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Archive for September, 2009

Putting Strategies For The Beginner Golfer

Facing long putt shots are challenges in golf that
be quite rewarding. And there is one thing that all
golfers who are great putters have in common:

they have a natural sense of feel for the speed and
distance needed when making a long putt shot.

This feel is not something that you can learn from a
golf “how to” booklet. It must be learned by instinct
and then practiced over and over again.

Proper Speed Is Essential For Putts Longer Than 8 Feet Or More

As a beginner, you may be tempted to make your ball
into the hole when facing a long putt shot of 8 feet or longer.

However, this should not be your goal. Great golfers realize
that it’s best to lag the ball so that it gets as close to
the hole as possible, thereby leaving themselves a very
easy shot with only 2 - 3 feet of distance.

Of course knocking the ball into the hole from a
long putt shot is definitely a good thing.

But the truth of the matter is that the last thing
you want to do is mess up your shot to the point where
you have to make the ball in the hole with the
dreaded 3-Putt shot.

So many beginner players and amateur golfers go
through such an experience. They have a ball sitting
15 to 20 feet away from the hole and they put too much
speed and distance on it. The next thing they realize,
they have taken 5-6 shots in order to finish a par-3 hole.

How To Master The Art Of Long Putting

Your job is to become a master the art of getting a
perfect lag on a ball when shooting a long-distance putt.
This is so you can create a situation where the ball will
always land safely near the hole, regardless of whether
it breaks too early or too soon. You will know that wherever
the ball lands, it should be a simple hit to finish
the hole on the next swing.

A Simple Practice Exercise

As with any maneuver, practice makes perfect when learning
to determine the feel for speed and distance on the green.

A simple exercise that you can practice in order to become
a better long-putt shooter is to place four to five balls
approximately 10 feet apart from each other, evenly distributed
to the hole.

Basically, you will have a line of balls, evenly spaced between
each other, all leading to the hole, starting at about 40 to
50 feet out. Now start the exercise by making your swing with
the ball closest to the hole. Simply work your way back to the
farthest ball. In order for this exercise to work, you must
mentally place yourself in a real playing scenario.

The funny thing about such practice techniques is that because
you know it’s not a real game, you are more loosened up and are
not really stressed about making the lag shot work.

Can you guess what happens? You play well!

That is the ironic part about golf. When you are in the middle
of a good game, worry and doubt tend to tense your muscles up,
thereby causing poor shots to be made. The real key is to take
your practice mindset with you when playing a real golf game.

Chip Shot - The Perfect Time To Make A Chip Shot

The United States Golf Association updates annually the official Rules of Golf, which contains hundreds of game rules and regulations that keep game enjoyably challenging.

One of the regulations, called the “Greens In Regulation” (GIR), states that you must hit the ball onto the green in a specific number of shots as determined by the par rule of that particular hole.

On a par-3, for example, you have one shot in order to get the ball on the green. Par-4 holes give you two shots to reach the green. And par-5 holes mean that you have three shots designated.

Hitting the ball onto the green within these regulations is standard procedure for the professional golfer. However, for us regular players, it is a lofty goal just to make the green in the prescribed number of shots, and on every hole. Your ball may end up just off the green, a foot away, on the collar, or in the rough near the green. So close, but yet so far!

This Is When The Chip Shot Comes In Handy

A chip shot is very similar to the pitch shot, except that the ball does not go as far into the air. It may travel just a few feet when a chip shot is made. The ball simply chips its way up and onto another area of the course within a short distance.

While this shot may not seem like a major technique to use on the golf course, having the skill to successfully make a chip shot when you need to is very important. It will save you unwanted strokes and will prevent you from missing the green when playing by the rules.

A chip shot can best be described with the following characteristics:

1. There is very little loft when a ball chipped.

2. When the ball is hit with a chip shot, it pops right into the air, but with a very tight arc, moving it practically straight up.

3. When the ball is hit, impact actually produces a “chipping sound”

4. Chip shots cause the ball to travel over 80%PRCTG% of its mobility on the ground, the initial 20%PRCTG% is spent from the blast off into the air.