Beginners Golf Tips

Golf Club Grip Instruction: Get A Grip!

June 8, 2009

Most of what makes or breaks a shot happens before the swing. One of the keys to unlocking your golfing potential is making sure that you have a good, tight grip on the club. A little Instruction can go a long way in improving your grip.

Think of it this way: the only part of your body that touches the golf club is your hands. This is why your grip is so important. If you’re slicing, chances are you have a grip problem.

You have to keep a strong grip, but not too strong. An instructor can show you how to do this; you have to give it about 50% of your strength. This is intuitive, of course. How much is 50%? Instruction can help you to understand just how much pressure you need.

Here are some basic tips for your grip. This is a common type of beginners’ grip. You may change your grip over time, but this will at least give you a good start. You can also visit http://www.getgoodatgolf.com to get more tips.

- The club should be held in your left hand. About 60% of your finger surface should be touching the handle. As a general guideline, this should be the last three fingers of your left hand, depending on how big your hands are.

- The callous pad that you wear on your left hand should be above the grip. This is really important; you shouldn’t have it next to the grip.

- Have your left thumb next to the right side of the grip. Your thumb and index finger should form a V.

- You have to close your right hand over the left thumb, and take hold of the left side of the grip. It is difficult to understand this without some physical instruction on how to do it properly.

- Finally, keep your grip tight, but keep your arm muscles relaxed.

It sounds complicated, doesn’t it? Well, it is, and for best results you need a little instruction, even if it’s just a few pointers on how to do it. No amount of diagrams and videos can show you completely how to do it correctly; you have to really feel it.

However, there are some training tools you can use. You can buy trainer grips that will help you figure out how to grip your club if you’re a first time golfer. They retail for about $10 and come with instructions and tips.

You can also get golf tips and tutorial videos. If you don’t have time to take golf lessons with a certified instructor, this might be a good way to help you get your grip worked out.

The most common grip is the ten-finger grip, although some of the pros, such as Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, use an interlocking grip. This is a tricky one to get just right, and it’s not very common. But, it works for them!

Every golfer’s grip is slightly different from the next. And, lots of golfers gradually change their grip over time, when they find something new that works well for them. Find the grip that works for you and stick with it, but always keep your eyes open for new ideas.

Rich Fuller
http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/golf-club-grip-instruction-get-a-grip-110096.html

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Which Golf Clubs Should you Buy?

June 7, 2009

With so many different makes and types of golf clubs on the market, it is no wonder beginners, let alone the more experienced golfer, can become easily confused when it comes to buying clubs.

Well, here are a few things to consider on your next trip to the golf store for new clubs.

To begin with, it can be stated that “off the shelf” golf clubs will work for nearly everybody standing between 5 feet and six feet tall. And that holds equally for males and females. If you are taller or shorter than that, then you should look at custom made clubs.

Cast or Forged Clubs?

Well, the best answer is usually “cast iron”.

Why do we say that? Very simply because standard cast iron clubs tend to have a larger “sweet spot”. This is the are in the center of the club face where “forces” are said to be perfectly balanced to deliver the perfect shot. The bigger the sweet spot, the better chance of hitting it every time. It makes it a little easier to hit the “bulls eye” every time on your shots. It is for that main reason the beginners are steered towards cast iron clubs. Until their swing plane is more developed, they will have an easier time striking the ball on a consistant basis. That is why you see a lot of oversized club heads on the market today. They allow average duffers the opportunity of striking the ball well and getting great drives more often.

By contrast, forged iron golf clubs are “harder to hit” with as they have a smaller sweet spot.

So why are forged clubs even sold?

Because the “softer” forged metal gives the golfer a better feel than the harder cast iron. The more seasoned player, especially the pros on the circuit, don’t need that larger sweet spot. They have a more consistant swing plane and strike the ball with far more accuracy. They use the “feel” of the the forged iron clubs to influence the flight of the ball in a way that a beginner or average player can’t.

The shaft of the club is your next thing to look at. Specifically the material it will be made from. Basically, you have steel or composite shafts

The significant factor here is club head speed. A typical golfer will have a club velocity between 80-94 mph. A slower swing speed means you had better think of using a shaft made from composite material, not steel. With a slower swing speed comes less distance on your drives. Less distance means more shots needed to reach the putting green. Not a good thing if you want to lower your score. And that is where the composite golf club shaft enters the picture. It gives you a lot more distance than you would get with your normal swing and a steel shaft.

