Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Short Game Tips, 9-Iron Made Easy

For many of us, hitting a great tee-shot is somewhat easy but the approach to the green can often throw us off our game. I have an easy tip that will shave several strokes off of your score the next time you play golf.

A lot of the problem lies in uncertainty in our mental approach, not being 100 percent confident on what to do. If you're like me, you to try and place the ball on a dime next to the pin which is nearly impossible to do unless you get extremely lucky or are a professional golfer with tons of hours to spend practicing.

Usually, my approach shot would often end up nowhere near where I intended it to and I often had to struggle to recover. As soon as I began to work the method I'm about to explain, life on the golf course got much easier.

The first thing you should do is think about widening your target area. It's hard to swing freely when you're aiming for a tiny spot (the cup) - it freezes you! Focusing on too small of a target on the green tightens the muscles in your hands, arms and shoulders and completely prevents you from making a nice, easy swing.

This is a very good way to get over this common mistake - give yourself some grace and space, baby. Widen your target area to a 10-yard circumference around the pin instead of right "on" the pin. At the practice range, find a target you can reach with your 8 or 9 iron, draw a circle with your mind's eye and hit 10 balls in a row at it.

When you can hit 5+ balls into that area, start narrowing it down closer to the pin and bring this target zone to the course the next time you play.

Mentally lay this "red zone" over the pin on each and every approach shot you advance on during your round. This will relax you and give you a realistic landing spot and allow you to remain loose.

There's no doubt you feel much more confident knowing that as long as you land inside your zone, you'll have a reasonable shot at holing the next stroke instead of feeling the pressure to be right next to the pin on every approach shot.

Give this drill a try and also try to relax, will you?

Thanks for reading. Good luck, good hustling.

Freddy Kaboot

By Freddy Kaboot

Golfing finally turned on its head and made easier. Learn the real tricks to golfing that anyone can use, get lessons, drills as well as the most popular golf hustling games in a free report at http://www.thegolfhustler.net

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

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Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Correcting Your Backswing Golf Shot - Hunting Down Tips That Truly Work

Correcting your backswing golf shot is is a vital step in the process of improving your overall game. The hard part about finding good ways to do it online is that there is simply so much conflicting information on the subject. How do you even pick out which ones work? How do you pin point the ones that will just waste your time? Here's how to get past the fluff when finding ways to correct your backswing golf shot.

I sincerely felt the need to bring this subject up, because I have witnessed many, many golfers struggle to find good tips, techniques and guides online. It seems like every single website you go to has a different set of conflicting knowledge. You can randomly try all of the ways to fix your backswing golf shot, but it's a shot in the dark. This is especially true when you try to use a search engine to find this info.

It's the number one reason so many golfers run into such a huge amount of conflicting knowledge, even when looking for simple tips on correcting a backswing golf shot. There is a better way to find this kind of stuff. It will take a lot of the guess work out of it for you. You do it by using golfing forums. It's such an underused tool, yet it is a vital place, where you can find out the "Exact: things other golfers have used and done to fix their backswing golf shot. There are tons and tons of topics on this very subject there.

Like I said before, this can take a lot of the guess work out of it. You can see the tried and true ways that work on the course and you can see the ways that have made golfers fall flat on their face. It's an excellent way to weed out the useless fluff that you are bound to run into on the internet.

There is a huge different between implementing tried and true techniques to correct your backswing golf shot and implementing ones that you are blindly picking out of a pile.

By Adam Woodham

Here is the revolutionary, most original tutorial/guide which includes step-by-step ways to instantly correct your backswing golf shot.

Adam Woodham is the author of this article and always uses his site to tell people about the Online Golf Tips that truly work for improving your game. Learning to golf like a pro has never been easier.

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

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Saturday, November 8, 2008

Correcting Your Backswing Golf Shot - Hunting Down Tips That Will Truly Work

Correcting your backswing golf shot is a sensational way to shave those much needed strokes off of your score. The hard part is finding the reliable and tried and true ways to accomplish it. The web is filled with an insane amount of conflicting info on the subject, with no real way to tell which ones are better than the others. Here's how to weed past the fluff, while finding the tried and true ways to correct your backswing golf shot.

The reason I want to bring this golfing subject up is because I have seen so many golfers struggle when looking for good information about how to improve various parts of their game. The average golfers is going to try to use some kind of search engines to find out how to correct a bad backswing golf shot. Long story short, search engines don't work very well, because it's the number one reason people get pounded with conflicting ways to go about it.

Even if you did try the random things you find through search engines, how do you know which ones work the best? How do you know which ones will be useless and just waste your time? They all can't be equal. Some of them are going to be far better than the rest. That's the problem many golfers face when looking for tips, techniques and guides to correct their backswing golf shot.

So, what can you do about it? Well, your best bet is to start using the wealth of info available to you inside of the various golfing forums. It's a sensational way to find out the "exact" things, tips, techniques, websites and guides that other golfers have successfully use to fix their backswing golf shot. It's your way to get informed on what truly works and which ones are complete duds. You get real life opinions and thoughts from people who have gone through the exact same things you are trying to accomplish right now. It just makes sense and it works.

Correcting a bad backswing golf shot can be a bit trying, but this can help you weed past so much of the conflicting junk that you might run into.

Here is the revolutionary, most original tutorial/guide which includes step-by-step ways to instantly correct your backswing golf shot.

Adam Woodham is the author of this article and always uses his site to tell people about the Online Golf Tips that truly work for improving your game. Learning to golf like a pro has never been easier.

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

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Tuesday, September 16, 2008

How to Hit a Golf Ball

The primary goal of a golfer is to learn how to hit a golf ball as far and straight as possible. The way to do this is to hit the golf ball solidly with the middle of the club. The more solidly a golfer can hit the ball, the better game they will play. Unfortunately, hitting the ball with the middle of the club is not nearly as easy as it sounds.

PROPER SWING TECHNIQUE

First of all, many people put too much effort into their swing. Though it is a natural inclination to hit the ball as hard as possible, your goal should be to let the golf club do the work. This results in a ball that flies straighter and farther. If you put too much power into the swing, your results will not live up to your expectations.

PROPER BODY FORM

Make sure you work on developing the muscles in your back and arms. When you swing a golf club, all the power is coming from those areas. The more flexible and fit you are, the better it will be for your game. Before you walk out onto the greens, do some stretching exercises.

PROPER STANCE

A very important part of learning how to hit a golf ball is your stance. The way you swing is determined by your stance and body placement. Your feet should be parallel with the ground and shoulder-width apart with your weight on the inside of your right knee and foot. The knees should be bent slightly.

GOLF CLUBS

Another main factor in your quest to make a perfect golf shot is to have the right equipment to work with. If you are a golf beginner, you should probably choose an over-sized golf club. The sweet spot is large, making it much easier for a newbie to hit the ball.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Once you feel that you have mastered the basics, determine what mistakes you are making and rectify them by practicing your swing over and over. When you reach the point that you feel you have finally mastered your swing, practice some more.

To learn how to hit a golf ball effectively you must learn how to hit the ball solidly, have good muscle tone in your arms and back, be able to assume the proper stance and body placement, and work on any areas that need improvement. Of course, the primary ingredient for becoming a better golfer is to practice, and practice some more!

By Debra Gropp

Debra Gropp enjoys working on the Internet by doing everything from paid surveys and working for affiliate programs to blogging about her interests. Her articles pertain to some of the subjects she is most interested in, ways to save money, hobbies, work from home information, and diet, fitness, and health-related information.

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

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Tuesday, July 8, 2008

4 Golf Putting Tips For All Golfers

Nothing is more critical to your score than putting. And really, no other shot in golf is easier to play physically. Here are four golf putting tips for all golfers.

1) Line up your golf ball when you putt. This is one of the easiest and best ways to improve your putting from both long and short range. A line made with a Sharpie works better than using the logo or other less apparent marking. Lining up your golf ball to putt will take the guesswork out of the rest of the game.

2) Focus on speed. In putting, it is often said speed is king. Proper speed leaves a tap in even if the line is off a bit. A tap in should be your goal for any putt outside of 15 feet. Focus on the speed until you are 100% confident when you stroke the putt. But speed is even more important on short putts when the ball is expected to go in the hole.

3) Strive for stress free putting. When you are chipping, try to put your ball below the hole so you have an uphill and relatively straight putt. Same with lag putting, which I consider to be anything outside 15 feet.

4) Always have a positive attitude. Don't stand over the ball thinking of ways to miss a putt. Make the putt in your mind before you ever address the ball.

Even though these golf putting tips are for all golfers, they will only help the ones who use them. Better putting is about making your life easier on the greens. Often that comes down to the choices you make.

