Hot Tips to Effortlessly Improve Your Golf Swing

Most golfers will admit that golf is 90% mental, yet most spend all their time and efforts on the mechanical aspect of the game. The golfing industry hasn't helped the trend by breaking down the swing and analyzing each of its components. Although, the average handicap for club players is still the same as it was 20 years ago. Even with all the new technology in equipment and video analysis.

Everyone seems to be teaching or learning the perfect swing, but little do people realize that almost no one has a perfect swing, not even the pros. Each of us has a certain way of swinging the club, even if we are taught the correct way in the beginning. Negative feelings have a lot to do with our swing. If you have a good swing, and negative thoughts, you still will not play good golf.

Most players are distracted and not totally concentrating on their shot at one time or another. Each time this happens, you can lose a stroke or two. If this happens only 4-5 times a round, it could add a lot of strokes to your score.

The main principles behind good golf are simple. You must be able to focus on the task at hand and stay in the present, then pick a small target and empty all unwanted thoughts from your mind.

The mental aspect of executing a shot is crucial to our success. Think about all the good shots you hit when you are practicing, when not on the course. Why do you play bad one day and not the next, why do you play well on the front nine but terrible on the back nine? Your physical ability is the same. The fact is your mind and body are connected and work in symbiosis, so how you think will affect how you perform.

Evidently, the mind is a critical determinant in shot making. Hypnosis, specifically self-hypnosis in this case, can assist in achieving the right mind set for a golf shot.

All of us use hypnosis in our everyday lives all of the time. If you are overweight and overeat, you can become satisfied with smaller portions of food. If you smoke, you can become an ex-smoker. If you're a phobic, your fears can disappear completely.

So you see, in an open state of mind, you can make strong, positive suggestions to change your life dramatically. Hypnosis can also help you improve your golf game. It can help you lower your score and feel proud of your accomplishment and your game.

Your inner mind is lazy: It needs repetition for change to occur. The more detailed your picture, the more accurate your outcome. If you expect a positive outcome, you will often receive it.

To create self-hypnosis on command and through suggestion, you need to product strong mental images of what you want to accomplish, you can lower your golf score. You can achieve that score you always dream about. No more being embarrassed of your score in front of your friends.

In the movie, 'Caddyshack,' before they swung, golfers repeated the mantra, 'Be the Ball.' This is OK for a funny movie or if you're a beginning golfer who's likely to miss the ball if you don't pay supreme attention to it. But for anyone else it's ridiculous.

Because you're better than that. You don't want to just hit the ball. You want the ball to go someplace. Like...a Target. It would be much better for you to 'Be the Target.' Focus intensely on the Target. Picture your ball going to it. Have it so burned into your mind that you can still see it in your mind's eye when you're addressing the ball. That's self-hypnosis.

Watch the pre-shot routine of any good golf professional. What do you think they're doing when they stand in back of the ball, in line with the target? They're picturing the ball flying to the Target.

Want to improve your golf score? Before every shot, make the Target your image.

Get the picture?

By Richard C Myers

Want to break through to the next level of golf? Then visit Think and Reach Par for more great free golf swing tips, gifts, secrets and advice, or Golf for Leftys golf tips to improve your stance, grip and left handed golf swing.

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

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Forget Golf Cart Accessories - A Real Golfer Needs More Than One Golf Course!

There you are, the newest member of the golf retirement community, putting to engineer that innocent looking little white ball into the black hole at last. The soft sea breeze stroking your aching back after that one wild swipe at the dodgy little Callaway golf ball when you thought no one was watching. And something else is bothering you. You know what it is, but you don't want to acknowledge it, because you don't know what to do about it. You don't yearn for the latest golf swing trainer, golf cart accessory or other related retirement gift. It is something entirely different that is tap-tap-tapping away at your thoughts.

Too many greens to play, too many beautiful community golf courses whispering their names to you in that salty wind coming in from the sea. And there is only one you. With a wife that is adamant to have her say in the unfolding need for more than just the one golf course in one lifetime.

As that wise old German psychologist mentioned in quiet desperation, women are different. They are most likely aliens from a far off galaxy where there are no open green, gated golf course communities that are synonymous with heavenly pleasures. In that galaxy the rule has been laid down that a specimen from the female species will always have the need to have an own home where the specimen can indulge in home making. A serious golfer, in his advanced cosmic state, knows that it is not about the house, it is all about the green course. She will not let go. She will not understand. She will want her own home to beautify. She will want a verandah where she and her friends from that far off galaxy can sit down and drink tea while watching whales in the sea, or buffalos grazing, or soft green hills against pure blue heavens. That is what she wants, and you can just as well go and drown yourself with your beloved golf bag in that water hole at the 16th. She will not budge.

But then, to your relief, you remember that phrase of the great Chinese writer, or it could be an Australian, and you know that it is likely that you are making a mistake about this great man's background, but what he said was something like 'it is in the play that I'll catch the conscience of the queen'...

Careful planning, my golfing mate, is what will save the day. Those were the words of those great and advanced guys that roamed the great plains of ancient courses long long ago. Give the specimen a house overlooking the greens. There she can buy curtains to her liking, plant flowers in clay pots, read JM Coetzee or Ian McEwan whilst listening to Mozart. And the little wifey with her specimen friends can sit on the verandah, laughing and spilling tea while they watch your approach to do something to that little white ball that once again moved for only a few inches (the English), or centimeters (the rest of the world).

The plain truth is that this ancient wisdom of golfers now swinging clubs in the pinkish clouds at days end, only provides a partial answer to the greater issue. You know that if you can't get the swing right on this open green, there are surely so many other beautiful retirement community golf courses. Courses that will appreciate your next swing, which will be the one that Ernie Els aspires to.

The thing is, your specimen has now settled into her golf course community house overlooking the 18th hole. Since buying that piece of golf real estate for her, she happily opens the front door at your disheveled return from the game, and she always displays those bright twinkling eyes, shining with mischievousness. Now you know that she found something so great or amusing in that house overlooking the 18th hole that she will not even consider moving to a different, more lenient course.

Now, this is the moment that I will come to your rescue. I have given that game up because I do not yet want to play it in the day end pinkish clouds before it really is time to do so, on account of heart attacking golfing seizures. So I would rather sell you and your specimen a house at a gated, retirement golf community estate of her liking. At the same time I would suggest that you get your specimen's best friend to maneuver her golfing husband to one of the other beautiful courses. Doing so, you can explain, they can visit each other, go to art galleries, coffee shops, mesmerizing shopping centers and they can even sit on the verandah overlooking the very first hole, laughing their buds and their butts off, ...so long as you and your golfing friend can have another go at another course where nobody can possibly know your real handicap.

Just don't turn your eyes towards all the verandahs of all the other houses in the gated golf community, with all the other specimens rolling and reeling in laughter over their little cups of tea.

It will only prolong that fight of dwarfing inches towards the shrinking little black hole of redemption.

By Wim Van Der Walt

Wim van der Walt is the owner of Byron-YeatsProperties.com where you can find out about prime Golf Community Real Estate such as The Clarens Golf and Trout Estate, South Africa.

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How to Play Sand Traps

Everybody wants to know the best way how to play sand traps. Traps, or bunkers are the called in Europe, can be easy or very difficult to play, depending on their severity.

You know the thing. You think you are playing great, and have a couple of towering (for you) 325 yard shots on the first four or five holes, so try it again on the next. You know there is a big deep trap out there just on the right of the fairway about 300 yards out. You would normally play short but you are playing so well today that you go for it. You should clear it, but if not all you have to do is to aim slightly left and you will miss it in any case.

What happens? You are so concentrating on missing by playing your shot a bit left, and also trying to clear it, that you rush into the drive. You throw your shoulders and arms into a bit quicker than usual so don't quite close the club face before striking the ball. We all know what happens then, don't we? You slice the ball out right, and because you are aiming to the left and don't get the usual power behind the shot because you are a bit nervous about it, it slices right into that sand trap. Stuck in the trap still with 200 yards to go.

