Golf Tips

Bercle George asked:


Golf originated at Saint Andrews, in Scotland. Golf is the sort of game that can be played in all sorts of weather conditions, especially if one wants a challenging game. Golf has increasingly turned into a spectator sport, with several different levels of professional and amateur tours in many regions of the world.

Golf courses have developed in both Spain and Portugal, particularly in coastal areas. Golf competition may be played as stroke play, in which the individual with the lowest number of strokes is declared the winner, or as match play with the winner determined by whichever individual or team posts the lower score on the most individual holes during a complete round. Golf courses can be built on sandy areas along coasts, abandoned farms, strip mines and quarries, deserts and forests.

Some Golf Equipment:

1. The Golf Ball

2. Golf Clubs

3. Golf Bag

Some Golf Techniques:

1. Slowing your swing a little should help you maintain your balance and tempo while controlling the swing path of the club.

2. A bump and run is a variation of a chip shot, which involves running the ball along the ground with a medium- or high-lofted club using a putting motion.

3. Try to take your back-swing at the same speed you wish to hit it and continue through.

4. A cross between hiking and golfing, the course layout exposes players to a wide range of natural obstacles and challenging terrains.

Some Golf Playing Tips:

1. The golf swing is a complicated athletic move. There are so many points where it can break down and cause bad shots that you can not possibly concentrate on them all. Keep you head still, don’t look up, keep your left arm straight on so on. How can you possibly keep at that in your mind and try to aim the ball at the target?

2. Video is also very useful if you are a technology kind of person.

3. Because of this danger, I think it’s very important to take lessons and practice the swing in small steps versus trying to master the entire swing at once.

4 Try to avoid high dollar courses as a beginner.

Some Do’s And Don’t’s In Playing Golf:

1. Do try practice putting with your eyes closed, it amazing how it works without the eyes confusing matters.

2. Do be positive, putting is a mental game especially short putts, if you think it won’t go in it invariably won’t.

3. Do make your short putts easier, like chess try forward planning, try to hit your long putts to the easiest place from which to make your second putt.

4. Don’t rob your family of your valuable time playing golf.

5. Don’t change your mind mid shot, be committed, a doubtful strike will never go where you want.

6 Don’t stop upon contact with the ball, keep your stroke power consistent when following through the shot.



Jim

Rich Fuller asked:


If you want to make a great shot, you have to have it all set up just right. The alignment of your shot is just as important as the power of your swing. The ball position is a really important part of getting set up to make your shot.

The basics of ball position in your golf swing are as follows:

- Short irons: If you’re going to use a wedge, 9-iron or 8-iron, you should put the ball right in front of you, as close to halfway between your feet as possible. The idea is that, in order to make a good clean shot with a shorter iron, you need to hit it at a steep angle. It’s always best to put a divot in front of the ball if you’re shooting with one of these clubs.

- Medium irons: For the 7, 6 or 5, you should put the ball a little forward. With a short iron, you are placing the ball directly in front of you, halfway between; take this position and move the ball one balls-length forward. Here, you should use a shallower divot.

- Long irons and fairways: Take that original position (for the short irons), and move the ball 2 ball-lengths forward. You want to hit the ball with a very slight divot, and get it right on the bottom of your swing arc.

- If you want to hit the ball on an upswing, put it 3 ball-lengths ahead of the short iron position.

You should have the ball about three-quarters of an arms length ahead of you. Different people will tell you different things, so experiment to find the most comfortable distance for you. This is something you’ll get the hang of and adjust according to your own swinging style eventually. Visit http://www.getgoodatgolf.com to get more golf tips and instructions.

These are just the basics, but experiment with the ball position and different irons and see what works best for you. Another thing to keep in mind is that, as you get tired, you’ll hit the shots shorter. This will result in hooks or slices. To make up for this, move the ball further back toward your right foot (for right-handed players). As you notice your shots getting shorter due to fatigue, inch that ball back a little and see if it’s more comfortable that way.

Some golfers find that they have one ball position that works for every iron. They claim that moving the ball position for different irons destroys your consistency. Advocates of one position for all shots say that changing the ball positions means you have to change your golf swing. If you use the clubs correctly, you should narrow your stance accordingly; you should never have to change the ball position.

