Golf balance exercises should be a must for every amateur golfer. One of the biggest issues with most amateurs is balance, stability and body control in their golf swing.
So often I see a golfer swinging outside their physical capabilities and losing their balance, resulting in a severe mishit that will end up being a double or triple bogey.
There is a physical requirement to maintaining your golf balance throughout your swing. The golf swing position commonly referred to as golf posture is a very unnatural position for the body to be in at address, let alone throughout the swing.
Having a forward tilt over the balls of your feet require a high level of both strength and flexibility in your hamstrings. Just get in your golf posture and reach back behind your upper leg to see how tight your hamstrings are.
If your hamstrings are tight and/or weak, you will have no chance at maintaining your golf posture and ultimately balance throughout your golf swing.
How about your quadriceps?
The play a critical role in keeping your golf swing stable. Rotating your upper body around a somewhat fixed lower body takes a tremendous amount of leg (quad) strength. Also your quads help maintain your knee flex that you had at address. If your quads are weak, your legs will straighten, causing you to come out of our swing.
As you can see, your golf balance requires muscular strength and flexibility. Without it, you’ll be falling all over your swing forever!
One great golf balance exercise (drill) is swinging and actually hitting balls on one leg. Give it a try! You’ll soon find out how difficult it is. But stick with it, and you’ll become a pro at it. If you can hit straight balls on one leg, using both legs will be a cinch.
In all of my advanced golf performance training programs, I have the golfer do a majority of their strength exercises on one leg. It is brutal! It takes so much focus and concentration, you’ll be sweating before you even grab the weight.
I have literally dozens of golf balance exercises in my dvds, books and websites that will dramatically improve your balance, stability and overall control. It’s amazing how many emails I get from golfers who thought these golf balance exercises were easy until they did a full set of just one exercise.
They thought differently after that!
This could be your missing link to a great game! Focus on those golf balance exercises!
Monday, 30 March 2009
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
Golf Putting Tips – Learn How To Sink More Putts And Lower Your Golf Score
Putting is one of the most important aspects in the game of golf. It is one of the biggest factors that can influence your golf score almost immediately. However many people do not realize that putting is primarily a mental game. Often players will spend significant amount of time on their mechanics thinking that developing a perfect putting stroke is the answer to sinking more putts.
The reality is that great putting requires confidence and in order to develop this confidence you will need to adjust the way you think and not just the mechanics of your putting stroke. Good mechanics is important but it should not be your primary focus when it comes to improving your putting. If you are a beginner then I suggest you take a few putting lessons from one of your local golf pros. The key thing to remember is to pick a putting approach and stick with it through thick and thin regardless of how many putts you made in your last round.
Remember that even on the PGA tour almost every player has their own unique putting style. Many putting styles are even considered bizarre yet they have been used over and over again to win major tournaments. Thus the key to great putting is your attitude and this is what you will need to work on not just on the course but off the course too. You will need to monitor your thoughts about your putting and ask yourself whether or not thinking that way will boost your confidence or cause you to doubt your putting abilities.
You must think of yourself as a great putter and you need to develop a selective memory. A selective memory is simply choosing to remember certain events and forgetting others. When it comes to your putting you need to remind yourself occasionally of all the great putts you have made and more importantly you must forget your misses. Do not dwell on your mistakes, learn whatever you can from them and move on.
Do not spend excessive amounts of time working on your putting mechanics, just a few minutes a day should be enough to keep your mechanics solid. Also you need to remember that when you are about to hit your putt you should only be thinking about your target and nothing else. Do not think about putting mechanics when you are about to hit your putts. Thinking about mechanics just before the execution of any golf shot has been shown over and over again to hinder performance.
Another important key element to great putting is to always step over a putt believing that you will make the putt. There are many that suggest that for long putts you should aim for a three foot circle. I disagree with this approach because you are only increasing your margin for error. Always putt to make it. You also need to trust your feel when it comes to judging the distance of a putt. Spend a few minutes before the round hitting a few putts to the fringe to get an idea of the speed of the greens. It is a good idea to aim for the fringe instead of a hole because you do not want to see yourself consistently missing putts and with long putts you will not make the vast majority.
Hit a lot of putts inside of ten feet as this will help to boost your confidence since you will make a good number of these. Spend a few minutes before you go to bed and go back in time and remember a few of the greatest putts you have ever made and remind yourself that you are a great putter. This will do wonders for your confidence since you will be essentially programming your subconscious mind for putting success. Most people that develop the putting yips have simply lost their confidence and the only way to cure the yips long term is to regain it back by changing the way you think about yourself as a putter. Think of yourself as a great putter, banish all negative thoughts and watch your golf scores drop as you sink more and more putts every time you play.