That's one shot down - or is it? Not if you have practiced your sand shots! The shot you play now is different to that if the trap was green side. You first have to assess the condition of the sand. Is it wet or dry? Is it smooth, and what is the lie? Even the grain of the sand can have a bearing, but that is probably not your concern at the moment. The main thing is the dryness of the sand and the lie.

If your ball is right at the edge of the bank, and you can only chip out, then that is all you can do. However, the odds are that your ball is somewhere in the middle since they normally run into fairway traps rather than land straight there. If the sand is wet, then you cannot afford to dig into it with the club, or basically take a 'divot'. You have to hit it cleanly because wet sand is extremely difficult to drive through - with a car or a golf club! You can practice that by placing a tee into the sand so that the cup of the tee is at sand level, and then hitting the ball. Once you are able to hit the ball regularly without hitting the tee, then you will be able to play these sands shots with ease.

What that means is that even from 200 yards out you will be able to play a full powered shot with the club of your choice to reach the green. If your club digs into the sand even slightly, then it will lose a lot of power and you will have no chance of reaching the green. Practice with the tee in the sand and it will reap benefits.

If the sand is dry and fine grained, then it should not be so much of problem, but even there if you can strike the balls without digging into the sand, then you should be able to drive it out of that trap to the green 200 yards away. Many amateur golfers think that you have to take a lot of sand with when you play a sand shot, but that is not necessarily true. It might be for shots from close to the green, and with pin placements close to the traps, but it is not always necessary.

To play a sand shot in soft sand where your footing is not secure, you will have to dig your feet into the sand until you have a steady stance. You will then have to hold the club a bit lower on the shaft to allow for your feet being below the normal level. If you feet are sunk three inches into the sand, then hold your club three inches farther down that normal. If you are playing a green bunker, you will want a lofted club and likely to take a sand 'divot'. In that case, decide where in the sand you are going to strike, and concentrate on that point and not the ball.

Play the shot with a smooth stroke and a full follow through so that the loft of the club comes into play. The club face should always be fully closed so that it can slice through the sand. Any angle on it will tend to hold it back and you will underplay the shot with regard to both distance and loft. Always practice your green sand trap shots by playing at the same speed with all shots. Your distance should be varied by the length of your swing. If you practice properly, you will find that you can play each shot at the same speed and change distance at will by changing your swing length.

Another useful tip is that if you have to stop the ball quickly, as you often have to do with some bunker shots, then hit the sand close to the ball. A normal dry sand shot should have a long shallow 'divot', but if the pin is close to the trap then make it very short, because then you will get maximum spin.

The way to learn how to play sand traps consistently well is to practice them: from 200 yards out or 5 yards from the pin makes no difference. Like any other skill, practice makes perfect.

By Andre Sanchez

How to Play Sand Traps was originally published at http://www.golfplayernow.com

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

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The Importance of Knowing the Golf Course

The importance of knowing the golf course to a professional is inestimable. The tour pros make sure that they know the course inside out, from first tee to last hole, and also that their caddies have all the distances worked out.

When you go on vacation and try a strange course, you enjoy the experience, but might find that your game is not up to its usual standard. You might put it down to one too many beers last night, or too much wine with your dinner, but we both know the real reason. You didn't know the course. It is a strange course and you know neither the distances nor the greens.

That is one reason why not too many rookies win the USA PGA or the Masters. Because they don't know the course well enough. Oh, don't get me wrong! Some rookies do win now and again, but the players are getting so fit these days and so close to each other in ability that knowing the course counts for a lot more than it used to. Some rookies win because they have the right caddy - a good caddy that knows the game and the course is worth his weight in gold.

That is why Scots caddies are so popular when the British Open is played at St. Andrews, or Muirfield, or any of the other famous Scottish golf courses. American pros don't get the time to play Scottish courses as much as they would like to - and believe me, they would like to because they are among the best in the world. But they just can't spare the time due to pressure of work. However, they make sure they get a good Scots caddy - and they don't come cheap!

Why should you benefit from knowing the course? Well, to start with, the first tee. You have to know exactly how far down the fairway these bunkers are, or that road or stream that cuts across the fairway. It looks like 300 yards, but might be 320, and that makes a difference. As an average player you have to decide whether to go for it with your driver or to play safe with a one iron. Sometimes it makes little difference since the second is not much more difficult from a 350 yard drive as from a 320 yard drive. In fact, on some courses the 320 yarder gives you the easier shot to the green.

You need to know the first hole for that, and the same could be true of every hole. You must know the optimum driving distances. Then you have the second shots. You might not have the flag in sight. You may have to walk up the course to see what is coming next. That small rise might be hiding a multitude of problems for you, but you won't know till you look. Prior knowledge is a big help, especially if the nasties are something at which you could practice.

Many courses, the Scots ones in particular, ask for a good ability at the chip and run rather than the high shot with back-spin. Each type of shot has its advantages in particular situations, and a lot depends on the cut of the green. A very fast green might not take the back-spin if it is running away from the hole. You can't tell that unless you have played the course a few times.

Winds too. What are the prevailing winds, and how will they affect your drive in each direction? On some courses, the prevailing winds are across the course, and affect your shot from opposite directions on the front and back nine. With others, they are with you and against you over the two halves.

The most important aspects of local knowledge are the greens. Conditions can make a massive difference. A green can be well drained or covered in moss that absorbs water and slows right down after a short shower of rain. You can't tell that until you have played a course under all conditions - wet, dry, damp and misty, you name it, the greens will be of different speed and run differently under each condition.

Different greens are constructed using different grass types, and each affect the run of your putt. Not just that, but in what direction does the grass lie: across your line, with it or against it? That makes a big difference to better players, especially on longer puts. The position of the hole is frequently significant, and it could be on a mound, in a gully or on a slope. If you play the course regularly, you will know how to handle each situation.

The importance of knowing the golf course you are playing cannot be overestimated. Most players are playing the course, not opponents, and in order to beat your enemy you must first know him. Of two players of equal ability, he or she who knows the course the better will win.

By Andre Sanchez

The Importance of Knowing the Golf Course was originally published at http://www.golfplayernow.com

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

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Easy Golf Exercises to Improve Your Golf Game

There are many easy golf exercises you can use to improve your golf game that involve little or no equipment. First, though, what is the purpose of using them? There is little point in carrying out exercises unless you are sure of what you are trying to achieve.

A professional golfer is fit and supple, with lots of flexibility in his or her muscles, but also a lot of strength and rotational capability. You are not expected to be as fit as a top pro since they have their own fitness trainers in additional to golf coaches, and many of the other pros that make up the circuit have to resort to fitness DVDs that they watch at night.

However, even though you don't have their resources, if you are serious about improving your game you can copy them to an extent by carrying out regular exercises to keep you fit for golf. Before discussing the exercises, let's have a look at the reasons for them; what you are actually exercising and why.

There are three aspects of golf fitness that you should work on, and none of them include practicing on the driving ranges or practice greens. These are not about the actual golf mechanics, but about your ability to carry them out. The three are your flexibility and suppleness, your rotational strength and your general stamina. A quick look at all three before looking at them individually:

Flexibility is necessary for your limbs to withstand the rotational movements of the golf swing and to allow you to wind up your body like a spring with loads of potential energy ready to be unleashed in a powerful swing and follow right through so that you are able to end up with your hands just about where they started the swing off. Rotational strength is needed so that you can whip your body round in the swing and impart as much kinetic energy as possible through the club and club face into the ball. The more energy the ball has, the farther it will go. The stamina is needed to allow you to do that from between one and two (hopefully) times every hole for eighteen holes, possibly twice a day (we shan't count the short game and putts here).

That's the why, so now the how. Perhaps you can't afford all the training equipment the pros have, and even that your neighbor has, and you don't need it. There are lots of possibilities around your home that you can use as training equipment - even a can of beans! Let's look at each of these. First the flexibility.

