Is your driver golf swing any different than a 3 or 4 iron shot? Let’s take a second and all be honest about this. When we place the driver in our hands and step onto the teeing area, the first thing that comes into our mind is “I’ve got to knock this out there at least 280 yards so I can make a birdie.” If you’ve never thought about “out-driving” your playing partners you are living in a whole different world because we all want to be “the longest” off the tee. Sorry folks but this is a true recipe for disaster.

The driver has the longest shaft of all the clubs, around 44 to 45 inches. It is the heaviest club used and it is designed to hit the ball farther than all the other clubs. These facts contribute to our strong desire to swing this club so much faster than all of the others. Let’s take the time and examine some common sense physics to the driver golf swing.

The only way for any golfer to truly know how far he or she hits each club is to swing exactly the same on every shot. That being the case, each club is different from the other in that there are different lofts, lengths and weights assigned to each of them. Why then, should a driver be swung any harder than any of the other clubs? Shouldn’t the design of the club determine the distance of the shot instead of how hard it is swung? The answer is a resounding yes! The driver golf swing, in reality, should not be different than any other club in the bag. Should you be able to “crank one” every so often whenever the need arises, you bet you should.

The driver golf swing should be fluid and consistent. Your tempo and timing should be no different than a Wedge shot. There should be no “strong-arming” or overuse of the hands and arms which is the natural tendency, especially with the driver. Try to remember that the farther away you are from a target the harder it is to hit it. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that. So, if you are trying to hit an area in the fairway that is 35 yards in width and 250 yards in distance it would seem that accuracy is much more important than distance. Use your normal swing with your driver and watch how much your game improves.

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One of the best known golf associations is the United States Golf Association. The U.S.G.A.is the governing body of golf in the United States. The U.S.G.A. is responsible for the rules of golf which is published in the official U.S.G.A. Rule Book. When there is a rule dispute of any kind the U.S.G.A is responsible for making the final ruling.

The Professional Golf Association governs play in the United States. It also oversees the PGA Tour which is a seperate entity. The PGA is responsible for all professional golfing activity and has over 28,000 members. In order for a player to compete in tour events he/she has to belong to two golf associations, the PGA and the PGA Tour. The PGA Tour governs all sanctioned tour events. First a player has to become a member of the Professional Golf Association. Once a member they have to go to the PGA qualifying school which is a 5 day tournament competition. There are 150 competitors of which 25 golfers with the lowest scores will receive their PGA Tour Card. The Tour Card gives a golfer the right to enter most PGA sanctioned tour events.

The Ladies Professional Golf Association is the counterpart to the PGA and is the governing body of women’s golf. It is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida and is primarily responsible for running the LPGA Tour which had a total prize money of $54,285,000.00 for 2007. As with the PGA, the LPGA is also an organization for female club professionals and teachers. The LPGA was founded in 1950 by a group of 13 women, including the world known golf professional Babe Didrikson Zaharias. Carolyn Bivens presides over the LPGA one of the oldest of all golf associations. In 2001, the LPGA established the Women’s Senior Golf Tour. The Legends Tour, as it is called, is for women aged 45 and above.

Of all the various golf associations the American Junior Golf Association is one of the only nonprofit entities. The AJGA is dedicated to the development of juniors between the ages of 12 and 18 years of age. Players with little means may qualify for the AJGA’s ACE Grant program which is a government program that provides support for players that cannot afford to play in junior golf competition.

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Have you had your clubs custom fitted? Most people playing the game today do not use clubs that are fitted to their swing specifications. If you plan to purchase a new set of clubs be sure to take the opportunity to have them fitted. In days past, the only players that had their clubs “fitted” were club professionals and PGA Tour players. Today it is much different and everyone can have custom fit golf clubs.

The first matter of concern should be the person who is going to “fit” your clubs to your swing style. Usually club fitting is done by a qualified PGA professional but sometimes it can be accomplished by a highly trained store employee. The process is started by placing a special tape on the flange (bottom of clubface) of an iron from the set you wish to purchase. You will be asked to take several shots in the practice area. The club fitter will examine the tape on the bottom of the club to check for scuffs. The marks made on the tape will determine the lie of the club. The results may be that in your normal address position the toe (or heel) of the club may be set too high off the ground. If that is the case, the toe has to be lowered by a repair technician so that it will be in a level position during address. The lie of the clubhead is a very important factor in custom fit golf clubs and it also determines your shot making capabilities.

