Archive for September, 2008

Improve Your Golf Swing

Whether you’ve just decided that you want to learn how to play golf, or you’ve been playing for a while, you’ll want to know all you can to improve your golf swing so that you can become a better player. Here are some of the best sources for getting the information you need to be an all-star golfer, as well as the best places to get your golfing supplies.

One of the best places to visit for tips on how to improve your golf swing is http://about.com. You’ll get information on which exercises will improve your swing, and there are pictures of each position so that you’ll know exactly what to do. Tips include going slow if you’ve never done the exercise before, and using an exercise ball to strengthen the muscles in the arm or improve the stamina in the legs for a great stance. One of the best exercises to improve your golf swing is the downward wood chop, which can be found on the site. You’ll stand with the medicine ball in both hands and start with the ball above your head and turn your torso to the left and right respectively; repetitions will increase your strength in no time. The site will also be able to give you links to sites that will offer you quality golf clubs and shoes, so you’ll know where to shop for the supplies that you need for your next trip to the green.

You can also learn how to improve your golf swing by visiting www.learnaboutgolf.com. This site has a number of articles that you can read to become a better golfer, and you’ll get a free lesson every day when you visit the site. A skill associated with golfing is showcased each day, so you’ll get great details on how to grip your golf clubs, how to stand before your swing, and the pictures will give you great guidelines to practice with. The site will also give you a number of recommendations for which golf clubs are best for beginners, seniors and intermediate golfers, so you won’t have to spend money on supplies that may not be best for you. If you need to learn about different variations of the game of golf, want to find out about drivers or irons, or need help figuring out which golf technology is going to work best for you, the site will be a great asset.

Want more help on how to improve your golf swing? You can check out www.amazon.com for great videos and DVDs that will allow you to get the golf training that you need in the comfort of your own home. You can also improve your golf swing by purchasing videos from www.pricegrabber.com or www.bizrate.com.

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Three Inspirational Uses For A Used Golf Club

Perhaps at a yard sale or a thrift store you came across a used golf club. At first you passed it up, but then suddenly you had a moment of inspiration and decided to take the club home with you. Your inspiration is to transform that old used golf club into something unique and inspiring for that person in your life who enjoys the golf short game.

Life provides many opportunities of giving gifts in honor of special achievements such as anniversaries or birthday. What better way to honor that individual than with an individualized unique gift that captures the celebration and the person’s love for the game of golf. Three such inspirational uses for that used golf club could include the following ideas.

Special Occasion Gifts

The used golf club could be mounted on a plaque and inscribed appropriately. This plaque could be presented to that golfer of yours who had done something extraordinary with his golf game.

The used golf club could also serve as a gift on Mother’s or Father’s Day and could be inscribed as such. Sentiments such as “you are the driving force in my life” or “you drive me crazy” could be expressed.

In addition the used golf club could be given as a birthday gift. An inscription such as “old golfers do not die they just lose their grip” could be engraved.

Room Decorations

A used golf club and golf ball could also be pressed into service as a decoration for a den or study. Such decorative ideas could include the mounting of the golf club on a decorative plaque and placed over a mantle or upon a wall. Other ideas could include making a lamp out of the used golf club.

Additionally, the used golf club could serve as a picture holder for the kids or grandkids. By tying a ribbon to the framed pictures of the children the loops created, that hold the frames, could be threaded over the used golf club. The decorative piece could be hung on the wall and would serve to capture the love of the game along with the golfer’s love for their family.

Vacation Mystery

One other additional inspiration that a used golf club could provide is by being a clue as part of a mystery vacation. Begin talking with the person, for whom the vacation is intended, at least six months before the vacation date.

Discuss with them that you have planned a surprise vacation for new golf swing, but will not reveal the destination until they have guessed what and where it will be. Every two weeks, leading up to the vacation, reveal a clue that will help the person figure out what the mystery vacation is going to be. The clue can be hidden or can be wrapped to heighten the sense of excitement.

