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Golf Tips and how to use golf accessories
So you want to play better golf hey!
Here is an assortment of golf tips that you may find useful.
First of all, and you have heard it before, try to find a qualified golf instructor that can help you understand your golf swing mechanics and then you will start to understand how your swing feelings and swing thoughts translate into actual swing movement and types of ball flight. In other words what you think you are doing is usually not what you actually are doing and only by being assessed by a knowledgeable third party can you really start to make real progress. There are a number of golf technniques which are very different from each other and one of them may suit you better than another. It is going to help you if you can identify one technique that you would like to learn more about and then find an instructor that teaches this technique.
The use of computer technology to measure and record angle of attack, spin rate, clubhead speed, carry distance and more is now really an essential tool in today’s game so make use of it.
So many people expect to have a really good downswing and don’t really spend too much time on honing their grip, set up, stance and backswing. This is a major mistake as the downswing can only be a result of these factors so if they are not right then there is little chance that the downswing and therefore the golf shot will be either.
Here are some simple and pretty well known golf tips that might help you.
1/Make sure that you when you start to walk to the golf ball you have already decided what type of golf swing you intend to play. It’s too late if you address the golf ball and start to think about it then.
2/For irons and woods place the clubface behind the ball and aim the face or leading edge at a point on the ground about two feet in front of the ball which is on your target line. Do this with the club shaft vertical and with your intended grip align your body to the club. Do not line up your body then your club.
3/Make sure the golf ball position is in the middle or just forward of this point in your stance for short irons and as your stance widens for longer irons and woods the ball position looks like it is more to the target the longer the club is. Exactly where to position the ball depends on your low point in the swing so experiment.
4/Think about keeping the lower body stable at set up with the knees pointing over the toes and the knees, hips and shoulders all parallel to the intended target line.
5/Try to have one backswing thought and this might be just rotate your shoulders until your back faces the target.
6/On the golf downswing there are many triggers that can initiate the golf sequence. Some golfers use their left knee and move it towards the target, others drive their right elbow to the target, some bump their left hip first whilst others simply pull the butt of the club down to the ball. There are many more ways and whilst all of these can work it is usually not enough just to do these isolated movements on their own as they tend to introduce other faults which you need to be coached on to negate their effects.
7/One key aspect that all golfers should try to key onto is the sound that the collision of the ball makes when being struck by an iron. If you have a correct angle of attack and the clubface is pretty square and it’s hit out of the sweet spot you should hear a fantastic ”smack” noise which tells you that quality of strike is pretty good. Listen out when watching really good players hit the ball. Do note that many driving ranges use 80% or less compression balls and these are not very useful in maximising this feedback.
8/Having decided on your golf downswing (and set up, stance plus backswing) technique then having wound your body up on the backswing ready to unleash the stored energy try to remember that the speed in the downswing has to be increased in a measure way and this means not trying to smash it with all you have got from the top of the backswing.
9/One great piece of wisdom in the golf swing and this also applies to some putting techniques as well, is that the grip end of the shaft must always pass the ball before the clubhead actually hits the ball. If the swing starts to decelerate from the hands and the club head overtakes too early then problems will arise.
10/When you stand over the ball you must be ready to hit it, get yourself in the right frame of mind before you address the ball and keep a strong focus on being assertive to get the result you want.
11/If you hit a poor golf shot then don’t beat yourself up about it but spend even more time practising that shot so that it does not become a weak point in your game.
12/ Spend 50% of your practice time on putting and the short game. You hit more putts in a round than any other shot so if you improve your putts and short game this will lower your score.
13/ Get equipment that fits your swing. Being custom fitted is a must to get the most out of your efforts on the golf course.
14/ Know the rules of golf, it will save you time and shots if you know what you can do, what type of relief you can take and when to hit provisional balls.
15/ When rotating to make your backswing you are trying to build torque in your body which resists against your right side (for a Right Handed golfer). The right side has one point of contact with a firm base and that is your right foot against the ground. So the force through the torque you build up is going to be anchored mainly through the right foot. This torque must then be released through good technique into the arms, hands and club. This will not happen very well if your right side is not stable during the backswing. To stabilise your right leg keep your right knee bent at address (in an athletic position) and keep it there in the backswing. Do not move or sway the body away from the target but rotate against the right side and keep this stable. You may find that this shortens your backswing range which is fine as you are probably building more torque. If you move off this stable right side in the backswing then the chances of making a good release with good contact are very much reduced.
