Wednesday, November 4, 2009

An Introduction to the Golf Driving Range

If you are just starting to learn to play golf then one place which you are going to become very familiar with is your local golf driving range. Indeed, even if you have been playing the game for some time you will still return to the driving range from time to time to practice new techniques and to sharpen up your skills.

Driving ranges tend to be very similar in design with a typical range accommodating anywhere from 30 to 50 golfers each with their own individual driving 'stall' separated off with wooden or metal barriers.

Inside each stall you will find a bucket containing 50 to 100 practice golf balls, depending on the range, and an artificial grass mat which is generally about 6 feet square and includes an integral rubber tee.

As you stand on your 'teeing ground' and look down the range you will find that it is marked with a series of distance poles which normally start at 75 yards and extend out to 250 yards or more at 25 yard intervals. In some cases you will also find a simulated green area at the far end of the range with flagpoles to provide you with a target to aim at.

In most cases, as the name suggests, you will be using you larger clubs on the range, including naturally your driver, but there is no reason at all why you should not practice with any of your irons and can play the ball from both the tee and the mat itself because the artificial turf used provides a good approximation of hitting your ball from the real grass of the fairway.

The most important thing to remember when using the range is that your practice session must have a clear purpose and you will be wasting your time if you simply hit balls as quickly and as hard as you can down the range.

Decide before you start just what you wish to practice in a particular session and remember that the object should be to learn how to use each of your clubs and to perfect your technique so that you can get your ball to fly the distance you want it to go and land on a predetermined target. At the end of the day it really doesn't matter how much power you can get into your swing or how far you can get your ball to go. What really matters is being able to control your ball so that it goes the distance you want it to and lands on a specific target.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Saunders

Golf Grip Instruction - Learning to Grip the Club

There is a lot of golf grip instruction available for those who would like to get started with golf. There will definitely be different advices depending on the instruction. But what you should remember is to know what strategy you should apply when it comes to playing golf before you go and have someone check on you and give you some instructions. Of course, this also applies to all golf concepts including getting a grip instruction.

Golf grip instruction requires you to know what strategy you are going to apply on the first shot of the hole. You need to ask yourself if you want to make the ball go a long way and sacrifice some accuracy. Or do you want to hit the ball over to a safe distance and make sure that you know where it lands and lands where you want it to land? It is important to know this as your grip will affect your shots.

If you decide to go for the former, you have to maintain a strong grip on the golf club. This will ensure that you will be able to maintain a square head on your club wherever you want your ball to be hit. You can also jus wing for the fences if you want to keep a firm grip on your golf club. After, you send the ball flying with a square hit on the ball.

If you want some distance but have an accurate measurement of the ball's landing, you can go for a firm grip but not one that is so overly tight. This golf grip instruction will ensure that you have just enough power to control the accuracy of the ball. This is one of the many ways to improve on your golf game. What was mentioned is just one of these ways.

Of course you need to have some basic instruction first or at least grasp of what to do and how to do things before you start thinking about your strategy. It will be best to get familiar with the basics firsts before you go and plan your first tee off. It is important that you know where to begin and how to begin. It is also very important that you grasp well the concept of the game before you go for a more detailed golf grip instruction or decide to improve on your golf swings and shots.

Slicing the golf ball once is embarrassing. Slicing the golf ball swing after swing is humiliating. One of the fastest way to improve your golf game is to study and understand the correct golf grip instruction.

Do you have these 3 problems with your golf swing:
1) inconsistency;
2) slice;
3) distance?



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=T_Dugan

Golf Driving Tips That Will Help You

Whether you are a professional golfer or a learner, golf driving tips will help you join the list of famous world known golfers like Tiger Woods. Even though there are other important tips that you will be required to learn, a golf drive is more important than them. Why, the tips on making a golf drive will help you determine the kind of golf shots to make. Driving the golf ball will determine the as it will help you determine the remaining holes.

How can you be accurate in hitting the golf ball if you don't learn important tips of driving the golf ball? How will do you generate more power to make your drive as longer as you want? Golf driving tips are mandatory and shunning away from them means no performance in golf. Some of the driving tips that a golfer learner or a trained golfer who has problems with his or her drive will apply for better performance are:

First, keep your eyes focused on the game. An experienced golfer ensures that his or her eyes line on golf is kept parallel to the target line. This will help determine the correct path of the club during impact. To ensure that the club maintains the correct path, it will be very efficient for the eyes of the golfer to be parallel with the target line. Pointing the eye line to the left or to the right will bring excessive steepness or excess inside move.

Secondly, golf driving tips will see that golfers will only allow their golf clubs do the work. As a beginner of golf game, ensure that only the golf driver do the driving for you. Using your own strength will make you either smash the ball or loose the target. It should be noted that golf clubs are designed to do only some specific functions (the clubs for making long distance drives and those of short distance drives).

Swing your golf club with less power. Making a golf swing at 100% driving power, it is very certain that you will easily loose you balance therefore you will have a reduced distance for making the swing. A 70% swing power will help you maintain an appropriate balance meant to give you a good golf distance.

Lastly, let the golf driving tips help you make an aggressive rotation of your hips. Tiger Woods has been known for making aggressive hip rotation during down swings. This aide in creating an improved torque meant to give you high club speed and a longer ball distance.

Slicing the golf ball once is embarrassing. Slicing the golf ball swing after swing is humiliating. One of the fastest way to improve your golf game is to study and understand the correct golf swing mechanics and read lots of golf driving tips.

Do you have these 3 problems with your golf swing:
1) inconsistency;
2) slice;
3) distance?



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=T_Dugan

Golf Downswing - The Most Vital Move

Golf downswing is very important in golf career, since it culminates into the perfect golf swing or the flawed swings normally associated with slices or short strokes. It doesn't matter the level of success you have made with the other swing areas, this will either cancel or polish whatever had transpired before.

