Golg Beginner Basics

What to keep in your golf bag.

There are many golf bags available, some designed for
fashion, some for utility and some that combine both
features. There are big bags, bigger bags and bags so
big that they would keep everything you need for a long
weekend vacation in one of the side pockets!

Generally speaking, you need a bag just large enough
to hold your clubs, extra balls, your glove, tees, car
keys, extra pencils, ball markers, a ball retriever,
sunscreen, a windbreaker and a large umbrella.

It is also a good idea to have a packet of tissues, a
band-aid or two, and if you play courses where insects
are a problem, a can of bug repellent comes in very
handy.

A small pack of baby wipes come in very handy; in your
bag they get warmed by the heat, so when you get
sweaty or a sand trap covered you with sand, a nice
warm wipe can be very refreshing.

If you happen to be allergic to bees, hornets and wasps, keep your
Epipen as an important addition to your bag. Also if you are
hypoglycemic so carry Lifesavers, which have to be replaced
several times throughout the year because they tend to melt.

One item that doesn’t need to be in your golf bag is
your cell phone. If you must carry it, turn off the
ringer as a courtesy to other players. If you must use
it, be aware of others who might be taking a swing or
putting their ball. Be considerate!

Having these items in your golf bag should provide
everything you will need, even in a minor emergency
(like a blister) or a major inconvenience, like a
sudden rainstorm. Being prepared makes the game a
great deal more fun.

To your golfing success

Fran Watson

Golf Secrets Revealed

People from various walks of life have played golf, for many years. Initially golf was known as a game of the male elite. Today many tournaments are held to attract and encourage more people to join the game. Not only men, but women too take equal pride in swinging their clubs to hit the ball and display a great performance. If you look around, you will see golf clubs emerging in all the nooks and corners of the globe, proving the love for the game is increasing day by day.

 

Many golfers constantly keep working to better their performance. You would find them practicing hard and playing the game with complete dedication to come out as a star performer.

 

There are also many who keep looking for ways to improve their game, but fail to get the desired result. Though these golfers may have been playing for years, they have failed to understand the real secret of golf that can make them a champion.

 

Golf is all about having the correct posture and swinging the club accurately. You need to position your body properly in order to swing the club well. Hence, it is important to tone your body and keep it flexible to be able to let you swing well.

 

It is important to tone your muscles to avoid straining during the various swings and moves. Remember playing golf needs lot of patience and practice. Nobody has learned to play this special game well completely on his/her own.

You need to help your body get used to the correct positions. Your body acquires the correct position by constantly following the instructions from the very beginning. Thus, it is very important that even your first position is perfect. A good instructor will always take care that you place every bit of your body well in position. You need to get so used to the right position that even by mistake if you have taken a wrong posture, you should instantly realize it.

 

Always exercise with warm-up sessions before you play golf. Let your body get stretched and flexible, before you take the actual swings. Do some stretching exercises and let your body realize that it needs to get ready for the game. Warming up will also help the body temperature to rise and help to avoid any injury to the body. Many golfers face injuries, as they never warm up their bodies before they get onto the course.

As your arms are important in the game of golf, you need to stretch them well in order to let your shoulder joints get flexible. Do not forget to concentrate on your muscles. Your muscles should be able to take the strain, so that you do not feel tired during the course of the game and can put all your energy in every swing.

 

By understanding this simple warm up secret, you can transform your game to a much higher level and keep performing well. So, do not ignore your body, since it is very important to maintain stability in your game. Take the time to stretch and walk a bit before every game.

 

Yours to a successful game

 

Fran Watson

 

P.S.  Click Here! for more tips

 

 

 

 

Putting Video

Click Here! to view a video on putting.

To your putting success

Fran

Putting Tip

Here's a simple technique to improve your putting.

Before you can expect to putt well on greens with a slope, you need to learn to putt well on the flat.
This tip will train you to swing your putter through a straight line and hit the ball squarely on the face of the putter.

To begin get a putter that has a line on it that you can see clearly, as this will be the line that you will follow through to the center of the ball.

On the practice green (preferably one that you have at home, as this technique might not be appreciated) mark straight lines with a builders chalk line in several directions from the center of the hole spanning out around the green.  (Getting someone to hold the chalk line at the center of the cup will make the process easier.)

Now move around the green flicking the line to leave chalk marks along the ground.

Next - place your golf ball on the line leaving some of the line on the ground visible behind the ball.
This will help you to guide your swing.

You will then be able to swing your putter using the line on the ground as a guide and the line on the putter itself to connect with the center of the ball.

In a very short time you should find that you are managing to putt from a relatively good distance and get the ball in the hole most of the time.

This will help you to develop the correct posture and consistency to putt well.

After doing this for a while from different positions on the green, move the ball off the line and visualize that there is still a line on the ground by creating it in your mind, looking from the ball to the cup and back again several times.

Line up your putter as before and look at the line on your putter to hit the center of the ball with this spot on your club.

You are now retraining yourself to see an invisible line from the ball to the cup that you can use on any green you play on.

To your putting success

Fran

P.S.  For more tips Click Here!

