For the past  few weeks my golf game has hit the skids. I have played my last few rounds like I never held a golf club before. Maybe not quite that bad but not too far off target either. In golf, as in other sports,  you can’t let it get you down. There are highs and lows in all stages of life and a persons golf game is not impervious to being subjected to this roller coaster ride of ups and downs.

In fact someone once said, “The consistency of golf is the inconsistency of golf” and truer words were never spoken. Golf can be a roller coaster ride of emotions, even during the same golf round. On one hole you may score a par, birdie or perhaps even an eagle if you are skilled enough but the next can be a bogie, double or even triple bogie if you lose concentration and make an error in your golf swing thoughts or mechanics.

When I go into a slump with golf, I find the best method for an expedient recovery is to lay off for a week or so and then schedule a session at the golf range to help regain the confidence in your swing. Hitting golf balls at the range will help, at least it works for me. Remember, don’t despair if you lose your golf swing temporarily for it will soon return. Happy Golfing to All!

After reading and experimenting enough when hitting golf balls at the range I realized that when I was able to allow the left arm to remain fairly straight through impact it made a significant difference in both an accurate direction and distance achieved.  If you analyze this part of the swing  you will realize that it makes sense since the arm is set up to the club and the ball with a straight arm if the set up is performed correctly and the goal is to allow the club head to return to the same spot during the impact part of your swing. If you bend your arm this will become much more difficult to do.

Fore: The arm can bend slightly but the straighter it remains the better and more accurate the outcome will be.

Happy Golfing to All!

1) Line up your shot – Many players approach the golf ball and just swing at an area that they percieve to be where the ball should go. Take a minute or so and line up your stance and the golf balls with a specific target in mind. View the ball and target from behind the ball and pick an object a few feet in front of you that is in line with your ball and the intended landing area. Then align your stance and set up parallel to this line. It will increase your chances for a successful shot outcome.

2) Pick the right club – most golfers, especially beginners have a tendency to select the wrong club to reach the target. There are a few factors to be considered with club selection – a) Wind Direction b) Elevation of the green or fairway where the ball will land c) Obstacles or Hazards on or around your intended landing spot.

Wind can affect ball flight dramatically so it is prudent to consider which way it is blowing before choosing your club. If against you choose one, two or even three clubs stronger to overcome. If behind you then adjust accordingly by taking one or two clubs with greater loft and allow the wind to carry the ball the rest of the way. Right and left crosswinds must also be accounted for as they will move the ball one way or the other and invariably cause a loss of distance in the process. Adjust your stance and alignment to allow for the severity of the wind and choose a club which will compensate accordingly.

In the case of an elevated green you may want to select a club stronger than you would normally use from the same distance. The opposite holds true for a green or landing area that is below you. Depending on how far below you may use one or two clubs less and still reach your target.

Another strategy for better scoring is to play away from hazards, sand traps, water, OB markers and other obstacles which may add strokes to your score. It is smart golf to lay up short in some instances if the percentage of your chances for success in going for the flag and landing safely are very low. It is better to lay up and maybe lose one stroke than two or  more in a hazard or other obstacle around the green.

During your next golf round take note to utilize these strategies and you may be surprised by the improvement in your score. Happy Golfing to All!

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.

I would strongly recommend that the beginning golfer spend some time on the practice green before teeing off and checking out the golf videos available on Putting if you want to accelerate your learning curve. It is not as easy as it looks to groove a really good putting stroke without some effort and PRACTICE, which is Key to all aspects of the game !

Good Luck with your game and Happy Golfing To All !

For more valuable tips and golf info visit http://www.guideforbeginninggolfers.com

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 !

Also for more tips and golf info go to http://guideforbeginninggolfers.com and http://mddeagle1.golfbegin.hop.clickbank.net/

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.

I think we made our point regarding courtesy to your fellow players and we can now proceed to scheduling your First Tee Time. Stay tuned and Happy Golfing To All !