It is the peak and is usually the last bad corner you need to go through before you head straight to the finishing line. Nothing annoys like achieving the best grips, stances, posture, top swings and backswings only to blunder at the downswing. Frustrating in deed, but don't worry, there is a way forward. Just learn and be a ware of the fatal errors that can ruin your golf downswing.

Spinning your hips while failing to move the weight laterally, turning your right shoulder high toward the ball (if you are right hand person), moving the club head or slowing down the hands as you do the downswing are some of the grave problems that can ruin downswing move.

Many events ensue once we make the errors. The errors can make you shoot earlier than expected. When you hit sooner, chances are you will drive the ball through a short distance. Another effect is that, it can make you hit from the outside in. If you hit outside in, you are likely to hit in the wrong direction. Hitting the ball in the wrong direction is simply slicing the ball.

An erroneous golf downswing is definitely a setback to golfers, and should be corrected as early as possible. The best way to correct the moves include moving the hips laterally to the left while keeping the head back and making no effort no matter the circumstance to move the golf club. The lateral hip movement relieves the leg of some weight, turns the shoulder and sends the club to the ball by causing the shoulders to rock slightly as they turn. When you keep your head back, it prevents the upper part of the body from following the hip, and also loosens or relaxes the tension that had resulted from the backswing.

The reason why we should not move the golf club with our arms, wrists, or hands, the golf club should be better moved by the shoulders for a perfect hit.

Golf downswing can only be perfected by identifying the problems that ruin it is fix them using the above mentioned three methods or magic moves.

Slicing the golf ball once is embarrassing. Slicing the golf ball swing after swing is humiliating. One of the fastest way to improve your golf game is to ask a golf swing coach to look at your golf downswing. The next best way is to study and understand the correct golf swing mechanics.

Do you have these 3 problems with your golf swing:
1) inconsistency;
2) slice;
3) distance?



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=T_Dugan

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Gulf Cart Accessories For Everyone

If you have a plain boring gulf cart then we have a surprise for you. There are gulf cart accessories for everyone. Instead of just having your typical tail lights there are other lights for you gulf cart. You can now have the popular LED lights lighting up your cart. This adds a hot illuminating effect to your cart in many different colors.

You can add a stylish dashboard to your cart. This dresses up your cart and makes it look spectacular. It is unique from any other cart around. You can pick and choose the layout of your cart. There are many different dashboards. For example, there are dashboards with multi cup holders. There are dashboards that hold your gulf balls.

You can add storage units to your cart as well. You can choose from rear storage or under seat storage tray. You can even have a roof mounting storage tray. This will give you even more space on your cart. All of your storage needs that you want are possible to have. You have a lot to choose from.

If you want to save energy then we have something for you. You can add a solar panel right on top of your cart. Solar panels will save you money in the long run. This will save energy for you by using natural resources from the sun. In fact it not only saves your battery it will get you a tax credit. Less energy and more money that is a deal you can live with.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Quin_Bailey_Rodger

5 Tips to Improve Hitting a Golf Driver Off a Tee

Are you struggling hitting a golf driver off a tee? Are you scared to death each time you step up to the tee with your driver?

This article is just for you, as its reveals 5 tips to help you improve hitting a golf driver off a tee which will result in producing a great drive.

Make sure you set your tee slightly higher out of the ground than when using a long or short iron. If the tee is too low you will end up topping the ball, but then placing the tee too high will cause your ball to pop up and your distance will be impaired.

Ensure you are gripping the golf club correctly, your grip when hitting a driver is the same as when hitting with your iron. Make sure whichever types of grip you use, interlocking, overlapping or baseball ensure the grip is correct. Make sure your strong hand is nearer the bottom of the shaft and weak hand near the top, i.e. for right-handed golfer left hand at top and right hand at bottom.

When addressing the ball with your driver you need to ensure you are standing a little further back than when using an iron. This is due to your swing plane creating a larger arc, standing too close will cause you to feel too rigid and not get correct contact with the ball. Your feet should be about shoulders width apart with the ball resting just inside the heel of the front foot.

Make sure you keep your head still and your eyes looking down at your ball. You may be tempted to watch the flight of the drive and look up to quickly which will likely cause you to top the ball and cause you to have one of the worst starts to a hole. Make sure the club does the hard work this can be done by turning your hips towards the target as contact is made with the ball. With your hips opened up you will complete the proper follow through and obtain great distance.

Always use a driver which you feel comfortable with, this doesn't mean you have to purchase the biggest most expensive driver available, this will only boost your ego not your distance. The golf shot you complete with your driver needs to be controlled, make sure you don't swing too hard.

Hitting a perfect drive off the tee straight and with maximum distance is simple to achieve if you follow these proven steps in this article. Hitting a golf driver off the tee is not something you can only see the pros do, use these steps and very soon you'll be hitting long straight drives with every shot off the tee.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Powell

Two Quick Practice Drills to Correct Your Golf Swing

To ensure you always complete the correct swing it is essential to practice regularly. There are a number of ways to practice, this can be out on the golf course if you play often, hitting shots at the driving range and also to complete some golf swing drills.

This article will be focusing on two perfect golf swing drills to ensure you practice your golf swing so it becomes natural.

Drill 1

The first drill requires you to go through your swing without your club, read through the steps then try out for yourself.

Start by taking up your standard stance when addressing a golf ball.

Ensure your arms still hang down very natural in front of you and turn your hands round so your palms are facing each other. Your front arm should be resting on top of your back hand.

Make sure your hands do not come apart from each other during the swing drill. You now want to make a practice swing, move in from your hips and rotate your upper body to the right feeling the rest of your body respond.

