Better Golfing
Many of us would love to know how to play better golf, there are two basic things to know.
Play often and stay in shape, fitness to day is a vary important part of the game if you watch golf
On TV today almost all the pro’s have a fitness trainer.
I know what your thinking (ya no kidding) but its true is it not? How many times do you golf ? how many times do you have to do anything to get really good at it? If you can’t get out on the course then go to the range and swing and swing. Ok the swing.. Your golf swing is not a natural movement, but a twisting rotational movement that your muscles are not naturally designed to do. In order to get comfortable with your golf swing your mussels will have to get used the this movement have you heard of muscle memory? Most people can’t even get past the part of getting your body used to the swinging the club there for they can’t even begin to improve there swing.
The major muscle groups used in swinging a golf club are huge, back, legs, neck, butt and shoulders
The key is developing flexibility and strength in those muscle groups and I can not stress flexibility enough
If you can stretch and keep your muscles flexible at the same rate that you develop strength you will have the power and the smoothness you need for a great golf swing
Do not use conventional strength training
Normal weight training does not work well for golfing because of the unique way your muscles are used during a golf
Swing, a normal swing with some resistance can do the trick or a weighted club can help as well.
Another good way is to sit on a chair, with a straight back and head up, holding a weighted medicine ball, and then swing your arms from side to side as far as you can, you will develop strength and flexibility in your back and shoulder muscles.
The goal is to increase strength and flexibility so you can swing effortlessly with felling any pain or discomfort
And then you can concentrate on your swing with out you body telling you that your golf swing is not a natural movement
Practice - Practice - Practice
This is simple but it sometimes is the hardest thing to do if you cant get out on the coarse go to the driving rang for a 1/2 hour if you can’t get the driving range hit ball’s into a net in the back yard if you can’t do that just swing the club in the back yard. Once you get over the hump of your body telling you that you golf swing is not a natural movement
And you develop some flexibility you will be amazed at how fast you game will improve.
There are two other often overlooked ways of improving your golf game: Only a small fraction of golfers ever take lessons, and that’s a shame, because a trained golf teacher can quickly spot flaws in your swing that you are totally unaware of.
Come to Grips with your Grips
One of the most important part of your golf swing is your grip and you will have spent many hours over your golfing life trying to get it right but perhaps the most overlooked aspect of equipment in your golf bag is the golf club grip itself.
If you do not feel comfortable with you club in you hand it may be your grip’s try different kinds of grip
You will truly be amazed at how a different grip can increase your comfort level.
If you think about it your club's grip is your only connection to the golf club but most golfers don't generally give the club grip a second thought.
David VandenBrink writes on golfing and related subjects at
Better Golfers. You can visit at better golfers
http://bettergolfers.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
I you learn how to draw and fade a golf ball you will have added two extremely useful shots to your armory. Not only that, but it will give you an insight into how to control or cure a slice, should you ever develop one. The slice is the bane of any golfer’s game, yet the draw and fade are nothing more than deliberately played controlled hooks and slices respectively.
Imagine a situation where you have a shot into the green, perhaps 200 yards or so, towards a pin that has a trap or a water hazard just in front of it. You won’t be able to pitch and run the ball up to the flag, and to try and stop the ball dead would a bit risky. If you undercook it you are in trouble, and if you don’t get the spin right it could run on right off the green.
Imagine also that you have a pretty straight shot to the green, but there is a massive tree right in the way. What do you do? In both of these situations your ideal shot could be a fade or a draw, and which you use would depend on a number of factors including wind direction, the angle you want to approach the flag from and your own preference. The draw is a shot that curls right to left, just like a controlled hook, and the fade is left to right, like a controlled slice.
Your choice of a draw or fade might also be influenced by the fact that a draw is normally higher, and travels 15 – 20 yards more than a fade in windless conditions. So how do you decide and how do you play each shot? The decision is sometimes personal and sometimes dictated by conditions and circumstances. However, let us assume that you have decided on the shot. How do you play it?
