A golfer is only as good as his next swing. That’s the thing with golf. And that’s probably what makes this game so addictive. Because you can’t always replicate your swing, the only thing you can control when you play is your attitude towards the game and the kind of equipment you have.
One of the most important items that almost every golfer obsesses about is the golf club. So many things depend on the specific golf club to use that all golfers who are worth their salt take shopping for a new golf club very seriously.
But the golf industry is so swamped with various sizes and shapes of golf clubs it is difficult to choose the right one for your game. How do you know which golf club to buy? And how do you know if it would really help improve your game?
Many golf equipment manufacturers and companies these days are claiming that it’s all in the club head, that the way to improve your game is to get a golf club with a head design that’s perfect for your kind of play. But the head is not the only factor!
When you buy a new golf club, there are several considerations and only in making the right decision will you have the opportunity to improve your game.
The Price Myth
It is a common enough myth that anything more expensive than the rest automatically means that it’s better. But smart shoppers have long since debunked this myth. Many people today are spending less money on equipment and more time on the course.
You want to play better? Spend more time practicing than shopping for high priced golf clubs that don’t even guarantee an improved game no matter what sort of marketing hype the makers are stirring.
Just think about it. Are drivers really worth hundreds of thousands of dollars? Are iron sets worth three grand? If your club cost you $800, are you playing great? Chances are no, they are not worth it and your game is pretty much the same.
Paying high prices for a golf club will not lower your handicap. However, if you choose your club well, even if it’s a cheap one, your chances of improving your handicap scores are better.
Then, once you have achieved a decent level of play, that’s the time to go for custom-fitting. And even then you should always go for value than for show. After all, that is what golf is about. It is an awkward set of bodily contortions and yet they produce such a graceful result. Your golf club may be inexpensive but once you perfect your swing, all eyes would be on you, not on your club.
What You Need to Know
Before you go to the shop and evaluate the array of golf clubs on display, you need to know the basics of golf clubs, especially if you’re still a beginner. Knowing what to look for should help you make a smarter choice.
Now, you don’t need telling that the golf club is the tool you use to strike the golf ball. Neither do you need an in-depth discussion on what the three basic components of a golf club are.
Just remember the following important tips to help you choose the best club around:
Shaft – This is the axle of the club, the part that many golfers consider as the most complex component and probably the most important. There are several different types of shafts with varying degrees of flex, flex locations, weight, length, materials, torque, etc. Other critical factors include the shaft deflection, lie angle, loft angle, swing weight, and grip size.
Having the proper shaft length can improve the squareness of hit and balance in your swing. On the other hand, the lie angle has a direct effect on the direction of your shots. If you have higher swing speeds, you want a shaft with stiffer deflection. If you have lower swing speeds, the more flexible shafts give your downswing that extra “kick.”
Head – This is the part that directly comes into contact with the golf ball. Like shafts, golf club heads can be made from several kinds of materials. Here is a summary of recommended club heads according to your level of play:
BEGINNER IRONS: Zinc
BEGINNER WOODS: Aluminum, Titanium Alloys
BETTER IRONS: 431 Stainless Steel
GOOD WOODS: HST Aluminum
BEST IRONS: 17-4ph Stainless Steel, Bi-metal, Tungsten Insert
BEST WOODS: Titanium, Maraging Metal, Bi-metal, Tungsten Insert
For putters, the material choices are not important. What matters are the shape, weight, and type of inserts used. So when looking at golf club heads, pay attention to the basic design principles, such as weight distribution (What is its perimeter? Low center of gravity or high?), size (Traditional or oversized?), and styling (Keel sole? Deep face? Wide body?).
Grip – As the least expensive components of your golf club, it often the part that is most often overlooked. How important could it be? Well, for one it is your only point of contact with the club. Hence, it is the only component of the golf club that you can actually control while you are playing the game.
Grips tend to oxidize, harden, get slick, and lose their grip after a certain period of time. So the only thing you need to keep in mind about grips is to change them often.
Golfers use a set of clubs when they play. A “set” is restricted to no more than 14 clubs so you can see just what kind of task is ahead of you. It’s difficult enough to choose one golf club. Now you have to choose fourteen?
Of course, each of them would depend on your personal preferences but traditionally, a “set” is made of: Irons 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, PW, Woods 1, 3, 5, and a putter.
Now the next question is: What is the difference between Irons and Woods? And how do you choose the best ones out of each?
Woods
As its name itself implies, the wood is historically made of wood. Today, however, woods can be made of a variety of materials. Metals, especially, are considered as more advantageous than wood since it is much easier to precisely mold metal than wood. Design technologies such as perimeter weighting and low center of gravity are more forgiving with metals than with wooden woods.
You generally use woods when you focus more on distance than on accuracy. For instance, you have a golf hole that is 450 yards from tee to green. When you hit off the tee, you need the “bigger” club – the wood. This hollow-bodied large-headed golf club is recommended when you are making shots 175 yards or more away from the green.
The driver is usually a 1 wood with 8-12 degrees of loft (the measurement of the angle between the shaft and the ground) while 3 wood has lofts between 15 and 18 degrees. 5 wood has a loft between 20 and 22 degrees.
