Hit a Golf Ball Straigt Down the Fareway

How to Drive a Golf Ball Straight

It’s a given that every golfer wants to know how to drive a golf ball straight. The challenge is the driver is one of the most difficult clubs to master. A simple rule of thumb is the longer the club, the harder it is to use properly. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to learn how to drive a golf ball straight; you’ll just need a few tips and some consistent practice.

The very best shot off the tee is one that does not impart a lot of backspin to the ball, travels low, and has enough power to add yards by rolling once it lands. If you can achieve all of these elements, your game will improve significantly.

One of the first steps to learning how to drive a golf ball straight is understanding the importance of leverage throughout the entire swing. To achieve proper leverage, keep your head behind the golf ball from address to impact.

The second most important issue is that distance comes more from club head speed than arm strength. Golfers who try to muscle their way through the shot will almost always end up with a poorly hit ball. It is the hips and legs that generate speed and power, so use them.

Other clubs may be somewhat flexible when it comes to swing path, but not the driver. As you begin your backswing, keep the swing plane low (or shallow). Another factor to keep in mind when learning how to drive a golf ball straight is to have your hands lead the club head at impact. This is what people mean when they say to “let your wrists break”.

A common mistake some golfers make is to try to suddenly stop their swing once they hit the ball. To avoid that, let your arms and body move all the way through the swing, including the follow through.Another key to learning how to drive a golf ball straight is to not grip the club too tightly. Concentrate on whipping the golf ball with the club rather than chopping at it.

If you have a tendency to slice the ball, try slowing your downswing. You may be coming down too fast or too hard, causing you to come out of the proper swing path. Another tip for avoiding the slice is to examine your grip. If you cannot see two or three knuckles when looking down at your grip, you are setting yourself up for a slice. This same grip tip applies to those who hook the ball. If you look down at your grip and see more than two or three knuckles, your grip is going to change at impact and cause a severe hook.

One last tip for learning how to drive a golf ball straight is to make sure you are not pulling or pushing the ball. This can happen whether you are coming off the tee or hitting off the fairway. You can tell if you are pushing or pulling the ball by looking at the divot that’s left behind. If the divot is pointing to the left or right of your target line, your body is not properly aligned.

Try implementing some of these tips and see if your game improves. Remember, the best tip for learning how to drive a golf ball straight is to keep at it.

How to Prevent a Hook in Golf

How to Fix a Hook

Learning to fix a hook golf shot is not as complicated as you might think. The trick to overcoming this wacky shot is to first determine the cause. There are several reasons a ball may travel wildly to the left. Here are some tips for those who want to learn how to fix a hook once and for all.

1. This particular shot is caused by the ball spinning in a counter-clockwise direction as it takes flight. The faster the ball is spinning, the more severe the left curve will be.

This counter-clockwise spin is created when the ball is hit with a closed club face. For right-handed golfers, a closed face points to the left; for left-handed golfers, the face points to the right. The ideal position for the club face is square and neutral, pointing neither to the left nor to the right at impact.

2. Most experts agree that for those who want to know how to fix a hook, the best place to start is the grip. Here is an easy way to check your golf grip.

Take your driver and set up as you normally would. Now, look down at your hands. If you are right-handed, you should see at least two knuckles on your left hand. This is considered a neutral grip—not too weak and not too strong. If you see three or more knuckles, you are not gripping the club properly.

Now, here is the tricky part. Let your gaze travel down the shaft of the club and look at the face. Is it square? Chances are it is. But even if you think you are square and lined up, you may not be when you bring the club down toward impact with the ball. As the club moves toward the ball, your hands will assume a neutral grip, which means the club face has no choice but to close at impact.

Anyone who wants to learn how to fix a hook should start with a close inspection and honest assessment of his or her grip on the club. Many golfers will simply refuse to modify their grip or will not spend the necessary time to get used to the new grip, eventually falling back into their old habits.