Habits

UNCONSCIOUSLY we are forming habits every moment of our lives. Some are habits of a desirable nature; some are those of a most undesirable nature. Some, though not so bad in themselves, are exceedingly bad in their cumulative effects, and cause us at times much loss, much pain and anguish, while their opposites would, on the contrary, bring as much peace and joy, as well as a continually increasing power. 

Have we it within our power to determine at all times what types of habits shall take form in our lives? In other words, is habit-forming, character-building, a matter of mere chance, or have we it within our own control? We have, entirely and absolutely. "I will be what I will to be," can be said and should be said by every human soul.

There is nothing more true in connection with human life than that we grow into the likeness of those things we contemplate. Literally and scientifically and necessarily true is it that "as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." The "is" part is his character. His character is the sum total of his habits. His habits have been formed by· his conscious acts; but every conscious act is, as we have found, preceded by a thought. And so we have it - thought on the one hand, character, life, and destiny on the other. And simple it becomes when we bear in mind that it is simply the thought of the present moment, and the next moment when it is upon us, and then the next, and so on through all time.

One can in this way attain to whatever ideals he would attain to. Two steps are necessary: first, as the days pass, to form one's ideals; and second, to follow them continually, whatever may arise, wherever they may lead him. Always remember that the great and strong character is the one who is ever ready to sacrifice the present pleasure for the future good.

So how does this relate to golf

When we golf we develop habits, good and bad, and sometimes it takes concentrated effort as well as the help of a pro in order to change bad habits to good habits.  But we have to be prepared to make the changes.  If we continually fight against what the pro is telling us, thinking we know better, we won`t play any better.  It is only when we truly believe that what they are telling us is true and we follow their instructions that we become better.

So if you want to be a great golfer (your ideal), you must work towards that every day, practicing what will get you there and eliminating those bad habits that keep you from reaching your ideal.

To your golfing success

Fran

Left Handed Golfer?

Golf Tips For Left Handed Golfers


Most golfers are right handed, so it is difficult to find tips that can help left handed golfers to improve their game. If you are a left handed golfer in need of tips to improve your game, here are some tips that can help you put your game back on track and lower your scores.

The first thing for a left handed golfer is to get his/her club fitted. This will improve swing as fitting takes care of the various adjustments required to give effect to better swinging. Fitting your golf club will include adjustments to the shaft length, its flex and the size of the grip. In fact your grip on the club is the only way, in which you control your club. Your grip pressure should be firm, but not rigid and should allow the club to rotate as you swing to make a hit.

Many left handed golfers make a mistake of attempting to play right handed golf. Why is this?  Although it sounds confusing, it is really easy to understand. In the beginning everyone plays with borrowed clubs (unless they can afford to buy their own set of expensive clubs). Since most players are right handed, a beginner 'lefty' usually borrows clubs that are unsuitable for his individual game. This leads to a bad situation, which does not allow a left-handed player to learn to play properly. So, always make sure that you play with clubs meant for left handed players.

Many left handed players continue to play with right handed clubs, even when they learn that those clubs are not right for them, for the simple reason that they have been playing with them for a long time. Thus they have difficulty improving their game.  The best thing to do is to switch over to golf equipment specifically designed for left handed golfers to suit their natural swing.

When choosing golf clubs a left handed golfer should be cautious and make a careful selection as the options in left handed clubs are not as wide as they are in clubs designed for right handed players. If the right equipment is not readily available at a local store, it is better to wait for some time till it becomes available or try to visit a professional shop or a big retail outlet dealing in golfing equipment to make your purchase.

If you are unable to buy the right equipment for left handed golfers directly from stores, you can always use mail order catalogue services to place your order. The Internet is an excellent resource to locate companies, which sell the right stuff that fits the needs of left-handed golfers.

Most importantly, left handed golfers should endeavor to seek good quality professional instruction. It is an undisputable fact that a good pro can greatly help you to learn and play successful golf. You receive invaluable tips to correct your swing and tailored instructions to fit your individual style and game. The trick here is to choose the right pro. You need to inquire, whether the instructor is qualified to teach left handed golfers. You must note that most right handed instructors face a difficult time teaching golfers, who are left handed.

To your golfing success

Fran
P.S.  Looking for a place to play?

Improving Your Golf Game

Your Own Personal Golf Pro at Every Game

Have you ever considered what the source of your problems might have been when you just finished a poor round of golf?

Many people will be surprised to know that most of their problems stemmed from the way they were holding their clubs.

You probably already know the situation I am about to describe. You hit a bad shot and then you tell yourself that the next shot has to be better to compensate and the pressure begins to grow.

Along with the increasing pressure is a tendency to grip the clubs too tightly. Tension has a tendency to make us do that, however, along with this tight grip we have on the club goes a corresponding loss of control.

The ball starts flying in all directions, and the tension builds ever more, until you look at your knuckles and they are white from the pressure.
If your clubs had to breathe you would have choked them by now.

