How Do Having Your Own Set Of Used Golf Clubs Help You To Break 100?

Advice For The Beginning Golfer. If  you have decided you like this new game, but you really aren’t playing as well as you would like.  Your friends are beating you by large margins and you would like to even the score. Then the only way to do this is too start spending on fancy $1300+  golf equipment. You know the new fancy square backed driver with the snazzy stripped shaft that all of the touring pros are using. The driver that is guaranteed to have you hitting 300 yard drives.  Or, maybe you should buy the $200 wedge that Tiger or Phil uses,  and that $200 putter would make anyone envious.

Wait just a minute! I’m  sorry,  now is not the time to run up more debt on the old credit card.  Superior equipment will help an average, better than average or superior golfer. You don’t qualify! In order to  justify top end and expensive golf equipment, you need to first have developed a consistent golf swing.  Right now no two balls are going anywhere near each other from your golf swing.  Do you really believe it is all of the clubs’ fault, and not you?

A good professional or golf shop employee will want to fit the clubs to your body and swing. Matching the clubs to a reliable trustworthy swing will allow the clubs to produce superior performance for that one golfer.  Would you like to match the clubs to your shanked shot, fat shot, or flubbed shots ?  Oh, and what putting stroke are we talking about here?

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All Beginners Need To Learn The Basics Of Golf Before Playing.

I started playing golf when I was 12 years old.  I lived not to far away from a public golf course, and could easily ride my bicycle with my golf bag strapped to my back to the course.  At that time they had a junior golf program that provided a .50 cent pass/round to play unlimited amount of golf.

It provided the opportunity for me to play just about everyday from dawn to dusk.  I couldn’t get enough of it, as my passion grew deeply. I would eat, sleep and dream golf.  Besides playing I was able to take golfing lessons from the club pro, and during the winter would go to the Y.M.C.A. with my dad and hit golf balls into a hitting net.  While here picked up a few more golf lessons.

As a beginner your interested in spending some time with family or friends out on the golf course.  However, your not sure of yourself,  because picking up a golf club is very foreign to you.  Not only your not sure how to hold onto a golf club,  but what do you do with it?  At this earliest stage of discovery, would you even know how to swing a golf club?

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Does Balance And Timing Have ALot To Do With Your Golf Swing Mechanics?

Balance and Timing are the two most important components of your golf swing mechanics.  In order to produce enough power to generate the kind of yardage your looking for on every one of your golf swings.  No matter if it’s hitting off a golf tee or using a chipping iron,  your going to need too feel comfortable when addressing the golf ball  and starting into your backswing.  It all starts with having  solid golf swing fundamentals in place.

Most golfers will step up to the golf ball without any thoughts or prayer of obtaining maximum yardage.  By trying to use brute force they attempt to knock the cover off the golf ball.  Which most often ends up in disastrous results. Over-swinging will only reduce your power. By rushing into your golf swing which causes improper weight shifting,  it will only produce such common mishits as cutting, fat shots, ground before the golf ball, hacking,  slicing, toe shots, topped shots and worm burners. Golf is based upon having a good sound mental focus, and with the proper amount of knowledge and training of your golf swing mechanics.  Which can only produce the kind of end results your looking for.

The golf swing is a combination of balance, fluidity and strength, and they must be in that combined mix for your golf swing mechanics to produce the kinds of golf shots that are kept on target.  Again, one of the most frequent errors to a golf swing is the consistent over-swinging of the golf club.  Relax as much as you can during your golf swing. You do have some power,  however accuracy is the name of  any golf game. Set your goals to expend very little effort when swinging the golf club.  Learning to hit the golf ball the right way will feel very easy and smooth.

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Is Golf Instruction The Best Way To Learn How TO Improve Your Golf Swing Mechanics?

Do you have to take golf lessons? Of course not. Can you pick up golf and improve on your own? Of course, and many do.  I’m a firm believer that the best way for golfers to improve upon their golf swing mechanics is by taking golf lessons.  This can apply to someone just beginning or has been playing for a very long time. I frequently get lessons from my club pro when my golf swing goes out of kilter and needs to be readjusted.

Golf is a game not easy to master. You will learn more effectively by taking private golf instruction than you would in a large or public group. The reasoning is,  if you could have the undivided attention of your instructor in any part of your golf swing, and could have all your questions answered directly as they come up.   Don’t you think you would get a much deeper understanding of your golf swing mechanics, and have far greater memory retention of the lessons learned?

The emphasis is clearly on getting results.  If a student’s golf swing needs to be dramatically changed or altered, and  if a student’s approach to the game needs to be re-adjusted or completely rearranged. Then the natural course of action should happen between you and your instructor. You should have him there as your own personal coach, mentor and cheerleader.

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Is It True Your Golf Swing Mechanics Starts With Having Good Balance?

One of the most important aspects of the golf swing is having good balance. The definition for good balance is a state of bodily equilibrium or equipoise. Having equal distribution of weight.  A mental steadiness or emotional stability. Relaxed habit of calm behavior or judgment.

Balance is the key to any sport you play. You must have the right amount of equilibrium to go either to your right or left with out falling. Having enough flexibility to make those necessary changes, and feel comfortable in repeating  those  same movements  over again. Training not only your muscles to physically respond, but your mental capacity to command such actions with out thinking about it.

