In an earlier post I discussed the subject of shaft flex. I wanted to write some more to help people that are searching the web for the answer to this question: WHAT SHAFT FLEX SHOULD I USE? First, we need to understand what happens to a golf shaft when you swing it. If you were to watch your swing in slow motion you would notice that the shaft bends. This happens because when we swing a golf club we put a lot of pressure on the shaft causing it to bow in the middle. There are a lot of things that can happen to our ball flight if the flex in our shaft is too soft,or too stiff. Ball flight problems
3 things can happen to our ball flight from having the wrong flex in our shafts.
The distance of the ball could be less (obviously, this would not be good)
The trajectory (could be higher or lower)
Our accuracy (the ball could end up going right or left)
The reason we would have these problems is because when the golf club flexes it changes the position of the clubhead. The clubface could become opened or closed at impact, or loft could be added or subtracted. Did you know, that if you slice the golf ball, for example, it may be because you have the wrong flex for your swing? It's a real possibility!
To figure out what shaft flex is proper for you, make an honest analysis of your current golf swing and answer the following questions:
How far do you hit your driver (carry distance)?
250 or more yards-pick a stiff shaft
230 to 250 yards-pick a regular shaft
200 to 230 yards-pick a senior shaft (also called A-flex, originally called (A)mature. A lot of players would benefit by hitting an A-flex shaft)
Less than 200 yards-pick a ladies shaft
Do your drives go to the left?
If yes then try a stiffer flex
Do your drives go to the right?
If yes then try a softer flex
Do you have a lower ball flight resulting in less distance?
If yes then try a softer flex
Is your ball flight extremely high?
If yes then try a stiffer flex
If you are new to the game of golf and you are shopping for clubs then there are 2 ways you can determine which shaft flex is right for you. One is, go to a club-fitter, or a teaching pro, and get fitted. The other is, go to a local golf shop and see if they will let you demo some drivers with different shaft flexes, and observe your ball flight. Once you have hit all available shaft flexes, then ask yourself the above questions to help determine your proper flex. The next thing you will need to figure out if you want graphite or steel shafts.
Image via WikipediaToday's free golf tip involves bunkers and rakes. Have you ever hit your golf ball into a bunker and had it come to rest right next to a rake. Now the rake is there for a reason, right? A rake is used to smooth out marks that are put into the sand, from golf clubs, feet, etc. Now, one question you may have is, 'Can I move the rake?' The answer to that question is, 'Yes', because it is considered a movable obstruction. But what is the ruling if your golf ball moves while moving the rake? Now that's a good question! Would you incur a one-stroke penalty? I'll let you think about that for a minute. (Insert Final Jeopardy music here)
Your free golf tip for today is the answer to that question. What were your guesses? I will now reveal you free golf tip of the day (drum roll, please)! The answer is 'NO', you would not be penalized! The only thing that has to be done, is the ball is to be replaced to its original position. That's it! That's the answer!
So now the next time you are out on the golf course and your ball goes into a bunker and ends up next to a rake, or even if your playing partners golf balls do this, you will know what to do, and, you will know the correct ruling. A lot of people get this ruling wrong, so you could even place a little side wager with your playing partners, if you wanted. You never know, you could end up winning lunch, all because of Nicks free golf tip of the day.
Image via WikipediaSomething that I was often asked about when I was in the retail sales of golf equipment and supplies, was 'torque,' torque when it comes to golf shafts, both steel and graphite. We are not talking about the torque of an automobile engine, however that is a good analogy, so I'm going to use it. I'm not an engine expert, so please just go along with my explanation, because I know that torque is so much more than what I am about to describe. The engine in our cars, when revved up, twists, due to the moving parts inside the engine! Especially is the twisting evident when the engine is quickly revved at high RPM's. If the engine was not bolted to the frame, it would twist itself right out of the engine compartment. Even with the engine bolted in, the torque of the engine can cause the vehicle to move. For example, if you press the brake and the accelerator at the same time you will see and feel the car move due to torque. This sort of describes what happens to a golf shaft when a load is applied to it. We apply torque, for example, to our golf clubs, when we quickly go from our backswing to our downswing. The quick motion applies pressure on the shaft causing it to twist.
At this point, I need to clarify that we are not talking about shaft flex, but rather shaft twist. The twist of, or rather the torque of the shaft is measured in degrees. The higher the number the more the shaft will twist. Conversely, the lower the number, the less amount of twist.
