Here are 3 simple golf swing tips that could just make that small but vital difference to your golf swing:

In golf a good shoulder turn is important. But how that shoulder turn is created is often misunderstood, and as a result leads to poor ball striking. Golfers sometimes make the mistake of thinking it is the length of the backswing that generates power. In an attempt to make a long backswing they allow their left heel to come up too far off the ground and their hips to turn too much. While this action may create turn, it does not produce coil. The main role of the backswing should be to stretch, or coil the muscles. It is then the release of that coiling action in the downswing that helps create power. The length of your backswing should be determined by how much coil you can create, not how far back you can swing the club.

Allowing your chin to rest against your chest at address makes it impossible to swing your left arm across your upper body in the backswing. When the natural path of the shoulders is blocked, it encourages you to pick the club up too steeply with your hands. The result is little or no weight transfer on to your right side, creating a backswing that is far too narrow. The resulting downswing becomes too steep and you usually end up chopping down on the ball instead of swinging through. Keep your chin up and allow your left arm to move freely across your chest. This will enable you to create the full wide arc required to strike the ball correctly.

When under pressure, many golfers make the understandable mistake of snatching the club away too quickly in their backswing. This gets the hands and body moving at different speeds and destroys the swings natural rhythm. Here is one of those simple mental golf swing tips which if used should help slow down the start of your backswing. At address, imagine there is a ball and chain attached to the clubhead. In order to start the club back you have to drag that ball along with it. Not only will this image help slow down you take-away, it will also make it easier for the rest of your body to work at the same pace as your hands.

One of these golf swing tips may help to instantly kick start your golf swing into action, but, remember that you should only have one (or two maximum) golf swing thoughts while you play.

Courtesy of http://www.golfarticles.net (By Dave Powell)

Most golfers will at some time or another experience back pain because of playing golf. For most golfers this may be a one-time thing. They make a swing and some muscle takes it wrong and the result is a painful back for a day or so. But for other golfers back pain becomes a routine and if it gets bad enough they stop playing altogether.

Here are some tips that can help you avoid back pain:

Make sure your equipment fits you. If you’re a six-foot tall player and you are using clubs that were designed for a five-foot player, you are going to have back problems. The reason is simple and obvious. You have to adjust your body too much to get into the proper stance and grip with the smaller clubs. The same holds true in reverse. If you are a small person and you’re using clubs designed for someone much taller, you, too, will have to contort your body just to get a swing out of yourself.

So, make sure your clubs are sized for your size.

It is always a good idea to begin and end your game with some quality stretches. These should be designed to stretch all of your muscles but especially those trunk muscles.

Men are considered stronger than women, but women are considered more flexible than men. Even so, women should also do a set of stretching before they tee off.

If you are older or if you have some arthritis in your hands, consider buying grips made especially for those with hand muscle problems. You may have to do some shopping to find them, but it’s worth the effort.

Every third or fourth hole, take a few practice swings with your opposite hand. This will help keep your muscles balanced and fluid.

Often overlooked is hydration. Make sure you drink lots of water during your play. This is even more important on those hot days. Keeping your body hydrated will go a long way in reducing pain both during and after your game.

If you still have pain, visit a doctor and see if there is something else going on with your muscles.

Courtesy of Robert Partain at golftipscenter.com.

Caddying for a golfer is not a lot of work, and could be quite enjoyable, especially if you hook up with a good golfer. Like the old saying goes. Watch and learn. There are 8 main job tasks that a caddie must do. We will try and take a look at them briefly.

Carrying golf clubs

This task could very well be the toughest of the eight, especially if the golf bag is heavy. Knowledge is not a factor hears, but carrying them properly is. Try resting the golf bag on the small of your back, may be the most comfortable position. Adjust the strap of the bag to accomplish this position. When you carry a golfer’s clubs, you should hold the irons steady with your hand. Try to prevent them from clanging together by placing your wrist at the edge top of the bag and reaching over them with the palm of your hand.

Placing the golf bag down around greens, fairways, and tee boxes, should be done gently. By doing this routinely, will prevent noise of the clubs around golf greens, tee boxes, and other players. Do not drop clubs.

