Free Online Golf Tips

Archive for November, 2008

Of all of the miss/hit shots in golf, the shank is probably the most dreadful. The shank happens when you make contact with the ball using the hosel of the club. One of the main causes of the shank is standing too close to the ball at address as it crowds you. The second reason for a shank is shifting your weight forward on your left foot before making impact, causing the hosel of the club to hit the ball.

The key is to set up evenly, and when you hold your club, be sure that there is just over a fist’s length of space between the end of the grip and your body.

Creating consistent shots in golf is a must. What happens with a lot of players is that, as you look from down the line, the golf club has a tendency to get too vertical on the downswing. It leads to taking too much turf, steep divots, and a ball spinning off to the right.  All of this is influenced by your setup. For example, if you have too much bend in the upper body, and the arms are extended far away from the body, there is a lot of tilt. This causes the golf club to get too vertical on the backswing, which will also create the steepness in the downswing, sticking the club into the ground, and the arms tend to reverse rotate.  So by standing taller at address and getting the end of the golf club pouring more toward your belt buckle, that will put you in an ideal position from address. However, this doesn’t mean that your swing will get more rounded to produce a consistent shot, so a simple drill can help. The 15, 10, 5 Drill First take a practice shot with the ball 15 inches above the ground. By swinging so high you have a nice rounded swing, almost like a baseball swing, and after swinging through, it allows you to square up the clubface. Next move to 10 inches above the ground, around and through, then 5, around and through, then on the tee, making sure the end of the golf club is pointed at your belt buckle.

I’d like to wish all my subscribers in the USA a very Happy Thanksgiving.

And thanks to everyone who reads these “comments from the clubshop” every week (or at least everytime I send them :-)  )

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Here’s to a great 2008

It’s been a great year for golf in 2008.

Between Tiger’s heroics at the US Open, to the USA’s victory in the Ryder Cup, to Vijay and Anthony Kim coming into thier
own…overall it’s been a season to remember. What was your most memorable event in 2008?
Let everyone know what you liked best about this golf year at the golf blog:

http://www.trianglecustomclubs.com/freeonlinegolftips/what-do-you-think-whats-been-your-most-memorable-thing-in-golf-for-2008.html
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Just a reminder that you’re invited to a very limited “Before Christmas”
sale for my subscribers only!

http://www.trianglecustomclubs.com/buildclubs/b4xmas.html

You won’t beleive how little it will take to get our best selling DVD: “How to Build Your Own Golf Clubs”

Get one copy for yourself and learn how to build your own golf clubs - and save a ton compared to buying new ones at the pro shop.

Or get a copy as a gift and teach someone you know how to build their own clubs. It’s the one golf gift that keeps on giving…

http://www.trianglecustomclubs.com/buildclubs/b4xmas.html

I’ve only got a few DVD sets left in the house, and I will not be ordering more inventory until next year, so that means only a very few of these DVD’s will be sold.

…and after they go the sale is over.

So now is your one and only chance to get our best selling DVD set so low that it would even make Scrooge happy.

But please do not wait.

http://www.trianglecustomclubs.com/buildclubs/b4xmas.html
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And makes sure you check out the great golf tips I’ve added recently to this blog…

…And make sure to add some of your own, OK?

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Hit ‘em straight

Ben

More Golf Tips:
http://www.trianglecustomclubs.com/golf-tips

http://www.trianglecustomclubs.com/putting-tips

http://www.trianglecustomclubs.com/greatgolftips

One of the basic tenets of golf is to take care of your equipment.
The appearance of a player and his golf accessories can tell a lot about that person.  By taking pride in your golf apparel,
especially your clubs and golf bag, and keeping everything in shape, you will look better and most importantly, your expensive
golf equipment will last a lot longer.

Keeping Your Club Faces Free From Dirt

Whenever you hit a shot, you will see that the grooves of the face on your iron will be cluttered with dirt.  To keep this
area clean and free of grime, simply wipe off the clubhead with a rag or small towel and then use the sharp end of a tee to
scrape each groove.

