Friday 28 May 2010

Improve Your Golf Swing, Improve Your Golf Game!

Improve Your Golf Swing, Improve Your Golf Game!

The rapid advancement in technology today is reaching out to all corners of the sports world. The performance of athletes in every sports venue can be vastly improved by this rapidly going technology. One of the world's oldest and still most popular games of all time is being drastically changed for the better with each year. That game is golf and the greatest way to improve your game is by improving your swing through video analysis.

Lessons to improve your golf swing with a professional golf instructor can greatly improve your game and swiftly drain your wallet! Swing analysis by your trained golf pro can only better your technique in proportion to his human ability to "catch" your every error and flaw in stance, swing, etc. It is impossible for him to see every second of the complex nuances involved in your individual stroke. Even with a video camera to record your every move, hundreds of hours would be required to slow down and re-watch all foot, hip, hand, head, etc. positions that need the smallest adjustments to bring your game from average to outstanding. Bring the world of technology to your game through golf swing analysis beyond your wildest imagination.

Video analysis software is now being produced by many different companies. A digital video camera and computer are the only required equipment. Have someone video your actual movement and run it through the analysis software to receive a detailed, technologically advanced evaluation of your golf swing. This examination will offer specific pointers to improve the areas of your swing that are not "perfect". The software will cover such swing mechanics as:

Alignment
Ball Angle
Ball Speed
Club Head Speed
Proper Head Position
Proper Positioning of Hips
Proper Positioning of Knees
Proper Shaft Angle
Proper Spine Angle
Swing
Timing

A human golf pro can never keep track of all these areas at the same time for any given swing, that's impossible; but it's completely possible for swing analysis software! Every area of the core of your game will be analyzed and improved right before your very eyes on your computer screen. No guessing, no trial and error. Everything you do right and everything you do wrong will be explicitly evaluated and all appropriate recommendations given to you. It's a personalized swing perfection tool for you and your game. Just having the mirror image of what you do shown back to you may just do the trick.

For less than the cost of only three hours of "human" pro golf help you can have your own personal golf swing analyzer for every swing you have. Right in the privacy of your own home and back yard, your small investment in golf swing analysis software will permanently move your game from average to outstanding in no time. Remember, improve your golf swing, and drastically improve your game!

Wednesday 26 May 2010

How To Set Up a Golf Fitness Program to Improve Your Golf Game

How To Set Up a Golf Fitness Program to Improve Your Golf Game

Professional golfers on the PGA Tour understand the connection between golf swing mechanics and the body. The most notable players in the world have regimented golf fitness programs they adhere religiously too. The benefits of such programs have been well documented in the media. Press clippings from Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, and Phil Mickelson all refer to golf fitness exercises being a component of their regular practice schedule.

The amateur can learn a lot from the pros. They can learn the importance the body has in relation to the golf swing, how golf swing mechanics and the body are intertwined, and improvement in the golf game requires the implementation of a golf fitness program.

Where most amateurs get "off-track" with their golf fitness training is the components and exercises incorporated in such a program. Golf fitness programs are quite different then "general" fitness or "weight training" programs. A golf fitness program is designed to develop the golfer's body around the golf swing. In order for this to occur certain parameters and exercises are required in such a program.

First and foremost the amateur golfer must understand the connection between the golf swing and body. The golf swing is a complex series of biomechanical movements execute by the golfer. In order for the golfer to execute the biomechanics of the golf swing correctly. It is necessary for the golfer to have certain physical parameters well developed.

These physical parameters are flexibility, balance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and muscular power. High levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power are required to execute the golf swing correctly. Often times the amateur golfer is not flexible enough, strong enough, or powerful enough to execute the golf swing correctly.

This results in the golfer developing compensation patterns in their golf swing. The result being poor shots and high scores on the golf course. Bottom line is a physical foundation of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power is required to develop an efficient golf swing. If the amateur golfer is lacking in anyone of these categories the foundation upon which the golf swing is being built will be insufficient.

Once the amateur golfer understands the connection between the golf swing and the body it is necessary to implement a golf fitness program, A golf fitness program is different than "traditional" training programs in such this type of program develops the body around the golf swing.

A golf fitness program trains the body to the positions, movements, and requirements of the golf swing. A golf fitness program is not concern about "beach muscles" or how one looks in the mirror. Rather a golf fitness program has the primary goal of improving the scores on the golf course and play of the golfer.

This type of improvement is a result of using exercise to develop the physical parameters of the body relative to the golf swing. A golf fitness program will include flexibility exercises, balance drills, muscular strength exercise, endurance training modalities, and power drills. Exercises from all of these categories are included in a comprehensive golf fitness program.

Understand the exercises and drills within each of these categories are not necessarily traditional type of exercises. For example, flexibility exercises for golf are less concerned about touching your toes, and more concerned about completing a full shoulder turn. Flexibility exercises for golf are geared towards developing the flexibility within your body to execute the components of the golf swing correctly.

The same can be said about every other category of exercise and drill incorporated in a golf fitness program. The balance drills in a golf fitness program are designed to improve the golfer's balance capacities relative to the golf swing. Power exercises in a golf fitness program are designed to improve clubhead speed. Where as power drills in other programs may be geared towards improving how fast you run.

Once the amateur golfer understands the connection between the golf swing and body, the elements of the body needing development relative to the golf swing, and the components of a golf fitness program. The final component of understanding is golf fitness training order.

Often times the amateur golfer desires more power (i.e. clubhead speed) in their golf swing. As a result they perform only exercises to enhance the power components within their body. What the amateur golfer fails to realize is developing golf strength, endurance, or power is useless if they do not have the flexibility or balance capacities to execute the golf swing. Developing the body for the golf swing requires the amateur golfer to follow a specific order relative to their training programs.

It is necessary for the amateur golfer to first develop their flexibility for the golf swing. Secondly proceed to increasing their balance capacities in relation to the golf swing. Continue the process with developing strength and endurance for the golf swing. Completing the process with power drills to enhance clubhead speed. This guarantees the effort placed within a golf fitness program will enhance the golfer's swing. It becomes a simple process once the golfer is educated on the relationship between the golf swing and the body. The benefits a golf fitness program has upon the golfer's swing, and how to implement golf fitness exercises correctly.

Monday 24 May 2010

Improve Your Golf Game

Improve Your Golf Game

Why should you work on improving your golf game? For one,
the next time that you head out onto the green with your
boss you won't feel like a complete fool when he starts
talking about his skills. And, you'll be able to brag to
your buddies about how you came out under par. It can also
help you to enjoy the game more so. Maybe you just need a
little more practice (time to get away Saturday morning from
the wife and kids) or maybe you just need someone to show
you a few techniques to help you get the most out of your
game. Either way, improving your golf game can happen in
just these steps.

* One of the most prolific mistakes that people make in
their golf game is their stance. Because of how important
the way that you stand is, you'll need to make sure that you
have it down perfectly. If this sounds hard, it doesn't
have to be.

* After improving your stance, you need to take the time to
improve your swing and your follow through. When working to
improve your golf game, the follow through of your swing
will ultimately provide you with an accurate shot.

* Another mistake the individuals make yet need to realize
when working to improve their golf game is their use of
clubs. Which is the right one to use when you tee off?
Which should you use to get out of the sand dune? While you
may think you know the answer, you probably don't.

Okay, so these are the things that you should work on to
improve your golf game, but how do you actually do it? What
should you look for? While you can definitely learn from
the web, it often makes more sense to see the difference in
what you are doing and what you should be doing, not just
reading it. For that, you should consider one of several
options.

* First, you can enroll in a few golf courses at your local
golf club. This is the best option because it allows hands
on, personal training. It is also the most expensive.

* Second, you could also take some courses through your
local community center. A good choice and it is less
expensive.