3. If your grip is fine, the next step to learning how to fix a hook is to check your balance. Your weight should be on the balls of your feet, not on the heels. This will allow your hips to turn smoothly and stay balanced. Being off-balance at impact is another main reason players see the ball flying off to the left.

4. Your left arm (for right-handed golfers) must be straight as the club impacts the ball. Ask a friend to watch you hit a few balls and let you know if your arm is bending. Remember, anything that causes the club face to close will result in a hooked golf ball.

One of the above tips will most likely solve your problem. Go through them, one at a time, hitting several practice balls as you go. Make minor adjustments until you are able to hit the ball straight. This will take some time and effort on your part, but learning how to fix a hook is a process is essentially a process of elimination.

How to Hit Fareway Woods

How to Hit Fairway Woods

Learning how to properly hit fairway woods can give your game a big boost. While it’s true that these are some of the least used clubs in the bag, there are scenarios when you need them in the worst way—either to have a chance at an eagle or to save par from wayward drive. Mechanics and practice are the keys to learning how to hit fairway woods.

If you are just learning how to hit fairway woods, here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Tip 1: Do not confuse these clubs with your irons. While the distance is often comparable, the swing mechanics are not. When you play your long irons, you often want to take a big divots. That is not the case with these fairway woods.

Tip 2: Unless you are planning to play a fade or a draw, always line your feet up with the target, about shoulder-width apart. Play the ball a little forward, just about in line with your left foot (for right handed golfers). Keep your arms extended and your spine straight, allowing a little bit of knee flex.

Tip 3: If you are playing out of the rough, tap the club head behind the ball (without touching the ball) to tamp down some of the grass between the head and the ball. This is legal as long as you do not make contact with the ball itself.

Tip 4: When learning how to hit fairway woods, remember to keep your forward arm as straight as possible during your swing. Turn your hips as you go through the back-swing and down-swing to generate power. Keep your head down and your eyes on the ball.

Tip 5: Resist the temptation to scoop the ball off the ground. Your job is to hit the ball cleanly, and the loft of the club will do the rest. Also, resist the common urge to hit the ball too hard. Many golfers, especially those just learning how to hit fairway woods, are inclined to smack the ball with maximum force, but this can be a big mistake.

The better option is to make a smooth, controlled movement that stays on the right swing path. This is the best way to get the ball up, off, and on target.

Tip 6: There are times when you may think the fairway wood is the right club to use, but stop and consider the situation before you grab one out of your bag.

If you are in the trees and a long way from the green, consider using an iron to get back into play, rather than trying to make the green. One of the keys to learning how to hit fairway woods is knowing when to use them. Using one of these specialty clubs when you should be using something else can cause more trouble than you might think.

Tip 7: The only way to understand these clubs is to take them to the practice range and put them into use. You need to know what distance you can get from each one, and become proficient in striking the ball cleanly. Practice is the only way to achieve this. And don’t forget to practice hitting out of sand traps whenever you have the opportunity.

One thing is certain: if you learn how to hit fairway woods properly, your game will improve and your scores will be lower. These clubs can be powerful tools when you need them.

Putting Drills to Lower Your Golf Score

Putting Drills

Developing putting drills that work is one of the fastest ways to lower your score. Many golfers lose a significant number of strokes once they get onto the green. By utilizing putting drills, you can learn to get the ball into the hole in fewer strokes.

Any seasoned golfer will tell you that the short game can be stroke-hungry, and that what happens on the green can wreak havoc on an otherwise good score. 3-putts, 4-putts, and even 5-putts are more common than you might think—but there is good news. Putting drills can dramatically help golfers hone their skills on the green, resulting in fewer total strokes.

When it comes to putting drills, spend time concentrating on the three essentials:

Keeping the face square

Maintaining a smooth swing

Achieving distance control

Keeping the Face Square:

If you are in the habit of hitting the ball with your blade open or closed, try this:

Place a ball on the practice green and put a tee in the ground about twelve inches behind the ball. Put a silver coin on the ground about six inches in front of the ball. Bring your putter back until it taps the tee and then swing it forward, watching to ensure that the face stays square as it passes over the coin.