Watch the swing in a mirror and see how your body moves and how your arms have to rotate to ensure your palms keep together.

Complete your swing with your weight being transferred from your right to your left side.

Practice this drill to really see how a correct swing should feel like. Then when practiced a few times try to recreate the same feeling during your full swing while hitting some golf balls.

Drill 2

The second drill is also a drill to be completed without the use of a club, this is also a drill that should give you a understanding of how your swing should feel like and then you can recreate the feeling when you're ready to hit some balls.

Start by adopting the correct address position, apart from your arms which should be making a cross over your chest with your hands resting on the top part of your arms. Always keep you eyes looking down, focusing on an imaginary ball.

Start you swing and notice the feel of your upper body turning back freely and how your lower body responds.

Then start the downswing and notice how the body move forwards with your lower body first and your upper body responding.

With these drills you should be able to get a great feel of how to complete a correct swing, practice these two drills at home and also a few times before hitting any balls at the driving range. With these perfect golf swing drills your golf swing will improve immensely very quickly.




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Powell

Sunday, August 23, 2009

Advice on Common Golf Shot Problems

This article looks at some of the common problems that cause the golf ball to deviate from its intended target and how you can go about fixing the problem.

Let's start with the Push shot. A shot falls into the push category when the shot veers to the right of the intended target. The problem is immediate as the ball does not just fade to the right after you hit it but is immediately traveling to the right on contact. If, when playing your shot, your body does not rotate far enough left during the downswing you will probably "push" the ball. It can also happen if your arms swing to the right. You must really focus on keeping your body rotation going all the way through the downswing and this will help fix the problem.

The Pull shot is the opposite of the push in that the ball veers off the left immediately after contact. This is caused by an inaccurate downswing that pulls across your body. Your shoulders are opening too quickly during the downswing; you must keep the shoulders parallel to the target line as you make contact with the ball. One reason the pull can occur is if your grip is not firm enough, so try a harder grip on the club. Another reason is poor alignment; make sure you keep your weight on the left side as you perform the downswing.

Another common problem is that of not getting enough distance out of your shots. One of the main factors in delivering club head speed and the power comes from your shoulder rotation. You want to uncoil like a spring on the downswing, this is where the power comes from so make sure you rotate you shoulder fully during the backswing. You should aim to have your left shoulder over your right foot at the apex of the backswing. Flexibility is also very important and if your hands are gripping the club too tightly, it wall cause tension across your upper body in general and you will lose valuable club head speed. Try to relax your grip and you will see definite increased yardage.

If you are suffering from poor direction and the ball is flying in random directions on every shot you should look carefully at two things, alignment of your body and the position of the ball. Your shoulders, feet and knees must be aligned in a parallel line with your target. You should be fastidious in checking this alignment before every shot. Once you have your alignment sorted you can look at the position of the ball relative to your stance. If your stance is too close to the ball you will hit a lot of pull shots. If your stance is too far away you will hit a lot of push shots.

These are just some of the problems that can affect the direction of the golf ball during a shot. Hopefully this has given you some tips to rectify the problems. We will be looking at some more common directional problems in later articles.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_Attlee

How to Get the Ball Into the Air Quickly and Hit it High

Hitting the golf ball high is one of those shots that you will not need to use that often, but if you have an obstruction in your way such as a tree or you need to get the ball up quickly to clear the lip of a bunker then this is definitely a shot that you need to know to get yourself out of trouble.

The best advice I can give you in a situation like this is to keep it simple. Do not make any drastic changes to your swing or stance as the likelihood of making a mistake increases with every adjustment. So here are a couple of steps you should follow to successfully hit the ball high in the air:

Step 1: Place the ball further forward in your stance than you normally would for the same club. This will pre-set a little more loft on the clubface at address helping to give you a higher than normal ball flight.

Step 2: This is very important. Place your hands level with the ball and not ahead of the ball. This will add to the loft of the clubface.

Step 4: Make a slightly steeper, upright backswing and make sure your hands are positioned as high as they can go at the top of your backswing.

Step 5: Start your downswing and make contact with the ball. It is essential that you get the feeling of staying behind the ball at impact and you can do this by leaving your weight on your right side just a fraction longer than usual.

Step 6: After making contact with the ball continue, with the swing and make a full and well balanced follow through. It is still very important to keep your weight slightly on your right side.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jakobus_Nel

Selection Dilemma Between Fairway Wood Or Iron Golf Club

Most players are delighted if they hit the perfect shot once in 20 occasions. On the other 19 they will either lose their ball in the lake or find themselves confronted by a nasty sand shot. Here is a far better strategy when confronted by hazards on either side of a green that seems easily within reach.

Take an iron or a smaller wood, so as to leave you a shot of 20 yards or 18 meters to the green. That way, you take out of play both the lake and the bunker. Admittedly, you will not get a birdie three.

But you will get a four or, perhaps at worst, a bogey five, which is certainly better than the score you would be looking at if you were staring forlornly at your ball in the water.

There are times when a 3 or 4 wood is a perfectly good option. If, for example, you are three holes down with four to play and your opponent is already on the putting surface in two, then clearly you have no choice.

Dire circumstances call for drastic measures. Maybe the entrance to the green is wide open, or you think you could give Ernie a game out of the sand. In those circumstances, by all means go ahead and blaze away.

Much depends on how the ball is lying. Lush grass may give a nice lie, giving you the confidence to strike boldly, but from a right, bare lie caution is prudent. The key is to let the stars clear from your eyes and then assess the shot in a calculating manner.

If the penalties for straying off line around the green are great, then go with an iron. Do not risk leaving yourself a shot you dread. Above all, do not throw careless shots away when a little bit of caution can make things easier for you.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Azlan_Idris

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Left Handed Golf Clubs - What Makes Them So Different?