By Darell Mckissick

Let me show you a better way to putt

http://www.targetputting.com

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

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Finding Great Tips For Better Golf

Finding tips for better golf on the internet is not such a difficult thing to do. It's locating the "quality" ones that can be pretty hard to accomplish. Actually, you can probably use a search-engine to find tons of great ones on the web, but you just don't know which pages that will do the best job are. Let me share a secret with you that will help you easily located the exact things that have worked for so many other golfers.

Like I said, you can easily use a search engine to pull p thousands of websites with tips for better golf. How do you know exactly which hones are worth your time and which ones are just a waste? That's the problem many golfers have when trying to improve their game, but the truth is that it doesn't have to be that way. The next tip should help you find tips for better golf and any other things you might want to improve on your game.

There are no hoops to jump through and no hurdles to jump over to find great tips for better golf. You can simple find them inside of the various golfing forums on the net. What you have to realize is for every golfer looking for tips for better golf (which his you) there are thirty who have already found a bunch of the ways to accomplish it. Most of them post extensively about it inside of these forums, which is a great way for you to find it. What faster way is there to improve your game than by seeing the exact ways that other men and women have do it? Exactly. This is why forums are highly recommended, if only to read about what other golfers are doing to shave strokes off of their game.

Whether it is links to great websites, or a ton of print worthy tips for better golf, forums are a one-stop-shop for finding the true ways that work.

By Adam Woodham

Want to know where to find the revolutionary, most original tutorial/program that provides you with simple, step-by-step tips for better golf? Keep reading...

Adam Woodham is the author of this article and runs the informative golf blog Online Golf Tips, which features a personal review of the true leader in learning how to perfect your golf game. Improving your golf swing, and everything in between, has never been easier.

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

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Monday, June 9, 2008

Keys To Golf Driver Reviews

Introduction

There is an overabundance of golf driver reviews on the internet. Many people are not familiar with the technological advancements of modern-day drivers. In addition to that, many of the online reviews can be misleading or misinformed. By educating yourself, you will know what kind of driver will suit you. The first thing to consider is the clubhead size. Most manufacturers offer clubheads today at the USGA limit of 460cc volume. This volume became common with the introduction of titanium clubheads. Titanium is much lighter than steel and therefore can have a larger size while maintaining traditional weight. This volume is preferred by the majority of golfers simply due to the fact that a larger head size corresponds to a larger "sweet spot". This is very important to average golfers because it is easier for them to make good contact with the ball. Some low-handicap golfers might prefer a smaller clubhead volume (less than 400cc) because they don't need the larger sweetspot.

Launch Angle

Launch angle is a common term contained in golf driver reviews. This angle refers to the initial angle of the golf ball at impact. Loft angle is important simply due to the fact that higher loft gives a higher launch angle which equates to greater distance. Professional golfers generally prefer lower loft angles (9 degrees or less) while mid-handicap golfers are more comfortable with loft angles between 9 and 11 degrees. In contrast, beginners and high-handicap golfers typically have trouble getting the ball to have a high trajectory. They should be looking to buy drivers with loft angles greater than 11 degrees.

Adjustable Weights

When reading golf driver reviews, you might hear the term "adjustable weights". Some modern-day drivers have adjustable weights in the sole or internal weighting to help golfers reduce a slice or hook. For the most part, this feature is pretty limited to a small percentage of new golf drivers. If an adjustable weight system does not sound like a desirable feature, slice golfers should choose a driver with a draw bias while hook golfers should choose a driver with a slice bias.

Additional Technological Advancements

Most manufacturers today are continuously pushing the envelope with regards to USGA limits. There is a limitation of 5900 gram-centimeter squared with regards to Moment of Inertia (MOI). This term refers to the clubhead's resistance to twisting when off-center shots are made. The greater the MOI rating, the more forgiveness that golfers will receive from off-center shots. Therefore, beginner golfers should look for drivers with a very high MOI (5800-5900). Another common term seen when reading golf driver reviews is Center of Gravity (CG). Basically, beginners should focus on drivers that have a low CG. This allows balls to have a higher flight path when compared to drivers with a higher CG. One more term used in some golf driver reviews is what is known as Coefficient of Restitution (COR). This refers to a spring-like attribute that a ball has at impact. At a higher COR, the golf ball will be leaving the clubhead faster (i.e. higher momentum) for a fixed impact speed. The USGA legal limit for COR is 0.830 presently. Now you are aimed with proper knowledge when reading golf driver reviews.

By Cory Cress

Cory has a golf website that contains many beneficialgolf resources. The information provided includes discounted tee times, golf tips, instructional videos, golf club reviews and additional golf information.

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

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Golf Swing Wrist Action

It is a FACT that ninety percent or more of bad shots are due to bad golf swing wrist action. This mistake is so common because it feels natural to control the club with the hands and this action leads to the breaking of the wrists.

There are two directions that the wrists can move during the golf swing. These two directions are forward/backward and up/down. The forward and backward movement of the wrists leads to unwanted breaking of the wrists. The up and down movements of the wrist are known as cocking the wrists to many teachers.

These movements are the reason that your grip on the golf club is so important. If you have a faulty grip on the club you encourage yourself in the bad habit of breaking wrists. If you are gripping the club correctly you will not have to learn this up and down hinging.

If your left arm is in the correct position during the swing the hinging of your wrists will be automatic. If your legs are moving forward while your club is still traveling backwards this will force your wrists to hinge.

To make sure that this hinging action in your wrists happens with every swing, you will want to keep the left wrist flat in relation to the back of your left forearm and the back of your left hand. If your left arm is correctly positioned your wrists will automatically hinge.

If your arm is not correctly positioned there will be the breaking motion instead of the hinging. Even though your wrists are so important to the swing you do not want to attempt to cultivate any independent wrist motion. You want to be as natural as possible with your golf swing wrist action.

Doing something as simple as swinging the club back farther than your shoulder can lead to the breaking wrists motion. With a motion like this it is more like a throwing motion than a fluid swinging motion.

By Christian Bayler

These Amazing Secrets Discovered By Golf Guru Turns Bogey Golfers Into Scratch Golfers By Immediately Slashing 7-12 Strokes By Adding Distance To Your Drives and Straightening Out Your Iron Play - http://www.EzGolfNow.com

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

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Power Sources That You Can Use to Increase Distance and Accuracy in Your Golf Swing

In the last article on the subject of "power sources" we talked about the importance of angles. We discussed how to create these angles and how to keep them once they were established. The angle between the right wrist and the forearm is key.

These angles are the meat and potatoes of your power source. However, there are several other very important power sources to include in the development of central power source usage.

So what are they? There are a bunch of small things that you have to do to maximize the power your body will deliver.

Well the trouble is, I don't want to make it so complicated that confusion sets in and interrupts the learning process. Let's try to keep it simple.

So here is a list of all the power sources that must come into play if you are to maximize your ability to complete the full circle of your power.

1. Angles

a. the angle between the right wrist and the right forearm

b. your spine angle

c. the angle between your right forearm and the clubs shaft.

d. the angle that the left wrist creates at the top of the swing ( not cupped)

e. D above is referred to as the "trayed position"

2. Weight shift

a. there is only one way to describe this, either you do it or you don't. But to get the most out of your power sources you must get a good weight shift. If you do not get a weight shift now, you must start to work on it. A big part of your power source is in the movement of the lower body in concert with maintaining great angles. If you have no or weight shift, you will find it impossible to keep good angles.

3. Your grip

a. Believe it or not, a poor grip can lead to tons of problems. Here is just one. If you have a weak grip, one where your right hand is more on top of the club and your left hand is more on the side of the club, you will have a tendency to roll your clubface open on the move away. This then, will require another move to get it back to square. Most people will use an early release to do this, or cast the club.

The trouble with that move is that by the time you get to impact your angles are totally spent, and so is your power.

If you could get into the perfect impact position very very very slowly, with no thought of actually hitting the ball, what do you think it would look and feel like?

My bet for most of you, is that you would have no idea. But you can see it easy enough. Just find a golf digest magazine and look at some of the pictures of the PGA players ( or LPGA) and then get into the exact position. To some, this may sound foolish. I understand that. But it's not. It is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Learn the impact position and then strive to get there on every swing. There is no better way of teaching yourself.

Or get to you local professional and tell them you want to know EXACTLY what the correct position is and how to get there in a slow methodical way. Just so you will know.

Here is a something that you can do as a drill to get the feeling of the power sources.

Take a wedge, get a really good grip. This is not the one you normally use, at least I don't think it is based on what I generally see. Try it this way. Left hand slightly on top of the club. Thumb on the side of the shaft, absolutely not on the top of the shaft. Right hand more on the side of the shaft and it's thumb is on the side not on top.

