Sunday, December 27, 2009

Ball Position Really Matters

Golf is a great game…of course winning makes it even better.

Most golfers don’t play a perfect round every time they’re on the course. You’ll have days that you play great and other’s not so great. Some days may be bad enough that you question giving up entirely.

Consistently playing a great round isn’t easy. Not even the pro’s do this …There’s many factors that must be taken into consideration.

If you learn nothing else from this today, please remember this one thing, all right? Most golfers miss the boat on this one.

It just happens that ball position is one of the most important aspects to improving your game.

Ball position is responsible for the direction the ball starts. Golf is all about direction and I don’t need to tell you that.

It’s easy to learn, and the best way to cut strokes almost instantly.
Common mistakes most golfers make with ball position:

1.You place the ball too far forward…the end result…you need to lunge forward and lose balance over the shot.

2.Another big mistake is putting the ball too far back in your stance.

This isn’t sound advice.

Learning correct ball positions for the club you’re using should be something that you are aware of every time you tee it up.

Here’s some helpful tips for a few of the clubs you’ll be using,

1.With wedge in hand place your feet two club heads apart…with the ball about 15 inches from your toes. This is the optimal ball position.

2.When using the 9 Iron you want them further apart than the wedge stance. The ball will be one-club head length from the inside of your front heel. The distance between the ball and your toes should be 16.5 inches. Try this and you’ll be amazed by the outcome.

As you can see…there’s no set stance… It’s gonna change and you must be willing to change with it for maximum improvement.

Listen the next time you’re on the course practicing, try it for yourself. You’re gonna feel the difference in the control and see a change in the quality of your ball striking.

For more golf tuition visit http://www.learninggolfswing.com

Good luck

Wayne

Monday, December 21, 2009

A Plub Good Putting Tip

Instructors don't always agree on golf mechanics. But one thing they do agree on is not exaggerating the arc of your putting stroke. Exaggerating the arc often leads to what some call "plumb putting. It's a flaw recreational golfers are prone to when they "overcook" or exaggerate the putting arc.

A good putting stroke moves on a slight arc--with the putter head tracing a path slightly inside the target line on the way back and then again after impact. That's your ideal putting arc. But sometimes golfers pull the putting stroke too far inside by exaggerating their stroke. That spells trouble.

If you pull the putter head too far inside on the way back, you must save the stroke with your hands. They shove the putter head out on the way back. As a result, the face gets held open and you miss putts short and to the right (left for left-handed players).
This is called plumb putting. If you hung a plumb line from your hands, you'd want the putting stroke to stay away from that line on the backstroke. Instead make a gentle arc, and don't let your wrists arch or the putter head "get tall." Your stroke will be smoother and more reliable:

The following drill helps improve your putting stroke:
Place two golf balls on the green. Set them up so there's just enough room for your putter to swing through them freely. Practice with out a ball for several minutes. Your goal is to move your putter head through the two balls without touching either one. If you hit the inside ball, you've pulled the putter head inside. If you hit the outside ball, you're looping out. In both cases, you must adjust your stance, head position, grip pressure, and shoulder alignment to generate the proper arc. Now use a ball in the drill. Start with short putts, then move out gradually to about 20 feet.

Don't let plumb putting cost you strokes. Develop a good putting stroke and you'll sink more putts

For more golf tuition go to http://www.learninggolfswing.com

Wayne

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

The Essentials Of The Chip Shot

The average ninety-shooter has trouble playing a chip simply because he does not understand the nature of the shot. Usually he putts the ball with an iron, and calls it a chip.

Simply bunting the ball with an iron from the fringe of the green does not constitute a chip. Unless one particular motion is applied to it, such a shot depends almost entirely on luck. This motion is down- ward, the essential action in all iron shots.

The chip is, in essence, a billiard shot. I don't care if the pin is ten feet away or a hundred, the ball still must be hit down upon. This imparts spin to the ball, and spin means control. Without a downward blow you are not taking advantage of the loft, which is built into each iron for a purpose. That's why the manufacturer made nine of them.

A ball hit flatly with an iron can do little more than bounce off the face of it. Hitting the ball in this fash- ion, you might just as well play the game with a baseball bat.

To create a golf shot, rather than just bat it, the ball must ride on the face of the club, held there by

The turf against which you hit down until the compression of the ball propels it forward. This holds true whether the ball is hit 200 yards or 200 inches.
The downward blow of the chip-The essential action in all iron shot. This imparts spin which, in turn, gives you control.