The number of degrees range from 1 to about 8. A steel shaft falls between the ranges of 2 to 4 degrees, whereas a graphite shaft can range from 1 to 8. So you can see that a steel shaft doesn't really have much twist, whereas a graphite shaft can be extremely rigid or it can really twist a lot.
Well then, that brings up a good question. What degree of torque should I look for? You really don't have to worry about shaft torque when it comes to steel, since steel doesn't really have a broad range of torque. However, if you are thinking of using a graphite shaft you will have to consider your swing. If you have an extremely aggressive swing and you release the club late, then you want a shaft with torque no greater than 5. If you have a smooth tempo then you don't want a shaft lower than 4. The majority of graphite shafts available today fall between the ranges of 3.5 to 5.5. Most people will do well with a shaft that falls within this range.
Image via WikipediaIf you want to learn how to play golf, you have to learn the basics of golf, then you must apply what you have learned. Harry Vardon is one who knew how to play, and he did it very well. Harry Vardon lived between the years of 1870 to1937, and he was a professional golfer. The surprising thing about Harry Vardon was he did not get interested in golf until he was in his teens, and by the time he reached 20 years old, he was good enough to become a professional golfer. In that short period of time, he taught himself how to play golf. In addition to knowing how to play golf, Harry Vardon during his career in golf, won 62 tournaments, and won a record 6 Open Championships (now known as the British Open), and believe it or not, this record still stands today! Something else that still stands to this day is the use of the Vardon Grip, or overlapping grip. Over 90% of golfers today, use this grip that was popularized by Harry Vardon (invented by Johnny Laidlay). Also, the PGA of America, after Mr. Vardons death, created the Vardon Trophy, which is awarded annually to the PGA Tour player who scores the lowest adjusted scoring average. In 2000, Golf Digest magazine ranked him as the 13th best player to know how to play golf ever. He sounds like a pretty impressive individual.
His book, simply entitled "How To Play Golf", is a book that deals with the method of golf instead of the science of golf, which is popular today. This book is still a hot seller today and many have learned how to play golf by studying this great novel. If Mr. Vardon could teach himself how to play golf in a short period of time, then maybe he could help all of us to learn how to play better as well.
Image by Getty Images via Daylife
Have you ever come across something that has truly moved you emotionally? I have listened to many speakers and have read a lot of books and articles. And there are times when something is said or written that truly hits me and inspires me and my thinking. Today, I'm talking about Kenny Perry and what he has accomplished in his life recently and how his life can benefit ours. But I'm not even going to elaborate on what he has done in regards to his wins on the PGA Tour, or his accomplishments at the Ryder Cup, because I'd rather you read it for yourself. Visit a fellow bloggers site called Armchair Golf and read his latest post. Armchair has, within a few short words, created a masterpiece. Maybe I'm going overboard but this one is a winner to me. Honestly, a must read.
Image via WikipediaImage via WikipediaHere is a collection of golf articles that deal with all kinds of golf tips, tricks, and instruction. This is a post that is automatically updated when a new article comes out via an RSS feed. So every time you come to this post entitled 'The Lates Golf Tips' it will have new and fresh golf information. So check back from time to time and keep up with the latest trends in golf.
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Not to long ago, I had been considering replacing my long irons with a few hybrid clubs. I went to my local Edwin Watts and demo'd a few. At first, I hit them really well, but then things changed dramatically, and I no longer could hit them consistently, and so I took them back until I could find a golf tip to hit hybrids.
I decided at that point that I wouldn't replace my long irons. Even though I have been resolved not to buy hybrids since, I have always been confused about why I couldn't hit those darn clubs anymore. I like the looks of them, I like the idea behind them, but I just can't hit them. I can hit my fairway woods really well, so why can't I hit hybrids?!
I came across an article that totally got my attention the other day. This article tells the secret to hitting hybrids. After reading the article guess what I did? I went back to the golf shop and checked out a hybrid again. Can you guess what happened? I'll tell ya. I am now in love with hybrids! I started hitting that golf club better than any club in my bag. Why? Read this article: 'Seeing Double, How to Hit a Hybrid Like an Iron,' and you will see why. Now I have to try a few more hybrids to find the best one for me. Seriously, you have to read this great article, it is a great golf tip on how to hit your hybrids!
Image via WikipediaThis is a copy of Tiger Woods' Newsletter, for those who are not on his mailing list.