The reality is that great putting requires confidence and in order to develop this confidence you will need to adjust the way you think and not just the mechanics of your putting stroke. Good mechanics is important but it should not be your primary focus when it comes to improving your putting. If you are a beginner then I suggest you take a few putting lessons from one of your local golf pros. The key thing to remember is to pick a putting approach and stick with it through thick and thin regardless of how many putts you made in your last round.
Remember that even on the PGA tour almost every player has their own unique putting style. Many putting styles are even considered bizarre yet they have been used over and over again to win major tournaments. Thus the key to great putting is your attitude and this is what you will need to work on not just on the course but off the course too. You will need to monitor your thoughts about your putting and ask yourself whether or not thinking that way will boost your confidence or cause you to doubt your putting abilities.
You must think of yourself as a great putter and you need to develop a selective memory. A selective memory is simply choosing to remember certain events and forgetting others. When it comes to your putting you need to remind yourself occasionally of all the great putts you have made and more importantly you must forget your misses. Do not dwell on your mistakes, learn whatever you can from them and move on.
Do not spend excessive amounts of time working on your putting mechanics, just a few minutes a day should be enough to keep your mechanics solid. Also you need to remember that when you are about to hit your putt you should only be thinking about your target and nothing else. Do not think about putting mechanics when you are about to hit your putts. Thinking about mechanics just before the execution of any golf shot has been shown over and over again to hinder performance.
Another important key element to great putting is to always step over a putt believing that you will make the putt. There are many that suggest that for long putts you should aim for a three foot circle. I disagree with this approach because you are only increasing your margin for error. Always putt to make it. You also need to trust your feel when it comes to judging the distance of a putt. Spend a few minutes before the round hitting a few putts to the fringe to get an idea of the speed of the greens. It is a good idea to aim for the fringe instead of a hole because you do not want to see yourself consistently missing putts and with long putts you will not make the vast majority.
Hit a lot of putts inside of ten feet as this will help to boost your confidence since you will make a good number of these. Spend a few minutes before you go to bed and go back in time and remember a few of the greatest putts you have ever made and remind yourself that you are a great putter. This will do wonders for your confidence since you will be essentially programming your subconscious mind for putting success. Most people that develop the putting yips have simply lost their confidence and the only way to cure the yips long term is to regain it back by changing the way you think about yourself as a putter. Think of yourself as a great putter, banish all negative thoughts and watch your golf scores drop as you sink more and more putts every time you play.
Friday, 13 March 2009
3 Golf Tips To Lower Golf Handicap And Improve Your Golf Game
If you are looking for means to lower your golf scores, then here are some valuable tips that are sure to help golfers of all ages and abilities to lower their golf handicaps.
(1) Practice…Slowly
Good form during a swing is very important in improving one's performance. However, too many people make the mistake of simply going for many repetitions instead of honing their form per swing.
If you do not force every practice swing to form perfection, simply doing repetitive exercise can actually be detrimental since you could be repeating a wrong form over and over again. This could burn the wrong form into your muscle memory and could seriously hinder your bid for better performance – and a lower handicap.
Practicing a golf swing in slow motion can be a great way to fine tune your swing and get the right form while you are at it. Your mind will connect better to the proper muscle movement and form.
You can start speeding up a little a time while you do this. Eventually, you can get yourself doing the right form over and over again. This is when repetitive exercise can help.
(2) Get a Grip
Good golf grip is important for any serious golfer. And the best way to develop your grip is by practicing it every time you can. Most golfers have golf clubs by their sofa – for easy access whenever they lounge by the television – so that they can practice their grip as often as possible.
With enough practice, holding a club properly will become second nature to you. So keep those clubs within constant range for a better golf grip.
(3) Get a Mirror
A mirror is a great way to monitor and evaluate how your swing is going. You could use a video recorder as well to get better angles of your swing – and they are great for keeping you focused on swinging instead of looking at the mirror. Choose whatever option is convenient for you.
Mirrors and videos can help you get immediate feedback on whether what you are doing is correct. You may also want to send this video to instructors who can then tell you what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong.
Conclusion
As with most things, only practice makes perfect. However, you can avoid wasting your time during practice by learning to practice smarter instead of just more. The tips mentioned above will help you get started on this road.
(1) Practice…Slowly
Good form during a swing is very important in improving one's performance. However, too many people make the mistake of simply going for many repetitions instead of honing their form per swing.
If you do not force every practice swing to form perfection, simply doing repetitive exercise can actually be detrimental since you could be repeating a wrong form over and over again. This could burn the wrong form into your muscle memory and could seriously hinder your bid for better performance – and a lower handicap.
Practicing a golf swing in slow motion can be a great way to fine tune your swing and get the right form while you are at it. Your mind will connect better to the proper muscle movement and form.