Left handed golf clubs are similar in construction and utilize the same technology built into right handed equipment. How do you tell if a golf club is for people who are lefties? When you hold a lefty club in front of you, the club face should point to the right.

Phil Mickelson is one notable champion who uses lefty golf clubs. Although normally right handed, Phil learned golf by mirroring his dad. He is also known as 'Lefty' in golf circles because of his left-handed swing.

It is always important to have your new set of clubs fitted to your body type, age and style of play. Players with a lot of power in their swing might opt for stiffer golf shafts. Older players will benefit from using clubs with built-in flex. The flex of the shaft is actually spring-like potential energy that puts additional power to your swing the moment your club impacts the ball.

The shafting of most modern left handed clubs is either made from steel or graphite. Steel is more durable and cheaper. Graphite is lighter but more expensive. It is important to consider what the club is made from.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Assaf_Levi

Senior Golf Clubs - What to Keep in Mind When Considering Senior Golf Clubs

Golf is a healthy low-impact sport which is perfect for people of all ages like juniors and seniors, so long as they can swing a club. Golf club manufacturers know that there are a fair number of older players still out there in the fairways. That is why manufacturers make a line of golf clubs rated for older people. This type of equipment belongs to a category called Senior Golf Clubs.

The main difference between Senior golf clubs and regular clubs is mainly in the flex. There is greater amount of flex designed in the shafts of Senior golf clubs. This flexing action increases the potential energy of the swing and when the club head strikes the ball, the flex of the shaft acts like a spring, adding more power to the impact.

It is still important to match your golf club to your style of playing - even though you belong to the so-called seniors group. If you still have the speed of your swing, you might not require much flex. The potential energy of a flexing shaft is only wasted on a fast swing. The shaft's flex gets exaggerated and the springing action happens late after impact, resulting in decreased distance and accuracy. If you find it confusing to get a proper match between your swing and the amount of flex in your club, having more flex in your club is always safer than having a stiff shaft.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Assaf_Levi

Buying Second Hand Golf Clubs - Things to Check Before You Buy Used Clubs

When buying second hand golf clubs, you really need to be careful and inspect the clubs for defects. There is always a reason that someone is selling their golf clubs. You want to be sure that the reason is not because they are in need of repair.

Here are some things to consider when looking at second hand golf clubs:

· Inspect the shafts: Make sure there are no worn areas or indentations that could weaken them. For steel shafts, make sure it has not been bent back into shape.
· Inspect the club heads: You are looking for face wear. Look for a shiny spot that shows that the clubs have had a lot of use. Do not buy clubs that have indentations as they will affect the flight of the ball.
· Inspect the grips: Carefully look for splits, cracks and other wear. You may decide to re-grip the clubs, but remember that will cost you more money so consider that in your offer price.
· Make sure the set is consistent: Do all of the clubs line up and appear to have come from the original set? You do not want a concoction of different clubs from different sets.
· Compare the prices of newer models in the same product line. Would it be better to just buy new?

Buying second hand clubs can save you a lot of money, but only if you take the time to properly inspect and do your own due diligence.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Assaf_Levi

Golf Clubs For Beginners - 7 Things You Need to Know Before Choosing a Golf Club

Choosing the right golf clubs when you are just learning the game can be difficult, you may feel like you are completely lost in a maze of new words and numbers. It can get very confusing for the new golfer if you do not understand the lingo of the game.

Here are some pieces of information that will help you to get you started:

· A set of golf clubs means that there are no more than 14 clubs
· Typically, a set will include: Irons: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, PW, Woods: 1, 3, 5 and a putter.
· You do not have to carry every golf club you own. You may decide that you only need certain ones
when you are just beginning to play golf.
· Just because a golf club is higher priced does not necessarily mean it is the best or will help your game
the most. Instead, use that money to invest in golf lessons or more time practicing at the driving range.
· The shaft is the axle of the club, and the better the shaft, the better the club.
· Use standard length clubs unless you are very short or very tall.
· You may want to begin by renting clubs at a driving range to get a feel for what you will need before
purchasing anything.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Assaf_Levi

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Golf Swing Slice Cure - Stop Slicing a Golf Ball And Gain More Distance

One of the most frustrating mistakes for all golfers is the golf swing slice. The slice ends up in low distance and higher scores. The passionate golfer is interested in a slice cure and wants to stop slicing the ball as fast as possible. If you want to stop slicing then this article is the right place to start.

Golf is hard to learn and the golf swing sequence is one of the most complex thing in sports. It is simply an unnatural move and you have to practise a lot to get the perfect swing. I want to give you some tips on how to stop slicing.

At first you have to analyze why you are not able to get the distance and score you want. Film yourself to start your golf swing slice cure. This way you will be able to see exactly what you have to do to improve your movements. Ask a friend of yours to film you and then analyze the complete swing. What is good and what is not so good?

If you do not rotate properly then you may have to improve your fitness level. To do the swing in a right way you some core strength. It does not look like but you have to be "in shape" to play golf. Like I said it is an unnatural move and you need some core strength to hit the ball with maximum power. This way you will maximize power and distance pretty fast.

Physical fitness is one aspect the other one is the mental fitness. You have to think positive. Do not think about what could go wrong. If you do so you will fail and never better your game.

Visualize your golf swing before you actually do it. Go through it step by step with the right mindset and you will stop slicing the golf ball. Mental fitness is often overlooked by amateur golfers but it can help you very much if you want to cure your golf swing slice.

These are only a few tips to cure a slice. A regular training routine is essential if you want to take your game to the next level.

Next you will want to know where to find the best golf swing guides to cure your slice.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Langer

Golf Swing Online Guides - Can They Better Your Game?