* You can also work on your golf game by using videos
designed to help you each step of the way. The videos can
be purchased throughout the web and allow you to actually
see the right way to stand and swing your club.

Improving your golf game just got a whole lot easier!


Friday 21 May 2010

Improve your golf swing

Improve your golf swing

Are you looking for drills to improve your golf swing? If so then you have come to the right place. Here I am going to share with you 2 drills that have helped me reduce my handicap and have more fun playing golf. While it is often hard to tell someone how to swing a golf club, showing them drills can really help speed up the game improvement process.

1. The first drill I am going to teach you is the headcover drill which is used to prevent the flying right elbow in the backswing, and keeps your arms close to your body throughout the golf swing which is a key to accuracy and consistency. First of all you need to get a headcover and tuck it in under your right armpit. You want to keep your right arm close enough to your side in the backswing that the headcover does not come out. This will help your ball striking drastically. This is one of the top drills to improve your golf swing.

2. The second drill that I want you to do is called the shake hands drill. This drill helps you release the golf club and in turn hit the ball further and straighter. What you are going to do is swing back to the top with just your right hand not using a club. When you swing through your hand should be releasing with your body and the right hand should be in a position to shake someone's hand in front of you.

These drills to improve your golf swing should help you to start playing better golf, because it is much easier to learn by feel than to try and listen mechanically how to do something. Drills give you the ability to learn by feel and you will improve much faster.

I know using a combination of drills and a special system I was able to take 5 strokes off of my scores in just a few days!

Wednesday 19 May 2010

improve your golf swing

improve your golf swing

Golf slice affects the game of golf negatively, and is a major obstruction in getting consistent good scores in golf games. Golf fanatics are more often than not, troubled with this curse of slicing the golf ball to unintended places - hitting banana shots without much accuracy.

Not surprisingly, many golfers, no matter new or professionals, are constantly looking for tips to correcting golf slice. No matter how much we try to control, the ball just curves away instead of going straight, and looks like a raging boomerang. If you are one of them, then this is the article for you.

Thanks for opening this article and making time to read. By the end of this article, you will not only have armed yourself with complete knowledge of correcting golf slice, but also how to do it in the most effective and economical way. It will save you a lot of time, which a lot of people waste normally on trying flop ideas and products. But like anything, it will also require some dedication from you. Rest assured you will destroy your slice completely. You will be able to participate in a few local golf tournaments soon, without the demoralizing effect of your slicing problem. So let us not waste time and get some basic and very useful information quickly.

Understanding causes that cause slice

The main reason for slicing the ball is that the club is not flat in touch with the ball at time of impact. There are some basic errors that are responsible for this: Improper grip on the club, improper stance position, and also improper swing. Getting rid of these problems is essential in nice slice free shots.

A few tips to get you started getting better shots

A proper grip will help you eliminate a big percentage of slicing problems. The pressure on the golf club should be neither too much nor too less. Both of which will lead to curved shots.

A proper and relaxed stance, feet shoulder distance apart, both feet are facing directly in front with toes. The elbows and arms are as relaxed as they can be. An unnatural position will cause slicing.

When swinging, follow it correctly, without turning the hands too fast. The speed of body turning and hands motion should match perfectly. It is one of the most crucial factors to correcting golf slice and getting good shots consistently.

Monday 17 May 2010

Golf fitness exercises

Golf fitness exercises

Golf fitness exercises can be very beneficial in getting you ready for the upcoming golf season. Golf exercises with swing drills can prepare you for a successful year on the links right from the start.

The PGA Golf Tour is in full swing and for many parts of the country and world the golf season is upon us. Many of you are anxious to dust off the golf clubs and get out to the golf course for your first round of golf. A question that may be on your mind is how do I get ready? How do I knock off 6 months of rust on my golf swing, feel comfortable with my driver on the first tee, and post a good golf score at the end of the round?

All questions that are asked often in the world of professional golf and this article will provide you with the answers. Answers to these questions and many more fall under the category of how do I prepare myself for the golf season?

Interesting enough if the guidelines from this article are followed the golf score you post for your first round of the year may be lower than you ever expected, the distance of your drives may well be farther than you imagined, and the number of accurate golf shots you hit may be even more surprising!

The answer to all the questions on how to get ready for the upcoming golf season centers on preparation. Preparation is the key to a successful first round of golf and every round you play in the upcoming golf season.

We all probably understand the definition of preparation but lets take a quick look in order for us to all be on the same page. Preparation can be defined as the work or planning involved in making something or somebody ready or putting something together in advance (Encarta Dictionary, MSN.com).

A definition that sheds light on getting ready for the upcoming golf season. Using the above definition we can see the process of preparing for the upcoming golf season does not begin 10 minutes before your first tee time, but rather in advance of when you get ready to hit driver off the first tee. Bottom line the process of getting ready for the upcoming golf season begins weeks or even months before your' first round of golf of the year.

To have a successful first round of golf and a good season of golf you must begin the process of preparation well in advance of your first time on the golf course. If you look at professional golfers they begin the process of preparing for the upcoming golf season months in advanced. I would suggest doing the same. Develop a plan that will get your golf swing ready once the snow thaws, the birds are chirping, and the greens are ready for putting.

What does such a plan contain? This type of "golf preparation plan" would contain drills, exercises, and programs to improve and prepare every aspect of your golf game. If we break down the game of golf into categories the "golf program" becomes much easier to understand. Obviously, we have the different shots made on the course. A brief breakdown would indicate the need to implement swing drills to work on the full swing, short game, and putting. We could obviously get a little more detailed than a breakdown of the golf game into three different categories, but lets' keep it simple.

Now that we have this breakdown of the game of golf into full swing, short game, and putting the next step is to implement a series of drills to work on each of these aspects. Simply put I would suggest devising a series of drills to work on each part of the golf game/swing. This can easily be accomplished by purchasing a few books or videos from one of the top-teaching professionals in the world of golf.

Each one of these qualified golf instructors have numerous materials available to help you with your golf swing. And if you are one of those individuals that lives in a cold climate and is unable to get to a driving range or practice facility, no need to worry. Most all of the instructional videos/books available have drills that can be performed in the comfort of your own home.

At this point we have a couple of bases covered in the "preparation plan" for the upcoming golf season. We understand preparation is key to a successful year on the golf course, the "preparation plan" begins well in advance of the first tee time of the year, and a portion of the plan consists of swing drills. This brings us to final part of your "preparation plan" for the upcoming golf season.

This part of the plan centers on the implementation of golf fitness exercises to go along with your swing drills. We must understand the concept of your body and the golf swing. The golf swing is executed in its' entirety by your body. In order for your body to execute the golf swing correctly. It requires you to have certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power within it. If you are lacking in any one of these physical areas compensations will occur in your golf swing.

It comes down to this: In order to be prepared for the upcoming golf season and to improve your golf swing. The implementation of golf fitness exercises geared towards developing your body around the golf swing is necessary. This type of program will prepare the body for the golf swing and the upcoming golf season.

To summarize, the process of preparing yourself for the upcoming golf season begins with a "preparation plan". This plan begins weeks to months in advance of your first time out on the golf course. Additionally, this "preparation plan" for the upcoming golf season contains a series of golf training drills to prepare your golf swing. The golf training drills break down the golf game into three sections; full swing, short game, and putting. A series of swing drills are implemented to work on each one of these parts of your golf game. In addition golf fitness exercises are implemented into the golf-training program to develop your body around your golf swing. Put all these pieces together and your first time out on the golf course this year should be an enjoyable one.