By contrast, those with good distances on their shots, will fare much better by using a steel shaft that will give them some touch and control on their shots.

In order to determine your personal swing, look for a sports shop or golf store that has speed sensor equipment and get yourself clocked.

With just these few starting tips, it is usually best if you rent a few different sets of clubs as you play and take note of how each club helps or hinders your game. You are looking to determine your personal strengths and weaknesses. Try the various types and kinds of clubs available to you and, in time, you will be able to narrow in on what will work best for you and which clubs offer the best advantages to improve your golf score.

Never stop understanding and tweaking your own golf game.

Lee Macrae
http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/-which-golf-clubs-should-you-buy-67705.html

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High Power Golf Review – Good Or Bad?

June 6, 2009

I decided to write this High Power Golf review after having a chance to see what the secrets can do for your golf game when implemented in the way outlined in the e-book. Is it really possible to gain at least 50 yards to your drive? What does the guide really have to offer in terms of improving your game? In this brief review I will answer these questions, as well as a few others you may have. Hopefully, after reading this you’ll have a good understanding of what you can realistically expect to get out of High Power Golf, and if it’s something you should look into further on your own.

Speaking honestly, golf is only fun when you’re good at it. It’s embarrassing and frustrating to see your friends hit the ball wherever they want to with ease, while you struggle time and time again to make it onto the green. Fortunately, golf guru Chad Brown understands, and has created the ultimate guide to get your golf game on track: High Power Golf.

High Power Golf will teach you things that the golf pros at your club aren’t. From learning how to squeeze every ounce of power from your body to how to capitalize on your new found driving distance, the guide is as comprehensive and easy to follow as they come. Soon, you’ll have an automatic swing that will get you consistent and accurate results. There’s even an entire chapter dedicated to fixing problems like slices, hooks, shanks and tipping!

Chad Brown is so sure that his High Power Golf will help you that he guarantees you’ll add 50+ yards to your drive after reading it. With bonuses like The Amateur’s Guide to Golf, golf tips and Hints, A Beginner’s Guide to Golf and High Power Golf Newsletter, you’ll have everything you need to improve your game. I highly recommend High Power Golf to anyone who is struggling with their game, it’s clearly the best guide of its kind on the market today.

Mark T. Davis
http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/high-power-golf-review-good-or-bad-226529.html

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Essential Golf Ball Control

June 5, 2009

The Best of the Best, Pro Golf Guide

Golf is one of the misunderstood sports out there in the land of the competitive. Despite the opinions of non golfers whose greatest exposure to golf is during a rousing hour of channel surfing, golf is a sport of grace, quiet competition, respect, honor, and of course, well honed skill.

Whether you are just beginning your golfing career or have been hauling all over the back nine since I was knee high to a grasshopper, there is always room for improvement in a round of golf.

There isn’t a golfer alive who doesn’t want a straighter, longer drive or a more precise putt. Even the best of the best in all their grace and skill perpetually strive for the better game, the game where Control is paramount.

Control of the golf ball of course begins with control of the body. When first learning to play golf, and for some of us years into our learning curve, despite what our better judgment tells us we step up to the tee with tight muscles determined to whack the dimples off the ball. Inevitably, we resemble displaced baseball players rather than graceful golfers as we pull back and swing with all our might. Despite our best efforts we slice and hook and no matter how many dimples we whack away from the ball it still won’t sail over the horizon for us. How frustrating.

What we fail to either realize or practice is that out tense muscles are causing the problem. Golf can not be played with tight muscles because inevitably, our heads are going to insist on following our bodies and we will lose sight of the ball right at the last moment. In order for us to really make that contact with the golf ball that we are truly seeking, we have to keep our eye on the ball. Ironically, this is also true in baseball and some of us do have a tendency to bring our baseball skills onto the golf course with us.

When we lose sight of the golf ball at the last moment our body shifts just enough to keep our golf club from making good contact with the ball. Our hands lose their follow through and our golf ball goes flying off into the rough. We stand there seriously contemplating wrapping our clubs around the trunk of a tree wondering what it is that we’re doing wrong. After all, we couldn’t be trying harder to hit our golf ball straight and far.