You can start speeding up a little a time while you do this. Eventually, you can get yourself doing the right form over and over again. This is when repetitive exercise can help.
(2) Get a Grip
Good golf grip is important for any serious golfer. And the best way to develop your grip is by practicing it every time you can. Most golfers have golf clubs by their sofa – for easy access whenever they lounge by the television – so that they can practice their grip as often as possible.
With enough practice, holding a club properly will become second nature to you. So keep those clubs within constant range for a better golf grip.
(3) Get a Mirror
A mirror is a great way to monitor and evaluate how your swing is going. You could use a video recorder as well to get better angles of your swing – and they are great for keeping you focused on swinging instead of looking at the mirror. Choose whatever option is convenient for you.
Mirrors and videos can help you get immediate feedback on whether what you are doing is correct. You may also want to send this video to instructors who can then tell you what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong.
Conclusion
As with most things, only practice makes perfect. However, you can avoid wasting your time during practice by learning to practice smarter instead of just more. The tips mentioned above will help you get started on this road.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Golf Fitness Exercises For The Woman Golfer
It is well known in professional golf how integral golf fitness exercises are for success at the highest level of golf. Men on the PGA Tour and women on the LPGA Tour understand the benefits of golf fitness exercises in achieving success. Outside the circles of professional golf many questions exist about golf fitness exercises. Questions such as; what are the best exercises to improve golf fitness levels, are flexibility exercises and stretches better than other forms of golf fitness exercises, and what are the benefits of golf fitness exercises for the woman golfer?
These and many questions surround the topic of golf fitness. This article is to provide some answers for you on the topic of golf fitness exercises for woman. It has been well documented in magazines and television how LPGA women such as Annika Sorenstam utilize golf fitness programs to benefit their play on the golf course. Is there a difference between the LPGA player and the amateur woman golfer in relation to golf fitness training? The answer is no. Yes, the women on the LPGA Tour are the best women golfers in the world, but the physiology of the LPGA player and amateur are the same. The skeletal, muscular, and neural systems are the same. The professional golfer has the same number of muscles in their bodies as the amateur. The woman's professional golfer has the same skeletal structure as the female amateur, and nervous system as well. Granted the LPGA player has more refined and efficient swing mechanics, but the body is the same.
As a result of the body being the same, the principles and structure of a golf fitness program for any woman is similar. Before discussing the specifics of a golf fitness program for women it is necessary to understand a few important principles. The first principle to understand about a golf fitness program is sports specific. Sports specific is a term describing the type of training utilized in a golf fitness program. Sport specific training simply states the program utilized by the woman athlete is geared towards improving them in their chosen sport.
A second principle closely related to sports specific training is cross specificity training. Cross specificity training is the utilization of exercises to develop the woman golfer in the positions, movements, and actions incorporated in the golf swing. The goal of cross specificity training is a transfer of training effect to the field of competition. Simply stated, a transfer of training effect is the ability of exercises utilized to train the female golfer having a direct benefit on their performance during a round of golf.
For example, golf fitness flexibility exercises will attempt to improve the flexibility within the woman golfer. As the woman golfer improves her flexibility parameters in relation to the golf swing. She may be able to create a bigger shoulder turn, which may increase the distance of her drives. This benefit is an example of a transfer of training effect onto the golf course. In summary, the three principles that assist in the development of a golf fitness program for women are; sports specific, cross specificity training, and transfer of training effect. Many additional principles exist that are used as guidelines in the development of a golf fitness program, but these are three essential ones.
Outside of the guidelines governing the development of a golf fitness program for woman. Specific physical components within the body are needed within the body to execute the golf swing correctly. Remember, it is the body performing the biomechanics of the golf swing. In order for the golf swing to be executed correctly and efficiently certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power are required. These are the actual physical components within the woman golfer a golf specific fitness program looks to develop and enhance in relation to the golf swing.
The golf swing requires the body to move through a long range of motion for an efficient movement to occur. Much of this is contingent upon the ability of the core to coil and uncoil during the swing. In order for these two biomechanical actions to occur efficiently, the development of proper flexibility in the core is necessary.
We utilize flexibility exercises that are cross-specific to the movements in the golf swing to develop flexibility. The majority of these flexibility exercises are rotational and dynamic.
The golf swing is a dynamic movement, indicating that the body is in constant motion. It is crucial to develop a range of motion for the swing in a dynamic rather than a static (not moving) method. The goal of these exercises is to create a range of motion in the core for the golf swing. Flexibility is the first physical component requiring development within the woman golfer.