Maintaining a Smooth Swing

Putting drills should have a specific purpose and specific goal. With this next tip, you can learn to swing the club smoothly, which is key to maintaining your tempo and striking the ball solidly.

Again, place a ball on the practice green and stick a tee into the ground about 12 inches behind the ball. Bring the club back until it just barely nicks the tee and then immediately go into your fore-swing.

Keep your arms moving in a pendulum fashion and keep your hands still.

Achieving distance control

One of the most crucial putting drills is learning distance control. The only way to master distance control is through your own touch or feel. Nothing else can replace hands-on practice time when it comes to honing your skills on the green.

There are dozens of practice exercises for distance control, but one of the best is to simply stake out five tees, four feet apart, with the last tee being 20 feet away. Then, concentrate on getting the ball to each of the tees consistently.

If the ball rolls a few inches past the tee, that’s fine. What you don’t want to see is the ball stopping short of or rolling well beyond the target tee.

Notice that you are not aiming at a flag or a cup with this exercise, as this could distract you and cause you to focus more on accuracy than distance. While it’s true that distance and accuracy must work together, there are times when they should not be learned together.

These are only a few of the many putting drills that are available from golf pros and golfing websites. To master your skill on the green, you will need to invest time and energy. Learn to read the green and how to lag a putt, but most of all, learn to love putting drills. They really do work.

How the Internet Improved My Golf Game

How the Internet Improved My Golf Game

Article by Willie Paxton

Are you a beginner or a high handicapper at golf? Are you seeking the perfect golf swing? Have you paid out good money time & time again on golf instruction, on how to swing a golf club and not really seen any real improvement? I was in the same position. For a good 5 or 6 years I listened to the professional, practiced what he said but rarely did my game improve. In the end I became quite used to the idea that I would always be a high handicapper and my game would not really improve to any great extent.

Out of desperation I decided that instead of paying for more lessons I would seek advice and golf swing tutorial from the Internet. I had some basic flaws in my game. Of my tee shots, only around half were good and my second or third shot would invariably be a left of the target. I also struggled with my short game and my putting quite honestly was a joke.

I came across a book on the internet and I was amazed at the improvement in my game. I found it to be a step-by-step guide with detailed photos that taught the correct way to grip the club. The book is a comprehensive guide to golf that addresses all the problems related to slicing, chipping, putting, sand, driving, inconsistency, distance and much more, with simple and easy to follow instructions.

My problem tee shot was down to a couple of things. I either hooked the shot very low and it went only about 100 yards or my swing would come across the left side of the ball causing an enormous slice. I cured the hook with a change of grip. Basically I was turning my hands towards the left and closing the club face. This resulted and a shot that started off OK for the first 50 yards only to swerve rapidly left and dive very quickly to the ground. The new grip I have, stopped this as it made it very difficult to close the face. I also learned how to align the club-face to cure my awful slice. You see I was aligning my club too close to the toe of the club, so this encouraged an exaggerated slice.

My second and even third shots were corrected by examining my address of the ball, I did not realize that I had a very open stance, my feet were in a parallel line pointing to the right of the target, this was like my original tee shots causing the club to have a closed face. So, whilst I was always aiming right of the intended target, my shots would invariably go left. The book highlighted other problems also. I had a tendency to get off balance when putting extra effort into a shot which would result in a shank. The book cured many of my bad golfing habits. I effectively got a golf swing that works for less than the price of a pair of golf shoes.

About the Author

If you are new to the game of golf or are a high handicapper and you would like to improve your game with tips on golf, go to http://www.simple-golf-tips.com

Golf. 5 Top Bunker Shot Tips To Help Lower Your Handicap

Golf. 5 Top Bunker Shot Tips To Help Lower Your Handicap In 2009

Article by Roger Carter

Greenside Bunker Shots – Bunker Shot Tips

Top Tip No.1

Good Lie in Bunker – Bunker Shot

Open your stance a little by keeping your left foot back ( right handers) and also open the clubface slightly. Swing the club parallel with your feet with an out to in action causing a steeper swing which makes the ball rise quicker and also produces backspin which means the ball will stop quickly on the green. Aim slightly left of target as the ball should tend to fly to the right.