The forward direction in which the ball is propelled is, as I have implied, built into the iron by the manu- facturer. Beyond generating a certain amount of clubhead speed, there is nothing you can do to in- crease this.
But to take full advantage of it, you must hit down on the ball. This is the only way in which the ball can ride as high on the face of it as the manufacturer in- tended.

Get confidence in the loft of your irons from the chip. Learn how much of the work they can do for you when you hit down on the ball. This knowledge will erase your fear of the longer irons.

Concentrating on the downward blow, the chip is addressed and struck basically the same as the putt.
Set confidence in the loft of your irons from the chip. This will erase your fear of the longer irons plane with your shoulders, how and where you place your feet is a matter of comfort. I place mine close to- gether and well open to the cup. By doing this I get the sensation that my target is lying in my lap.
There are several schools of thought on how to judge a chip. Some contend you should judge the roll and let the ball land where it may. Others say you should pick a spot on the green for the ball to land, and let the roll take care of itself.

Possibly the simplest method is to judge the chip by the manner in which it would react if you rolled it by hand toward the cup. Unless you feel you can al- ready visualize this, practice it.

Roll the ball underhand. Then transfer the results to the proper technique of the chip. This is the most practical way to attune your muscles. Afterward, judging a chip is a matter of using your imagination.

Let's treat here the popular myth about the follow- through.

The average golfer's thinking works on the principle that if he follows through, the ball takes care of itself. This is putting the cart before the horse.

For more golf tuition go to http://www.learninggolfswing.com

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Leaning Reading Golf Greens

If your like me, you tend to think about golf
24-7, and what you need to do with your putting
game to lower your scores and play better golf.

Now the biggest difference between the weekend
hacker and a Pro on tour is the ability to
score with their short game, more specifically,
putting.

You can spend all the hours in the day
practicing your putting stroke, distance
control, grip, stance, and alignment (which
will obviously improve your putting), but in
order to be a great putter you need to hone
your ability to read the greens.

A high handicap golfer will tend to just walk
up to the ball, take a quick glance at the
putt, address the ball and take the putt.

A low handicapper however, will spend the
majority of their time reading the break of
the green to line up their putt.

Better golfers know that a good putting stroke
makes little difference if you can't predict
how the ball will behave once it starts rolling.

The best way for the average golfer to read
greens is to forget what they see the Pros
doing.

You have to remember, these guys have an
incredible amount of experience over you when
it comes to being able to accurately read
greens.

If you're a novice or beginner golfer, get
down on your hands and knees, (don't worry
about looking silly when doing this) and take
a good look at the ground between your ball
and the hole.

You'll want to look for any imperfections on
the surface of the green and how you think
those will affect the way the ball rolls.

Determine if your putt will be an uphill, or
downhill putt, and try to estimate the playing
distance of the putt.

Take in to consideration if the grass is dry
or damp. The drier and more firm the green,
the longer the ball will roll when compared to
the same putt on a slightly damp green.

The way the grass has been cut can also be a
factor in how long the ball rolls when struck
by the putter.

The closer the grass is cut the faster the
ball will roll.

Longer grass will slow the ball down causing
the ball to roll a shorter distance.

As you can see, many different factors come
into play when reading greens properly.

Learning to read greens is an extremely
important skill when it comes to shooting
lower scores and playing our best golf out
on the course.

After all, we drive for show - and putt for
dough!

For more golf tuition go to :-
http://www.learninggolfswing.com

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Length of Putter

All too often, golfers will purchase golf clubs,
including putters,straight off the shelves of
your local sporting goods store, their local
retail outlets, or from a fellow golfer

These purchases are made with no thought as to
if that particular putter is even a proper fit
to them or their game.

Just like a fine suit is tailored to every inch
of your body for an exact fit, your putter and
every other club in your bag should be tailored
to not only your body but your game as well.
Everybody is different and unique.

There is no one off the shelf set of clubs
designed to fit every single golfer, or even
the majority of golfers. If you took the putter
measurements of 10 professional golfers, you
would find that all 10 had in someway,
different measurements including length, lie
angle, loft, offset, weight, and design.

All blended together with one single purpose in
mind: to help the golfer make more putts!

Can you imagine the frustration the pros would
go through if they had to change their putting
stroke to accommodate a different putter every
time they decided to change their clubs?

Yet 99%of all recreational golfers go about
purchasing new clubs this way.They buy a club
straight off the rack and then make the adjustments
with their body to compensate for this new putter.

