Guide for Beginning Golfers

Guide For Beginning Golfers has recently upgraded their website. A new and improved look has been designed and implemented and also another blog site has been added to supplement the increasing demand of customers. The additional Web site www.guideforbeginninggolfersblog.com is where all new posts will be written and distributed. The existing site will be focused more on service and providing shoppers with the latest and greatest in golf equipment products and the newest innovations in golf technology. I urge customers to stop by often as new products will be added frequently.
Be sure to visit both sites, www.guideforbeginninggolfers.com and www.guideforbeginninggolfersblog.com for all the latest news, golf tips, golf equipment, golf travel destinations, and information on golf etiquette, an important but often overlooked fundamental of the game. I hope to see you there and Happy Golfing to All!

The measurement of skill to attain the desired results in the game of golf is determined by fractions of inches so anything you can do to minimize any variance from proper golf techniques and practices will aid in improving those results. Most golfers take for granted the teeing of the golf ball after all “What is there to it?” you might ask. The golfer can just take the tee and ball, set the tee in the ground and place the golf ball on top, Right? That is correct to some degree, but the depth of the tee in the ground and the height of the ball above the top of the golf club when it is grounded, especially for the driver, can make a significant difference in the results of the stroke. 

When teeing the golf ball for the Driver, the rule of thumb for height of the tee and the ball in relation to the club is as follows: Approximately 1/2 of the diameter of the golf ball should be above the top of the Driver when the Driver is grounded adjacent the tee and the ball. This setting will allow the golf ball to be struck on an upward path so as to get the ball in the air more readily and thus achieve the maximum distance possible, which is the goal for the Driver, the least lofted club in your bag. If the ball is teed at an incorrect height, either too high or too low, it will increase the chance for the ball to be mishit, dribbled off the tee, or hit too high in the air, all of which will result in a substantial loss of distance, accuracy and add unnecessary strokes added to your final score.

TIP: Since the optimum desired tee height may vary somewhat for each individual golfer I would suggest to try and find a real grass driving range in your area and practice setting the tee at different heights as close as possible to the guidelines noted above. You can even mark your tees with a marker and set them in the ground to the height that you marked. This will allow you to acquire a feel for the desired height that works for you above the top of the Driver when it is grounded and thus achieve the best results and consistency off the tee.

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The “Putt” is the stroke or shot in golf once your ball has landed on the green. This shot calls for rolling the ball toward the flagstick or cup if the flag has already been removed and is normally made using the putter. The putter is the club which has the least loft and a relatively flat face. If you have followed parts one thru eight in “Playing Your First Golf Round” then you have progressed from making your first tee time reservation, arriving at the golf course, the first tee jitters, hitting your clubs and progressing down the fairway and finally reaching the green. Congratulations !

There are two key ingredients to making a good putt, Speed and Direction. Because the green usually slopes in different directions it is key to learn how to read the slope of the green. The five main different types of putts normally encountered are Uphill, Downhill, Left To Right, Right To Left and Straight. For an uphill putt the ball must be struck harder in order to make it up the incline slope. The opposite holds true for a downhill putt because the ball will have a tendency to accelerate down the slope depending on the severity of the decline of that slope. A left to right putt will do exactly what it says – go from left to right. This means that you will aim your ball toward a target or line left of the cup and the opposite holds true for a right to left putt. The amount of distance left or right again depends on the severity of the slope of the green. There are also double breaking putts and even triple, which are usually associated with longer putts on very undulating greens, but that is a discussion for another time. When first starting to putt I would advise to aim directly at the cup or flagstick and experiment to get a feel for both speed and direction. These two ingredients of putting are critical to ultimately scoring well at golf. More than half of the total strokes of a persons score are usually made on the putting green.

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I have just finished posts on My Seven Step Swing Checklist. The one KEY ingredient to all of the seven steps is “Relaxation”. It is a natural tendency for most of us to try to muscle or power the ball toward the hole. I did it for many years with sporadic success. I was tired of hitting one good shot in five and not scoring the way I knew I was capable of. I am an avid reader of Golf Magazines and have more than once come across articles stressing the relaxing of the muscles, especially in the hands, forearms, shoulders and chest used during the golf swing in order to attain better results. I decided to go to the range and see if I could try this relaxed method of the golf swing. It was an immediate improvement. Once I incorporated “Relaxation” into my golf swing the percentage of successful strokes increased proportionately with the greater distance achieved. I was amazed at how much farther and accurately the ball traveled with my new found relaxed swing method. Let me pause here for a minute and explain my definition of “Relaxation”. Relaxing during the golf game and golf swing, does not by any means mean to fall asleep while addressing the ball. It does mean however, to rid your self of stressful thoughts and tense muscles to whatever degree possible. It means to let the club drop into the power slot naturally and let the speed of your swing thru relaxed muscles help you to achieve the desired result. I found that the club released and accelerated more on line when I maintained a light grip and little upper body stiffness or tension than if I tried to power the ball toward the target. The only thought that should be in your mind is the proper execution of the swing to produce the desired result for the particular golf shot at hand. Whether it be a drive off the tee or a finesse shot over a bunker to a tight pin placement just focus on executing the shot and achieving the result you want.