Many golfers have looked in awe at pros who play the draw or slice at will as it suits their position. Many even play the curved shot as their preferred form of drive, unless a straight shot is essential. How do they manage that? In fact it is very simple, and if you have ever had a hook or slice that you have had to cure, then creating a draw or fade is just the opposite in many cases. You are best to practice these shots on the driving range since they take a bit of practice to control, and you can play both types of shot with the same club.
First play a normal straight shot, so that you know you have no inherent hook or slice in your game. If you do, then you will have to get it cured before you can do the same thing in a controlled fashion! However, assuming that your swing and drive are OK, then for the draw adjust your stance so that your feet are pointing to the right of the target. Then adjust your grip slightly round to the left, or counter-clockwise on the shaft. When you drive towards the direction of your feet, i.e. right of target, your adjusted grip will cause the club to close early so that when it hits the ball it will do so at an angle to the direction of the target.
As you drive through the ball this angle on the club will impart a counter-clockwise spin on the ball. The dimples on your golf ball will exaggerate the effect of the drag this spin creates so that there is more air pressure on the right hand side of the ball, the side rotating into the direction of travel than on the other side, rotating away from the direction of travel. The end result is that ball curves from right to left.
For a fade, you do the opposite. Aim your feet to the left of target, and adjust your grip clockwise on the shaft. This closes the club face late, so that a clockwise spin is imparted on the ball, and ball will curve out to the right. These curves are not immediately apparent, and could take about 100 yards or so to become visible, but they rapidly develop and can become quite severe if not properly controlled.
Although that is one way of spinning a golf ball to achieve the effect that you want, any other means of imparting a sidespin will do the same job. Lagging your chest behind your shoulders, or bringing it over the ball quicker than your shoulders will also spin the ball, and different golfers have their own way of achieving a draw or fade shot.
Knowing how to play such a shot deliberately is also useful in the event of you developing a hook or a slice since the cure is the exact opposite of what you do to manufacture the shot. If you have a slice, as many golfers do, simply aim your feet directly to the target and then turn your grip slightly clockwise. This will close the clubface quicker so that it is straighter to the direction of the target when you hit the ball.
This is true of many swing problems. If you learn how to control it, you can sometimes use that knowledge to your advantage in the event of being faced with a difficult shot that needs more that just a normal swing.
This article was brought to you by CapitalistLife.com, your best resource for earning, keeping and enjoying wealth. Visit us to learn more about becoming a Wealthy Affiliate.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andre_Sanchez
Imagine a situation where you have a shot into the green, perhaps 200 yards or so, towards a pin that has a trap or a water hazard just in front of it. You won’t be able to pitch and run the ball up to the flag, and to try and stop the ball dead would a bit risky. If you undercook it you are in trouble, and if you don’t get the spin right it could run on right off the green.
Imagine also that you have a pretty straight shot to the green, but there is a massive tree right in the way. What do you do? In both of these situations your ideal shot could be a fade or a draw, and which you use would depend on a number of factors including wind direction, the angle you want to approach the flag from and your own preference. The draw is a shot that curls right to left, just like a controlled hook, and the fade is left to right, like a controlled slice.
Your choice of a draw or fade might also be influenced by the fact that a draw is normally higher, and travels 15 – 20 yards more than a fade in windless conditions. So how do you decide and how do you play each shot? The decision is sometimes personal and sometimes dictated by conditions and circumstances. However, let us assume that you have decided on the shot. How do you play it?
Many golfers have looked in awe at pros who play the draw or slice at will as it suits their position. Many even play the curved shot as their preferred form of drive, unless a straight shot is essential. How do they manage that? In fact it is very simple, and if you have ever had a hook or slice that you have had to cure, then creating a draw or fade is just the opposite in many cases. You are best to practice these shots on the driving range since they take a bit of practice to control, and you can play both types of shot with the same club.
First play a normal straight shot, so that you know you have no inherent hook or slice in your game. If you do, then you will have to get it cured before you can do the same thing in a controlled fashion! However, assuming that your swing and drive are OK, then for the draw adjust your stance so that your feet are pointing to the right of the target. Then adjust your grip slightly round to the left, or counter-clockwise on the shaft. When you drive towards the direction of your feet, i.e. right of target, your adjusted grip will cause the club to close early so that when it hits the ball it will do so at an angle to the direction of the target.
