Some Warm Up Tips for Golfers by Lee Collins

When it's time to warm up, some golfers think they need to hit the driving range with everything they've got. In truth, warming up to make your game as effective as it can be means that you work on a variety of swings and become familiar with the conditions.

For example, you golf differently on a windy day than if the air is still. You probably play at least a bit different on days when the temperature is raging than when it's cool. Here are some tips from those who hit the courses on a regular basis.

Driving is a good way to start, but start slowly. Choose a short iron for your first few drives, giving your muscles a chance to loosen up and to get the feel for the day. Work up to longer drives, but remember that the goal isn't only to see how far the ball will go - control is more important than distance and this is your chance to gather your skills to exercise that control.

Don't just drive. Some people make the mistake of thinking they've completed an adequate warm up once they've managed to make a few successful drives. Take time for some chipping and putting as well. Make the most of your swing and any recent lessons you've had. Remember that a round of golf is much more than teeing off.

One of the most important warm up tips is to get your mood and emotions under control. Smacking your frustrations out on a golf ball probably isn't going to help your game at all - though it might arguably be good for your frustrations. Take time to gather your calm, focus on your game and let the day's troubles fall away. Your mood - especially if it's a bad mood - can greatly impact your game.

Another mistake many people make at the warm up session is to start practicing. This isn't the time to try out new clubs, new swings, or new information. This is a time to play your best game, just as you'll be doing shortly - at the first tee. It's okay to put in a few practice swings if you're working on something you want to put into play for this game, but don't get caught up in a practice session. One of the purposes of a warm up time is to build your confidence. You can't do that if you're continually making errors. Use the techniques you're most familiar with and be ready to congratulate yourself on all your successes during the warm up.

If you are doubtful about the need for a good warm up period, just think back to a recent game of golf that you didn't warm up for. How was your first tee? How was the fourth? Did you spend the rest of the game making up for some poor strokes early on? The warm up is a chance to make those mistakes before they're being engraved on a score card.

Take time to make yourself confident and you'll play a confident game.

About the Author

Lee Collins is an avid golf enthusiast who has improved his golf game tremendously in a very short time using the "How to Break 90 in 3 Easy Lessons" system available only at http://www.easygolfinstruction.com/.

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Webmasters comments: Warming up is essential, by not warming up you're increasingly likely to pick up an injury, this is any sportsmans worse nightmare, so make sure you warm up effectively!

Golf - Driving The Ball Long By Michael Russell

No matter what anyone says, everybody wants to hit the golf ball a mile. When we see Tiger Woods and John Daly on TV hitting the ball 350 yards, we are envious. We desire to do the same thing when we get together with our Saturday foursome. It's only natural to want to drive the golf ball as far as possible.

While you may never be able to hit your drives as long as Phil Mickelson, you can still learn how hit the ball farther off the tee. You can also lower your golf handicap and develop a much better technique.

These 7 keys will help you increase your driving distance:

- Give yourself a wider stance for increased stability
- If you're right-handed, point your left toe more inline to the target
- Waggle the club head back and forth over the ball
- Stay calm and don't hurry your backswing
- Take the club back as far as possible on your backswing
- Swing harder and put more of your right hand into the hitting the ball
- Take full advantage of the elements, especially the wind

Good technique promotes good shots. Of course, that's easier said than done. You should always practice your technique as often as possible on the golf practice range. Whether you're driving, putting, chipping, or hitting pitch shots. Practice your technique. Remember, good technique begins with your addressing the ball.

When you've decided on your target and determined your ball's path, get set up in an address that is designed to give you maximum power. Be sure to widen your stance, which gives you more stability and provides a solid base to allow a more powerful golf swing. You want approximately 60% of your body weight on your left side. This will give you a more powerful coil.

Greg Norman will do a couple of other things to generate more power when he swings. He will point his left toe toward the target slightly and he waggles the club above the golf ball, which gives him a smooth one-piece takeaway. It also gives him more rhythm in his swing.

When you're at the top of your backswing, be sure to turn your shoulders a full 90 degrees. Your back should actually be facing the target. Look at John Daly when he drives the golf ball. He has a massive shoulder turn. Many players ask him all the time how he does it. He says it's due to having a sound technique and a wide swing arc. He always has a rhythm to his golf swing and is never out of sync on his swing.