You can become more flexible by twisting your body around from the waist. That is the part that twists most during your drive, and if you get that right then the rest should follow. Sit in a chair and hold your arms out in front of you. You can hold a can of beans in each hand if you don't have a medicine ball to hold. Slowly twist to the right as far as you can go with your arms out straight holding your weights, hold it for four seconds, and then back. Do the same the other side, and carry out six to eight repetitions. If you do that once or twice a day you will soon notice the difference.

Another one is to hold a club round your shoulders and do the same twists. The idea is practice twisting your body round as far as you can do, holding it and repeating again and again. Now for the strength part. The idea here is to build up your rotational strength, so that when the time comes you can hammer the golf ball down the fairway so far you can't see where it landed.

A good tool is a weighted golf club, but if your finances are tight you can use a heavy iron bar or something similar. What you do is swing as if your were swinging your golf club, and the added weight will soon build up strength in the muscles you are using in your swing. Do that several times a day, and you will soon notice the difference on the course. You will find your swing easier, and that your ball will be traveling farther. You will also suffer fewer niggly pains after your round, because your body will be fitter and better tuned for the stresses that golf puts on it.

Finally your stamina. This is where you can use that gym treadmill! That is about the only use for it to a golfer - in allowing you to walk the course a bit easier. You can achieve the same thing jogging, or even by making a conscious effort to walk faster between shots. Especially your drive: if you power walk that 300 or 400 yards (you wish!) you will find your stamina improving rapidly.

All of these are easy exercises to improve your golf game without needing any specialized equipment. Try them out - they do work, believe me. If they don't you are not doing them right!

By Andre Sanchez

Easy Golf Exercises to Improve Your Golf Game was originally published at http://www.golfplayernow.com

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

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Golf - The Most Important Club in Your Bag

Which do you think is the most important club in your bag? Is it the driver, that gives you those big drives, but occasionally costs you a shot as you go into deep rough? Or is it one of your mid irons that you can use to get to the green from most places?

No, it is none of these. Just think for a moment: which club do you use most? Well, on the average course you use the driver 12-14 times, depending how narrow the fairways are. On a strange and narrow course you might use it much less, but on average, let's say 14 times a round.

Most other clubs you won't use more than 5 or 6 times, unless your course has very small greens in which case you might use your favored chipping club a bit more on some days.

Get good with the putter

But what about the putter? Even the best golfers hit the ball 27-28 times a round, and most of use it for 34-38 times - maybe more if the greens are very large. OK, so let's say we are playing fairly well and the greens are quite large, and that we take 36 putts a round - nothing to be proud about, but not too bad.

This means that we pull that putter out of our bag 18 times - well we might chip into the hole now and again - and use it two and a half times as much as the driver. This is why I realised that the putter is the most important club in my bag, and why I practice my putting quite a lot. My home club also has some very large greens - on at least three you can be faced with 30 yard putt - so although I work on my driver and irons, I make sure I practice with the putter.

Putting is a different game from the rest of golf. True, you use the same ball, but the club is quite different - some putters are wildly different - and the action is different. You meed to develop a repeatable action that always hits the ball where you aim it - precisely. Then, you need to develop a fine touch so you can lay the ball up close - within a two foot diameter circle is a good thought to have in your head - from the edge of the green.

On top of that, you need to read subtle and steep slopes, whether you are putting uphill, downhill or across the hill, or from a low tier to a higher tier. It is really demoralising when you hit two good shots to the green of a long and difficult hole and then to push your put eight feet past the hole, and see a three-putt looming.

Keep practising - on the carpet will do

What's the answer? Quite simply to practice your putting swing and touch as much as you can. Say, you are taking 90 shots and 38 putts a round. Well, reduce the number of putts to 32 and you are going round in 84 - that has to be the easiest way to knock four shots off your handicap. And the great thing is that you can practice your putting every day on the carpet at home. Of course, you want to practice on your course as well, but you will soon adjust to the speed of the greens.

Take my word, the putter is the most important club in your bag, and the carpet the most useful practice area you have!

Get good advice on golf plus the latest news at http://www.swingingagolfclub.com, run by John Hartley, who has been a student of golf and an avid golfer for many years, and has played amateur golf at a high level. Having had a lay-off for 20 years, he has been relearning the game, and so is the ideal person to pass on tips.

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

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Golf Tournament Preparation for Amateurs

So you have made it through the club's tournament season. You did well but not as well as you would like. So how do you get your game in shape for the 2008 tournament season? Your tournaments will not have grand stands and TV cameras but do not think you will not feel the pressure. With a little thought and preparation, you can give yourself the needed confidence to beat your archrival, win the Club Championship or Match Play tournament in 2008.

Granted with your tournament nerves, you are probably not going to be swinging as smooth as Ernie Els when the big day arrives. Now is NOT the time to start messing with your golf swing. I repeat. It is NOT the time to make any major golf swing changes. First of all this is supposed to be fun. You know, better than anyone, your own tendencies. Depending on how much time you have before your golf tournament, chances are you are going to have to find a way to play with what you got. This is fine. Most of these types of tournaments are flighted. This means players with similar handicaps are pitted against each other. What you can do is check your basics. Review your posture, grip, alignment, and ball position and insure they are in the best shape they can be for your game. Hitting balls is fine but do not go overboard on making changes. The most effective thing you can work on is your swing tempo and insuring that your golf swing is in balance. You can do this by simply counting to three once you finish your golf swing.

Since the average of greens hit in regulation on the PGA Tour is only twelve, you will miss some greens during your round. Set up a practice schedule for your short game up until the golf tournament. You can go out in the evenings when the course is quiet. Go from green to green hitting multiple pitch and chip shots from all around the green. In addition, choose a couple of "nasty" lies just in case you hit a good shot that ends up in a bad place. Although the ultimate goal is to hole the ball, sometime you may need to play away from the hole to be able to make the next shot easier.

Spend most of your time on the practice green working on short putts, very short putts. Hit as many two to three foot putts as you can. This does a couple of things for you. First it gives you confidence to see the ball go in the hole over and over again. Second, you will be able to see if you are starting the golf ball on the correct line.

Do not forget to take a look at your equipment. Are your grips in good shape? Do they need replaced? If your grips do not need to be replaced, scrub them vigorously with a stiff brush. Use a solution of warm water and dishwashing soap with a degreaser to clean your grips. The degreaser will help remove the oil and dirt buildup that accumulates from your hands over a period of time. Rinse your grips well and pat dry with a towel.

Tournament day is here! Go through your normal warm up. Hit a few pitches, and make sure before you leave the practice green you make about five or ten two footers in a row. Seeing and hearing the ball go in the hole will give you great confidence as you head to the golf course.

By Brad Myers

The Wireless Golf Coach is a website created by PGA Professionals to provide affordable online golf instruction. This is accomplished by offering unlimited online golf lessons through memberships at http://www.golf-and-golfer.com With an online connection with your computer, PDA or phone, you can literally take your golf lesson anywhere. In addition, enjoy the competitive pricing in the online golf shop.

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

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Lob Shots - The How To

All good golfers, especially those on the PGA or LPGA Tour, are very good ay hitting a lob shot or a flop shot. The lob shot we will discuss will be from about 30 yards and will be players with a 56 or 60 degree wedge. Many say the lob shot is a risky golf shot however, if pulled off correctly, it will help you to lower your scores.

Most scratch and low handicap golfers will agree that it is easier to judge the distance to if a golf ball while it is rolling on the ground as opposed to trying to fly the golf ball to the hole. With golf course design becoming more and more extreme, you now need to be able to hit the flop shot to maneuver over sand traps, water hazards or to a tight front hole location. The only way you can get your golf ball close to a hole location like this is to use this type of a shot. If you want to shoot really low scores, a lob shot must be in your bag of shots.

To properly set up for the flop shot, aim the clubface directly at the target. Take your full swing setup with your feet, hips and shoulders will be "open" or pointed to the left of your target for a right handed golfer. If you are a left handed golfer, your feet, hips and shoulders will be pointed to the right of the target.