Most seasoned golfers use a variety of drivers with lofts ranging from 8.5 to 10 degrees. For beginners, however, you will probably fair better with lofts of 10 degrees or higher. Golfers also often carry 3 and 5 woods (called fairway woods for the reason that they are pulled out during the second shot of the play) in addition to their drivers. 7 and 9 wood, on the other hand, are referred to as utility woods.
2 and 4 woods exist but their popularity reached their peak more than 20 years ago. Today, they have fallen out of favor as newer technologies have improved the performance of woods. Now, most golfers prefer to carry 7 and 9 wood in their bag.
Irons
Like woods, irons were also historically made of iron (hence, the name). Now, they come in a variety of materials, mostly steel. Compared to woods, irons are smaller and considered as “finesse” clubs. This means that they are meant to be used when the shot calls for a greater level of accuracy than distance.
Irons are recommended when the shot is less than 200 yards away from the green. And the general rule is that the closer you are to the green, the higher the iron you will use.
Irons come in a standard set of 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 irons and pitching wedge or PW. For most people, the hardest clubs to hit are the 3 and 4 irons so to compensate, many ladies, seniors, and higher handicap golfers are changing their 3 and 4 irons to higher lofted woods like the 7 and 9 woods.
Putters and Wedges
Wedges are actually just specialty iron golf clubs, sometimes referred to as “blade clubs.” That’s because when you use wedges, you are usually close enough to the green that all those game improvement designs (like perimeter weighting and low center of gravity) lose their significance.
At this point, the game calls for increased shot control and shot shaping than technologies to improve distance and force of your swing. The blade design of wedges encourages this.
The first wedge is called the Pitching Wedge with a loft of 48 degrees. From there, wedges increase in 4 degree loft increments: 48 (Approach Wedge), 52 (Sand Wedge), 56 (Lob Wedge), 60 (High-Lob Wedge) and 64 degrees.
Putters are golf clubs with a special purpose: to get the ball into the hole. Are you familiar with the expression: “Drive for show, putt for dough?” Well, drivers are for slamming your shots 250 yards right into the middle of the fairway. The putter is used on the green, where it really matters.
There are many styles of putters: short, belly, long, bent, center-hosel, heel-toe, mallet, and so on. Many golfers carry a variety of putters and wedges and one set of irons in their golf bags. Why? Because you can do a better job with a lot more tools in your toolbox.
How important are the Numbers?
So you know that you are allowed to carry a maximum of fourteen golf clubs in your bag and that these clubs have their specific numbers. Yet, how important are these numbers? What do they represent?
The numbers found in golf clubs represent the loft, for the most part. The general rule is that the lower the number, the lower the loft. The lower the loft, the longer the shaft. The longer the shaft, the harder to hit.
Experienced golfers tend to favor drivers with lower numbers as these clubs require more skill to hit than higher numbers.
Of course, as already mentioned, lower lofts and longer clubs often result in greater distance of your shots. But it also means a loss of accuracy. That is why woods (since they have lower lofts and are traditionally longer than irons) are used for distance shots as a rule.
The Correct Lie
This is no paradox. Choosing the correct lie (the angle between the hosel and the rest of the club head) is an important aspect of selecting the right golf club. It has to do with golf physics. Adjustments on the lie can be made to better fit a player’s physical characteristics.
For instance, if you are shorter than the average player, a flatter lie is recommended to better fit your arms which are positioned closer to the ground. If you are taller, on the other hand, a more upright lie can help you adjust for your arms and torso which are higher up.
The way to determine the correct lie is to grab hold of the club and get into position. With your club at address, look at how the bottom of the club head is touching the ground. The perfect lie is one where the middle bottom of the club head touches the ground.
If the toe is up in the air and the heel is on the ground, then your club’s current lie is too upright. You can adjust this by fixing the hosel (the part of the iron that connects with the shaft).
So after all these factors involved in golf club shopping, it all really boils down to one thing: preferences. And you cannot really identify your preferences until you start playing.
If this is your absolute first time playing golf, don’t attempt to buy your own equipment just yet. Instead, rent one or borrow from a friend who’s into golf. Then only after you get the hang of the game and understand your preferences should you even attempt to make your own golf club choices.
How to Buy a Golf Club
Are You Still Thinking about Your Last Shot?
Will the last shot you played determine where the golf ball goes this time?
You might be surprised to realize that for many people the shot they have just played will have a major impact on their next shot.
The golf player who can switch his mind off that last shot, and move on, will always have a decided advantage over the competition.
If you are one of the many golfers who let their previous performance affect the rest of their game, then retraining your mind will do more for your game than all the tuition that any golf pro can give you.
How many times have we seen Tiger Woods play winning shots from out of the rough?
How many times have we seen him come from behind to win major tournaments?
There is one thing that other players will never do, and that is to write Tiger off if he has not been having a good game. This is because they know he has the mind power to put everything behind him.
In doing so, all the subsequent strokes are focused on winning the tournament.
Even the best golfers in the world duff their shots on occasions, but the way they handle those situations is a major reason why they are at the top of their game.
They don't let mistakes have any impact on the rest of their game, as they know that if they do, they will have no chance of recovery.
Your mind and the thoughts that you allow it to have, are the most powerful influences on the performance of your game.
It impacts on so many areas of play that it is often the downfall of so many golfers who could be better than their handicap suggests.
Consider the additional tension in your body when you are thinking about the last shot and how the next one needs to be so much better to compensate for your error.
