One of the issues with weekend golfers is that they do not get to practice enough. However, when they do practice they go out and pound a bucket of golf balls and accomplish absolutely nothing. This is not the way to get better at golf and most of us know that. We use our putters more than any other club in our bag and that is why you need to practice with it more than anything else. Here are some putting tips to help you on the greens.
Tip #1 - Line your eyes up with your intended line over the ball
When you address the ball you want your eyes to be lined up over the ball and on your intended line. They can be just a little bit inside of the ball if you want, but they absolutely cannot be outside of the ball. To find out if your eyes are lined up correctly just hold a golf ball in between your eyes, line up, and drop the golf ball. Wherever it lands is where your eyes are lined up.
Tip #2 - Keep your head still
Most amateurs find that they have inconsistencies with putting and they often times are linked back to what is called rocking. This is when you are using more than just your shoulders to move the putter. Usually this is caused by not keeping the head still. You can work on this by setting up against a wall with your head and taking putting strokes. This will keep your head still and you will form a habit of it eventually.
Tip #3 - Line the ball up with your sternum, in your stance
You should not have the ball too far forward or too far backward because it will effect the angle of the putter face at impact. You should be able to draw a straight line down from your sternum to the ball when it is in your stance. This is where it needs to be and it needs to consistently be there every single time you putt. This is one of the better putting tips that will be able to help those that pull or push putts on a regular basis.
Do you want to improve your scores and show your golfing buddies that you are better than they are? Discover more Putting Tips, drills, and tricks to lower your handicap and become a better golfer here:
Putting Tips
Monday, November 17, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
How to Cure Your Golf Slice
Golfing is a great sport because it can be played by people of all ages and gets you outdoors for exercise and social interaction with friends and business colleagues. But it can also be a frustrating game because of the difficulty of hitting that little white ball with any degree of consistency.
One of the most frustrating problems most golfers face is the tendency to "slice" the ball. Usually the slice develops after the beginning golfer has started to hit the ball reasonably well and a fairly good distance. That's when the dreaded slice rears its ugly head.
Slicing happens when a right handed golfer hits the ball so it has a horrible curve to the right, or a left handed golfer hits it so it curves to the left. As any reasonably knowledgeable golfer will tell you, the slice is the result of "coming across" the ball with an "outside in" swing. As the club sweeps across the ball, the club strikes the ball in a slightly "open" position. This action puts sidespin on the ball and as it moves through the air it curves to the right (or left for a lefty).
Exactly the same thing happens in baseball when a right handed batter hits the ball down the right field line or a left handed batter hits it down the left field line. The ball curves away from the field towards the foul line. This slicing action also happens in other sports where a bat or racquet is used to strike a ball - sports such as tennis, ping pong, racquet ball, and cricket. And even in sports where simply throwing the "ball" with clockwise sidespin makes it curve to the right - think of bowling, lawn bowling and curling for example.
In many sports curving the ball like this is an important part of the game. Ping pong and tennis players, for instance, want the ball to curve as it approaches their opponent and then bounce off the paddle or racquet at an odd angle making it more difficult for the opponent to control the return.
But in golf a slice is almost always a negative thing the golfer wants to get rid of. That's because a slicing shot doesn't go as far because of the energy lost by the spinning, curving ball. The result is even worse in windy conditions where the increased wind resistance exaggerates the effects of sidespin. A slicing ball hit into a stiff breeze will often "balloon" up into the wind and almost appear to be coming back towards the golfer.
In spite of all the magical cures touted in magazine articles and golf videos, the only way to cure a slice is to learn to hit the ball correctly - with a square club face that is moving on a natural arc from slightly inside the line of flight.
It takes most golfers years and thousands of practice shots to learn how to do this. That's because there is such a natural tendency to begin the swing by throwing the shoulders out at the ball. That gets the clubhead out there on the wrong side of the target line of flight - on the "outside" - and the only way to actually hit the ball from that position is to bring the clubhead back inside at an angle to the intended line of flight. That's what is meant by "coming across" the ball.