One needs to maintain, dynamically, a stable body throughout the entire swing. We have all hit balls at the range and know what happens when we do not stay balanced during the swing. Improving the balance and stabilization capabilities of the core translates into a better golf swing. Better Balance equals a Better Swing. Even subtle movements are consistency killers; thus we need to develop and maintain balance for a consistent swing.
Balance is connected to the efficiency of the nervous system and strength of the muscular system working together. The development of greater balance in the core and swing is the result of two types of specific exercise. The first challenges the nervous system creating greater efficiency. The second are exercises that create increased strength in the core. The combination of these two types of exercises permit for the body to maintain posture, promote efficient weight transfer, and create power in the swing. The result is a more consistent, accurate, and powerful swing. This is the second component included with a golf fitness program for women
Remember that the golf swing is a repetitive movement. The mechanics of the swing repeat with each stroke. This process can be repeated hundreds of times in a round of golf. Ever go to the range and hit two buckets of balls? At some point the body starts to tire, and shots scatter.
Proper endurance training enables us to repeat a sound swing. We produce this through a series of exercises developing endurance in the entire body. This nets us a consistent swing through eighteen holes. Increasing endurance leads to lower scores. This is the third physical component of the golf fitness program for women.
Club head speed is a function of power. The more power generated by the body, the greater speed at which a club head impacts the ball. More power to the ball equals longer drives. Developing higher levels of power within the muscular system of the body is achieved through the implementation of power exercises. These types of exercise assist in creating higher power outputs of the muscles involved in the golf swing. Power training is the final component found in a golf fitness program for women.
In summary a golf fitness program for the LPGA or amateur woman golfer is relatively the same. Golf fitness exercises for the woman golfer are sports specific. The exercises contained within the golf fitness program are cross-specific to the movements, positions, and requirements of the golf swing. The exercises within a woman's golf fitness program induce a transfer of training effect onto the golf course. The golf swing requires certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power to execute correctly. A golf fitness program for women will look to enhance these physical components of the body. The end result is an improved golf swing equating to lower scores and more enjoyment on the golf course.
These and many questions surround the topic of golf fitness. This article is to provide some answers for you on the topic of golf fitness exercises for woman. It has been well documented in magazines and television how LPGA women such as Annika Sorenstam utilize golf fitness programs to benefit their play on the golf course. Is there a difference between the LPGA player and the amateur woman golfer in relation to golf fitness training? The answer is no. Yes, the women on the LPGA Tour are the best women golfers in the world, but the physiology of the LPGA player and amateur are the same. The skeletal, muscular, and neural systems are the same. The professional golfer has the same number of muscles in their bodies as the amateur. The woman's professional golfer has the same skeletal structure as the female amateur, and nervous system as well. Granted the LPGA player has more refined and efficient swing mechanics, but the body is the same.
As a result of the body being the same, the principles and structure of a golf fitness program for any woman is similar. Before discussing the specifics of a golf fitness program for women it is necessary to understand a few important principles. The first principle to understand about a golf fitness program is sports specific. Sports specific is a term describing the type of training utilized in a golf fitness program. Sport specific training simply states the program utilized by the woman athlete is geared towards improving them in their chosen sport.
A second principle closely related to sports specific training is cross specificity training. Cross specificity training is the utilization of exercises to develop the woman golfer in the positions, movements, and actions incorporated in the golf swing. The goal of cross specificity training is a transfer of training effect to the field of competition. Simply stated, a transfer of training effect is the ability of exercises utilized to train the female golfer having a direct benefit on their performance during a round of golf.
For example, golf fitness flexibility exercises will attempt to improve the flexibility within the woman golfer. As the woman golfer improves her flexibility parameters in relation to the golf swing. She may be able to create a bigger shoulder turn, which may increase the distance of her drives. This benefit is an example of a transfer of training effect onto the golf course. In summary, the three principles that assist in the development of a golf fitness program for women are; sports specific, cross specificity training, and transfer of training effect. Many additional principles exist that are used as guidelines in the development of a golf fitness program, but these are three essential ones.
Outside of the guidelines governing the development of a golf fitness program for woman. Specific physical components within the body are needed within the body to execute the golf swing correctly. Remember, it is the body performing the biomechanics of the golf swing. In order for the golf swing to be executed correctly and efficiently certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power are required. These are the actual physical components within the woman golfer a golf specific fitness program looks to develop and enhance in relation to the golf swing.
The golf swing requires the body to move through a long range of motion for an efficient movement to occur. Much of this is contingent upon the ability of the core to coil and uncoil during the swing. In order for these two biomechanical actions to occur efficiently, the development of proper flexibility in the core is necessary.
We utilize flexibility exercises that are cross-specific to the movements in the golf swing to develop flexibility. The majority of these flexibility exercises are rotational and dynamic.