"My rehabilitation is going well. Although I won't be able to swing a club until early next year, my left knee is getting stronger and the doctors are pleased with my progress. I just can't rotate on my leg and I still don't know what my first event will be in 2009.
As for being away from the game, there are definitely certain things I miss. I miss the competition, and I miss the preparation. If I tried to play now, you would see some of the worst shots you've ever seen.
I plan to watch the Ryder Cup this week, but I will not attend. U.S. captain Paul Azinger has my cell phone number and he or any US player can call me any time. If I can offer any assistance, I'm happy to help. I doubt I can do much, since I can't play practice rounds and am not privy to their team chemistry. I also don't know who is playing well, who is injured, and have no feel for how the course is playing. But I'll be happy to offer my opinion. I wish the American team well and hope they can bring back the Cup.
The next big event on my schedule is the fourth annual Block Party on Oct. 11 in Orange County. This year, we're looking forward to a gourmet dinner prepared by Chef Mario Batali and a musical performance from Seal, who was fantastic at Tiger Jam III back in 2000. The Block Party has been a huge success for us and is our way of thanking the local community for supporting the Learning Center. So far, the event has raised about $3 million for the Center's career exploration programs.
I recently spent time at my golf course design projects, Al Ruwaya Golf Course in Dubai and at The Cliffs at High Carolina in North Carolina, reviewing the progress of both. The two are going very well.
I also spent a couple days in New York, where we launched my new EA Sports videogame: Tiger Woods PGA Tour 09. I attended a reception and U.S. Olympians Michael Phelps, Bryan Clay, Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor stopped by to say hello. I enjoyed hanging out with them, and Phelps was naturally exhausted. It was nice of him to stop by and wish me luck with my new video game launch. I watched most of the Olympics on television and have to say his performance was definitely one of the all-time feats of any individual athlete in one Olympics.
I also went to a New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox game with a few friends. Afterward, I caught up with my buddy Derek Jeter.
I was hoping to go see Roger Federer play in the U.S. Open, but it never worked out. He had reached three Grand Slam finals in a row and I was glad to see him win. We always give each other a hard time. He now has 13 Grand Slam titles and is one way from the record held by Pete Sampras. He's closer than I am to the record; I have 14 titles and Jack Nicklaus has 18. But I might be playing competitively a little longer than him.
As you have probably heard, Elin and I will become parents again, and we're as thrilled as you can possibly be. Elin is doing great and is perfectly healthy. The only difference this time is we're getting less sleep because of Sam. We didn't want to know if it was a boy or a girl the first time, and we're not going to find out this time.
That's all for now. Thanks for reading and talk to you soon.
Tiger
TIGER'S TIP
By Tiger Woods, Golf Digest Playing Editor, Edited By Pete McDaniel and Mark Soltau
Belt Buckle To The Target
For distance control from the sand, turn your lower body through the shot
I'm always amazed at the confusion over the lower body's role in green-side bunker play. Here's a rule of thumb: quiet lower body on the backswing, active lower body on the through-swing.
A lot of amateurs fail to consistently execute greenside bunker shots because they lock the lower body in place and get real handsy or armsy with the swing. As a result, they often decelerate through the shot, sometimes leaving the ball in the bunker.
Rotating your lower body toward the target helps propel the ball from the sand and assists in maintaining acceleration. Try this for a swing thought: Turn your belt buckle to the target.
For me, keeping my lower body and upper body connected throughout the swing is the key to controlling distance from greenside sand. If one or the other is out of sync, you can bet my percentage of sand saves will decrease.
Keep your lower body moving through impact, and you'll become a better bunker player."
In a recent post, I talked about chipping the golf ball. Today I want to talk about putting. I have stated before that I love putting but I am always looking for ways to improve my putting technique. I found an article that outlines how to improve your putting by learning to use feel verses learning to depend solely on your eyes. I guess I do both. I am not a professional nor an expert, I just love the game and I am going to relate what has worked for me.
As I approach the green, I first of all begin to look at my ball in relation to the hole, trying to get a sense of the shape, or contour, of the green. Then, as I walk up to mark my ball, I use my feet to get a sense of how the green feels. Is it soft, is it hard? Believe it or not, every green is different on the course. One green may be slightly softer or harder than the others. After playing a few holes I have made a mental note about the feel of the greens, so I know instantly if the green is going to putt slightly slower or faster.