If you will put your hands together as if you were praying. That is together with the thumbs facing your nose, the knuckles of the the thumb. The hands are palm to palm. Now turn them to the right together. Turn them until you can see two knuckles of your left hand.

This is approximately the grip you need on the club. For all shots. ( at least for now)

OK.. now back to the wedge. With this grip, without moving bend your right wrist back toward your right forearm. Do not cock you wrist toward you. It is just a bend toward your right forearm. If you now take this to the top of your swing, you should be in the " trayed position"

If you aren't you need to start over. Try it again.

Back to the beginning. Get a good grip. In you setup position, now bend your right wrist back toward you right forearm. Take this position into a backswing that puts the club in a half swing position.

You absolutely must maintain the angle of your right wrist while doing this.

No excuses.

The idea here is to teach the power sources, what they are, and then give you an idea how to create and maintain them.

You will be shocked and amazed at how crisply you will hit the ball if you will just learn to do this drill.

Now that you are in a half swing position with your wedge, you need to remember that as you move toward the impact position two things must happen.

You will bump you left hip toward the target, at the exact same time you will drop your right elbow toward your right hip. All the while maintaining your right wrist position. Loose this position and the drill is useless.

So, it is bump,a drop and then a hit. Your hands will be slightly ahead of the ball at impact. There is no half measure here. Once again, your hands will be slightly ahead of the ball at impact.

Your right wrist position will still be maintained through impact and you will be on your left side because of your weight shift.

Remember this is a drill and so it does not have to happen lightning quick. Bump and drop. This can be a drill of it's own.. try it.

Once you learn to create and maintain the angles and get a weight shift you will become a player. There is no doubt about it.

A magical move or two will transform most players into a force to be reckoned with. Maybe your one of them.

By Paul Macleod

If you want to know if there are any real magic moves in the golf swing the answer is yes, there are four. You can learn the first one here for free and take it to the range for a spin, click here: http://www.ebooksbestbuy.com/golf

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

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Just Starting to Play Golf - Tips Every Beginning Golfer Should Know!

Congratulations on your decision to take up the great game of golf. Let me save you endless frustration and expense and encourage you to quit now..while you still have your sanity. Just kidding..just kidding. Since your new to golf, there are some basic tips I can provide to you to help make your introduction to the game much more enjoyable, and hopefully keep you coming back to the course for many years to come. Believe it or not, these suggestions are not really swing related. While the swing is one or the most important aspects of golf, for the beginning golfer, there are equally important aspects which help steer you in the right direction for your game.

Get a lesson...or five! - You've probably been to the driving range with your friends who are golfers, and that's how you decided you wanted to get into the sport..correct? That's a great introduction to the game, however if you want to start learning the basic mechanics of the golf swing, you'll want to take a lesson from a certified PGA teaching professional. Most decent golf courses and driving ranges will have a PGA teaching professional and they usually have good package deals for beginner golfers, and will often have group lessons for discounted rates. I suggest setting up an individual lesson, where the professional will go over the basics such as grip, stance, posture, and swing mechanics. Don't fall into the temptation to allow your friends to teach you. While their intentions are good, they will do your golf swing more harm than good. Golf professionals know how to teach a golf swing, that's why their professionals. Get some lessons and learn properly. I can't stress this enough.

Stick With the Driving Range - Even after you have a few professional lessons, continue to hone your skills on the range for a while. There's nothing worse than heading out to the course as a beginner and realizing that you don't have the necessary skills to get around the course in a reasonable manner. If you stick with the range, and continue to practice what you learned in your lessons, your first trip to a course will be much more enjoyable. When you do decide to venture out on the links, and executive or par 3 course will be your best bet to get comfortable with playing an actual round.

Don't Buy Clubs Just Yet - I knew you're probably excited and want to get all the cool golf gear, but let's wait on that for just a bit. After you get a couple of lessons, and see if you still want to play this cruel game, then you can think about getting your own set of clubs. Online is a great place to get deals on golf equipment, but I don't necessarily recommend that. Even though you're a beginner, you should be properly fitted for your first set of clubs. The same place that you took your lessons should also be able to fit you for irons and woods. They will check your swing tendencies and variables and suggest club length, lies and shaft flexes for your particular swing. Being properly fitted will allow you to maximize your swing and equipment's abilities. Generally the cost for this fitting will be included in the price of the clubs you order. How much you want to spend on your set of clubs is up to your personal budget, but you should be able to get a great starter set in the $300 range for the irons, and a good quality driver for under $100.

Practice, Practice, & Practice - That pretty much says it all. However practice with a purpose! So many new golfers ( and experienced golfers) just bang balls at the range with no goal in mind...this is worthless. You should be working on some aspect of your game whenever you're out practicing. Pick targets and try to hit them. Work on your balance or tempo or if you're new, just work on striking the ball consistently. And until you groove your swing..keep the driver in the bag. The worst thing you can do is to hit 100 balls with your driver and neglect your pitching wedge. Spend twice as much time on your short game (putting included) as the rest of your game.

Etiquette & Rules - Take some time to learn the rules of golf...and the etiquette, as this is just as important as being able to hit the ball 300 yards. The game of golf is about honesty, honor and respect, not just hitting a ball around a grassy park. You can get a copy of the official rules at the USGA website. Keep it in your bag and study it so you know the rules for any particular situation you may find yourself in on the course. As for etiquette, these are just common sense issues more than anything. Don't walk in other peoples putting lines because it can disturb the grass and make putts go offline. Don't talk when others are hitting. Don't stand directly behind or in front of a player who's swinging a club. Always dress appropriately and according to golf course rules. These are just some of the basics but as you play more you'll learn the in's & out's of golf etiquette..and don't be afraid to ask a seasoned golfer about a rule or an etiquette issue. They're usually happy to help a beginner learn. I'm not a professional golfer by any means. I'm currently a 5 handicap, and it's taken a LOT of work to get there. These tips are some of the things I wished I had known back when I started playing the game at the age of 10.

And while these are just some very basic tips for the beginning golfer, they're aspects which are often overlooked. Golf should be an enjoyable pastime, and learning the proper way will play a large part in how much enjoyment you get from the game. You don't have to have the game of Tiger to have a great time playing the game. Get out there and have a great time...golf's a game you can play for the rest of your life.

Check out the newest clubs at Nike Sumo Irons for great prices on irons, metal woods and all Nike gear.

By Christian Rogers

Want to play golf for free...Enjoy Free Golf Games at NetGolfGames.com

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

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Top 3 Golf Tips For Beginners For The Right Address Position

As golf is a relatively complex game to learn, you have to get the basics right and then build your game from there. In this article, I will tell you the top 3 golf tips for beginners that will give you the foundation to develop a perfect golf swing.

By the way, even seasoned golfers when having trouble with their golf swing, always go back to these fundamental golf tips for beginners - they are that important.

Once you are comfortable with these basic principles of golf, you can then take your game to the next level - maybe take a few golf lessons with an instructor - but at least you will not have to spend money and time on learning these basic golf tips.

Golf Tips For Beginners - Gripping The Club

There are several techniques for gripping a golf club, and it really depends on what you feel most comfortable with. However, there is one grip that gives you a firmer grip of the club and more control - the overlapping grip.

First, place the club head down on the ground in the address position. If you are right handed, then take your right hand off the club so that only your left hand holds the club. The grip of the club should run diagonally across the palm starting from the crook of your index finger. When the hand is closed, the grip should be held in the first two fingers and the palm - this is a combination palm and fingers grip.

When you are looking down at your hands, you should only see two knuckles of your left hand - the base of the index finger and big finger. Now bring in the right hand by sliding it under the shaft and moving it up until only the second and third fingers grip the club at their base. The index finger should be hooked low around the club and the little finger overlaps or lies on top of the left index finger.

With a correct grip, the thumb of the left hand should be pointing down the shaft but slightly to the right and the thumb of the right, on top of the left thumb, pointing down the shaft and slightly to the left. The palm of the right hand should be facing left and the left hand facing right. The left hand is known as a palm and fingers grip and the right hand as a fingers only grip.

Finally, you should grip the club tightly but without tightening up the muscles. Now you have the start of a basic golf grip which you can experiment with until you feel comfortable with your grip and swing. This grip is considered better than the interlocking grip or ten finger grips.

Golf Tips For Beginners - The Stance

Getting the stance or set up right is fundamental for swinging and striking the ball correctly. The feet should be approximately shoulder width apart, at the insteps, which gives you the optimum balance.