Most beginning golfers have a difficult time understanding and visualizing this process. They think they are swinging on a perfectly square line straight through the ball and down the intended line of flight. But an experienced golfer who has already learned all about slices from his own struggles with the game can usually tell an inside out swing from 50 or 100 yards away without even watching the clubhead at all. There are certain moves that are so typical of a slice that they can be picked up almost immediately by an experienced observer.
That is why a golf simulator can be such a valuable tool in the struggle to overcome a slice. You may have noticed commercial locations that offer virtual rounds of golf, or facilities in some of the larger golf equipment chains that have an area that allows the buyer to try out golf clubs before making an expensive purchase.
Most golfers go to an indoor driving range or a virtual golf location and just bang away at the simulator as if they were out on the range pounding out drivers. But the fact is, a really good golf simulator can do much more than just tell you how far you have hit the ball. It can be a great tool to show you the exact shape of your swing and tell you exactly why you are slicing or hooking the ball.
Equipped with sensors, cameras, and a big-screen display, the golf simulator translates the details of a golf swing to ball motion on the display. Once the data on your particular swing is collected, you can view the results on a display. You can see an accurate representation of your swing, the actual flight path of your ball, your club face angle at impact, and exactly where and when the ball begins to turn, given all the variables that went into a particular swing. Most of the better units allow you to hit an untethered ball, and virtually play golf courses from all over the world
If you are serious about curing your slice, there is no doubt that taking a analytical, objective look at your actual swing is the place to start. And there is no more effective way to get that kind of swing analysis than with a golf simulator.
There are now even high quality units that you can set up right in your home. Rather than spending hundreds of dollars at an indoor driving range or virtual golf facility for an hour or two of practice every week, you can have your own quality golf simulator right in your rec room, basement or garage.
A good home system will let you work on your game for hours and hours till you groove the correct swing path. It will give you all the analytical tools you need to improve your swing. The better units will tell you your clubhead speed, your clubface angle at impact, your clubhead's angle of approach to the ball, and how far the ball would have gone out on a real golf course.
Of course the technology cannot simulate the foul weather, wild winds, and rugged terrain that come into play on a real golf course. But perhaps these are factors that you can do without when you simply want to concentrate on grooving a new more effective swing.
The proponents of this exciting new technology claim that for a committed student of the game, such a device can correct errors in swing mechanics better than traditional techniques or even lessons from a professional teacher.
Using a golf simulator is a great way to cure your slice. Dancin' Dogg home golf simulator gives you everything you need to improve your game. Play golf in your home on some of the best golf courses in the world.
One of the most frustrating problems most golfers face is the tendency to "slice" the ball. Usually the slice develops after the beginning golfer has started to hit the ball reasonably well and a fairly good distance. That's when the dreaded slice rears its ugly head.
Slicing happens when a right handed golfer hits the ball so it has a horrible curve to the right, or a left handed golfer hits it so it curves to the left. As any reasonably knowledgeable golfer will tell you, the slice is the result of "coming across" the ball with an "outside in" swing. As the club sweeps across the ball, the club strikes the ball in a slightly "open" position. This action puts sidespin on the ball and as it moves through the air it curves to the right (or left for a lefty).
Exactly the same thing happens in baseball when a right handed batter hits the ball down the right field line or a left handed batter hits it down the left field line. The ball curves away from the field towards the foul line. This slicing action also happens in other sports where a bat or racquet is used to strike a ball - sports such as tennis, ping pong, racquet ball, and cricket. And even in sports where simply throwing the "ball" with clockwise sidespin makes it curve to the right - think of bowling, lawn bowling and curling for example.
In many sports curving the ball like this is an important part of the game. Ping pong and tennis players, for instance, want the ball to curve as it approaches their opponent and then bounce off the paddle or racquet at an odd angle making it more difficult for the opponent to control the return.
