Free Online Golf Tips

Archive for the ‘Golf Tips For Beginners’ Category

Best Wishes for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

From Free Online Golf Tips

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Free Online Golf Tips

As my way of saying thanks for reading my posts, below is a special link that will let you get my DVD:
How To Build Your Own Golf Clubs at a huge discount.

This 2-disc DVD set normally sells for $47 but until Jan 1 2010 you can pick it up for only $19.99!!

Here is the link

Happy Holidays!!!

Ben
Triangle Custom Clubs

This week’s winner in my Holiday Golf Giveaway is…

 …Joe Bolea!!!

Congratulations, Joe. Your Holiday Golf Gift will be on it’s way as soon as you send me your address
(you can respond to the email I sent you, or send it to info@trianglecustomclubs.com)

Now, if you’re reading this and haven’t entered yet, what are you waiting for? There’s a lot of golf stuff left
to giveaway, including golf clubs, head covers, DVD’s and more.

So head over to my original post about the giveaway and enter- it only takes 3 easy steps.

Hi all,

Just thought I’d mention again, that I’m holding a Holiday Golf Giveaway for the next several weeks. All you have to do is enter (just 3 easy steps) and you could soon be the proud owner of golf clubs, headcovers, golf books or DVD’s!

Check out my earlier post to see what I’m giving away and all the details on how to enter!

The next drawing is coming up soon, so enter today!

Hit ‘em straight!

Ben

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.

The Secret Tip Every Beginner Golfer Should Know

What makes golf so difficult when compared to other sports?
There are a few reasons, however “accuracy” is probably the
number one factor when comparing the game of golf to other activities.

You have much less room for error compared to sports
like baseball, for example.

Baseball uses a much bigger ball and you have a comparatively
larger bat to swing with. You have several chances of hitting
the ball to make a play. And of course you then have the
assistance of other players to help you accomplish your goal of
either getting to the home plate, or making field plays to cause
the other team to reach 3 “outs” so that your team can move up to bat.

With golf, you must hit the ball perfect each and every time you
are up for your shot. You have one swing and that’s it. The room for
error is so minuscule due to the tiny size of the ball and the clubface.

And with people watching, the pressure can really cause those
nerves to get a bit uneasy. This is why golf is a lot harder
than most people think.

Beginner Tip: Take It Slow

For those of you that are new to golf and have not quite
grasped what we are trying to explain here about the difficulty
levels of the sport, you should take time to follow a few basic
tips that every season golfer adhered to when they first started playing.

What is the most important beginner tip?

Take the game slow and keep things simple.

The obstacles of golf for the beginner player are mostly mental.
With the intensity of concentration, focus, and pressure from an
audience, one of the best tips that you can appreciate is to
simply take it slow.

Learn the game at whatever pace suits you.
Many newbie golfers tend to go all out, buy a brand-new set of
golf clubs, hit the ball at a driving range for a few days,
and then immediately run out and start playing on a prestigious
18-hole golf course.

I understand that you are probably excited and want to jump right
in headfirst, but compare the game to swimming. Before you knew
how to swim, did you just dive into the deep section of your local
swimming pool? Of course not.

How could you expect to do the same with golf?

Moving too fast will only lead to frustration and eventually
you will quit playing.

A Beginner’s Guide To The Golf Course

If you have never played golf before or are
brand new to the game, the following article
will provide you with a brief, yet thorough
explanation of the golf course from start to
finish.

Do not worry if the information seems a bit
confusing, you will remember more and more
each time you play the game.

The golf course has several parts that make
up the entire system. Every course is broken
down into specific holes.

Most courses have either 9 or 18 holes and each
of these holes are made up of the tee, the fairway,
and the green. The green is the area located at
the end of the hole in which your last shot will
be made, or “the end” so to speak.

Every hole starts with an area called the “tee”.
It is sometimes referred to as a tee-box, and in
the shape of a rectangle or square. This is where
you will start the play of each hole.