Washing players golf clubs

This is a fairly simple task, but you have to stay on top of it. Keep a wet towel with you at all times. You may want to keep half of it dry, if you want to carry it with you. Make sure the golfer’s clubs are clean and dry at all times. Do not hand your golfer a dirty club. Keep a tee in your pocket to clean the grooves of the clubface and wipe clean with the towel. Make sure golf clubs are dry and clean before every hole. When the golfer is finished with the club. Clean them right away and place in golf bag gently. If you do not put them back in the bag right away, you may forget them on the ground, and find out later the golfer may need that particular club. When you happen to remember leaving one behind. Mention it to your golfer immediately. He or She will give you instructions on what to do.

Washing players golf ball

Ask the golfer well in advance, if he or she would like their golf ball cleaned. Do not wait until the last minute before their shot. Have other golf balls clean and ready, just in case they decide to change golf balls. Do not pick up your golfer’s ball, when on the tee box, fairway, bunker, rough, and green to clean it. The ball must be cleaned before the tee shot, and after the ball is marked on the green. The golfer will know the playing rules. Let them give it to you to clean.

Replace golfer’s divot

Typically you will find divots on fairway shots. That is not always the case. Sometimes they will have to be replaced on tee boxes. Wait for all golfers to finish their shot, if they are behind you. When everyone starts to march out to his or her next shot. Simply run out and pick up the turf and place back in divot hole, and pack down with foot. Replace a couple of divots, if you have time.

Repair ball marks on green

The golfer should do this task. The golfer may ask you to repair the ball mark, if he or she is lining up their putt. Simply prop up the grass around the hole with a tee and pack down with a flat surface, such as a putter or sole of foot.

Tending the flagstick

Wait for the golfer to ask you to either pull the pin, or tend it. Be nearby to keep play up to speed. Stay off of all golfers’ lines to the hole, and keep the flag from waving in the wind if holding the flagstick for the golfer. Also keep your shadow away from golfers’s line. Make sure the flagstick is pulled when the ball is rolling towards the hole. The golfer may occur a penalty stroke, if they hit the pin when putting. The golfer has the option to leave the flagstick in when off the green. Some golfers like it out. Wait for instructions when another player is off the green. Try to stand still when a golfer is putting. After all golfers are finished putting, replace the flagstick and check for golf clubs left behind.

Club selection advice

This particular task is for the experienced caddie, and or caddie that has been with the same golfer for a while. Try to memorize the distance of your golfer’s shots and what club he or she used. They may ask you for advice on what club to use on any given hole. You may surprise them with your choice of clubs. Let’s hope it’s a good surprise. If your not sure, do not guess. Just remember. It’s only advice. When your not sure of the distance and club selection, encourage them on making the right decision.

Keep sight of golfer’s ball

When your golfer and other golfers are taking a golf shot, always watch where the ball lands. Always keep a marker, like a bush or particular size tree when it lands. This particular task is very important. Your responsibility is for the golfer you are caddying for. Try to look out for other players as well. This could be the single most important task. No golfer wants to lose a golf ball. When you can always find the golf ball, the golfer will almost always want you to caddie for them again.

“Golf is 90 percent mental, … and the other 10 percent… is mental”, says golf guru Jim Flick.

Nevertheless, many golfers, indepently of their level, fail to work on their confidence and on the mental aspect of the game.

Why is the mental aspect of golf so important? Golfers play against the course, not against each other directly. They hit a stationary object, not one put into motion by an opponent. This means that there is never anyone else to blame but oneself for a bad result. Moreover, in most competitive formats there are no teammates to directly help oneself out. This insight creates a great deal of psychological pressure on the golfer, which exists at all levels of play. Even the best professional golfers sometimes succumb to this pressure, such as getting the “yips” and being unable to make short putts, or having collapses of their full swing.

According to Dr. Alan Shapiro, a psychologist and a devoted golfer, the personality traits that cause problems in your everyday life can also wreak havoc on your golf game. Using his experience Dr. Shapiro has identified six major golf personality types or “Mental Hazards” in his book Golf’s Mental Hazards. Those who are worriers in everyday life, tend to be anxious at the tee. Control freaks will probably over-analyze their swing and tend to freeze up over the ball. Those who have a short fuse, stand a good chance to be club throwers, etc.

The mental preparation for the game will help you to stay calm, clear the interference that leads to poor shots, and eliminate bad habits and mental mistakes, in short, turn your mind into an ally, instead of an enemy. Many players carry the negative emotions tied to a bad drive or missed putt to the next hole, or worse, for the rest of the entire round! Other players feel negative thoughts entering their mind when they stand over the ball, while none existed before, and
without knowing how to manage these. Again others feel their self-confidence sink into their very golf shoes because they are being influenced by other people’s shots.