But in golf a slice is almost always a negative thing the golfer wants to get rid of. That's because a slicing shot doesn't go as far because of the energy lost by the spinning, curving ball. The result is even worse in windy conditions where the increased wind resistance exaggerates the effects of sidespin. A slicing ball hit into a stiff breeze will often "balloon" up into the wind and almost appear to be coming back towards the golfer.
In spite of all the magical cures touted in magazine articles and golf videos, the only way to cure a slice is to learn to hit the ball correctly - with a square club face that is moving on a natural arc from slightly inside the line of flight.
It takes most golfers years and thousands of practice shots to learn how to do this. That's because there is such a natural tendency to begin the swing by throwing the shoulders out at the ball. That gets the clubhead out there on the wrong side of the target line of flight - on the "outside" - and the only way to actually hit the ball from that position is to bring the clubhead back inside at an angle to the intended line of flight. That's what is meant by "coming across" the ball.
Most beginning golfers have a difficult time understanding and visualizing this process. They think they are swinging on a perfectly square line straight through the ball and down the intended line of flight. But an experienced golfer who has already learned all about slices from his own struggles with the game can usually tell an inside out swing from 50 or 100 yards away without even watching the clubhead at all. There are certain moves that are so typical of a slice that they can be picked up almost immediately by an experienced observer.
That is why a golf simulator can be such a valuable tool in the struggle to overcome a slice. You may have noticed commercial locations that offer virtual rounds of golf, or facilities in some of the larger golf equipment chains that have an area that allows the buyer to try out golf clubs before making an expensive purchase.
Most golfers go to an indoor driving range or a virtual golf location and just bang away at the simulator as if they were out on the range pounding out drivers. But the fact is, a really good golf simulator can do much more than just tell you how far you have hit the ball. It can be a great tool to show you the exact shape of your swing and tell you exactly why you are slicing or hooking the ball.
Equipped with sensors, cameras, and a big-screen display, the golf simulator translates the details of a golf swing to ball motion on the display. Once the data on your particular swing is collected, you can view the results on a display. You can see an accurate representation of your swing, the actual flight path of your ball, your club face angle at impact, and exactly where and when the ball begins to turn, given all the variables that went into a particular swing. Most of the better units allow you to hit an untethered ball, and virtually play golf courses from all over the world
If you are serious about curing your slice, there is no doubt that taking a analytical, objective look at your actual swing is the place to start. And there is no more effective way to get that kind of swing analysis than with a golf simulator.
There are now even high quality units that you can set up right in your home. Rather than spending hundreds of dollars at an indoor driving range or virtual golf facility for an hour or two of practice every week, you can have your own quality golf simulator right in your rec room, basement or garage.
A good home system will let you work on your game for hours and hours till you groove the correct swing path. It will give you all the analytical tools you need to improve your swing. The better units will tell you your clubhead speed, your clubface angle at impact, your clubhead's angle of approach to the ball, and how far the ball would have gone out on a real golf course.
Of course the technology cannot simulate the foul weather, wild winds, and rugged terrain that come into play on a real golf course. But perhaps these are factors that you can do without when you simply want to concentrate on grooving a new more effective swing.
The proponents of this exciting new technology claim that for a committed student of the game, such a device can correct errors in swing mechanics better than traditional techniques or even lessons from a professional teacher.
Using a golf simulator is a great way to cure your slice. Dancin' Dogg home golf simulator gives you everything you need to improve your game. Play golf in your home on some of the best golf courses in the world.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Golf Training Equipment Will Improve Your Round
Much like a bowl of dried up leaves left out on a wind blown day, opportunities can quickly dissipate and disappear when you fail to take steps to equip yourself with the golf training equipment that you need. Mastering golf is something that takes a good deal of time, a lot of patience, and consistent practice, just like virtually all other sports. If you have the right golf training aids and combine them with conscientious and persistent practice, then you will undoubtedly see rapid improvement in your golf game.