The golf swing is a dynamic movement, indicating that the body is in constant motion. It is crucial to develop a range of motion for the swing in a dynamic rather than a static (not moving) method. The goal of these exercises is to create a range of motion in the core for the golf swing. Flexibility is the first physical component requiring development within the woman golfer.
One needs to maintain, dynamically, a stable body throughout the entire swing. We have all hit balls at the range and know what happens when we do not stay balanced during the swing. Improving the balance and stabilization capabilities of the core translates into a better golf swing. Better Balance equals a Better Swing. Even subtle movements are consistency killers; thus we need to develop and maintain balance for a consistent swing.
Balance is connected to the efficiency of the nervous system and strength of the muscular system working together. The development of greater balance in the core and swing is the result of two types of specific exercise. The first challenges the nervous system creating greater efficiency. The second are exercises that create increased strength in the core. The combination of these two types of exercises permit for the body to maintain posture, promote efficient weight transfer, and create power in the swing. The result is a more consistent, accurate, and powerful swing. This is the second component included with a golf fitness program for women
Remember that the golf swing is a repetitive movement. The mechanics of the swing repeat with each stroke. This process can be repeated hundreds of times in a round of golf. Ever go to the range and hit two buckets of balls? At some point the body starts to tire, and shots scatter.
Proper endurance training enables us to repeat a sound swing. We produce this through a series of exercises developing endurance in the entire body. This nets us a consistent swing through eighteen holes. Increasing endurance leads to lower scores. This is the third physical component of the golf fitness program for women.
Club head speed is a function of power. The more power generated by the body, the greater speed at which a club head impacts the ball. More power to the ball equals longer drives. Developing higher levels of power within the muscular system of the body is achieved through the implementation of power exercises. These types of exercise assist in creating higher power outputs of the muscles involved in the golf swing. Power training is the final component found in a golf fitness program for women.
In summary a golf fitness program for the LPGA or amateur woman golfer is relatively the same. Golf fitness exercises for the woman golfer are sports specific. The exercises contained within the golf fitness program are cross-specific to the movements, positions, and requirements of the golf swing. The exercises within a woman's golf fitness program induce a transfer of training effect onto the golf course. The golf swing requires certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power to execute correctly. A golf fitness program for women will look to enhance these physical components of the body. The end result is an improved golf swing equating to lower scores and more enjoyment on the golf course.
Friday, 6 March 2009
Golf Lessons, Advice, Tips and Pointers
The following paragraphs summarize the work of golf lessons experts who are completely familiar with all the aspects of golf lessons. Heed their advice to avoid any golf lessons surprises.
Those of you not familiar with the latest on golf lessons now have at least a basic understanding. But there's more to come.
If you've been thinking about taking up golf, or if you're a golfer in search of a better game, you may have considered golf lessons. But are golf lessons really beneficial? And how do you find a pro who will offer good advice?
There are some who swear that lessons are vital and others who say that practice is the only thing that will improve your golf game. The truth seems to lie somewhere in the middle. But before you drop your coach or sign up for lessons, consider what it is that you hope golf lessons will accomplish. Outlining your goals may help you decide whether you truly need lessons or simply more time on the course.
If you play with others who play exceptionally well, you may want to find someone to give you some help with your game. Whether that's a paid coach or merely a friend who plays well is strictly a personal choice. Getting some pointers and tips may be a good way to ensure that you don't totally embarrass yourself in front of other players.
If you're serious about the game, you've probably been involved long enough that you don't need advice on whether to get a coach. But if you've only recently discovered the joy of golfing, you may find yourself looking for a way to improve your game. Golf lessons could very well be the answer.
Some people say that lessons give them a set time to practice and an opportunity to completely focus on the game. You'll typically be less interrupted than if you were playing on your own, stopping to chat with friends along the way. But others say the simple fact of having someone scrutinizing every move and offering constant advice is more distracting than helpful. Decide whether you're one of those who accept direction and works well in that situation. That's a major clue as to whether golf lessons are a good idea.
Remember that a golf coach's job is to teach you to golf correctly. That means that there are some habits that he (or she) will be trying to ingrain and others they'll be trying to break. While golfing correctly is a terrific goal, many golfers have some bad habits that they tout as benefiting their game. Changing your grip, adjusting your stance or even using different equipment may be among the "must do" list from your coach. You may resist those changes. You have two options. You can do your best to follow the instructions, or you can explain that you aren't planning to change that particular habit. If you don't plan to change, you may need to reexamine your decision to take lessons. Without following directions, lessons may become a waste of time and effort on both parts, and money on yours.
Golf lessons are great for some people. It's a personal decision whether you are one of those who will benefit from a coach - formal or informal. But remember that the most important thing to improve your golf game is simply practice.
As your knowledge about golf lessons continues to grow, you will begin to see how golf lessons fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.