Golfers don’t see eye to eye on much, and this is one of the big controversies about golf technique. This is why it’s important to personalize your swing and your technique, and pay close attention to what happens when you try different things.



Monica

Kenneth Scott asked:


An outsider watches the game. How hard can it be to hit a stationary ball? After all, major league baseball players hit balls traveling at high speeds all the time. With that in mind, the outsider decides to take up golf. Must be relaxing, since it takes so little effort, right?

Think again.

Most outsiders give up on the game before they even understand the dynamics of hitting that stationary ball. It makes sense that an iron club could knock a little ball hundreds of yards. Yet when the new golfer takes his first swing, there is often little movement at all and sometimes no movement (or worse, backward movement!).

There is a lot more to hitting that little ball than meets the eye.

Human nature is to use the iron to cup it under the ball to send the ball sailing. Look at the club. It is angled back, not at all designed to cup beneath the ball. So, when a golfer tries to scoop up the ball, he or she is really trapping it between the angled face of the club and the ground. That is why the ball sometimes either does not move or moves backwards just a little bit.

Instead of trying to hit up, it is best to learn to hit downward. By hitting down, the angled club will do the work for you. When you hit down, the angle will bump your golf ball forward. It is that simple.

Putting power behind that little punt takes some practice. It takes as much practice to resist the temptation to swing big and hard as it does to learn to hit the ball! Once you have trained yourself against upward swinging, you will see your hitting start to improve.

Now you will begin to understand why there are so many different golf clubs. Once you determine how far you want the ball to go, you will need to pick your club based on the angle of the face of the club.

If practicing does not seem to be strengthening your game, ask for help. Your golf course should have an attendant on hand who could give you some pointers. Maybe you could take some private lessons. The course pro shop should have suggestions for area teachers. Or just ask another golfer how he or she does it and if they have any tips for hitting the ball. You may think you sound silly, but everyone has a first time tale!

With those tips in mind and maybe even a few lessons behind you, go back to practicing. It takes a while to train your mind to think about hitting downward instead of upward, and it takes a while to train your body to actually do it the way you have in mind. Do not give up. Remember: the game is all about relaxing, so do not stress too much over hitting the ball.



Kathryn

Jimmy Cox asked:


The first secret of golf betterment is an emotional one. You must have or develop the desire to improve. The strength of this “want” will determine one’s persistence, and persistence is the secret of success

The desire to improve should be strengthened by being based upon strong needs. Great interest can thus be generated. Great interests produce other interests, which in turn produce others, like the branches, twigs, and leaves of a tree.

Ed Furgol, Bobby Cruickshank and others took up golf originally for reasons of health, and they can give testimony to the additional stimulus given to the development of interest when it grows out of real needs.

For those who have the highest ambitions, the undiscouraged young, the want to improve must be long-lasting. It cannot be discouraged by either minor or great defeat. It must be strong enough to endure much sacrifice. It must be concentrated. It cannot concern itself with the desire to achieve greatness in a variety of games. It must concern itself with the development of a passion for correct practice. Nothing will be lost because of great effort, for ultimately the final reward is suitably large, and the effort itself produces many pleasures along the way.

You Must Capitalize on Past Experience

A great deal of time can he saved if we absorb what is already ‘pretty well known about the game. Each generation of golfers is better than the preceding one because use is made of the experiences of those who have come before us. Hence the individual can speed up his mastery of the game by sticking close to present orthodox form.

A description of this form is the stock in trade of the professionals, and should be acquired from them. It is true that there are good golfers who profess never to have taken a lesson, but most of these have been good imitators.

This does not mean that many lessons should be taken ad infinitum. Fewer lessons, spaced so that ample time is allowed for the learning to sink in, is the better way.

In addition, it is an excellent idea to obtain all the visual instruction one can. This can come from a study of still pictures, or films, or from observing professional golfers, particularly when they are practicing. Written instruction from golf books and magazines is also valuable, provided it is followed by the objective observation of your professional.

Otherwise, a misconception of what the author intended will bring about confusion in your golf learning. It has taken golf 500 years to develop the modern grip, stance, and swing. It is the height of folly not to take advantage of these discoveries.