After you reach the top of your backswing, you're ready to begin the downswing. Do not rush your downswing. If you do, you'll have an increased chance of swinging straight down on the ball and eliminating any power you had going. You will also most likely chilli dip and miss hit the golf ball. Look at Fred Couples and his downswing. It's nearly flawless.

Make sure to keep your left arm straight during your transition. When you keep your arm straight it enables the club head to remain square and hit the ball properly. Don't have a herky-jerky swing. Keep your golf swing smooth. Picture yourself hitting through the ball, not just to it. Hit hard with your right hand.

Be sure to take advantage of the playing elements to help give you more distance. Especially using the wind to your advantage. When you have the wind at your back, tee the golf ball higher than normal. This gives you a higher ball flight with more carry in the air. That means greater distance.

When you're playing into the wind you want the opposite. Tee the ball down a little more than usual.

Once you've practiced these golf techniques, you will begin to see dramatic improvements in distance and control. Who knows, you may even start driving the ball like John Daly.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Golf

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Russell

Five Steps for Improving Bunker Technique By Jack Moorehouse

Although hitting from a bunker is straightforward once you learn the basics of stance and posture, the thought of hitting into a greenside sand trap unsettles many golfers. Improving your technique reduces the fear of bunker play and builds self-confidence in your shot-making capabilities.

Assuming the texture of the sand is similar, and the ball is not plugged, the technique for hitting out of a greenside bunker remains the same for shots up to 30 yards (27m). The key to making this shot, as I’ve explained in my golf tips, is hitting the sand about 1 to 2 inches behind the ball, throwing the sand forward with the ball. For longer shots the only thing that changes is the swing’s length. Rhythm and tempo remain the same.

Below are 5 points I cover in my golf lessons on bunker technique. They’re the focus of my golf instruction once I’ve reviewed how a wedge works and the fundamentals of stance and posture.

1. Move Arms Away in Unison

Having taken a slightly open stance, resist the temptation to get too steep early in the takeaway. Keep the wrists passive as you sweep the club away. Try to synchronize the arm swing and body turn. In other words, make the first part of the takeaway a one-piece movement. Also, make sure the clubhead follows the path away from the ball parallel to the line of your toes.

2. Rotate and Open

Rotate your left arm and wrists as the swing continues, as if you were looking at a wristwatch. It’s a visual I often use in my golf instruction to help players remember to make the move. It opens the clubface and helps maximize the bounce effect on the sand wedge at impact. Also, start hinging your wrists as the clubhead passes your right thigh. Keep your head still, turn the left shoulder in under the chin, and turn your back to the target.

3. Turn to the Top

As your body turns, you should feel as if your clubhead is pointing toward the sky and your wrists are cocked. Keep your head and body centered over the over the ball. Swing the club down on a slightly flatter plane, with good rhythm and tempo, as always. This is a key move any time you swing a club.

4. Make the Right Contact

Hitting the right impact point is critical when playing from the sand. In golf lessons I tell students to visualize the ball sitting on top of a tee instead of the sand, then focus on clipping the tee beneath the ball, which just happens to get in the swing’s way. Executed properly, this move will throw the ball out of the bunker with just the right amount of sand.

5. Create a Controlled Explosion

As the club comes down in the downswing, you should feel your hands drag left, pulling them across the ball through impact. Make sure that your right hand doesn’t cross over the left and that you clear your left hip as the club comes through. If the stance and clubhead are open sufficiently, the ball will fly straight, with a high trajectory.

Of course, the technique for longer bunker shots differs slightly. The key with longer shots is in the follow-through. Use a full finish for long bunker shots, and a short finish for shorter bunker shots.

Below are two exercises that I use in golf lessons to help students improve their bunker technique:

• This exercise establishes how the sand wedge should really work. Stand in a practice bunker without a ball. Adopt your normal bunker stance and take several swings down into the sand. The object is to get the feel of the clubhead dragging through the sand, not digging into it. After a dozen shots, try hitting a ball. Pick out a spot where you want the ball to land and then go for it. Repeat the exercise until you’re comfortable with the feel of the wedge splashing through the sand.

