A 5-Step Distance Drill

7:40 pm June 3, 2009

But what about distance? How do the pros send it flying with such
phenomenal distance?

The key is to turn the hips to the left during the downswing while, at
the same time, extending the right arm through the swing.

Here is a quick drill that can help you:

1. Start by teeing up the drive in your normal stance.

2. Now, set the ball down off of your left heel (opposite of your left
armpit).

3. Without moving, reach down & slide the ball towards your target
at approximately the same distance as the grip.

4. Tee up your ball there, which should be 10 to 12 inches closer to
the hole. Address the ball similarly to how would normally.

5. To hit it, you will have to move your hips to the left so that your
arms will be able to “reach” the ball (this will invariably cause your
right arm to extend).

This drill should be practiced at least 30 times before hitting the ball
in its normal position. By that time, you should gain significant
improvements in your distance.

“Wait! We Need Your Opinion About This Article – That’s What Makes This Site Different Than The Other Golf Blogs Online…” What do you think about this article? Do you agree with any of the points made? Rate & review it right now in the space below:

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

Tags: causes of fat iron shots, club speed in golf, correct your golf swing, distance drill, drill, fat iron shots, fix golf hook, g great golf swings, golf backswing, golf causes of fat iron, golf swing drill, golf swing hands, golf swing problems, golf swing right foot, golf swing stance, golf teachers, golf techniques, line golf, lost golf swing, magic golf, online golf training, perfect golf swing drills, right foot not follow through, should your golf swing, steps golf swing contact, swing drill, the golf swing made easy, transition phase of golf swing, what creates club speed

Facing Difficult Shots

7:23 pm June 1, 2009

A. About Tough Shots

One of the key aspects to becoming a better player & producing
targeted shots on the course is developing a variety of shots from
different angles & from a multitude of disaster areas.

Unexpected circumstances are bound to happen on the course &
being able to adapt to them so that you can make a clean shot is the
hallmark of a good golf player.

For example, let’s say that you need to hit your tee shot to within 125
yards of the green. But, there is an unavoidably low hanging tree
branch that may deflect your shot. If not for the tree, you would
normally use the 7-iron here.
So, what should you do in this situation?

A skilled golfer would choose to hit the ball at the same distance,
just with with far less height. This way the ball should pass safely
underneath the tree branch.

Choosing the right club for this shot is what counts.

Instead of using a 7-iron, it might be best to use a 5-iron. You could
lower your grip about 2 inches & move the ball towards the right of
your stance by approximately 1 inch.

B. The Result

Gripping lower on the 5-iron club should reduce the distance that the
ball travels. And by playing the ball to the back of your stance, a
lower shot will make the ball pass underneath the tree branch. If
done right, the shot should travel very close to the 125 yards needed.
In addition, the ball will take a lower travel profile, thus rolling more
at the end.

C. Many Paths To The Same End

The above example is just one way to skin a cat. Many players in the
same situation may try something else & use a different club to get
the ball to the same place. It all boils down to adaptability on the
course by knowing your clubs well.
Take some time to practice. Put your ball into sticky situations and
try to work your way out of them. Try using a 4-iron & use a ¾th
swing to get your ball out of a troubled spot.

Try the shot with your 3-wood or lower. Use the 8-iron to hit the ball
the same distance that you would your pitching wedge.

All of these practice swings can come in handy. By developing the
skill of adapting to the game, you will be able to make a great shot
out of any unfortunate situation.

“Wait! We Need Your Opinion About This Article – That’s What Makes This Site Different Than The Other Golf Blogs Online…” What do you think about this article? Do you agree with any of the points made? Rate & review it right now in the space below:

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

Tags: angles, difficutl shots, golf accessory gift bag, golf driving tips, golf pulled shots pull, golf secret skill, golf swing problems, golf swing sequences, golf swing tips distance, golf swing true, golf teachers, golf techniques, golf videos swing, golfing tip, hitting behind the golf ball, inside out golf swings, keep your arms close swing, let hips move the club, longer straighter golf, lost golf swing, of perfect golf swing, online golf lessons, powerswing golf, square the clubface at impact, steps golf swing contact, straight golfswing, textbook golf swing, the golf swing made easy, tough, tough shots, video golf swing weight transfer, weight transfer golf

Golfing Tips

10:06 pm May 30, 2009

When you initiate your swing, your body starts to uncoil itself & it
releases a surge of built up energy. Beginning with your hips, then
shoulders & ultimately the arms & wrists, the entire movement is
like a whip snapping. (Before making contact, the worst thing that
you can do is allow your hands & forearms to release, or “turn
over.”)

Similar to a shutting door, the clubface quickly moves from an open
position to a closed one as it approaches impact. The releasing
movement is caused by your hands & forearms turning. If you don’t
release, then your clubface may remain open & you may end up
slicing. Yuck.

During the moment of impact, your clubface should point towards
your target line & you should swing right through.