Sometimes, that’s the exact problem. Trying too hard to hit the ball in a round of golf can actually backfire and create the opposite of the desired effect. Our body is tense, our mood is tense, and of course our ball ends up tensely leaving the tee. However, a relaxed body has a greater chance of keeping the eye on the ball and making the appropriate contact with the golf ball and sending it much farther and straighter than the baseball bat swing.

THE PRACTICE SWING

Luckily, golf has become a fairly affordable sport as of late and we have plenty of time to perfect our golf game before our next round with the guys from the office. So we approach the task of perfecting the golf swing over a series of rounds over a few weeks. After all, there is room for improvement regardless how good of a golf swing you may have. For some of us, however, there is only room for improvement.

Before heading out to the fairway, I sat down like so many other individuals like myself to search out the internet for a little golf swing guidance. A few words across my browser and a click of the search button and I found one of the best sites around for some golf swing guidance. Keeping in mind that not all of us are retired and we have jobs and families to keep us quite busy, I wanted to read the information that I needed without being glued in front of the computer screen for hours on end. The goal is to find the assistance and then actually take it out to the fairway and practice it.

HELP AT LAST

I clicked on bestprogolfguide and I had a plethora of information right at my fingertips. The best part was, it was valuable information. I didn’t have to weed through tons of useless clippings to come across handy, factual information that is easy to understand and implement.

The organization of the site made for quick browsing so that I could find exactly the golf help that I needed, read it, learn it, and be on my way to go put it into practice. Right there in front of me was an article describing exactly what I knew to be my problem in detail and tips to help me correct it.

Golf is a game of patience, and for most a very relaxing activity that encourages physical exercise. A relaxing game of golf. I truly couldn’t remember the last time I was relaxed when I played golf. Because I tend to be quite competitive, I also put a lot of pressure on myself to play golf at very high standards. A self taught golfer, I never took a lesson or really had any assistance in learning the game and how most people play it. Rather I came onto the fairway with my clubs and sheer determination.

Right there in front of me was an article explaining how my baseball approach to golf was exactly what was killing my ball before it had a chance to soar. I buckled down and went through the basic steps that were kindly outlined for me and then I headed off to the driving range for a practice round.

Don’t get me wrong, one article didn’t fix ten long years of hacking and whacking my golf ball into various bushes. What it did do was make me aware of exactly what I was doing wrong. It allowed me to adjust my focus and relax and within just the first ten swings I began to notice a difference. Of course then I got giddy with excitement and blew the next ten swings, but then I returned to the basics and got my rhythm back.

As I focused on improving my swing and cleaning up my nasty slice, I hadn’t forgotten that this site had helpful tips on everything golf, even things I didn’t know I wanted to know. And over time, I knew that I would improve my game to the degree that it wouldn’t even really be my game any more. My game involved fishing golf balls out of some pretty interesting places.

I am now learning the mental game of golf as I accomplish more of the physical game of golf. I always knew that golf was a game of grace and quiet dignity, but I truly didn’t realize just how much of this sport is played in your head. I have learned different concentration techniques to improve my putting, driving, and of course, lower my score. I feel more confident and I certainly play with more patience and grace than I ever had before.

The driving range has become a hot spot for me since that first day when I showed up to practice those first tidbits of knowledge that were kindly shared with me on my new favorite website. My constant improvements have people approaching me for advice. It wasn’t that long ago that some of these same people were approaching me to offer me a new golf ball so I wouldn’t have to go dig mine out of its landing place.

Anyone who really wants to learn about golf needs to check out this site. It has every slice of information a person needs to begin understanding the game a bit better and improving what once may have been a round of embarrassment. The golf instruction offered is as valuable as several private lessons down at the club. Beginners and pros alike can find just about anything they need to know to lower their golf score and have more fun playing the game. After all, this is supposed to be fun. I was especially pleased to find an article that thoroughly explained some golf rules that apparently I had misinterpreted. I’m sure the guys from the office were pleased when I started adhering to the rules of the game without the argument I used to put up. It’s been so exciting to improve my golf technique.

Since then I have visited bestprogolfguide daily, sometimes a few times a day to learn and improve upon the steps I’ve made thus far. And the last round of golf I played with the guys from the office they didn’t know quite what to make of the improvement. I even received a few of those backhanded compliments of how nice my swing was, for a girl.

Bobby Ryatt
http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/essential-golf-ball-control-84575.html

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How to Lower your Golf Handicap

June 5, 2009

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