• Focusing on a spot where the clubhead hits can divert attention from where it emerges, resulting in a fluffed shot. The “Two Lines” exercise helps eliminate the tendency to lose focus. Stand in a bunker and take your normal bunker stance. Draw two lines in the sand about 6 to 7 inches apart. The lines represent the length of the sand you should carve from under the ball. Line up several balls between the two lines then hit them. The clubhead should enter the sand where the first line is and emerge where the second line is.

Practicing these two exercises while keeping the 5 points in mind will help build better bunker technique. As you become more and more comfortable with hitting out of a bunker, you will increase your self-confidence. And that, as I often tell my students, leads to better play and lower golf handicaps.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros.” He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_Moorehouse

Golf Tips: The Simple Secret to Solving the Slice

The slice is a shot which usually starts off slightly to the left, then swerves to the right in the air. The slice is a common fault that occurs in many beginners game and has to be one of the most frustrating things that can happen to a golfer. In most cases, the slice is uncontrollable and is destructive more often than not resulting in the ball being sent deep into the rough. It is also far more common than the hook which occurs when the ball does the opposite through the air.

Ways to cure the slice:

Firstly, make sure your body alignment is correct, your shoulders, chest hips and feet should all be parallel to each other as well as parallel to the ball to pin line. If your body is not aligned correctly and is aiming too far to the left, the upper body can not and does not rotate properly. This leads to an 'out to in' swing which means that the club will not be hitting through the ball but instead will be moving from outside the ball to inside the ball as the impact takes place. The consequence of this is side spin being generated on the ball and the dreaded uncontrollable slice follows.

Even if your alignment, swing and grip are perfect, the positioning of the ball in the stance can make a good straight shot into a shot that slices wildly out of play. This occurs when the ball is placed too far forward in the stance.

Once again the slicing of the ball occurs because the club face is no longer square on at impact with the ball. This is because the club face has come past square and is moving in from the ball to pin line, this again generates side spin resulting in the ball slicing again.

Ideal ball placement is different for every club, but this is a rough guide:

For woods and long irons, the ball should be placed inline with the inside of your left heel (opposite for left hand players), for short irons place the ball in the centre of the stance, for medium irons the ball should be placed between two positions mentioned above.

Posture should be checked as weight distribution can also have an affect. Having your weight too far forward can encourage the slice so be wary of your weight distribution.

If all else fails, try strengthening your grip. Do this by moving your hands slightly clockwise around the club, then adjust your grip so you're holding it more in your fingers and lighten the pressure, this should help reduce the affect of the slicing.

Happy golfing!

For some excelent help please click here: Golf Made Easy!



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Copyright © Ally Canaway 2006

Importance of Golf Etiquette By David Stone

Golf is a game of skill and etiquette that are both equally important. To many people the etiquette is the most important part of the game. Skill is based on practice and talent, but everyone is capable of proper etiquette. The key to great etiquette is knowing the rules and using them every time you play. That way you will not forget them when it is important. The etiquette of begins before you have even arrived at the course. Dress is very important. Athletic clothing is prohibited, unless you are just messing around at the local public course. Pants or shorts must have belt loops and no cuffs. You shirt must have a collar; polo style shirts are a popular choice. Most golf courses now prefer that you wear shoes with rubber spikes instead.

It is polite to arrive about 20 minutes early to allow everyone to partner up and get organized. If you would like to hit some balls before the match, you can arrive earlier and practice at the driving range. When you reach the first tee it is appropriate for the person with the lowest handicap to tee off first. From the tee each person furthest from the hole should hit respectively. If players that are sharing a cart hit their ball to opposite sides of the fairway, one player should be dropped off at his ball with a couple of clubs. All divots should be replaced with sand and the removed grass.

On the green, the furthest from the hole still hits respectively. You should never cross the path of someone's ball. Either step over the path or go behind the path. This ensures that your footprint does not alter the path. If your ball is near or in the path of another ball, you must place a marker in front of your ball and remove it from the green until it is your turn to putt.

Other than these specific rules, always follow general safety guidelines. Never hit the ball if someone is near its path, and always stand far enough away from someone swinging a club to give them ample room. The most important thing to remember is to respect your fellow golfers and enjoy the game.