A. Your Grip

To ensure that you release appropriately, pay attention to your grip.
It should be have firm, yet light pressure throughout the entire
swing. Nothing affects a shot more than having too much tension in
the arms & hands.

Next, try to swing with a decent balanced tempo. Too many
beginners swing so hard & fast that they leave the clubface open
when impact occurs.

And finally, for right-handed golfers, try to keep the backside of
your left hand pointed down towards the target line.

B. Making Impact Count

During impact, you should have the feeling that your forearm (right
side right-handed golfers) is turning over your left forearm during
impact.

You can practice this by swinging in slow motion. Simply swing the
club up & through. Pay special attention to the movement that your
forearms make: try to turn the right forearm over the left one.

During impact, totally freeze your body & then check out the
position of your clubface. Since it’s in slow motion, this shouldn’t be
hard to accomplish. It will either be square, open, or closed. Try to
ensure that the clubface is square to your target line….

“Wait! We Need Your Opinion About This Article – That’s What Makes This Site Different Than The Other Golf Blogs Online…” What do you think about this article? Do you agree with any of the points made? Rate & review it right now in the space below:

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

Tags: check your golf swing, correcting a golf slice, fix my golf swing, golf live, golf practice drills, golf putters, golf start swing with arms, golf swing exercises, golf swing problems, golf teachers, golf techniques, golf tips, golfbooks, golfing tips, golfing video, how to check golf swing, left handed golf, loose arms golf swing, lost golf swing, online lessons tips golf, perfecting your golf swing, proper golf swing plane, secrets to good golf swing, self golf ball, step by step good golf, steps golf swing contact, steps to good golf, the golf swing made easy, tips, tips of gripping a golf, video golf tips, wrist hinge golf swing

Golf Swing Problems & Accepting Limitations

9:45 am May 28, 2009

Regardless of how many books you read, and how much time you
spend studying, problems will always arise on the golf course.
Interestingly enough, that is part of the reason why golf has become
so popular worldwide…

A. Everything Comes Back To The Swing

Nothing is more gratifying to veteran golfers than having a sound
swing. And, once it’s learned, it’s not hard to keep the swing intact,
even through adjustments and corrections. But occasionally, a
player’s swing can become unpredictable at the drop of a dime.
You’ll hear even some of the best Pros say that their swing “has a
mind of its own.” (But the real question is: Is it their swing or is it
THEM?)

Understanding your swing, which admittedly takes a lot of time and
effort to master, will help you overcome most problems by either
preventing them or easily correcting the issues.

In the beginning, you prevent problems by using basic fundamentals
to develop a sound, consistent swing. And, you can correct
problems by reviewing the fundamentals & adjusting the specific
parts of your swing that may relate to the problems. This is where
Pro instruction comes in handy.

Some veteran players “in a rut” try to force their swing back into
shape. But, forcing conformity into a swing may lead to the
opposite outcome. When chronic problems reoccur and can’t be
resolved in practice, expert players accept their limitations and know
when to call for instruction.

It can be frustrating to admit you need help. But, it’s not as
inefficient as continuing to practice incorrectly.

Yes, even professional players seek help from other professionals
when they need to. The reason is that it is far easier for a 2nd party
to see a flaw in your swing than you can. (By the way, always
select professional instructors who have the track record to back up
any advice that they are giving out.)

B. Accepting Limitations

Although understanding golf swing issues makes it possible to
prevent or correct problems, two factors may make it difficult to
move beyond a certain point:

1. Many golfers are unable to determine what constitutes a specific
problem to begin with (I have friends who had swing problems for
years before they realized it).

2. Very few golfers have an understanding of what the underlying
causes are of the problems themselves.

Between the obvious & underlying swing problems, the latter are the
more troublesome of the two.

Topping the ball, for example, may obviously be caused by the
weight of the player shifting to the right rather than the left through
impact. But the underlying cause may really be their fast backswing
which is preventing them from shifting their weight correctly.

Such factors are rarely, if ever, are corrected without a trainer’s
input. This is because the causes can be hard to discern with
someone else’s help.

C. 100 Different Solutions

So many things like timing, rhythm, movements, relative positions,
practice, dedication, attitude, experience, and mental & physical
abilities can influence a swing.

So much so that you can’t expect the cause of a problem to be the
same from one golfer to another. Nor can a seemingly identical
problem always be corrected with the same simple solution.

Every factor involved affects each player’s swing differently. And
there may be several reasons for continual poor outcomes. It can be
difficult to understand the problems themselves, let alone correct
something you are doing fundamentally wrong.

D. Final Tips

Remember this about your swing:

It’s always best to prevent a problem before it starts. The basics help
here. A lot.

If you are having problems, simply go back to the basics and follow
a step-by-step procedure to rebuild your swing. In-depth analysis
often isn’t really needed. Review the basics to gradually fix all major
problems that arise. Learn to love them.

Furthermore, learning what is truly “good form” will help eliminate
issues that never needed fixing in the first place.

