2 • morning journal golf guide • 2012 edition • monday, april 23, 2012
Important golf tips for beginners
One of the most essential golf tips that first-time golf players should take note is to learn all the basics of this game. Golf is being played and enjoyed by thousands and millions of people around the world. Basically, golf is quite similar to other sports out there, and it is crucial that it is treated as such in order for you to get better. Take note that this game should not be treated as some activity that you just want to have fun when you want to. It has to be handled with respect as well as affection like what a true sportsman is like. That way, you will obtain a better understanding on the basics of the sport. Others may think that playing golf is all about getting in the course and hacking a golf ball, expecting that it will end up in the hole. With that, you will undoubtedly end up embarrassing yourself in front of other golf players. You may even get those professional ones annoyed of you. In addition, you will not certainly benefit satisfaction from the experience, and most probably, you will never try this game again. For beginners, there are golf tips that you can make as your guide in order to survive in a golf game. Here are the golf tips for you: Choosing the right golf clubs is one of the most vital golf
tips because you cannot start learning the game if you do not have a golf club with you. Choosing the perfect clubs should depend on the height of the user. Before you step into a golf course, it is vital that you get the basics and all the things that you need to know about golf from a professional or expert golfer. The basics of this game includes how to address the golf ball, the right way to grip a golf club, the fundamentals of the golf stance, and the correct way to swing a golf club. You can also try online or DVD tutorials, and study the game at your leisure time. This method is extremely cost-effective, and you have the freedom to learn whenever you want. Whether you are a left-handed or right-handed, a swing cannot be mastered perfectly no matter how hard you practice every day. The answer to this problem is to seek help from an expert. Once you get a hold of your swinging, the next thing that you should work on is your balance. Ensure that you are in the right position when you are swinging your golf club. You will know when you already have accomplished a perfect balance when you will feel comfortable every time you keep that
morning journal golf guide • 2012 edition • monday, april 23, 2012 • 3 stance of yours. Remember that balance is the basis of golf, for every swing depends on how ready the player is. Last in the list of golf tips is to enjoy the game. Most professional golf players, having fun every time they play is extremely valuable. Not all the time you are going to hit solid shots and not every time you are going to win. At some point, you will go through defeat and make mistakes, but do not let this stop you from playing. Always put in mind that every game, your goal is to have fun and enjoy. Maintain a great smile on your face, overcome the challenge, and take in whatever the game gives you.
Furthermore, an overview of the rules and regulations of this sport is also crucial. This should be explained, as well as the different etiquettes of golf. A golf rules test can be a challenge to test if you have truly gone through the basics of golf, and most important of all is that you have fully understood the course care, as well as safety of the game. A safe environment is the perfect place to enjoy and have fun. There is so much more to know about the game of golf, and if you show keen interest on how to play this game, you will never regret that you did because of a truly rewarding experience. These golf tips will make it even more rewarding especially when you will consider it as your guide all throughout your golfing experience.
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4 • morning journal golf guide • 2012 edition • monday, april 23, 2012
Four keys to hitting a 460cc driver The key to hitting the ball farther with the modern driver and golf ball (which spins much less off of a flat face than balls of the past) is high launch combined with a low spin rate. Our goal is to get enough spin to achieve lift, while minimizing (hopefully eliminating) drag.
longer valid. We want to hit the ball on the upswing, thus increasing launch angle and decreasing the ball's spin rate. In order to do this, we must move the ball forward in our stance. For some golfers, it will be enough to play the ball off of your big toe, while for others it may be necessary to move the ball all the way up so that it is positioned outside of your left foot.
Assuming that you have a driver with enough loft, here are four things that you can do to increase launch angle and decrease spin rate, thus increasing your distance off the tee:
Experiment with different ball positions – but, whatever you do, move the ball forward in your stance!
Tee the Ball Higher The old adage has always been that the top of the driver should be about halfway up the ball when it is teed up. However, with a 460cc driver, I like to see you set the ball high enough on a peg such that the top of the driver is no more than one-third of the way up the ball. Of course, this means that the standard 2 1/8-inch tee will not be long enough to accommodate. You will need a tee at least 3 inches in length, but likely a little longer than this.
Set Up to Hit the Ball on the Center of the Face Most golfers set their driver on the ground at address. This results in a high percentage of driver shots being hit on the heel-side of the face, especially when we tee the ball higher. Test yourself this way: The next time you are at the range and set up to hit your driver, once in the address position stretch your arms out and move the club up to the ball's height. Notice where the ball is going to contact the face of your driver? On the heel side – or possibly the hosel – of your driver.
Move the Ball Forward in Your Stance (Towards your left foot for a right-handed golfer) The notion of playing the ball off of your left heel is no
This is a very common problem for golfers – and it's an awkward adjustment. The solution is very simple, however.