Top Tip No.2

Plugged Lie in Bunker – Bunker Shot Tips

Instead of opening the face of the club you should keep the club face square.This shot should be approached with reasonable speed following through keeping the clubface square and therefore digging into the sand behind the ball with the sand and the ball coming out of the bunker together. The very action required to come out of the bunker from a plugged lie means that there will not be any backspin and the ball will roll on some distance.

Top Tip No.3

Downhill Lie In Bunker – Bunker Shot Tips

If the ball finishes on a downhill lie in the bunker open the clubface and adopt an open stance with the weight on your left foot. The shot should be played near to your left foot trying to follow the slope of the bunker. At impact the weight should be focused on your left foot allowing the ball to be sliced out of the bunker providing you complete a full follow through.

Top Tip No. 4

Uphill Lie In Bunker – Bunker Shot Tips

For this type of shot you do not need to adopt an open stance or open up the face of the golf club. Instead follow the uphill slope of the bunker and position your body parallel to the slope and swing solidly also parallel to the slope.The golf ball should come out of the bunker with a higher trajectory and therefore not run on too far

Top Tip No.5

Stating The Obvious! – Bunker Shot Tips

Whether you are playing out of a greenside bunker from a good lie, a plugged lie, on a downslope or on an upslope or however you are placed in the sand one of THE most important tips is to keep your head still, eye on the sand 1 or 2 inches behind the ball, until the shot is executed.You could otherwise have an excellent technique but it will probably go wrong if you come up to look for your golf ball too quickly.This may sound like stating the obvious but it is a very common error made by many mid to high handicap golfers and is often brought about because the player is anxious and nervous about playing bunker shots.Have you ever said

Golf Tips From The Pros

Golf Tips From The Pros

Article by Jack Moorehouse

When weekend golfers watch the pros hit unbelievable shots their amazed. The typical reaction is often “How do they do that?” It’s not magic. It’s solid fundamentals, plus hours and hours of practice and constant attention to their swings. Or course, the fact that most of the pros have been honing their swings since they were kids doesn’t hurt either.

Weekend golfers can learn a lot by studying the pros. They just need to look closely. Below we describe some golf tips derived from watching various players over the years. These mini golf lessons may not help you hit the long, straight drives, towering long irons, and delicate wedge shots the pros do. But they will improve your swing and cut strokes from your golf handicap.

Power and Accuracy In The Swing – Golf Tips from the Pros

Chip Beck isn’t nearly as famous as Tiger Woods. But he is a respected member of the Tour. Beck’s known for his accuracy off the tee. It stems primarily from an on-plane swing. He swings his arm up the plane rather than around his body. That keeps the club moving toward the target, generating accuracy. If you were to draw a line from his hands to the ground when he’s in his finish position, it would point exactly where the ball was at address-a sign that he swung up the plane.

Mark O’Meara is known for his power. He generates it by making a complete shoulder turn at the top of his swing. A right-hander, he keeps his back pointing at the target as long as he can before committing to his downswing. Keeping his back facing the target allows his right elbow to stay close to his body, dropping the club inside. This starts his shots to the target’s right. When combined with the proper clubhead release, this swing draws the ball back to the left. It’s a good way to eliminate a slice.

Brad Faxon is known for his putting. But he also excels at getting off the tee. The secret to his swing’s success is in his right elbow. A right-hander, he keeps the elbow bent and close to his right hip as he approaches impact. This delivers the club to the ball from the inside, eliminating pulls, pull-slices, and pop ups. In addition, Faxon keeps his right shoulder markedly lower than his left before impact. That keeps his head behind the ball. It also produces more leverage, which in turn increases clubhead speed.