Find more great information about golf at http://www.get-golf-clubs.info/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Stone

Left Handed Golf Tips For The Beginning Golfer By Tim Gorman

One of the main mistakes that some left handed golfers make is also actually one of the more obvious ones, they attempt to play right-handed. Honestly, why they do this is not hard or difficult to understand, unless you have the money to buy a new set of clubs the very first time that you play golf then the chances are that you will end up borrowing some clubs just to see if you like the game and of course the clubs you borrow are very likely to be right handed.

Many left handed golfers do actually go on to buy their own clubs that are the correct style for them but some still carry on with the right handed clubs based on the fact that they have been playing too long with them and do not want to learn how to play golf all over again with left handed clubs. Naturally, this does mean that they will not ever be quite as good a golfer as they could become with the right (in this case left handed) clubs. When people search for left handed golf tips they have already embraced the most important tip for a left handed golfer and that is to play the game of golf using their natural swing with left handed golf clubs.

One of the best left-handed golf tips for beginners is to be careful when choosing your clubs. When you are left handed there is a much more limited choice available to you, especially if you are shopping at a small local golf shop or club. But rather than taking a set of golf clubs that you are not happy with, you would be better off waiting for a while until you have the opportunity to travel to a larger shop with a more comprehensive selection of clubs and golf equipment to choose from. The other option if you are nowhere near a golf equipment or sporting goods store with a good selection of clubs is to buy them by mail order.

There are two ways of doing this, you can either get a catalog and order your clubs that way or you could go to one of the online golf stores that have a good selection of equipment and everything that the left handed golfer could want or need I order to successfully play the game of golf. Of course, one of the best ways for a left handed golfer to learn how to correctly play and also receive some quality left handed golf tips is by taking lessons from a left handed golf pro. Some right-handed pros have a tough time when trying to teach left handed players and if you can swing it taking lessons from another left handed golfer is a much better idea and will significantly improve your golfing skills and game. With the right (left handed) clubs and good tuition there is every chance that your game will steadily get better and you will enjoy it even more.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Golf-Swing-Improvement.com. He provides more golf swing tips, putting tips and more information on left handed golf tips that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Gorman

How to Develop a Proper Golf Swing

How to Develop a Proper Golf Swing
By M Taylor

The first question you have to ask yourself is - What is a proper golf swing? All golf swings have the same three main components - the backswing, downswing and the follow through. Sounds simple, but to develop these three components into a strong, powerful swing takes a lot of practice on the course, as well as some training off the course.

In the game of golf, no two people ever have the same golf swing. The way one person swings a golf club may not work for another person, even if they are near in body types. Every golfer has to find the playing style that fits him or her to help them produce the results that they want. Practicing the fundamentals of golf will build a solid foundation upon which you can build upon to create that powerful swing. All the great golf players of the world did this and now it is simple and easy for them to drive a golf ball down the course.

One of the essential things that will affect all three of the golf swing components is your grip. Many golfers feel tension when they address the ball and get ready to execute their golf swing and this results in a tight grip on the club and stiffness in their arms. After the first swing that did not go as they wished it would, the tension builds and starts a vicious cycle that will affect the rest of their swings.

The first thing you can do to help develop a proper golf swing is to relax. Take a deep breath, let it out slowly, and visualize the result of your swing - the ball screaming down the course.

Next, take a firm but not tight grip on the club and think about the golf swing sequence.

The backswing - draw your club back in a smooth arch until the knuckle of your thumb is above your right ear. As you draw back, the club head will trace out a large circle and at the top of your backswing your chest will be pointing away from your target.

The downswing - this is where you swing your golf club down and the club head makes contact with the ball. Let the natural motion of your body carry the club head through the golf balls position down the range toward the target.

The follow through - your body continues and completes the swing arc after contacting the ball. Your finish position is part of your golf swing, so do not stop abruptly and try to keep your motion fluid.

When you start your backswing, take a deep breath as you draw back and release it slowly as you start your downswing. Holding your breath will create stiffness in the upper body that will affect the fluid motion you are trying to develop in your golf swing. Here are some tips to remember while visualizing your golf swing:

- Keep your left elbow straight during the backswing as the club goes straight up and back.

- Let your left arm roll slightly clockwise at the start of your downswing.

- Your wrists should be at a 90-degree angle when your left arm is parallel to the ground.

- Start your downswing with your lower body, NOT your shoulders.

- As you bring the club down, turn your hips as fast and powerful as you can towards the target.

