Ways To Construct Your Golf Training Schedule

Training correctly is the most important part of your training routine. The most commonly forgotten part of golf training is shots near the green. Spending hours at the driving range hitting arrow straight drive might be exciting, but working on shots in the 100 yard range improves your scores faster.

For and training regiment to be effective, you must keep a regular routine. golf training time should be shared equally between driving and approaches. An hour pounding drives should at least equal an hour on the putting green.

Do not neglect approach shots either, or chip shots and or shots out of the sand. A long, arrow straight drive is a thing of beauty to watch, but an accurate chip shot will save two-puts and win matches. When training, it is best to simulate real world conditions. Sure, you could rake the sand perfectly smooth for each and every practice shot and place ball gently on top, but that will never happen on the course. Toss the ball straight up in the air to simulate the dreaded fried egg flop. Set your practice shots up right against the wall of the sand trap practice high angle outs, or the smart shot off to the side.

Has it been a while since the grass was trimmed somewhere? Practice saving your game from the cabbage. Just because you cannot spend all of your time at the driving range does not mean you can practice. If you spent an hour at the driving range this morning, then you owe yourself an hour of short game practice. Take a bucket of balls to the local park and practice chipping from the tan bark, or the untrimmed edges of the grass.

Incorporating your putter into your training routine will prove the most important thing you can do. More matches are decided on the green than any other part of the course. Practice the long shots, the short taps and even a few from the fringe while on the putting green.

Do not forget that you can practice at home too. You can chip from the garden and weed at the same time. Refrain from mowing the back yard another week and practice some light chip shots. Find a neighbor and take turns hitting practice balls into each other yard to work on blind chip shots.

Regular practice is the most important element in your training routine. You will be better off with an hour, three times a day than four hours on a Sunday. Most important, enjoy your time. golf is no fun if becomes work.

Golf Instruction - Chipping Trajectory Lesson and Tips

Five Most Common Putting Mistakes

No one's shocked anymore when Tiger Woods drills a 20-foot putt to win a championship. He's one of the best clutch putters in the game. But did you know that when he practices putting Tiger spends more time working on short putts than long putts. That's right. One media sources estimates he spends about 65 percent of the time he spends practicing putting working on short putts.

Most putts are from 5 to 15 feet. These short putts probably make up about 25-30 percent of your total score. You don't need a golf lesson to figure out that if you sink more of these short putts, you'd lower your golf handicap by at least a couple of strokes. Unfortunately, weekend golfers tend to commit too many mistakes when facing short putts. Here are some common mistakes golfers make when putting and some drills on how to eliminate them.

Confidence is the Key

Many golfers flinch when they putt. Or, they rush the putt so much their stroke becomes choppy and uneven. You can become a great putter if your putting stroke is smooth and free flowing. Creating good rhythm in your putting stroke is the best way of eliminating flinching and rushing. No matter what style of putting you use, if you flinch or rush you'll probably miss lot of putts. Unfortunately, most golfers concentrate more on sinking putts than working on developing a smooth stroke.

Next time you're on the practice green, make some smooth pendulum strokes with your eyes closed. As you make your stroke, count out a simple cadence "one-two. " "one-two. " Once you feel a good flow, have a friend place a ball at his discretion in the path of your putter head. No knowing when the ball is coming helps eliminate the flinching or rushing that can cause you to miss those short putts.

No Putting Ritual

Another common mistake in putting is a lack of putting ritual. If watch Tiger Woods, Fred Funk, or Sergio Garcia putt, you'll notice that they all have a putting ritual. Their rituals are all different. One player walks all around the putt before stepping up to hit it. Another takes his practice strokes behind the ball. But the one thing that's not different is that they use the same ritual every time they make a putt, regardless of the length or difficulty. Develop your own putting ritual. Base it on sound putting techniques and what makes you feel comfortable. And use it every time you have a putt. You'll find that a ritual not only relaxes you and helps build confidence in your putting.

Worry about Outcomes

Weekend players worry too much about the outcome of a short putt. What if I miss the putt? This places a lot of pressure on the golfer. Since the pressure of outcomes is tied directly to the hole, try eliminating it when you practice to relieve the pressure. Next time you're on the practice green, work on drills that improve your putting accuracy without using the hole. For example , place a scorecard over the hole and try to roll the ball over the card, so that the ball ends about two feet past the hole. These drills will improve your accuracy without the added pressure of sinking the putt.

Choking the Putter

A common mistake I see in my golf instruction sessions on putting is players gripping their putters too tightly. Some players grip their putters so tight, their hands almost turn white. A soft and constant grip pressure is vital to maintaining a smooth, free-flowing stroke and creating better "feel" when putting. For players who think they may be choking the putter, try holding an uncooked egg between your right index finger (or left index finger, if your left-handed) and the shaft of your putter. Now drop a few balls and stroke some putts. If your grip is too tight, you'll soon know.