Those of you not familiar with the latest on golf lessons now have at least a basic understanding. But there's more to come.
If you've been thinking about taking up golf, or if you're a golfer in search of a better game, you may have considered golf lessons. But are golf lessons really beneficial? And how do you find a pro who will offer good advice?
There are some who swear that lessons are vital and others who say that practice is the only thing that will improve your golf game. The truth seems to lie somewhere in the middle. But before you drop your coach or sign up for lessons, consider what it is that you hope golf lessons will accomplish. Outlining your goals may help you decide whether you truly need lessons or simply more time on the course.
If you play with others who play exceptionally well, you may want to find someone to give you some help with your game. Whether that's a paid coach or merely a friend who plays well is strictly a personal choice. Getting some pointers and tips may be a good way to ensure that you don't totally embarrass yourself in front of other players.
If you're serious about the game, you've probably been involved long enough that you don't need advice on whether to get a coach. But if you've only recently discovered the joy of golfing, you may find yourself looking for a way to improve your game. Golf lessons could very well be the answer.
Some people say that lessons give them a set time to practice and an opportunity to completely focus on the game. You'll typically be less interrupted than if you were playing on your own, stopping to chat with friends along the way. But others say the simple fact of having someone scrutinizing every move and offering constant advice is more distracting than helpful. Decide whether you're one of those who accept direction and works well in that situation. That's a major clue as to whether golf lessons are a good idea.
Remember that a golf coach's job is to teach you to golf correctly. That means that there are some habits that he (or she) will be trying to ingrain and others they'll be trying to break. While golfing correctly is a terrific goal, many golfers have some bad habits that they tout as benefiting their game. Changing your grip, adjusting your stance or even using different equipment may be among the "must do" list from your coach. You may resist those changes. You have two options. You can do your best to follow the instructions, or you can explain that you aren't planning to change that particular habit. If you don't plan to change, you may need to reexamine your decision to take lessons. Without following directions, lessons may become a waste of time and effort on both parts, and money on yours.
Golf lessons are great for some people. It's a personal decision whether you are one of those who will benefit from a coach - formal or informal. But remember that the most important thing to improve your golf game is simply practice.
As your knowledge about golf lessons continues to grow, you will begin to see how golf lessons fits into the overall scheme of things. Knowing how something relates to the rest of the world is important too.
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
Golf And Golfing For Beginners - Your Basic Golfing Bag
Now that you "have taken up" the social sport of golf you may well have a couple of questions. Golf and golf is a most terrific social sport. You get to while away hours, conferring with the golf greens as well as your friends on the golf course. It's a wonderful, relaxing pastime. As well many of business's "big deals" and business contacts can well be made golfing and on the golf course as well in the golf course clubhouse.
Now that you have decided to enroll in the pastime of golf what indeed are the basics of golf?
To begin with w standard set of golf and golfing clubs includes three "woods" golf clubs. These three woods or "drivers" comprise the "driver", "three-wood" and "five-wood". Next in line, in the description of standard golf clubs are the "irons". The groups of the "irons" group of golf clubs generally are composed of the three-iron, five-iron, six-iron, seven-iron, eight-iron, nine-iron, pitching wedge and finally the all famous golf club, with which to make your final shot into the golf cup on the golf green.
According the strict rules of golf you cannot carry more than fourteen clubs in your personal golf bag. This is a very strict and enforced rule of the game and sport of golf. You cannot carry more than the maximum allotted number of fourteen golf clubs in your golf bag - even if you never ever use those extra clubs. It can be said that often more experienced and advanced golf players mix and match here and there with extra , non of the mill , non standard golf clubs , for example a one-iron or a seven wood. However in these cases the sum total maximum of the golf clubs in their bag adds up to 14 golf clubs. As a newcomer or beginner golf player it is always best to start your golf career with the standard , simple array of golf clubs that are used by most golfers. Why make life, and your golf career, complex for yourself, unnecessarily.
The woods have the longest shafts of any golf club in your bag. The golf wood clubs are designed to simply hit the golf ball either from a small wooden peg, called the tee, which elevates the ball slightly. You can only use a "tee" in the tee-box at the start of a golf hole. Next you can hit the golf on a flat surface of the golf course, like the fairway. The "wood" golf clubs are made and designed to hit the ball a long, long way. Accuracy of the hit of the golf ball is less of an issue here. Woods obtained their name as they used to be made of persimmon wood itself. While some of these clubs are still made the old way, out of actual persimmon wood, most now are made out of metal - generally steel or better yet titanium. Some golfing fanatics will tell you that the permission based woods gives these golfers "more control" on the golf course. Again as a beginner golfer why complicate your life unnecessarily. Start with standard metal woods. In addition maintenance and care of these clubs is easier.