Next, you will be asked to grip the club so your grip size can be determined. When gripping the club your fingertips should just barely meet the lower extension of your thumb. If this is not the case your grips will need to be adjusted accordingly. It usually requires a re-gripping of the set. Custom fit golf clubs also require the proper shaft flex. There are three varieties of shafts: soft, medium and stiff. The type of shaft flex depends on how fast a golfer’s swing is. A swing under 75 mph requires a soft flex, from 75 to 90 mph. a medium flex and anyone that swings over 90 mph. should be using a stiff flex.
Remember, even a used set of clubs can be custom fit so make it a point to do so the next time you visit your local pro shop or retail golf outlet.

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It is my belief that every golfer that is good at chipping will always shoot low scores. The reason is that, in almost every case, a really good chip shot will save par and shooting par is the object of the game. Anyone that has received a lot of good chipping golf tips and has spent enough time practicing them will always shoot lower scores.

Making par on 18 consecutive holes is the goal for every player of the game, however, most amateurs are unlikely to achieve this. On the other hand professionals are expected, if not required to shoot par every time they play. Keeping that in mind, why is it that most players are very disappointed when they don’t make pars during a round of golf. It would seem that most golfers think of themselves as professionals. Playing once or twice a week and going to the practice range once a month will not elevate anyone to the professional level of play. Let’s stop kidding ourselves about making par on every hole because if we think more about “saving par” our scores will get much better. One of the
ways we can make more par’s is with some good chipping golf tips.

My theory is that playing good golf depends on having the right attitude. Achieving the right kind of attitude about your game will require you to rethink how you look at each individual golf hole. Good players will think carefully about the type of strategy they need to use on each and every hole. They know that there are times to play safe and that there are times to take some risk. When they do decide to be more daring and take a risky approach shot they can rely on their chipping game to save par. One of the best chipping golf tips I can give is to use the kind of stategy that will rely more on your chipping game to help you make par.

In my opinion there are four levels of play. The beginner, the amateur, the professional and the PGA tour player. Tour players are expected to shoot below par, club pro’s typically shoot par, amateur golfers (majority of players) are striving to play par golf and beginners are in the process of learning to play the game. The point I’m making is that most golf courses are designed to accommodate the “professional” level of player. Most professionals are deadly accurate with their irons and will hit more greens in regulation than amateur players, on the other hand, the typical amateur cannot rely so much on the accuracy of their approach shots so a good chipping game is required. Chipping golf tips recieved from a good “short game” instructor are mandatory if you intend to start saving par and lowering your scores.

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If you want to become a good golfer you must realize that you will have to spend a great deal of time on the practice range. Just like anything else, good practice habits mean that your time at the range will be spent more efficiently. Most beginners make the mistake of spending their time at the range just hitting golf balls. In the end, other than stretching your swing muscles, you really haven’t done your golf game much good. Instead of going to the range just to hit shots with every club in your bag, just take one or two to work with. This will force you to concentrate on only one segment of your game. If you take the Pitching Wedge and the nine iron you will be automatically working on your short approach shots. If you just bring your 3 and 4 irons you will be working on long approach shots. By only bringing one or two clubs you are forced to concentrate on just one particular segment of your game. By using these kinds of golf drills the time you do spend at the range is time well spent.

There are all sorts of good golf drills that can be done, however, choosing the right ones can contribute to a successful practice session. Here, once again, I suggest concentrating on certain parts of your game. A great drill that Phil Mickelson uses to increase his putting skill is to start from a distance of three feet from the cup and hit ten puts. If one misses, start from the beginning. Once you’ve sunk ten consecutive putts increase your distance to four feet and repeat the same procedure. As you practice this drill you will notice that your putting improves dramatically. The next time you stand up to that “three footer” to win your golf match, you’re knees may not be shaking.

For balance, distance and control I suggest hitting iron shots with your feet close together. This is an especially good drill for those golfers that tend to swing too fast. Remember golf is a game where timing is critical. Hitting shots with your feet together will slow you’re swing down and improve your timing. You will notice that your shots go much straighter by using a lot less energy. Golf drills are not hard to learn but it does take a great deal of perseverance to make them a permanent part of your practice schedule.

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Golf instruction Videos have always played an important role in educating the average golfer. Every aspect of the golf swing is covered by some of the most well know players and instructors in the world. Once viewed these videos provide the owner with an instant “refresher” course at any time, day or night.