Balance and posture are two of the most important physical traits that seems to elude most golfers. The most important thing to remember when addressing the golf ball is to relax.  There is nothing that will hinder your golf swing more than having a tense body to begin with.  Learn to loosen up by doing some stretching exercises,  and some simple pilates or yoga to get the blood pumping.  Make sure too align the core of your body muscles in balance with your mental state, before starting any golf round or practice.

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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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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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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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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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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?

Do You Know How To Hit Quality Pitch Shots In Golf?

I consider myself a good short game player. However, this year due to lack of playing time and not practicing the way I’m used to. I’ve really struggled on the golf course in trying to break 90. I’m not comfortable or use to playing this kind of erratic golf, where for the last few years my golf scores were in the low to mid 80′s. A lot of my troubles have been around the greens. I could score low, because the majority of times I could get up and down in two. This year I’ve seen more two and three putt greens, because my pitches have left me on the greens with longer putts. Chipping and Pitching well is paramount to how well your going to play. Most of it’s in your head. Confidence is built on having a good solid golfing  mindset in knowing that you can trust your ability to hit quality pitch shots around the green.

For most amateur  golfers hitting the golf ball a certain distance isn’t the problem.  Where most golfers experience trouble is around the greens. That would include chipping, pitching and putting. A lot of mistakes from tee to green can be made up for in improving your golf scores by getting down in two from 40 yards in. The pitch shots is that little shot golfers use to make birdies possible and salvage pars. This shot does get a lot of use during a round of golf, because our accuracy beyond 150 yards will diminish when trying to hit to a specific target on the green.

You do need to learn too become a consistently good short game player, because no one can consistently hit every green in regulation.  It requires you to have finesse, or a touch of feeling in your hands, wrists and head (brain). It requires a correct golf mindset when trying to place the golf ball close to the hole. Practicing your short game with the wedge should take almost equal amount of time spent,  as you would with your driver or any other club in your bag. When mastering the standard wedge shot there are other variations such as the bump and run, punch, cut and lob wedges to practice.

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Do You Know How To Improve Your Golf Swing?

Golf can be the most exhilarating and yet the most frustrating game you can ever play.  Week after week we drag ourselves out to the golf course only to try and improve upon our previous weeks score.  Consistency will always be the biggest problem for any golfer. Professional golfers will spend years working on their craft trying to find the perfect golf swing. For most of us,  it would be nice to just say hit the golf ball.  It never works that way. The one question that always comes up is  “How to Improve Your Golf Swing?”

There is literally thousands of how to books,  dvd’s  and magazines on the subject matter of golf swing mechanics. Myself,  I’m a visual type person, that needs to be shown what to do. You can’t correct your golf swing by just reading. You also need to take an idea with you to the driving range, and practice on those certain swing mechanics. However, there is a negative to practicing on your own swing mechanics if it leads you back to your old bad swing faults. Practice doesn’t make perfect, it makes permanent with your golfing memory. That’s why for any serious golfer who wants to improve upon their golf swing,  you must practice not only with the correct swing techniques learned from reading and watching,  but with tools to help you build a solid golf foundation.

That is why training aids is so important in the learning process.   I’m a firm believer in the Medicus System, because I know it helped me out a lot. I used to have a terrible slicing problem, and then I would find myself over-compensating into duck hooks or smothering the golf ball. If you are having trouble with your golf swing this is a must tool that you need in order to improve your golf swing.  The Medicus will give you instant feedback about what is wrong with your golf swing and how to fix the bad swing flaws. By using the Medicus it does straighten out your golf swing, to the point that you’ll find that you have more control and accuracy.

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Will Using The Single Plane Swing Improve Your Golf Swing?

The golf swing is the most over analyzed athletic motion in all of sports.  Millions of dollars every year is spent developing new technologies in an attempt to improve your golf swing deficiencies.  For years, information on the single plane swing has been scarcely available to the general public’s  knowledge. If you’ve been playing golf long enough, you’ve realized that there is something missing in your own golf swing.  Some days it’s good, but most days it’s really bad. You go from one swing tip to the next, but nothing ever works for more than a couple of golf rounds.

With the single plane you don’t just use your arms and shoulders in regards to using the same swing plane. It’s a golf swing where the mind and body work  together on the same swing plane.  It’s the easiest golf swing to memorize. It not only will fix any bad swing faults you might have, but you’ll find that you have more accuracy and control over any golf shot you ever wanted to master.  It’s also a proven fact that using this swing by older golfers, there is a lot less pulled muscles and strains.  Senior golfers can now enjoy playing a lot longer into their twilight years.

It’s not a secret that with age comes a decline in physical capabilities especially in your golf flexibility. The biggest and most noticeable changes is in the backswing.  This can rob you of massive yards off the tee, and the golf swing flaws will occur due to lack of flexibility in your hips. The end results caused by bad swing flaws is hooking or slicing of the golf ball.  For most golfers this will happen to all of us during a golf round where we have no idea what happened or where the bad swing flaw started?   Swinging from over the top is a downswing movement with the upper body getting way  ahead of the lower body.  During my last two golf rounds this smothering of tee shots has happened too  me as well, because physically I’ve not been working on my conditioning and strengthening workout programs.

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