Confusingly there are so many different methods and golf techniques taught today that it is bewildering when you try two different coaches to teach you the same aspects and they come up with two solutions which may be poles apart. Finding one that uses specific numbers from computerised facilities will help you assess your swing and therefore might help you choose the coach that might be right for you as you can take these measurements of your swing from one coach to another even if it’s on a paper printout. By quizzing the data and the numbers and relating this to your swing technique you should see results.
Hope this helps and just remember there is no one perfect swing technique that everyone can adopt. You have to experiment and hit many balls to groove a technique before you can really say what works for you. Whatever technique and swing thoughts you adopt as long as you know what are your bad shots and what you need to do to correct them them hopefully you should have a good round.
When you reach a good standard and play a lot of competitions then it is useful to remember that most players (and you) will have all reached a point where the long game is pretty good so the winner is likely to come from the player that has the best short game and mostly the one that takes the least putts.
How To Aim Your Putter
So many of us want to be better golfers and this means getting our handicaps lowered. Mostly the practice effort goes into placing the golf ball on a golf tee and getting out the driver and working out a way to hit the golf ball further. When we are happy with this then next in the priorities comes the iron play. We practice with working out how to hit the golf ball first and the ground second. Then perhaps golf chipping and pitching starts to be analysed and lastly golf putting.
What if you took the view that your putting was so good that all you have to do is get the ball on the green and you are in your comfort zone. Would this make the rest of your game easier as it takes the pressure off and perhaps enable you to concentrate and practice how to aim the most used club in the bag. Improve your putting and your score will come down and improve your putter aim and your putting will improve.
If you have a golf putting lesson or you research online various putting techniques you will most likely find a whole range of different ways which you could adopt to make you a better putter. You may actually try them all over time and still not perhaps be the greatest of putters which leads to some frustration to say the least when after you have tried all the various ways to putt you still don't feel like you can putt as well as you should. So much effort and time can be employed trying to get some kind of great technique or putting stroke by using the hands the arms or pivoting the shoulders not to mention drills and grip pressure and trying different stances and it goes on and on. But in reality when putting the pace of the ball and the correct aiming of the putter face is really all that matters assuming you can read the greens of course.
This article hopes to provide a different perspective on what is important in being able to putt better and most importantly strives to aid the understanding of how to aim the putter face better which is so important.
For years and years when considering the set up position for putting we are instructed to stand above the golf ball so that if you drop a golf ball from between your eyes then where it hits the ground is where the ball position should be.
Let's consider the putting stroke for a moment. We stand at the side of the ball and make a movement back and through with the putter. To always keep the putter head going directly straight back and through on the same line as the target line we would ideally have to have the eyes over the ball and manipulate the body to get the putter going back and through in one straight line. This is a difficult way to putt but more importantly by having the eyes over the ball it makes it much harder to actually visually line up the face of the putter to the intended line of the ball. When you aim at something you need to be behind it to get a good view like aiming a snooker cue or rifle perhaps. No wonder we can't putt well as we are hindering ourselves in aiming the putter face by an incorrect set up. The degree of misalignment of your putter face magnifies any error as your putts get longer. An error of one degree off the true aiming point of your putter face translates into just a little more than 5 cm (2 inches) off target at 3m (10 feet). All figures are rough guides.
Another consideration is that as we turn our body as we do in most golf shots whether this be using a golf club off a golf tee or simply chipping and pitching then perhaps it would make sense to consider that the putter head as a result would have an arc to it rather than us trying to get it to be going back and through in an unwavering straight line which is difficult. If this idea of an arc is accepted then the face of the putter head must to some degree come inside the target line and open on the way back and the reverse on the follow through. It follows that the putter face is likely to open and then close during the swing especially if you have a blade putter.
To get the ball to start online it might be fair to say that golfers find it easy to automatically open the club face on the backswing as a result of their normal backswing movement but often do not square the club face to their intended line on the way through. This leads to pushes if the club face is open and pulls if they do actually rotate and close the face too much. The putter face alignment at impact is the major factor in deciding where the ball starts its direction so unless we can simplify the process both pushes and pulls are likely.