Your feet should be in line parallel to the target - this is a square stance. The feet should both point slightly outwards, the left a bit more than the right - they should not be perpendicular to the target line.

Most beginners make the mistake of putting their weight on the balls of their feet. This is natural as you are leaning forward to address the ball, but it is wrong. You should keep the weight evenly balanced between the ball of your feet and the heel but favoring slightly the heels.

The set up also includes the arms, not just the feet. Your arms should be almost in a straight line, but not locked, with your elbows facing downwards. You definitely don't want your elbows facing outwards - what you are after is that your arms and elbows come closer together.

As far as the hips and shoulders are concerned, you want them to be parallel to the target with the square stance. The natural tendency is to have them slightly open, or pointing left of the target. This is caused by the fact that the right hand is lower on the grip than the right. It is important to square your shoulders and hips even if it feels unnatural or you will not be able to swing the club correctly.

Golf Tips For Beginners - Ball Position

The first rule for the ball position is how far from the ball should you be positioned. Positioning yourself either too far or too close to the ball will result in a swing fault. Getting the correct distance is important but difficult to determine for the beginner - with time and practice, it becomes second nature.

If you have the correct shaft length for your height and arm length, then you can use the club as a measuring device. Most golf club manufacturers have set the grip length to 11 inches which makes it easier. For the driver and woods, you want to place the collar of the club (where the shaft is connected to the club head) next to the tee. The point where the naked shaft ends and the grip starts is where you want to align your feet.

This distance is for average built golfers, say from 5 feet 10 inches up to 6 feet 4 inches. For a standard 43 inch driver, you should be about 28 inches from the ball. This will work with average golfers using the driver and fairway woods but unfortunately, it doesn't work for the irons. With long irons you will be about 1 to 3 inches closer to the ball than the measurement of the naked shaft. This progresses until you are about 5 inches closer than the naked shaft with a 9-iron.

The second rule for ball position is which position to place the ball between your feet. For the driver you want to place the ball opposite the instep of your left foot and for the fairway woods, opposite the left heel.

For long to middle irons the ball should be positioned about midway between your left heel and the middle of your stance. The longer irons slightly nearer to the heel and the middle irons slightly towards the middle of the stance.

As to the lofted clubs, the ball position will be in the middle of your stance. For any club, the ball should not be placed any further to the right than the middle of the stance - for normal shots.

There you have the top 3 golf tips for beginners for the right address position. By using the correct grip, stance, and ball position, you will have the fundamentals of a good setup and be in the correct address position. In another article, I will go over some beginners golf swing tips.

By Mick Euan Tait

If you found this golf tips for beginners article useful or interesting, then you will find more at http://www.golf-online-tips.com/lessons/
There you will find free golf tips and golf tips for beginners

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Who Else Wants to Hit it Straight and Long? Here is Way to Gain Power Without Working at It

If we could slow our own golf swings down enough, and then have a crusty look at what is going on we would not be happy.

It's never what you think it is. I hate that, but it is what it is.

So, since we can't slow us down to see what we are doing, we tend to rely on others to have a look and then prescribe a fix........ I hate that too. There are no instant fixes in a golf swing. Golf instruction has evolved to accept this as well. Online golf instruction has attempted to solve some of these issues but not as well as golf instruction on the range. Doing it and having someone show you live is the best of the best.

But ..listen to this. There is one thing you can do that will help make your golf experience much much better.

If you could just stay with me here for a bit, don't start with the "oh I've heard that before" stuff.

You may have heard that there has never been a good player with a bad grip.. but here I want to dissect this portion of your golf instruction so thoroughly that you would never get it wrong again.

Here I will show you why a bad grip can affect your set up, your alignment, your first move to the ball.

All in a very very bad way. And a simple fix will change all of that. Some people actually hit from the top just because the grip they use will not allow their body to make the right first move.

Can you believe it?

Golf instruction and golf instructors always makes noise about the grip when giving golf lessons. But the student usually forgets all about it after the lesson. It's because it's not comfortable or the net effects were not explained in strong enough terms.

I have watched many golf lessons given by PGA instructors that do talk about the grip. And then watched the student go right back to that stinky grip they had before the golf lesson.

First ... forget about your left hand. I really don't care what you do with it. It would be nice if you could put on the club correctly, but if you don't it is your bad.

If you want the left hand on the grip the right way, do this. make sure the thumb is not on top of the club, locate it just off the top to your right.

And the "V" that is formed between the thumb and fore finger points toward your right shoulder, or between your right shoulder and your chin.

DO NOT GIVE UP YET.... THE GOOD STUFF IS COMING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU'LL LOVE IT!

The driver of your downswing is your right hand. Get this right and get the motion right, and you will be well on your way to putting money in your pocket after the round instead of taking money out of your pocket.

That's right folks ............ it's the right hand. Ben Hogan said that he wished he had two right hands.

Why did he say that when the golf community at the time knew that he was a hooker of the ball early in his career?

He said it because he understood the workings of the golf swing and how important the right hand is.

Use it correctly and some really great things happen.

Ok, let's put the right hand on the club exactly correctly and with exactly the correct pressure points.

This is what all great players do and some don't even know it. They just do it, and that is all that matters.

Here we go......... !

With the left hand already on the grip, using whatever tip of grip you like, overlap or innerlock, but please no baseball grips here. This is golf! If you insist on a baseball grip........ stop right here.

Please!!!

Now take the ring finger and your middle finger of your right hand and wrap them under the club and grip the club with the first inside knuckles of these two fingers. At the same time, settle into your overlap or innerlock position with the right hand.

Put some pressure on the grip with these two fingers before you get the rest of your right hand on the club. That is so they don't move. We want them in the first inside knuckle.

Now roll your right hand into the left hand thumb, so that the inside line of the big pad of the right hand fits on top of the thumb of the left hand.

The index finger of the right hand will look like a trigger finger, pushing against the grip in a downward direction.

The right hand will now appear as if it is more on top of the club than it is on the side. That is because it is.

Yet, if we have done this correctly, the "V" of the right hand between the thumb and fore finger will point, roughly parallel to the left one.

I will give up a little argument that it appears to be more on top. Yes it is. There is a very good reason.

So now we have the hands together on the club. The left hand for all intents and purposes here will not play an active roll in this instance. At least not that you will notice or will control.

However the right hand will seem to be controlling the whole thing. This is ok.

I assure you that what you will feel is not exactly what actually will happen. It won't matter if you do it right, it will work and you will be happy about it.

Let's take a second and review what the pressure points are on the the right hand grip.

The middle and ring finger have an up pressure against the shaft. You need to be able to feel this.

The thumb pad of the right hand is definitely pushing down on the thumb of the left hand. You need to feel this too. The two combined pressure points, the two fingers and the thumb pad pushing down, will give tremendous stabilization to this grip.

And lastly, the most important pressure point, is the index finger of the right hand pushing against the shaft like a trigger finger and it is pushing more down than anything else.

Now that this is done, relax.

This is a grip that you will see on any Sunday in the summer months on national TV.

This is a professional grip.

This is the grip that a 5 year old kid can do all day long.

This grip will allow you to get into a great set-up position and here is why.

The right hand is connected to the right arm which is connected to the right shoulder. Because the right hand fits below the left hand on the club, it brings the right shoulder down so that it is lower than the left shoulder at set-up.

If you put the right hand on the side of the club, you will see that it forces your right shoulder to be too low in the setup. That does not allow for a proper turn on plane.

If you put the right hand on top of the club too much it does the opposite, it forces the right shoulder to be too high at set-up.

And with either of those two grips, you will not be able to exact the pressure points that required.

So you see one thing affects another, and not in a good way usually.

With this proper grip, as you move away into a backswing your right wrist will be prone to bend back toward the forearm in it's proper way.

You are already pushing the right wrist bent, creating an angle. A power source that you must have to be able to knock the snot out your drives and hit accurate laser like irons.

Create this angle and then push you right hand into the back of the golf ball as your first move down.

All the while keeping you left shoulder from spinning out of the swing, hit against it with your right hand hitting down at the ball.

Try a few minnie swings using this grip and feel the power of a created angle.

Keep your shoulders in the square to target line position at impact while pushing the right hand hard into the ball.

Hogan did it, why shouldn't we?

By Paul Macleod

If you want to know if there are any real magic moves in the golf swing the answer is yes, there are four. You can learn the first one here for free and take it to the range for a spin, click here: http://www.ebooksbestbuy.com/golf

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

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The Top 3 Reasons You Miss Short Putts

Short putting is the most important part of the game of golf. It is the scoring shot.

