How Can AN Exercising Program Improve Upon Your Golf Swing Mechanics?

Now that it’s wintertime, and you’ve hung up your golf clubs for the winter. It’s time to get serious about the new year, and get involved in a exercise program for golfers. It’s also time to forget about last year’s bad swing faults, and begin a new way to improve upon your golf swing mechanics.

My own New Years Resolution is to get involved working out, and too lose some weight. Our community center has a nice facility for doing just that with the latest equipment. They also offer pilates and yoga programs.

As the shorter, colder days don’t allow for much golf.  They do provide a lot of time to knock out those physical deficiencies that are negatively impacting your golf game and causing those nagging aches and pains. The off-season also affords you plenty of time to progress with your well-being by getting into a regular exercise workout program. These are the one’s you’ve been neglecting, but will enhance your golf specific balance, coordination, power, speed and strength. Come springtime, your golf  game could have a whole new beginning to a great golfing year.

First  you need to identify what are those physical deficiencies you have.  A physical (re)assessment with a TPI certified golf fitness instructor is your best bet.  With this valuable information in hand, a customized, time-efficient exercise program can be designed to target your specific problem areas and maximize your outcome.

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Pilates vs Yoga. Which Golf Stretching Exercise Program Is Best For Golfers?

Golfers of all ages are now finding out the benefits of getting involved into some type of fitness program that’s specifically geared towards golfers.  With age comes a decline in both flexibility and strength. When the body declines, the golf swing goes right along with it. The end result is a big loss in yardage, more mishits, and ballooning scores. Your golf mindset also changes in both attitude and frustration. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard from older golfers who I’m playing with, that they are just about ready to quit the game for good.  However, there is hope for all golfers who are ready to change and improve upon their golf game and lifestyle.

Do you want to discover the secret to creating more power and consistency in your golf swing? By participating in workouts that’s geared towards a specific golf program that focuses on balance, endurance, flexibility and strength. You don’t have to accept that with age, your body does decline. No way! The golfers who are working out, are the same ones who are enjoying the game again in later life, and taking all of the money in their clubs birdie pool.  It’s amazing to see golfers in this age bracket dramatically improve their driving distance, accuracy and scores.

What is a golf workout? The golf swing is an awkward movement that puts a tremendous amount of stress on the body. To prevent injuries and improve upon your golf swing speed and distance, it will require your body to be both strong and flexible.  The golf swing is a rotational movement, with your body being in different sequential golf positions.  Since the golf swing is primarily an axial rotational movement, wouldn’t it make sense to focus on rotational strength and flexibility?  That is improving your turning ability related to range of motion and  speed. Therefore, anything involving twisting with resistance such as a medicine ball, a dumbbell, or even a weighted club would work. You need to have  resistance in order to take your body beyond where it normally moves.

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Is Pilates And Yoga Good Enough For Golf Stretching Exercises To Help Reduce Injuries?

Back in the 1970′s.  When I was caddying, exercising was important, but not to the extent it’s today.  As the money prizes have gone way up over the years. Today, you would be a complete idiot, if you didn’t take seriously your body, mind and spirit.

Controlling the nutritional foods your eating, how much alcohol your drinking on a daily basis, and of course what kind of weight training and exercise programs you’ve been set up with by your paid trainers to watch over you.

In the past after playing a competitive round of golf, we would turn the golf clubs into the cleaning service at the country club for the next day’s preparation. The pro’s would head to the bar for dinner and socialized drinking. While us caddies would get the next day’s pin placements and strategize over how to make the golf course and tournament conditions better with the tournament groundskeeper superintendent. That was the extent of going the extra mile.

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Why Do All Golfers Need To Have A Golf Simulator Installed In Their Home?

If weather is preventing you from playing a round of golf for a number of months, or you simply don’t have the time to spend an entire day on the golf course. For those golfers who are about to stress out,  knowing your golf season is actually over with. Then I have a solution for you. It’s called playing indoors using a golf simulator.  Electronic golf simulators have become so virtually real that they’re almost as much fun as playing the actual game of golf outside.

Our state of the art,  ProTee Golf Simulator Sensor System.  Will allow you to use your own set of golf clubs (from driver to putter) and play a complete round of golf.  You can play Pebble Beach all by yourself in less than an hour. The one thing that sets them apart from all other virtual versions of the game is that you really do get to swing your own golf club.