Saturday 15 May 2010

Improve your golf game

Improve your golf game

Everyone seems to want to improve their golf game and seek out all of the advice that they can find. They read everything they can and mostly get confused in the end. To really improve your golf game you need to concentrate on one aspect at a time and work on that until you prefect that one point. Unfortunately, no one is dedicated enough to actually see it through and work through their frustrations. You will surely have bad rounds while improving your swing and you will get frustrated but if you actually hold out and continue doing the corrections to your swing, you will benefit by them tremendously for the effort. Don't be the golfer that is looking for a band-aid to improve their golf game as they are not really curing the problems but instead treating some of the symptoms.

The golf swing is not something that with a weeks worth of practice can become like a pros, but most golfers think they can do that or possibly just hope they can. During the phase of correcting your swing, you will not be hitting the ball good and your swing will feel very awkward to you. You need to keep practicing it until you develop coordination with the part of your swing that you are attempting to improve.

Most instructors feel that every golfer should pick out one thing in their game to improve. Most golfers don't do that and after approximately 3 years of consistent play they cease to try to improve anything and just continue with what they have learned. Get a good instructor and practice the improvements for at least one full month for each aspect you are trying to improve. Do not forget that you will get frustrated and that is part of the game so you will have to learn to deal with it.

So now you have decided to improve your golf swing and you get a good instructor and he tells you how to improve your backswing, for instance. Make sure that whatever they teach you that you understand it completely. Practice will help you to improve your game but if you are practicing the wrong things you will never improve anything. Ask the instructor if you are actually doing it right and you explain back to him what it is you should be doing so you make sure that what you are practicing is the proper thing.

While you are practicing these tips to improve your golf game, you have to give it a full month on just one small part of the improvement. If you don't change that aspect one at a time, and try to change a lot of things at one time, all you will be doing is not allowing your body and muscles to adjust to the change and everything eventually will go back to the way it started.

Make the decision to change one aspect of your game and you will improve your golf game along with it. This will help you cut down on the frustrations once they are learned and possibly teach you some patience while you are practicing.

Thursday 13 May 2010

How do I improve my golf game

How do I improve my golf game

Many people ask, "How do I improve my golf game?" And the answer is not always a simple, straightforward one. There are three possible places in which you have the opportunity to improve your game, they are: the short game, the putting game and the power game. Golfing success is mastering the skills to the 'best of one's ability' not becoming the next greatest thing in golf. You are golfing to have fun, not to beat everyone and their brother - although that is a nice perk, having fun is more important and getting your game right is a great beginning.

There are several kinds of shots that strike fear in the golfer, whether it's a fairway bunker play, putting at close range or it could be the drive; sooner or later, there comes a shot that you wish you could skip or someone else could take it for you. For some people, it's the chip shot.

Poor chipping can ratchet up your score every time. It's a heart wrenching thing to watch your ball go happily bouncing on to the green, then suddenly roll across or past the hole and fly down the other side, off the green into the wild blue yonder. Just as annoying is a high-flying chip shot that goes flying past the hole, never even rolling on the real-estate near the hole.

How do you correct this? Well, you can ask anybody and they will have a tip for you. There are a million and one tip on how to correctly execute a chip shot and you could do very well to listen to them. However, there is one tip that is far better than all the rest and it has to do with your hands at the impact of the club and the ball.

If your hands lead the club face through the impact, you will experience a great chip shot each and every time.

How do I improve my golf game? - could be a simple thing as improving your chip shot. Like many shots, move the greater part of your weight to the left foot. Towards the back of the stance is where you want to play the ball, making sure the hands go ahead of the ball. This is so important if you want to control your shots on the golf course. Setting up your hands so that they lead your body through the shot is the most important part of this exercise.

You are trying to hit the ball without scooping it or sliding the club face across the ball. It's a downward strike in which your wrists are not allowed to dominate. The entire success is depended on your hands going before the ball.

This is only one answer to "how can I improve my golf game?" but it's a good answer and will help those who are afraid of the chip shots and with a little, or a lot, of practice, can concur the chip shot and get the ball on the green near the hole, not past it.

Wednesday 12 May 2010

Improve your golf swing

Improve your golf swing

I've been playing golf for the past 6 years and have decided to look for products that I feel will improve your golf swing. I know exactly what it is like to play this sport and how much effort we put in to improve your golf swing. So I will be reviewing product offers for different golf products and let you know whether it is worth at least checking it out.

Today I have picked golf swing secrets revealed (The new 4 magic moves) which is a site designed to improve your golf swing. When you go onto the website the first thing you will read is a claim to reduce your handicap by half which I feel is a bold claim. However I know from personal experience that this is possible. I reduced my handicap from 20 to 9 in the space of a year with a lot of hard practice (hours spent down the driving range), and hard earned cash spent on lessons with PGA pro's. However I realise most people haven't got the time or money to, improve your golf swing the same way I did. To improve your golf swing you need something that is affordable and easy to understand so that when you get time to try to improve your golf swing down the range you know exactly what you are aiming to achieve.

I believe you can't go wrong by checking out golf swing secrets revealed. If you decide to visit the site you will find a list explaining how you will go about learning to improve your golf swing. This includes how to how to spot mistakes in your swing before you reach the first tee and how to prevent power leaks which will certainly improve your golf swing. In my opinion though the most tempting part of the offer is entering your name and email (All information kept 100% confidential) and they will send a Free illustrated 60 page PDF Report, 14 min's Video and 19 min's Audio explaining the first of the four magic moves that the pros keep to themselves. You also get free audio tips! Also you get to read an extended version of the offer on how to improve your golf swing which gives you more information on the product itself and people who have tried the product. It also explains that you get 2 months full money back guarantee if you do not improve your golf swing.

The last word: If you want to improve your golf swing but have found it hard going why not try, something fresh and at least give golf secrets revealed a look. What have you got to lose! At worst you will get a free tip on how to improve your golf swing but if you do decide to buy then you will have the 2 months money guarantee to fall back onto. It's a win win situation. Good luck and happy golfing.

Monday 10 May 2010

Improve your golf swing

Improve your golf swing

With the internet and cable television there are hundreds of ways to improve your golf swing like never before. Simply watching the Golf channel a few hours a week can drastically improve your entire golf game and improve your golf swing from the comfort of your couch. The mental part of golf plays such a huge part in your game, but, in the end you are going to need to work on your golf mechanics.

I have come up with a list of 7 tips to improve your golf swing that you may want to use if you are looking for a way to improve your overall golf game. I would recommend trying these tips at your local driving range and not on the course just yet. You need to get the mechanics down before you wind up hitting the links and getting yourself even more frustrated.


1. I have found that making a video of myself swing can do wonders in the quest to improve your golf swing. You can see yourself in an entirely different way and analyze what you are doing wrong. If a video is not possible, simple practice your swing in front of a large mirror over and over until you can identify the bad habits.
2. Go to your local golf course and see if the local PGA pro offers golf lessons. Try to learn the correct mechanics to improve your golf swing from a professional if possible. This will move the process along much faster and have you breaking 80 in no time at all.
3. One of the best tips I can give and new and old players are guilty of this, but simply, keep your head down. If you can condition yourself not to lift your head through the follow through you will do wonders in the effort to improve your golf swing.
4. Find a second hand blade iron, these irons tend to have very small sweet spots which force you to hit the ball correctly. This club should be used to practice your swing over and over until you hit that spot on a regular basis. One of the greatest things about the blade type club is that if you hit the ball incorrectly, the club will immediately vibrate in your hands, letting you know you have done something wrong.
5. One of the easiest and simplest tips I can give, is practice, practice and more practice. You can not expect to improve your golf swing by hitting the driving range once a month or by watching a few videos on golf techniques. You need to hit that range and practice, or go to the park, and drive that ball around, walk after it and drive it again, over and over.
6. Here is a trick I learned recently, that is extremely powerful. Practice in slow motion. You can see the problem areas in more detail and the process of repeating the action over and over in slow motion will instill the golf swing mechanics into your muscular system. This trick has worked wonders when I show others how to improve your golf swing.
7. Finally, on your next golf outing, take notes, mental notes if possible of the players in your group that have a great swing. Notice the techniques and mechanics they use and mimic them, or even ask them for a little help on the side to master the process.