One such surprise vacation could be a golf package with appropriate clues given. For example, let us say that the vacation locale will be San Diego, California. Clues such as a picture of a zoo, Navy ship or other item associated with San Diego could be given. The final clue would be the used golf club to point to a golf vacation in San Diego.

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Should You Buy Used Golf Clubs?

When you find that a top quality Calloway driver costs $1,500 new and less than $300 used, the thought of buying used golf clubs has to come to mind. That can be a great move, but make sure you consider a few of these simple guidelines before you decide you’re about to get a great deal.

Before you plunk down your cash, make sure that what looks like a good deal really is one. Compare the price of a new club of the same brand and model. A new Ping putter may run up to $100 or more. A used one that costs $50 can definitely be a good deal, but only if the quality is still there.

For any club, look for obvious problems, like worn grips.

Cracks or splits in the rubber or leather are not just a sign of age. Grips can be replaced. But they also suggest less than stellar manufacturing or poor care. A club left out in the rain may have rust spots, but those could have been cleaned off before being offered for sale.

The effects of weather on a grip are not so easy to erase and few sellers will want to spend the money to replace one when they’re getting rid of the club. On the other hand some might, knowing that a few dollars invested can fool you. Buyer beware. Re-gripping may run anywhere from a few dollars up to $15 or more. Even if you’re willing to spend the extra money right away, you’re buying a club that is not in great shape. Reconsider.

Examine the clubface of a used club you’re considering buying.

Almost all used clubs will have some wear, but if the sweetspot is worn shiny, you might want to give it a pass. A clubface like that will cause your shots to be less accurate, which may be the reason the seller is offering them in the first place.

Grooves should have well defined edges. They’re there for a purpose. If there are dents in the surface, you should move onto the next one. Those will cause your flight angle to be off.

Test the shafts, too.

Graphite shafts are lighter weight than steel, but they are slightly less durable. They’ll dent easier. Make sure the shaft is still perfectly round. Dents, grooves and other forms of club abuse will throw off your swing because they affect flexibility and torque. The effect is subtle, but real. Test the shaft by trying to gently twist the head and grip in opposite directions. This should be extremely difficult. Otherwise the shaft is weak.

Steel shafts can get damaged, too. Even in the absence of dents, a steel shaft can get bent. That can happen from a missed swing, or an angry golfer who decided to whack the club into the ground or a tree. Any deviation can suggest that a club has been bent. No golfer without special equipment could straighten the club back to its original shape. If they did get close, it will still weaken the club, affecting flexibility and balance. Move on.

Buying used clubs can be the really smart way to go, especially for those relatively new to the game. It can be a cost-effective way to find out if your dedication to the sport justifies spending hundreds or even thousands for high-quality new clubs. Once your game is up to snuff, you may want to go that route. Or, you just might find that great deal on a used one after all.

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What Makes A Good Golf Training Aid?

Being a professional golfer with new golf swing is always a dream of many amateur golfers. Everyday they try to improve their skills and they constantly look for help to improve their scores. Golf training aid comes very handy at these times. These are becoming very popular by days, especially when more and more people are trying to improve their skills and mend their handicaps at this game.

There are basically many types of golf training aids. Some famous and known ones are Medicus Dual Hinge driver, Chip Mate Net, Speed Stick and the Footjoy socks. Each of these has its own functions and applies to certain parts of the body to improvise the output of the player.

The Internet is the best place to find a golf training aid nowadays, for there are thousands of different advertisements, from various manufacturers flocking the web; to be brought to the attention of the general public, especially those golfers looking for them.

But what makes a good set of golf training aid? Is it the price, or is it the output level? There are just too many training aids to name nowadays, every one having to mend one specific problem of a particular player.

Performance and Quality

The best golf training aid should have the biggest impact on your golf short game skills. There are two things that come into consideration when we talk about this. A good golf training aid set does two things. One, it should produce the best result in terms of improvement in the particular skill you were lacking or not so good at, and two; it should result in a marked improvement over the shortest period of time.