To execute a proper lob shot, you should position the golf ball off of the heal of your front foot. It is imperative to keep the loft on the club face of your wedge. What does that mean? You want the ball to "get up" in the air very quickly which means the golf shaft can not lean towards the target as this de-lofts or takes loft off of the clubface of your wedge. To keep this from happening, keep the end of your grip pointing towards the center of your body at address. This avoids setting the hands ahead of the ball.

To execute a good lob shot, your core and torso will rotate just like your regular full swing. The difference is the rate of your turn is decreased. Your wrists will cock early in your swing. If you are right handed, your left arm and the shaft of the club should take the shape of the letter L. As your lower body remains still, your torso will turn as in your full swing. As you make your backswing, your arms will not swing back form the target but in-line with your feet, hips and shoulders. This would be known as starting your swing to the outside.

On your forward swing, turn back to your target and allow your arms to swing in-line with your feet, hips and shoulders. Keeping your clubface pointed at the target during the forward swing, the heel will return to the golf ball before the toe. Said another way, while the swing of your forward swing moves down your body line the clubface of your wedge will be open at impact.

The finish to the flop shot will resemble the look of your full swing. You will have rotated your torso to the point that you will have pulled up onto the toe of your back foot. As your wedge's shaft is parallel to the turf past impact, your right forearm should not cross over your left forearm to keep the clubface open. Hold this position until the golf ball has hit the putting green.

So the next time you are not able to run the ball up onto the green, with a little practice, this golf shot will help you lower your score. In addition, if on fast greens, the flop shot can help you get the ball close to the hole. Go the practice area at you country club or golf course and use this information to learn to hit the lob shot and watch your scores come down.

By Brad Myers

The Wireless Golf Coach is a website created by PGA Professionals to provide affordable online golf instruction. This is accomplished by offering unlimited online golf lessons through memberships at http://www.golf-and-golfer.com With an online connection with your computer, PDA or phone, you can literally take your golf lesson anywhere. In addition, enjoy the competitive pricing in the online golf shop.

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

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Beginner Ladies Golf - 101

If you are a new beginning golfer there are a couple of things you should be aware of so you have a good experience. In this article, we will talk about tee times, dress codes and tipping at the golf course.

What are tee times? A tee time or also known as a starting time is when you are expected to arrive at the first tee. Tee times or a tee time can be made in person in the golf shop, you may call the golf shop and some courses will allow you to make a tee time on the internet. Once you have a scheduled tee time, you are responsible for arriving at the course at a time which allows you to visit the golf shop to pay your proper fees, warm up on the practice tee and practice putting green as well as eat in the restaurant or snack bar if needed. Clubs and courses vary on how far in advance you are able to make a starting time. Call the club or course to find out what their rules are. Understand, if a tee time is missed you may be charged a "no-show" fee. Again this is different from golf course to golf course.

When making your starting reservation, also learn the dress code of the facility. Clubs have a wide variety of rules when it comes to their individual dress code. Denim may be clear to wear at one club and prohibited by dress code at another club. Fashion has actually gotten into golf and wearing a Tiger-like fancy mock t-shirt could be accepted at one course and not another. In addition, most clubs only allow soft spikes on your golf shoes. It is the player's responsibility to be aware of and know the dress code policies of a club.

What about tipping while at the golf course? Again, first check with the club or course because there are some clubs that do not allow tipping. Most do. It is common to tip one to two dollars per bag upon arrival or leaving after your round, if you receive proper assistance with your bag or bags. The restaurant and the beverage cart are typically tipped on basic restaurant guidelines.

Once on the golf course there are some common rules that should be followed. The rules of golf state that there is no limit on how few clubs you can carry in your bag however you are limited to fourteen clubs in your golf bag. In a competitive situation you will be assessed extra strokes for this type of infraction.

Before going onto the golf course, you need to understand how to repair a divot in the fairway or rough. This is important to insure proper maintenance of the golf course. On the green you need to know how to properly repair a ball mark made on the putting green. If repaired properly the turf can repair itself in a few days. If the ball mark on the putting green is not repaired properly, it could take weeks for the turf to repair itself.

Before venturing out to the golf course, use these how-to and rules to make sure it is a great experience.

By Brad Myers

The Wireless Golf Coach is a website created by PGA Professionals to provide affordable online golf instruction. This is accomplished by offering unlimited online golf lessons through memberships at http://www.golf-and-golfer.com With an online connection with your computer, PDA or phone, you can literally take your golf lesson anywhere. In addition, enjoy the competitive pricing in the online golf shop.

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

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Golf Exercise - Where Should You Concentrate Your Efforts?

You walk into your local health club. You look at all the fancy treadmills and intimidating machines at the facility to get you shape. What are you supposed to do? Should you run/walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes? Should you push out a couple sets of bench presses? The answer to your question really lies within the connection between your swing and your body.

With advances in modern technology, we now know better than ever what is required of the body to produce a proper golf swing. Armed with that information we can develop what the best exercises for your golf swing that are the best for you to improve your golf game and lower your handicap.

We know that the entire body must move through certain ranges of motion to perform an effective golf swing. If your body is not able to move through the required ranges of motion of the golf swing, the golf swing will suffer. This will result in golf shots that are not at your target. Flexibility exercises are good for all golfers. More specifically, flexibility exercises that work the muscles used during the golf swing. This means that first and foremost flexibility exercises should be on the top of your list.

Balance exercises are also beneficial to the golf swing. Knowing the importance of balance in the golf swing, how can we train our body for better balance during our golf swing? A discussion with any top teaching professional will eventually lead to a discussion of balance. You must be balanced at address, the top of your golf swing, through impact and during your finish position. What is balance? Balance is the ability to control your body through a specific movement pattern or your golf swing. In relation to your body, balance has to do with the connection between your nerves and muscles. As a result of messages sent from your brain, your nervous system tells your muscles how to move to maintain the body's balance. The more efficient your nerves and muscles are to these messages, the greater balance abilities the body develops. Balance exercises train both the nervous system and muscular system to create a more efficient golf swing. There are many swing aids that will help you with your balance during your golf swing.

Of course, the muscles of your body move through a very specific range of motion and are utilized to keep your balance during your golf swing. Your body needs certain levels of strength and endurance to perform these actions. A good working definition of strength for us to use is the ability of the muscles to exert force for the given athletic action. Endurance is the ability of your muscles to do the same activity over and over again for a specific amount of time. A weighted club such as The Golfgym Club 38 or The Golfgym Club 28 will help you build muscle as well as a repeatable swing.

By Brad Myers

The Wireless Golf Coach is a website created by PGA Professionals to provide affordable online golf instruction. This is accomplished by offering unlimited online golf lessons through memberships at http://www.golf-and-golfer.com With an online connection with your computer, PDA or phone, you can literally take your golf lesson anywhere. In addition, enjoy the competitive pricing in the online golf shop.

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

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Learning Different Golf Techniques

The game of golf entails more than just hitting a small ball through the grass in the hopes of it landing in a hole. There is much more to the game including taking in environmental factors such as the slope of the green, the weather, and the amount of water on the grass. Professional golfers notice all these elements and take them into consideration before they take their shot. If you are serious about becoming a good golfer, you need to remember that this will not happen overnight. You need to build keen observation skills, build up patience, and understand that no matter how hard you try, not every shot will be your best.

Even though many professional golfers look like they are having a good time on the course and not taking themselves too seriously, the reality is that they are concentrating very hard on making the right shot. Playing golf with other professionals only adds to the tension, but once a golfer blocks these negative feelings out, they are able to concentrate on the task at hand. In order to become a better golfer, you will have to learn how to block tension, stress, and negativity out and focus on the game. Only then will you begin to improve.

The best time to practice letting go of negative feelings and learning how to relax is when you are learning how to golf. By learning the basics, you will have a foundation that you can build on each time you go out to play a round. If you are receiving lessons from an instructor, ask them what they do to relax. Many will tell you that they clear their minds or they think of something pleasant. Either way, it is up to you to find a way to help yourself focus when playing golf.