Tips On The Downswing – Golf Tips from the Pros

Vijay Sing is among the world’s best golfers. He’s also among the world’s highest money winners annually. His classic swing combines precision and accuracy. It includes a narrow downswing with the clubface close to his left shoulder. A wide follow-through with the club and arms launched from his shoulder sockets also contributes to his classic swing. To create this swing, he keeps his arm and hands relaxed. His legs and hips power the downswing as the club’s weight lags behind until impact. Once the club is released, his arms follow the club’s wieght into the finish. This creates a free flowing swing.

Don’t have to be large in stature – Golf Tips from the Pros

Although he’s small, Shigeki Maruyama generates enough power to play with the big boys. How does he do it? He does it with solid mechanics. Most notably, he keeps his hands high at the top of his backswing. High hands expand the swing arc and increase clubhead speed. Meanwhile, a massive shoulder turn allows him to keep his head behind the ball. It also allows him to shift his weight properly and sets up a more powerful and athletic downswing. To better rotate his hips, Maruyama flares his right toe out at address.

Watch the pros whenever you can. It’s like getting a free golf instruction session. So use the opportunity wisely. It can provide valuable golf tips, like those discussed above, that can cut strokes from your golf handicap. They might even transform your game. So keep a close eye on the pros on Sundays.

About the Author

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. Free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, lessons and instructions.

Square the Shoulders for Longer Distance

square the shoulders

Article by Cheapgolf

The Right Equipment to Achieve Longer Distance in Your Golf Game

When you go for a custom-fitting session, as I did yesterday, at Titleist’s state-of-the art facility at St Ives Golf Club, it’s important to ideally bring your ‘A game’ to the bay (or as near as possible) so the clubs you’re planning to use, can compliment your current swing.

Obviously Srixon XX10 impact Driver can creep in but PGA-trained fitter Richard Harries gave me a tip he always used in the early part of his amateur career which helps to square the shoulders at address and reduces the risk of them opening up to the target as you grip the club, forcing a tendency to slice.

He recommends: “As a right-hander I was always encouraged to grip the club with the left hand and place the clubhead behind the ball, with my right hand behind my back.

Correct Positioning of Your Elbow and Shoulders for Longer Distance

“This way, the teaching pro watching from down the line, could see the correct position of the inside of my left elbow with my shoulders square to the target. Step two is to then bring in the right hand on to the grip from underneath the Srixon XX10 Prime Driver and into position.

“This helps retain the shoulders in a square position, as opposed to immediately putting the right hand on top of the grip and tending to force the shoulders open.”

Use these helpful tips for longer distance in your golf game

Hopefully it’s a tip that will work for you, too and immediately reduce the chances of that destructive out-to-in swingpath which can cause the dreaded slice.

Srixon XX10 Iron Set Cast stainless steel body with precision welded titanium face – an oversized iron to improve performance for golfers of all abilities. One of the key aspects of TPL