For example, we take a look at two golf training aids to see this concept clearer. A weighted club is a type of golf training aid that some people use to improve their skills on swinging. The best weighted club set is the one which enables a golfer to accomplish or practice two different aspects of the wing simultaneously. And at the same time, this has to be done within the shortest period of time, being able to help the golfers achieve their goal in a reasonable amount of time.

Another famous golf training aid that we will see, and you can easily find online is the Chip Mate Net, or alternatively the Chip-N-Chip, which does the same function. This training aid is used by golfers with good golf swing who have problems with their chipping. And the most effective set of chipping training aid has to do two things. First; it has to help the player achieve better accuracy in chipping, and secondly, this has to be done in the shortest period of time compared to any other form of improvement aid.

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Correcting A Hook Requires Practice

Very often you hear from experienced golfers and golf experts that a golf slice is much easier to cure than a hook. It is definitely the truth. One of the most important golf tips to remember is that golf game success is achieved through the practice of patience. While there are reasons to believe that the slice and hook are very similar in nature, they are just opposite and curing a hook requires a lot of patience.

A slice occurs when the club face is open. This results from the force of the swing, and is often coupled with an out-to-in swing. The net effect is a “slicing” through the golf ball, and hence the name. As the out-to-in swing is further increased, the golf ball trajectory similarly increases from a straight-line path.

After starting on the inside of your body it will spin and fade. The hook is the opposite of what you want to have happen in a slice. For a hook you want the club face to be closed and you will use an in-to-out swing. This will create a motion that takes the ball away from you and then hook back at the end.

First you have to focus on the club face at the impact. Most unintentional hooks shots are caused due to a closed club face. The most common cause is early wrist rotation. This can be observed at the bottom of the swing where the thumb is turning over too soon prior to the club face making contact with the ball or ground. This can be merely due to turning your wrists over too quickly, and not following through with the help of your hands to aim, or, in some cases, opening up your hips almost immediately.

The first and foremost step to fixing a golf hook is to make certain that the wrists and hands are positioned properly when coming into contact with the ground or ball. One should ensure that their wrists are not moving too fast. You can practice this by attempting to chip the ball, or by using a high iron.

Try the chip shot or swing you usually use with a 7 or 8 iron. That should correct the problem. If it doesn’t, and you’re still having a problem with hooking, work harder at keeping your wrists from turning over during your swing.

You should try performing this exercise using the same club until your chipping motion arcs straight. With lots of practice, you will soon notice a difference between your hook swing and your normal one, giving you a slim draw, or even better, a completely straight flight. Patience and perseverance in this exercise you will have your hook corrected in no time.

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How To Size Golf Clubs Right For You

If you are a golfer of any skill level or experience and you are thinking of buying a new golf club set, you may want to get the ‘custom fit’.

You may already be aware that every golfer has his or her own unique characteristics. However, a ‘custom fit’ set of clubs will allow the golfer to have the most ease while performing on the course. The custom design will target the positives of any golfer and maximise them while also targeting the negatives and minimizing those so it would definitely be worth the investment.

When you buy pre-made clubs be aware that they suit only the basics of a golfer such as: height, arm length, hand size etc… You may get lucky and find a pre-made which really works for usually the chances of this happening are extremely rare. Pre-made clubs are usually only for a beginner who just wants to get used to the feeling of swinging a club.

Note: If you start off with a pre-made club you will need to adjust your stance and swing permanently making the swing more difficult. If you get into using custom fitted clubs it will make the swing that much easier and you will be doing it the easiest way from the start.

Custom fitting for golf clubs is easily done at any golf pro store or professional golf trainer. It may be best to find a teacher who can also fit clubs to your style and be sure to hit balls outdoors to allow the trainer to see the ball flight.

Clubfitting is not a tedious, drawn out affair; it can actually be done in 15-20 minutes. However, if you want a more detailed one yet still only the basics to suit your needs, you may be looking at 30-40 minutes of your time, all of which will be totally worth it.