Like woods the irons are mismatched. These groups of golf clubs are not made out of iron but mostly of steel, titanium and with higher end iron utilizing high tech graphite materials in their structures as well. Irons with the smallest numbers, like the three-iron or the four-iron, have the longest shafts and are designed to hit the golf ball lower and further, and like the woods, with less accuracy. Shafts get shorter as the numbers printed on the sole get bigger and larger, until you get to the "Sand Wedge". The sand wedge is the shortest club in the golf bag. The standard sand wedge has a 34 inch shaft, which is eight inches shorter than a standard driver shaft. The shortest clubs, like the nine irons, pitching wedge, and sand wedge are designed for accuracy, not distance. An optimum shot with a pitching wedge flies high in the air and lands softly, without much roll. That way you can aim right at the hole. Indeed golf professionals often call their wedges "money clubs" since these pro golfers cannot win the high end golf tournaments unless they can hit the ball so close to the hole that they are in with only a very few putts.
Lastly you will find that because these shafts are so much shorter and are designed to get your golf ball into the air, you will find that you will generally have your most success as a new and budding golf aficionado with your nine-iron and pitching wedge. These are very good clubs to practice when you are first starting out. You will soon discover what a great golf shot is supposed to feel and look like. Keep practicing with these two clubs because when you finally make it onto the golf course, these will be the clubs that will save you many a golf shot and lower your golf score.
Now that you have decided to enroll in the pastime of golf what indeed are the basics of golf?
To begin with w standard set of golf and golfing clubs includes three "woods" golf clubs. These three woods or "drivers" comprise the "driver", "three-wood" and "five-wood". Next in line, in the description of standard golf clubs are the "irons". The groups of the "irons" group of golf clubs generally are composed of the three-iron, five-iron, six-iron, seven-iron, eight-iron, nine-iron, pitching wedge and finally the all famous golf club, with which to make your final shot into the golf cup on the golf green.
According the strict rules of golf you cannot carry more than fourteen clubs in your personal golf bag. This is a very strict and enforced rule of the game and sport of golf. You cannot carry more than the maximum allotted number of fourteen golf clubs in your golf bag - even if you never ever use those extra clubs. It can be said that often more experienced and advanced golf players mix and match here and there with extra , non of the mill , non standard golf clubs , for example a one-iron or a seven wood. However in these cases the sum total maximum of the golf clubs in their bag adds up to 14 golf clubs. As a newcomer or beginner golf player it is always best to start your golf career with the standard , simple array of golf clubs that are used by most golfers. Why make life, and your golf career, complex for yourself, unnecessarily.
The woods have the longest shafts of any golf club in your bag. The golf wood clubs are designed to simply hit the golf ball either from a small wooden peg, called the tee, which elevates the ball slightly. You can only use a "tee" in the tee-box at the start of a golf hole. Next you can hit the golf on a flat surface of the golf course, like the fairway. The "wood" golf clubs are made and designed to hit the ball a long, long way. Accuracy of the hit of the golf ball is less of an issue here. Woods obtained their name as they used to be made of persimmon wood itself. While some of these clubs are still made the old way, out of actual persimmon wood, most now are made out of metal - generally steel or better yet titanium. Some golfing fanatics will tell you that the permission based woods gives these golfers "more control" on the golf course. Again as a beginner golfer why complicate your life unnecessarily. Start with standard metal woods. In addition maintenance and care of these clubs is easier.
Like woods the irons are mismatched. These groups of golf clubs are not made out of iron but mostly of steel, titanium and with higher end iron utilizing high tech graphite materials in their structures as well. Irons with the smallest numbers, like the three-iron or the four-iron, have the longest shafts and are designed to hit the golf ball lower and further, and like the woods, with less accuracy. Shafts get shorter as the numbers printed on the sole get bigger and larger, until you get to the "Sand Wedge". The sand wedge is the shortest club in the golf bag. The standard sand wedge has a 34 inch shaft, which is eight inches shorter than a standard driver shaft. The shortest clubs, like the nine irons, pitching wedge, and sand wedge are designed for accuracy, not distance. An optimum shot with a pitching wedge flies high in the air and lands softly, without much roll. That way you can aim right at the hole. Indeed golf professionals often call their wedges "money clubs" since these pro golfers cannot win the high end golf tournaments unless they can hit the ball so close to the hole that they are in with only a very few putts.
Lastly you will find that because these shafts are so much shorter and are designed to get your golf ball into the air, you will find that you will generally have your most success as a new and budding golf aficionado with your nine-iron and pitching wedge. These are very good clubs to practice when you are first starting out. You will soon discover what a great golf shot is supposed to feel and look like. Keep practicing with these two clubs because when you finally make it onto the golf course, these will be the clubs that will save you many a golf shot and lower your golf score.