Another key point is that to maximise roll the experts tell us the putter face needs to have 4 degrees of loft at impact. At this angle the golf ball does not start by having backspin or forward spin but stays in the same position whilst it is airborn just after impact from the putter face until it hits the ground. By placing the ball centrally you limit the aiming ability with your eyes and also your putter face angle at impact might be less than 4 degrees as the chances are you have not reached past the low point of the arc to deliver an ascending strike. Of course you can have the ball back or middle of stance but then you would need a putter with more loft or change the lean of the putter shaft to compensate.
If you have followed the argument so far a recap might be helpful.
1/The most critical aspect of starting a putt online is being able to aim the putter face on the intended target line.
2/ A one degree error in the putter face alignment gives a result of 5cm adrift at 3m away.
3/Conventional instruction has taught us to have the ball position directly below a point between our eyes but this does not make sense.
4/To optimise the golf ball roll an impact angle of 4 degrees is sought.
5/ The putter head travels on an arc but this means the putter face could be open, square or closed at impact depending on when and how you strike the ball.
What to do about this is the question so that we can aim the putter face better and increase the chances of being a better putter and therefore a better golfer as it will lower your score.
Let's start by saying that at set up place the ball off the lead foot instep just inside the heel. This will help to ensure you can get a better perspective and aim point when viewing the putt. It also helps to ensure your putter head has passed the low point in the swing and is just starting to be on the up. Whether this is giving you 4 degrees of loft at impact is hard to say as this depends on the loft of your putter and where your hands are in the stroke but you can judge if you get a better roll of the ball doing this.
Since the putter head goes in an arc it might also be helpful to not only have your eyes back from the ball by placing it off the instep but also slightly short of the ball -that is slightly nearer to you so you can get a bit of an arc on the stroke.
As mentioned above the putter face opens and closes in the swing but the grip is a key feature in how the putter face behaves at impact and to give greater stability to ensure the putter face closes and does not stay open then it makes sense to actually strengthen the left hand grip and to reduce one of the variables and perhaps eliminate the putter face staying open at impact altogether.
To recap on the above.
Putter face alignment is the most critical aspect of putting (as it relates to the set up you use) of course pace is also key but this is a dynamic feature.
1/Try placing the ball off the inside of the front heel to get your eyes behind the aiming line and to get an ascending strike ideally 4 degrees at impact.
2/Have the point between your eyes just back from the ball a little to help the arc of the swing.
3/To try to minimise not opening the putter face at impact so reducing or eliminating one direction variable at impact by strengthening your left hand grip.
4/Stop trying to find some perfect stroke mechanics in golf putting and focus on being able to deliver the correct putter face alignment from a better set up.
This article has focussed on helping golfers to be able to aim the putter face better and has not really mentioned anything about the putting stroke. But the reality is that whatever putting stroke you have the putter face being square to your intended target line is critical so as long as this is achieved it does not matter how you get there. Of course the pace of the ball is critical too and this is really down to each golfer to know how hard to hit any particular putt. One last thought that you may like to take away is that all great putters continue the path of the hands towards the target line after they impact the golf ball. There is no one technique that will suit everyone but this characteristic is fundamental for good putting.
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How to use Golf Accessories
For people new to the game of golf the following description provides more information about why and how to use golf accessories.
Wooden Golf Tees
Wooden golf tees are used on the tee box of a golf course to elevate the golf ball off the ground which makes it easier to hit especially with a wood. Wooden golf tees are offered in bamboo or hardwood. Bamboo golf tees are not quite as rigid but come from a more sustainable source and provide less wastage during manufacture. Hardwood golf tees are more expensive as the wood is a better quality and the wastage is higher during manufacture. Both work very well for most golfers however some sources selling wooden golf tees offer poor quality softer woods which tend to break easily and this provides frustration all round.