Besides being great fun for the entire family and friends for entertainment value.  The ProTee Golf Simulator is also a great teaching and learning aid.  That’s if you want to improve upon your golf game and correct your bad swing faults.  By having your own golf simulator at home,  it will allow you to practice at your own convenience  any time of the day.   You’ll really appreciate the time saving factor as well.  After a hard day at the office you can relax in the evening by playing a few holes without all of the time and effort of preparing and going out to the golf course. When finished playing,  you can use the system to watch movies on a big screen with the whole family.  Your kids will also love playing on their Wii system or X-Box 360, on a big screen when dad is not around.

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Improve Your Golf Swing Mechanics By Investing In Your Own Golf Simulators!

Now that winter weather is beginning to settle into the Northeast region. The way you continue to play golf also must change from playing outside, to  bringing your golf swing indoors. There is many ways you can still keep practicing and playing a round of golf.  There’s commercial indoor hitting ranges, to setting up a hitting net in your own basement or heated garage,  if you have enough swing space.

The newest technology in the marketplace today are golf simulators and swing analyzers. They are being manufactured for both retail establishments and for home use. Whether you are a beginner or professional, making the investment in an advanced indoor golf simulator, will do more for your golf game than any of the latest space-age technology golf clubs that you can buy.   It’s a must for any serious golfer!

Golf simulation is a technological system that enables you to play golf in a restricted area. It’s usually meant for an indoor setting. One of the major advantages of this type of indoor golf,  is that it enables you to practice the game when you can’t get to the golf course.  It’s best suited for those who have space constraints.  All you need is a high ceiling, say around 8 to 10 feet, and a wall for mounting the game’s screen.

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Do You Have The Self-Discipline In Putting To Create A Positive Golfing Mindset?

Putting is based upon feel and self-confidence.  An average putter believes he  can get up and down in two putts,  no matter what the length of his first putt  is.  A great putter will make 80% of his putts inside of 6 feet, and very rarely will he ever 3 putt from greater distances.  Great putters will take their time to practice on and around the greens. Doing this practicing consistently as a daily routine, they know it must be done in order to keep their edge. Amateur golfers don’t take their time to realize that almost 40% of their golf scores occurs from your putting. Almost 60% if you are chipping around the greens. Yet this is the least practiced! Why is there such a huge difference between these two type of golfers with regards to their golfing mindset when it comes to practicing?  The end results are obvious!

I always felt that this was my strongest part of my golf game.  Anywhere from 100 yards in.  Including chipping and putting.  I have played on many different greens with different types of grass textures, but I always had a knack for reading lines that weren’t there.  I learned by watching others including pro’s, and observing how they prepared themselves to make their next stroke. Golf is based upon having a positive golf mindset,  and self-confidence.  Being focused mentally and prepared especially around the greens.

In the past year this became my weakness. Why?   Because I used to practice when I had the opportunity during the work week to work on my golf skills at the driving range and practice putting green. I would do this three times a week, and then play with the golf club on the weekends. The opportunity to focus and improve was there, and I knew I had to take advantage of it.

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Learn To Play Better Golf By Keeping Your Golf Swing Mechanics In Shape During Winter!

My golf season is over with,  and for the majority of golfers who lives  in the Northeast as well.  From now until springtime this is the hardest and longest time period of inactivity.  Personally, I don’t like working out at a gym, or get into a routine regiment of lifting weights.  I don’t find it enjoyable nor relaxing.  I like to go on long walks with my two dogs, and I’m fortunate to have an Indian trail near my home.  However, during winter it can become impassible and treacherous to walk on. Therefore, even that amount of exercising will diminish.

Do you feel pain or discomfort when playing? Then your not alone, because golf injuries is very common. Even the best golfers who are in shape will feel discomfort and pain.  Like millions of golfers it’s a sport that can be played throughout your lifetime.  Injuries in golf is common because it is one of the few sports commonly played by all age groups.  For most recreational golfers it’s the only form of exercise when playing an occasional 18 holes of golf.

Most weekend or seasonal golfers, will put themselves at risk by trying to swing as hard as professional golfers, often after hibernating all winter.  Sitting behind a desk or lounging in front of a TV all week. They’ll go through the whole winter without taking a golf swing,  and when the nice weather comes they’ll go out and play 18 two days in a row. Then on the weekends, they’ll drive to the golf course,  jump out of their cars and start banging balls without warming up. This type of golfer is a perfect chiropractic candidate.

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Planning For A Happy Halloween Golf Tournament!

It’s that ghoulish time of year again, when you have little kids knocking on your door looking for candy. I kind of want to keep some for myself. Thinking back now 2010 golf season was frightening, after mishitting golf shots after shots. Oh Well! I can get over this past golf season, and start preparing myself for the new year in golf . At least I can dream only of good thoughts about birdies and pars, and not the monstrous double and triple bogeys that kills all golf scores.