As you drive through the ball this angle on the club will impart a counter-clockwise spin on the ball. The dimples on your golf ball will exaggerate the effect of the drag this spin creates so that there is more air pressure on the right hand side of the ball, the side rotating into the direction of travel than on the other side, rotating away from the direction of travel. The end result is that ball curves from right to left.
For a fade, you do the opposite. Aim your feet to the left of target, and adjust your grip clockwise on the shaft. This closes the club face late, so that a clockwise spin is imparted on the ball, and ball will curve out to the right. These curves are not immediately apparent, and could take about 100 yards or so to become visible, but they rapidly develop and can become quite severe if not properly controlled.
Although that is one way of spinning a golf ball to achieve the effect that you want, any other means of imparting a sidespin will do the same job. Lagging your chest behind your shoulders, or bringing it over the ball quicker than your shoulders will also spin the ball, and different golfers have their own way of achieving a draw or fade shot.
Knowing how to play such a shot deliberately is also useful in the event of you developing a hook or a slice since the cure is the exact opposite of what you do to manufacture the shot. If you have a slice, as many golfers do, simply aim your feet directly to the target and then turn your grip slightly clockwise. This will close the clubface quicker so that it is straighter to the direction of the target when you hit the ball.
This is true of many swing problems. If you learn how to control it, you can sometimes use that knowledge to your advantage in the event of being faced with a difficult shot that needs more that just a normal swing.
This article was brought to you by CapitalistLife.com, your best resource for earning, keeping and enjoying wealth. Visit us to learn more about becoming a Wealthy Affiliate.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andre_Sanchez
You will need quite a bit of concerted practice and also a good technique that together should help you achieve an improved golf swing, which may sound simple, but in practice could be a little harder to achieve. There are many golf enthusiasts that want so badly to have a great golfing game but who realize at the same time that it will take them quite some time to be able to master the better golf techniques which will require knowing about the different golf swing methods available and learning from them. However, most of them who want to take the help of golf swing methods, may already have resigned them to being nothing better than a mediocre player. However, there are still a number of golf swing methods to try out which can help bolster their confidence and also provide them with a means to becoming better golfers.
Form A Good Golf Swing Habit
The first thing you need to consider is forming a good golf swing habit and it will take continuous practice till the right golf swing method becomes ingrained in your memory, and which will then translate into natural instinctive action so that your swing is correct and which does not require any conscious thinking to achieve this goal. There are also alternative golf swing methods that can assist golfers and which according to great golfer Moe Norman show that standard golf swing methods can sometimes are flawed and thus not what they are made out to be.
So, if you want to learn how to get your golf swing grooved just right try out this simple golf swing method that requires that you cut up your swing into different parts including the address, and having arms and also chest forming a triangle. Then, you need to take away by moving the triangle as a single entity and not make any change in angles which means not having any movement of the wrist. Follow this by raising the club to the height of the waist and pause there and practice this movement over and over again.
Once you get this right, the next thing you need to do is raise the swing till it reaches the top and then look to your hand as well as arm position and follow it by beginning the downward swing and turn your left hip and then continue with your downward swing until you reach a position just back of the ball. Remember to keep the club square to the ball and continue your swing keeping the wrists firm so that the impact is caused by the arms and then make the follow through while ensuring that your right forearm will cross over the left one.
This is a simple yet effective golf swing method that you can practice even without a club and it will ensure that you have a grooved swing each time you strike the ball, and which won’t require much conscious thinking or any mental inputs either.
Ian Botham runs his own online sports goods mail order business as well as several sports related websites.
Click the one of the links for more Golf Swing tips and advice or the more specific Simple Golf Swing advice and articles.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ian_Botham
Form A Good Golf Swing Habit
The first thing you need to consider is forming a good golf swing habit and it will take continuous practice till the right golf swing method becomes ingrained in your memory, and which will then translate into natural instinctive action so that your swing is correct and which does not require any conscious thinking to achieve this goal. There are also alternative golf swing methods that can assist golfers and which according to great golfer Moe Norman show that standard golf swing methods can sometimes are flawed and thus not what they are made out to be.