In the early stages of lesson taking, it is advisable to spread the instruction time over many parts of the game. If, for instance, you had the good fortune to be able to take a series of lessons from someone of the caliber of Arnold Palmer, it would be best to obtain instruction in all broad aspects of the game, such as might be obtained from a playing lesson.

Generally speaking, it has been found that learning is tied together much better if one goes through the whole process than if he learns it piece by piece. This should be followed up with considerable practice before the next lesson. By “considerable”, we would mean at least a thousand shots each for woods, irons, chips, and putts.

Why Practice is a Necessity

The greatest pleasure in golf comes from continuous improvement. This can only come about through correct practice. For those who aspire to creditable play, practice is doubly necessary. “Creditable play” implies a competitive element, in that one’s ability becomes “creditable” if it is more skillful than that of others. Other things being equal, the practicer has the advantage.

We now have “practicers” in great profusion. Golf achievement at the highest level is virtually impossible without it. It is a necessity at the amateur level even if one’s ambitions are relatively modest.

With the right attitude and plenty of practice, your game cannot help but improve.



Carla

Jimmy Cox asked:


Success in anything is hardly possible without faith, and this is true of success in golf. One way to develop golfing faith is to study experts.

Such watching builds up confidence that difficult shots can be made and that normal shots should be made. This causes many golfers to improve spontaneously, simply from the psychological lift that comes from a change in his attitude towards what can be done. Sometimes the improvement is permanent.

Golf is a projection of life, and there are times in life when it is better to be realistically unrealistic. It is best for the individual golfer to believe that there is no limit to what he can do, for it is by such beliefs that he can continuously surpass himself.

It is also best for the game of golf if all of us have faith that we can excel, though obviously everyone cannot be tops in a competitive game. The stimulus of this faith acting upon millions of golfers will help raise the level of present play. In the raising of this level, we shall experience the pleasure that comes when we share in the excitement of witnessing original methods break through physical and psychological barriers to new records.

If a golfer cannot believe that he can be best, he must believe that he can be better. Even such a limited faith can lead him step by step to a brand of golf he might never have believed possible.

No Transfer Of Training

In previous generations, it was believed that the mind that was trained in one field would automatically be better fitted to do other things also. For instance, it was thought that training in mathematics would help you with Greek, that a good billiard player would automatically be an excellent putter, and that a polo player would have no difficulty in learning such a similar game as golf.

Unfortunately, this is not true. Many experiments have shown that each new type of learning is almost always different from all other types. When there is some similarity, a portion of what one learns in one skill or game will carry on to the next, but this is not usual.

There is one kind of learning in which substantial “transfer” can occur. This is the field of attitudes and principles. If I had attacked the problem of learning checkers with the same attitude I had toward chess, and if I had applied basic psychological principles to the process of learning, the results would have been approximately the same.

All this comes under the general rule of “no transfer of training,” which when understood will help us avoid wasting time by practicing something which will not be of golfing benefit. In this connection, it is likely that there are few, if any, exercises that will materially assist the golfer.

The practical application of this means that practice will not be efficient unless we practice the very thing we wish to learn, and unless we practice it under circumstances that duplicate precisely all conceivable factors that apply to the golfing problem. We see, as developing from this principle, that medal and match play, winter and summer play, friendly and competitive golf, windy weather and calm weather, flat or hilly courses, and indoor play all present changes in the golfing situation which the golfer has to learn as new skills.

If we are thinking of individual shots, we see then that the ideal would be to practice a shot at the very point on the course and almost at the same time that it was missed. This is not practical, but he who is most careful in seeing that his practice shots duplicate his playing shots will learn the game most quickly.

Remember to believe at all times that you can become a better player, and then practice every shot as a new skill and your game will definitely improve.



Franklin

Jimmy Cox asked:


One great secret of golf is to overcome inertia. Muscles have a mind of their own, and do not like to make any move unless impelled to do so. Once they begin to move, the muscles do not seem to care. We must harness this tendency in ourselves to continue doing what we are doing, and may have to take rather sly means of shifting our actions toward practice. Once shifted, the muscles, like Newton’s law of motion, prefer to continue golfing unless acted upon by some outside force. This is what we mean by overcoming inertia.

Some people have trained themselves to do, without procrastination, whatever must be done. These people have no problem with inertia. Most of us have to “use psychology” to get ourselves going.