There will be many Halloween parties going on this weekend. However, have you ever attended a Halloween theme golf tournament? Organizing a regular golf tournament can be quite difficult as there is a lot of work to be done planning how to run it. When the planning is over with,  you will begin  looking forward to a tournament that should be made a lot of fun,  and if advertised properly, it should be able to attract a high level of participation.

The pressure is on to make sure everyone who is coming is dressed up. Halloween costumes are sometimes not the most comfortable outfits to play golf in, but again it’s for the fun of the holiday, and not for trying to shoot at a particular golf score.

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Practice With Your Golf Training Aid During The Offseason!

This is a tough time of year to play golf in the Northeast.  Your not totally sure what the weather is going to do from one day to the next. Temperatures are fluctuating from the low 60′s to the 40′s,  it’s sunny to rainy in a matter of a few hours. Weather reports can’t keep up, as it’s hit and miss with their Doppler system.

Playing in bad weather is a challenge, but when you prepare yourself properly your round of golf doesn’t have to be a nightmare.  All golfers will find it difficult to play effectively in inclement weather.  Rain, wind and cold will affect your golfing mindset. The way you dress, your golf swing,  the flight of the golf ball, no rolls in the water soaked fairways, and the diminishing speed and breaks of the greens. No amount of practice or instruction can fully prepare you for bad weather playing.

Being prepared for bad weather will make it bearable for you to play when the weather does turn nasty.  If you expect that your round of golf may encounter rain,  then make sure you have extra towels, golf gloves, hand warmers,  rain hood for your golf  clubs, and rain suit for yourself in your golf bag. Get comfortable with how your rain suit will affect the way you strike your golf ball. Rain suits today are more flexible, but are still restrictive and will change your golf swing.

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Do You Know The Golf Leaf Rule?

Fall is one of the best times of the year to play golf.  The summer heat is only a distant memory, and now your able to be outside breathing in the freshly minted air of a perfect autumn morning.  Life is good, being out on the golf course.  Taking in all of natures vibrant colors of  golden reds, yellows, greens and browns.  Perfect time to take landscape pictures.  While the beautiful fall foliage is something that many people look forward to,  golfers look upon the turning colors with  absolute discontent.

It means the current golf season is coming to a fast close.  It also means colder air is now arriving that causes leaves on the trees to drop to the ground. It makes golfing much harder, because it slows the golf round down to a miserable crawl. It now takes your entire foursome to look for your golf ball hidden under leaves in the fairway and rough. Among friends, agreeing to play the leaf rule does make sense.  In order to avoid its abuse the question needs to be asked,  “Is it under leaves or is it plugged?”

The official U.S.G.A. Rules of Golf makes no mention of any special allowance for golf balls lost in fallen leaves. In fact Rule 3-4, states “Refusal to Comply With the Rules,” affecting another competitor leads to automatic disqualification. Under Rule 33-8a of “Local Rules,” it does establish that a governing committee of that golf course, can modify the U.S.G.A. rules for playing in abnormal conditions.

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Why Should You Own Hybrid Golf Clubs?

My weakness to my own golf game has always been trying to hit the mid to long iron shots.   I don’t feel comfortable enough like I do in hitting fairway woods. I tend to find when I’m playing with others in my group, that I’m always using one to two clubs more with my iron play.

Part of the trouble that I have is my golf shots are hit with a low trajectory. Since the golf balls don’t carry in the air the maximum distance,  I have to rely more on the ground game  instead.  In order to get maximum distances out of my shots,  it needs to be made up for with a lot of roll.  If the conditions of the golf course have been dictated by the weather, such as rain or snow, then I lose any advantage of  getting  that  extra distance.

I have been fortunate to find utility clubs that I have a lot of faith in. They are the Orlimar’s Trimetal clubs. Their not hybrids, but they work the same way.  They are easy to hit,  and they give you the higher trajectory that you need to carry the distances you want.  In fact the Adams Tight Lies and Orlimar’s Trimetal, were the first hybrid clubs that were introduced to the general public.  Today,  I don’t carry a single long iron in my golf bag,  and everyone that I golf with carries at least one hybrid these days.

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Improve Your Golf Mindset In Order To Break 90.

As my 2010 golfing season is coming to a fast close,  I can reflect back on this year as not being a good year scoring wise.  I have to admit it has been a very long time that I have averaged in the low 90′s for anyone golfing season.  Sure I have my excuses of not playing more than once a week, or committed no time to practicing my golf swing mechanics. The very things I write about in my posts,  and have the audacity to not do what I’m trying to get my readers to understand and implement in their own improvement to changes in their golf swing mechanics. For that I’m Sorry!