If you hit every green in regulation and three putted them all you're still a bogey golfer. If you miss every green but make every putt you are a scratch golfer. Obviously nobody putts that well or poorly, but it shows a mathematical possibility that putting improvement alone could turn a bogey golfer into scratch. No other shot has that power.

When your short putting is not working, you are not scoring well. There are three main causes of missing short putts.

1) Wrong Speed - Speed is king and must be right if you expect to make the putt. Speed is usually only a problem on more difficult or scary down hill putts, but a lack of confidence in your choice of speed can affect any putt.

2) Wrong Line - Running a close second to speed is the line. You can miss the line by misreading the break or hitting the ball off the line you intended. The line is generally a problem on more severe slopes, but again no confidence in the line you choose can cause a problem on any putt

3) Stroke Malfunction - This can occur because of the impact reflex, or by becoming so focused on technique that the line and speed have been neglected. That leads to a lack of confidence in the choices and an attempt to correct yourself during the stroke.

If you are having problems on the greens, these matters should be addressed in the order listed above. Odds are, if you can make sure that you are totally confident in the first two, the third will not arise.

Putting is one of the easiest things to do in golf. You're rolling a round ball a few feet over a smooth surface with a flat faced stick made just for that purpose. The only thing that makes it hard is too much thinking.

Let me show you how to hit every putt on line

By Darell Mckissick

http://www.targetputting.com

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

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Improve Your Game 100 Percent With Golf Fitness Training

It may seem unlikely to you that golf fitness training can help up your golf statistics 100 percent, but it is entirely possible. Like singing, playing the piano or basketball, golf is a skill that can be mean you cannot get the most out of the time you spend golfing? It takes balance, stamina, strength, concentration, and a good understanding about the mechanics of golf to play it veryimproved upon. With proper fitness, training, guidance and practice, you can absolutely improve your game.

Many people think of golfing as a leisure time activity outside of professional golf, but for amateur golfers the relevance of whether fitness and golf have any relation to one another seems unimportant. After all, golfing is a popular activity among the retirement crowd, so how fit do you need to be to play golf well if those much older than you can do it? The truth is that a good number of those older folks playing golf may have better golf stats than you because they have fitness behind their golf swings and precision line drives.

It may be that you play golf in your leisure time for fun and relaxation, but does that well. The more fit your body is the better your balance, stamina, and strength is. Fitness training can help you achieve better fitness more completely and in less time than exercising to become more fit on your own. Combine the fitness and golf training offered by professional golf fitness trainers and you have a winning combination that can help you up your golf stats by as much as a 100 percent.

Working with a golf fitness trainer you will learn what foods to eat to power your body up for spot on golf swings and impressive yardage out of your drives. You will be learning about and doing exercises that are geared towards increasing the lining up and power of your golf swings and drive yardages. You can also increase your golf stats a 100% by working with a golf fitness trainer.

You may be performing techniques improperly and poor form is hampering your game, and it is next to impossible to always see where you are going wrong unless you videotape yourself. Even then you may need an expert to evaluate your skills and pinpoint trouble areas. A golf fitness trainer can bring to your attention when you are performing a technique wrong and demonstrate how to properly perform various golfing techniques so that your game will improve.

Many of the muscles you use to golf with are muscles that need to be strong, fit, and healthy to power the functions of body organs like the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver and central nervous and immune systems in the body as well as to provide the power to maintain balance and aid in motion. Starting to work with a golf fitness trainer now and undergoing a full golf fitness training program will build the strength, fitness, and health of your muscles and your entire body so that you will be enjoying better golf playing, health and living well into your retirement years.

Golf fitness training is even suggested for older or the retired who want to spend more time playing golf. Older golf players can increase their golf skills and also strengthen their bodies balancing muscles to prevent falls. Golf fitness training increases muscle and joint flexibility which we all need regardless of our age so we can move with ease and not sprain and strain muscles and joints.

You can up your golf stats and your stats for living longer and healthier 100% by working with a golf fitness trainer. Schedule a consultation to learn more about golf fitness training and how working with a golf fitness trainer can help you up your stats soon.

By Scott White

Scott White is a certified personal trainer and nutritionist located in Scottsdale, Arizona. In addition to owning one of the top fitness websites he is also the owner of many other companies:
http://www.personalpowertraining.net
http://www.arizonagolffitnessprofessional.com

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Tips For Lowering Your Golf Handicap Ahead of That Big Golf Holiday

Sometimes, when people are booking a golf break with us, our clients ask us to book a couple of lessons at the beginning of their holiday. That makes sense and we can recommend the best teaches in many resorts around the world. However, here are some simple tips to help keep your golf ball budget down!

So without further ado, here are a few golf tips for lowering your golf handicap ahead of your big holiday!

1) Practice, practice, practice!

Sounds obvious, but the best golf tip is to practice as much as possible. While not everyone can get to their local golf course for a round everyday, you can still work on your swing in the privacy of your own home - chipping balls into a bucket in your back garden, or observing your swing movements in a mirror. When practice swinging, start slowly and feel the movement before speeding up to the full tempo. Even a tiny bit of daily practice will help build up your golf muscle memory - it's amazing what 10 minutes a day can do to your golf holiday performance!

2) Prepare like you're a pro

On the golf course, there's a thin line between joy and frustration. If you treat every round like a professional would, you'll have more fun. Warm up properly, spend a while in the driving range and take appropriate breaks to minimize mistakes. Play this way, and you're guaranteed to become a more consistent player.

3) Get the right gear

Getting top notch equipment will often cost more than lessons and have less of an impact on your performance. While it's true that the right equipment can help, it won't magically transform your game - I've seen plenty of talented golfers play well with dreadful clubs and I've seen plenty of others play badly with high quality clubs. That said it is a good golf tip, if you're looking to be the best you can possibly be, to invest in tailor-made clubs to suit your build and swing. And if they don't improve your game, at least you'll look good during your golf holiday.

4) Don't lose track of your short game

Spending lots of time on the driving range and practicing your big swing is one thing, but make sure you don't forget your short game..."Drive for show, putt for dough!". It may be a less dramatic shot but good scores are made on and around the green and you use your putter more often than any other club. The good news is that the short game is easier to practice in the comfort of your own garden, and in a few weeks you'll be in far better shape for your golf break.

5) Analyze your game

The best way of knowing your strengths and weaknesses on the golf course is to pay attention to your performance. If you pay close attention to where you make mistakes, you'll know which areas of your game need correction. Run through your game and write down the results of each shot - you'll soon notice where your weaknesses lie so you can practice on them.

6) Don't expect miracles

Play to your handicap and don't get upset when you hit a bad shot. Everyone hits bad shots - the trick is to keep your concentration and to make the next shot better.

Whether you have 6 months or 6 days until your big golf break, you'd be amazed at the improvements these tips can make in lowering your golf handicap!



By Morgan Clarke



Morgan Clarke is the Chairman of Your Golf Holidays, a company that has been providing luxury golf breaks for over 25 years. The award-winning specialist tour operator is privately-owned and determined to ensure that both experienced golfers and novices will enjoy an unforgettable experience in whichever of the 20+ countries they want to play in.

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Sand Traps - Keys to Getting Up and Down

Ask a professional what he thinks about upon finding his ball in a sand trap around the green and he or she will probably tell you, it's not a tough shot. Ask an amateur and they will show how much it bothers them. They know it could be an added 2 or more shots over par. Many will either scull the shot or take too much sand and have to try and blast it out again. Watching many miss hit sand shots, it is obvious that the fear of being in the sand terrifies golfers but why?

I believe the lack of practice is one major contributor. The average player may hit warm up shots before beginning their round, but you never see them in a sand trap before teeing off.

Here is why the sand shot could become your favorite shot, or at least you will not fear the shot. First of all, you don't hit the ball. You take a nice solid stance making sure to dig your feet into the sand so there is a foundation that is not insecure. You can't afford to slip with either foot. I recommend turning your left hand to a slightly more weak position. Maybe keeping the thumb directly on top of the grip end. The one thing you don't want, it to turn the blade over and have it dig into the sand. Open the stance to where you are standing with your left foot pulled back a good 2 inches from the left. Pick a spot about 2 inches behind the ball, that is precisely where you need to concentrate. Take your back swing straight back and break your wrists a little quicker than if you were hitting a normal 50 yard pitch shot. The open stance will assure you have a slicing downswing. Now, here is a couple tips that are taught by top sand trap teachers. Imagine a dollar bill is directly under your ball and you just want to slice the dollar bill from under your ball, not the ball itself. This will teach you to concentrate on a spot 2 inches behind the ball, and to keep the club moving through the sand.