So, if you want to learn how to get your golf swing grooved just right try out this simple golf swing method that requires that you cut up your swing into different parts including the address, and having arms and also chest forming a triangle. Then, you need to take away by moving the triangle as a single entity and not make any change in angles which means not having any movement of the wrist. Follow this by raising the club to the height of the waist and pause there and practice this movement over and over again.
Once you get this right, the next thing you need to do is raise the swing till it reaches the top and then look to your hand as well as arm position and follow it by beginning the downward swing and turn your left hip and then continue with your downward swing until you reach a position just back of the ball. Remember to keep the club square to the ball and continue your swing keeping the wrists firm so that the impact is caused by the arms and then make the follow through while ensuring that your right forearm will cross over the left one.
This is a simple yet effective golf swing method that you can practice even without a club and it will ensure that you have a grooved swing each time you strike the ball, and which won’t require much conscious thinking or any mental inputs either.
Ian Botham runs his own online sports goods mail order business as well as several sports related websites.
Click the one of the links for more Golf Swing tips and advice or the more specific Simple Golf Swing advice and articles.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ian_Botham
Increasing clubhead speed basically hinges upon two factors; factor number one is your swing mechanics and secondly is your body. The more efficient you become with your swing mechanics, the greater amount of energy you will be able to translate into the club head. And the more powerful the muscles of your body become the larger amount of power you will be able to create. It is the integration of these two components that will allow you to increase the clubhead speed of your tee shots.
Golf fitness training assists with the second category of these components, your body. Keep in mind it is the muscles of your body executing the mechanics of the golf swing. And when it comes to clubhead speed, if the muscles of your body are more powerful, they will be able output higher levels of clubhead speed within the confines of the golf swing.
Power, which is defined as the ability of your muscles to output the greatest amount of force in a short amount of time can be improved with a specific type of golf fitness training. This type of exercises will improve the ability of your muscles to develop force in a short amount of time through the movement patterns of the golf swing.
In order to achieve this outcome we must utilize power training exercises placing your body in the anatomical positions of the swing, and ones which are rotational in terms of movement. This will develop the power component of your muscles specifically to the requirements of the golf swing.
Power training exercises for the golf swing will again focus on the core area of your body. Recall from last weeks article, the core is a reference to an anatomical area of the body where the majority of movement occurs in relation to the golf swing.
Keep in mind as it relates to the body three major components are prevalent in tee shots: flexibility, strength, and power. All three must be developed within the body for optimal success when hitting your driver.
Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly working with professional golfers, most notable PGA and Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. To learn more about Sean Cochran and his golf fitness exercises and training programs go to http://www.seancochran.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_Cochran
Golf fitness training assists with the second category of these components, your body. Keep in mind it is the muscles of your body executing the mechanics of the golf swing. And when it comes to clubhead speed, if the muscles of your body are more powerful, they will be able output higher levels of clubhead speed within the confines of the golf swing.
Power, which is defined as the ability of your muscles to output the greatest amount of force in a short amount of time can be improved with a specific type of golf fitness training. This type of exercises will improve the ability of your muscles to develop force in a short amount of time through the movement patterns of the golf swing.
In order to achieve this outcome we must utilize power training exercises placing your body in the anatomical positions of the swing, and ones which are rotational in terms of movement. This will develop the power component of your muscles specifically to the requirements of the golf swing.
Power training exercises for the golf swing will again focus on the core area of your body. Recall from last weeks article, the core is a reference to an anatomical area of the body where the majority of movement occurs in relation to the golf swing.
Keep in mind as it relates to the body three major components are prevalent in tee shots: flexibility, strength, and power. All three must be developed within the body for optimal success when hitting your driver.
Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly working with professional golfers, most notable PGA and Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. To learn more about Sean Cochran and his golf fitness exercises and training programs go to http://www.seancochran.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_Cochran
I see many people stand on the tee with their nice new 460cc Driver that they have just purchased from the Pro Shop because they saw it in a magazine. By the third tee it might as well have stayed in the shop because people struggle to hit the lower percentage drivers as well as the higher ones. Here are a few tips on how to hit a golf ball with a driver:
1. When preparing the tee have it sit higher than normal. It used to be that you set the ball to be in the middle of the club face, now however with the larger drivers it is better if the ball is around three quarters the height of the club. So imagine the top of the ball sitting just above the top of the club (not completely over the top around one third). You will probably find that the normal sized tee will not be sufficient for this task and you will benefit from a tee that is around ten centimeters.
2. Align the writing on the ball with the location you want the ball to end up. One of the major problems with higher handicap players is when they line up their longer shots they are pointing in the wrong direction. Most modern golf balls have writing down the side telling you how the distance is max or high velocity (unless you are Tiger Woods then it says "Tiger" and that is a man that really knows how to hit a golf ball) Line this writing up to the point you want to aim. That way when you align your club face with the ball you will be able to see that you have an perfect - to look down. Follow that line down the fairway make sure its going where you want it to go and pull the trigger.
3. Change the ball position in your stance. The idea of hitting the ball on the upswing means that the ball needs to be further forward in your stance. With older driver designs it was that you lined up the ball with your front heel. However now it is closer to the front big toe and in some cases the little toe. It is personal preference though and the only way to test this is on the range. Test moving the ball further up in your stance. Remember to walk away after each shot other wise you will end up not thinking about how you were set up and analyze the results. Once you find a good alignment practice it.
4. Hit the ball as you enter your upswing. With every other club in the bag you hit the ball at the bottom of your swing due to the abrupt angle of the new drivers to avoid driving the ball into the fairway a few short meters in front of you make sure that you are hitting the ball as you push through the swing. In step three we looked at changing the ball alignment so it is further forward in your stance thus meaning you should not adjust your swing as we are now looking to hit the ball after we have come through the apex of the swing.
From these steps you will notice that you are hitting the ball farther than you were with your last driver. The reason is due to a low spin rate on the ball and a higher launch angle. This is just one of the how to hit a golf ball methods that I use.
How to hit a golf ball tips and lessons from a 75 year old man.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Katz
1. When preparing the tee have it sit higher than normal. It used to be that you set the ball to be in the middle of the club face, now however with the larger drivers it is better if the ball is around three quarters the height of the club. So imagine the top of the ball sitting just above the top of the club (not completely over the top around one third). You will probably find that the normal sized tee will not be sufficient for this task and you will benefit from a tee that is around ten centimeters.
2. Align the writing on the ball with the location you want the ball to end up. One of the major problems with higher handicap players is when they line up their longer shots they are pointing in the wrong direction. Most modern golf balls have writing down the side telling you how the distance is max or high velocity (unless you are Tiger Woods then it says "Tiger" and that is a man that really knows how to hit a golf ball) Line this writing up to the point you want to aim. That way when you align your club face with the ball you will be able to see that you have an perfect - to look down. Follow that line down the fairway make sure its going where you want it to go and pull the trigger.
3. Change the ball position in your stance. The idea of hitting the ball on the upswing means that the ball needs to be further forward in your stance. With older driver designs it was that you lined up the ball with your front heel. However now it is closer to the front big toe and in some cases the little toe. It is personal preference though and the only way to test this is on the range. Test moving the ball further up in your stance. Remember to walk away after each shot other wise you will end up not thinking about how you were set up and analyze the results. Once you find a good alignment practice it.
4. Hit the ball as you enter your upswing. With every other club in the bag you hit the ball at the bottom of your swing due to the abrupt angle of the new drivers to avoid driving the ball into the fairway a few short meters in front of you make sure that you are hitting the ball as you push through the swing. In step three we looked at changing the ball alignment so it is further forward in your stance thus meaning you should not adjust your swing as we are now looking to hit the ball after we have come through the apex of the swing.
From these steps you will notice that you are hitting the ball farther than you were with your last driver. The reason is due to a low spin rate on the ball and a higher launch angle. This is just one of the how to hit a golf ball methods that I use.
How to hit a golf ball tips and lessons from a 75 year old man.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Katz
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