GOLF
Practice is the Key
Take every opportunity you can to practice your golf game - devote
a few hours a week to practicing with the various clubs and just learning
to feel comfortable with them. Learn what you can accomplish with each type of club.
Do some stretching exercises and upper-body strengthening routines to
warm up for practice. Make sure you have decent equipment - your golf
clubs, balls, and shoes should be of quality. Have good sunglasses and/or
a visor hat. Drink plenty of water.
Good Golfing Equipment
Golf club prices can range from a few hundred all the way to a few thousand
dollars. Get the best you can afford. Having the most expensive clubs
will not be much of a benefit when you are new at the sport.
Later on when you are more experienced, you can invest in the best to
give you an edge. It's more important to spend your money on good shoes,
and playing different courses.
Secrets of The Golf Club Grip
•The grip is the most important part of the golf club. It is the
only part with which you make contact. It is very important to have the right
size and quality of material. If your club grip is too small, the club
may twist towards the target immediately before impact and cause the club
face to be closed. This often happens if you grip harder just before impact,
resulting in a twist.
•If a club grip is too big, your physical grip may break loose
at an off-center impact, which will cause the club face to be open.
•Hand size determines the final grip size that you should have on
your club. The size of your golf glove is an easy way to tell how big
your grip should be. Grips come in small, regular, medium and large.
Grip Core
•Grips have an internal core depending on the style you choose.
The end of the golf shaft comes in different dimensions between styles
of shafts, so even if your golf glove size determines you need a particular
grip size, you will make a mistake if you use that size with a smaller
inner core on a shaft, with a large outside dimension. Therefore, it's the combination
of golf core size and shaft outer dimension that really determines the
correct size of grip you should use.
•Change your grips often. The material, over time will oxidize,
harden, and/or get slick, especially if you keep your golf clubs in the
trunk of you car. Change your grips at least twice each season if you
are an average weekend golfer or more often if you golf more.
Pre-Shot Routine
An effective pre-shot routine is a key element of the effective golf
swing. Don't overlook this before you even think of hitting that ball.
•Focus your Energy - First, take a step back and line yourself
up behind the ball looking towards the hole. Then take a deep breath and
get your focus. Envision the shot from this position and the result. This
is critical.
•Choose your Weapon - Pick your club. Selecting the right club is a matter of preference
as long as you know what each club is meant to do and what you do best...
aggressive and hard, or light and laid back.
•Focus on Your Target - If you're hitting a tee shot, or an approach
shot, pick a spot like a tall tree or building in the distance past the
fairway. Make sure it is in line with the shot down the fairway that you
want to hit.
Next, pick a spot in front of the ball about 6-12 inches, in line with
your target in the distance. This spot will be used to line up your club
face.
•Practice Makes Perfect - Time to practice your swing now. You
can do this while you are still behind the ball, or you can step up beside
the ball.
The idea at this moment is to feel the swing you want to make, and try
to execute it as you feel it. If you envision a high cut shot, practice
a high cut swing. If you see a low punch, then practice a punch swing.
This is your mind controlling your body. Don't just get up there and swing,
but envision and plan your movements before you make them.
Tips for Teeing Off
It is more important to think about the placement of your ball from one
shot to the next, and keeping the ball in play. This is what you should
focus on, and not how far you can hit it. The driver club can be a difficult to use but you will do
better after lots of practice. In the meantime, you can use the 3 or 5
wood if that is easier, until you get better with the driver.
If you are using an over-sized driver, try to tee the ball up higher
than normal to avoid knocking it down. You might find that on a par 4
or 5 using a low iron from the tee gives you better results. Whatever you are comfortable with,
use.
Tips for a Good Swing
Swinging faster and harder, you will not hit the ball any further. Your aim will probably be way off if this is what you focus on.
Shoot for a slow back swing and good steady hit. Rushing should be avoided.
Take your time.
Keep a steady head and even after you hit the ball, do not jerk in
any direction. If you do, you can cause the shot to go to one side or
the other rather than where you are aiming for.
Align your feet correctly, so you won't make a right to left or left to
right shot.
Long or Short Shot?
If you find that you are looking from the fairway to the green, you need
to choose your next club carefully. Under clubbing will leave you short
and possible in the bunker or water hazard. Over clubbing will leave you
long and possibly in similar danger.
Eventually, you will know all the clubs in your bag and the distance you
can hit each one comfortably. When unsure, always pick the lower number
(e.g., the 8 iron instead of the 9). Don't force the shot, but control
it by going slightly down the shaft.
Addressing the Ball
You are going to step up to the ball and feel committed that this is the
time you are going to make the shot. You know what you want to do and
how you are going to do it.
Loosen up and get relaxed here. Take a deep breath, or whatever works
for you.
Put the club on the ground, line it up with your target and prepare
to take your best shot!
Improving Your Distance
To swing a golf club effectively takes a tremendous amount of golf specific
strength, flexibility, coordination, balance and stability.
The critical area to work on is your core (mid-section). Your core is
you center of power. You've got to strengthen this area from a rotational
standpoint to improve golf driving distance.
Not only will this improve your golf driving distance, but also it will eliminate
low back pain and injury. Low back pain is the most common complaint among
golfers. If the specific muscles you use to play golf are strong, they
will support your back. A weak back sometimes becomes a twisted or sprained
back after a vigorous game of golf!
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