Printed Wooden Golf Tees
By printing onto hardwood golf tees the print quality assuming the printing machine is good is usually better than printing onto bamboo golf tees. The main reason is the coloured dye used to cover the golf tee adheres better to hardwood than bamboo so giving a more uniform surface on which to print. By printing onto a golf tee enables a person or business to promote their name or message and it is likely to be noticed as generally golfers will look at the tee whilst getting it ready to place in the ground and then to adjust the height. Printed golf tees can take the form of shank printed golf tees where the printing is on the long stem or cup printed golf tees where the printing is within the top of the golf tee under where the ball sits. Both the shank and the cup can be printed on golf tees so giving the maximum exposure.
Plastic Golf Tees
Plastic golf tees come in a variety of sizes and styles. The two most popular are straight plastic golf tees and plastic castle golf tees. Straight plastic golf tees are similar to the wooden golf tees except made of plastic but the variation in quality of plastic tees means that the soft and cheaper plastics tend to distort or break easily which defeats the object as plastic tees should last years. Castle golf tees are also known as stepped golf tees or graduated golf tees and they offer a collar at the top of a spike which sits level with the ground so providing a repeatable height for the golf ball above the ground when on the tee box. Plastic golf tees may also be printed but this is not a service that many suppliers offer.
Golf Ball Markers
There are many types of golf ball markers and the term is loosely used to mean both marking the golf ball with a unique mark and marking the golf ball on the green. A unique mark on the golf ball can be made using a marker pen a stencil or a golf ball stamp which usually has a variety of designs to choose from. It is important to mark your ball as if you are unable to identify it then you face penalties under the rules of golf. The markers used on the putting green come in a variety of shapes and sizes and they include:
• Plastic golf ball markers with a spike
• Printed plastic golf ball markers
• Poker chip golf ball markers
• Metal golf ball markers
• Flat metal golf ball markers
• Golf ball markers that also are used to help align the marks on the golf ball with the line on the golf ball marker which aid to set up the putting line in the right direction.
• Wooden golf ball markers
In fact you can use other items like a tee or coin to mark your golf ball and you can read more about this in the rules of golf.
Pitch Mark Repair Forks
When a golf ball hits the putting green it often makes an indentation which if not repaired creates an uneven surface on which to putt and this is not desirable as putting greens need to be as true as possible for good putting. Many golfers are unsure how to repair a pitch mark so here is the wrong way and the right way.
Incorrect Method :
1. DO NOT replace the loose piece of turf taken out by the ball. It will die and delay the healing process.
2. DO NOT pry up the centre of the depression with the pitch mark repairer as it exposes the soil and will delay the healing process
3. DO NOT insert the pitch mark repairer and twist it. This only breaks more turf loose.
Correct Method :
1. Discard the loose piece of turf taken out by the ball
2. Insert the pitch mark repairer tool just outside of the back of the pitch mark
3. Lever the turf towards the centre of the pitch mark
4. Repeat this motion from all sides of the pitch mark
5. Gently tap the repaired area so that it's flat with your putter.
6. This action stretches undamaged turf over the pitch mark, providing better recovery
The pitch mark repair tools used come in a variety of shapes and sizes and they include:
• Plastic pitch mark repair tools
• Printed plastic pitch mark repair tools
• Straight metal for example aluminium pitch mark repair tool
• Metal coated pitch mark tools which can also be printed
Golf Pencils
Golf pencils are required to fill in the scorecard and to hand the scorecard when in a competition to the course officials. Often golf pencils come with an eraser to help with corrections if you make a mistake on the card. Golf pencils can also be printed on the barrel.
Golf Bag Towel
This a small cloth towel usually hung from the golf bag and used to keep golf clubs clean and dry and also useful to keep hands and golf balls clean and dry too. Golf towels can be a single layer or triple layer so giving more material. Printed and embroidered golf towels are also available. Clips called carabiner clips are used to secure the towel to the bag.
1st Tee Golf Pouch
Although not really a golf accessory they are sometimes offered as golf gifts at the start of a competition and contain a variety of golf accessories for the golfer to use.
Golf Bag Tags
Many members of a golf club display a badge called a bag tag on their golf bag which denotes which golf club they belong to or are a member of. Bag tags come in a variety of sizes and shapes but typically they are round or rectangular. Some have a built in strap like a plastic flexi tag where a plastic moulding makes the badge and the strap together. Others have a separate strap to the bag tag body. Again the bag tag can be printed to show the members name, the club they are associated with or both.
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