Too Handsy

Another common mistake I see in golf instruction sessions on putting is players using too much of their hands in their putting stroke. Being too handsy eliminates the true feel of a smooth, free-swinging pendulum and cause jerky inconsistent putts. One remedy is to use a belly putter. Simply anchor the putter to a comfortable point on your midsection and swing away. Add a "one-two" count to the stroke to improve rhythm. This approach reduces the amount of movement in the smaller muscles in your hand and keeps the blade on plane.

Eliminating these common mistakes from your putting will not only build rhythm in your putting stroke, they'll also help increase your confidence in your putting. That's big. Ask any professional golfer what the key to great putting is and he or she will probably tell you it's confidence. Great putters are shocked when they miss a short putt. That's how confident they are. To improve your golf handicap, you need to work on things that build confidence and increase accuracy your short putting.

Copyright (c) 2007 Jack Moorehouse

Golf Shot Tips : How to Hit a Tee Shot

Four Steps To Building a Better Backswing

The golf swing is basically a chain reaction, as I've said before. One good move leads naturally to another. Obviously, the first few "links" in the chain are critical, since they determine the quality and the shape of the swing. If you make a proper backswing, as I often write in my golf tips, you'll develop power, accuracy, and consistency in your swing.

Unfortunately, some golfers take their backswing lightly. Instead of taking the club back slowly and smoothly, they rush it and find themselves in a poor position to start their forwardswing. A poor backswing requires complex adjustments during the swing, which can throw it off. The end result is a slice, a hook, or an otherwise ugly shot. If you want to develop consistency and power-while improving your golf handicap-you must build a better backswing.

Make a Preflight Check

Get in the habit of making a preflight check before starting your backswing. A good set-up increases the chances of starting off right. Check for correct posture, the right weight distribution, and the proper ball position, which should be just inside the left heel when using longer clubs and toward the middle of your stance for shorter clubs. Also, check to see that the club's shaft is an extension of the left arm (right-handers) and that you have a neutral grip.

In addition , check your tee-height. As a general rule, the top edge of the driver should be level with the ball's equator, irrespective of the clubhead's size and design. This rule also applies to the 3-wood when used from the tee. The design of this club hasn't changed significantly over the years. Its clubhead is smaller than almost all drivers' clubheads, especially the new ones. You need to tee the ball lower to achieve the right height for the 3-wood.

Shift Weight Properly

Allowing your weight to move back and forth in harmony with the swing's direction generates power. If the upper body coil and the weight shift are both correct in the backswing, the natural movement is a lateral one onto the right foot (right-handers), preparing the golfer for a forceful forwardswing. This is followed by a weight shift to the front foot.

Annika Sorenstam, considered by many as the number one ranked woman golfer on the pro tour, presents a good example of someone whose weight shifts properly during her backswing. Watch her when she swings. If you compare her head position at the top of backswing with her head position at the start of her backswing, you'll see that it has moved a good 5-6 inches (12-15 cm) to the right, enabling her to "get behind the ball. "

Think "All Arms"

A proper takeaway is critical to a good swing. The catalyst for the chain reaction, the takeaway starts everything in motion, as I stress in my golf lessons. It introduces width and coordination in the swing, and determines the quality and shape of the shot. The first 30 inches of the takeaway is perhaps the most crucial point in the swing. The goal is a one-piece takeaway.

To achieve a one-piece takeaway, sweep the club back low and slow as your left knee, hip, and shoulder turn to the right. Shift your weight slightly onto the right foot (for right-handers), creating the feeling as if the move was "all arms. " And hold your chin up as you take the club away to allow for a full left shoulder turn.

Turn and Set

The turn and set is the final element of the backswing. Once the takeaway is complete, the wrists hinge as the body continues to turn and the arms swing the club up on plane. A useful checkpoint in the swing occurs at the halfway point in the backswing. In a properly executed backswing, the club points toward the sky. From there on, it's a simple movement to the top of the backswing.

Watch the takeaway of Ernie Els when opportunity permits. His upper body, hands, arms, and the club all move away from the ball in harmony. The wrists are almost completely passive. They only start to hinge as the hands reach a point just beyond the right hip, the ideal takeaway to emulate. Notice also that he lifts his left heel slightly as he takes the club back. There's no hard and fast rule on this, as I've said in my golf tips. If you need to lift it slightly to complete a full body turn, then do so.