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morning journal golf guide • 2012 edition • monday, april 23, 2012 • 5 Instead of setting your driver behind the ball such that the center of the face is aligned with the ball, move backwards a couple of inches (towards your back) such that the toe of your driver is aligned with the ball.
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Now do the test again. Stretch out your arms and pick the club up to the ball's height. Is the ball aligned with the center of the driver face? If so, put the club back down and fire! If not, keep moving back until it is. Don't worry that once you set the driver down it doesn't align with the ball. The ball isn't on the ground - it's three inches above the ground! Hit the Ball on the Upswing The driver is now a specialty club, much like a putter. Our set-up, ball position – everything is different from any other club in the bag. You shouldn't be hitting the ball at the bottom – or apex – of the golf swing like a fairway wood. The ball should be struck past this point, on the upswing.
This will lead to a higher launch angle and lower spin rate – which is how we are going to hit the ball farther than we ever have before.
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6 • morning journal golf guide • 2012 edition • monday, april 23, 2012
Three keys to successful sand play Being successful out of the sand depends on three things: correct setup, proper technique and consistent point of entry. You should use a sand wedge when playing short sand shots around the green. A sand wedge may vary from 55 to 58 degrees of loft with 8 to 12 degrees of bounce. I personally prefer a 58-degree sand wedge with 8 degrees of bounce. For the correct setup, I like to draw or visualize three lines in the sand, as shown in the photos above. Each line has a specific purpose. The line going from the target to the ball and then extending beyond the ball is called the target line. The line that is about 10 degrees open to the target line is the angle of our feet or toes. Then I draw a line perpendicular to the target line originating at the ball. This represents ball position, which should be off the left heel for righthanded golfers. Once you have the correct setup with the same amount of weight on each foot, the face of the club should be slightly open (photo at right). This puts loft on the ball and allows the back portion of the bottom of the club to bounce off the sand, as opposed to having the leading edge dig into the sand. The start of the backswing should be straight back or
slightly outside the target line. There is an immediate breaking of the hands as you start this motion, producing a more vertical swing which encourages the club to enter the sand about two inches behind the ball (this is the point of entry). What you are actually trying to do is to take as little sand as possible without contacting the ball. Allow the sand to lift the ball from the bunker. As you make contact with the sand there should be a cupping of the left wrist. Let me explain "cupping." Assume you are wearing a watch on your left wrist and the face, as usual, is pointing outward. When contacting the sand on the forward swing, you should try to take the back of your left hand and move it towards your watch face, thereby creating wrinkles underneath your left wrist. This action is called "cupping of the wrist" and it is very necessary in producing quality sand shots. Since this motion prevents the club from closing, the ball is lifted in the air with backspin. These are the three most important things regarding sand play around the greens. You don't have to be perfect to get out of a sand bunker, but you have enough of the basic principles to get started.
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morning journal golf guide • 2012 edition • monday, april 23, 2012 • 7
Success is a proper golf setup Golfers striving to improve their scores must focus on fundamentals for success. The single most important and most overlooked full swing fundamental is the setup. The setup writes the script for the swing and all too often amateur and professional golfers struggle due to poor address positions. All great golfers and teachers are aware of the importance of the setup. Jack Nicklaus: "If you setup correctly, there’s a good chance you’ll hit a reasonable shot, even if you make a mediocre swing. If you setup to the ball poorly, you’ll hit a lousy shot even if you make the greatest swing in the world." Tommy Armour: "Before they ever begin swinging, I can improve nine out of every ten typical amateur golfers." David Leadbetter: "What invariably distinguishes a good player from a poor one is their respective address positions or setups." A good golf setup position helps you achieve three important objectives. First, proper posture and foot placement allows you to maintain your balance throughout the swing. All great players are balanced from address to the finish, which allows them to hit the ball squarely in the center of the clubface. Balance is the key to consistent ball striking and a good setup allows you to remain in balance when swinging. Second, a good setup helps you create power and control the direction of the shot. Key pre-swing elements such as ball position and body alignment create the conditions that lead to control. The body angles that you create at address directly influence the path and angle on which you swing the club. They influence the actual in-swing body positions and movements; therefore your setup directly affects all elements of the swing. Finally, all great players pre-set themselves in positions that they try to create at impact. In other words, your golf setup puts you in positions of advantage, making a fundamentally sound swing possible. Your swing evolves from your setup and if you want to achieve a good impact position, you can simply setup with impact in mind. A good setup stacks the deck in your favor and places you in positions of advantage.