Once you have learned how to reduce stress during the game, your next step will be to learn how to better your technique. This is where the real work comes in. Practicing at least twice a week can help you become a better golfer. Strengthening your reasoning, observation, and listening skills can help you develop your own unique style. Those who are able to play golf the way they want to play will have much more success on the course. You may even notice that some of these principles will transfer to other areas of your life as well.

by Greg Muldec

About the Author

Concentrating on informating about golfing, Greg Muldec publishes first and foremost for http://professionalgolf.50webs.com . You can have a look at his contributions on golf holidays and golfing on his site.

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Planning For A Day At The Golf Course

Depending on which courses you are playing, renting a golf cart may make getting from one hole to another much easier. Because golf courses can be spread out over many acres of land, golf carts make transporting people, golf equipment, and other items more enjoyable than having to carry them from hole to hole. Because golfers want to spend the majority of their time on the course golfing instead of walking, renting a cart is advised.

If you are playing on a smaller course, you may not need to rent a cart. Carrying your equipment or renting a small push cart may be all you will need. These carts, even though they are small, can carry a lot of weight, so don't worry about not being able to fit all of your stuff into it. Small groups should consider renting push carts for each player so that it is easy to get from one hole to another. Some golf bags have wheels on them for courses like these, so you may not have to rent any type of cart at all.

Those who golf often and those who live on or near golf courses will sometimes buy their own golf carts and keep them at their homes. This is very convenient for those who golf everyday. When purchasing a golf cart, find one that is large enough for your needs and one that has an extensive warranty because you never know what will happen in the future. Read through the warranty carefully to see if the cart needs to be taken to a specific repair shop or if you can take it anywhere for repairs.

Owning a golf cart means you need to take care of it as you would a small car. Regular oil changes, engine cleanings, and tire checks are necessary in order to keep it in good shape for a long time. You will appreciate having a golf cart when friends or family visit so you can take them golfing. Cleaning the upholstery often will prevent scratches, tears, and discoloration. Store your cart in a garage or keep it covered so you don't run the exterior.

Additional accessories you may need include batteries, headlight covers, canopy covers, and additional storage for clubs, water, and other items you may want to take with you. Since a round of golf can take a few hours to complete, you should bring enough water and other items with you so everyone will have a good time and remain hydrated.

by Clinton Maxwell

About the Author

Focusing recent findings in Altea, Clinton Maxwell is writing almost entirely for http://www.alicante-spain.com . You might come across his writings on map of alicante area and Altea on his site.

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Conditions On Golf Courses

Golf is a complicated game to those who play it. While many people don't think hitting a golf ball across a lawn is difficult, for those who play, it is more about gauging distance, dealing with wind, and hitting the ball hard enough to reach its destination. If you are new to the game of golf, you may have noticed that there are many decisions to make when trying to reach the green and eventually hit the ball into the hole. Understanding the course, being prepared for ground conditions, and using the right clubs are all necessary if you want to play a good game.

One of the first things most golfers learn early how to swing the club in order to make the ball go where they want it to. Using an iron is different from using a wood or wedge, so pay attention when the instructor is telling you about each club. Because the clubs are shaped differently, they each hit the ball at different angles which cause the ball to move in certain directions. While you should concentrate on angling the club so it hits the ball correctly, you need to also practice your swing. Proper posture and follow-through will yield good results.

After learning how to use your golf clubs, you will begin to learn more about swinging your club and hitting the ball. Driving ranges are the best places to learn these skills. Once you have learned how to make contact with the ball, you will develop your own style. This style may have to be challenged from time to time especially if you have a harsh slice, which means the ball cuts to the extreme right or the left. This can be corrected through your posture and by practicing to change your swing.

Golf courses are you next destination once you have mastered beginning skills. Playing on a golf course is different from hitting balls on a driving range. At a golf course, you will be faced with sand traps, small bodies of water, hills, and rough terrain. You will also be faced with wind, wet or dry grass, and other conditions. In order to become more familiar with these conditions, you will have to play often in different types of weather. This will prepare you for the unexpected.

Golf can be a lifelong hobby if you are willing to put a little work into it in the beginning. It is very rewarding and challenging in that no course is ever the same twice. If you enjoy playing at different golf courses, you will be able to see some of the most beautiful courses in the world.

by Jack Blacksmith

About the Author

Jack Blacksmith repeatedly publishes news on topics dealing with Gandia and Denia. His work on car hire in benidorm can be found on http://www.alicante-spain.com/benidorm-car-hire.html .

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Golfing In The Wind

Wind and other weather conditions can play a large role in the quality of your game. Even though you may have the perfect stance, the right club in hand, and the right green conditions, if the wind is blowing too hard in one direction or there is a cross breeze, your ball will not land where you intended. For the beginning golfer, this can be very frustrating. Even in the best golf weather, new golfers will have difficulty controlling the ball, so you can imagine their frustration when the wind begins to blow.

But in order to become a better golfer, you will have to learn how to golf in different weather conditions. Depending on where you live, the course may be drier or wet during different times during the year. The same occurs with wind. If decide to travel to another course in a different country, you will face other wind and weather challenges. Learning how to golf despite these challenges is important if you want to enjoy golf for most of the year.

If the wind is extreme, you can forget about golf that day because most courses will be closed, but even if the wind is whipping around, you may still be able to play. Compensating for the wind by playing into it is the best way to get your ball where you need it to go. Work against the wind and your ball will end up anywhere but where you need it to be. Some golfers change their stance, while others use different clubs depending on the strength of the wind and its direction. Feeling where the wind is coming from is your first step. The second step is to choose the right clubs, and the third step is to choose how hard to hit the ball.

The ideal golf weather is a light breeze that keeps you cool, but does not affect the game. While some courses have beautiful weather almost all year, other places only have this weather for two or three months. This is why learning how to play regardless of the weather is important. During your lessons, you should learn tips and tricks for predicting the weather conditions, which way the wind is blowing, and which clubs to use in order to maintain as much control of the ball as possible.

For many golfers, wind is their worst enemy. But in order to become a great golfer, you must learn to respect what is going on around you and learn how to find ways to stay in the game without letting the weather affect your score.

by Greg K. Hansward

About the Author

Greg Hansward regularly publishes long articles on subjects relating to Benissa and Calpe. His work on property to rent alicante are found on his site .

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Reasons To Enter A Golf Tournament

If you are a beginning golfer and want to someday compete in golf tournaments, practicing everyday will help you realize this dream. Even though it is very easy to sign-up to play in tournaments, once you arrive, you will see who your competition is and just how tough it is to stay in the game until the end. By having limited experience in playing golf, you may be eliminated quickly.

There are a few ways to prepare for a golf tournament. The first is to go to a few tournaments to get an idea of what they are like, the types of golfers they attract, and the course you will be playing on. If you have a few months to a year to prepare, play the course a few times to get used to it. Even though the course is always changing due to weather and degree of wetness on the ground, you can still get a good idea of what it will be like during the tournament. If possible, find out who you will be competing against so you can learn more about their style. This will help relieve some of the stress of playing against others who may have been playing longer than you.

Another way to prepare for a golf tournament is to find out your strengths and weaknesses so you can make adjustments before the golf competition. You can do this by playing with others and asking for their opinions, hiring a coach, using golf analysis software, or reading golf magazines, watching DVD's, or reading books by professional golfers. The more prepared you are, the better you will perform during the tournament.

After a few months of practice, you should be ready to play in the tournament. Once you arrive, you will need to register in order to let those organizing it that you are present. After everyone signs in, a schedule will be created. Each time you win a match, you will be going up against another player. Usually players become better the higher you climb.