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As your swing continues and your right shoulder is passing under your chin the head can start to come up but the spine angle should remain intact as long as possible as you finish the swing. Your hips should now be almost fully open and perpindicular to and facing your intended target. NOTE : Another key move at this part of the swing, that is lacking in most beginners and even some seasoned players, is that they stay on their right foot and never finish the golf swing. This means that the weight shift was never completed and the hips never rotated properly, thus causing lack of both distance and accuracy.

The proper execution of the follow thru would include the right foot pivoting up onto the toe ( which would mean that the weight transfer from right to left was complete ) , the torso would be facing the target and the entire body would form some resemblance to a reverse C if you viewed it from a side perspective. The club would be wrapped around your neck and shoulders and this pose should be maintained until the ball lands in the fairway or on the green. Holding this position will help promote the proper swing finish by making it part of your muscle memory which will translate to a more accurate and repetitive finish to your golf swing. 

We have covered My Seven Step Check List for the Golf Swing and I hope it will be a help to your game. Some useful tips to remember and practice at the range and on the course are as follows: 1) Tee the ball at the proper height ( approx. 1/2 of the diameter of the golf ball should be above the top of the driver as it lays at rest on the ground ) Keep your left arm straight 3) Keep body and head upright so chin does not interfere with shoulder turn 4) Make sure you finish shoulder turn and back faces target 5) Make sure wrist cocks back properly and club is pointing back at target 6) Keep the head behind the ball for majority of swing sequence 7) Pronate the hands just after impact – Note: The pronation will happen naturally if you accelerate thru the impact area and follow thru correctly Make sure the right foot comes up on the toe at the finish and hold that position until the ball lands. 9) “Relax” your body and mind thru out your entire swing and you will have a much better chance at success than with a tense body and a busy mind. Take a deep breath and try to clear your thoughts from your mind as much as possible. Your Golf Game will improve with practice and experience. Keep the faith. Happy Golfing To all !

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My trigger method for starting the downswing is twofold. I start to throw my left hip toward the target while pulling down on the club in a very relaxed manner allowing gravity and the acceleration of your tempo to do the work. The club and back end of the grip will be pointing at the golf ball. As you swing down the hips will shift laterally left and open to 45 o or more through impact. The key is to keep your head behind the ball so the coil of your shoulder and upper body combined with the hinging of your wrists can be timed for releasing the club at the proper time thru the impact area. This will allow maximum power and accuracy. This is the part of the Downswing that overlaps the last step of the golf swing, “The Follow Thru”.

As your club is released and approaches the impact area, the wrists should be unhinging  and the weight should continue to shift from the right to the left side to prepare for the Swing Finish or Follow Thru as I like to call it. The left side should remain firm just before and thru the impact of the club head with the golf ball while the head remains behind the ball. As I am looking down at the ball when the club head is approaching impact I look at the inside corner of the ball and try to keep a slight inside to out swing path by concentrating on hitting that inside part of the ball and aiming at one o’clock. I find that this will allow the club to drop into the power slot more readily and ultimately result in more distance and accuracy.    Note: The information noted above is based on the assumption that the golfer is right handed. Please reverse for left handed golfers ( Right hip will be moving toward target ).

Tip: Keeping your left arm straight and a relaxed swing are key ingredients to more consistency in the golf swing.

Happy Golfing !

Visit: http://guideforbeginninggolfers and http://mddeagle.golfbegin.hop.clickbank.net for more valuable golf tips and info.

A good Tempo may be difficult to achieve at first but it will come with practice. There are some training aids that can help a golfer to learn Tempo. One is called “Swing Tempo” and is endorsed by Hale Irwin and Frank Nobilo, two excellent PGA professionals. You can go on line to www.swingtempo.com or call 1(800)708 3676. Another tempo trainer is called Swing Speed Radar and can be found at www.swingspeedradar.com and the cost is approximately $130.00 to $150. If you are having problems achieving that key ingredient in your swing either one of these devices should help. Happy Golfing To All !

BVisit http://guideforbeginninggolfers.com and http://mddeagle.golfbegin.hop.clickbank.net for more valuable golf tips and info.