That tension is translated into your swing and the possibility of a great shot is diminished accordingly.
Are You Playing with the Right Golf Balls?
Many people buy their golf balls based on economics.
If your game is not up to par and you think those water holes are looking a little ominous, you are more likely to buy a box of cheaper balls knowing that the pain won't be as great if a few of them get lost in the 'drink'
If you are looking for peak performance, then your choice of golf ball is crucial.
Golf ball selection can be as important to the success of your game as the clubs you will be carrying around the course.
Your golf balls need to be matched to your swing and your style of play.
If your style and golf balls are mismatched then you cannot hope to get the best results.
Sure, they might all look the same, but golf balls are technologically advanced balls, and all of them are designed with a specific purpose in mind.
There are balls for all different levels of skill, from the beginner to the pro, and within those levels there are balls designed specifically to match various playing styles.
The balls are designed with different densities that allow for varying levels of spin, distance and control.
The various types of covers on the balls and the core of the ball determine these factors.
Before you even consider buying a golf ball, you need to know what your style of play is and what type of ball you need to maximize your performance.
This will change if you are still progressing through the game, and as you master new skills you will need to change the type of ball you use accordingly.
If you are unsure of your style, spend a little time with a golf pro and get him or her to watch you play some shots.
Ask them to tell you what type of ball you should be using.
If they are any good at their job, they will be able to advise you what balls to buy.
Good ball choice can also help correct some errors that you might have in your style of play.
It could be that the balls you are currently using are mismatched to the way you are hitting them and this is actually more prevalent than many people understand.
Relax At Casa de Campo
Dubbed the Caribbean’s most “complete resort” on their official website, Casa de Campo is a fantastic resort to get away from it all and enjoy. Located in the Dominican Republic, this resort has a bit of something for everybody, whether you enjoy golfing night and day or doing the regular touristy things. Casa de Campo is beautiful, historic and the perfect place to book your next vacation.
Accommodations
Casa de Campo has excellent accommodations for the weary traveler. Choose from a wide variety of guestrooms and villas. Enjoy spacious floor plans, room service and a private terrace for each room. The resort is huge and makes sure all of its guests are taken care of.
The villas are fantastic and provide you literally with a home away from home. Choose from 2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom villas! Luxury is around every corner at the Casa de Campo, and their villas are the perfect example of just that.
Dining Out
This resort does not disappoint when it comes to food to satisfy every last hunger pain. With tons of restaurants to choose from, such as the Lago Grill, El Pescador, the 19th Hole and the Tropicana Grill, you’ll want to try as many as possible before it’s time to check out. Whether you want a dinner with your family or a romantic meal for two with cocktails, you’ll find the perfect place to dine right on the Casa de Campo resort grounds.
Recreation
If you love getting outdoors, soaking up the sun and involving yourself in physical activities, Casa de Campo has plenty to keep you busy. The deep sea fishing is a great activity to do with a friend all day or just half of the day. There is also a river tour that lends itself well to photo opportunities for the budding photographer. Likewise, bike rentals, the equestrian center, the various pools, trails and even the shooting center make this resort your one-stop shop in the Dominican Republic for all that you need and more.
Golf
There’s really nothing like playing a round of golf at Casa de Campo resort. Three distinct courses call Casa de Campo their home: Teeth of the Dog, Dye Fore and Links. All designed by Pete Dye, these courses have been plunged into the spotlight as some of the best in the world.
Teeth of the Dog
A fantastic course, Teeth of the Dog provides for a one-of-a-kind experience, where you get to golf right on the Caribbean Sea. Designed to be fun for the occasional golfer and the professional, Teeth of the Dog makes many opportunities to challenge your skills and allows you to have a great time. Caddies are standing by to complete the experience.
Dye Fore
While relatively new to Casa de Campo, Dye Fore is an excellent golf course with beautiful views of the ocean, the mountains and even the Chavon river. While difficult, the course is a lot of fun and will really test your golfing skills.
The Links
Filled with hills and tall grasses, The Links will challenge you as a golfer, but not leave you so frustrated you’ll want to give up your game. According to the official website, this course comes into contact with water at five different holes, making it quite reminiscent of the traditional Scottish golf courses. You can even take a gander at the wildlife that calls the course home, such as wild birds.
And don’t forget: The Casa de Campo offers several packages and deals that allow you to stay at the finest hotel, take part in the best golf and relax in the luxurious spa for a discounted rate. You won’t want to pass that up!
Are You Better on the Front or Back Nine?
Looking at the way you perform through the course of a game can give you a lot of powerful information that can be transferred into results the next time you play.
I have talked to many golfers and there seems to be a consistency with a lot of them relating to their performance on the front nine compared to the way they play on the back nine in most tournaments.
Not that there is a consistency in their game, but a consistency in the part of the game where they consistently fare worst.
Some people struggle to get their game right for the first nine holes and then improve on the back nine, whilst others start off fine and then fade on the last nine holes.
It is like there is a switch that gets flicked half way through the game and their performance changes in one direction or another.
There is always a reason why this is happening and targeting that reason can result in some excellent improvements to your score.
More often than not the second nine holes result in a poorer performance and this can be due to a number of factors.
Those factors can be fatigue or a lack of hydration.
Dehydration in itself will result in fatigue.