Even if you don't win at the tournament, you will walk away with valuable experience that will last a lifetime. You can enter other tournaments or you can stick to perfecting your game by playing on various courses. Since there are many levels in golf, you should choose a level you are comfortable with in order to become the best golfer you can.

by Eric J. Slarkowski

About the Author

Focusing on latest developments in Moraira, Eric Slarkowski wrote almost entirely for http://www.alicante-spain.com . His work on street map of alicante are published on http://www.alicante-spain.com/alicante_map.html .

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Natural Golf Swing - 4 Steps To A Natural Golf Swing

So what does the term natural golf swing actually mean and how can it be related to you?

In short, the natural golf swing should be regarded as simply what comes naturally to you. To take it further, in many situations, players are faced with the prospect of having to do something a little out of the ordinary due to an unusual lie of the ball.

It's amazing how many will still attempt to play it with the same swing they would play 90% of the time. Golf is about improvisation and sometimes you're required to be a little unorthodox.

In truth, there really isn't a natural golf swing as such. In fact, when you analyse the co-ordination of the body in relation to the swing, it's actually unnatural.

In reality, achieving a natural aspect to your swing means combining several intricacies of the game to achieve the ultimate aim of making contact with club on ball and sending it on it's way down the fairway.

If you are starting out in golf, then the best advice you can get is to take lessons from an instructor. This can really shortcut your learning curve and eliminate any bad habits which may form.

Achieving a natural golf swing, one which will be the foundation of your game in years to come means combining the body, mind and muscle all working in tune with one another.

This is where a coach is so invaluable. The inclination for many new players is to simply get out on the playing fairway and start hitting the ball from point A to point B. An instructor will analyze all facets of your swing, stance and fitness and immediately pinpoint the areas you need to concentrate on.

Some of the main ingredients of a natural golf swing include:

- The stance and how you face the ball. The aim is to get your body working in motion with the club.

- Gripping the club. This aspect is generally standard across the golfing world. Either a cricket or baseball type grip or the finger style grip which involves the use of all your fingers and keeping the hands together.

- Keeping the arm and the club shaft on the same line as you are measuring to take your shot.

- Keeping your eyes fixed on the ball as you go into your swing motion.

by Dean Caporella

About the Author

Want to take your golf swing to the next level? Use these great tips and tricks guaranteed to improve your golf swingand eat up your handicap!

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Left-handed Golf Player

If you are left-handed, you may find it difficult to find the right equipment when learning how to play golf. Depending on where you live and if you have access to large golf stores or pro shops, you may have to order your equipment through a website or catalogue. While some left-handed people learn how to play right-handed, it is not uncommon to find a left-handed player or two at the golf course or driving range.

Before you begin taking golf lessons, you should decide if you want to be a right-handed or left-handed golf player. Either one is fine, but you should choose the side you feel most comfortable with so you can learn and develop your own golfing style. Those who are uncomfortable will never learn how to play the game properly. Once you have determined that you want to learn how to golf using your left-hand, you should track down a set of golf clubs that are appropriate. Ask at pro shops who they would recommend.

Since custom golf clubs can be expensive, you may be able to find used left-handed clubs on classified ads or in used sporting goods stores. You will also need to left-handed putter. Once you locate these items, you are ready to being taking lessons. While you can learn from a right-handed golfer, you may want to find someone who can teach both types of golfers or a left-handed golf instructor. They will be able to teach you more about your swing and offer advice on any problems you may encounter.

Learning to golf left-handed is no different than learning if you were right-handed. You will still need to practice at least once or twice during the week in order to improve, you will still have to learn how to golf in adverse weather conditions, and you will still have to learn how to hit the ball and how to putt. Even though you may have difficulty at first finding a set of left-handed clubs, it is the work you put into your practice sessions that will make the difference when you decide to play on a course or in a tournament.

Finding golf accessories may be easier than finding golf clubs. There are many stores that sell smaller items made for left-handed people. If you need gloves and other accessories, you should try to find them online or in specialty stores. Having the proper accessories will improve your game and make you feel more confident as a golfer.

by Linden J. Walhard

About the Author

Linden Walhard writes primarily for http://www.alicante-spain.com , an internet site with information about Moraira . His contributions on map of calpe can be found on http://www.alicante-spain.com/calpe.html .

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Virtual Golf Lesson

Online golf lessons are convenient and easy for those who want to learn more about the game, but who don't have the time to take lessons from an instructor. With an online golf course, you will learn the basics including how to hold a club, how to balance your weight on both feet, how to swing, how to move your arms and legs, and how to follow-through on a swing. These courses can be viewed over and over until you learn how execute these moves yourself.

For many beginning golfers, having an instructor is not enough. In order to learn more, downloading lessons is an easy way to increase their knowledge about the game and help themselves become better golfers. Online golf training has helped many people enjoy the game of golf even more. When searching for an online golf lesson website, visit sites that are legitimate and offer free trials of the software. Even though this software should not cost too much to download, you should not pay unless you feel comfortable using the site. Make sure you read the instructions pertaining to downloading materials carefully and completely so you ca begin using the software right away.

Because you can download these lessons directly to your computer, you should be able to use them whenever you have the time. Watch the lesson completely the first time through and then watch it again more closely. You will begin to see where improvements can be made in your own game. Take notes if you want to practice holding the clubs to get a better idea of how to hold them or swing.

If you are looking for advanced software, you can purchase software that critiques your swing and offers golf swing analysis from most computer stores. With this software, you may need additional equipment, so be sure to read all the instructions before buying any software. You may need to create a video of your swing so the software can analyze it. It will be able to tell you what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong.

Learning how to play golf is different for everyone. While some people need help from instructors, others can learn by watching instructional video, DVD's, or computer programs that are filled with advice and tips. Having these options can only enhance your golf game and allow you to learn at your own pace. Once you have learned the basics, you can learn more advanced techniques that will help you become a better golfer.

by Peter Wilson

About the Author

Focusing recent findings in Alicante, Peter Wilson works largely for http://www.alicante-spain.com . You might discover his writings on weather in calpe on his site.

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Ways To Become A Better Golf Player

Choosing the right golf clubs to use on a golf course can be intimidating to new golfers. This is why it is important when learning to play golf to use each club in order to understand how it is used and what it can do on the course. Once you have become a better golfer, you will be able to make these decisions very easily. You may also develop a fondness for one or two clubs and not use the rest. Because each golfer is different, golf sets include woods, irons, and putters. Most people use their putter once they reach the green, however.

When choosing your club, you should assess the situation and calculate how far you need the ball to go in order to maintain a good score. Woods will drive the ball farther than an iron, but if you prefer to use an iron, you can send your ball pretty far. If you are ever unsure about which clubs to use, choose one you are the most comfortable with as this will give you the best shot at getting your ball to its destination.

If you decide to hire an instructor to help you perfect your game, you should ask specific questions about clubs to see if they have any advice or tips about which to use in certain situations. Many times, you will have to choose a club and stick with it until the next round.

Another place to find advice from is your local golf club. If you decide to join one, you will be able to ask other golfers which clubs they use and when they use them the most. Talking with other golfers is a great way to learn more about the game while getting to know people. Sooner or later, you may be golfing with people at the club, so you should strike up conversations in order to learn more about the game and the people who play it.

Some golfers do not use more than one or two clubs when playing golf. This is because over the years they have defined their comfort zone and are unwilling to make changes. But good golfers are always up for the challenge and want to try new clubs, stances, and techniques in order to become even better. Challenge yourself by reaching for a club you never used before or one you didn't have much success with in the past. You will find that by increasing your abilities your game will improve and you will have a much better time when golfing.

by Rob Carlton

About the Author

Robert Carlton continually edits reports on things similar to Torrevieja and Villajoyosa. You can learn about his abstracts on golf courses on the spanish costa blanca over at http://www.alicante-spain.com .

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What You Can Learn From Your Golf Divots To Improve Your Golf Game

You can learn a lot from your divots. Because your divots indicate the path in which the clubhead is coming into the ball. For example, if your divot is pointing to the right of the target this means you've approached the ball from the inside (if you're a left hander and your divots pointing to the right it means that you've cut across the ball).