I hope you enjoyed these 7 tips to improve your golf swing, hopefully my tips will help in a small way. Enjoy the journey and have fun.

Saturday 8 May 2010

improve your golf swing

improve your golf swing


Spring has arrived, time to get those clubs out of storage and get your swing on!

So, how was your game last year? Did you finish as strong as you hoped? We're you constantly battling with slicing and hooking and keeping the ball in the fairway. If so, then listen up, you're not alone. In fact, I struggled myself. So when somebody comes up with a product that promises to help you improve your game. I'm going to listen.

Here's the thing. There are people out there that are going to tell you that they can improve your golf shot over. That's garbage. There is no chance of anybody improving their swing and shaving shots off their score over night. Not even the PGA professionals. One reason is because you are going to have to completely overhaul your swing, and that is easier said than done.

One of the simpler things you can do is place the ball near the front of your stance. It may seem a bit awkward, but it will help you get the ball off of the ground. There is a downside to this stance however, you may get the ball off of the ground better and lessen your chance of slicing, but you will be losing significant distance.

Also, make sure you are hitting the ball while you are swinging down, not while the club head is coming back up. This will improve the distance of the flight, and also create that cool little divot that the pros always seem to make, without losing distance or damaging your wrists.

These are just a few tips, but there is a guy out there that has created a product that promises to improve your golf swing and shave points off of your score. And at least he is promising 2 weeks. Be warned though, this takes consistent golfing during that two week period. more than likely, you will be required to play once per day to be able to develop the proper skills this product is suggesting. But hey, it's spring, the days are longer, and the grass doesn't need to be mowed yet.

* Note, I am not suggesting your completely shirk all of your responsibilities and play golf everyday for 2 weeks, remember your priorities.

One important thing to remember is to have fun with your golf game. Add that to the skills you can gain from the Golf Guru, and you can improve you Golf Swing, and shave shots off your score before you know it.


Wednesday 17 February 2010

How to Improve Your Golf Swing - 7 Tips, 7 Strokes, 7 Days

How to Improve Your Golf Swing - 7 Tips, 7 Strokes, 7 Days

Here are 7 quick fixes that you can apply to your golf game instantly and will have you dropping strokes very soon.

Improve Your Golf Swing Tip 1. Stretch your muscles for 5 minutes before you hit the first tee. Warming up and stretching could save you strokes during the first few holes try it and see it definitely won't hurt your game.

Improve Your Golf Swing Tip 2. Slow your swing down. If you focus on a slower smooth tempo you will end up hitting the ball straighter and likely longer. When you try to hit the ball as hard as possible your mis-hits are going to be amplified big time.

Improve Your Golf Swing
Tip 3. Try to swing through the ball. Golf clubs have certain lofts for a reason let the club do the work. Try to make crisp contact with the grass and leave a small divot.

Improve Your Golf Swing Tip 4. Stand behind the ball and pick a target before you swing. You should have a target to aim for rather than aiming just straight ahead.

Improve Your Golf Swing Tip 5. Picture the ball flight in your head. This one is my favorites because golf really is a mental game I find, and sometimes just using your head will save you some strokes.

Improve Your Golf Swing Tip 6. When Putting, focus on your distance first and then the aim. Having good distance control can help turn those 3 putts into 2 putts on any hole.

Improve Your Golf Swing Tip 7. Keep your eye on the ball. Try to focus right down to the dimple. It will help you from lifting your head in your back swing.

Improve Your Golf - Tips on Correct Swing and Correct Grip Techniques

Improve Your Golf - Tips on Correct Swing and Correct Grip Techniques

If you want to improve your golf, some advice on correct swing and correct grip techniques will certainly help since your golf swing is the most important part of your golf game to perfect. There are many aspects to improving your golf game on which you might want to focus, but your swing is the most important of them.

If we target correct grip techniques first, it is important that you understand the effect of your grip on the direction of the ball. We are assuming here that you are not a beginner, and that you have a basic understanding of the effect of spin on the direction a golf ball will take after the strike, and that you are also aware of the basic components of a good swing.

Adjustments to your grip can be used to correct problems such as the dreaded slice or hook, but by using the correct grip you can also control these faults to use a fade or a draw to drive round obstacles such as trees, or bring your ball into the green on a much better trajectory. In fact that is one of the major ways in which you can improve your golf game.

As an example, by strengthening your grip - that is moving your hands more clockwise round the shaft than your normal grip - you can impart clockwise spin on the ball that will bend it from left to right. Do that inadvertently and you will slice the ball, but if you use that golf grip in a controlled way, and move your stance so that your feet are aiming left of target, then you can spin and bend the ball from left to right into the flag rather than straight at it. You could use that grip to avoid a greenside bunker, or to allow the ball to run to a flag placed in an otherwise awkward position to reach.

Switch your grip the other way - counter-clockwise - and place your feet to right of target, then you can draw the ball into the green from right to left. Another grip technique you can use to improve your golf involves using a lower grip down the shaft on chip shots where you want to use less of a backswing, but it's important with all of these that you also get your feet placed right and use the correct swing technique to go with the shot.

You can also improve your golf by using various training aids to correct swing problems, examples being the swing plane trainer and the weighted club. The swing plane trainer helps you to correct problems with your swing plane: the circle that your club head makes between the upswing and follow through. These should occur in one plane for maximum control, and there are various types of golf training devices to help you achieve that, ranging from the large circular devices you see at driving ranges to lasers attached to your club head.

A very important aspect of your swing is flexibility, and golf flexibility exercises can help considerably in enabling you to improve your golf swing. A correct swing technique is a twisting and rotational movement that is not natural to the human body, and the more flexible your joints and muscles then the more capable you will be of executing this movement correctly and effectively.

You also need strength to hit the ball and follow through at speed, let alone the stamina required for you to play at maximum ability throughout 18 holes. Strength and flexibility exercises to improve your golf fitness cannot be done in a gym, and traditional weight-lifting training is not involved. A weighted club can be used to swing in order to build up those muscles used during the rotational movement needed in a correct swing, and a medicine ball or other weight can be used at arms length to help you twist your body from side to side while sitting in a chair.

There is more to training your golf swing than just playing golf, and many of the exercises that can be used improve your suppleness, flexibility and golf strength can be carried out at home or in the office. Here's an example:

1. Sit upright in a chair with a medicine ball, heavy book or any other weight in your hands.
2. Hold your arms straight out in front of you, and twist as far as you can to the right - hold for five seconds.
3. Twist round to the left as far as you can and hold for five seconds.
4. Carry out ten repetitions.

You can do that in three minutes in your office two or three times a day, and within a week you will see a difference in your game. You will be able to drive faster and add yards onto your length. Add to that some more indoor training, such as going through your swing at normal speed using a weight, such as a barbell or even a heavy iron rod in your hands, and you will build up your rotational muscles.

There are many ways for you to improve your golf and if you work on correct swing and correct grip techniques, and also on your fitness for golf, it won't be long before your length rockets, your scores start to tumble down and your handicap drop with them.

Monday 15 February 2010

Five Ways to Improve Your Golf Game

Five Ways to Improve Your Golf Game

Golf is a sport that can never be mastered. You can never win at golf, you can only do better than you have in the past, or score lower than an opponent. Most often, however, this is of little concern; most golfers play because they love the sport. Still, golfers the world over seek to constantly improve their game. To play better, to beat a friendly rival, or simply to have more fun. There are scores of different golf improvement strategies out there, but several stand out as things you can do to improve your game. Here are the top five things you can do to play better golf.