These are simple factors that can be easily addressed with regular intake of water and foods containing some carbohydrate content to keep the energy levels up.
Other people find they perform worse on the first nine holes and that can often be from tension where they tend to relax later in the game and start playing better.
Once again, if you are aware that this is happening you can address the problem by making an effort to relax.
Learning relaxation techniques can do more for many people's game than all the advice in the world and it might be just what you need to take your game to the next level.
Are You a Leftie?
We can't blame the golf club manufacturers for targeting their most profitable market of right-handed golfers, but it is quite difficult for those golfers who play left handed to find the selection offered to the mainstream players.
I have known a few golfers who made the change early on by training to play right handed but this is unrealistic for most people.
You should be playing in the most natural manner possible and if that means left handed then so be it.
Unfortunately with everything these days it all comes down to economics and profitability and there just isn't enough money to be made for many manufacturers in the left-handed market.
The percentage of left handed players to right handed players is somewhere in the region of 8 percent so the market is quite small, although it is a niche market that some manufacturers are targeting albeit at more expense in most instances.
But there is always a silver lining to the problems that we might encounter.
At a recent after tournament function I was introduced to an elderly gentleman who was playing on a low handicap and had done so for many years.
During the discussion he mentioned left-handed clubs and the fact that he had started playing left handed initially.
He hadn't learnt how to play from a professional and had developed some bad techniques.
Eventually, due to frustration with his game and the inability to source the clubs he wanted to, he enlisted some professional help.
After much discussion it was decided that he should try playing right handed and the golf pro would give him the necessary guidance.
It was a godsend as he was effectively starting from scratch and he learnt how to play golf without any of the bad techniques that he had developed on his own.
The change from left to right, along with the professional training had held him in good steed for the rest of his golf playing life.
Sure, it was a major decision that most golfers wouldn't make, but you can never beat a golfer at trying to improve his game no matter what steps they might take.
Add Variety to Your Practice
I see many golfers practicing the same shots over and over again.
That's Ok if it is an area that needs concentrated attention, and the more you practice a shot the better you will become at it.
If you practice a shot enough you will virtually do it on autopilot when you get to the course, but you must also remember that variety will make you a better all round golfer.
The more techniques that you can master the better you will be on competition day.
You can do this by trying new techniques when you practice.
Observe the results you get when you use different clubs or try different techniques.
Try adding some spin to the ball and see how this affects the flight.
Use different types of golf balls to see whether your level of expertise has changed and allowed you to get more benefit from the different ball compressions.
Even consider testing new golf clubs.
As your game progresses, so will your need to change equipment accordingly.
You won't want to be using the same clubs you had when you started playing and you will probably not want to be using the same golf balls either.
Better equipment will allow you to make shots that weren't possible before, and practice will help get you to the next level where you can take advantage of this equipment.
Try adding more backspin to your shots and see if this helps position the ball better for the next shot and offer more control on faster courses.
Your practice time should also be a time where you allow yourself the opportunity to experiment and try to broaden your game.
Having the ability to add spin to the ball might be the difference between hitting a tree and landing on the green.
You can never learn too much in the game of golf.
Accuracy First and Distance Will Follow
Most beginners have one thing in mind, and that is to hit the ball as far as possible.
Many golfers never quite get out of this mindset and this is one of the reasons why they will never get the distance that they are capable of hitting the ball.
The wise golfer will practice for accuracy first and concentrate on the distance once they have mastered the art of control.
It's not much point hitting the big yards off the tee if the ball is going to end up on another fairway or in the rough.
All you will succeed in doing is make the following shots all the more difficult.
A drive down the center of the fairway, albeit a few meters shorter, will set you up for a better approach shot and a lower round score.
By playing with smaller, more controlled swings, you will gain control of your shots sooner and you will progress to the longer distances faster.
You will be learning correct techniques that will hold you in good steed for the rest of your playing career.
By developing accuracy first, you will also be lengthening the distance of your drives and will in fact hit the ball further.
By starting with smaller swings it will be easier to train your body to develop the correct actions, and these actions will always be needed when you progress to the longer drives.
As you master your swing, you can progress to a full swing knowing that you will have the control to hit the ball in the right direction.
This combination of correct action and a full swing will ensure you will hit the ball further than would be possible if you had only aimed for the big shots from the outset.
If you find that your drives are going wayward, then it would be wise to focus on control, even if that means limiting your swing until you are hitting the ball straight.
A Unique Putting Tip
Here's a simple technique to improve your putting.
Before you can expect to putt well on greens with a slope, you need to learn to putt well on the flat.
This will train you to swing your putter through a straight line and hit the ball squarely on the face of the putter.
Now you need to get a putter that has a line on it that you can see clearly, as this will be the line that you will follow through to the center of the ball.
On the practice green (preferably one that you have at home, as this technique might not be appreciated) you will mark straight lines with a builders chalk line in several directions from the center of the hole spanning out around the green.
Getting someone to hold the chalk line at the center of the cup will make the process easier.
Now move around the green flicking the line to leave chalk marks along the ground.
Next - place your golf ball on the line leaving some of the line on the ground visible behind the ball. This will help you to guide your swing.
You will then be able to swing your putter using the line on the ground as a guide and the line on the putter itself to connect with the center of the ball.