I rather enjoy practice, but there are occasions when I do not particularly feel like it. This may occur after a lay-off due to unavoidable circumstances. I am able to seduce myself into beginning by saying, “I will practice five minutes and then quit.” I have yet to quit after I once get on the practice tee and, in addition, I invariably enjoy the session - even in uninviting weather.

How to Make Time and Place work For You

After inertia has been overcome, attention should be directed toward modifying your environment so that learning is automatically stimulated by your surroundings. The earlier this is done, either by accident or design, the more learning will take place.

It is not an accident that the greatest golfers have developed in areas in which the climate was advantageous, and that many of them lived in close proximity to courses. For several years I deliberately lived close to a driving range, and I feel sure that this accounts for the fact that I am more accurate with woods than with irons. I have always tried to live close to a range or golf course.

In addition to living as closely as possible to golfing facilities, it is wise to make a permanent provision for play or practice time. It has been found that a college student does not have trouble buckling down to work if he has a special time and place for study. At the designated hour, strong habits take over, and almost like a robot, he goes to the “study place.”

Once in the “study place,” he pulls out a book; then other habits take over and the work is done automatically. One can build up a series of automatic actions so that long and arduous work can be done without straining to stick to the job. Similarly, once you have established a time and a place to practice golf, you are much more likely to practice regularly.

The above are rather commonplace suggestions and are given merely to highlight what can easily be overlooked: that you must place yourself in a situation which will give your wants a definite place and time to find expression. Although we are all handicapped by various unfortunate duties, there is still much that can be done to provide better golfing situations without affecting what the world has come to believe are more important things.

Provide yourself with a convenient time and place to practice golf, and you will no doubt improve immensely.



Darren

Robert Cummings asked:


There are numerous ways of improving your game of golf but first of all you need to know your weak points, enabling you to concentrate on improving them. However, as a beginner, this is not always so straightforward.

This is because you cannot actually see yourself when you strike the ball and it goes off in the opposite direction to where you intended it to go. This is where having a professional trainer or an experienced partner with you can help you immensely as they can observe your body movements and point out just where you are going wrong. But if you are not lucky enough to be accompanied, don’t despair, just simply take a video camera long with you and film yourself taking the shots you feel you need to improve on.

This is a great way of learning just what you need to do to put things right because you can play the video back as many times as you need to study your stance and the angle and speed at which you hit the ball.

If you have access to the Internet, why not do a search on golf techniques. You will discover many sites offering free training videos with professional players showing you how to do it the proper way.

So now you know how you should be doing it, take another look at your personal video, taking things a little at a time you will spot just where you are going wrong. It may be something as simple as the fact that you are not gripping your club correctly or misalignments in your stance at the end of your swing shot.

Now all you have to do is put this newly discovered information about how you should be playing the game into practice. Using your video camera again, act out the process of the good techniques you have just seen and record yourself again. I can hear you asking the question “WHY?” There is a good reason why this procedure should be followed and this is because things do not always feel the way they look.

Each and every one of us has physical limitations based on conditioning which is the reason why we practice. Our bodies have to be taught how to perform in the correct manner by putting our muscles through training and stretching exercises.

An example of this would be if your shoulders are tight. It may feel that you are drawing the club back to the height it should be when in fact it could be quite a bit lower than it needs to be for you to make your shot correctly.

This is the main reason why recording yourself works well. You need to link up the visual and the kinesthetic forms. Once this is clearly in your mind you will no longer need the video recordings to help you.

Use a clear approach to connect the whole process to programming methods by describing the shot to yourself in a positive way.

Something along the lines of saying to yourself “draw back the club by twelve inches, imagine a line from the ball to the hole and swing with medium force in a fluid motion” works so much better than simply saying “don’t forget this time to aim and hit the ball a little less hard”.

Your subconscious mind does not comprehend negative commands. In fact, it works in the opposite way, so when you say “don’t forget this time to aim” it translates as “forget to aim” and this is exactly what you do.

Last but not least, we should mention pacing. Would you say it is better to work on one shot at a time or many shots simultaneously? In my opinion, if you are not yet advanced in your amateur game, it may prove more beneficial to work on multiple shots, thus improving your overall technique. It is advisable to get your posture and grip right from early on and then you can perfect the finer points of your game such as individual shots.