Cleaning your club face like this is not just for appearances either. By removing encrusted dirt and mud, your shots will
maintain distance. With a dirty club, you can lose control and your ball will not reach the distances desired.

Cleaning Your Golf Balls

When you arrive at each tee box, you will see a small structure on a pole designed to help keep your golf balls clean.  Some of
these contraptions have a round handle on top, and some have a crank-type handle on the side.

These are called ball washers and the purpose is to enable you to clean your golf balls. You simply place the ball in the
designated area and once finished, the ball will come out erfectly clean.

When cleaning your golf balls, keep it courteous. These ball washers can be extremely noisy so be sure not to use the machine
when one of your playing partners is about to make a shot. It’s best to wait until the swing is over before you operate the ball cleaner.

Keeping Your Shoes Clean

If you wear spiked shoes during your golf games, as everybody should, keeping them clean is also standard procedure for the
player who takes care of his or her equipment.  At the end of the day, be sure to scrape off any of the excess dirt and grass
from the spikes before taking off your shoes.

In addition to preventing the trunk of your car from getting dirty from your shoes, you’ll also be able to keep an eye on the
spikes and know when it’s time to get new ones installed in your shoes.

Note: You can purchase a package of spikes to keep your footing fresh at all times.  Each package should come with a small wrench
that has two claws. You will insert these claws into the holes at the base of your cleats in order to remove the spikes.
Replace them with the new spikes but be sure not to tighten them up too hard because it may be extremely difficult to remove the
spikes for future replacements.

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Hit ‘em straight

Ben

The official rules of golf state that when playing your shots from the green, you have to make an important decision regarding the flagstick. You have to decide whether you would like to remove the pin from a hole or leave it in and have your golf partner or
caddie watch over it.

This may not seem like a hard decision, but what happens when you have to play a very short shot, what should you do? There is no right or wrong answer to this question, however there are definitely pros and cons to making each choice. Here are a few scenarios to help you make an informed decision about whether or not to remove
the flagstick when the time comes:

Pulling The Flagstick

Pros: The benefit of removing the flagstick is that you totally clear the pathway of the hole so that the ball can make it inside without any obstructions getting in the way. When the pin is removed, there is no worry about the ball bouncing against the flagstick and back out of the hole, which can be very upsetting to watch.

Cons: If you just made a shot and the ball is heading directly for the hole, but is moving too fast, it now has an opportunity to roll right over, skipping the hole entirely.

Keeping The Flagstick Inside

Pros: If you decide to keep the flagstick in the hole, it can serve a good purpose by blocking a ball which is traveling at high speeds. Also, you may even sink the ball into the hole as a result of the pin remaining inside, due to it stopping the ball from passing over so fast.

Cons: If you do not remove the flagstick, it may prevent the ball from falling into the hole. It may bounce right off of the pin and depending upon the terrain of the green, especially if it is downhill from the hole, the ball may roll far away from the intended target.

Last Minute Tip: As we stated earlier, there is no hard and fast rule to making the decision of whether or not to remove the flagstick. We have given you some sensible pros and cons when it comes to the flagstick, but you must also keep stock of other variables on the course you are playing on. Take note of the green. You may want to leave the
flagstick in the hole when hitting the ball on a downhill slope, or leave the pin in if you are making a shot up hill towards the hole.

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Hit ‘em straight

Ben

You have probably heard this advice before, but it is worth repeating:

Every shot you hit a golf should have a goal behind it.

Your scorecard can only be improved by increasing your skills and having an understanding of just how to properly prepare and push yourself on every shot you make. You should be asking yourself:

What do I expect from this shot? What is a reasonable result?

Reasonable Goals To Better Your Score

The key to becoming a better golf player and lowering your score is to totally avoid taking too many putt shots on the green.

Regardless of how well you can skyrocket the ball from your tee shot and landing it on the green within regulations, if you take an unacceptable amount of strokes to get the ball into the hole, the opportunity to better your score has been wasted.

There is no excuse for this.