A lot of golfers are asking themselves how to learn a proper golf swing? Online is my answer. But are there any good and useful guides and courses available? Yes, and if your want to read on then you will better your golf swing online.

A lot of times I was outside on the green and practicing my golf swing. Sometimes it was raining and cold. This was a big problem for me because I wanted to better my game but I had to stop my training routine because of the bad weather. So, what should I do to solve this problem?

Well, simply getting an golf training course online. I searched a lot of these training guides and found some very impressive ones on my journey. You can learn from the comfort of your home any time you want to. They are offering detailed books with pictures and explanations. Software to see your improvements and videos which are visualizing the golf swing sequences and techniques.

But that is not all, often you get a complete golf fitness program. A core strength is necessary to do the swing in a right way. Physical fitness is one of the most important factors if you want to take your game to the next level and shot the ball with distance .

The biggest advantage for me is the personnel consultation with the author of the training guide. If you have a question just shot him an email or phone him. Great guides like the pure point golf program are offering a members only forum where you can get help. Speak to other golfers like you and me.

You see, there are a lot of advantages if you want to learn a golf swing online. Exercise when ever you want even when the weather is bad. Instant help if you have problems and excellent training materials. Online golf guides are definitely worth the money and you can easily implement the guides into your training routine.

Next you will want to know where to find the best golf swing online guides.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Langer

How to Grip a Golf Club to Improve Your Swing - A Quick Way to Help Your Gold Score!

All winter you have been waiting for the snow to melt and the ground to dry. All winter you have been looking at those golf clubs longingly, like a lover who is just out of reach. While you are waiting, take some time to freshen up on a few things.

When you are holding your golf clubs, you should be comfortable. You may have the best form on your block, but if it is not comfortable, you aren't going to have any fun. For left handed people, reverse the following. Take your left hand. Wrap it firmly around the club about half an inch from the top. Make sure your thumb is pointing straight down the club. Then put your right hand around the club. Your left thumb should be underneath your middle, ring and pinky fingers. Make sure you are holding tight. The tighter your hold, the better your shot.

Keep your wrists still. Use your left thumb as a guide. Point it straight down, and make sure it is parallel to the front of the club. Left handed people, this will be the opposite.

Golf gloves can be a help as well. Your grip will be tighter, and you will be more comfortable. But don't slack off on your grip, keep your grip as tight as possible. This proper grip will help your game no matter what shot you are faced with.

A couple of general things to always remember: make sure your clubs are waist high, and keep your head down until you have hit the ball. With these few tips, you are sure to have a better game this year. See you at the tee!



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joe_Rinehart

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Titleist Golf Clubs - Good Or Bad?

The old saying, "Drive for show, putt for dough," is something that the people at Titleist golf clubs must have had in mind when they designed their clubs.

While this company does offer a nice selection of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons, their flagship clubs are definitely their wedges and putters. There are many golf clubs available out there today - make sure to go with a company that is reputable and that you feel comfortable with.

Many golfers spend a lot of time on the driving range pounding out long drives and they never take the time to learn the finer points of the game. Some of the most frustrating aspects of the game can be missing a short putt or sculling a chip across the green and adding unnecessary strokes to your score. Having the right equipment can make a golfer's short game much more effective.

Hitting shots from 100 yard and in, and chipping around the green is where golfers really lower their scores. Most advertising focuses on drivers and hitting the ball 300 yards. Many golfers also focus on that aspect of the game and can't figure out why their scores aren't getting lower.

Spending some time practicing these shots is what will really help golfers. Having the right equipment is also a big factor in having some short game success. Titleist golf clubs make a series of wedges that have consistently been rated as the best wedges in the game. There are also many PGA tour professionals that use these clubs. If the best players in the world are using them, chances are they're pretty good clubs.

But there are many clubs available today. I'm not blatantly selling Titleist golf clubs, but do know they're a recommended brand by professionals.

Wedge shots and chipping are just half the battle in having a great short game. Putting can be a golfer's worst nightmare. You can step up to the tee and bomb a 300 yard drive down the middle of the fairway. You can even hit a great shot to the green for your approach.

But if you can't putt, your scores will not be low. A one inch putt counts the same as a 300 yard drive, so practicing this part of the game can save a lot of frustration. Titleist golf clubs have been known to make some of the best putters in the world according to golf experts.

Many golfers say they have a great feel and produce a very true roll on the ball when it is struck. Having this high quality equipment can build confidence in a golfer. That confidence can carry them a long way on the putting green.

If you go with Titleist golf clubs or not, just be sure to go with a brand that is credible.

Titleist golf clubs offer a wide range of choices, but their best clubs are the wedges and putters. Practicing and improving your short game will lead to lower scores and more enjoyment on the course. Using the best equipment can help you achieve those lower scores, whether or not it's Titleist.

Hi, I'm Stewart Green and I wrote this article. I hope you now have a better understanding of Titleist Golf Clubs and how they can help you achieve your golfing needs. It is my goal to provide quality information for my readers now that I have been playing golf myself for several years.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stewart_Green

How You Can Quickly Cure a Golf Slice

Let's get straight down to business so you can fix your golf slice quickly and effectively. The first thing you need to do is understand the contributing factors.

Somewhere within you swing, grip and posture you're cutting across the ball. So you will need to address each component so that you can correct the problem.

Let's start with your address; you need to get your body aligned with the target line. Start with your shoulders; visualize a ladder pointing to the target with the ball on one side and your shoulders and hips on the other side.

To help with this, in the case that you are a right hander keep your right foot pointing straight at 90 degrees, you can open it slightly once you are aligned so as to enable more hip rotation.

Keep your shoulders and body aligned with the other side of the ladder where the ball is positioned. The ball should be in a position where it helps you to remain square.