If your divots are pointing to left it means that you've approached the ball from the outside (if you're a left hander and your divots pointing to the left it means you've come from the inside). Obviously if your divots are straight at the target then that means you've come into the golf ball on a perfect path.

Now the only other variable that determines where the ball goes is the clubface position at impact. I'm going to give you the combinations of clubface and path so you can tell what has happened after the shot.

Divot Pointing Right

==> If your clubface is square to the divot you'll produce a straight push.

==> If your clubface is open to the divot you'll produce a shot going to the right and then fading/slicing.

==> If your clubface is closed to the divot you'll produce a shot starting to the right and then drawing/hooking.

Divot Pointing Straight

==> If your clubface is square to the divot you'll produce a straight shot.

==> If your clubface is open to the divot you'll produce a shot going straight to the right.

==> If your clubface is closed to the divot you'll produce a shot going straight to the left.

Divot Pointing Left

==> If your clubface is square to the divot you'll produce a straight pull.

==> If your clubface is open to the divot you'll produce a shot starting left and then fading/slicing.

==> If your clubface is closed to the divot you'll produce a shot starting to the left and then drawing/hooking.

So once you've determined the divot shape you normally get and the shape of shot you produce as a result of this and the clubface at impact then I suggest you do the following. And this applies no matter what you've been doing.

The path in which that the clubface is travelling is most important because, as you've just read, even if your clubface is square it only matters if the path is pointing straight at your target. And besides, you cannot easily manipulate the clubface while you're swinging....but you can groove a consistent path and here's how.

Go out to the practice area and place a club down so it's parallel left of your target. Now place a shoe box or something similar just outside your ball. Doing this will mean you are basically forced to swing back down into the ball on a straight path. Because if you come from the inside or outside you're going to hit the box.

So just simply keep swinging and you'll notice a big improvement in your divots. And now I hear you ask about the clubface. Don't worry about it. Simply by grooving a better path when swinging you'll automatically improve your clubface positioning and this will happen at a subconscious level.

Finally, just concentrate on the path first and the clubface alignment will take care of itself. If you do try to control the clubface alignment while you're swinging you might hit the ball straighter but as a result you'll lose serious distance. And the reason for this is because whenever you "try" to do anything you create tension. And tension in the golf swing is one of the biggest reasons golfers don't hit the ball as far as they could do.

You know you play your best golf with a free and easy mind and swing, so use drills to train your swing and don't try to manipulate it by giving conscious directions as to how the clubface should be positioned. Just simply swing and let it happen.

by Nick Bayley

About the Author

Nick Bayley is a professional golfer who has discovered just one golf swing fault that could be stopping you from ball striking consistency and success. But luckily for you, now you can take a simple 2 minute golf swing test to see if you have this swing fault or not. So don't delay! Go here to take The Golf Swing Test now: http://www.yourgolfswingtest.com

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Why Golfers Need To Warm Up

Warming up before a game of golf is important especially if you are new to a course and want to play your best. Most people warm up at the driving range or warm-up area provided by the golf course. If you are tempted to skip the warm-up session and begin playing, you not do as well as you want to because muscles need time to stretch irregular use. Since you probably don't golf everyday, you will be using muscles that are seldom used otherwise, so warming up is important for your body and your golf game.

There are many ways that people prepare themselves for a game of golf. They practice their golf swing using irons, woods, and putters, they put themselves in a positive mood by emphasizing what they are good at and ignoring their faults. Many times the reason you are not playing up to your potential is because you aren't mentally prepared. Putting yourself in a good mood can help you focus and concentrate on playing a good game.

For any golfer, taking the time to warm up is a way to relax. It is not the time to use clubs you have not used before or try a new stance. When you are taking lessons or hitting golf balls at the driving range, then you can try new techniques. Warm up with your best swings so you can use the momentum to play well during the actual game.

While waiting for your turn at the tee, visually see yourself performing well. This will prepare you for any obstacles along the way. You should also determine which way the wind is blowing, what the conditions of the course are like, and how the course is laid out if you have never played it before. This information will help you set up your shot so you can begin the game on a high note.

As you become better at the game of golf, you may want to alter your warm up strategy. This is fine as long as you use the time wisely. If you have a weakness you know you have to conquer, planning your game strategy while warming up can help you focus on overcoming your weakness by replacing it with something positive. Because you know when during the game your weakness will come up, you can plan ahead during the warm up session. Using a different club, using a slice to your advantage, or learning more about the course are all ways to compensate for issues you have on the course.

by Vince J. Paxton

About the Author

Focusing on news and information about Costa Blanca, Vince Paxton is publishing primarily for http://www.alicante-spain.com . You can see his comments on real estate agents in the costa blanca at http://www.alicante-spain.com

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Golf Swing Tips and Instructions

What is very important to remember when it comes to your golf swing is that this is what will help to drive the score that you achieve in a game. You may well receive all the best kinds of golf swing tips and instructions that are available but you still not gain the consistency in the way you which you swing like many other players. Certainly as any golfer will tell you this is one of the most difficult sports any person is likely to play.

However it is better if you do not overly worry about what others think of the way that you swing your clubs when you are playing, but just take your own time to improve it. Too often many golfers will make the error of hitting the ball as hard as they possibly can because they think this will help them to get the ball further up the fairway.

Often many players will spend a lot of time stood over the ball and looking and wondering if they are swinging the club correctly. Unfortunately what generally tends to happen is that their shot actually becomes skewed or they may find themselves missing the ball completely. Certainly one of the biggest mistakes that anyone new to the game of golf will do is thing to much about how they actually swing the club.

One way you could look at seeing how good or bad your swing is by spending some time with a golf pro. They will be able to better evaluate your posture when it comes to you preparing to swing. They will be able to see if you have your balance correct and whether you are placing your feet to close together or they are too wide apart. Certainly when it comes to looking for an aid which will help to improve the way in which you stand there are plenty of them available. Not only can you purchase such aids online but also your local golf course or golf or sporting store should have what you are looking for. But it is important that you seek expert advice before you make your purchase and don’t just go on what a TV commercial or magazine ad says about a particular product. It is best if you carry out as much research as possible before you make any investment.

Also when it comes to looking for any kind of golf swing tips and instructions in order to help improve your game it is best if you ask some fellow players if they have any that they can recommend to you. But also the internet is now a wealth of information in relation to all aspects of the game of golf and how a player can help to improve their game. So no longer are you restricted to having to pay a golf pro to help improve your game instead if you want you can do it yourself all from the comfort of your own home.

By Robert Murray

Click here now for FREE ACCESS to our unique golf swing tips and instructions that will have you hitting the ball more consistently within 30 minutes.

You're about to learn the simple secret that will lengthen your drive & cut your handicap by 7-12 strokes in just 2 weeks (or less)...

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Putt the Ball in the Hole

The strokes you take on the green during your golf game wind up being about 40 percent of your score. Wild, isn't it? We spend $500 on drivers to gain 10 yards and give it all away in just one or two three-putts and/or missed four-footers. As a corollary, we could use a 1970's laminated driver with some knock-off, found-in-the-garage irons and score the same as our most technologically advanced pals if we just shaved a few strokes off our putting game.

I know, "Drive for show, putt for dough." is what the guys that can't hit the bomb are always saying. I know that the guy that pounds it farthest is "The Man". OK. I have been playing for over forty years and am on average one the longest hitters in the groups I hang with. That being said, my best rounds (and most Nassau wins) have been when I reign in the big swing and drain some putts.

Over the last twenty-five years my handicap has remained fairly constant around twelve to thirteen. That has been in the face of declining frequency of play and plowing through the fifty year-old barrier. How? Putting!

Putting is simply a combination of three key ingredients:

1. Mind

2. Reading

3. Execution

In this article I address the mind. No smoke, no mirrors, just how you mentally approach your putting.

