Golf Basic Tips

Mastering the correct golf swing techniques is crucial to winning games on a regular basis. There are many golf swing tips claiming to teach you how to drive the ball farther. An important point to note is that many of these tips do not work in isolation. In fact some of these tips actually contradict one another!

So does this mean that all golf driving tips are just so much hot air? Of course not. You just need to know that different tips work together to form the correct golf swing technique. And there are many techniques out there. A tip which works well for one technique might just turn another driving technique into a mess. You cannot just blindly copy-cat a particular golf swing tip into your technique and expect it to work.

While there are many different golf swing techniques, all the successful techniques can be grouped into either the “one plane swing” school or the “two plane swing” school. Overall, the “two plane swing” school of driving the golf ball is more common. Its most famous exponent is probably Greg Norman.

On the other hand, you can see the “one plane swing” school in action in the drives of two of the best modern golfers in the world – Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh. Yes, indeed – the respective number one and number two golf professionals in the world today are steadily racking up their victories.

Regardless of your technique, there are two major indicators which show whether or not you have correctly mastered your golf swing: rhythm and balance. How do you know when your rhythm is correct? Well, that is like asking a musician whether or not his rhythm is correct. You need to do it. If you have to ask, then you probably do not have it yet. Having said that, once you have mastered the rhythm, you will be able to repeat the same movement consistently at the same speed all the time.

What about balance, then? For inexperienced players, you achieve the best balance by evenly distributing your weight about both feet. Unlike martial arts, you should not try to gain more power in your swing by shifting your balance around. It is far better to maintain a stable stance around which you build your swing.

A common mistake which many golfers make in their golf is to try and increase the power of their swing. It is true that you need a powerful swing to hit the ball farther, but it is even more important to first develop your accuracy. After you can get the ball going where you want, then you can improve your power. Be patient. This is the sequence of events when you do it right: increase accuracy; accuracy increased; increase power; power increased but accuracy decreased; increase accuracy at the new power level; accuracy increased at the new power level; rinse and repeat. Any other way is an exercise in frustration and hair-pulling failure.

Remember to keep up your strength training and flexibility exercises. If you achieve greater strength and a wider range of movement, it will result in your swing becoming more powerful on its own. In other words, by doing golf fitness training, you can improve your golf swing without changing your golf swing techniques. Definitely a good motivation to go to the gym regularly, yes?

By: Godfrey Swain

About the Author:

Caffeinated Content

Ok, you go to the local golf store to pick up some balls and what do you find? There are about 40 different balls to choose from and you don’t know where to begin.

In my humble opinion, most people aren’t going to notice a huge difference in their play with different balls. I have tried many different balls and never improved my distance by 20 yards like you see in the commercials. So, what do I do? I tend to make my decision by the price of the ball. Keep it simple right? If the price of a dozen balls ranges from 15 – 45 dollars, which ball is better? Of course, the 45 dollar a dozen ball is the best. But we all know that as a product increases in price, once you get to the top, the differences tend to be a little more subtle.

Most people fall in the average golfer category, otherwise it wouldn’t be called average. Personally, I have been golfing for 25 years and the ball I have used has made a difference, but the main things that affect my score are related to my swing, not my ball. I don’t mean to say that the ball doesn’t matter, it does, but you can play a good game of golf with a cheap ball. You can’t play a good game of golf with a bad swing.

So here it goes.

The 15 dollar a dozen ball:

It used to stink, plain and simple. With the improvements today, it’s not that bad. If you have a higher handicap with a slower swing speed, all I can say is….use it. See what you think. These balls produce minimal spin which is good for the higher handicap player. If you slice the ball with a higher spin ball, the ball will slice more. The biggest downfall with this ball is the feel. It is a rock, plain and simple. Once you develop more touch around the greens, you will want to move to a different ball, but worry about your swing first. Golf is expensive and putting a ball in the water costs money. If you are already becoming disgusted with your game there is no reason to give yourself another reason to play less. Use a cheap ball.

The 20 – 30 dollar a dozen ball:

This is the ball for most people. They produce excellent distance with a soft feel and spin that will check up nicely. Let’s face it. How many people can suck the ball back 6 feet? Yes, you have done it a few times, but you can’t do it on command. Most golfers will notice little difference from this ball than the tour balls other than the cost.

The 40+ dollar a dozen ball:

These balls are nice. Not all, but some require a high swing speed for them to perform properly. They have a higher compression rating so you need a higher swing speed to compress the ball and make it travel the distance you are looking for. They also have a higher spin rating. If you slice the ball, it will slice more. For many golfers, distance will be lost, but performance around the greens and with shorter irons improves so if you have the money, give them a shot. I recommend heading over to ebay and picking up some used balls first. You can save a lot of cash and get a good idea if the balls are worth the extra money for you.

Well there you have it, my humble opinion. Your golf ball matters, but get that swing in order first. After that, then start worrying about the finer details of your golf ball………and remember, golf is a game……..HAVE FUN!!

By: Marty Calloway

About the Author:

Caffeinated Content

In a round of golf, putting is a major contributor to carding a low score. Even if you get from tee to green in regulation it’s all wasted if you can’t sink the putts. Therefore, it is imperative that you learn the basics of putting to improve your game. There are more shots saved on the putting green than anywhere else on the course. Having the ability to read and judge the pace of the greens accompanied by a consistent putting stroke is the most precious asset to have in the game of golf.

Golf Putting Tip #1 – Hitting the ball out of the “Sweet Spot” of the Putter

Even if you have the putt correctly lined up and the pace of the green noted, if you hit the ball incorrectly you will not make the putt. Therefore, practicing hitting the ball out of the “Sweet Spot” of the putter is a must if you are going to sink those putts. This golf putting tip is simple and will help you reach consistency with your putting stroke.

Firstly, attach 2 coins to the front of the putter blade, leaving enough room for the “Sweet Spot” of the putter face to be visible. Once the coins have been attached, practice hitting the ball towards the hole trying not to hot the coins on the putter face. This golf putting tip will refine the swing line of your putting stroke, therefore, giving you a higher percentage of hits out of the middle of the putter face.

Golf Putting Tip #2 – Get the Feel of the Greens before Commencing a Round

This tip will allow you to get a “feel” for the greens before playing a round.

Before every round it is imperative that you hit some putts on the practice putting green. When hitting the putts there is no need to try and make the putts, actually for this routine there is no need to aim for the hole at all. The purpose of this routine is to get the “feel” of the greens as the practice putting green will always be cut the same as the greens on the course. So if you follow this simple tip you will be armed with the knowledge of the pace and cut of the greens before starting your round.

As mentioned previously, when using this golf putting tip there is no need to try and hit the hole. Remember, golf is as much played in the had as it is with the body. So if you start missing putts on the practice green, it will only affect your thinking in a negative way and this will follow you out onto the course.

Golf Putting Tip #3 – This tip will improve hitting the ball on the correct line to the hole.

Once you have sized up the putt to the hole and you know the line, use the writing on the ball to line up with the line of the putt. Then, when you come to putt the ball hit it at 90 degrees to the writing on the ball and it will (providing the putter face was straight at the time of contact) follow the line to the hole.

The above simple golf putting tips will help you to improve your putting and ultimately bring down your score. So next time you are at the golf course give them a try and see the difference they will make.

By: David Bailey

About the Author:

Kansieo.com