How to Golf begins with your Set-up

How to Golf begins with your Set-up

Article by Keith Barker

How to golf begins with your set-up. The very first and basic fundamentals of golf are to be on the balls of your feet with your knees flexed and your feet about shoulder-width apart. These three fundamentals are crucial to the golf game. If your feet are too far apart, you can’t shift your weight properly and if they are too close, you will lose your balance. If your legs are too straight with no flex, you are not going to be in control of the golf ball. Poor posture equals a bad golf swing.Here is the proper way to set-up. First, stand straight with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Your feet should be slightly open with your left toe, your right if your a lefty, a little more open than your right foot. This will make it a lot easier to turn your lower body through impact. Your right shoulder should be a little lower than your left shoulder. This will make it much easier for you to grip your club, as well as, put you in the right position. Next, bend from the waist and keep your spine angle straight. Don’t bend over too far and don’t let your shoulders slump, you’ll want to keep your spine angle straight throughout the golf swing. Now, bend your knees slightly and keep them bent, as you go through the swing. Shift your weight to your front foot, as you complete your swing. If you have done this correctly, you should finish facing your target and in balance. If your are falling back or away from the ball, you’re not shifting your weight properly to your front foot. This is a very common problem with a lot of beginners and fixing this will make a tremendous difference in your golf game. Use these two golf drills to help you get there. They will seem akward at first, but try it until you begin to get it. First, when you set-up, lean and put most of your weight on your front foot and hit some balls. This will help you to learn how to end up with your weight on your front foot. Another trick is to place a golf ball underneath the outer edge of your back foot. Stand on it and make some swings and hit a few balls and this will all but force you to shift your weight onto your front foot.Another tip that I learned from watching Tiger Woods is to stick your rear end out. Yes, you heard me right. This will help to counter-balance your top half and it will help you to keep your spine angle straight and to keep you in form. Also, remember that your neck is an extension of your spine, so keep your chin up because if your head slumps, it will restrict your backswing. You always here, keep your head down. No, keep your chin slightly up and keep your eyes down on your ball through impact.Another golf tip that I want to add is to not stand to far away from your ball. This will cause stiffness and tension in the shoulders and will probably result in a slice. You should never be reaching for your ball. After setting up your stance, just let your arms hang freely and that’s where you grip your golf club. The longer the club, the farther you’ll stand from your ball, but your arms position will remain the same. These golf tips should make quite an impact on your game. See you on the blog side.

TAGS:\ how to golf,the golf game,the golf ball,golf swing,the golf swing,golf drills,a golf ball,Tiger Woods,golf tip,golf tips

About the Author

http://www.worldofgolftips.com

Grip pressure: Thumbs up!

Grip pressure: Thumbs up!

Article by Cheapgolf

I don’t know when the golfers are playing the golf which way they choose. I guess not all the golfers take a correct way to play it.

Here is some advice. Coaches tell us there are three points of grip pressure when you place your hands on the Mizuno MP 53 Irons but it’s important not to grip the handle too tight. For a right-hander, place your left hand on the club so the index finger form a trigger of a pistol point between your feet.

If you feel you’re shooting more toward the target you have a strong right hand grip and you’re probably going to hook the ball. If you feel you’re shooting away from the target, you have a ‘weak’ right-hand grip and you’re probably going to slice the ball.

The Mizuno MP-57 Iron Set are a crowning achievement in the evolution of Mizuno’s award winning Grain Flow Forging and Cut Muscle technologies. The Product Development team undertook the task of making the MP-57’s the first MP iron with a full cavity, resulting in a significantly larger sweet area than any other iron in the history of the MP line. Along with increased forgiveness, the MP-57’s with Cut Muscle technology will deliver the feel and shot making ability that MP iron players crave. Most importantly, the MP-57’s deliver all these playing aspects, yet in a classic head profile that appeals to the better players.

The three distinct grip pressure points are a) in the the last three fingers that trap the club underneath the heel pad of your left hand b) the two middle finger of your right hand, whether interlocking, overlapping or a two-fisted grip and c) where your right palm overlaps and exerts downward pressure on your left thumb.

Golfers tend to pinch between right thumb and forefinger and hold on too tight at bottom of grip, this puts a lot of tension up your right arm which can mess up your golf swing.

Try doing what Jack Nicklaus did throughout his career – as you set up with your grip give the shaft a couple of soft taps with the right thumb to relieve tension and stay loose. Nicklaus felt that even with his right thumb off the shaft it didn’t make any difference to his ability to swing the golf club.

Mizuno MP-62 Iron Set with breakthrough dual muscle technology were designed for the player who covets workability and shot-making control with forgiveness. The dual muscle technology perfectly blends two muscle pads: an outer muscle pad allows for a precisely placed CG, providing an enhanced sweet area for maximum playability, while the inner pad delivers more mass behind the impact area for solid feel and the feedback better players demand.

About the Author

I live in New York.