I was always very competitive at sports and wanted to hit the ball the best and the farthest in baseball and golf, which is a natural inclination when you are used to competitive play. The tendency for many of us is to try to rip into the ball with all the power we can muster. In baseball you can get away with it more easily, but the speed and timing of a relaxed swing even in baseball will achieve better and more consistent results than tight muscles and a forced swing. This is most especially true for the golf swing. “Swing easy and hit hard”, that is my new motto ! There are different methods for relaxing before and during a golf round. During the round I have found that a deep slow breath ( inhale and exhale on about a seven second count for each ) as I line up my shot from behind the target will help promote a relaxed swing for me. I then make one rehearsal swing utilizing that technique and then step up and hit before over contemplating the swing. Too much time over the ball allows negativity and too many thoughts to creep into your mind and almost always results in a poor shot. The player who is confident in his / her abilities will address the ball, perform their set up routine and proceed to swing without taking an inordinate amount of time over the ball. Practicing the various golf shots you will come across during any particular golf round will also help build confidence when that situation actually occurs during play.

Another technique I have utilized as of late to reduce stress and tension is derived from a product called Maxximind. It consists of musical tones and AudiNeuro Technology on recorded CD’s which provide the most relaxing sounds to promote a stress free, relaxed and peaceful mood. It works best with Stereo headphones and a quiet, dimly lit atmosphere with the least amount of outside interference possible. I normally listen to them the night before my golf round or in the early morning before I leave for the course. They work great for me and I would recommend them to anyone who is trying to relax, whether for golf or just to chill out and listen to some soothing sounds to reduce stress and promote relaxing of the body and the mind. All it takes is about 20 to 25 minutes a session and as I am taking in these melodic sounds I visualize myself in some beautiful setting, maybe on a Hawaiian Island, another island paradise or anywhere that promotes a soothing, calm and serene atmosphere for you. If you would like to try Maxximind click on the right side of the page below Blogroll and check out the demo. Happy Golfing and Relaxation To All !

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In past posts we have addressed some of the fundamentals of learning to play golf  ”The Right Way”. By this I mean that you have purchased or acquired your equipment, have received instruction from a golf professional, parent, sibling, friend, self taught etc. and have practiced sufficiently to prepare yourself to venture out to the golf course. Oh Yes, and you have acquired some knowledge of Golf Etiquette. Having accomplished all of the above you are finally ready to play. What comes next and how does one get started ?

I would like to spend some time in this writing, providing the new golfer with some useful information on selecting and arriving at a golf course for the first time. As noted above I will make the assumption that you have acquired sufficient knowledge on how to play, and acquired your clubs, bag and accessories and you’re ready to go. This is where one of the first rules of golf etiquette comes into play. Do not schedule your first tee time at the busiest times on the course. The best thing to do, if possible , is to ask a parent, relative or friend who is familiar with the game, to join you especially for the first few times playing. Another suggestion is to schedule your tee time after the prime times, usually mid to late afternoon and this way you will have the course to yourself and your group. You may only want to play nine holes until you get used to the requirements of the game, especially if the golf course offers a nine hole rate. It will provide a more relaxed introduction to the game until you learn the rules of golf, golf etiquette and how to move the ball effectively. If you have already acquired a proficiency at the game then by all means play the entire 18 holes at whatever time you so desire. One of the biggest violations of golf course etiquette is to schedule your first round and have no clue as to how to play or the courtesies involved with the game. That is why it is important to play the first few times with someone knowledgeable about golf and who can teach you the rules and the etiquette required to play properly. The main idea of playing this great sport is to make sure it is an enjoyable experience for all, which it will not be if you are waiting indefinitely on each hole and for each shot to be played. The average round of golf for a foursome takes approximately 4 1/2 hours or 15 minutes per hole as a rule of thumb. Once you become a seasoned player, the novice or new golfer who is unknowledgeable and discourteous to their fellow players will irk you more than you may think, especially if they take an inordinate amount of time with each shot. This is usually done by someone who has not  learned to play properly.

When a golfer first learns to play it can take some time before he or she can make solid contact with the ball to advance it with reasonable distance and accuracy toward the hole. As discussed in my previous posts but worth repeating; if you cannot make contact with the golf ball after a few swings then pick up the ball and drop near your fellow players and proceed to try again. Also if you have a lost ball in the woods, etc. do not take an excessive amount of time to find it. You can allow yourself a drop in an area where you are clear to play the ball toward the green or intended target because your score is not important at this stage of your game.

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