The Initial Goal

Do not confuse goals with expectations. An expectation is an action that is reasonable and one that should happen every time you decide on the outcome. A goal, on the other hand, is something in which you are reaching high for, but may take a little time to reach. Once reached, the goal can then become an expectation through repetition.

The initial goal you should have in golf is to send the ball into the hole within 36 putts or fewer, on an 18 hole course.

This means that you must hit two putts or less on every green.

This goal obviously becomes easier to achieve the closer you can hit the ball to the green, but those times where it lands 30 to 50 feet away from the hole, you’ve got yourself a major feat to accomplish. It’s going to take extreme focus to make long putt
shots successful.

Make Every Putt Count

By accepting the challenge of this article to play every golf game with the goal of 36 or fewer putts, you’ve taken a big step towards improving yourself and your skill. However, do not let this challenge get in the way of your confidence.

When facing a long putt, you may have the tendency to get lazy and lose confidence in knowing that you could make the shot. This may cause you to swing at the ball in a halfhearted matter and quit your goal before even trying.

Too Much Confidence Can Hurt

Even if the shot appears to be too easy, the same negative outcome may happen as well. You may have been very successful in getting the ball close to the hole, but feel overly confident and attack the ball with too much aggressiveness. Instead of staying focused,
your overconfidence and lack of concentration may cause an easy 2′ foot putt to completely miss the hole.

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Hit ‘em straight

Ben

No one has to tell you how bad the economy is these days.

  - this is me looking at my shrinking retirement account.

So I was thinking about what I could do to help golfers cope, and I had a thought…

You, know it’s almost Christmas time, and what better way to say Happy Holidays that to have a great Holiday Sale!!

So you’re invited to a very limited “Before Christmas”  sale for golfers only that begins today!

Go to the Holiday Sale Now

You won’t beleive how little it will take to get our best selling DVD: “How to Build Your Own Golf Clubs”

Get one copy for yourself and learn how to build your own golf clubs - and save a ton compared to buying new ones at the pro shop.

Or get a copy as a gift and teach someone you know how to build their own clubs.

It’s the one golf gift that keeps on giving…

Go to the Holiday Sale Now

I’ve only got a few DVD sets left in the house, and I will not be ordering more inventory until next year, so that means only a very few of these DVD’s will be sold.

…and after they go the sale is over.

So now is your one and only chance to get our best selling DVD set so low that it would even make Scrooge happy. 

But please do not wait.

Go to the Holiday Sale Now

Hit ‘em straight

Ben

When you hit a “thin” shot in golf, your clubhead is typically making contact with the ball above its equator line. This type of shot is not only embarrassing, but it sends the ball flying off with the loft of only a few feet, if that much.

The type of club you use has an effect on the thin shot made.

For example, a thin shot that is hit with a long iron, middle iron, or wood, will travel at a far less distance than a ball that is properly hit. On the other hand, a thin shot hit with
a short iron or wedge will travel farther than normal after the ball hits the ground and continues to roll.

Thin Shots Can Be A Good Thing

Not all thin shots are considered to be a disaster, especially if hitting from the tee or fairway.  The ball might not travel as far as you would like but it will still advance towards the hole. 

However, if you are facing a situation in which you must clear an area of water or a bunker, for example, then a thin shot is not going to do the trick. The ball will drop right inside the hazard and your game will be ruined.

Ouch, That Hurt! 

A thin shot hit with enough power can also cause some physical pain and discomfort. The club vibrates when this type of shot is made, causing irritation in the hands and wrists.  This is especially true if the shaft of your club is made of steel. You can relate this pain to a mild electrical shock.

How To Prevent The Thin Shot

The thin shot is the exact opposite of the fat shot, obviously, so that means that in most cases, the bottom of your swing happens to be too far forward. Other golfers end up hitting a thin shot because they raise their body just before making impact with the
ball. A third reason why you may be hitting thin shots is due to trying to scoop up the ball into the air by using an iron. To prevent hitting thin shots, you must make a conscious effort to keep your spine straight during the swing. However, avoid
straightening your knees or torso when initiating the downswing.