Let's take a look at the biggest factor in putter
fitting and how to correct it:

**Putter Length**

The length of your putter has a direct effect
on how you set up toyour putt. If you are like
the majority of recreational golfers, your playing
with a putter that's either too long or too short
for your natural stroke.

Using a putter that's too long for you will
set the ball too far away from your body. This
affects how your eyes are positioned over the
ball, having your eyes not over the target line,
but inside of it.

This will also cause your arms and hands to be
much closer than you want to your body, not
allowing your arms to hang naturally. This
causes you to manipulate your hands and arms
through the stroke to compensate for the length.

Putters that are too short have the opposite
effect. The ball is set too close to your body,
causing your eyes to be well outside of your
target line.

Two short of putter will also cause you to have
to extend your arms out further from your body
causing to have to reach out to the ball during
the stroke.

To find your ideal putter length you can use a
very simple method right from your own home.

Without a putter in your hands, set up to
address over a ball as if you were going to
putt.

Let your arms hang naturally in front of
you as you reach out and grip an imaginary
putter in the most comfortable and natural
feeling manner. This will set your hands in
their most natural position without being
influenced by gripping an actual putter.

Now without moving your hands or arms from this
position, have a friend or spouse place your
putter back in your hands.

Notice where your hands are on the club NOW
compared to where you gripped it in the past.
You'll probably be a bit surprised at where
your hands end up on the putter.

This is the correct length you should be
playing with.

Your local Golf Outlet or Pro Shop can take
this information and make the necessary
adjustments for you at a very minimal cost.

Foe more golf instruction visit :-
http://www.learninggolfswing.com

Sunday, November 29, 2009

The Chip Shot

The average ninety-shooter has trouble playing a chip simply because he does not understand the nature of the shot. Usually he putts the ball with an iron, and calls it a chip.

Simply bunting the ball with an iron from the fringe of the green does not constitute a chip. Unless one particular motion is applied to it, such a shot depends almost entirely on luck. This motion is down- ward, the essential action in all iron shots.

The chip is, in essence, a billiard shot. I don't care if the pin is ten feet away or a hundred, the ball still must be hit down upon. This imparts spin to the ball, and spin means control. Without a downward blow you are not taking advantage of the loft, which is built into each iron for a purpose. That's why the manufacturer made nine of them.

A ball hit flatly with an iron can do little more than bounce off the face of it. Hitting the ball in this fash- ion, you might just as well play the game with a baseball bat.
To create a golf shot, rather than just bat it, the ball must ride on the face of the club, held there by

The turf against which you hit down until the compression of the ball propels it forward. This holds true whether the ball is hit 200 yards or 200 inches.
The downward blow of the chip-The essential action in all iron shot. This imparts spin which, in turn, gives you control.

The forward direction in which the ball is propelled is, as I have implied, built into the iron by the manu- facturer. Beyond generating a certain amount of clubhead speed, there is nothing you can do to in- crease this.
But to take full advantage of it, you must hit down on the ball. This is the only way in which the ball can ride as high on the face of it as the manufacturer in- tended.

Get confidence in the loft of your irons from the chip. Learn how much of the work they can do for you when you hit down on the ball. This knowledge will erase your fear of the longer irons.

Concentrating on the downward blow, the chip is addressed and struck basically the same as the putt.

Set confidence in the loft of your irons from the chip. This will erase your fear of the longer irons plane with your shoulders, how and where you place your feet is a matter of comfort.

I place mine close to- gether and well open to the cup. By doing this I get the sensation that my target is lying in my lap.

There are several schools of thought on how to judge a chip. Some contend you should judge the roll and let the ball land where it may. Others say you should pick a spot on the green for the ball to land, and let the roll take care of itself.

Possibly the simplest method is to judge the chip by the manner in which it would react if you rolled it by hand toward the cup. Unless you feel you can al- ready visualize this, practice it.

Roll the ball underhand. Then transfer the results to the proper technique of the chip. This is the most practical way to attune your muscles. Afterward, judging a chip is a matter of using your imagination.

Let's treat here the popular myth about the follow- through.

The average golfer's thinking works on the principle that if he follows through, the ball takes care of itself. This is putting the cart before the horse.