In a very short time you should find that you are managing to putt from a relatively good distance and get the ball in the hole most of the time.
This will help you to develop the correct posture and consistency to putt well.
After doing this for a while from different positions on the green, move the ball off the line and visualize that there is still a line on the ground by creating it in your mind, looking from the ball to the cup and back again several times.
Line up your putter as before and look at the line on your putter to hit the center of the ball with this spot on your club.
You are now retraining yourself to see an invisible line from the ball to the cup that you can use on any green you play on.
A Few More Putting Tips
How often have you been frustratingly close to sinking a putt only to come up short?
Or maybe you have only just missed the hole to see your ball go sailing past adding too much distance for the return putt.
A lot of games have been lost on the putting green and in most instances it has been due to the wrong distance, rather than the direction of the ball.
Most beginners quickly get a feel for the direction the ball will travel, even on sloping greens.
You've probably seen it yourself when a newcomer to the game places the ball within inches of the hole on a sloping green time and time again.
What you won't see quite so often is the ball stopping a few inches past the hole when they miss.
There are many factors that come into account when determining the distance a ball will travel on the green, from the slope, to the preparation of the green and whether it is wet and slow or dry and fast.
It can make a huge difference depending on the time of the day with greens getting faster as they dry off in the afternoon sun.
So reading the distance of a putt is what you really need to concentrate on to get your ball to drop in that hole.
Once again it all comes back to practice and there is no better practice than on the day of the tournament in the conditions that you will be playing in.
Always take some time to have a few practice putts before you start play to 'dial in' your distance.
One thing you must always remember; the golf ball will never drop if it doesn't reach the hole.
Sounds too obvious to even need mentioning doesn't it, but more often that not putts will come up short.
Always aim for the back of the cup so that, provided you have your direction right, you are going to have a chance of making the putt.
A Balanced Approach
Golf is all about balance. You need to get the right balance on your feet, in the movement of your body, in the swing of the clubs and so on.
Balance goes further than just the body however.
You need a balanced approach to the game with your mind in sync with your body.
You need to only consider the one stroke that you are playing and not let other holes impact on your balance.
When we get golf lessons we're taught about the distribution of weight on our feet and the weight distribution when we swing to strike the ball.
Many of the techniques seem foreign to the beginner but it is all about training the player to find balance in their game so the actions are effortless and natural.
Our balance should flow through with the movement of the swing in one fluid action to the striking of the ball and even after the ball has been hit with a balanced follow through.
It is a natural feeling that will become second nature with practice.
It is through finding balance in your mind and body that you will start hitting consistently good shots.
Without this it will be very difficult to find any consistency in your game.
Once you get your upper body correctly positioned behind the ball, you will find that you are naturally placing more weight on the back foot.
Try it next time you have a practice swing.
Stand balanced on your feet with no more pressure on the front of the foot than the back.
Position yourself behind the ball and gently swing through without making any effort to concentrate on the distribution of the weight on you feet.
You will find that this will come naturally with no effort at all and that is precisely how you should feel when you are striking the ball.
Golf Tips For Beginners: It's All In The Mind
Many books and other sources of golf tips for beginners cover the technical aspects of playing golf very thoroughly, but do not prepare the new player for the mental side of the game. Golf can be a very frustrating sport and one where your game (and your reputation) can go rapidly downhill if you do not master the skill of anger management and keeping a positive mindset.
The most important thing to learn is to accept any bad shots and move on. This sounds simple on paper or on your computer screen but when you are out there on the course it is easy to start up with the 'if onlys', going over other ways that you could have played the shot, or even wanting to take it again with another ball just to prove that you could have done better. This is not good for your game and is irritating for your playing partners. Save it for your next practice session.
Although your game will improve a great deal with practice and a good coach, some people simply have more strength or flexibility in their bodies than others. It can be frustrating to see other people practicing less and playing better but that's life. Try to concentrate on your own game without constantly comparing yourself with others.
If you suffer from arthritis or other stiffness in the back or shoulders, it may be difficult to learn a good straight swing. Certain exercises that involve slow movement are very good for increasing flexibility and awareness of the body. These include tai chi, qi gung and yoga. Tai chi, which is often taught as a martial art, is popular with men.
It can be very useful to experiment with your game when you are beginning, and later in your golfing career too. You can decide on an approach that you will take for a particular round, stick to it all through and then evaluate where it was useful and where it was not. For example you might decide to play safer shots all around the course, and you might find that this worked well on some particular holes, but not others. This is very useful information and will teach you a lot about your own game as well as how to play different holes and courses.
Visualization is another mental technique that can have a positive effect on your game. With every shot, try visualizing the ball arriving on the green and rolling straight into the hole. Accept bad shots and let them go, focusing on the positive. Think of the advancements you have made in your game, or what you can learn from that shot, or just enjoy the physical activity of playing golf.
While it is possible of course to improve your game, it will never be perfect. If you are a perfection-seeker then golf will either teach you a different mindset or frustrate you to the edge of a coronary. The perfect game of golf, after all, would be 18 holes-in-one. Did you ever hear of anybody doing that?
Most players are able to handle a bad shot or a bad round but a bad run where your play seems to have deteriorated for no clear reason can be difficult to deal with. Usually this is just chance and things will soon turn around for you. If not, you could try taking a few lessons. This is likely to help in the long term although experimenting with new playing styles could have a negative effect at first.