Before I mark my ball, I crouch down behind it to look to see if there is a break to the right or to the left, if it is straight, uphill, downhill, etc. I try to remember the contour of the green that I previously looked at as I walked up to the green. The reason I do this is because sometimes a putt can look flat and straight from on the green, but when you step off the green and look back you can see that it was not straight and flat, for example. As I said, I do this before I mark my ball. I get a better feel if I leave the ball on the green for this part of my routine. I do all of this very quickly, because I hate slow play.
After that quick look, I mark my ball, then I walk toward the hole checking out the grass between my ball and the hole. If there is any pitch marks or debris that could alter my ball or distract me, I remove them. I proceed to walk to the opposite side of the hole, roughly 10 to 15 feet to the opposite side of where my ball marker is and I again crouch down to get a look from the other side. Sometimes I notice more break or less break at this point.
I then walk back to my ball using the other side of where I walked to remove debris, looking the whole time at the green. In essence, at this point, I have made a complete circle. It takes me about 30-45 seconds to do all of this. I have found that if I take a longer time to do this part of the routine, I begin to loose my feel. So I try to do this quickly to lock in the feel.
When it is my turn to putt I walk up to my marker, place my ball and using the line that is on my ball I try to line it up to what I feel is the break of the putt. I quickly step back, crouch down again, and look at that line to make sure it is lined up properly, in relation to where I see the break. If it looks slightly off, I quickly adjust my ball, then I pick up my marker.
I then set up the guide lines that are on the top of my putter with the line on my ball and then set my feet parallel to these lines. I take one last look at the hole and slowly drift my eyes backwards, along the invisible line I have drawn in my head back to my ball. I take a breath and I then make my putt.
Something else that I did not mention that I automatically do, almost without thinking, is I look which way the grass is bending. Grass is like most fabrics, it has a nap. (they call it grain on the green) The grain of the green can move with the sun, it almost always bends toward the sun. You cannot see it moving, but you can see how it is laying at the moment. You can kind of factor how it is laying into your putt. If the grain is against you then it will slow your putt down, if it is away from you then it will put a little faster. And, of course, if it lays to the right or left, it can turn your ball that way. The only time the grain of the grass doesn't bend with the sun is when there is water nearby. So if there is a pond or creek near the green, then it's a good possibility that the ball will break toward the water.
This is the routine that I consistently use and it works pretty good. The only time I have a problem is when my feet hurt and I cannot get the proper feel. It is amazing how important your feet are when it comes to the game of golf. Check out this article, entitled 'Improve Your Feel on Putts', it has some nice tips that can really groove the proper feel for putts. I tried it and I will be using the drill that is mentioned in the article for my pre-round routine. Remember: NO 3 PUTTS! LOL.
The latest golf news, headlines, and tips. Below you will find an RSS Feed that I have imbedded into my blog post so that all my readers can get the latest information that is going on in the golfing world today. Thanks for stopping by.
As the Ryder Cup approaches I have to say a few comments about Sergio Garcia. Sergio may not have any wins when it comes to the Majors, but he sure can kick some butt when it comes to the Ryder Cup matches! He has only played in 4 Ryder Cups but he has an amazing record. Granted he stinks when it comes to singles matches, where he is 1-3, but when he plays with a partner, oh boy, look out! Check this out, with a partner he is 13-1-2, he is a winner in eight alternate-shot matches, and his record is 5-1-2 in better ball. Here is another stat that is remarkable for Sergio: he has played in 20 matches and has won 15 points. Compare that with Tiger Woods: Tiger has played in 25 matches and has won only 11 points. On top of this, Sergio has been playing really good coming into the Ryder Cup. I know that one man, (or boy, as some have classified him as) cannot win the Ryders by himself. But Sergio brings a lot to the table and the Americans better be ready to play because Sergio has proven that this is the event that he loves and he will be ready to throw down.
The new Nike Victory Red Irons are set to be released November 1, 2008. I have seen pictures of the 3 styles of irons that will be available and they are sweet! They are offering a set of blades that are similar to the ones that are designed for Tiger Woods which he plays. They are also going to have a split cavity iron and a full cavity iron. All three look awesome!
I play Hogan irons and I just love them, but these new irons have me craving for a new set. (Yeah, my wife won't like that idea, LOL) I am totally impressed with the look of the split cavity back irons and when they come out I am going to go demo a set.
If you want to learn more about these irons and to see a photo of them, check out the post entitled, 'The Shop Blog: Nike Victory Red Irons...' over at Golf.com.