Golf is a sport that can never be mastered. You can never win at golf, you can only do better than you have in the past, or score lower than an opponent. Most often, however, this is of little concern; most golfers play because they love the sport. Still, golfers the world over seek to constantly improve their game. To play better, to beat a friendly rival, or simply to have more fun. There are scores of different golf improvement strategies out there, but several stand out as things you can do to improve your game. Here are the top five things you can do to play better golf.

Number 1: Take a lesson. Don't let anyone tell you that you have to take lessons all summer, or even a series of ten lessons. Although it is fine if you can do those things, you don't need to - especially if you are a summer time, weekend player. A single lesson will go a long way in helping you improve your game. Tell the pro ahead of time what you want to work on and get the most out of your hour. To make the most of your lesson, get back to basics. Focus on the fundamentals. So many golfers - especially 15+ handicappers, have trouble improving because they have fundamental problems. Have the pro look at your grip, your address and your basic spine/body angle both at address and during your swing. Nine times out of ten, slight adjustments in your grip, address, or spine angle can have a huge impact on your ability to strike the ball well.

Number 2: Get clubs that properly fit you. If you went to the large, chain sporting goods store and bought a set of clubs that were on sale, or if you went online and picked up a set of great clubs, you may be playing with the completely wrong set. It doesn't matter that all the reviews said that they're great for your ability level. The clubs need to match you in a much more intimate way. Your clubs should match your swing speed, level of upright, grip size, height and ability. A good swing analyst will examine all of these things, and more, all in an effort to match you specifically to the clubs that you will allow you to hit the ball well.

Number 3: Get Flexible. This is particularly important for golfers who are a little older. If your back and shoulders are tied up in knots, regardless of the reason, you will not play as well. The reason is simple: bio mechanics play the key roll in setting the physics of ball flight into motion. Flexibility will improve swing speed, improve club arc, and even allow you to shape your shots with greater accuracy. The same is true for lower body flexibility. Simple stretching exercises can be employed, or you can try something more exotic like a Thai Yoga Massage to help you along the way.

Number 4: Stop listening to your buddies. This should not even need to be said, but a 20 handicapper has no business telling you how to hit a high fade with a fairway iron to avoid the tree that's 200 yards out between you and the green on a long par 5. The same goes for sand shots, and of course on the tee box. The exception might be on the green. If someone has an opinion about a read, you can listen, just weight how much you listen in accordance with the ability of the player. If someone has just made 30 putts and you're at the turn, don't listen.

Number 5: Get a distance finder. Club selection is one aspect of golf that can be the difference between shooting 100 or shooting an 88. Club selection is all about knowing how far you are from the target and also about the terrain that you are playing on. Moreover, if you have made any other game improving adjustments, a distance finder can help in some unlikely ways: If you have a new set of clubs - properly fitted, of course - you may be hitting your clubs at different distances than with your old set. You'll find two types of distance finders: GPS units like the Bushnell Yardage Pro and laser range finders like the Bushnell Pinseeker. Both are excellent choices. The GPS systems have more features, like the ability to download course data to the units, or linking to systems like iGolf. The laser range finders are more straight forward, providing accurate distance to the pin.

These five steps will help you play better golf. You don't even have to do all of them. Just make a plan to do one of them, wait for the results and then pursue another. In a very short time, you can really improve your golf game.

Improve Your Golf Game - Harvey Pennick Says Build Your Game Around Your Best Golf Iron

Improve Your Golf Game - Harvey Pennick Says Build Your Game Around Your Best Golf Iron

Are you looking for some silver bullet to improve your golf game? There's no such thing, but I've been (re)reading Harvey Pennick's books on golf, and something struck me. Something he said really stuck in my mind: If you are an amateur golfer, you can get very good results by building your game around your #5 or #7 iron.

Now, who is Harvey Pennick and why should you listen to him? In his heyday, Mr. Pennick was golf coach to several US Open Winners - Tom Kite among the most prominent of his students. He also successfully coached university golf teams, and more than a few weekend golfers. He ended his career as the much-beloved club pro of the Austin Country Club, having successfully seen to the golfing needs of hundreds of club members.

So why does he say stick to one iron, especially the #5 or #7? First of all, the #5 and #7 irons are the most used golf irons among amateurs, being medium range clubs for many golfers. Once you are off the tee and on the fairway, you no longer need the range of the driver. Looking back, my best shots on the fairway were always aimed at some particular point I could see clearly. And any point I could see clearly was within range of my #5 iron.

The point is: when you stick with one main iron, you get better faster (with it). It becomes your best buddy, the one you go to most often. You quickly learn what it can do, and what it can't. You learn how to bend its performance to meet your needs. A lot of uncertainty disappears.

Let's say you make the #5 your favorite. You are faced with a tricky shot. You estimate the distance at 70 yards with a 15 yard margin of error to the bunker ... you hope. You know your #5 iron can give you that distance with a 3/4 backswing. You know because you have done it many, many times in the past, because this is the club you build your game around. You swing your club, and lo and behold, the ball rolls to a stop with 5 yards to spare.

In theory, you could have done the same thing with a full swing from your #7 iron. But you can't be sure, because you don't play enough golf to practice equally with both clubs. So you have to choose, jack of all trades, master of none, by playing all your irons from #3 to #9, or just master one iron, which can get you most places you need to go.

Remember that you are a weekend golfer. You don't play the US Open, and don't need to master every iron in your bag. You don't need the level of precision and control which every iron can give you.

Unless you can spend everyday on the golf course, the fastest way to improve your golf game is to simplify your game as much as possible. Minimize the number of clubs you actually play with in order to develop the skill and consistency with those clubs quickly. Stick with the driver, #5 iron, putter and one wedge, and you'll see real improvement quickly. These four clubs will serve you most of your time.

Saturday 13 February 2010

It is possible to simply improve your golf game with these 5 easy tips

It is possible to simply improve your golf game with these 5 easy tips

1. Addressing the Ball
The first way to simply improve your golf swing is to address the ball correctly. Many golfers just step up to the ball and start swinging, then they wonder why the ball doesn't go the right way. Let's take about a shoulder-width stance and stand with the half-way between your front and back foot. There are many ways to approach the ball, but this way is about average and will help get your swing going again. Also, make sure you can comfortably reach the ball, with your club, by bending your knees a little and some bend at the waist.

2. Rotate Your Hands
Put on a wrist watch for this drill. This will allow you to visualize what you need to do. When you are in your swing and you are pointing toward impact with the ball, the watch face should be pointing down the target line. Rotate the watch so that it is pointed at the ground. Pointing the watch down closes your club face, improves your impact zone, reducing the slice and adding speed to your swing. Keep your forearms together through the impact zone.

3. Practice your putting
So let's think about this for a minute....if you go and shoot 100 on 18 holes chances are you will have at least 40 putts. That means you will have used one club in your bag about 40% of the time. It should make perfect sense, then, if you want to improve your score improve your putting. Practice putting more and your score will drop.

4.Your Posture
You should begin by looking at your posture when you are taking the shot as this can make all the difference to your swing. Make sure that you are stood in a natural position and not overstretching in any way, keep your knees bent and feet apart - but not too far apart as this will lead you to being unsteady which will effect your swing.

5.Practicing
When practicing on the green, don't just randomly hit the ball. You should calculate the speed, distance, and direction of each hit to know what you need to what on to improve your swing. Use ball markers as targets rather than a hole. This will allow you to focus more on rolling the ball over the marker rather than sinking it.

Practice is really the only way to improve your golf swing

Practice is really the only way to improve your golf swing.

It doesn't matter how fancy your clubs and balls are...what matters is the time and effort you put into making yourself a better golfer. Drills can help you do this, so head out to the course every chance you get to work on your skills.

When practicing on the green, don't just randomly hit the ball. You should calculate the speed, distance, and direction of each hit to know what you need to what on to improve your swing. Use ball markers as targets rather than a hole. This will allow you to focus more on rolling the ball over the marker rather than sinking it.