Understanding your mindset and the emotions that a good or bad game arouses is as important as taking in any technical golf tips for beginners.
The Best Golf Cart Accessories To Customize Your Cart
Golf cart accessories are the way to go if you own a golf cart and want it to look a little different from the standard carts that can be rented at most courses. As the proud owner of a golf cart you are probably willing to spend a little money to have it look unique and be the way that you want. Golf carts that are left exactly as they were shipped from the manufacturer often seem a little lacking. There is a lot that can be done to upgrade them both for their appearance and their practical use.
A golf cart contains many components that can easily be upgraded individually, either to make it a better ride, or just to make it look cool. For example you could have leather seat covers fitted and have the wheel leather-covered to match. You can paint or replace shocks and wheel rims. You can choose an overall look to your cart that could be a certain color or a larger amount of chrome.
If you want your cart to look very different from the mass-produced vehicles that you see everywhere, you could go ahead and rebuild large parts of the body, but this is usually expensive. A quicker way is to order a body kit that can be fitted to your cart in a few hours. This will be much cheaper, too. Or you may prefer to use a decal and paint kit that was designed for automobiles. This would be easy to adapt to your golf cart.
Some people prefer to make smaller changes to their carts over a period of time so that they can see what looks best as they work on customizing their cart. Others like to do everything at the same time and have it looking perfect right away. If you do a reasonable job of making your cart individual, you will find that you receive a lot of compliments about it. It can break the ice with golfers that you do not know, as you explain what you did and how you did it.
You can also buy many accessories to add to the usefulness of your cart. For example you can find all-weather protection that covers the cart all around if you like to play in any kind of weather. For sunny days, you can have a removable windshield so that you do not have to peer through the glass or plastic shield when you could be enjoying warm fresh air on your face and an unobstructed view.
You may like to have a radio in your cart, a cooler or four-cup drinks holder, or an item more related to the golf course such as a divot repair kit. All of these and more golf cart accessories can be ordered online.
How To Hit Out Of A Golf Bunker
Until you discover how to hit out of a golf bunker, golf can be a very frustrating game. Of course ideally you would not hit into the bunker in the beginning, but even the champions find their balls rolling into sand from time to time. Some courses have so many bunkers that there seems to be no other place for the ball to go.
Even on a course that has only a few bunkers, many golfers find that their balls seem to be attracted to them as if they were magnetic. What is sometimes happening here is that even if consciously we are thinking that we must avoid it, focusing our minds on the bunker leads our body to direct the shot there. Therefore, when you are playing past or over a bunker, ignore it and keep your focus fixed on the flag.
If your ball does land in the sand in spite of your best efforts, here is how to get it out. As ever, the stance is vital. To avoid your feet sinking or slipping, work them into the sand a little to have a firm stance. Keep the weight more toward the left leg if you are right handed, or the right leg if you are left handed.
If you have an open lie, take a sand wedge and keep its face square to the flag as you swing down steeply. Swing and follow-through are smooth and equal. Have the club enter the sand around two inches ahead of the ball and exit an equal distance beyond the ball. The exit must be correct in order to send the ball flying straight up out of the bunker.
To practice this shot, start by marking two lines in the sand, around 4 inches apart. Without using a ball, practice having your sand wedge enter the sand on the first line and exiting on the second line. The depth should be just about a half inch. When you are consistently taking out sand at the right depth and distance, place the ball and repeat the shot so that the ball is simply carried out with the sand.
A buried lie in the bunker can be helped by closing the club face when entering the sand, still two inches ahead of the ball. Practice with a pitching wedge and 9 iron as well as the sand wedge to find which works best for you in this situation. Keep in mind that once on the green, the ball will travel further because the sand has absorbed any backspin.
Another shot that you can learn to handle with practice is a buried lie in the bank. Many beginning golfers instinctively try to scoop the ball out with an upward swing but that will create an ineffective, haphazard shot. Instead, send the sand wedge into the bank just under the ball, and the ball should soar up out of the golf bunker onto the green.
How To Correct Your Golf Slice
Most beginning and more experienced amateur golfers need to know how to correct golf slice from time to time. It is the most common mistake in the swing and even after correction, can reappear with frustrating frequency.
Many problems like this would be avoided if everybody took professional lessons right at the beginning of their golfing, but of course most of us didn't do that. Most golfers start out playing in a casual way and only take lessons after they find that they enjoy the game. At that time, many bad habits have already developed.
Slicing the ball creates a side spin that sends the ball away from the intended direction of the shot. It is a very common mistake because it is difficult to correct.
It is possible to buy a wrist band or elbow strap that will restrain the arm so that it follows a more correct path during the swing. This will often help and it is worth trying these restraints, which you can easily find online.
You can also practice some drills for the swing which have been developed by researchers at the University of Southern Carolina. These exercises divide the swing into a number of different sections which are practiced separately. After the body has learnt the correct movement for each part, they are put together to form a full swing. The theory is that the brain learns the individual actions more easily this way, and will co-ordinate them better.
Often a golfer will find that they have particular trouble with just one part of the swing. In that case, the drill for that section can be worked on by itself. Many golfers know from friends or a coach that they have a particular swing fault. There is the 'toe-in' drill that affects the position of the body during the swing. The 'split hand' drill allows the golfer to correct the release by becoming aware of the path of the swing.