One last tip on building a better backswing: As you begin, try thinking "low and smooth. " Maintaining this swing thought as you start your swing encourages you take the club back in a deliberate manner.

Building a better backswing is a key to generating a consistent, repeatable swing-the hallmark of players with low golf handicaps. Work on your backswing in practice. You'll see a difference in your swing on the course.

Copyright (c) 2006 Jack Moorehouse

Golf Swing Tip | Body Alignment For Better Golf

Attaining The Perfect Golf Swing

The game of golf has a Holy Grail, a mythical thing that everyone is searching for but nobody ever seems to find: the perfect golf swing. The reason for this is simply that there is no such thing as a perfect golf swing. Each person is different, and so the swing style that is right for them will vary somewhat. However , there are a few basics that when applied can dramatically improve your golf swing.

There is no doubt that a professional golf swing is at the heart of the game and it is not possible to expect to play a reasonably good game of golf if one is not able to produce a consistent and good professional golf swing. Golf specific exercises play a key role in helping any golfer dramatically improve on their game quicker and perfect various aspects of their game much more rapidly, such as the golf swing plane.

The Swing Plane

The swing plane represents the path on which your golf club should travel upon during the swing. A good swing plane is vital if you want to be a consistent golfer. The idea that separates the high handicapper and low handicapper is usually the ability to rotate your body, keeping the club on a consistent swing plane.

One of the easiest ways to analyze your swing plane is have someone film you. A more high tech way to assist you in correcting your swing plane is a laser light that fits onto the end of the club handle. A swing trainer can also help you with your swing plane. Don't try to force the club into the correct swing plane, as this is counter-productive.

Swing Speed

When it comes to swing speed some players just cannot swing the golf club very quickly. It takes an optimum level of strength to produce a high enough swing speed to hit the ball the correct distances. Using a golf training club is one of the most effective ways to increase golf swing speed and power. The Speed Stik golf swing Trainer is one of the better golf swing trainers available on the market today.

Developing core strength is important for increasing golf power levels and swing speed, which is why the proper exercise is also very important to improving your swing.

Swing Exercises

When you are implementing a golf fitness exercise into your golf swing improvement program, you must be able to place the body in the correct starting position of the exercise. It is a proven fact that muscles used in the golf swing that are not exercised and conditioned on a regular basis with the correct exercise will usually not respond to the correct golfing techniques.

Most of the touring pros are now using exercise for golf to strengthen their swing and have seen their driving distance go way up. I can’t tell you how many golfers have emailed me telling me their amazing improvements in power, distance and accuracy from using exercise for golf to strengthen their swing.

The power exercise in the golf swing can also tremendously improve on the enjoyment of the game by eliminating pain, even as your body is strengthened to play a better game. Failure to execute a proper golf swing has even been responsible for numerous nagging injuries many golfers suffer, which further hampers their game.

So there you have it. There is no Holy Grail, no perfect golf swing, but there are three fundamental improvements that can be made: in the swing plane, swing speed, and regularly engaging in swing exercises. If you are careful to pay attention to each of these three aspects of swing training, you are sure to see significant improvements in your golf game.

Drive For Show...Putt For Dough

A popular golf cliche that seems to appear in print and video often is “Drive For Show and Putt for Dough. ” If you play regularly, you’ve probably heard it uttered by your playing companions, probably the one who has just drained a long putt to win the weekend wagers or someone who can't keep up off the tee... but is it really true?

On the surface, you might say that putting is far more important than driving the golf ball simply due to the fact that the average person in the course of a round generally has only 14 attempts to hit a drive, while the same player player will attempt somewhere in the neighborhood of 32 putts per round. I believe this analysis is misleading especially for mid to high handicappers and beginners.

Here’s why!

Your tee shot sets you up on every hole up to either post a good score or a bad one. Nowhere in golf, are the penalties more severe than when you’re driving the golf ball.

For example.. you’re playing a 300 yard par four hole, straight away, no trouble to speak of except out of bounds to the right side of the fairway. If you hit a good tee shot, 200 yards down the middle of the fairway, you have set yourself up for a short iron approach which should yield a score of at worst 5 and possibly even a 3 or 4.

BUT.... if you slice the ball out of bounds to the right, you’re still standing there with your driver in hand but now you’re playing your third shot from the tee box. You have effectively, with a poor tee shot, taken a sure 5 or a probable 4 and turned it into at least 6, more likely 7, or even worse 8, 9, or 10 should you drive the ball out of bounds again.

The stroke and distance penalty imposed for driving the ball out of bounds and for losing your golf ball make accurate tee shots an absolute necessity if you want to shoot good scores.

This is why it’s so important to drive the golf ball well.