Some of the more noteworthy golf instruction videos are those of such famous instructors as Jack Nicklaus “Golf My Way”, Bobby Jones “How I Play Golf”, Bobby Eldridge “Purepoint Golf System”, David Leadbetter “Lessons With Leadbetter”, Arnold Palmer “Play Great Golf”, Butch Harmon “Butch Harmon DVD Series” and Jim McLean’s “The 8 – Step Swing”. Each one of these videos are relatively inexpensive considering the amount of useful and important information you receive from them.

One of the most popular golf instruction videos is “Golf My Way” by Jack Nicklaus. As everyone surely knows Jack Nicklaus became famous for his ability to play the game of golf but after watching his video he could have easily become the world’s greatest instructor. In his video Nicklaus discusses all of the most important segments of the golf swing and then some! One of the most memorable moments for me came when Nicklaus made the following statement: “Golf is the only sport where the player has the opportunity to stand up to the ball any way they want, get set up in any fashion and swing at a stationary object”. Think about that statement for a moment. In most, if not all, other sports there is a moving ball involved. Tennis, soccer, football, baseball, volleyball, rugby and the list goes on and on. In golf you have a perfect opportunity to swing at a stationary ball any way you choose in order to accurately advance it to the target.

Now what does this simple observation tell you? According to Jack Nicklaus the success of every shot, including putting, depends on the set up.

There have been literally hundreds of golf instruction videos made. The goal is to find one or two that you are very satisfied with and use them to reinforce what you have already learned after the first viewing. Go over and over them one segment at a time and then have the perseverance to keep practicing each segment until it’s down pat. Golf Instruction videos are great. Try this one of these instructional programs and you may feel the same !

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Playing the game of golf has very few requirements. You need a set of golf clubs, some golf balls and a golf course to play. What about knowing all the rules of the game? Absolutely, my opinion is that if you are the typical amateur golfer you are only familiar with basic golf rules. The PGA tour player, on the other hand, has a dire need to know all the rules of the game. They know it could mean the difference between winning and losing and great financial loss. There have been a few times in the past where a player who won a tournament forgot to sign their scorecard. Failing to sign a scorecard is a disqualification. Just like the laws that govern our nation, the rules of golf do not forgive ignorance.

I have always carried a rule book in my bag and strongly recommend that everyone that plays the game should do the same. Should you know every rule in the book? Knowing every rule is not necessary but having the book with you is. It means that,if the situation arises, you can refer to the rule book and settle any questions right there on the spot. A rule book can also save a lot of hard feeling caused from disagreements.
Having good general knowledge of the basic golf rules is certain to improve the quality of your game by eliminating situations that can cause disputes.

In my experience there is one rule that seems to be habitually broken by far too many golfers. The rule involves ball placement in the tee box. As eveyone should know, the rule states that a ball can be placed in an area no more than two club lengths behind the tee markers and somewhere in between. This gives a golfer plenty of space to place the ball for the shot. I have seen too many players break this rule by placing their ball just in front of the imaginary line between the two tee markers. I don’t believe that it’s done intentionally they just fail to realize it’s in front of the markers. If you are in front of the tee markers and hit your shot your oppnent/s can declare an infraction and you will be penalized.

This is one of the basic golf rules that even the novice player should be aware of. Rule books can usually be found at any golf course pro shop, retail outlet or on the internet. They are very inexpensive and everyone who plays the game should carry one.

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Just exactly what does the term ” classic golf instruction ” mean? In this article we will talk about golf instruction as it used to be prior to the invention of computers and swing analysis machines. Since the very first game of golf, played in Edinburgh Scotland, in A.D. 1456, the game has known many forms of classic golf instruction. There have been two in particular that stand out to me above all the rest.

Bobby Jones, considered to be one of the top 5 athletes in American sports history, wrote 5 books on the subject of golf and swing technique. Jones was the first of only two people ever to receive two ticker tape parades in New York city (John Glenn was the second). One of the things that made him stand out amongst all of the most noteworthy golfers in history was his classic golf instruction method ! His method was based on two principals: 1. grip the club very lightly, 2. start the backswing with a slight wrist break.

His theory was that gripping the club too tightly creates muscle tension which causes over control of the club. If you have an opportunity to watch him in a clip you will see just how relaxed he is during his swing. Most amateurs use a death grip on every shot including the putter. They reason that in order to hit the ball farther they need to grip the club tighter. Nothing could be further from the truth according to Jones’s classic golf instruction. To him the club will do it’s job only if the player allows it to. His theory is that gripping the club too tightly greatly decreases clubhead speed. We all need to think about this one!