For more golf tuition go to http://www.learninggolfswing.com

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Short Sided In Tall Grass

Shots from deep rough are hard. So are downhill putts. But is there a harder shot than being on the back lip of a bunker in tall, thick grass? This shot is about as hard as it gets. You have to deal with not only the thick grass, but also an awkward stance--since you need both feet in the bunker to hit the ball. If you miss, you could plop it in the bunker, costing you a stroke or two. It's not your everyday shot.
Below are five keys to hitting this shot:
1. Widen your stance
2. Set your weight on front side
3. Grip down on the club
4. Hold the club tighter
5. Take the club head up quickly
6. Play an explosion shot
The keys to hitting this shot are stabilizing the lower body and keeping the clubface from closing through impact. Another key is not trying to hit a miracle shot. You're goal is to get on the green in one. So stay within yourself.
Select a club with a leading edge, like a pitching wedge, to cut through the grass. Then, widen your stance and set most of your weight on your front side, which restricts lower body movement.
Since the ball is well above your feet, choke down on the club and grip it a little harder than normal. These adjustments keep the club from twisting in your hands as it cuts through the tall grass and from flipping over when it hits the ground.
When you swing, take the clubhead up quickly and play an explosion shot, just as you would a greenside bunker shot. Also, accelerate the clubhead through the ball. Keep the face pointing skyward after impact.
You won't face this shot many times in a season. But it's good to know how to hit it anyway.
For more golf instructions go to http://www.learninggolfswing.com

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Lower Your Scores By Getting Out Of Trouble Faster

We all get into trouble during a round of golf. Doesn't matter if you're a scratch golfer or a 25 handicap. It happens just about every round. So, given that premise, how can we shoot our lowestscore knowing that we'll be in trouble at some point.

Follow this one simple rule and you will see your scores drop quickly, sometimes dramatically. That rule is...GET OUT OF TROUBLE. I know, Iknow...you were expecting something really deep.

But the truth of the matter is, most golfers do not get out of trouble fast enough. They try a shot they can't pull off 2 in 10 times. And that leaves them still in trouble, maybe even worse trouble. Here's three frequent examples to illustrate the point:

1) You're in a bunker with the pin close to you. You try to blast out right next to the pin and leave it in the bunker.

2) You have trees blocking your shot but decide there is enough room to smash a low hook under the branches. But you hit dead into the trees and now you're really in a mess.

3) Or how about the time you missed the green and had to pitch the ball up onto an elevated green to a tight pin. You tried your lob wedge and left it short, only to watch it roll back down to your feet so you could try it again. Any of these ring a bell?

Here's the easy wasy to lower your score... Just get out of trouble. Let's see what we should have done in each of our examples above. Example #1 -

Unless you are extremely proficient out of the sand like Seve or Gary Player or Phil Mickelson, forget about the great shot. Just put the ball on the green with your most basic bunker shot. This gives youa an easy bogey with still a chance for a one-putt par. But more importantly, it eliminates the dreaded double-bogey or worse.

Example #2 - Instead of the spectacular shot through the trees that probably won't work, play the ball back into the fairway and go on. You'll probably be able to play somewhat toward the green anyway, so you're not really losing a whole stroke. But even if you do, losing one stroke is better than losing two or three trying something nearly impossible.

Example #3 - Tough chip to a short-sided pin on a elevated green. Hit a running chip with a 7-iron up the slope and safely onto the green. Or if you must hit your sand wedge or lob wedge, make sure you hit it hard enough to get safely on the green. Don't try to get it close to the pin if it is not reasonably possible. Just make sure you get on! Here is a great thought to prevent yourself from being tempted to try something with a low chance of success...


Let me repeat that. The stroke-saving shot doesn't have to be your next shot. It doesn't have to be that bunker shot or the unbelievable chip shot. It could just as well be the 20-foot putt that your "safe" play left you. Make that putt and you did just as well as if you'd pulled off that unlikely great bunker shot or chip shot. Or, hit your wedge close to the pin following that shot you safely pitched back to the fairway. Problem is, we know that we can hit some of these great shots sometimes – so it‟s tempting to try to pull off a miracle shot. But reality is, the percentage of success is just too low for it to be a smart play. So, when you have a trouble shot, be honest with yourself.

If you don't have a reasonable chance of pulling it off, then make the safe play and try to save the stroke later.

Now I will say that if you are in competition, especially in match play, the state of the match or the tournament can influence whether you have to "go for it". But even in stroke play, unless it's the last hole or two and you need to gamble to win, you'll find that the safe, smart play will help you shoot lower scores.

… The stroke-saving shot does not have to be your next shot!

For more on how to play better golf go to http://www.learninggolfswing.com

Wayne

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Play Golf Conservatively

I have found that the best way to improve my scores as a long handicapper is not to try to beat the course as if I was a low handicapper.

Take your handicap and put it to good use. If you have 2 strokes on a par 4 then play it like a par 6.