Having said that, there is no part of the game that will allow you to shave strokes off your score like good putting. Most players can save at least 5 shots per round just by avoiding 3 putts and making everything from 3 feet in.

Bottom line, both aspects of the game, driving and putting, are essential to shooting good scores and you should work equally hard on your full swing and short game.

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Golf Swing Lessons - Sam Snead Golf Swing Tempo Tips: Master Teacher on YouTube Sifu Richard Silva

Caddie Tips For The Beginner

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.

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How to Optimally Prepare for the Golf Season with Golf Fitness Exercises

The PGA Golf Tour is in full swing and for many parts of the country and world the golf season is upon us. Many of you are anxious to dust off the golf clubs and get out to the golf course for your first round of golf. A question that may be on your mind is how do I get ready? How do I knock off 6 months of rust on my golf swing, feel comfortable with my driver on the first tee, and post a good golf score at the end of the round?

All questions that are asked often in the world of professional golf and this article will provide you with the answers. Answers to these questions and many more fall under the category of how do I prepare myself for the golf season?

Interesting enough if the guidelines from this article are followed the golf score you post for your first round of the year may be lower than you ever expected, the distance of your drives may well be farther than you imagined, and the number of accurate golf shots you hit may be even more surprising!

The answer to all the questions on how to get ready for the upcoming golf season centers on preparation. Preparation is the key to a successful first round of golf and every round you play in the upcoming golf season.

We all probably understand the definition of preparation but lets take a quick look in order for us to all be on the same page. Preparation can be defined as the work or planning involved in making something or somebody ready or putting something together in advance (Encarta Dictionary, MSN. com).

A definition that sheds light on getting ready for the upcoming golf season. Using the above definition we can see the process of preparing for the upcoming golf season does not begin 10 minutes before your first tee time, but rather in advance of when you get ready to hit driver off the first tee. Bottom line the process of getting ready for the upcoming golf season begins weeks or even months before your’ first round of golf of the year.

To have a successful first round of golf and a good season of golf you must begin the process of preparation well in advance of your first time on the golf course. If you look at professional golfers they begin the process of preparing for the upcoming golf season months in advanced. I would suggest doing the same. Develop a plan that will get your golf swing ready once the snow thaws, the birds are chirping, and the greens are ready for putting.

What does such a plan contain? This type of “golf preparation plan” would contain drills, exercises, and programs to improve and prepare every aspect of your golf game. If we break down the game of golf into categories the “golf program” becomes much easier to understand. Obviously, we have the different shots made on the course. A brief breakdown would indicate the need to implement swing drills to work on the full swing, short game, and putting. We could obviously get a little more detailed than a breakdown of the golf game into three different categories, but lets’ keep it simple.

Now that we have this breakdown of the game of golf into full swing, short game, and putting the next step is to implement a series of drills to work on each of these aspects. Simply put I would suggest devising a series of drills to work on each part of the golf game/swing. This can easily be accomplished by purchasing a few books or videos from one of the top-teaching professionals in the world of golf.

Each one of these qualified golf instructors have numerous materials available to help you with your golf swing. And if you are one of those individuals that lives in a cold climate and is unable to get to a driving range or practice facility, no need to worry. Most all of the instructional videos/books available have drills that can be performed in the comfort of your own home.

At this point we have a couple of bases covered in the “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season. We understand preparation is key to a successful year on the golf course, the “preparation plan” begins well in advance of the first tee time of the year, and a portion of the plan consists of swing drills. This brings us to final part of your “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season.

This part of the plan centers on the implementation of golf fitness exercises to go along with your swing drills. We must understand the concept of your body and the golf swing. The golf swing is executed in its’ entirety by your body. In order for your body to execute the golf swing correctly. It requires you to have certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power within it. If you are lacking in any one of these physical areas compensations will occur in your golf swing.

It comes down to this: In order to be prepared for the upcoming golf season and to improve your golf swing. The implementation of golf fitness exercises geared towards developing your body around the golf swing is necessary. This type of program will prepare the body for the golf swing and the upcoming golf season.

To summarize, the process of preparing yourself for the upcoming golf season begins with a “preparation plan”. This plan begins weeks to months in advance of your first time out on the golf course. Additionally , this “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season contains a series of golf training drills to prepare your golf swing. The golf training drills break down the golf game into three sections; full swing, short game, and putting. A series of swing drills are implemented to work on each one of these parts of your golf game. In addition golf fitness exercises are implemented into the golf-training program to develop your body around your golf swing. Put all these pieces together and your first time out on the golf course this year should be an enjoyable one.

Sean Cochran

Golf Tips: Secret Power Move - Drive 300 Yards - Jim McLean