Each time you set up a putt, you should do so from a different location and distance from your target. Learning how to control the strength that you transfer from your arms to the club will help you hit the ball successfully from any location. Move around to at least 25 different places during each drill.

To end your practice, place your balls just a few feet from the hole, all the way around it. Once you get at least 5 consecutive sinks, you will be free to go home.

Going home shouldn't always end your golfing practice. Drills can be done at home to improve your golf swing. Putting devices can be purchased that have a row of grass carpet with a cup at the end. Just going outside and swinging a club in your hands can help improve your balance and focus.




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Thursday 11 February 2010

Improve Your Golf Game - Will All the Golf Tips You Read Really Help?

Improve Your Golf Game - Will All the Golf Tips You Read Really Help?

Everyone seems to want to improve their golf game and seek out all of the advice that they can find. They read everything they can and mostly get confused in the end. To really improve your golf game you need to concentrate on one aspect at a time and work on that until you prefect that one point. Unfortunately, no one is dedicated enough to actually see it through and work through their frustrations. You will surely have bad rounds while improving your swing and you will get frustrated but if you actually hold out and continue doing the corrections to your swing, you will benefit by them tremendously for the effort. Don't be the golfer that is looking for a band-aid to improve their golf game as they are not really curing the problems but instead treating some of the symptoms.

The golf swing is not something that with a weeks worth of practice can become like a pros, but most golfers think they can do that or possibly just hope they can. During the phase of correcting your swing, you will not be hitting the ball good and your swing will feel very awkward to you. You need to keep practicing it until you develop coordination with the part of your swing that you are attempting to improve.

Most instructors feel that every golfer should pick out one thing in their game to improve. Most golfers don't do that and after approximately 3 years of consistent play they cease to try to improve anything and just continue with what they have learned. Get a good instructor and practice the improvements for at least one full month for each aspect you are trying to improve. Do not forget that you will get frustrated and that is part of the game so you will have to learn to deal with it.

So now you have decided to improve your golf swing and you get a good instructor and he tells you how to improve your backswing, for instance. Make sure that whatever they teach you that you understand it completely. Practice will help you to improve your game but if you are practicing the wrong things you will never improve anything. Ask the instructor if you are actually doing it right and you explain back to him what it is you should be doing so you make sure that what you are practicing is the proper thing.

While you are practicing these tips to improve your golf game, you have to give it a full month on just one small part of the improvement. If you don't change that aspect one at a time, and try to change a lot of things at one time, all you will be doing is not allowing your body and muscles to adjust to the change and everything eventually will go back to the way it started.

Make the decision to change one aspect of your game and you will improve your golf game along with it. This will help you cut down on the frustrations once they are learned and possibly teach you some patience while you are practicing.

One of the aspects you can start with is the golf grip. Find out how a golf grip trainer can improve several of the flaws that may exist in your swing.

Do You Know the Top Three Golf Aids to Improve Your Golf Swing?

Do You Know the Top Three Golf Aids to Improve Your Golf Swing?

If you play golf, you are always looking for a way to improve your golf swing. Without a doubt, the best way to achieve the perfect golf swing is to get good quality golf swing instructions. Unfortunately, not all instructors are created equal. Even when you find a good trainer, he can only take you so far. To master your golf lessons, you still need to do a lot of work on your own. Luckily, there are inexpensive tools and golf aids that can help you.

The most important principle to improve your golf swing is practice. Correct practice. Lots and lots of practice. The top three golf aids listed below are selected with this central principle in mind - to give you the ability to do lots of correct practice.

1. More golf balls.

To get lots of practice, you need lots of golf balls. How many do you have? Ten? Twenty? I say that's not enough. You need at least a hundred. You need to be able to just swing away at the ball, without having to go pick them up. If you just hit the ball five or ten times every time you practice, you will never improve.

A quick check at Amazon shows that a dozen balls sell for around $15 to $30. Wilson's Staff Fifty, which travels 250 yards (as tested by CNN's Golf Lab), costs $15. If you don't have the budget for new golf balls, secondhand balls are a good choice. Modern golf balls are very resilient and can last you very many games. Amazon offers good quality used golf balls like Titleists NXT Tour, (which travels 254 yards), at $37 for 36 balls. If you look carefully, you can get even better deals on eBay, effectively paying $0.50 per ball.

2. Golf net.

Whether you hit your balls at the driving range or at home, a net is a must. At the driving range, having your own net helps you to easily recover your golf balls after your practice session. After all, you don't want to hunt for your golf balls every time you finish your practice, do you? And there is no way for you to practice at home without a net.

You can buy a golf net at your local golf shop, or look for a good deal from Amazon on eBay. You'll find that some nets are easy to set up and take down, but a bit flimsy. Others are sturdy but difficult to set up. What you get will depend on your needs. If you have a fixed place to practice at home, buy the sturdier net. If you need to take your net to the driving range, then pick the one which is easier to put up and dismantle.

You can even make your own golf net. Just use a double or triple layer of fine-meshed fishing net and you ready for lots of practice.

3. Digicam/Videocam.

The third essential (and inexpensive) golf aid is a digital camera. Set it up on its tripod or a folding chair and turn it on. Record your golf swings and play them back in slow motion. Find out where your mistakes are and fix them your next practice session. Fix your mistakes one by one and improve your golf swing step by step. Compare the playback of your swing against a good reference - either borrow a good golf swing book from your local library or look at the videos on the PGA's web-site.

Remember, the best long-term method to improve your golf swing is to get lots of practice hitting golf balls correctly. The three golf aids listed above will help you to do that.

Improve Your Golf Score With The One Plane Golf Swing

Improve Your Golf Score With The One Plane Golf Swing

Every golfer is looking to lower their golf score and improve their golf swing. And let's face it, a proper golf swing is pretty complicated when you start putting together all the things you need - set up, golf grip, stance, addressing the ball, wrist cock, backswing, hip swivel, downswing, etc.

One great way to improve your golf score is to simplify your golf swing. So how do you do that?

Focusing on the one plane golf swing can go a long way toward simplifying your golf game and improving the consistency of your golf shots. What exactly is a one plan golf swing? A one plane golf swing keeps your club on one plane during the entire golf swing, which can minimize mistakes that you might make.

The one plane golf swing allows you to strike the ball with the club face square, improving the quality of your golf shot. This will help to minimize those bad slices and hooks that get you in so much trouble. A great way to develop a good one plane golf swing is to find a golf instructor that teaches this type of swing.

One good lesson with the right instructor can greatly improve your one plan golf swing, practically lowering your score overnight.

There are also golf swing training aids, such as the golf swing trainer, that are designed to keep your golf swing on one plane. This is an easy way to practice the one plane golf swing at home with minimal expense. You just need to put in the training time.

Finally, another training aid is one I've mentioned before, and that is making sure you are properly balanced throughout your swing. You do this by placing a quarter on your front shoe. If you are properly balanced with a one plane golf swing, the quarter should remain on your shoe throughout the swing.

If it falls off, you weren't properly balanced throughout your golf swing. By being able to swing consistently without the quarter falling off your shoe, you'll be better balanced for more of your golf shots, resulting in better, more consistent shots.

Improve Your Golf Game In Minutes?

Improve Your Golf Game In Minutes?

There has been a lot of talk recently about whether the average golf player can improve their golf game in minutes. Well the answer is yes they can. Moreover the method to do so is perhaps different and much easier than you think. You do not have to shell out hundreds on the latest Driver, Putter and Irons etc nor do you have to get professional coaching which normally takes a lot of time and money. Because lets face it, the world is a fast moving place and people today want to improve their golf game as soon as possible without spending a lot of money. If this sounds like you, read on as the following information will make playing golf a lot more enjoyable for you.