If you would like a very in-depth fitting you will be looking at half a day of your time. These types of clubfittings are really only for the very experienced players.

If you are thinking about price, most clubs will fit you with clubs for free as long as you agree to buy the new set of clubs from them. If they do charge it will only be a petty $30 to $45 USD or so; again, very worth it in the end.

In clubfitting, you will be asked to hit different variations of the same type club. For example, a very good golf equipment store will have dozens of a particular type club; let’s say a Ping 6-iron. Each of these irons will be slightly different in some way from the next. The idea will be to find the best combination of shaft (length, flex and kickpoint), loft (standard, strong or flat), lie (strong or flat), grip and swingweight, along with various other dynamics of the club in relation to the golfer being custom fitted.

Clubfitters will be watching out for certain occurrences in your swings and hits. The clubfitter will observe the ball’s flight and record marks left by chalk in the adhesive strips on the clubface and sole. This allows the clubfitter to select which club is best suited to your physique.

Irons and drivers are the most commonly custom fitted clubs. Although most golfers never see the need, there are some of the pros who like being fitted for putters.

Obviously custom clubfitting will only work when your buy the new set of clubs with your specifications. Remember: You are not obliged to purchase a new set from the clubfitters themselves. You can get fitted, then get the specifications written down and go and buy elsewhere. Also, when you are buying the custom made clubs they should usually cost the same price as the ones you can buy straight off-the-shelf.

Now you have all this knowledge, why not use it and make your game as rewarding as it can possibly be!

Robert is a Professional Golf Tutor who teaches beginner golfers how to play golf. He also shares his knowledge online to golfers looking to get a lower golf handicap through Online Golf Lessons, Golf Tips, and Golf Tuition.

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Golf Tips & Tricks

Teaching your little boy or girl to become a Golf pro may seem like a daunting task and heaping expectations on them will not make it any easier. There is a way to find out, however, if your child is willing and able to become a great golfer and wow the world with their skills. You need to ask some serious questions first, though, and ensure that you get serious answers in return.

Starting your child early is the best way to get going on learning this complicated sport. People with natural talent still need to spend years practicing before hitting any pro circuit and young development is vitally important to the future of the game. Teaching your kids young is important if you have expectations of them learning the game of golf and becoming great ambassadors for the sport.

Once a child is walking well independently and able to hold a child-sized golf club, he or she is probably ready for the first introduction to the sport. This can happen when the child is as young as two or three years old. Preschool children will not be ready to play golf as a game, but they can be given small putters and practice swinging the club correctly.

Children at this age learn almost everything through imitation. The best way to teach them proper swinging and putting techniques is to demonstrate, and then have them imitate the motions. But use caution that you do not make this tedious for the child. These imitation sessions should be short and fun. Try having the child hit a small balloon. Not only will this be fun, but the child will also have success in hitting the balloon, which will keep the frustration at bay. To make it even more fun, try filling the balloons with water for added resistance! This is a great summer time activity for you and for your child!

Once the child has entered school and has a good handle on the swinging and putting techniques learned through observation, it is time to start teaching the game of golf. School aged children are accustomed to verbal instruction and can listen to explanations about the game better than their preschool counterparts. You need to keep in mind, however, that they are still children! They will thrive on encouragement, and all teaching sessions should be kept upbeat!

Start by taking your child to the driving range. Show your son or daughter how to hit the ball correctly, aiming for distance. The driving range is a good place to start since there is not a specific target they must reach, so the child is less likely to get frustrated. After the child demonstrates aptitude on the driving range, you can head to the course. By this point you should be able to tell whether or not your child is going to share your love for the game of golf.

The most important factor to remember is that not all children like the same things that parents like. Do not push your child into the game of golf if it is not their thing as they will resent you forever for doing so. Instead, give them experience and opportunity and allow them to reach their own conclusions about golf and any other opportunity that you present in their path.

Learn more about Golf

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