As Timothy Gallway, the author of The Game of Golf puts it: “Even the masters of the game, from the venerable Jack Nicklaus to the wunderkind Tiger Woods, must battle their mental demons to excel in the crucible of competition. How do they maintain concentration under pressure? How do they avoid the mental and physical tensions that can sabotage any shot, from the simplest putt to a demanding drive?”

Mental techniques will help you not only to prepare your game, but also assist you during the execution phase and teach you how to respond to the results of any golf shot. The psychology of golf entails instant recall of past successes and being able to quickly purge failures.

Important areas to analyse and train are: how to keep your focus and concentration during a round of golf, how to keep your motivation when you only enjoy the game part of the time, how to avoid being influenced by other people’s swings, how to transfer the self-assurance and confidence you feel on the practice tee to the golf course, how to reach emotional stability, tough-mindedness, what is tension management, etc.

Courtesy of Caroline Marien at golf-information.info.

Many sports require a player to have appropriate shoes for a specific sport. But for golf, it is not a necessity to possess a pair of golf shoes. Nevertheless, wearing golf shoes in playing golf will significantly enhance the performance of your swings. Below are few important features of a good golf shoes that any aspiring golfer should have.

Golf shoes are just like soccer shoes, but they only have smaller cleats or spikes. These spikes will help avoid golfers from tripping when doing a swing. But there are also spikeless golf shoes sold in the markets these days.

It is important for golfers to have a decent traction golf shoes. It will not only prevent you from slipping when swinging the golf club but will also prevent you from accidental slips while wandering the golf course.

A sand bunker is one of the obstacles that a golfer should pass through. Most golfers will have hard time to have a good shot. With a good balance and good traction, this obstacle will not be that difficult to overcome.

There are a lot factors that will affect a golfer from having decent shots. One of these factors is the golfer’s energy or power. Although there are golf carts, golfers can’t take the fact that they need to walk and having quite a heavy shoes will greatly exhaust them thus hindering them from making an excellent shot. It is a good thing that golf shoes are manufactured with the use of particularly lightweight durable materials.

Another feature to consider prior to deciding on what golf shoes to purchase is its water-resistant capability.

Having a water-resistant golf shoes will greatly help a golfer on obstacles that are mostly consist of moist and wet. The golf course is mostly made of grass, and grasses do get moist easily. A wet shoes and feet will make a golfer feel uneasy which will significantly reduce the performance of that golfer.

Manuals for Download

•  The Professional Golfers’ Association of America FIRST SWING Golfer’s Guide
•  J. Wood Platt Scholarship Caddie Training Manual
•  Western Golf Association Caddie Manual
•  TeachingKidsBusiness.com Kid’s Caddie Program Training Manual

There are several types of golf balls you should start off with. These are:

• Refurbished Balls: These golf balls are high quality used balls that have been polished to look brand new.
• Used Golf Balls: These balls are a great alternative for high handicappers such as you. No low handicapper would like to be seen using these; however, they’re something that you shouldn’t be bothered about using. You can pick up some used balls in great condition. A few things to look out for would be discoloration, large chunks missing, bulges, and gashes. You should stay away from used balls like these. You can buy several used balls mainly in bulk online for next to nothing. The only problem here is you can’t see every one of them to see whether or not it’s in good condition.
• Closeout Balls: These types of balls are no longer made by the manufacturer, either because they’re unpopular or the manufacturer has moved on to a new brand or design.
• Logo Overrun Balls: Overrun golf balls and logo overrun golf balls are the best value in golf balls. An overrun golf ball is either a personalized golf ball, an imprinted golf ball, or a logo golf ball that has some sort of imprint on it. Often a logo overrun golf ball will have no imprint on it at all, although these are new golf balls, they come packaged in bulk. They have the same playability as new golf balls whether they have been imprinted or not.
• Value Category Balls: “Value” golf balls are those name brand balls that are marketed at the lower price points, usually sub-$20 per dozen. Dunlop, Top-Flite, Maxfli, Precept, Callaway, Titleist – in short, most of the major ball manufacturers – produce balls in the value category. These balls are generally built to minimize spin, maximize distance and resist wear and tear. For absolute beginners who don’t want used, refurbished or x-outs, but want brand new, name-brand balls, value balls are the ones to choose.
• X-Out Balls: X-Outs are golf balls produced by the big-name companies, but balls that suffered some sort of slip-up in production. Usually the slip-up is merely cosmetic, rather than a real problem with the ball. But exhibiting quality control, the companies don’t release the balls under their brand names – instead, they stamp a row of X’s over the brand and sell the balls at a steep discount. X-Outs can commonly be found with the sporting goods in major department stores.

