forget to smooth out all your footprints.
It is not advisable for you to drop your golf clubs on the putting green, so avoid it at all cost.
Rules to Playing Golf
Before you start on your round of golf, take some time to read the local rules which are stated on the scorecard that you hold. After reading the rules, it is a good idea for you to mark which golf ball you will be using, which will make it easier for you to identify it. Several golfers may be suing the same brand of golf balls as you, In this case, it would be easy to see which golf ball belongs to you.
Before you start, make sure you have counted your golf clubs. You are allowed a maximum of fourteen golf clubs.
When beginning the actual play, make sure you tee off in front of your tee markers. Should your tee off be a little bit off, or outside of the area specified, you may be asked to repeat your stroke. If this happens in a match play, then you are lucky as there will be no penalty for you. However, if this happens in a stroke play, then you are given a two-stroke penalty. That is why it is important for you to tee off in the specified area.
When you are playing, should your ball lie in a water hazard or a bunker, remember not to hit or touch the water or bunker in any way before you do your downswing.
The ball should never be spooned or pushed: it should always be struck fairly.
It is all right if you want to mark the ball that you are using. You could also clean your ball: just lift it, clean and put it back exactly where it was previously.
In the case of dropping a ball, the best way to do so would be to stand straight and to hold your golf ball at the length of your shoulder, and to drop it gently. Should you, in dropping the ball, happen to strike another player, the caddie or even yourself, you must drop the ball again. This is done with no penalty.
It would also be all right for you to pick up your ball if by doing so you would assist another player. On the other hand, you may also lift any other ball if that ball is interfering with your playing or another player.
By remembering the basic rules of golf as well as the basic common courtesies of playing golf fairly, you will make the game more enjoyable for you and others.