Most golfers who struggle to break ninety are relatively experienced and have been playing for quite a while. Any golfer who has been playing for some time will have developed certain swing characteristics that will shape the flight of their golf shots. In most cases, those trying to break 90, it will mean you’ll have developed a cut spin or slice. Most golfers who cut the ball will dislike the flight of their shots and do everything possible to change their golf swing to hit a draw. One of the most important things to consider when trying to break 90,  is learn to live with your golf swing mechanics and not fight it.

How Do You Break 90? In order to break 90,  any flight of the golf ball is acceptable as long as it remains consistent.  What is required is a good short game, and golf course management.  Learning to place your shots on each hole for optimal results.  Knowing when to gamble and take risks, and knowing when to play smart conservative golf shots. The key to breaking 90 is to make sure you don’t take more than bogey on any given hole.  Eliminate the double and triple bogeys, because they are golf score killers. However, mistakes do happen that will ruin your chances of shooting less than 90. You do need to find a way of eliminating those 3-4 wasted strokes from your golf round immediately.  This is known as your wheels coming off,  because it hits you, when your not expecting those mishits from happening.  If your target is to break 90,  you do have the ability to do so.  What you need to do is learn how to make the most out of your golf game.  This does take time and patience.  The best way to speed up your developing or learning curve is by putting in the time too practice.

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How-To-Eliminate-Fat-Shots-In-Chipping!

Congratulations to the European Ryder Cup Team! After many hours of rain soaked delays, the conclusion to the 38′th Ryder Cup was nothing but spectacular to watch.  Even though the American team lost 141/2 to 131/2 at Celtic Manor in Newport, Wales.  The singles matches produced great all-around play from the top 24 players in the world. Unfortunately for Hunter Mahan it came down to the final match,  between himself and Graeme McDowell.

After their tee shots on 17, and both missing the green, it came down to who could get their second shots closest to the hole, on this 196 yard par 3. Hunter Mahan was deemed by the officials to go first. His golf ball just lying off in front of the green with no obstacles in his way.  He had a 70ft uphill chip shot.  Perfect time to play the bump and run chip shot. What happens next was horrifying,  but is very common amongst us high handicappers.  He CHOKED! His club dug into the ground behind his ball,  creating a chunk or fat chip shot.

Needing to hole out to have any chance of winning his  match, his third shot comes up short, and Mahan conceded McDowell’s 4-foot par putt, ending the match in Europe’s favor.  The 28-year old was visibly upset afterward. He blamed himself for the U.S. loss of the Ryder Cup to Europe.  His teammates thought otherwise. “We are all proud to be part of this close knit team,” said Phil Michelson.  Steve Stricker said, “all of the U.S. players were to blame for this close loss, not Mahan.”  As a team The Americans can look back on this loss,  and they can all think about a shot here or there that could have turned the entire match around.  If you asked most golfers on both sides, they would tell you they wouldn’t want to be in that pressure situation that Mahan was facing.  Today, he had to face the demons of the Ryder Cup,  because for the 7′th time in its history it came down to the final match.  Hunter Mahan performed like a true champion out there today, the entire golfing event was truly awesome to watch as a spectator.  Not many tour players would be even willing to do that.

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Be Prepared! Change Your Golf Swing Mechanics In Order To Combat The Cold!

With October fast approaching at the end of this week,we are now heading into cooler air, and away from the summertime heat. You need to become more prepared for the inclement weather conditions ahead. Cold air is much heavier, therefore it creates more resistance to the flight of the golf ball. Colder, heavier winds and rains naturally will encourage golfers to swing harder, which will create more mishit errors. The first thing to go in your golf swing mechanics is your timing, as you try to speed up or overswing in order to compensate for the lack of distance. The second thing that disappears is your feelings in your hands, especially around the greens. That’s why you have more blading or thin shots.

I’m personally not a good cold air golfer, nor do I like playing in the bone chilling rain. I know a few golfers who can play in these awful weather conditions, and most of the time they do quite well in winning the club’s pot money for the day. Tom Watson loved playing in adverse conditions. He knew that half the field was virtually eliminated before they even started playing. It’s no fun being wet and trying to beat the dreaded cold. It’s psychological warfare, and if your a good mudder it’s to your advantage. Most golfers don’t want to be there, and more likely their going to be rattled by the adverse conditions.