The true key to improving your golf game can be found through golf psychology. Golf psychology is the mental aspect to golf which most players overlook in their quest to improve. This is why most players do not play their best. To perform at your peak level and hit those drives long and straight, put those irons close and sink those putts you need to be "in the zone". Most players experience moments where they go in the zone maybe for only a shot, or a hole or perhaps a few holes where everything goes right and you remember why you began to play to play the game of golf in the first place. Being in the zone allows the golfer to play to his/her best at every hole, and thus greatly improving their satisfaction and enjoyment of the round.

Learning golf psychology techniques will have your playing partners gasping and looking in awe at your play. However a lot of people seem to not want to learn golf psychology, as many people believe that although in will help their game; it will take a lot of time and concentration for it to work. This is definitely not the case, in fact a few simple techniques before a round/ or during a round can greatly help.

After all there is a clear correlation between having a strong golf mind and enjoying your golf and winning. Just ask greats like Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. How many times have you seen Tiger sink a big putt when he needs to? Or drive a long ball deep into the middle of the fairway?

Do not neglect to learn golf psychology, its quick and easy and will have you playing much better in no time.


Tuesday 9 February 2010

Improving Your Golf Swing - 3 Keys to Lower Scores

Improving Your Golf Swing - 3 Keys to Lower Scores

1. Correct your golf slice
To be the best player you can be and to improve your golf swing you need to hit a draw (unless you are one of the few golfers who can hit a power fade). 80% of golfers worldwide slice the ball and lose huge amounts of distance as a result. They say that the hardest shot to play in golf is a straight one so if you are going to bend the ball one way or the other..make sure it is not that old banana ball because you will leak distance, right through your bag..with every club.

2. Sort out your fundamentals
And improving golf swing is one built on sound fundamental which are grip, alignment, posture and set up or stance. If you don't pay assiduous attention to these fundamentals your swing will always have to make corrective moves to compensate. And that is not a recipe for consistency or lower scores. Particularly when the adrenaline is pumping and you really want to hit a big one. So take your time and work honestly on your fundamentals and give yourself the best chance of improving your golf swing.

3. Rhythm
Work on your rhythm. Even a bad swing with a good rhythm can work..but a bad swing with bad rhythm is disastrous. So practice with rhythm in mind and resist the temptation to rush your downswing or lunge at the ball from the top of the backswing. Counting 'one' on the backswing and '2' as you swing through impact will help you improve your rhythm to the point where you will train it and trust it.



Golf Tips For Beginners - 3 Great Ways to Make Your Putting Better

Golf Tips For Beginners - 3 Great Ways to Make Your Putting Better

Golf is a popular but challenging game that very few people can excel at. It is frustrating to most beginners that their game often breaks down at the final hurdle. The short game is what can decide your final score and often all that is needed is a guided hand. Below are listed 3 great golf tips for beginners.
1. Keep your eye on the ball. This has to be one of the most widely used phrases but it is so true. Your eyes should be on the ball and glancing towards the target hole. This will ensure that you are concentrating on the subject at hand and aiming the shot correctly. Follow the club head with your eyes.

2. Swing straight through the ball. A mistake many amateurs and beginners make is that they try and strike the ball. This is a mistake; you should be swinging straight through the ball towards the hole not at the ball. Don't be scared to use too much power, if you are hesitating you will likely fall short of the hole.

3. Strike the ball with the club face vertical. By adjusting your standing position you will be able to adjust the angle that the club face strikes the ball. When putting you need try and hit the ball when your stroke is exactly half way through, when the club face is vertical and as close to the floor as possible.

Putting is a big challenge but it can be done, people do it successfully every day. Improving your short game will shave points off your score and developing an accurate put is an essential process.


Best Golf Swing - How to Swing Like a Pro

Best Golf Swing - How to Swing Like a Pro

In golf, the scores you get are directly proportional to how good your best golf swing is. Unfortunately, most people take a long while to get a good golf swing going. Many give up the game early. To keep this from happening to you, remember that getting your best golf swing going means practice -- and lots of it.

The Best Golf Swing Tips Can Be Painfully Obvious

First of all, remember that you can only learn so much from your golfing idols. Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh -- they all have their own distinct styles when it comes to swinging their golf clubs. You can learn the fundamentals of a good grip, a good stance, and a good state of mind from them. But that's as far as you can go -- your swing will totally be up to you.

Why? Simply because no two people in the world have the exact same body structures. People can be tall, short, stocky, lanky, flexible or stiff, and everything in between. You'll need to find the best golf swing for your body type on your own. It's hard, but it gets much easier once you get used to the fundamentals.

Once you settle into a good grip, stance, and state of mind, you can start working on your swing. Start with working on your back swing. Many people make the mistake of pulling the golf club back too quickly, accelerating on the way up. This takes a lot of energy away from the downswing.

The proper way to bring your club back is slowly and steadily, at a speed that feels natural for you. Your aim is to begin your downswing the moment the upward energy gives way to gravity -- that way you'll have gravity and all the potential energy on your side when you bring the club head down.

The downswing should be fast and powerful, but not so hastily done that it hurts your accuracy. Swinging too hard can cause you to slice the ball, sending it deep into the woods -- or, worse, the spectators. Find the right amount of strength and speed to send the ball exactly where you want it to go.

For best results, find a trainer -- trainers can school you in the best golf swing drills you can use.

Exercise -- One Of The Best Golf Swing Aids Out There

Finally, it helps to exercise -- both physically and mentally. Exercise will improve your balance, strength, and flexibility, while mental exercises will help you make better decisions and enjoy the game more. And when you're having fun, coming up with the best golf swing will come much more naturally.

Monday 8 February 2010

Improve Your Golf Swing - Relax, Just Do It

Improve Your Golf Swing - Relax, Just Do It

If you want to improve your golf swing then your are going to have to learn to relax, study and practice . These are three fundamentals about golf that we sometimes forget and with this article, you should find it easy to get back into the swing of things.

What does it mean to relax when you are playing golf? Let's begin with a very, very important fact about the golf ball. It's already dead. So don't try to kill it. It just won't do you any good.

That is an important fact that we all over look. Why? Because we put too much pressure on ourselves while we are playing. The truth is trying to get extra yardage out of smacking the ball as hard as we can destroys our chances of having a good solid hit.

What exactly should you study in golf? Well, everything but here the most important thing to study is yourself. You need to videotape yourself hitting the ball. But you need to tape your hit in two different ways.

The first videotaping should be of you doing practice swings and practice shots. Did you every notice that practice swings are actually pretty good. Without the pressure of the score, you probably have a good swing.

Now tape yourself on the actual golf course. There is probably a big difference between the two shots. But if you can tell the difference you can improve your shot.

There is also another reason to know your own swing. If you like the swing of another player, on the course or on tv, you know what the difference is and you can change. The change will probably be really small. Make the little changes and you will improve your golf swing.

Okay, we talked about the need to relax and the need to study your own swing. Now it is time to practice your new swing.

There is a story about the great golfer Gary Player. A fan came up to Mr. Player after he watched him play a round of golf. The fan said, "Gee, I wish I could play golf like you." Mr. Player replied, "If you hit buckets of balls until your hands are bloody and then hit some more, you can."

Now you don't need to play until your hands are bloody but without practicing you really never will improve your game to where you are happy.

You now know three important steps to a better golf swing. You must be relaxed, enjoy it for what it is, a great game. You must know your swing to be able to improve your swing. Finally, you must practice. If you are missing any of these three points in your game then you are not going to really improve your swing.


How Can Technology Improve Your Golf Game?

How Can Technology Improve Your Golf Game?With the golden age of caddies long since given way to technology, except for the esteemed private golf clubs.

Golfers today have resorted to a wide variety of measures to get yardages, directions and keeping scores.