Phil Rodgers, who in the 60s won only five PGA tour events, had a major influence on one of the games greatest players, Jack Nicklaus. At age 40, with 17 major champianships behind him, Nicklaus put his faith in Rodgers and radically changed his whole short game. Rodger’s was a short game magician and Nicklaus has contributed much of his succes to the help he received from him. So what is it that makes Phil Roger’s classic golf instruction so unique? He beleived that to score well everyone has to have not just a good short game but an “excellent” short game. He taught Nicklaus his various techniques such as the “stiff wristed chipping stroke” and the “whirllybird pitch”. Phil Rodgers is one of those classic golf instruction guru’s that played a very large role in shaping the game of golf as we know it today!

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A golf instruction tip is good for only those of us that will use it. Have you ever been given a really good tip and not had the wherewithal to actually incorporate it? Unfortunately, this happens much too often and these helpful tid-bits of inspiration are lost forever.

It goes without saying that not every single golf instruction tip you receive will turn you into another Tiger Woods but if you use some of them wisely you just might become a better golfer. Just think, for a second, about your very first round of golf.

Can you recall exactly how you felt. More than likely your knees were shaking because just about everything that happened on the course presented a new question. Should I use my 3 wood or 4 wood, should I play a low shot or try to fly the ball over that huge tree, who’s shot is it anyway? It seemed there were 10 questions to ask for every one answer you received, if you received one at all. Every person that has ever played the game of golf has been confronted with those same kinds of questions.

If you have the desire to become a better golfer you will take advantage of at least something from every golf instruction tip and use them faithfully in your game. It goes without saying that not every tip we get will be a pure “stroke of genius” however, my belief is that there is always something good to be learned from each one. The best thing we can do if we receive a good tip is to take it to the practice range and TRY IT! Maybe it just might help the serious slice that creeps it’s way into your swing once in a while.

You may be placing too much weight on your heels during address, or perhaps you are playing the ball too far forward in your stance. These are some of the small problems that can creep into your game without you even knowing it and it usually takes someone else to recognize them.

These kinds of flaws need to be corrected no matter how minor they are. Also, do not forget to be mindful of helping others. If you see a way that one of your playing partners can improve their game don’t hesitate to inform them. They will appreciate and respect you for it as long as you choose the proper time to give them the “bad news” ! Thank goodness for small favors !

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Can there be anything more important to golfer’s than their Golf Clubs? Other than a golf course to play on, nothing is more important than a good set of golf clubs. Everybody has different tastes and requirements when it comes to their clubs. These “requirements” are dictated by a golfer’s physical capabilities and swing characteristics. Everyone should have a set of clubs that are fitted especially for them. The “fitting” process is very simple and requires just a few swings to measure the correct angle of lie and some simple measurements to decide shaft length and grip size. It is quite painless
and not too costly. Once the clubs have been fitted a start can be made to correct any bad swing habits you may have. It is pretty difficult to make swing corrections if the clubs you are using are not fitted properly.

If you are just starting to play the game and are looking for a new set of Golf Clubs you will have some important decisions to make. The first one concerns the name brand. There is so much competition that every company builds a lot of quality into their clubs.

One tip might be to choose a club that is very widely used by Tour players. Once you’ve picked the brand of club your next choice is whether to buy a Forged or Cast design. Forged clubs are generally much less forgiving because of their smaller “sweet spot”. Cast clubs, which are the most widely used, are much easier to hit and have a much wider “hitting area”.

Next you need to decide on the type of shaft to use. The most popular shafts at present are graphite but you can also choose steel/aluminum. Next comes the shaft flex which is the degree of pliability in the shaft. The kind of flex you decide on depends on the velocity of your clubhead at impact. Usually a fast swing speed means a stiffer shaft and the opposite is true for slow swing speeds. Selecting Golf Clubs can require several trips to your local retail store or pro shop. You should
not, in any way, be pressured to buy a set that does not “feel” right. Remember, when you buy clubs the single most important criteria to use in your decision process should be how the clubs feel when you are in the address position and when you swing with them. Never be in a hurry to purchase clubs because as the old saying goes ” act in haste and repent in leisure”! Repentance in the way of much lower golf scores.

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