Do you chip with the same club all the time? I have a tendency to want to always use my 8-iron. I use my 8-iron because it reacts like my putter. I know that may sound weird to you, but what I mean by that is, when I use my 8-iron to chip the ball, I use the same feel that I use with my putter.
I love to putt and I seem to be pretty good at it, so I decided to find an iron that I could use that had the same feel as my putter, for distance purposes. How hard I hit my 8-iron is pretty close to how hard I would have hit my putter from the same spot. I'm not sure if that makes any sense to any of you, but it seems to work for me. So basically I play a bump and run shot all the time. But their are times when I cannot bump and run the ball. Like when I have a large distance between me and the green and the flag is cut near the edge. If I were to bump the shot all the way to the edge of the green, the speed of the ball would send it rolling way past the flag. Or if a bunker is between me and the green, I cannot use my bump and run shot.
So what do I do in those situations? I wing it. I grab a pitching wedge, or my sand wedge, and I do my best to judge the trajectory and the swing speed needed to get the ball to where I think it should go. I am horrible at it. I never know how high or how far the shot will go. To help me to do better with these types of shots, I decided to do some research online and I came across this great little article that at least helps me in determining what trajectory I need. It is entitled, 'How to Pick a Club to Chip.' Check it out, it may help you as well.
Tseng, Creamer headline the field at Bell Micro LPGA Classic
MOBILE, Ala. - After a two-week break, the LPGA Tour gets back into action as it returns to Mobile, Ala., this week for the 132-player $1.4 million Bell Micro LPGA Classic. This week marks the 1st. time the LPGA will be hosting a full-field event on famed Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Magnolia Grove, The Crossings...[READ MORE]
Former Ryder Cup player Peter Baker has identified a trio of European golfers who he believes will form the backbone of Nick Faldo's team as they hope to win the Ryder Cup for the 4th straight time.
Tim Mickelson, the younger brother of Phil Mickelson, pulled out a 1-up victory over Scott Kammann on Monday in the 1st round of match play at the U. S. Mid-Amateur Championship. As a runner-up in stroke-play qualifying for the tournament, Mickleson won the final hole with a par 4 to Kammann's bogey 5. Mickelson's putter saved him down the stretch.
The final putt was the easiest one Camilo Villegas faced on the back 9 of Bellerive, and when he sank the 2-footer for par, he straightened his back, closed his eyes and lifted his head to the blue sky above. His wire-to-wire victory in the BMW Championship seemed overdue, even though the 26-year-old Colombian is finishing up his 3rd year on the PGA Tour.
Brendon Todd won the Utah Championship for his 1st Nationwide Tour title, closing with a 4-under 67 for a 6 stroke victory over 6 players. The former Georgia star had a tournament-record 22-under 262 total on the Willow Creek Country Club course and earned $99,000 to catapult him from 53rd to 15th on the money list with $194,961.
Schild earns hole-in-one at Thicke Memorial golf outing (Houston County News) For the Houston County News Earning a hole-in-one by Jan Schild of La Crescent was the highlight of the Dan and Wendy Thicke Memorial golf outing at Valley High Golf Course on August 23. Jan used an eight-iron to ace the 12th hole.
Blow to head with golf club kills boy, 7, in Mich. (The Flint Journal) HOLLY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) ? Police say a 7-year-old boy died after a friend accidentally struck his head with a child-sized golf club. It happened Friday evening in Oakland County's Holly Township, about 40 miles northwest of Detroit.
Area golf (The Kansas City Star) CLASSIC SENIOR GOLF LEAGUE At Sycamore Ridge G.C. Low gross: Bill Fenton , 74 Low net First flight: 1st, Roger DeLong 71, 2nd, Dennis McWilliams 72, 3rd, Bill Fenton
Teenage Boy Dies In Henderson After Being Thrown From Golf Cart (KTNV Las Vegas) A 12 -year -old boy is dead after he was thrown from a golf cart driven by his father. Henderson Police say the man was driving in the Anthem Country Club Friday night and swerved to miss a parked trailer and boat. When he did, both were thrown from the golf cart.