If you have 1 shot handicap on a par 3 then play it as a par 4 and so on.

This means that in the case of a par 6 on handicap you only have to put the ball on the green on your fourth shot and allow two putts for a par on handicap.

You don't have to crunch a monster drive and you don't have to try and over extend a fairway wood or long iron or a hybrid.

My advice is to try and be in close proximity to the green on your third shot, sometimes you will get lucky and your third shot will actually be on the green, this is a bonus. Likewise you will sometimes be able to chip your fourth shot fairly close to the pin and make it a one putt green, again this is a bonus.

When chipping your fourth shot on a par 6 on handicap, don't aim for a tight pin placement near the edge of the green especially if there is trouble like a bunker on that side. Aim your chip for the centre of the green which allows you a fair margin of error on both sides. You should still be able to manage 2 putts from somewhere on the green. Sometimes you will err on the correct side and place your chip near enough for a one putt, again this is a bonus.

By playing conservatively like this you will be surprised how you will get rid of those shots that put you in trouble and cause you to have an 8 or worse. You will begin scoring better by not trying to do so. Use your handicap to advantage.

If you do hit into trouble dont try the miracle shot to get out of there, Take your medicine and chip back into the fairway or take a penalty drop and proceed to play to the green. It is better to drop one shot than three or four by failing with your miracle shot.

For those who want to improve your swing and the rest of your game go to http://www.learninggolfswing.com

Happy golfing

Wayne

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

The Simple Golf Swing

THE SIMPLE GOLF SWING

With the Simple Golf Swing learning system you will add amazing distance to every drive and cut up to twelve strokes from your handicap

But here is one brutal truth, you will not be able to swing like Tiger, or Phil or any of the top pros. Why ?, because you were not born with their physical ability.

Besides each of the top tour pros has a swing that is unique to his (or her) physique. Its hardened into their DNA. Thats how they got to be big-money pros.

But that doesn't mean that you cant improve the way you play now. It doesn't mean that you have to stay a duffer and maybe the butt of your golfing buddies jokes.

The Simple Golf Swing is more than just a swing, it is a complete swing system. Don't let that scare you as remember the key word is Simple.

With the Simple Golf System you will learn how to hit with greater distance and accuracy every time. You will hit more greens and get the ball consistently closer to the pin.

You will wonder what happened to that awful slice you used to have.

You will gain a new outlook on golf with greater confidence in your game. Because you are armed with a proven system that actually works.

You can learn the Simple Golf Swing in just three hours and you can lower your score by seven strokes within only two rounds. You can drop up to twelve strokes off your handicap at the end of only two weeks.

You will be a different golfer in a month, the old bogey plus golfer that was you will be totally transformed. Just imagine the look on the faces of your golfing buddies.

The goal of the system is to have you breaking 80 within 60 days no matter what you are shooting now. This is not impossible as it has been proven time and time again.

The Simple Golf Swing is the most popular golf swing instruction available on the whole internet with more than 19,000 golfers in 36 countries on six continents all swearing that this system fixed their swing problems once and for all.

The creator of the Simple Golf Swing is David Nevogt who is a golf writer and avid golfer who shoots in the low 70s each time he plays.

He has had the opportunity to watch a lot of top pros close up and to talk to them about the game. It was enough to convince him that these guys have so much natural ability that it would be almost impossible for the average golfer to duplicate their techniques.

After seeing how difficult most students found putting into practise what a teaching pro was trying to teach them, David took a year out and developed a fool proof, simple, system that would allow the average golfer to improve their golf game.

How does the system work ? It teaches you how to use your spine as an axis to keep you on the correct swing plane. The system works to keep all of your swings consistent. And a consistent correct swing is the secret to lowering your score.

It also teaches you the correct grip so that you can add distance to every shot. It will help you with your timing and club face alignment until the ball is flying straight as a laser bean every time you hit it.

That means you can say goodbye to your slice for good as well as some other bad habits that have conspired to keep your ball off the greens.

The system was created for the bogey golfer and has been made easy enough for any golfer anywhere to use and improve their game. The system really works.

It will save you money as most teaching pros can charge up to around $100 per lesson and you wont get away with just one lesson,

It will save you time as you can learn The Simple Golf Swing in about 3 hours. Think of the time you will have to spend with the pro and then the hours on the practise range after each lesson,

You can be playing the best golf of your life in just 2 weeks.

You also get bonus lessons on chipping and putting amongst other things.

Check out the Simple Golf Swing at http://www.learninggolfswing.com.

Bye for now and happy golfing

Wayne