Next, you should try to place the ball in different positions at address. Work with your clubs and do some testing.  For example, if you have a problem with hitting thin shots using your driver, make an adjustment by teeing the ball up an inch or two back
within your stance.  This will help the clubhead make contact with the ball sooner, which can fix the problem.

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Hit ‘em straight

Ben

It is inevitable that some of your shots will not go as planned and end up landing in an area which makes it quite difficult to hit the ball out of.

Ahhh - the joy of golf

A good player with a positive attitude will enjoy getting themselves out of trouble when making an unsuccessful shot that lands in the rough or some other messy area.

It’s called recovery and if you can become great at recovery shots, you will be one step ahead of the rest of the pack to being a better golfer.

The Rough

Some of the most difficult shots you can make will be from the rough, which is typically made up of tall, unkempt grass.  Many times your ball will go right to the bottom of the grass which makes it practically invisible.

(I HATE it when that happens )
 
When you make your swing, the thick, tall grass can snag your clubhead as it comes down to the ball. This may also make your shot go far left or far right, instead of the
intended direction.  When landing in the rough, you might as well face the possibility that you will score high on that particular hole.

Working Your Way Out Of The Short Rough

Although not a desired area for your ball to land in, the short rough is definitely a much easier recovery shot than the standard rough, as described above. The short rough
has grass that is generally up to 2 inches or so and height.

Decent contact with your ball should be easy to make. Choose a club that gives you more loft so that your ball has extra airtime and roll.

Your goal is to get as much loft as possible when coming out of the rough. All you want to do is make sure that the ball is back in the play zone.  Yes, you may end up far short of
the hole when the ball hits the fairway, but a least you’ll be able to shoot for the green successfully.

Working Your Way Out Of The Medium Rough

Working your way out of medium rough areas are much the same as making shots from any other length of grass.

However, there are a few tweaks that you can make in your shot which can make a big difference when working your way out of the rough.

If the zone has grass that is medium in length, as compared to the short and long rough, attempt to hit the ball with a descending blow as opposed to a sweeping movement. 

You can achieve this by allowing for a steeper swing arc. This way, your club will hit the least amount of grass on the way to the ball.

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Hit ‘em straight

Ben

Golf takes time and practice, especially when you are just starting out with the sport and are frustrated by common flawed shots, like the annoying slice or the dreaded
hook, which essentially causes the ball to veer off severely left or right, instead of straight towards the intended target.

Then there is the “shank”…YIKES   >:-0

The shank has got to be one of the most embarrassing shots a golf player can make. 

(I should know, because I have certainly made my share of them…)

Look at it this way, hitting a shank is worse than missing a one or two-foot putt.

This is one experience that you want to avoid at all costs!

What Causes The Shank?

You create a shank whenever you hit the golf ball with the “hosel” portion of the club, instead of the actual club face. When the ball hits the hosel, which is a thin and round surface, it is sent sharply to the left, or right, and hardly becomes airborne, traveling at the most 25 to 35 yards.

If you are shanking the ball  too often on the golf course, the odds are very good that you are probably extending (pushing) the club out and away from the body on the downswing portion. 

Or you may be coming into the ball with a severe outside-in movement, which causes the hosel to come forward and hit the ball before the clubface can reach it.

In order to fix this problem, the first thing to do is be sure that your swing path is coming from the inside. By practicing this adjustment in your swing, the toe of the club will lead the hosel and your swing will come inside and out, producing a properly released clubhead, and the end result is a shankless shot.

Try This Practice Drill

You can easily train yourself to avoid hitting a shank with this simple, two-step drill:

1. Using 2 tees, place one into the ground where your ball would be placed. Take the second one and place it approximately 2 inches outside of the first tee.

2. Now you simply swing and aim for the first tee. Keep your swing easy and try to hit the first tee on target while completely missing the outside tee.

If you are hitting both tees then you are pushing the club out and away from you. Keep on practicing until you are only hitting the first tee at each shot, thereby eliminating the shank with consecutive in-to-out swing paths.
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Hit ‘em straight

Ben