Golf Ball Types and Their Constructions

There are 3 basic types of golf balls on the market today. Let’s look at their constructions and what type a golfer should use them to lower his or her total score.

2 Piece Golf Balls

This type of ball makes up the majority of the market from all the leading manufacturers. It features a large, solid rubber core (shown in blue) surrounded by a plastic or urethane (rubber) cover.

Golf ball engineers can alter the performance of the finished ball by changing the size of core, the compression of the core, and the softness of the cover.

2-Piece balls are typically your game improvement or distance balls. The large core provides a lot of velocity when struck by the club face.

These balls are typically lower spinning, which means your undesirable slice or hook spin will not be as pronounced and the ball will fly straighter. Lower compression models of 2 piece balls perform well for men, women, and children with slower swing speeds (<85 mph).

3 Piece Hybrid Golf Balls

Hybrid golf balls have a solid core surrounded by a “mantle” layer (show in green). This 2 piece assembly is then surrounded by a soft plastic or urethane rubber cover. These balls combine the forgiveness of a 2 piece model, with the increased performance and spin control of a 3 piece construction.

Engineers can adjust the core and thin layer to end up with a playable, performance ball for a variety of golfers. They are quite a revolution.

3 or 4 Piece performance Golf Balls

Professional and low handicap golfers with high swing speeds need a ball with low initial spin (for distance) and high iron spin (for precision). A 3 or 4 piece ball meets these requirements with a unique “dual core” design.

In a 4 piece construction, the 2 piece core (shown in green and light grey) is surrounded by a thin mantle layer, and then a urethane, dimpled cover. The urethane cover in conjunction with the other components give these balls the “drop and stop” action you see on the weekend broadcasts.

Step 1: Grip firmly

When it is raining heavily, it is very hard to keep the grips of your clubs absolutely dry.
As a result, your hands will tend to slip on the damp grip.
You should therefore grip the club more tightly than normal, for a firmer hold.
As your muscles are tense in this firmer grip, you swing less freely, so the ball will not fly as far.
If the rain is very heavy, the rain itself shortens the flight of the ball.
To counter these two effects, go 1 or 2 clubs lower than you would use to reach the same distance in dry weather.
This is very important, as falling short could leave you with a nasty plugged ball in a wet bunker.

Step 2: Play high

On rainy days, you will get more distance with a high trajectory than a low one.
Not only does a high ball fly further, a low ball will not roll very far on the wet ground.
The wet ground also gives you the chance to play more aggressively.
As the ball stops quickly on the wet green, you can land it right at the flag. This helps you to reach difficult pin positions, from which the ball normally rolls away.

Step 3: Aggressive putts

The slower green also allows you to be more aggressive with your putts, as your return putt will be shorter if you miss the hole.
It is important to smile while playing in the rain, just like children do. Learn to enjoy it.
You will feel much better than all the other miserable moaners, giving you a great playing advantage.

Even if you are playing in Sunny Southern California, you eventually will play in the rain. For most people, this enjoyable game will become unpleasant but it could also be great if you know how to handle yourself in the rain. Here are 10 tips that will surely help improve you game when it’s pouring.