I had a playing partner who had a simple list of instructions that he would read when his game started to fall apart and at the top of that list was 'don't strangle the clubs'

It's simple and we all know about it, but this visual reminder was all that it would take to get his game back on course and ensure that the tension wasn't there in the rest of his game.

This technique of having written guidelines was so powerful that several other people started using it. It was like having your own personal golf pro walking with you and giving you the necessary instructions when things started to go wrong.

Those words would allow him to focus on the next shot and release all the tension that would have otherwise crept into his game.

Try carrying your own list of 'game savers' around with you next time and don't hesitate to read them at the first sign your game might be falling apart.

It is an incredibly powerful technique.

Another powerful technique is having someone videotape you as you golf. Afterwards you can sit and analyze what went wrong or right with each shot you took. You can look at your stance, the way you held the clubs, the position of your head, and more. Why not try it? It might improve your game.

To your next birdie...

Fran
P.S. Click here to learn more

Golf Lessons

Getting the Most from Golf Lessons

It’s never easy asking for help, but in golf, it is almost a necessity. Unfortunately, we often ask our buddies and partners, when in reality we should take a lesson or two.

We think that a Pro would critique harshly, but they are honest, positive and very helpful.

Lessons at the local course aren’t as expensive as you might think and they are worth it because your game will improve rapidly and cause you less frustration,making the game much more enjoyable for you.

Of utmost importance, is being honest about your game. The Pro will ask you what you want to start with;driving, chipping, putting or whatever you feel you need help with.

Listen carefully and follow the instructions. You may have doubts if the Pro changes your stance, your grip or your swing; the Pro knows best.

Don’t hesitate to ask questions. Don’t worry about if the question or concern in stupid-they’ve heard it all before and will not make you feel like an idiot for asking. If you don’t "get it", tell him/her that you’re not getting it. You should never walk away from a lesson with unanswered questions.

You can concentrate on one thing during a lesson, or several. You might start with a lesson in driving; get the right grip, the right stance, the right swing, the right follow-through in one lesson, and then practice
it. Next time, you might work on your short game, or putting.

You’ve invested in the equipment, doesn’t it make sense to learn how to use them to their advantage and improve your abilities?

To improving your game

Fran Watson

P.S. For more help with your game click here.

Playing Golf is more than a mind game

What Makes You Think You Can Play Well?

Many people take up golf and think they can play well from the outset.

Although golf is a highly technical game that can take years to master,most people think they should be playing a lot better than they do in a short space of time.

We expect to play consistently well with little or no practice, which is very strange because we would never expect that from most other sports.

All sports require skill, and none more than golf where a top round needs consistently good play on many holes and being in the right state of mind to allow that to occur.

Beginners luck is precisely that and unfortunately it is unlikely to return to the golfer who doesn't put the time and the effort in to play regularly, practice regularly and learn from the professionals on the golf course and from the best books, DVD's and videos.

Taking shortcuts will land you in the bunker or the water and that is a fast way to put a damper on your game.

As with any sport, the better your performance, the more fun a round of golf will be, and the only way that will happen is by improving your levels of skill.

You may not be able to afford a personal pro, however there are other ways to obtain instructions from the best golf pros in the world. Much of this information is available relatively inexpensively. There are also various golf aids available to help improve your swing even when you can't get outdoors.

Check out the major online golf stores and see what they have available, you might be surprised to see the help you can get with very little money down.

Also consider getting some good tapes to help you with mind control as all things being equal, the person who has the top few inches of their head in the right place on competition day will always win.

To a lower score!

Fran Watson

P.S. Check this out

Golf Balls

Do Balls Make a Difference?

What are the benefits of changing your golf balls?

As there are continuing developments in all aspects of the sport, from the design of the golf clubs to the type of golf balls we use, it becomes all the more important that you use what's best for YOUR game, and that can even mean a change of the type of golf balls you use.

To ensure consistency with your game you will need to use the same balls in practice that you intend to use when you are playing in tournaments.

This is not quite so imperative when practicing at the driving range where you won't be expected to lose a bucketful of high dollar golf balls amongst the driving range hacks.

You will need to use your preferred balls when practicing your short game, as the type of ball you use will determine the distance you can expect from your swing.

You need to be assured that the practice swings you do in training, will equate with the same performance on the course.

Golf balls have had more development than any other sports ball and that development continues to improve the quality of our game beyond what many golfers understand.

You need to choose the ball that best suits your swing and this decision can have as big an impact on your game as choosing the correct golf clubs.

There are three main categories of golf balls. The first and cheapest balls are the solid two-piece balls that consist of a hard shell covering an inner core. These balls are the best for beginners because they allow
for less than perfect swings and they are easier on the pocket when they get lost in the rough or the water.

The intermediate style balls are three piece or multi-layered. These are for more advanced players as they allow better control and the ability to add spin to the ball. The downside is the fact that the ball is softer, and a softer ball won't have the distance of the harder and cheaper balls.

The high performance balls are for advanced players and offer the best of all options with more control and the ability to go the distance. These top-of-the-range balls are considerably more expensive and unless you can exploit their benefits the intermediate balls are probably a better option.

P.S. For more information on improving your golf game, click here.