8 • morning journal golf guide • 2012 edition • monday, april 23, 2012
Proper positioning is key The single most important - and frequently overlooked full swing fundamental in golf is the setup position. So here's a step-by-step illustration of what makes a great golf setup. We start with: Alignment At address your body (feet, knees, hips, forearms, shoulders and eyes) should be positioned parallel to the target line. When viewed from behind, a right-handed golfer will appear aimed slightly left of the target. This optical illusion is created because the ball is on the target line and the body is not. The easiest way to conceptualize this is the image of a railroad track. The body is on the inside rail and the ball is on the outside rail. For right-handers, at 100 yards your body will appear aligned approximately 3 to 5 yards left, at 150 yards approximately 8 to 10 yards left and at 200 yards 12 to 15 yards left. Foot position The feet should be shoulder width (outside of the shoulders to the inside of the heels) for the middle irons. The short iron stance will be two inches narrower and the stance for long irons and woods should be two inches wider. The targetside foot should be flared toward the target from 20 to 40 degrees to allow the body to rotate toward the target on the downswing. The back foot should be square (90 degrees to the target line) to slightly open to create the proper hip turn on the back swing. Your flexibility and body rotation speed determine the proper foot placement. Ball position The ball placement varies with the club you select. From a flat lie: • Play your short irons (wedges, 9-iron and 8-iron) in the center portion of your stance. These clubs have the most upright lie angles and they must be swung at the steepest angle, and you should take a divot in front of the ball.
• Your middle irons should be played one ball toward the target-side foot from center (a ball left of center for the righthanded golfer). These clubs have a slightly flatter lie angle and you should take a slightly shallower divot than with the short irons. • The correct ball position for the long irons and fairway woods is two balls toward the target-side foot from center (two balls left for the right-hander). With these clubs, the ball should be struck directly at the bottom of the swing arc with very little divot. • The driver is played farthest forward (three balls left of center for the right-hander) to strike the ball on the upswing.
Balance Your weight should be balanced on the balls of the feet, not on the heels or toes. With short irons, your weight should be 60-percent on the target side foot (left foot for right-handers). For middle iron shots the weight should be 50/50 or equal on each foot. For your longest clubs, place 60% of your weight on the backside foot (right foot for right-handers). This will help you swing the club on the correct angle on the back swing. Posture - Side view Your knees should be slightly flexed and directly over the balls of your feet for balance. The center of the upper spine (between your shoulder blades), knees and balls of the feet should be stacked when viewed from behind the ball on the target line. Also, the back knee should be cocked slightly inward towards the target. This will help you brace yourself on this leg during the back swing, thus preventing lower body sway. Your body should bend at the hips, not in the waist (your buttocks will protrude slightly when you are in this correct posture). The spine is the axis of rotation for the swing, so it should be bent towards the ball from the hips at approximately a 90-degree angle to the shaft of the club. This right angle relationship between the spine and the shaft will help you swing the club, arms and body as a team on the correct plane.
Your vertebrae should be in a straight line with no bending in the middle of the spine. If your spine is in a "slouch" posture, every degree of bend decreases your shoulder turn by 1.5 degrees. Your ability to turn the shoulders on the back swing equals your power potential, so keep your spine in line for longer drives and more consistent ball striking. Posture - Face view When viewed from face on, your spine should tilt to the side, slightly away from the target. The target side hip and shoulder should be slightly higher than the back hip and shoulder. The entire pelvis should be set an inch or two toward the target. This places the hips in the lead and it counter balances your body as your upper spine leans away from the target. Your chin should be up, out of your chest to encourage a better shoulder turn. The head should be tipped at the same angle as the spine and your eyes should focus on the inside portion of the back of the ball. Arms and hands At address, your hands should hang just forward of your zipper (just off the inside of your target side thigh). The hands-to-body distance varies depending on the club you are hitting. A good rule of thumb is hands "a palm’s width" from the body for short and middle irons (4 to 6 inches) and "a palm’s length" - from the bottom of the wrist to the tip of your middle finger - for long irons and woods.
morning journal golf guide • 2012 edition • monday, april 23, 2012 • 9 The final setup positions The shaft of the club will appear to lean slightly toward the target with your short irons because the ball is positioned in the center of your stance.
With your middle irons, the shaft of the club will lean only slightly toward the target (or not at all) since the ball is forward of center. With long irons and woods, your hands and the shaft of the club will appear to be in line. Again, as the ball position moves forward, the hands stay in the same place so the lean of the shaft disappears. With a driver, the shaft will lean away from the target. Your arms and shoulders should form a triangle and the elbows should point to the hips.
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Remember: "Your swing evolves from your setup." If you focus on this vital pre-swing fundamental, you are more likely to improve your performance. A good setup does not guarantee success, however it improves your chances immensely.
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10 • morning journal golf guide • 2012 edition • monday, april 23, 2012
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morning journal golf guide • 2012 edition • monday, april 23, 2012 • 11
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12 • morning journal golf guide • 2012 edition • monday, april 23, 2012
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