- At the bottom of the swing arc, your wrists should snap and you will start the follow through.

- Your right arm will swing across your body and end up near your left shoulder.

- Your shoulders will be perpendicular to the target.

At the completion of the follow through portion of your golf swing, your weight should be balanced on your front hip and your back toe should be on the ground. Your hands will come to rest above your left shoulder and with your left knee facing the hole.

Now, going back to the original question – What is a proper golf swing? First off there is no simple golf swing as many people try to believe. People who have never played golf will tell you that hitting the golf ball is easy. Just take a club and hit the ball as hard as you can. However, as any golfer will tell you it is never that easy because there are quite a lot of variables and small nuances that go into developing a good golf swing. Therefore, a proper golf swing is one that you can execute repeatedly, and feel good about the results.

To develop your own golf swing, it will take practice and training both on and off the golf course. Take some time to build your body off the course through a golf specific fitness training and conditioning program, and then get onto the course to develop your own proper swing by practicing the fundamentals of golf until they are second nature. Anything you do in life, your overall attitude and expectations of yourself, will ultimately determine your enjoyment of the game. View each golf swing, water hazard, hook and slice as another opportunity to improve. Remember, great players are not born; they work at becoming a great player through training and practice.

The proper golf swing comes from improving upon the basic fundamentals of golf. Visit http://www.realgolftraining.com for golf swing tips, training aids such as swing trainers and other training aids to help you imrove your golf swing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M_Taylor

Golfing Impact Indicator

I have never actually used one of these devices before due to my traditional nature. From what I've read though, it certainly does look an interesting peice of kit.

For a repeatable and Simple Golf Swing that provides power, accuracy and consistency, check out: The Simple Swing

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Golf is undeniably a game of skill and concentration and even the most accomplished of golfers confess to having a transient loss of concentration during the most crucial of junctures. To maintain focus - the amateur and professional alike concentrate on the point of impact between the golf ball and the club.

THE GOLFING IMPACT

Simplistically the Golf Impact Indicator tells one as to precisely where the club strikes the golf ball. The impact being that this point of contact indicates as to where the ball would travel - this being the essence of a good game of a golf.

The golf impact indicators come in multiple variations, which could well range from the traditional to the revolutionary. The traditional approach being to use a tape to create a thin film around the ball, which would ascertain the point of contact of the ball and the club with high degree of accuracy. Concurrently the accuracy of swing could scarcely be more accurately evaluated.

In contrast - the revolutionary Golf Impact Indicator is both effective and user friendly - the Golf dust and the spray can. Prior to initiating a swing the can with the dust needs to be sprayed on the club head. While executing the swing the point of impact leaves an imprint on the head of the club which would help analyze the swing and impact and would help perfect the swing for the learning golfer.

IMPACT MECHANICS

The golf impact sprays and powders are inarguably superior to the traditional considering that they are easy to use in addition to being compact and portable. Significantly the results are unequivocal considering that the point of impact is living proof needing little interpretation. In addition they are an economical buy and the no alternative option for those wanting to perfect the swing and bring down the score.

The Golf Impact Indicator of choice then is the Golf dust considering that the Golf Indicator tape is a poor second to the incomparable Golf dust.

The Golf Dust spray utilization protocol is easy to comprehend and simpler to execute. The Golf dust spray can is shaken well and sprinkled on the head of the golf club. This being followed by a wait of ten to fifteen seconds before the swing is executed. A close inspection of the head of the club after the impact would indicate the accuracy of the swing and the correction factor needed - if any. The point of impact on the head of the golf club would help ascertain the accuracy of the swing and ensure better ball control for the more discerning of golfers. The Golf Impact indicators being used primarily during practice sessions.

The product is amazing and what is even more amazing is - that the product works wonders.

The Golf Impact indicator then is an integral part of any golf training session and helps the avid golfer assess and correct the stance, grip, club length and finally achieving - golfing perfection - the aspiration of every golfer.

Hard work earns a good game of golf while a revolutionary Golf Impact indicator attains and explosive game of Golf!

About the Author

Joe Stewart is a sports fanatic and business owner that likes to write articles about topics that interest him.

A good Golf Impact Indicator is a must if you ever expect to improve your golf game. Take a moment and check out our articles about golf training aids.

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