Being cold it will automatically cause you to be swinging out of position through impact. A very common error is that the right shoulder is way too high through the hitting area. This action allows your right side to dominate at the most inappropriate time. This will force the club head to approach the golf ball into a steep undesirable angle. This result in golf is known as coming over the top.

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How Do You Hit Low Trajectory Shots Using Your Same Golf Swing Mechanics?

Impact Is The Moment Of Truth In Golf! For every golfer who plays this great game,  the one question is going to be different.  Do you like to hit it high or low trajectory shots? If you hit low trajectory shots it doesn’t mean your golf swing mechanics are faulty.  It also doesn’t mean your de-lofting the golf club from a 7 iron to a 5 iron for example, that’s a myth.  Hitting a low trajectory shot, just like hitting it high takes practicing and a lot more creativity. It’s similar to the bump and run around the greens, but only with longer distances.

98% of my golf shots are hit  low with a lot of overspin,  for both the irons and woods.  The public links golf course  I play on before they put the watering system in, used to bake during the summer time.  The fairways used to get real hard to the point where they used to crack.  Your golf balls would get extra rolls anywhere from 50 to 100 yards, depending upon the trajectory of your golfball  flight.  I was known in my golf club as the “King of the low ball.”  Now it has all changed,  and your lucky to get an extra 10 yards of roll.  However,  I haven’t changed and probally never will. I enjoy hitting the low line drives,  I feel,  I have more control and consistency.  There is less room for error,  because you don’t have to worry about those lousy high bounces or wind conditions.

Golf is difficult enough when playing conditions are benign.  Toss in a little wind,  and shots of any distance can become problematic.  Personally,  I like tough conditions,  because they separate shotmakers from the rest of the field,  and they allow me to use my creativity.  I developed my low ball to give me an edge during those type of conditions.  Hitting these shots begins with a single thought in mind,  “keep it down and under control.”

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The Bump And Run Is A Great Short Game Strategy Around The Greens!

The art of the bump and run,  and I’m not talking about the defensive plays off the line of scrimmage in football in order to contain the wide receivers. The bump and run is my most favorite short game technique from  60 yards in.  I will use it 90% of the time,  the other 10% I’ll use the flop shot.  However, there are many instances where you have to use the lob wedge in order to get over obstacles or hitting into elevated greens. As the old saying goes, “there are many ways to get the golf ball to the hole.”

I feel the bump and run is the easiest shot to hit,  because your allowing the golf ball to do the work almost entirely on the ground. It’s a finesse shot with a lot of creativity. You don’t have to worry about getting  the golf ball into the air, which can cause a lot of mishits due to bad swing flaws or judgment errors.  There’s very little room for error in regards to having the correct golf swing when allowing the golf ball to run a certain distance.  Your hitting the golf ball much like if you were using  your same putting stroke.  If you’ve ever watched the British Open, you’ve certainly seen the bump and run in action.

Most golfers know that specific types of golf shots around the green is most effective and consistent than others. High handicappers I see insist on using the lofted or lob wedges when they aren’t called for. These lofted shots are so much more difficult to control than the good old bump and run.

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How Can You Develop More Power By Changing Your Golf Swing Mechanics?

How can you develop more power into your golf swing? This is probally the single most asked questioned. Golf swing power is the result of three specific factors.  Most of us will go to great lengths to do whatever it takes to get that power into our drives off the tee.  On any given hole a good drive splitting the fairway with extra distance,  can certainly improve your golf scores by shortening up the yardage for your next shot into the greens.

The most important factor is your understanding about your own golf swing mechanics.  The simplest way of understanding the physics of swinging a golf club is to understand the movement of a pendulum.  The basic physics on how to power the golf swing starts with the clubshaft movement from the top position into the downwards  swing towards the golf ball through the impact area.  There are two basic golf swing styles that need to be consistent and under control.  They are the conservative single plane and  all out aggressive power hitting swing.  A golfer needs to choose which one best suits his style of game.  A golfer needs to learn how to use the appropriate powering mechanics for his selected swing style,  and he should never mix-and-match fundamental swing concepts that are incompatible with each other.

It is essential for a golfer to work on the mechanics of their golf swing.  In order to improve your golf swing never take practicing as something you have to do.  Make it a desire that you want to become a better golfer, and this is the only way you can improve.  If it weren’t important why would all these tour players have swing coaches that work with them on a consistent basis out on the practice range? The golf swing is such a finite,  mechanically complexive movement, that requires constant work to keep it highly efficient and in balance.

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Can You Play Better Golf By Learning Your Golf Swing Mechanics?

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