The 5 Minute Guide to Getting the Most Out of Your Golf Lessons

New and experienced golfers alike should all take advantage of golf lessons if they have the money and time to do so. For the serious golfer, it takes more than just determination and dedication to the game to increase your skills. Like most sports, it also helps to have expert coaching to help you master some of the finer points and to help get rid of any bad habits that are holding you back (or to keep from developing bad habits in the first place). Here are a few tips to keep in mind so you can get the most out of your golf lessons.

If you’re still hooking the ball when you tee off or your short game on the green is still “off the mark”, then it might be time to get a few golf lessons. The first step in doing so is finding a qualified golf instructor. This can take a little trial and error since some instructors might have a teaching style better suited to your skill level, the way you learn or your personality. Just like our teachers in school, different instructors might have different ways of explaining the same concept and that can make all the difference in the world depending on how you learn.

The best bet for finding an instructor is to simply ask your friends, golf buddies or other players you meet the next time you hit the course. In addition, you might be able to find instructors that offer a free introductory lesson so you can “try before you buy”. When you find an instructor that’s right for you, be sure that they’re availability matches your own so that it won’t be difficult to arrange times for your lessons. You might play a better game in the morning or later in the day so your instructor’s availability should be factored into your decision also.

Once you’re all set and ready for your first meeting with the instructor, be sure you bring your all to each lesson. You’re paying good money for time with your instructor so there’s no sense in slacking off or not giving it your all. It can take a good deal of dedication and commitment to improve your golf game but the rewards are well worth it. Just be sure that you’re “on” when you show up to play, either during your lessons or the next time you hit the course with your new-found skills.

In between lessons, you’ll want to practice some of the techniques you went over during your last meeting. It might take a while for you to get a feel for certain techniques or to break any bad habits you might have developed. So plan at least one trip out the course in between your lessons to help drive home some of those fundamentals that your instructor points out.

Be sure to get and receive feedback from your instructor at the end of each lesson. Reflect on the things you went over during that lesson, what you actually learned, and any “aha” moments you had that have potential to improve your game. You should also ask for constructive criticism from your instructor in terms of your technique and improvement. Encourage them to be a straight-shooter and let you know what you need to work on and what you do well. After all, that is their job, though some people shy away from giving anything that might be considered negative feedback. But you don’t want them to sugar coat it. You’re paying good money for that kind of feedback so you can improve your golf game.

Following these simple tips will ensure that you choose the best golf instructor for your skill level and learning style, that you’re “ready to roll” when it comes time for each lesson and that you get the most out of the extra instruction you’ll be getting each time. Pretty soon, you should see a marked improvement in your golf game. Of course, whether or not you tell your golf buddies your secret is entirely up to you!

STOP: Are you spending too much time and money trying to lower your golf score? Why do some people seem to excel with ease while most players continue to struggle? Learn how you can quickly and easily improve your golf game in record time and leave your golf buddies in the dust by visiting UltimateGolfSecrets.com

Share This

Read more... Comment now » September 9th, 2008

How To Choose The Right Golf Clubs

Golf is a game which depends on the right kind of golf clubs, apart from the skill of course. With so many clubs out there, deciding which one to get can be a tough choice. Here are some tips on how to narrow down the range.

- Determine your levels for playing

Some play for the weekend activity and there are others who’d like to move up in the ranks. If the occasional pastime is your stride, a low- to mid-performance club can work for you, while a high-performance club is suitable to those who’ll play more often.

- Set a budget

The notion that the more costly the club, the better it is purely doesn’t hold water anymore. If you do enough research and read reviews you’ll find a club that matches your degree of interest. Don’t be fearful to check out used clubs as they can give you the best odds of getting the club you want at a good value.

Now that you know your interest level and have established a budget, here’s a concise run-through of kinds of golf clubs and what each one does.

Woods

A standard golfer’s bag will have a driver (called 1-wood) and a couple of fairway woods (3- and/or 5-wood). A driver is the longest club (typically 45 inches) making it the toughest to handle during a swing.

Irons

Irons feature thin clubheads with grooves on it. Experienced players opt for a blade style iron while beginners get a cavity-back style. A blade-style has a clubhead with a full back, while a cavity back’s clubhead is hollow. It is hollowed out to make a perimeter weighting effect helpful for less-experienced golfers.