The next thing you need to check is your grip, if it is weak or strong you may continue to slice the ball. To prevent this, grip the club in your fingers and get your V's pointing to your right shoulders.

Do not grip the club too tight so you can let the club do the work and not your hands. Get the big muscles into your swing as they are more consistent than the smaller muscles and are less likely to deviate throughout the swing.

Practice this on the driving range and you will see big improvements.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Benjamin

How to Quickly Cure a Slice

If you having playing golf for any length of time then you know how frustrating a slice can be. When you have slice demands in your game not only do you lose distance but you also lose accuracy.

This can really have a major impact on your scores so the first thing you need to do is address and understand the problem. The answer to any problem lies within the problem itself.

The club face at impact is coming across the ball. As the ball takes off it can start out going straight but then as the speed decreases the spin becomes dominant causing it to veer off the target line.

There are a number of factors that can contribute to this, one is grip. If your grip is weak the shaft of your club can rotate as you take the club back which then in turn affects the club face at impact.

Also having too tight of a grip or what is considered a strong grip can also cause problems at impact. Excessive tension in your forearms can also affect rotation when you are coming back to the ball in the downswing.

How you address the ball or your stance when swinging the club can also be a factor. If it is too open relative to the target line you can also find yourself cutting across the ball.

Additionally where the ball is positioned can be a factor. If the ball is too far forward the club face can start to cut across it at impact.

Now that we have identified the problem here are some quick ways you can overcome it. One, get your grip right, number two, address the ball correctly and get your setup square to the ball. Get your shoulders aligned with the target line.

Practice this at the driving range and you will start to see improvements in your game and you will find that you start slicing the ball less.

Do you want to measure your game and take it to the next level. Do you want step by step instruction to shave shots off your scores starting today? Click this link and get a free e-book The 5 Secrets To Distance



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Benjamin

Friday, January 30, 2009

It's Not Sexy to Be a Mover and a Shaker When You Putt

Unnecessary body motion is a common fault in putting. The more you move about during your stroke, the more you will reduce your chances of holing the putt.

A fundamental of a sound putting stroke is keeping your lower body and head steady. You should maintain throughout your entire stroke what Dave Stockton, author of the book "Putt to Win", refers to as 'legs of granite'.

Another analogy that putting instructors use, is for you to imagine that your lower body is set in a barrel of concrete.

On the Tour a number of professionals quieten their lower body by widening their stance. This has the effect of stabilising their centre of gravity.

Putting is contrary to all other aspects of how the game is played. The grip, the stance, the swing, the position of the head and arms, the use of the wrists - all demand a different approach.

In reality this means that learning to drive or play an iron shot does nothing to prepare you for putting. The last thing you want during your putting stroke is the body motion of weight transference that is necessary in the full swing.

Putting is a simple activity. So childishly simple is its appearance, few golfers ever consider a putting lesson. Through omission they never learn that an important fundamental of consistent putting is to quieten their body and their mind.

Studies have shown that the best performances where accuracy is required occur when the heart rate decelerates.

The biathlon combines the two disciplines of cross country skiing and rifle shooting. Competitors must learn through rigorous training the ability to control their heart rate. Unless they can slow down their heart rate before shooting, their shots are unlikely to find their targets.

In the same way you cannot expect to putt consistently with a racing heart and an over-active mind. Any unwanted body motion during your stroke will lead directly to a breakdown in your distance control and a lack of accuracy.

The most obvious movement in putting is when you prematurely look up to observe the outcome of your putt. The act of turning towards the hole draws back your left shoulder and changes the angle of your putterface at impact.

Remember the old African-American spiritual 'Dem Bones'. The song recalls how everything in our anatomy is connected. What this means is that moving one part of your body will also cause another part of your body to move.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neville_Walker

Does Practice Always Make Perfect on the Golf Course?

Golf is a game played with the body but won with the mind - so you need to practice both areas because remember what Einstein said - the definition of insanity is to keep doing what you have always done and expect different results.

So New Year - New Golfing YOU!

My aim here is to not tell you how to practice or indeed to give you some advice on the skills and techniques you need, but to get you to appreciate why practicing is so important. It will be the mind that usually talks you out of practicing with a ton of excuses as to why it isn't necessary or important.

It's a New Year, so it is a great time to have a plan (especially over the next few months) before the golfing season starts properly in March/April, so you can head out knowing that you are firing on all levels with your golf.

This article is not going to concentrate on your plan, or with any technical areas - I suggest you book a session with your Club Professional and get him or her to help on that one. Make sure though you review all areas of your game, from your swing to putting, and create an action plan that will help you to work on those areas you feel need the most attention over the next few months. Winter is a great time to practice - summer is the time to play and enjoy!

What I want to concentrate on in this article is the importance of practice from a psychological stand point and how it will help your confidence. We all know we play better when we are feeling confident about ourselves and our game.

First of all, one of the pitfalls is that it is human nature to practice that which you enjoy the most - that is why you see so many amateur golfers down the driving range slugging away with their driver. This does not necessarily make them any better off the tee but boy is it good fun!

This of course is not going to help their score card in the least but as a stress buster it is great - the problem is the amount of times I hear - 'Why can't I hit it off the tee like I can at the Driving Range?'

The main reason for this is there is no consequence to hitting balls on the driving range and if you get one wrong you just go onto your next ball out of a basket of 60! From the point of view of the mind it is not like hitting the ball in a round of golf or during a competition at all because you only have ONE BALL and that has to get into that hole in the shortest amount of shots possible. You cannot say 'Oh not happy with that one I will take another shot off the tee!' That is why it is difficult to translate those shots from the driving range to your game on the golf course.