When playing do you have troubles gauging how far a certain obstacle is, or how far away from the green you need to get to on your next shot?

Are you that type of person with an uncanny ability to estimate how far you need to hit your next shot?

For most people it's a guessing game but, it so much more important when it comes to scoring. It can make a difference between shooting a great score or being left to frustration and wanting to break every club in your bag.

When I was caddying professionally my job 30+ years ago was to make sure I walked the golf course before my partner even showed up.

Professional caddies would chart a course for their player before every tournament with all of the measurements.

You knew the distances of every club your pro swung at. It was your job to walk the fairways marking down every rock, sand traps, trees, water or any other permanent obstacle that you could gauge from the tees or any other shots from the fairways to the greens.

You mark all of this down in a little black book. Then everyday early in the morning before each round you graph out each hole's pin placements. Measure out by using the old traditional way of one foot in front of the other how far from the front, sides, and back of the greens.

You also observe where the pin placement is for that day by writing it all down. Observing everything, if the green is on a hill, swale or what kind of breaks to the hole when putting.

Where is the flat part of the green or safest place to hit the ball to. There was a combination of both guess work and knowing your player's skill level.

Today, that has all changed with technology. Yardage markers can now be defined by sprinkler heads, poles in the fairways, painted numbers on cart paths.

Yardage books and laser range finders all have become part of the golf landscape and have varying degrees of usage by today's golfers.

For the high-tech among us,gadgets have been finding their way into more and more golf bags. Compact rangefinders with hand held GPS systems and computer geekery included have found an ever increasing audience.

With convenience however, comes cost, and none of these are cheap.The items range in price from $199 to $499.

ONE OF the great pleasures of playing golf in the past 40+ years has been the extraordinary development in technology which makes the game so much easier now than in the early 1980s.

As we enjoy huge titanium drivers, graphite shafts, two-piece balls and soft-faced putters, we wonder how we could ever play with drivers that have heads the size of small boulders and balls which wore a huge smile every time they were hit off center.

Advances aren't restricted to clubs and balls. When I started playing, club selection was based on the perceived distance of the golf shot.

Then it became standard for golf courses to put laser read distance markers on each hole. Technology has started doing that work too and now the R&A and the USGA said they would permit the use of GPS range finders if a club or tournament committee brought in a local rule allowing its use.

Not many such local rules have been made. For my club it decided against range finders in official club tournaments. Although they do allow them in regular play and it's legal, and common in practice rounds.

The biggest problems most golf courses have is involved in slow play.The endorsement from the P.G.A. made it a big issue of how these gadgets would speed up play.

The thinking is that if players have the distance information available instantly, it will speed up club selection, pre-shot routine and actual hitting.

From what I hear, the evidence points out that this is not the case. The time a player spends contemplating distances is not regarded as a contributor to the slow pace of play. It's the decisions on which club to use, plus general preparation for a shot which are the time wasters.

Despite the advanced technology, nothing about golf's basic premise has changed. It's great knowing how far away the hole is but, you still have to hit the shot.

MY limited experience using these gadgets are that they can be useful on the golf course. They quickly provide available and accurate information, so for that reason their usage should be encouraged.

When I used it on my home course, it was really of limited value. I guess that's because I've played there so often, and I know the exact yardages.

Another new technological gadget that has proven its weight in gold for the hard core avid golfer, is called the ProLooper Golf Game Analyzer. This groundbreaking system allows golfers to record the location of every shot using a standard GPS range finder, and use that data to get the most in-depth statistical analysis of their game available today.

This feature rich system can improve shot accuracy and help golfers save strokes on the golf course. You can run the system on several GPS range-finder devices and has over 10,000 course maps available.

In order to use the ProLooper system the golfer simply stands over the ball and marks the location while checking the distance to their next target.

The data collection process does not slow down the golfers game. Once the round is completed the golfer uploads his or her data over the Internet to the ProLooper server.

The golfer is able to add additional details such as weather conditions, lies, slopes and other variables. The more details that are added, the more powerful the instant reporting capabilities of the system becomes.

Golfers can now have the same type of shot and game analysis that professional golfers get from their caddies.

It will help improve your golf swing, and shot accuracy. This is what separates great golfers from the average golfers, and that is knowing your statistics.

Being able to use those numbers to better yourself in every facet of your game. You do get instant insight to your golf round performance after every 18 holes. It all leads to improved play and lower scores.



Sunday 7 February 2010

Can You Improve Your Golf Swing Without Spending Thousands of Dollars?

Can You Improve Your Golf Swing Without Spending Thousands of Dollars?

Does improving your golf swing without spending thousands of dollars seem impossible? And is it painfully obvious that thousands of people claim to know some expensive "secret" for golf swing instruction - and yet they have no proof? And you haven't gotten the improvement that you deserve?

The human body is capable of learning virtually any kind of behavior and movement. But the golf swing seems to be impossible for some to master. Golfing actions can be excruciatingly awkward for most people to learn (unless, like Tiger Woods, they have been doing them since early childhood). But you can't go back and change your childhood to learn to golf, can you?

But what if you had a way to make the unfamiliar become familiar? What if you could make golfing feel correct from deep inside the core of your movement and your self? And you could do this without spending thousands of dollars and breaking the bank?

Golf Swing Instruction: Imitation Is Not Learning.

Golf Pros and instructors often teach us the game by having us imitate golf mechanics. They ask us to imitate a "good" swing, a "good" putt, and "good" hand placement. But as you may already know from your lack of desired improvement: When learning golf, imitation can only take you so far. Have you, or anybody that you know, won a golf tournament by imitating Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus? Probably not. Why does imitation of other's golf swing techniques rarely (if ever) give you the improvement that you crave?

The reason is that the dynamics of your movement are greatly different from the dynamics of the person that you are imitating. It's a little like putting on some of your old clothing from when you were younger. The clothes rarely fit, and even if they did, they are out-of-date and out-of-style. Who needs that?

True improvement in your golf swing, true comfort while playing, and true mastery on the course, will come from learning the seemingly hidden dynamics of your own movement. This type of learning, often called "sensory-motor learning", is how you first learned to move as a child. It's less commonly used in adults, but it is still possible to access it.

What Is Sensory Motor Learning And How Does it Apply to Golf?

Sensory motor learning involves sound scientific principles from the field of motor learning and human development. It is the most effective way to improve your golf swing and to feel good while doing it. It involves feeling, sensing, and learning from your own natural movements. Part of the process is getting yourself into a relaxed and open state so that you can learn to feel the inner dynamics of your movement. Once you know what you are doing, and once you feel what you are doing, you can build the perfect golf swing based on your own natural tendencies.

Where Do You Begin The Process Of Using Sensory-Motor Learning To Improve Your Golf Swing?
I am sorry to say, that you can't improve your golf swing by reading about the techniques in some over-priced e-book or DVD series. You will actually have to do the techniques and get comfortable with the idea of trying some new and often strange movements.

For instance, what if I had you lie on the floor and engage in an entire sequence of movements designed to improve the coordination of your head, eyes and neck? What if I told you to keep your eyes closed the entire time, so that you could have greater focus on yourself and your body? Would you be willing to do that? If not, you won't be able to benefit from sensor motor learning systems. Go spend a $1000 on the latest "miracle" swing technique. However, if you are willing to explore, you can find a whole wealth of new possibilities and golf swing improvement.

The most evolved practitioners of sensory motor learning are often "alternative health practitioners" such as those who do the Feldenkrais Method, Alexander Technique, or Rolfing. These practitioners are taught to help you change the inner dynamics of your movement so that you can evolve your technique on many levels.

The trick is to find a practitioner who understands the needs and desires of golfers. But what if they do not? Consider that a slight improvement in your ability to sense and feel from your core could unleash a whole new potential in your ability to improve your swing. You are smart enough to take those learnings and apply them to your swing, are you not?