• Waterproof Gear – Having waterproof golf gear is almost a must. Rain gloves are great. pants and jackets that waters slide off is a must.
• Keep Your Hands Dry – Always keep your hands dry. This means wiping your hands with a towel every time you see water in your hands. It’s not so much your hands that needs to be dry. It’s more important for you to not get your grips wet.
• Get an Umbrella – This helps shield the wind and rain from getting to you and your clubs. You can also hang your gloves and towels inside so you have easy access to them.
• Wear a Hat – Not only to stay warm and dry but it keeps the water out of your face.
• Bring Extra Towels, and Gloves – You will need it. Guaranteed. Always put towels on the top of your bag so you can wipe the shaft when you put your clubs back in the bag.
• Keep Those Grips Dry – Non slippery grips are going to be key to good golf in the rain. Always wipe your grips and shafts dry as the grip is the only part of the golf club that you have contact with!
• Rain Hood for Your Bag – An extra rain hood is sometimes necessary as well. The more layers you have on your bag, the harder it is for your clubs to get wet.
• Take Your Glove Off When You Aren’t Hitting a Shot – If you are wearing it, rain will get on it. Instead, take it off every time you aren’t touching golf clubs and hang it inside the umbrella.
• Know How the Rain Affects Your Game – When it’s raining, the balls don’t roll as far and it also won’t spin as much. Depending on how your shot trajectories are, it will require some adjustments. Make sure you are at least semi familiar with how your game will be in the rain before you start competing in a tournament during the rain.
• Don’t Rush – It’s extremely easy to start rushing when it’s raining but remember to focus and hit the best shot that the situation allows.

Introduction

Golf is played with golf clubs of various types. There are four major categories of clubs, known as woods, hybrids, irons, and putters. Wedges resemble irons and may also be counted among these. A golfer is allowed to carry up to fourteen clubs during a round.

Types of Golf Clubs

Woods can be played without a tee off the ground far more easily than the driver and are used for long approach shots. They have large heads that are somewhat spherical in shape with a slightly bulging clubface and a flattened bottom that slides over the ground without digging in during the stroke. Originally the “wood” heads were made of wood but modern club heads are usually made of hollow steel or titanium, sometimes filled with foam. The shaft enters the wood off-center, in such a way that the face of the wood is roughly at a right angle to one side of the shaft. Woods are used for the longest shots, ranging from 200 to 300 yards (180-275 m). The typical loft for wood faces ranges from 6 to 26 degrees (a 3-wood has about 15 degrees of loft, a 5-wood 20-21 degrees). The 1 wood is usually referred to as a driver. Many club manufacturers are also producing 7-woods, 9-woods and even 11-woods which are excellent out of rough.

Irons are used for shorter shots than woods, especially including shots approaching the greens. Irons typically range from 36 to 40 inches (90-100 cm) in length. Iron heads are typically solid with a flat clubface. The typical lofts for irons range from 16 to 60 degrees. “Long” and intermediate irons (i.e. those with a lower loft) are usually played from fairway or other easy ground. “Short” irons (with a higher loft) are played from difficult ground and especially for approach shots to the green. A full set of irons traditionally comprises a 3-iron, 4-iron, 5-iron, 6-iron, 7-iron, 8-iron, and 9-iron. 1-irons and 2-irons are usually sold separately as few handicap golfers use them, because the little loft they have makes it difficult to get the ball airborne.

Wedges are irons with a loft of more than approximately 50 degrees. Pitching wedges are rather similar to other irons. Sand wedges have specially designed undersides that make them suitable for shots from bunkers or from the rough. Lob Wedges have a very high loft and are used for approach shots or from sand. A Pitching wedge typically has a loft of 45 to 48 degrees, a Sand wedge a loft of 54 to 58 degrees and a Lob wedge a loft of 58 to 62 degrees.

Some companies also offer Approach (or gap) wedges (AW) and High (or super) Lob Wedges (64 degrees or more). An approach wedge fills the gap between the pitching and sand wedge. Gap wedges typically range from 50 to 54 degrees.

Putters come in a variety of head shapes and have a very low loft and often a short shaft. They are used to play the ball on the green, but may occasionally be useful for playing from bunkers or for some approach shots.

Hybrids are a cross between a fairway wood and a long iron, combining the best characteristics of each and mainly designed for distance control and accuracy. A hybrid club has a larger head and more mass than an iron, but with a head still much more compact than that of a typical wood. They tend to have shorter shafts than woods for the same loft, making them easier to control and more accurate (like an iron). The flat face and higher launch angle produces more spin in the ball allowing it to stop faster and with more accuracy. They also have no face bulge or roundness like fairway woods which keeps the shots simple. The bottoms often have runners or rails that help the club interact positively with the turf whether it is long rough, short fairway or sand. All other things being equal, with a hybrid club one should be able to get the ball higher and farther than with an iron with the same loft, while reducing the effects of mishits. For beginners, a hybrid set, where the long irons (3- and 4-irons) are replaced with utility clubs designed, may be a perfect choice.