There are ways you can practice at the driving range to make the conditions as real as if you were playing a round. Again ask your Club Professional as they will be able to suggest ways to make your practice sessions more realistic.

So why is it then that those areas of your game that you aren't good at are those you will most probably practice the least? Why do we avoid those things that we know we are not good at, yet these are the skills we should be practicing the most?

The simple answer to this is - getting better at something takes time, hard work and effort.

We all know the importance of practice, so in this section we are going to look at the mental blocks that often get in the way of us practicing and more importantly, practicing wisely. It is also my aim that by bringing awareness to you, you can start to change some of the beliefs you have created that support your reasoning that "practice is not important or not needed".

If you are expecting me to wave a magic wand on this subject, then you are going to wait a long time. I am afraid in this particular instance nothing can make up for putting a bit of time and energy into a plan that will help keep you on track to achieve your golfing goals this year.

I want you to ask yourself the following question - if you made a conscious decision to spend some quality time practicing how would that help your game this year? Self-reflection is one of the key qualities that make a true champion.

So back to the subject of practicing; the reason why I think it is so important to think about this subject now is because it will not only improve your skill set but when your skills improve so does your CONFIDENCE!

The real key here is practice by its very nature is repetitive so when done correctly it will help give your sub-conscious mind the support it needs to make good play as automatic as changing the gears on your car. Your mind absolutely loves routine.

Things You Can Do Now

TIP 1: Make any practice situation as realistic as possible. When practicing your short game or putting use only one ball and always have the intention of getting the ball in the hole as if you were playing the shot. For your tee shots and irons ask your Club Professional to set goals to practice on the driving range which will emulate the sort of pressure you feel when playing a round.

TIP 2: Get yourself a hard covered journal to write in and get into the habit after every game of writing down and re-living your best shots. This will help you gain confidence in how you play and give your sub-conscious mind the chance to remember the good shots. This will make it easier to visualise playing well when you need some positive mental in-put the most - during play!



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gail_Smirthwaite

How to Stay Focused on the Golf Course

When we are born we enter this world without fear and full of hope and innocence. What then happens as we grow is that our minds are filled with the rules and beliefs of others - parents, our friends, teachers and so on.

This is the way we learned our beliefs through childhood. We are basically the sum total of what others think. What we perceive as right or wrong, good or bad, what is acceptable and what is not has all been programmed into us by others. Is it little wonder that so few of us do not have a strong sense of 'self'. Golf is a truly amazing game because for you to excel, that is precisely what you need.

What happens though, is if we are not careful we become victims of other people's opinions. Is it little wonder that whilst we have been growing up, that listening to others has become an acceptable way to learn. The difference is when we are children although we have the opportunity to choose what we want to believe we just simply believe everything an adult tells us.

As adults, however, it is a completely different story. We do have the choice not to listen to others, but after a lifetime of taking in information this way we have lost the ability to trust our own feelings, thoughts and reactions.

We train our children much like we would train a pet dog. We use a system of punishment and reward. If you are a good boy or girl you received praise and good things, if you were bad then you were punished. This is how we learn to 'people please' as we quickly understand that the rewards are far more enjoyable than the punishment.

The rewards would take the form of getting positive attention and the punishment would most certainly include some form of rejection. Rejection is the NUMBER ONE fear of human beings. It has been so successfully used in our formative years that it is difficult to break the beliefs that have set us up for a lifetime of pleasing others.

We understand that if we go against these 'rules', then we suffer. Unfortunately, by the time we are able to take back the control in our lives and decide for ourselves what rules we want to live by we have been programmed into a certain way of thinking and behaving.

How important someone else's opinion is to you will directly affect your self-esteem and confidence. By giving someone else the POWER to build you up or knock you down with a single comment, opens you up to a lifetime of low self-esteem and poor confidence.

This is never more true than on a Golf Course. You have the choice to allow someone else to affect your mood and how you feel about yourself.

So what can you do about it?

It's up to you to catch yourself when someone has made a negative comment that could potentially change your mood. Ask yourself whose opinion matters the most, 'how you feel about yourself or what Derek may or may not think!'

The first step is to NOT TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY!

This is a new skill, so please do not be too hard on yourself. It takes time to stop reacting the way you always have done. It is up to you to make a conscious decision that you want to change how you feel about yourself and then to take the steps to do something about it.

The only person you can CONTROL in this process is YOU! If someone makes some comment that is not out of care and respect for you and could potentially make you feel bad about yourself - it says more about THEM than it does about YOU.

Maybe they are having a bad game and indirectly they are having a go at their own abilities. Whatever the intention it is not up to you to analyse it. This is time consuming and based on ASSUMPTIONS! We all know what can happen when we make assumptions. This type of behaviour will do nothing to help you build up your self-esteem and work on your own confidence and above all else it will take your mind AWAY from the task in hand. Staying focused on playing a great shot.

Also remember when you are standing on the first tee, I assure you the golfers around you are worrying about their first tee shot as much if not more than you. We humans tend to get wrapped up in our own 'personal importance' far too much. This is the greatest expression of selfishness as we feel that everything is about 'me'.

It may come as a shock to you but those watching you tee off are living their own 'personal importance' nightmares. Comments from them about you are only highlighting their own fears and beliefs and are not a personal attack on you!

If you start to take on everyone else's emotional garbage then it will become yours. You will then be stuck in a cycle of personal self-talk that will try and support what you think they should believe. Whilst you are trying to control what others are thinking and believing (incidentally YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO DO THIS!) you have once more given away your control. Your need to be right and to change the minds of others will create one more nail in your coffin of low personal self-esteem.

In the same way, as what you say and do to others is a reflection of your personal rules or beliefs, these have nothing to do with anyone but yourself.