Some years ago, I was reading some self-improvement books and came upon one that was something like "Learn While You Sleep". I just tried to find it by goggling and couldn't locate the exact book. That is not important. What is important is not the techniques taught in the book, but the concept that I came away with and have held ever since. The book was about letting your subconscious train your conscience during sleep, but I found that I could convince myself of certain things while fully conscious. This is the old "talk yourself into it" concept.

Years after I read this book and while putting on a practice green, I drained a few 20 footers. I stepped back and realized that before I had made those putts, I expected that they were going to fall. The hole was huge, the ball was a bee-bee and my putter was a target rifle. Without realizing it, I had convinced myself of future success.

If you believe you will make the putt, you will have a great chance of making that putt. If you can't find that comfort, step back and gain the confidence. If you can't get it during that round, fine, get on the practice green later and gain it. If I did this with my garage-sale putter, lack of confidence, and intermittent jeering of pals, you easily can do it.

As positive as this article is, I hate to bring in the negative. I do so only to remind you of what you have felt so many times. "I can't make this putt but I hope to get it close enough so that I have a gimmee." "It's down hill with a good bit of break; hope I can two-putt it."

Horse manure! You own the green! Three-putt? That is what your opponents do. You are a putting machine. Your putts eat the holes up. Now go out there and prove yourself correct. Stayed tuned for the next two articles on reading greens and then the technique to swat that beebee in the bushel basket.

By Randall Ulbricht

Randall Ulbricht works from home sharing information via several web sites, including:
Article Outlet and Family Tree Templates

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Free Golf Driving Tips

Many of the tips that you see available online today that are being provided by professionals and experts who enjoy this sport revolve around how to improve your driving. There are even plenty of sites which now provide you with plenty of free golf driving tips which if used should help to improve yours.

However in this free golf driving tips article we will be taking a look at a number of different tips you may want to consider using when next practicing or playing a round of golf in order to help improve yours.

1. Set yourself up properly

It is important that set up your swing properly and in order to do this you will need to use a wood or a driving iron because of their length. It is the length of these clubs which gives you an advantage when it actually comes to driving the ball. Firstly it allows you to increase the distance that you stand away from the ball as well as allows you to move your feet further apart so that you are much better balanced. Also the weight as it transfers from one foot to the other as you drive through is much more balanced also. By being able to do this a player is able to get a much shorter and wider swing which provides them with more control and power throughout their body.

2. Allow the Power to Build

All power when preparing to drive any ball should build as you swing up the club. Then as you hit the ball you should allow all power to be released that has built up during the swing stage of your game. It is best if you want to ensure that you have more power to hit the ball with the club you keep it short as a longer swing results in you having less control over your actions.

3. Distribution of Weight

When you setting up to drive away from the tee ensure that you distribute your weigh evenly from heel to toe and this will help the rest of your body to remain balanced. Also it is important that you maintain the right kind of posture so you should have a straight spine and your chin should be upright. Not only will this help to improve your drive but will also help to prevent any injuries being caused to you when you drive.

4. Understanding the sequence of the motions used when driving

If you really want to improve your drive then you should be fully aware of the sequences needed in order to set up the swing prior to the drive and ensure that your weight transfers correctly through the swing stage.

Hopefully the free golf driving tips we have provided above will soon help you on your way to ensuring that you are able to drive the ball much further and more accurately in the future.

By Robert Murray

Click here now for FREE ACCESS to our free golf driving tips that will have you hitting the ball more consistently within 30 minutes.

You're about to learn the simple secret that will lengthen your drive & cut your handicap by 7-12 strokes in just 2 weeks (or less)...

Click here to improve your Golf Swing now!

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Golf Swing Techniques

There are 4 steps a golfer will need to consider when he is looking for ways to improve his or her golf swing techniques. They need to look at their stance, the swing itself, the way they contact with the ball and the follow through at the end of the swing. Unfortunately in order to build up the best technique possible when it comes to your golf swing this will take time and is not likely to occur over night.

In this article we will be taking a closer look at the 4 steps a play should be using in order to help improve their golf swing.

Step 1 – Stance

This is where the power of your swing begins from and so if you stand in a strong well balanced way you will find that as you swing the club you are able to gain more power and the ball will travel further.

The easiest way to ensure that your stance is correct is by walking up to a golf ball with your club in your hand and then get yourself prepared ready to hit the ball. It is important that when you stand with your feet at about a shoulder width distance and then lay the club down so that the shaft is touching each of your feet. By doing this you will see in which direction you are going to drive the ball and so you can adjust the way in which you stand if you find that the club is not actually pointing in the right direction.

Step 2 – Swing

It is important that if you want to improve your golf swing technique you need to actually evaluate the swing itself. The best way to do this is by videoing yourself and seeing how you are actually swinging through to hit the ball. It is important that you ensure that your torso is rotating properly as you move from the upper position and go down into the downward swing position. It is important that you keep your torso moving as quickly as possible when swinging whilst ensuring that your back leg remains firm but is able to press forward. Doing this will help to build up the speed in your golf club head.

Step 3 – Contact

It is important that you make the right kind of contact with the club head on the golf ball. As you begin to drive through with the club it is important that you concentrate on getting more energy into your hips and shoulders but keep your wrist firm and straight as the club makes contact with the ball. It is important that you do not snap your wrist at the bottom of the swing as this will actually decrease the amount of speed that the golf club head contains.

Step 4 – Follow Through

When it comes to building up your golf swing techniques you need to be able to follow through correctly. If you do not then the accuracy of your shot and the power in your swing will be greatly diminished. It is important that your club ends up on the other side of the body to where it started in one smooth fluid movement.

By Robert Murray

Click here now for FREE ACCESS to our unique golf swing techniques that will have you hitting the ball more consistently within 30 minutes.

You're about to learn the simple secret that will lengthen your drive & cut your handicap by 7-12 strokes in just 2 weeks (or less)...

Click here for free tips on how to improve your Golf Swing now!

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Three Integral Components to Increasing Clubhead Speed

First and foremost we must understand the connection between the body and your golf swing. Basically, the mechanics of the golf swing are executed by your body, and in order to execute each phase of the golf swing correctly. Your body must have certain physical parameters developed within it. If these physical parameters are “not up to par” so to speak compensations will develop in your golf swing. Resulting in inconsistencies in your golf swing, a loss of power, accuracy, and higher scores rather than lower.

The first of these physical parameters is flexibility. This is probably the physical parameter requiring the most attention by amateurs as well as the starting point for any comprehensive golf fitness program. The mechanics of the golf swing require the body to draw the club along a specified swing plane through a long range of motion. In order to execute this requirement of the golf effectively, your body must have certain levels of flexibility. This will allow you to make a full shoulder turn, execute the backswing, downswing, and follow through correctly.

The second physical parameter of the golf swing is strength. Muscular strength assists in a number of physical requirements of the golf swing such as balance, posture, and even power development. Fundamentally the golf swing requires the golfer to maintain a fixed spine angle, rotate around a fixed spine angle, and maintain specific postural positions in every phase of the swing. In order to accomplish this the muscles of your body must have certain levels of strength. It is the ability of your muscles to exert specified levels of force that allows for these requirements of the golf swing to be met. The golfer can develop the muscular strength requirements of the golf swing through golf fitness training.

The third and final physical component of the golf swing is power. Power development in the golf swing is measured through clubhead speed. The higher rate at which the clubhead impacts the golf ball, the farther it will travel down the fairway. The development of power in the golf swing hinges upon both the efficient execution of the swing and the muscle of your body. As it relates to the body, power development is contingent upon the muscles of your body generating the greatest amount of force possible within the confines of the swing. Increasing the power outputs of your muscles will enhance your ability to generate clubhead speed in the golf swing.

Knowing three basic components exist within the body relative to the golf swing. And understanding improvement within your flexibility, strength, and power components will improve your golf swing. It is easily understood how a golf fitness program can improve the clubhead speed in your golf swing.

By Sean Cochran

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly working with professional golfers, most notable PGA and Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. To learn more about Sean Cochran and his golf fitness exercises and training programs go to http://www.seancochran.com

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