Your initial shot will be made by placing the golf
ball on top of a small wooden peg (the tee) and
hitting it as long and accurate as possible.

As the ball is swung at and travels out, it will
hit the area called the fairway.

If your ball lands on the sides of the fairway,
this is considered to be the “rough” and is never
an easy shot to make when striving to get back on
course. The rough is specifically designed to be
harder to shoot from and will result in a penalty.

There is primary rough, with grass somewhat unkempt,
and then there is secondary rough, where the area is
filled with long grass and is extremely tough to get
the ball out of.

Your ultimate goal is to get the ball through the
fairway and onto the green, which is the area that
the flagstick is located at and is kept up in top shape,
with a smooth surface. The hole itself is will have a
color-coded flag to help you aim better. When your ball
makes it to the green, the flag is typically removed so
that you can sink the ball in and start the next hole.

Other Areas To Avoid When Playing Golf

The game of golf would not be fun if it did not have
challenges on the course such as the rough area and
other hard-to-shoot spots, like the out-of-bounds area,
bunkers, and other hazards. These locations are typically
near areas in which you are aiming the ball for, and
with one tiny slice, the game becomes more interesting
when you have to work your way out of a difficult situation.

Hazards should be totally avoided because some shots
are just impossible to make.

For example, some courses have streams, swamps, or
small ponds that the ball can easily shoot into. These
scenarios would call for a penalized shot.

A Beginner’s Guide To The 3 Basic Club Grips

Let’s talk a little bit about your basic golf club grip
descriptions.

There are essentially three common types:

Overlapping, Interlocking, and the Baseball Grip.

And of course, each are simply variations of one another other.
Whichever you choose will depend on the size of your hands,
finger thickness, and hand strength.

Overlapping Grip

Made popular by an old-time famous golf instructor,
Harry Vardon, the overlapping grip is when you grip the club
with your left hand, which will be the top. The club tip will
rest near the area where the edge of your palm meets with the
base of your pinky finger. The shaft will cross close to where
your ring and middle fingers connect, and then across the middle
of your index finger.

Now curl the fingers from your left hand around the club.
Your right pinky finger should be snugly placed into the groove
between the index finger and the middle finger of your left hand.
The shaft should be resting naturally inside the channel that you
created by curling the fingers from your right hand around the grip.

Your right-hand thumb should be practically on top of the shaft,
and pointing straight down towards the club head. The left thumb
should be resting right next to the right thumb, which is also pointing
down towards the shaft.

Interlocking Grip

The interlocking grip is another version of the overlapping grip.

Basically, you utilize the same steps as you would for the overlapping
grip, except that with this grip you will rest the right pinky in the
groove between your left index finger and middle finger.

Next you interlock the right pinky in the left index finger.
The interlocking grip seems to suit people who have smaller hands
and short fingers. Young players and many women tend to find this grip
perfect when starting out.

Baseball Grip

The baseball group is less conventional than the overlapping or
interlocking grip. Another name for it is the “10 fingered grip”
because all 10 fingers should be holding the club.

Simply grab the club with the left hand close to the body,
then insert the right-hand to the grip. The hands will be touching
and all eight knuckles will be lined up on the under portion of the shaft.

The baseball grip is excellent for those men and women who do not
have strong hands. It is a little easier to hold the club with and makes
it less troublesome to move your wrists around when making a shot.

A Crash Course In Golf Terminology

Like all sports, golf has its own terminology in reference
to many aspects of the game.

For example, when you make a shot from the tee box of a
par-4 or par-5 hole, it is called the drive or tee shot.

On a par-3, it is called just the tee shot.

If your next move is to hit the ball onto the green and you
are at a distance of at least 100 yards away, the shot you
are about to take his called an “approach shot”.

A pitch describes the same shot, but from a distance of
only 40 to 90 yards.

When a player hits the ball, there are several descriptions
which reflect each of those shots within a few seconds after
the ball is in the air.

