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Just because you are stuck at home for some reason and cannot make it to the golf course or the driving range, that does not mean that you have to leave your golf game behind. I’ve spent many afternoons and evenings practicing my putt shots right on my living room carpet, a simple home golf lesson made cheap.

Putting the ball on your carpet as a home golf lesson is a time-honored tradition. In fact, every day there are thousands of executives who bring their home golf lessons with them to the office, secretly putting the ball on their office carpet while discussing import business matters over the speaker phone.

Home golf lessons that include putting should be done on the right type of carpet, one that is short and firm enough to allow the golf ball to travel at the appropriate speed. A sturdy, industrial-type office carpet works just fine, as do Astroturf-type rugs.

You can further specialize in the quality of your home golf lessons by visiting a golf retail shop and purchasing an electric putting cup. These nifty little devices will actually shoot your ball right back to you once you have putt it into the slot.

Golf becomes easier whenever you can eliminate any variables that pertain to the swing, yet the classic methods of teaching involved some very complex changes and ball positioning.

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.

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

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

The location in which you place the golf ball in your stance will depend almost entirely upon the type of club you are going to use. 

For example, when making a shot with the driver, you will typically play the ball off your left heel. 

When using a fairway wood, it is generally required that the ball be moved over about 1 inch to the right. When using long irons, the ball will be roughly in the same position, but
just a tad bit behind that. Middle irons will typically have the ball placed an inch or so towards the left of mid-stance.

And lastly, wedges and a short irons should be played from the center point of your stance.

Where To Place The Ball

As a beginner, golfers should concentrate on the basics and learn to initiate contact with the ball as best possible, and for every shot made. Once you have achieved repetitive
contact each time you make your swing, you can start to experiment by varying the positions of the ball.

Doing so will inevitably change the flight path of the ball, however, this is often necessary when you are playing a hole that has you facing unusual circumstances.

Let’s look at an example: By moving the ball an inch or two to the right while using a short iron, you will be required to come into the contact zone on a bit of a steeper angle.
The result will be a lower shot, which is necessary when playing the ball into fierce winds.

If you move the ball to the left side of your address position, a higher shot will be produced, which is required if you must shoot the ball over a tall bush or tree. Another way to induce a higher ball flight is to tee the ball up a little higher when
preparing to drive it. Teeing the ball lower will of course cause the ball to travel closer to the ground.

A Little Practice Goes A Long Way

You heard it before: Practice makes perfect! 

This is especially true when experimenting with ball position.
Whenever you are on the practice range, spend time adjusting your tees and making shots to find out what the results are. Significant changes can be made with the slightest
placement of the tee.

Professional golf players understand this and regardless of your skill level, you should also take the time needed to work on these exercises. You never know what type of shot
you will be required to make on the course. Having the knowledge ahead of time to know what adjustments you can make to get yourself out of a sticky situation is the mark of a great golf player.
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Hit ‘em straight

Ben

It takes a very dedicated golfer to enjoy playing a full 18 holes in the rain.

I’ve got a friend who is so passionate about golf that he is on the course everyday, regardless if it is raining or snowing. So long as the course is open, he is out there!

While you wouldn’t catch me getting drenched in the storming rain on the golf course, I will admit that a person who appreciates these poor weather conditions will learn more about their swing and adaptation skills than any other golfer who only plays during perfect weather.

When playing golf in the rain, there are three things that make it very difficult to enjoy the game:

1. You are no longer comfortable due to being wet and soggy, which can have a negative impact on your focus and concentration levels.

2. You have less control over the club because your hands are wet, thus loosening up your grip.

3. The game also takes a lot longer to complete, due to the ball not traveling as far, slower plays through each hole, and of course, having to take more shots to finish each round.

Playing Golf In The Rain Has It’s Pleasures

The upside to playing golf in the rain is the fact that the ball stops very quickly on the green so instead of worrying about unwanted distance, the ball practically sticks when it
lands, like throwing a dart at a dart board. Your putt shots will also roll a lot slower than normal, making it easier to control the ball.

Here are a few tips for the golfer who is on the course when it rains:

1. A wet grip can cause a good shot to go bad, so carry several small towels with you.  Stuff them in your golf bag and use the towels to keep your grip as dry as possible during the game.

2. Always keep one or two umbrellas with you at all times. The extra umbrella can come in handy if one of your playing partners forgets to bring one.

3. Have two or three extra golf clubs with you as well. They will inevitably get wet and can be quite uncomfortable to swing with.

4. Your body and hands are not the only things that should be kept dry. Your golf bag needs to be free from moisture and rain with a plastic covering. Most new golf bags have a fairly decent cover that comes with them at the time of purchase, but if you
do not have one, visit the nearest golf sporting store to see what is in stock.