Sunday, 1 March 2009
Golf Balls -- The Science Behind The Dimples
The dynamics behind the flight of the golf ball offers a fascinating insight into the physical interworkings of air pressure, turbulence, and aerodynamics.
When golf was first played in Scotland, most players played using clumsy golf apparatus, with the first golf clubs and golf balls made of wood.
In 1618 the "Featherie" was introduced. It was a golf ball made of feather. This feather golf ball was handcrafted from goose feathers tightly pressed into a horse or cowhide sphere while still wet. After drying, the leather shrank and the feathers expanded, creating a hardened golf ball.
As this type of golf ball was specially handcrafted, it was usually more expensive than golf clubs, so that only a few privileged people could afford to play golf back then.
After the Featherie golf ball came the Guttie golf ball. This type of golf ball was made from the rubber-like sap of the Gutta tree found in the tropics, and was shaped into a sphere when hot and eventually into a golf ball. As it was made of rubber, the Guttie golf ball could be cheaply produced and easily repaired by reheating and reshaping.
Comparing the two types of golf balls, the Featherie golf ball was said to travel farther than the Guttie golf ball because the Guttie golf ball's smooth surface prevented it from covering more distance.
With this discovery, the developers of golf balls came up with the "dimpled" golf balls that are so predominant in modern golf nowadays.
The dimples on the golf balls help reduce the aerodynamic drag. Aerodynamic drag normally affects smooth golf balls and slows them down, because when they sail through the air, they leave a pocket of low-pressure air in its stir thus creating a drag.
By applying dimples to the golf ball surface, the pressure differential goes down and the drag force is reduced. These dimples create turbulence in the air surrounding the golf ball, which, in turn, forces the air to clasp the golf ball more closely. By doing so, the air trails the warp created by the golf ball towards the back instead of flowing past it. This results in a smaller wake and lesser drag.
Dimples were first added onto golf ball surfaces back during the gutta percha phase. Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored golf ball encased in a gutta percha sphere. Then in 1905 William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell golf ball, thus giving rise to the modern golf ball as we know it today.
After its beginning, dimpled golf balls were officially used in every golf tournament. In 1921, the golf ball took its current form with standard size and weight. Nowadays there is a wide range of golf balls to fit every style, game and condition, with some golf balls offering control, and other golf balls offering distance.
Though a common sight nowadays, the dimpled golf ball is not just a mere element of the sports arena; it is a showcase of physics at work.
When golf was first played in Scotland, most players played using clumsy golf apparatus, with the first golf clubs and golf balls made of wood.
In 1618 the "Featherie" was introduced. It was a golf ball made of feather. This feather golf ball was handcrafted from goose feathers tightly pressed into a horse or cowhide sphere while still wet. After drying, the leather shrank and the feathers expanded, creating a hardened golf ball.
As this type of golf ball was specially handcrafted, it was usually more expensive than golf clubs, so that only a few privileged people could afford to play golf back then.
After the Featherie golf ball came the Guttie golf ball. This type of golf ball was made from the rubber-like sap of the Gutta tree found in the tropics, and was shaped into a sphere when hot and eventually into a golf ball. As it was made of rubber, the Guttie golf ball could be cheaply produced and easily repaired by reheating and reshaping.
Comparing the two types of golf balls, the Featherie golf ball was said to travel farther than the Guttie golf ball because the Guttie golf ball's smooth surface prevented it from covering more distance.
With this discovery, the developers of golf balls came up with the "dimpled" golf balls that are so predominant in modern golf nowadays.
The dimples on the golf balls help reduce the aerodynamic drag. Aerodynamic drag normally affects smooth golf balls and slows them down, because when they sail through the air, they leave a pocket of low-pressure air in its stir thus creating a drag.
By applying dimples to the golf ball surface, the pressure differential goes down and the drag force is reduced. These dimples create turbulence in the air surrounding the golf ball, which, in turn, forces the air to clasp the golf ball more closely. By doing so, the air trails the warp created by the golf ball towards the back instead of flowing past it. This results in a smaller wake and lesser drag.
Dimples were first added onto golf ball surfaces back during the gutta percha phase. Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored golf ball encased in a gutta percha sphere. Then in 1905 William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell golf ball, thus giving rise to the modern golf ball as we know it today.
After its beginning, dimpled golf balls were officially used in every golf tournament. In 1921, the golf ball took its current form with standard size and weight. Nowadays there is a wide range of golf balls to fit every style, game and condition, with some golf balls offering control, and other golf balls offering distance.
Though a common sight nowadays, the dimpled golf ball is not just a mere element of the sports arena; it is a showcase of physics at work.
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