Seeing the path of the swing can be very effective as a corrective measure, especially if you swing from outside in. Here is how to do it. Stand in front of a mirror so that you can clearly see, without being so close that you risk breaking it in the follow-through. Take a club - but not a ball - and swing very slowly as if you wanted to drive a ball through the center of the mirror. Stop at the half way point of the follow through. Without moving your head, look to see if you can see your nose. You should not be able to see it, because the head of the club should cover your view of it in the mirror.
Another drill involves looking at the mirror right through the swing. You should see the image of the club going through the line of your eyes in the mirror, on both the swing and the follow-through. Practice your swing until this happens consistently.
Maintaining good flexibility in your body can have a very beneficial effect on the swing. The back, hips and shoulders are particularly important. If you are stiff or have restricted movement in any joints, your game will suffer. Yoga exercises are very good for improving flexibility, or ask your coach to suggest some exercises to help you loosen up and correct golf slice.
Golf Putting Tips: Improve Your Game Today
Most putting tips that you will find in golf books or online concentrate on improving your aim. This is not the only thing that you can do to boost your putting technique, but of course accuracy is important.
The best way to increase the accuracy of your aim is to improve the contact between the putter head and the ball, so that it is straight and you are using the right area of the putter head. If you are constantly compensating for a tendency to hit the ball slightly off, this makes every putt a hit-and-miss affair.
Something that you can do when practicing (and even in a match, under most rules) is to draw two parallel lines on the ball with about a half inch between them, and corresponding lines on your putter. Practice until you can hit the ball so that the lines exactly meet, every time. You are pretty sure to find that this increases the accuracy of your putts, and when it has become natural you can stop drawing the lines with equal success.
It is often worth trying a new putter. Even if you are very happy with your current club you could maybe borrow or rent a couple of different ones and try them out. If you have had yours for a long time, your game has probably changed and another type of putter could be better for you now. Give them try before deciding whether to stand or switch.
Most professionals advise taking a bold approach to putting, and shoot strongly. Even on a fast smooth green you should not make your shot too soft. Generally it is better to send the ball past the hole than to stop before it.
Keep in mind that if your putt is accurate, but not strong enough, it will always miss the hole. But if your putt is accurate and too strong, it will probably go in. Dave Pelz (aka Professor Putt) used a robot to carry out a study that proved that the best putts were strong enough to have carried the ball as far as 17 inches beyond the hole, if they had not been sunk.
A strong putt that misses the hole will also tell you a lot about the green. You can learn from this to have a better chance of sinking the return shot. You will also find out more about your style and any tendencies or bad habits that you are developing. If your putt stops short of the hole, on the other hand, you learn almost nothing.
With all golf shots, practice is vital, and never more so than with putting. This does not mean you have to hit the ball exactly the same way over and over. Your practice sessions can bring flexibility and new ideas to your game, because you can vary your usual style in practice time and try out all the putting tips that you find.
Golf Technique: Taking The Rough With The Smooth
No matter how good a player's golf technique, we all have experience of the rough. Of course the ideal is for the ball to stay on the fairway, but in practice we all need to know how to play out of the rough on any course.
With a good technique it is possible to welcome the opportunity to play from rough ground. It gives a certain freedom to our stroke. Greg Norman has even been quoted as saying that he can hit further and straighter from the rough than from any other ground. Just remembering that when you come to take your next rough shot may help you swing confidently straight onto the green.
The reason these shots often travel so far is that they come from a 'flyer' lie. This is a relatively open, flat lie where the grass is long enough to be trapped between the club face and the ball at the moment of impact. The grass absorbs much of the backspin and the ball seems to fly on forever. So take a medium or short length club for a flyer and expect the ball to travel further than if you were on the fairway.
To give more control over the shot and lessen the effect of the grass on the backspin, stand more ahead of the ball than usual and take a steeper swing so that less of the grass is involved. Avoid the temptation to hit the ball harder than if it were a clean shot. There is no need for that.
If the grass is thick and the ball is almost hidden, a different technique is required. A pitching wedge can be used to bring the ball up out of it. Use an open stance and take a firm grasp on the club. The head of the club should be square against the target line of the ball. Alternatively, some golfers recommend squaring the club face to a line slightly right of the target line because the grass will often cause the face to turn on impact. This is a good shot to experiment with in practice sessions.
From time to time you will encounter a perch lie. Here the clump of grass is so thick that the ball is balanced on top of it. This lie is very unstable and you have to watch your step to avoid unbalancing the ball as you prepare. If it falls you will be given a penalty shot. The shot itself is simple, just like playing from a tee, but because of the instability it is important not to touch the ground. That would unbalance the ball a split second before you hit it, and could ruin your shot.
Many golfers enjoy playing from the rough and depending on the lie, it is not always a disadvantage. A golfer can improve his game a great deal by mastering good golf technique for the different lies in the rough.
What a Good Golf Bag Can Do For You
Golf bags are not always appreciated by the players who own them. While they are willing to spend a lot of time and money selecting their clubs, they are reluctant to do the same for other equipment. In fact it makes no sense to buy high quality clubs and then look around for the cheapest bag to carry them.