Here is the other tip. Assuming you are right handed, you want the right hand to come into the shot and feel like the palm is facing the sky after your go through the sand and see the ball lifted up and out. If you can keep the palm in that position, the club face won't be able to turn over and also, you will have not flipped the club head from the top of your swing into beginning your downswing.

Practice this and you will start saving valuable shots around the greens. See you on the green ~ Dave Mark

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By Dave Mark

Improve Your Golf Swing

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Golf Tips - Getting Back Into the Game

There has been a tendency for people to generally force their A-game after coming from a long break from the sport. What you have to realize is that golf is very extremely technical and requires a degree of art (not an undergrad or masters). This is why I took the time to shed some helpful knowledge on how to repossess that skill which you so unfortunately may have lost a few months or even years ago.

Putting's not the easiest of task when it comes to a precision sport such as golf. .For the average lay golfer that hole is always 'so close and yet so far'. Well If you've been out of the game like I have. I've compiled some of the most useful tips on how to redevelop that old putt technique which used to be you're trump card against those ol' corporate rivals.

1. Perhaps the easiest method, what some people do is to nearly let go of the putter with their right hand, gripping the club with the fingertips and exerting little or no pressure with the right hand. The left hand will consequently then guide the ball which would have been created by the pendulum effect of the shoulders. In situations where you are missing the hole by a few inches this is the best option.

2. From here it gets slightly tougher. If you switch to a left hand dominate grip (by placing the left hand slightly lower on the putter than the right) then the left hand will be in control of the strokes and allow the right hand to be more relaxed the longer you practise over the next few weeks.

3. One of the most effective exercises would be to putt using your right hand only. do this for a couple of weeks by putting your left hand in your left pocket. Although it takes some time to get used to it, you'll find that your right hand will eventually become more relaxed and your putting average will return to what it was before. After this you can return to using both hands.

If, on the other hand, you're having trouble with your swing there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Since not every golfer is a pro (despite his/hers deepest ambition to be one):

1. The head stance (stay with me now) is very important. Try keeping your head as evel as possible.

2. For the righties out there, let the weight transfer to your right leg.

3. Bend the right leg and make sure that the tension builds up and goes into the ground rather than outside.

4. Let 'er rip!

Now the chip shot can make or break a hole. Sometimes people get it wrong and miss the green completely; if they were in a bunker they would chip piles of sand onto the green instead of the ball. the list can go on. Three is a good number, so, here are three things to note:

1. By all means please position the ball in the middle of your stance.

2. Previously I mentioned how the weight of a swing should be transferred to the right. This time, the opposite applies. Your left leg should bear two-thirds of the weight.

3. Grip handle must be lower down so as to have more control at the point of impact.

You should be well on your way to getting back that 'pro within'.

By Keith Kavayi

For more information please visit: http://kav101-golf-tech-support.blogspot.com

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Thursday, May 15, 2008

Top 3 Golf Tips For Beginners For The Right Address Position

As golf is a relatively complex game to learn, you have to get the basics right and then build your game from there. In this article, I will tell you the top 3 golf tips for beginners that will give you the foundation to develop a perfect golf swing.

By the way, even seasoned golfers when having trouble with their golf swing, always go back to these fundamental golf tips for beginners - they are that important.

Once you are comfortable with these basic principles of golf, you can then take your game to the next level - maybe take a few golf lessons with an instructor - but at least you will not have to spend money and time on learning these basic golf tips.

Golf Tips For Beginners - Gripping The Club

There are several techniques for gripping a golf club, and it really depends on what you feel most comfortable with. However, there is one grip that gives you a firmer grip of the club and more control - the overlapping grip.

First, place the club head down on the ground in the address position. If you are right handed, then take your right hand off the club so that only your left hand holds the club. The grip of the club should run diagonally across the palm starting from the crook of your index finger. When the hand is closed, the grip should be held in the first two fingers and the palm - this is a combination palm and fingers grip.

When you are looking down at your hands, you should only see two knuckles of your left hand - the base of the index finger and big finger. Now bring in the right hand by sliding it under the shaft and moving it up until only the second and third fingers grip the club at their base. The index finger should be hooked low around the club and the little finger overlaps or lies on top of the left index finger.

With a correct grip, the thumb of the left hand should be pointing down the shaft but slightly to the right and the thumb of the right, on top of the left thumb, pointing down the shaft and slightly to the left. The palm of the right hand should be facing left and the left hand facing right. The left hand is known as a palm and fingers grip and the right hand as a fingers only grip.

Finally, you should grip the club tightly but without tightening up the muscles. Now you have the start of a basic golf grip which you can experiment with until you feel comfortable with your grip and swing. This grip is considered better than the interlocking grip or ten finger grips.

Golf Tips For Beginners - The Stance

Getting the stance or set up right is fundamental for swinging and striking the ball correctly. The feet should be approximately shoulder width apart, at the insteps, which gives you the optimum balance.

Your feet should be in line parallel to the target - this is a square stance. The feet should both point slightly outwards, the left a bit more than the right - they should not be perpendicular to the target line.

Most beginners make the mistake of putting their weight on the balls of their feet. This is natural as you are leaning forward to address the ball, but it is wrong. You should keep the weight evenly balanced between the ball of your feet and the heel but favoring slightly the heels.

The set up also includes the arms, not just the feet. Your arms should be almost in a straight line, but not locked, with your elbows facing downwards. You definitely don't want your elbows facing outwards - what you are after is that your arms and elbows come closer together.

As far as the hips and shoulders are concerned, you want them to be parallel to the target with the square stance. The natural tendency is to have them slightly open, or pointing left of the target. This is caused by the fact that the right hand is lower on the grip than the right. It is important to square your shoulders and hips even if it feels unnatural or you will not be able to swing the club correctly.

Golf Tips For Beginners - Ball Position

The first rule for the ball position is how far from the ball should you be positioned. Positioning yourself either too far or too close to the ball will result in a swing fault. Getting the correct distance is important but difficult to determine for the beginner - with time and practice, it becomes second nature.

If you have the correct shaft length for your height and arm length, then you can use the club as a measuring device. Most golf club manufacturers have set the grip length to 11 inches which makes it easier. For the driver and woods, you want to place the collar of the club (where the shaft is connected to the club head) next to the tee. The point where the naked shaft ends and the grip starts is where you want to align your feet.

This distance is for average built golfers, say from 5 feet 10 inches up to 6 feet 4 inches. For a standard 43 inch driver, you should be about 28 inches from the ball. This will work with average golfers using the driver and fairway woods but unfortunately, it doesn't work for the irons. With long irons you will be about 1 to 3 inches closer to the ball than the measurement of the naked shaft. This progresses until you are about 5 inches closer than the naked shaft with a 9-iron.

The second rule for ball position is which position to place the ball between your feet. For the driver you want to place the ball opposite the instep of your left foot and for the fairway woods, opposite the left heel.

For long to middle irons the ball should be positioned about midway between your left heel and the middle of your stance. The longer irons slightly nearer to the heel and the middle irons slightly towards the middle of the stance.

As to the lofted clubs, the ball position will be in the middle of your stance. For any club, the ball should not be placed any further to the right than the middle of the stance - for normal shots.

There you have the top 3 golf tips for beginners for the right address position. By using the correct grip, stance, and ball position, you will have the fundamentals of a good setup and be in the correct address position. In another article, I will go over some beginners golf swing tips.

By Mick Euan Tait

If you found this golf tips for beginners article useful or interesting, then you will find more at http://www.golf-online-tips.com/lessons/
There you will find free golf tips and golf tips for beginners

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

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10 Basic Rules In Choosing The Right Golf School

When choosing a golf school you should consider these 10 basic rules:

1.) Decide what you are willing to spend before looking. The best schoolscharge in the low to mid one thousands, but do offer great amenities as well ashighly professional instructors. Most of the best schools offer greatvacation packages that are included in the price. Ask about special pricing.Some schools may drop their prices if they need students. If you are willingto commute, prices can be as low as $300.00.

2.) Look for 2 to 1 teaching ratio with 1 to 1 being ideal. Never use morethan a 4 to 1 ratio unless you cannot afford the higher price schools.

3.) The school instructors should be seasoned professionals that are highlyqualified. Make sure at least 2 of the teaching professionals are recognizedin the golf world/community. Use the internet search engines to researchnames of the instructors being used at the school you are considering.

4.) If you choose a school that includes accommodations and transportationincluded in the price, research the hotel as well. It is always better tohave accommodations close to the golf course you are receiving lessons from.Most of the great schools will cater to your needs because word of mouth isthere best advertisement for return business.