Irons are categorized as long (1, 2, 3,4), mid- (5,6,7) and short (8,9). Short irons are the easiest to hit while the long ones are the hardest. The shorter the iron, the more loft there is and for beginners, the more loft, the better.

Putters

Putters are the clubs most regularly used in the game and come in clubhead styles of blade, heel-toe and mallet. Lengths come in belly putters, standard and broomstick (long) putters. Which selection to get is an individual pick.

Utility clubs/hybrids

The clubs combine features of woods and irons and are best for beginners who may not want to buy too many clubs straight out.

Lastly as a final word before bringing them out of the golf shop, most new clubs fit individuals at the typical height of 5′10″ for men and 5′5″ for women. If you are significantly shorter or taller than these numbers, you should get your club fitted to your height.

Begin with these considerations to develop on your study when choosing your golf clubs. The game becomes that much more fun with the little endeavor you make now.

PickUpGolf is a new golfing portal for golf lovers , with expert articles on golf tips and golf equipment reviews. Visit http://www.pickupgolf.com for free download of the complete guide on golf tips and techniques.

Share This

Read more... Comment now » September 3rd, 2008

Understanding The Basic Rules Of Golf

There are many people who embark on playing golf but do not really try to understand the rules or the golfing terms used. It’s good to at least understand the basic rules before a game of golf.

Golf is played by striking a ball using a club on an area called “teeing ground.” Once the ball is hit, it typically travels fairways across and onto a next prepared area. A hole could be found in this area that is called a “putting green.”

The objective of the game of golf is that one should be able to complete a hole by means of hitting a ball from a teeing ground and place it inside the hole of the putting green in as few strokes as possible. What is usually referred to as a round of golf generally consists of 18 holes to be played in.

In golf, there are mainly two kinds of play to pick from. The winner in one kind of play is determined by the holes that are lost and won, this is referred to as a match play.
The other kind of play is determined by the number of strokes one has taken to complete a round. This is called a stroke play.

When playing golf, there are two relevant rules to remember: as you find the course, go play it. As the ball lies, it should also be played as such.

If you find it hard to follow the above rule, at least try your very best to do what is reasonable. How do you know what is fair? Below are the summarized rules to give you a good idea of how to play a good game of golf.

The Intro: Basic golf courtesy

1. Avoid moving, chatting or standing too close to a golfer who is about to make a stroke.

2. Play with a minimum amount of delay. As quickly as the players in the group that you are in have left, it is just as best that you do the same. Try your best not to play until the group is already out of the way.

3. As much as possible, try to replace the divots. Also, remember to smooth any footprints found in the bunkers.

4. It is greatly inadvisable to drop your clubs on the putting green, so don’t!

The Rules of Playing

1. Before playing that all important round of golf, the first thing you should do is to read the local rules stated on the score card you are holding.

2. After which do not forget to place an identifying mark on the ball you are going to use. Some golfers use the same type and brand of golf ball, if in case your ball is placed among these bunch, you will have difficulty finding which is which.

3. Make sure that you get to count your clubs before actual play. You should have a maximum of fourteen clubs.

4. When beginning actual play, it is best that you tee off in front of the tee markers.
When you tee outside this specified area and you are playing a match play, your opponent may have to ask you to repeat the stroke you just did. The good thing when one does this in a match play, you get to incur no penalty. However, if in a stroke play, you then are given a penalty of two-stroke.

5. If while you are playing and your golf ball happens to lie in a bunker or a water hazard, you should not in any way touch the ground of the bunker or the water before you do your down swing.

6. The ball must as much as possible be struck fairly and should neither be spooned or pushed.

7. It is alright for you to mark the ball that you are using. You could take your ball, clean it and place it on the exact place where it was.

8. When dropping a ball, it is best that you stand upright and then hold the ball at the length of your shoulder, and then you may drop it. If by dropping the ball it happens to strike your partner, you or your caddie, the ball must then be dropped again with no penalty.

9. It is also fine for you to lift your ball if by doing so you are able to assist another player. Or you also may lift any other ball as long as that ball interferes with your playing or interferes another player.

PickUpGolf is a new golfing portal for golf lovers, with expert articles on golf tips and golf equipment reviews. Visit http://www.pickupgolf.com for free download of the complete guide on golf tips and techniques.

Share This

Read more... Comment now » September 2nd, 2008