Their is a cool golf watch that not only keeps your score, but it also can estimate the distance you have left to the flag, plus it can measure your swing speed, your tempo, the rhythm and length of your golf swing. It is made by a company called Suunto and it is called theG6 Wrist-Top Personal Golf Computer Watch. The information that the watch collects while you play a round of golf, or while you practice, is stored for you to later download into your computer. That information can also be accessed while instantly as well. It then breaks down everything for you. It does this via 3 sensors in the watch. Improvement in our game relies on consistency, that's why the Suunto G6 incorporates something that is called the consistency index. It constantly analyzes your swing and tells you how consistent you are at repeating that swing. You can also store you personal information on the watch and you can even download your course and keep track of your stats on that course. The watch also has a calender, a stop watch, and alarms. At $300 bucks that is a pretty cool watch.
Which is better, steel shafts or graphite shafts? Which one is better for me? When I was fitted for my clubs a few years back these were the questions that I wanted answers to. I quickly was helped to see the difference between the two and the benefits of each. I was always under the impression that beginners, high handicappers, and those with slower swing speeds should use graphite shafts, whereas low handicappers should use steel. But boy was I wrong! That was 'old school' thinking and I had to catapult my thinking into the modern age. Graphite shafts in woods have become extremely popular on the PGA Tour. Even Tiger Woods has a graphite shaft in his driver! So I decided to educate myself in regards to the steel shaft vs. graphite shaft world. Here are the differences and benefits I found that maybe you can use to make an informed decision yourself if you are thinking about purchasing or getting fitted for golf clubs. steel shaft vs. graphite shaft
Steel shafts are less expensive than graphite. So if you were to buy a set of clubs that offered both steel and graphite shafts, the steel shafts will cost you less.
Both steel and graphite shafts are very durable. If you take care of both of them, they will last you a long time. Even if you have an extremely fast swing, graphite shafts can take the torque. So you don't have to worry that you are going to snap a graphite shaft in half.
The way that graphite shafts are designed they reduce vibrations to your hands. Steel shafts are less forgiving on mis-hits. However, you can get shafts that also have dampening control. They cost a little more but they do reduce vibrations considerably.
Graphite shafts are lighter, which can result in a faster swing speed. And we all know what results from a faster swing speed! You can gain distance off the tee and off the fairway. However, some feel that using steel shafts allows you to be able to control your swing better due to the added weight in your hands.
As you can see, it comes down to preference when it comes to decision of steel shaft vs. graphite shaft. If you want to gain distance and reduce vibrations, then graphite is the way to go. If you have a tight budget and you are not concerned with the feel of steel then you can pick steel shafted clubs. If you are wondering what I picked for my clubs, I have steel sensi-core shafts in my irons, and graphite shafts in my driver and fairway woods. I tried graphite shafts for my irons but I didn't like the feel. I like the feel of steel much better for irons. But that is my opinion only.
How to increase golf swing speed
Many golfers are looking to increase their distance they hit a golf ball off the tee. I know I do. One way to do that is to increase golf swing speed. To improve golf swing speed one must understand the physics of a golf swing. The faster your club head is going at the bottom of your swing, the greater the amount of kinetic energy that will be transferred from your club head to the ball, resulting in the ball going a long distance off the tee. Some try to achieve maximum club head speed by snapping their wrists at the bottom of their swing, however, the results are opposite of increased golf swing speed. You end up with slower swing speed. So what can golfers do to increase their golf swing speed? You can try club head speed exercises! One simple golf flexibility exercise Pick a weight that is slightly heavier than your driver. Assume your golf posture, and hold the weight where you would hold your driver. Slowly start your back swing until your left arm is parallel with the floor. (Opposite if you are left handed) Now slowly begin your down swing, smoothly reaching the bottom of your down swing, and continuing on up to your follow through, only going until your left arm is parallel to the floor. Then slowly reverse the process, going back and forth about 20 times. Repeat this another 3 times. Do this drill 3 times a week for the first week, then increase your weight slightly for the 2nd week. Take the 3rd week off then start the process over again, starting with the weight you used during your 2nd week of training. For week 5, increase weight slightly again, then take week 6 off. Resist the urge to start with a heavier weight. You may be able to do more weight, but that's not what we are looking for. We are trying increase strength but most importantly this exercise is creating flexibility.By doing this exercise as one fluid motion, it helps to eliminate snapping of the wrists, and allows you to develop the golf specific muscles that are used in the golf swing. Try this exercise to increase your golf swing speed. You can continue to do this exercise for many weeks, but be extremely careful not to end up using really heavy weights, because this could cause injury to your muscles. Remember, flexibility coupled with strength will result in faster club head speed, thus further distance off the tee. Another game improvement tip.