Charles

Debra Gropp asked:


Are you a golf beginner? If so, do you need some tips on golf techniques? The answer is probably yes. Even those who have been playing for a while could use some helpful golf tips and techniques to improve their game.

STARTING OUT

If you are just starting out, the best advice you can receive is to take some lessons from a golf professional. You can find someone through your local country club, community college or golf course. You can also check your local newspaper.

You really need a pro to teach you the basics in the correct way. If you try to learn on your own without anyone showing you the proper stance, swings, and techniques, you will have a tough time mastering the game.

PRACTICING

Once you start taking lessons, you need to be practicing as much as possible. Initially, you can practice at home or out in a field. This way you can get a feel for swinging a golf club and learn how to handle the small shots like putting and chipping without having other people around to make you nervous.

After you are feeling a bit more comfortable with the ball, go to the golf course or driving range and practice there. You can observe others and see what styles and techniques they use. This can be very helpful to you.

As you are learning to play the game of golf, you need to work on developing the muscles in your back and legs. When you swing a golf club, all the power is coming from those areas. Remember, practice is the key and will make all the difference in the world to your golf game.

GOLF CLUBS

Choosing golf clubs is a challenge for experienced players and can be even more frustrating for a golf beginner. There are many variables involved in the selection of a golf club, not the least is what your personal needs are.

Golf clubs are available in a wide range of sizes to suit the individual player. A standard club has a smaller head (and small sweet spot) and is the preferred type for golf professionals and those who have plenty of experience on the golf course.

A mid-size golf club has a larger sweet spot and head size than the standard size, making it easier for ball contact. Golf players with intermediate skills usually choose these clubs.

If you are just starting out as a golf beginner, you should choose an over-sized golf club. This type of club has a very large sweet spot making it much easier to hit. You may not have as much control but you will have longer distance.

GOLF CLUB TYPES

There are two types of golf clubs, the cast iron club and the forged iron club. The bulk of the weight in the cast iron club is around the border of the head. This creates a bigger sweet spot, making it the preferred club for golf beginners who are challenged by making full contact with the ball.

The forged iron club is heavier with the bulk of the weight at the center of the head. This club is the choice for seasoned golf pros. As your skill and comfort level increase, you will probably want to use this club either in addition to or instead of the cast iron club.

Golf is a game of skill. For most people, however, it is a great stress reliever and is played for fun. Once you have chosen your golf clubs and have mastered the basics of the game, you are ready to go out and have fun on the greens.



Ana

Ron Hel-Or asked:


One of the best ways to get better at your golfing skills, is to hire the training of a pro-golf trainer. If you’re anything like me, you’re a “do it on my own” king of person. But this is in many cases the wrong approach. A pro golfer can give you specific instruction and exercises that will help you improve a lot faster that you will on your own. It will also be a lot less painful.

So getting a golf pro to rain and instruct you on your golf swing is a great idea. Now, how do you go about finding just the right golf instructor?

There are a number of ways to do that. You can go to golf shops and look at ads or ask the shop keeper and other people who come to the shop. Another way is to go the country club or golf course and ask around. Don’t just go for the first instructor you meet, but examine a few of them. Try to watch them as they give lessons to other students, and than ask yourself - is this an instructor I would like to work with?

When hiring a golf instructor, it’s important you take a few lessons with them and ask yourself - do I have good communication with this gold pro? If you feel there remains a communication gap between two of you, there is no harm in parting ways and looking for a new gold instructor. Even your current pro may be able to make a recommendation if you just explain to him/her your difficulties in a polite and respectful manner.

When you do find a good instructor you want to work with, don’t make the mistake of thinking that you can have the perfect swing in just a few sessions. It takes a lot more than that to improve your game significantly. Every student has his/her own pace, and golf techniques take time to learn, and even more time to perfect. Always listen to your gold trainer, and don’t waste your and his time by neglecting to implement his instructions. Your instructor will also recommend additional practice time, and you will be wise to listed to this advice and take advantage of this.

If your gold pro does a good job, there is no harm in giving them a nice tip or bonus. It’s worthwhile to keep in mind that golf pro’s take much pride in their work and profession. They also have a lot of passion to the game and if you show similar passion and respect their skill, you will get a lot in return.



Herbert