5.) There are certain schools that concentrate on certain aspects of teaching.Do you need work on your putting? Choose a school that is strong in that areaof the game. If you need work on your swing, choose accordingly. Golfinstruction websites will indicate if they specialize to certain weaknesses.

6.) The golf school should provide a specific lesson plan for your swing. Theyshould tailor it specifically for you and not for everyone else. There is noway to research this other than word of mouth.

7.) The school should provide unlimited follow up via email or phone. I thinkthis is probably the most important because it shows how genuine they are inimproving your game.

8.) Look for testimonials. Do not rely on testimonials on their own brochuresor websites. Look for ratings from other outside sources. These may not beavailable, but look anyway. It is a true measure of the school. Word of mouthis very powerful.

9.) If you should also think of the school as a vacation the accommodationsand surrounding area should fit your lifestyle off the course. Also, look forgolf schools that provide unlimited golf after your teaching sessions areover. Be sure to get your moneys worth.

10.) If you cannot afford the price of a golf school check the websites forfree advice. There are many websites out there that give free lessons andtips. Some even provide video demonstrations.

The Internet is a great place to research the golf schools available in yourarea that meet your needs. Here are some keywords you can use when performingyour golf school search:

  1. Golf schools

  2. Golf instruction

  3. Golf swing

  4. Free golf tips

  5. Golf lessons

By Jeff Randolph

http://www.100golfschools.com

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

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Monday, April 7, 2008

Golf Injuries - Back Pain

Jack had it. Tiger has had it. Freddie is constantly battling it. Many of the elite of golf have had it.

The "it" is low back pain.

While very few recreational golfers have much in common with these legends, low back pain is the one thing shared by golfers of all skill levels.

Low back pain is reported to be the most common ailment affecting working age adults in the U.S., second only to the common cold. An astonishing 80% of Americans over the age of 30 will suffer at least 1 week of debilitating back pain during their lifetime.

Amongst the nations 30 million golfers, back pain is even more prevalent.

Golf and back pain go hand in hand. Many people, even golfers themselves, do not realize what a physically demanding sport golf really is. The amount of strain placed on the lower back joints, discs and muscles is tremendous.

Overstretching and straining muscles that are cold and tight cause many injuries. Golf can be rough on the back, but it is made even worse by golfers not stretching or warming up before or during a round.

Often overlooked is the fact that on public courses players take a shot and then wait around quite awhile before their next swing. This slow play causes the muscles to cool off and tighten up. Your next swing is with tight muscles making injuries more likely. Walking rather than riding a golf cart can help prevent this, but many courses do not allow walking.

The most serious problems for golfers include disc bulges, degeneration and herniation.

Symptoms of back pain that radiates to the buttocks, thighs or legs are very serious. These symptoms often mean that the cushions between the spinal bones of the low back have deteriorated or are bulging outwards into the nerves.

Once this occurs, it's definitely time to seek specialized help. Severe back pain and sciatica (leg pain caused by disc material irritating the sciatic nerve) can come and go and is often helped by chiropractic manipulation, acupuncture or physical therapy. But common questions to doctors specializing in back pain among golfers are: What about the cases that do not respond well to these treatments? And what can be done about the cases that seem to go away only to return a month of two later?

Moderate to severe back and/or leg pain caused by deteriorating discs that fails to improve with non-invasive procedures or often reappear, were often thought to require surgery. But today physicians realize that surgery has its place in treating these resistant cases, but only as a last resort.

Searching the medical literature you will soon find that the most common type of back surgery (discectomy) has at most a 50% success rate and that at 12 months post-surgery surgery patients are no better off than non-surgically treated patients.

Additionally, patients undergoing surgery are prone to additional surgeries later on. Second surgeries are usually fusions where two or more spinal bones or vertebrae are in various fashions tied or bolted together. These surgeries have even less impressive success rates.

The good news for golfers with severe back or leg pain is that advances in medical computer technology have lead to a promising new treatment called "non-surgical spinal decompression." This new treatment for disc problems that cause back pain and sciatica has been clinically shown to relieve pain and can actually reduce the size of disc herniations. All without the risk and potential side effects of surgery.

But golfers with back pain need to know that not everyone is a candidate for spinal decompression and expertise among providers varies greatly. Before embarking on a non-surgical decompression course, talk to an expert who perform the procedure and have an evaluation done. Only a health specialist that provides this treatment can tell you whether or not it has potential for you.



By Dr Barry L Marks Dc


Dr. Barry L. Marks, DC...chiropractor, author and lecturer on disc herniation, sciatica, whiplash and carpal tunnel. He is a former Associate Clinical Professor and has been in practice since 1986. You may reach Dr. Marks at his Orange, CA office at (714) 938-0575. His articles and ebooks can be found at http://www.drmarks.com and a Free Golfer's Guide to Severe Back, Disc and Sciatica Pain can be found at http://www.painlessgolf.com

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Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Golf Techniques - Stretch, Don't Strain

It's that time of year when we start getting out on the course again after the winter layoff, unless you are a sucker for punishment like me and play all year round. Because we have these long breaks it is very easy to injure yourself when you go back out onto the course. It's a lovely Spring day, the sun is shining and you feel great - until you hit that first drive and your back goes. You must add a warm up routine to your armoury of golf techniques. A few minutes spent warming up and stretching your body means you won't have to spend precious weeks recovering when you could be playing.

There are golfers who claim to play their best golf when they are carrying an injury simply because they are not focusing as much on their game as protecting themselves from further injury, so they concentrate and play better. You don't have to be injured to concentrate! An injury will not help your game in the long run, particularly if it is a recurring problem. It will end up with you having to give up the game we all love so much. What should you do to reduce the chance of golfing injuries that might stop you playing the game?

First of all you should try to keep your level of general fitness up over any layoff period. Regular walks and stretching exercises will do that without too much effort or disruption to your lifestyle. The fitter you are the better you will cope with the rigours of a full round on that new monster 7,000 yard plus course you just heard about. Your best fitness regime will promote flexibility and suppleness. It doesn't matter how old or unfit you are, you can easily improve your ease of movement with just a few simple exercises.

It is a wise golfer who warms up and gently stretches his or her muscles before starting a round, and it is equally important to cool down properly after your game. Just a few stretches after a round of golf can help in preventing any injuries, particularly to the back and hamstrings. Walking can tighten your hamstrings and that makes them more susceptible to tearing and injury. A good golf swing also requires a lot of back movement and if you haven't warmed up properly before your first swing, you could do some severe damage.

Even before your practice swings you should start with a few stretches, and when you do those exercises ensure you don't make any sudden movements. All your movements should be smooth and flowing, just like your golf swing. Make sure that you are never tempted to 'bounce' when you are doing your stretches as this can result in a strain or sprain on an overworked or twisted muscle. A few gentle side twists with one of your long irons across your shoulders will help to warm up your lower back and add mobility. Holding a club out in front of you with one hand and just swinging gently from side to side adds a little more rotation to your hips. One of my favourite exercises is just to hold a club parallel to the ground in both hands and just drip gently forward form the waist which really loosens up those big muscles in the top of your legs. I usually follow that with a few lunges to stretch my calf muscles too.

Once you have loosened up make some practice swings before you start hitting the warm up shots on the range. Start with your short irons and work your way up to your driver. That way you won't be pushing those muscles to produce the long swing and big hit until they are properly warmed up.

We all know that this simple golf tip will really help our game so why not set off for the course just that few minutes early and warm up properly. Most of us arrive at the course with ten minutes to Tee Off time and don't take those precious few moments that will make all the difference to the quality of our game.

By BQ Browning

BQ Browning grew up in a Golfing family and has been involved with the game for many years. News views and information are willing shared with fellow addicts at Golf Techniques and Tournament Tips. You will find a treasure trove of golf information written with wit, humour and wisdom.

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

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Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Everyone Has A Problem With Their Golf Swing - Its Finding A Cure Which Is The Hard Part

If your a golfer like I am, then you'll appreciate the never ending list of problems that one has with their game. You may also appreciate the fact that not everyone has the time or money to go to their golf club and pay their professional to tell them that they have a slice, and need to change their grip. So without any further introduction i give you the online golf school.

The Online Golf School means you can keep your money in your pocket, and fix the problem with only a few clicks.

The Online Golf school is completely new in the online golfing field and breaks down a great deal of barriers when it comes to how much you can improve your game from your own home, without having to spend hours in the driving range.

To put it in to perspective there is absolutely no point in buying an expensive e-book claiming to add an extra eighty yards to your drive when actually the problem with your game is elsewhere, for example your putting isn't up to scratch.

I'm not completely slating off the many golf e-books out there,as many of them do contain highly useful content that will help you. The issue i have with them is that you need to know where your problem is first, then go and buy the appropriate e-book to help fix the issue.