Below is a brief description of each type of shot a
golf player can make:

The Slice: The slice is often referred to the type of shot
a beginner may make. Most new golfers tend to put a sidespin
on the ball Instead of hitting square from the face of the club.

Typically, this hit comes from the “outside-in”, which describes
the way a club approaches the ball from the right side to its left.
This causes the ball to spend the opposite way, hence the name slice.
Of course, left-handed shooters would reverse that description.

The Fade: The fade is basically like a slice, but with a lesser
curve shot. The fade is often intentional by more experienced players.

The Hook: Considered to be the opposite of the slice, a hook is
when the ball is hit from the “inside-out” and causes a spin from
right to left. Like the slice, this is not a desirable shot.

The Draw: The draw is a positive shot, one that is desirable.
The ball floats in a gradual right to left spin, and is more
stable and under control than the above mentioned shots.

The Push: A push describes a shot in which the ball travels on
a straight path to the right of your target area.

The Pull: The pull is essentially just like the push, but the
ball moves in the opposite direction, pulling to the left.

The Fat: Nobody likes to have a shot described as “fat”.
When this happens, you have basically hit more ground than you
did the ball. The ball may pop up in the air, and fall short.

The Top: A top shot is when you hit the ball on its topside and
it typically does not become airborne, instead it just glides down
the path and becomes a “worm burner”, as they say.

The Shank: A shank shot is when the ball is hit from the club’s
side instead of the face, causing the ball to shoot sharply to the right.

The Chili Dip: A chili dip is typically done on purpose and
describes a shot that is made “fat” in order to get the ball
onto the green from a relatively short distance.

The Stiff: The stiff has only one meaning: A perfect shot!

Everything The Beginner Golfer Needs For Success On The Course

An entire book could be written on how to make the game of
golf more enjoyable for beginner players.

So many newbies to the sport of golf make the same mistakes
over and over again and they end up quitting before they have
a chance to actually enjoy the sport and make progress.

While hundreds of tips could be offered for every new player,
there really are just a few basic rules which you should follow
in order to enjoy yourself and become a better player each and
every time you head for the golf course.

Most mistakes that beginner golf players make are entirely mental.

They start the game and get way in over their head and before
you know it, that expensive set of golf clubs starts gathering
dust in the closet.

Practice A Little “Stick-to-it-iveness”

Like anything in life that takes skill, you must learn to stick
with golf despite whatever obstacles you may face when starting out.

The truth is that golf is unlike most other sports and gratification
comes later, rather than sooner. It takes quite a bit of time to
become skilled and build up the necessary motor skills which lead
to a great shot.

Hitting the ball, as simple as that sounds, it is quite difficult
when you are actually on the field and playing through a course.

And most people start playing golf when they have already reached
their adult years.

This means that we have lost some of our basic youthful skills
of learning. Our bodies and minds are not as amiable as they once
were when we were kids. In fact, young children are known to learn
the game much faster than adults. So in essence, the only way to
overcome these initial problems is to stick to it, no matter what.

Patience Is A Virtue

Never such a truer statement has been said when describing the
game of golf. If patience has not been one of your greatest attributes,
you are soon going to realize just how much of it you must learn to have.

Golf takes a few years before you will start making some serious headway.

There are numerous aspects of the game which will take time to grasp.

Without patience, frustration will set in and take over.

How Difficult Can It Be?

Golf is made up of a variety of plays.

For example, you have the long game which will require great timing
and strength. Then of course you have the short game, which will require
precise motor skills with your hands. You then have putting, which will
demand aiming ability.

And every hole you play will have specific hazard zones you need
to avoid when hitting the ball.

In other words, while you can read and practice tip, after tip,
your greatest power to become a better golf player will depend on
how much patience you have, and the ability to stick with the course
and understand that moving along at at a slow pace will keep you
involved and enjoying this wonderful game for years to come.