If you happen to be a golfer who has aspirations to do more than just play the occasional round of 18 holes with your buddies every couple weeks, then you will want to take advantage of every opportunity to improve your golf swing, including your golf swing speed and your golf swing plane. Online golf tips can benefit motivated golf enthusiasts in many ways and can even help them move from the rank of amateur into the pros, if that is the desired goal.
Any golfer who is interested in making it in the competitive world of golf, or anyone who simply wants to have the best score every week amongst their golfing budding, should plan on purchasing top rated golf training equipment. There are plenty of golf aids and accessories available that can address virtually every aspect of improving your game.
If you find that your golf swing speed is unusually slow or that your golf swing just doesn't have the power that you would like, then there are golf swing training devices and videos that are designed specifically to help you improve. As with most equipment for physical improvement, proper form is very important during the course of practice. Good quality golf equipment can help you to practice the proper form whenever you are involved in golf swing training.
Other golf training aids that can be very beneficial are things for perfecting your swing like golf swing plane coaching devices, golf swing speed radars, golf training clubs, golf fitness programs, and golf instruction video programs. All of these are various tools have been developed by golf professionals to help you excel and hone your skills as much as possible, so that you can progress to the degree that you want in your golfing career or hobby.
There is simply no question that amateur and professional golfers alike can garner a great deal of benefit from using golf training equipment. There is a huge selection of golf training aids available regardless of the particular area of the game that you need to work on. It is a good idea to seek out the advice of your local golf pro for recommended equipment and read golf equipment reviews in golfing magazines or on golfing websites. These reviews can help you avoid ineffective products and spend your money more wisely on better products.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
The Beginners Nightmare... Curing The Golf Slice
If you are new to golf then you will find that curing the golf slice is one of the first problems you face when you get past the basics. It is without doubt the most common of the swing faults seen on every course in the land.
You will even see the pros fire off the occasional slice when under pressure.
What makes this happen?As many people have come to discover in the past, hitting a slice involves a club moving across the line at impact combined with an open clubface.
One of the biggest problems golfers face today is curing that annoying slice. Imagine how much more accurate you can be if you could improve your golf swing technique and considerably decrease your slice.
Below are 5 little tricks to minimize your slice, or even to eliminate it once and for all.
1. To eliminate the slice, you must develop a wide and powerful backswing. You have to keep your left arm straight as you take the club backwards, but you must not keep your left arm straight in your follow-through.
If kept straight, your left arm can lead to a heavy slice. This is due to your left arm hindering your right arm's natural rotation. How to adjust? Simple.
Let your left arm bend during your follow-through. Before doing a full swing just use your left arm first to get the feel.
2. Another cause of slicing is because you are letting your club get too far behind you on the backswing, which makes you get outside your target line on your downswing. Without a club, try swinging your left arm, mimicking a full swing.
Your right shoulder is the correct destination for your arm as it swings in front of you. On the downswing, try replicating that motion exactly, only backwards.
3. When it comes down to it, a slice is just a lack of squaring the club with the ball. So you need a great finish to square the club with the ball correctly. Grab your 8 iron and tee the ball up.
Swing it back to waist height, cock the club up, and then pull towards your left. You should be aiming to hit the ball about 50 yards. Be sure to make your chest and belt buckle face your target.
4. Let's say your problem is a bit worse. You are hitting big banana slices. The secret is squaring the clubface to the ball earlier on in your swing. What you should do is draw a yard long straight line in the sand in a bunker.
Take a 5 iron or 6 iron and swing the club above the line. Try to get your divot to start at the line and go forward. Aim to get about ten shots that start at the line.
5. Often one's slice can be eliminated, only to come back stronger than ever. Don't worry; there is a golf swing tip for this too. It is time to head over to the driving range now. Raising the ball to a level above that of your shoes.
Start hitting balls with a strong left hand grip on the club. This naturally straightens out your swing. Make sure to grip the club in the usual way. I hope that after reading this you will be able to kiss you slice goodbye.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