Recently, the LPGA, had adopted a policy to suspend players that cannot speak good English. I knew it would not take long before they would back off. That's why I didn't write a post about it, because it was a ridiculous policy. Lawyers, sponsors, players, and fans have let their voices be heard in regards to this and they obviously yelled loud enough.
Carolyn Bivens, who is the LPGA Tour commisioner, said she will have a new plan by the end of the year. This new plan, however, could still see players, who cannot speak English, being fined. That still is unacceptable to me. What are they thinking?
"We have decided to rescind those penalty provisions," Bivens said in a statement. "After hearing the concerns, we believe there are other ways to achieve our shared objective of supporting and enhancing the business opportunities for every tour player." reprinted from the Seattle Times.
Image by beatneck via Flickr reprinted by nicksgolfpalace
Playing a golf shot from behind a tree or a hazard leaves several choices for the golfer. Having several choices surely can create a big problem. Most salesmen will tell you, leaving too many choices on the table can confuse the sale. I know that I am way off topic here, but having more than a couple of choices can really slow down the decision making process, and trying to sell yourself can be quite the task at times. Especially when there is a golf stroke involved. That is were a question and answer period has to take place, and if you’re trying to sell yourself the thought of making it around, through or over the tree in front of you, good luck!
Do you attempt to go over the hazard? Do you attempt to go around the tree from either side? The other alternative would be to go under the hazard. The safe golf shot would probably be to chip out of trouble, but a lot of us have like to go for the gold. Lets chip away at our options by asking a few simple questions and try coming up with a simple solution.
I’m sure this situation is a common problem for a lot of golfers, unless you hit the perfect golf shot all the time, and even a perfect golf shot down the middle of the fairway may land you behind trees that grow in the middle of fairways on some golf courses. To make a smart decision, you have to look at all your options and come to a reasonable decision on any attempt on trying to reach the green from behind trees. Taking your time on the decision making process is of great importance. Let us put a few options out in the open and see if we can make a wise decision.
First and foremost importance is choosing the right golf club. Ball placement distance to green has to be determined if you plan on going for the green. Let us assume that you’re 169 yards away from the middle of the green and it’s the perfect distance for your 6 iron. We also came to the conclusion that in order to climb the tree in front of you, the 6 iron will not be enough club because of the height to get over the tree, therefore you may have to take a golf club with more loft and less distance and lean into the shot to make up for the distance.
One way of determining if you have enough loft is to stand behind the tree with the golf club in hand and place the golf club head on the ground with the face of the club towards you, and put the bottom of your foot on it and let the grip go. If the tip of the golf club shaft points up and over the tree, chances are the loft of the golf club is enough to go over the tree. If the tip if the golf club points at any part of the tree, chances are you need a loftier club. You may want to practice picking up the golf club head right away on the take-away to get more height from your golf clubs.
If you decide to do the opposite, and attempt to go under the tree, you have to do the extreme opposite with a more closed faced golf club, like a 3 iron, 4iron, 5 iron and maybe a low driver off of the grass depending on your lie. You may want to choke down on the golf club to take a little distance off the ball flight. Again more decisions have to be thought out, depending on how low the branches hang from the ground.
Another alternative would be to try and go around the obstacle. Going up and over or around the hazard will always make the golfer reach for a longer club because of the added distance. If you decide to go around the hazard, you have to make sure the golf ball does not go straight and you’re not going to end up in more trouble, unless you know how to maneuver the golf ball at will. Typically depending on side of the obstacle you decide to go, you may have to open or close the clubface to manipulate the direction of ball flight. If you must attempt to go around, assure yourself that you can spare the couple extra strokes it may cost you to end up right back where you started if you hit it straight out of bounds.
I know being positive is the way to think, but it’s okay to face the possibility of human error to keep us within our capabilities. Staring the situation down with the least amount of fear is the positive mindset that we all like to play. Question you have to ask yourself in that moment of greatness; what is my handicap? Once you’re comfortable and honest with your answer, think no more! Take the shot!
Taking your time and going through a couple simple questions could help you save strokes. Try to avoid making quick decisions on the golf course. Try not to forget that you are paying and playing for the enjoyment of being out on the course. You have every right to take the time on the golf shot within reason. Other golfers do not like to play behind slow golfers either. If you think you have to rush the golf shot, it does not become enjoyment any longer. Talk to your group of golfers and possibly let the group behind you play through if you feel rushed.
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