This is where the main difference between the average golfing e-book and the online golf school appears. The other main difference being that whilst an e-book is written only once and is aimed to the masses, the online golf school analyzes your individual needs and problems, then goes about suggesting how you can eradicate those issues in your game.

After the patented system has identified the area of your game that needs working on, it then provides you with a number of different exercises to help cure the problem. I can tell you that you won't find any other place on the web that will do that for you.

As I pointed out before, a golfing e-book will usually only help you with one specific area of your game, and most definitely doesn't update itself to cater for your individual requirements like the online golf school does. So in a nutshell you get individual tutorials, with proven exercises and tips to improve your golf. On top of all that personal tutoring, after the problem is fixed you can fill in the patented five step program again, and get regular tips and exercises to actively keep your golfing level as high as possible.

An example of how this system worked for me was when I had a big problem with my drive. I'm sure all you golfers know the feeling of watching your ball slice horribly to the right or left, and disappear into the rough. Well, that was my problem as well. So I went on to the Online Golf Tutorial website, and identified my problem as my drive slicing badly. They sent me loads of different exercises, and recommended that I changed my grip.

The next time I played a round I took these tips into account and it really did make a difference. I was also given aftercare as promised, with general exercises to keep my game at a good standard.

In some ways it seems like they are almost putting themselves out of a job by keeping my us up to scratch with our game. On the other hand, I think I can safely say on behalf of all the less than perfect golfers out there that there is plenty of room for improvement in all our games. The great thing is, you can use it as much as you like, there is no limit.

So there it is,you can see the process in which they analyze your individual golfing needs and get more information by clicking on the link below. Happy Golfing.

By Chris Tucker

http://www.chris9213.com My name's Chris Tucker and I'm an aspiring online entrepreneur and also a terrible golfer. I am however in love with the game, so for me to be able to promote and talk about something i love and maybe earn a bit of money on the side is just brilliant. I have no claims to fame as an online guru or an internet millionaire as i am about as far from both as is possible. I do however have a genuine interest in producing interesting and helpful content that benefits the reader and not just me. I hope this helps anyone who is having trouble with their golf. Kind Regards, Chris. http://www.chris9213.com

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

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Monday, March 17, 2008

Magic, Magical - Here in This Shortish Article, You Will Find The Magic of Your Golf Swing, Maybe!

Frankly, I have not decided what to do with what I know. Sometimes I feel like all you wannabee golfers should have every bit of information that is out there so that you can play as well as possible. Yet, I am torn by the knowledge that most golfers, even if they knew, would not take the time or make the effort to use the magic . Why ?

Cause it ain't easy.

When I see a player making an obvious mistake, repeatedly in his or her play, and make mention of the mistake with a suggestion of a fix, you would not believe the excuses I get.

" Oh, I can't do it that way, I have an old injury. " Or .. "I know I do that, but my pro back home said it was ok to do it. " Or the one I love is this. " I used to be a 9 handicap, but I hurt my __________ and can't __________ anymore"

You can fill it in, it won't matter ! It's always something.

Did you ever hear that one? And last, this one. " Oh yeah, I just have not played for a while and that's what I do when I don't play" Ok ... so now that you know what it is ........ stop doing it!

News flash.

It is true that if you don't play much, it will be hard to score well. But trust me on this, if you have a good move you will still have a good move even though it may be a tad rusty.

So you see, I hate to waste good golf instruction on people who are full of excuses and will not use it, or worse, will tell others about it and get it wrong. That scares me.

I have thought about it and have come to the conclusion that it is not my private information. That you should know it all. And that if you don't use it, well that is your bad.

There is no way that I would not give someone help if they were open to it. But you should make a silent promise that you will not share this with anyone until you can do it. Deal?

Once again I am going to jump ahead and assume that you at least are in a good set-up position and that your grip is correct.

Here you must trust what I tell you. If you have not got a good setup and a good grip, it will not matter what I tell you from this point forward. You will not be able to what comes next.

So please, do your work on those two points. Anything short of perfection here is your own doing and will haunt you as you make a move to the ball.

Now take your grip and get into a proper setup, use a 7 iron or a 5 iron, not a driver.

Pick the club up straight in front of you using just your hands and wrists, do not bend your elbows, well, don't bend them much. A little is ok.

The club should be pointing exactly straight up into the air and your arms should be exactly parallel with the ground and be exactly in front of you.

There is no turn at this point.

Make absolutley sure you are in a very good setup position. Knees bent over the top of your shoes, back is reasonable straight and your chin is off your chest.

Ok..good. Now turn the left shoulder so that is over your right foot, keep you head still and make sure you take your arms and hence the club with you, but on the exact same plane as you had it. In other words do not change a thing, just turn.

If you did this right you will now be in the perfect backswing position for your body type, height and flexibility.

Now relax back to normal .. just for second. Ok , now do it again. Pick up the club in front of you. Use your hands and wrists to make the club point to the sky. Your arms are parallel to the ground. Now turn the left shoulder over to the right so that is over the top of the right shoe. Excellent.

Now for some magic. This is two moves done at exactly the same time.

Ready. Bump the left hip to the left and drop the right elbow down to your right hip.

STOP.

Inspect this position. Most important is the position of the clubshaft. It should be parallel to the ground and also parallel to the target line. It should also be 90 degrees to your right arm, right wrist . Your left arm should be close to your chest. And your posture should have remained the same as it was at setup. Mainly your spine angle.

These angles are incredible important. So pay close attention to them. They need to be in tact at impact.

They are your source of power and accuracy.

Do the above drill over and over. Check your position each time. You can do this in your living room.

There are magic results in your future if you will just pay attention to details.

By Paul Macleod

If you want to know if there are any real magic moves in the golf swing the answer is yes, there are four. You can learn the first one here for free and take it to the range for a spin, click here: http://www.ebooksbestbuy.com/golf

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

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Dooks Golf Club

Dooks golf club is an ideal golf holiday package destination for the golfer who is seeking a stunning and serene environment to enjoy good golf. You can spend a marvelous time at Dooks. It is a lovely little club with beautiful views which has been thoroughly overshadowed by its more famous neighbors of Ballybunion, Tralee, Killarney and Waterville. It is one of the oldest golf links in Ireland. Opt for Dooks Golf Club when you decide your golf holiday package and get a holiday full of variety, challenge and amusement.

Since 1889, Dooks is set out on one of the stretches of sand dunes just at the head of Dingle bay. In case you have not yet decided on Dooks as your golf holiday package destination, here is a brief look at its magical locale at Dooks. In the foreground are the sand dune peninsulas of Rossbeigh and Inch and in the far distance loom the whitewashed houses of Cromane fishing village. In the South east are the famous McGillycuddy's Reeks, and to the southwest are the cooms and hills of Glenbeigh. Just across the bay to the north are the Slieve Mish and Dingle mountains all this scenery can be part of your golf holiday package once you travel to Ireland.

Earlier Dooks was a 9 hole course, until the members decided to change in 2002, and invited Martin Hawtree, the renowned international Golf Architect to enhance the layout of the course. The project was completed in 2006. Dooks now has 16 redesigned holes, which can challenge and test even the very best of players. The length of this par 71 golf course is 6500 yards.

Dooks Golf Club Cares for the Environment

Dooks is perhaps best known for the Natterjack Toad. The Club is one of the last remaining habitats of the toad. Adult toads are nocturnal and are therefore not seen by the golfers. The toads emerge from hibernation in March. The Natterjack toad has a dry and dull skin. It is olive green in color with yellow and orange spots on its back. It also has a yellow stripe along the spine. In order to encourage the survival of this rare toad species, Dooks has specially constructed the Natterjack ponds at hole 15. This conservation act has been recognized and the Golf Club has been awarded the European Union Environmental award.

The Clubhouse

The clubhouse has been renovated, and the new- look clubhouse still retains its unique friendly atmosphere. After a satisfying day at the green, the golfer can enjoy and relax (yes relaxation , isn't that what a a golf holiday package is about) at the cozy bar and enjoy the delicious quality food available at the restaurant.

Visitors are always welcome to Dooks golf club. However it is better to make advance booking for your session. Timings for the visitors are from 10am to 1pm and from 2.30pm to 5pm. A limited number of caddies are available on request. Societies are welcome with advanced booking.

If you are an Irish Links freak and have not played this beautiful course then don't wait anymore. Select Dooks Golf Club for your golf holiday package and discover the magic of the Dooks golf club.

By Anireju Atie

Anireju Atie is a prolific writer and the author of a various golf articles, for golf ebooks, golf auctions, golf books and golf videos visit http://golfexplored.com

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