5. If you plan on playing golf in the rain on a regular basis, invest into a high-quality, full bodied rain suit. You can also find these at most golf sporting stores. Your game in the rain will be much more enjoyable with a rain suit.

6. When it comes to your swing during rainy weather, ease back slowly and swing much smoother than normal, with less strength you would normally use. Consider this a safety tip because the wetness could cause your club to literally fly out of your hands and cause a bad accident.

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Hit ‘em straight (and dry…)

Ben

Golf can best be described as a journey that never ends.
Those of us who have enjoyed this sport for a long time
have come to the understanding that it is about the ride,
always improving and enjoying success, never a final destination.

Like any sport, your goal on the golf course is to get
better, plain and simple, while reaping the benefits
of the process.

Improving Your Short Game Is The Key To Advancement

There are over 36 million people in the United States
alone that play golf, as reported from the National Golf
Foundation. Almost half of these people are between the
ages of 20 and 40 years old. Over 20% of these players
are female golfers. Golf fans spend an enormous amount
of money every year on golf equipment and golf course
fees, over $25 billion in fact.

$25 billion dollars is an incredible sum of cash that
results from passionate golf players.  Ironically, of all
this money that is spent playing golf, the average scores
taken statistically have not improved that much over the years. 

The overall average score is approximately 100. Only 22%
of golfers score better than a 90 (for the 18 hole course).

And the par on just about every golf course is 72.

Don’t Be A Statistic

Not everyone who plays golf has a desire to constantly
increase their score, but it’s safe to say that most of us do.
Statistics from the National Golf Foundation also show a poll
that shows the average golfer is happy to shoot a score of
around 85. Not a bad score, but perhaps it’s time to kick
it up a notch and learned some of the secrets to improving
your short game.

What Is The Short Game?

When you think of professional golfers, the first thing
that comes to mind is the vision of Tiger Woods or Greg
Norman teeing off and sending the ball skyrocketing to
great distances. But these guys do not win because of their
wonderful long-distance tee shots. Their golf skills are
the result from making most of their golf shots from the
fairway to the green: called the short game.

The secret to improving your score is understanding and
learning techniques to master your short game. Regardless
of your score, more than half of your strokes will come
from playing the short game.

Did you know that 50% of your score stems from all shots
taken within approximately 75 yards from the green? This
percentage includes bunker shots, chips, pitches, and of
course, all putt shots.

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Hit ‘em straight

Ben

You may not know this, but the infamous “push” shot is one mistake that many players have to consciously fix when learning the game.

I thought I’d take a few moments to concentrate on the Push (which is similar to the pull shot, but moves in the opposite direction). So let’s talk about what causes the push, as well as how to solve this problem.

The Push Shot

The push describes a shot where the golf ball starts out moving towards the right and continues in that direction (right-handed golfers).

This occurs when the club head approaches your ball from an inside path, and with the clubface open in relation to the target line.

If you have the problem of pushing the ball then more than likely, it’s caused by the lack of enough body rotation on the downswing portion.

This lack of rotation will result in your arms lagging behind everything else, thus causing a late hit.

When a late hit occurs, the clubhead misses the all important hitting zone.

What’s more even if you were to approach the ball from the inside, you may still push the ball if you are not properly releasing the clubhead.

Another possible cause may be that you have the ball located too far back within your stance. This causes the clubhead to hit the ball far too early, which means that the face
makes impact with the ball before it has the opportunity to point in a straight direction down the target line.

How To Get Rid Of The Push

There are a few techniques that golfers use in order to rid themselves of the dreaded “Push”.  And these techniques really stick with the basics.

Having said that, the first thing you need to do is practice making your hips turn fully on the downswing portion so that your belt buckle will be pointing towards the target at the end of your swing.

Of course, if you belt buckle is as big as Anthony Kim’s it might be hard to tell exactly where it’s pointing

First, you must be sure that your weight is being completely shifted from your right foot to the left.  Try practicing this weight shift without a club first by bringing your arms backwards, and then through, the swing, all the while consciously transferring your weight from the back to the front.

You’ll need to make sure that your body is not moving backwards and forwards during the swing, just rotating back and through, back and through.

Once you get the movement down pat and you’re confident with the proper swing technique needed to eliminate the push, pick up your club and practice the same movement repeatedly.

Always check the position of your belt buckle at the end of each swing.

Last Minute Tip:  Be sure to take notice of your release.
Check to see that you are releasing the club head appropriately by turning the right forearm over your left forearm as you approach impact (right-handed golfers).

This rolling movement will help the club face to be closed and create a straight moving ball instead of it veering off to the right.

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Hit ‘em straight

Ben