Golf bags are not usually an expensive item and there is not so much difference in dollar terms between a high quality bag and a cheap one. A good golf bag protects the clubs that the golfer has invested so much into, and is often so much more convenient that it can save you effort and trouble on the course and even improve your game.
You will see the value of this piece of golfing equipment if you consider the possibility of traveling with your golf clubs. Perhaps I should say the probability of traveling with them, because most every golfer loves to try out a course wherever he goes. You may want to take a golf vacation from time to time and even if your spouse does not play, you will be able to find many resorts which include attractions for your spouse along with a good golf course.
If possible, you will want your own clubs along when you travel. You could surely hire them at your vacation or conference resort but you would be unlikely to play at your best with a strange set of clubs. When you think of taking your clubs on a plane or even with a trunk full of other luggage in your own car, you will see the importance of having a strong, high quality bag to protect them on the trip.
Even if you never travel, you will always be driving to and from your own course with your clubs in the trunk. You will want your favorite clubs to last a lifetime if possible, and for that you will need the best golf bag to house them.
Another advantage of having a good golf club carry bag is that it will allow you to keep everything organized as you go around the course. The clubs will be well stored so that you can immediately pick out the one that you need. A good bag will also have plenty of pockets to store other items and keep them easily accessible, including balls, tees, and other things that you will be carrying like a water bottle, notebook, rangefinder, etc. It is very important to have all of these well organized and easily accessible. This helps golfers to keep their focus and concentration on their game, instead of having to take time out to search for items in their golf bags.
Technology And Golf Equipment
Technology has brought about great changes in golf equipment in the last hundred years. While the game itself may not have changed very much, almost everything that we use on the golf course is radically different. Either it is a new invention or it is manufactured very differently today. While a golfer of one hundred years ago would recognize our clubs, he would be very surprised at how differently they play and feel. Other things, such as golf carts, would have been unimaginable to them.
We take it for granted now that the passing years will see more and more improvements in the manufacture of many goods. Golf clubs have benefited hugely from technological advances. The modern golfer has a much wider choice of clubs than ever before.
The use of graphite in the construction of golf clubs is a recent development in the history of golf and has improved the swing for many players. Clubs that contain graphite in different proportions are usually lighter than other clubs and more flexible. For most players this means that their swing is stronger and more controlled.
The manufacture of club heads has also changed a great deal in the last few years and decades. Manufacturers are responding to golfers' demands for more precision. Experimentation has led to a much wider variety of head styles. The curve and shape of the head of the club can be altered to suit different styles of play. Some clubs are designed for beginners while others will only serve an experienced golfer who can be pretty sure of giving them an accurate shot.
Technology has also enabled us to track and record our progress and analyze our practice shots. In the practice area of many golf courses you can have your shots and your swing measured. You may be able to see yourself in action on video so that you can correct your own mistakes. In the past you would have had to rely on being told in lessons where you needed to improve, but seeing this for yourself can have a much greater psychological effect so that a change for the better is more easily achieved.
Beyond this, there are also many gadgets available to golfers these days. Rangefinders that allow you to measure your distance from the hole are very popular. Combined with technological analysis of the length of your drive in practice sessions, this can help you decide on the best club and the strength of your swing.
You will also find digital score calculators that will record your scores. These are useful for keeping score in a match between up to four players, and often they will also store your own scores over a large number of games. This is very useful for analyzing your game on your local course. You can see where you are playing well and which holes you often have trouble with. Although most of us think we know this, the results of keeping an accurate score with this piece of hi tech golf equipment can be surprising.
Golf Clubs: Your Best Friends On The Course
Golf clubs are the most important piece of equipment that the golfer has, and yet so many of us don't treat them right. A lot of people start out buying a used or cheap set and that's fine, but it doesn't mean that you shouldn't look after them.
Used clubs can be very good quality, and even if not, caring for your clubs in the right way is a great habit to get into. When you start replacing them one by one for high quality golf clubs picked out to fit your individual golfing style, you will want to be sure that they will last for as long as possible. A good golf club is something you would be real upset to lose, a few years down the line.
So here are 7 important tips for maintaining your clubs to the highest standard.
1. Watch out for the condition of the grip. You need to replace it as soon as it becomes worn. If not, it will slip a little in your hand and this will affect your stroke because you will have to tense up the muscles to keep a good hold on it.
2. Carry a small towel around in your golf bag so that you can clean off any mud or sand that gets onto your clubs right away. That way you will be sure that it will be clean for the next time that you take it out. You can keep the towel damp with water from your drinking bottle.
3. Clubs should be kept in the house, not in the trunk of the car where they can become damp and rusty. Be sure to dry them after playing in rain or in dewy grass.
4. Head covers are very important to protect woods and putters from damage when they are knocked against the heads of other clubs. Covering the heads of the irons too will give extra protection.
5. When cleaning the club heads at home, use warm water with a little soap and then dry them thoroughly. Strong cleaning products and abrasive brushes should never be used. You can find suitable materials in the golf store.
6. Check the shaft of the club often. A damaged shaft should be replaced before it begins to affect your game.
7. Clubs should be stored and carried in a good quality golf bag for their protection.
Golf clubs that are not well maintained will lose their accuracy and your performance on the course will deteriorate. So in order to be sure that your clubs will serve you well and help you to keep improving your game, take good care of them. Your golfing career will be enhanced when you always own top quality, well maintained golf clubs.