“Wait! We Need Your Opinion About This Article – That’s What Makes This Site Different Than The Other Golf Blogs Online…” What do you think about this article? Do you agree with any of the points made? Rate & review it right now in the space below:

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

Tags: back swing, body release golf swing, classic golf swing, correcting a fade in golf, cross handed golf swing, engineering a better golf swing, fade in golf drive, golf exercise, golf pros advice, golf swing problems, golf swing secrets dvd, golf swing too inside out, how to make golf swing, how to swing the golf, impact golf ball, limitations, motion capture golf swings, not turning your hips enough, stroke play, swing problems, the proper golf swing

Overcoming Problem Shots

6:33 pm May 16, 2009

A. Taming the Rough

Unless all your shots travel the perfect line and distance, eventually
you’ll find the rough. Unlike the mown grass of fairways and greens,
rough can be long and shaggy, sometimes making it hard to find,
let alone hit, your ball.

Because the ball can sink into long grass, you can’t rely on a
standard technique to get free. You must change your swing to tame
the rough stuff.

Whenever you’re in the rough, assess the lie carefully. Is the ball sit
ting high or has it dropped into the jungle? If it’s up, you may be able
to take a long iron or wood and swing normally.

But usually the ball is at least some of the way down, so your only
play might be nothing more than taking a short iron and blasting into
the fairway.

Your primary concern is to get out, even if you advance the ball only
a few yards.

Select a club, set the clubface square, play the ball in the middle of
your stance, and choke down on the grip. Hold the club above the
grass until you swing; pushing it down may make the ball fall
deeper.

Make a steep swing so the clubface encounters limited resistance
from the grass. However, some grass will wrap around the club on
the downswing, closing the face so the ball flies left; aim slightly
right at address to compensate.

Swing hard, but don’t bring your hands back higher than your
shoulders; the shortened swing helps maintain balance.

Balls coming out of rough tend to be “hot.” Grass getting between
your club and the ball at impact decreases spin, so shots fly lower
than normal and roll after landing — from wet rough the ball
flies even hotter. Plan accordingly.

Should your ball find greenside rough, play the shot like an
explosion from sand. Using a sand wedge, open your stance (aiming
shoulders, hips, and feet left of your target), play the ball forward in
your stance, and make a wide, U-shaped swing.

Hit behind the ball so it pops up and out; hitting too close launches a
hot shot sure to fly the green.

B. Hitting From a Slope

Despite your best intentions, the ball won’t always settle on levelground. Eventually you’ll have to hit off a hilly lie — the ball aboveyour feet, below your feet, on an upslope, or on a down slope. Playing off a hill requires proper balance, club selection, and ballflight. Here’s how to make the grade from any grade.

C. Uphill/Downhill Lies

To make a good swing and maintain your balance, set your hips and
shoulders parallel to the slope. On an uphill lie that means moving
your back foot (the right foot for a right-hander) slightly down the
hill; on a downhill lie, reposition your forward (left) foot down the
hill.

In both cases, take your stance so the ball is closer to the higher foot
(left on an uphill lie, right on a downhill). Swing the club along the
angle of the hill. The steeper the incline, the easier it is to lose
balance, so make a shorter-than-normal swing.

Slope also influences the height and distance of shots, making club
selection crucial. An uphill lie adds loft to the club so the ball flies
higher and not as far; compensate by taking a club with less loft (for
example, hit a 5- or 6-iron from your usual 7-iron distance).
Reverse the procedure from a downhill lie, where you need a morelofted
club. Finally, resist the temptation to help the ball into the air
off a downhill lie; the club can do it.

D. Side Hill Lies

A ball above or below your feet demands altering your posture, with
the lie dictating how to stand. A ball above your feet is closer to your
hands, forcing you to stand taller but also flattening your swing (the
club moves more around the body); conversely, a ball below your
feet is farther away, forcing you to bend more to reach it (and
creating a more up and down swing).

The changes to your swing influence ball flight. The flatter swing
produced when the ball is above your feet means the shot will curve
right to left; allow for the draw by aiming to the right. The steeper
swing caused by a ball below your feet creates a left-to-right
pattern; aim left at address to handle that fade.

“Wait! We Need Your Opinion About This Article – That’s What Makes This Site Different Than The Other Golf Blogs Online…” What do you think about this article? Do you agree with any of the points made? Rate & review it right now in the space below:

Post Footer automatically generated by Add Post Footer Plugin for wordpress.

Tags: 150 insider golf terms, amazing biomechanics, average golf swing speed, biomechanics of a golf swing, correcting hooks, golf drive maximum distance flight, golf swing adjustment, golf swing problem, golf swing problems, golf swing sequence, golf swings collection knees, golf teachers, golf techniques, golf training, golf training guide, golflesson.com, lost golf swing, maximum distance flight height, no backswing golf swing, problem, problem shots, rough, steps golf swing contact, the golf swing made easy, the perfect take away golf, through on your golf swing, tiger wood golf swing