REMEMBER: It is not important what someone else thinks of you - it is important what you think of you. If you know WHO you are and WHAT you want, then WHAT someone else thinks about you does not matter. If you remove the need to be accepted your self-esteem and confidence will soar.

TIP: The next time some says or does anything that offends you say to yourself -

'I am not going to take this personally. Whatever you think about me is your problem. It is based on your own personal rules and beliefs that are not mine, which is absolutely fine. I know that with that comment or action you are dealing with your own fears about yourself. Nothing you think or do is about ME it is about YOU!



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gail_Smirthwaite

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Details on How I Can Improve My Golf Putting

Golf putting tips are important for any golfer because of the fact that nearly half of your game is based on how well you can putt. It won't matter how far and how straight you hit your driver or irons, if you can't putt well you can't score well. You may ask for golf putting tips from your friends or some type of a professional players. If they watch you play it would be really educational and useful for you if they analyzed your style and suggested golf putting tips for an increased game production.

Over 50% of your golf score comes from putting. If you want to improve your golf score and eliminate the three, four, and even five putt greens, you must improve this part of your game. The position of your hands on the club can also have an impact on your putting skills. You must hold the club just right to achieve your perfect putt. When you lose that confidence in your putter, it really makes it difficult to do anything and obviously you feel like all you did was miss on the green all day.

One such solution involves having a routine which allows you to calm your nerves and block out the distractions around you. Putting is about feel and the less tense you are, the more fluid your putting stroke will be. Therefore, it is imperative that the correct practice methods and routines are followed.Trust is a critical component to consistently great putting and most putters get the jitters when they start to doubt their putting game.

It is important to train your stroke and then to trust it when it comes time to use it on the course and in competitions or just playing your friends you want to beat. Care should be taken not to grasp the club in the palms; it should be held, like the other clubs, along the base of the fingers, with a firm but not tenacious grip. The elbow-joints, like those of the knees, should be bent and fairly loose.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Wadel

Get More Distance With Your Driver - Pin Pointing the Info You Need

If you really want to get more distance with your driver, you need to know how to turn up reliable info on how to accomplish it. The average golfer won't get it done, though. Instead, most of us end up with a bunch of conflicting knowledge on how to do it, with no way to tell which stuff is better to rely on. Here's how to avoid this mess, while finding info on how to get more distance with you driver that has worked for others in real life.

That's basically what we all need, right? Who really wants to try out a bunch of random, conflicting tips, techniques and guides on how to get more distance with your driver? That's exactly what a lot of golfers are doing, though. The internet is filled with great golfing knowledge, but is also filled with a ton of fluff. Most golfers don't know how to tell the good info from the bad info, though.

Do you know why so much of this happens? Basically, it all happens because 90% of golfers will strictly use some sort of search engine to look for how to get more distance with your driver. Long story short, it's just not working. In fact, it's the number one reason people get overwhelming with conflicting info on how to improve their game!

How do you know which sites on the list have reliable knowledge that has truly worked for other golfers who have used it? How do you know which tips you are going to try is going to end up being completely useless, with nothing to show for it but wasted time on the course? That's the problem so many golfers face in the age of the internet.

Here's how to completely avoid much of that nonsense, while finding the tied and try knowledge, tips and guides on how to get more distance with your driver. It all starts and ends with the use of golfing forums. You may have scanned through one or two in the past for various things, but you need to use them more.

Most of the better golfing forums will be filled with topics on this very subject. It's where you are going to be able to see exactly what other golfers have done to improve their distances, You'll see what has worked for them and what has been completely useless. You can weed out the bad stuff on how to get more distance with your driver and see the ways, tips, techniques and guides that have gotten the job done. It takes all of the dreaded guess work out of it for you. It's as simple as that.

Every golfer has a dream to get more distance with your driver, but many will struggle needlessly through tons of random, conflicting reports on how to get it done.

Here is the revolutionary, most original tutorial/guide which includes step-by-step ways to get more distance with your driver.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Woodham

Golf Basics For Beginners - Where Can You Find Reliable Knowledge?

There is no doubt that finding good golf basics for beginners will speed up the process of having consistency on the course. With that said, golfers will have a very hard time finding reliable info, tips and guides on the web because there is just so much conflicting information on the subject. Not all knowledge is created equal and you need to know which golf basics for beginners have really worked for other people and which ones are complete duds.

This is an issue that many golfers face when looking for this type of knowledge online. Sure, the web has an overload of golfing info, but how do you know which websites have the "tried and true" info and which websites are just putting up a bunch of fluff that doesn't really work on the course? What makes it even worse is the fact that 9 out of 10 golfers will try to find golf basics for beginners by using some kind of search engine.

Long story short, this just isn't going to work very well. As a matter of fact, this is how so many people wind up with tons of conflicting info on the golfing subject they are looking into. How do you know which tips, guides and techniques have even worked for others? What if the random search results you try out end up to be useless and you just wasted a whole bunch of your time trying them out?

What you need is a better way to pin point the reliable info. The good news is that there is a better way. If you want to find golf basics for beginners that have gotten the job done for other real life people, spend a little time sifting through some good golfing forums. Maybe you have looked through the before for various things, but they are filled with useful knowledge for a beginner golfer.

Off the top of my head, I know for a fact that many golfing forums out there have tons and tons of past beginner related topics. You can see the golf basics for beginners that other people have used ad if they were successful. You can see which sites, guides, info and knowledge has done the most good for them. It beats the heck out of randomly trying things that search engines throw at you. It takes the guess work out of it for you.

Getting a good set of golf basics for beginners goes a long way toward becoming consistent and having fun out on the course.

Here is the revolutionary, most original tutorial/guide that teaches you the perfect golf basics for beginners. Including tons of step-by-step instructions, videos and tips.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Woodham