Golf Schools

This topic is dear to my heart and I have discussed at great length with members and visitors at my golf club regarding the type of golf ball they are using. The answer is usually the same. They use different golf balls from day to day, sometimes using different types and makes in the course of a single round. Just bear with me for a moment while I explain how this can affect your scores and handicap in a big way.

Picture the scene if you will - David has just hit his tee shot out of bounds on the fifth hole using a Top Flite XL, he reaches into his bag and pulls out another golf ball this time it’s a Titleist ProV1 which he plays to the front of the green, he is now about 15 yards from the pin and takes his trusty 8 iron out and proceeds to chip the ball to the hole, it comes up about 4 yards short. Under normal circumstances David is excellent around the greens and was surprised to see his golf ball pull up short; he misses the putt then carries on with his round of golf none the wiser

Ok let’s back up a bit here and analyse that scenario. I am sure by now a few of you have guessed the problem, its common enough and happens thousands of times a day on golf links around the world.

When David changed golf balls to a ProV1 he created the problem with his subsequent chip from in front of the green. The top Flite XL would have jumped off the face of the club with his chip and probably have gone close to the hole saving him a shot, but because he changed to the softer ProV1 (which you need to hit firmer) his chip ended up 4 yards from the hole with the subsequent missed putt costing him a valuable stroke.

Different types of golf balls react differently for a variety of full shots as well, not to mention putting which makes distance control very difficult if you chop and change your golf balls all the time. Feel is a very important factor in golf and should not be overlooked.

The simple fact is you should be consistent in your choice of golf ball all the time. That doesnt mean you shouldn’t try different Golf balls but you should get used to a Golf ball and not change them on a regular basis. Especially during the course of a round. Get used to the ball you use so you can be more consistent.  You may not believe this is going to help you but i assure you this is a very, very, very important part of being consistent in your golf and lowering you scores. This is also one thing that every golfer can do.

Next time your out on the course check the golf balls you are carrying and make sure the ones you take out onto the course with you are all the same type and make.

This is one thing you can all do, no excuses, enjoy your game.

One of the ways you could improve your golfing skills is to improve your putting talents.All you need to do is practice and improve in certain small areas of the game.The moment you know what is expected of you, it is time to go on practicing till you are completely thorough with the skills.In case you are not aware, a great putting talent has a lot to do with a winning long shot. Without this you could never get a good long shot to win some tournament and get some nice golf tournament gifts.

While practice makes every skill perfect for your next golf tournament the particular skill you personally need to master would depend largely on your present skill set. The skills you need to practice would depend on your present skill level.Essentially there are three things which you need to concentrate on, to access the best game of golf.One of the most important skills you need to focus on is your swinging ability, to make sure that the ball is hit exactly in the center of the club head.If you can not hit bang in the center of the club head, you can never be skilled in putting.You just can not expect the ball to move straight if it is hit by the side of the club head.However hard you try or practice, this is a near-impossible task.

Your next step is to learn how to hit the ball straight towards the target, once you have mastered how to hit the ball by the center of the club head. Hitting the ball in a straight line towards the target, is your next agenda, after you have learnt to perfectly hit the ball by the center of the club head.Aim towards the target where you want the ball to go.You may think this sounds a bit strange, but many people do not squarely approach the ball to the target.How did they miss the shot, is the next question which crops up in their minds.Even if you are off by just a fraction it can seriously affect your putting skills as the ball is not going to go where you want it to go.

How to quicken the club head as it gets closer to the ball is the second art you should master to improve your putting skills.One of the most common mistakes players makes is to slow down the club just before hitting the ball.This causes a loss in momentum, badly needed for the ball to hit the target.One you have mastered the art of accelerating your club before it hits the ball, your putting skills are adequate to offer you more pleasurable experiences in the game. Improving your golf game will no doubt make for an enjoyable tournament and possibly earn you some golf tournament prize packages.

I have been playing golf as a professional for over 30 years and have used quite a few golf companies during this time when choosing the right golf bag, golf glove, golf clubs, golf shoes etc etc. for my game.
I am not sponsored to play or promote any products, although i do get my golf equipment at trade price, i stiil have pay. So i am not promoting the company, it is my honest opinion as a Golf Professional on the quality of the golf gear I use.

The Titleist PROV-1 is beyond question the best golf ball I have ever tried and has been in my golf bag for many years; in all truth I think I have used a titleist golf ball for at least 2 decades. When I first started playing it was a Dunlop 65 fresh out of the wrapper, for those of you who do not know, golf balls used to be packaged in a wrapper back in the 1970’s and before. Time fly’s when your’e enjoying yourself so they say. Anyway what was i saying? Oh yeah, why the PROV-1? - Simple really, it goes a long way, flies high, stops on a sixpence and has a lovely soft feel for those shots around the green. Enough said.

My glove of choice is a Titleist Players golf glove or a Footjoy Sta-Sof golf glove, they are made from top quality cabretta leather making them a pleasure to wear with a good grip and soft feel. A lot of casual golfers use the All-Weather glove or man made versions, but I prefer the soft feel of leather and although the leather golf glove is more expensive they are worth it. I know a few of you guy’s use the synthetic glove because it has an extra pad on the heel of the palm to help with wear and tear. Nearly every golf glove wears out there first, some faster than others. But that is a fault of either your hold on the golf club, gripping the club too tightly at address and loosening your grip at impact, causing excessive wear and tear on your glove. But that’s another story, see your local pro and he will help with this.

My golf irons of choice are the Titleist Z-Blend Forged with a dynamic gold S shaft and tour velvet grip. They are a blended cavity to muscle back forged iron, this means that the long irons are cavity backed, the mid irons are a partial cavity and the short irons muscle back blade. This is a great idea and has been around for a few years now, help where needed in the longer irons gradually blending to a blade type short iron for that classic look and playability. I love these irons, they are great to look at and have a lovely feel off the club head. In my humble opinion you cannot beat a forged golf club head for exceptional feel and playability.

Well that’s about it, just a few of the things you can find in my golf bag. The best golf ball, the best glove, the best irons and the best golfer of all time using them. OK scrap that last comment, we all have our dreams.

Enjoy your golf, look after your golf equipment and if you are struggling with your game find a golf professional you like and respect and get some golf lessons from him. If you work at any changes in your game then you will reap the rewards from them in the long run, if you don’t, then it will be just like all the other golf tips you have discarded as being useless.

It’s another day in the Pro Shop at Winterfield Golf Course and I am handing out scorecards for the weekly golf competition, when along comes Jim, a Golf Club member bemoaning his bad play on the golf course. What’s wrong i asked and he replied that they should destroy the 13th hole. It’s a nightmare for me he says, it always destroys my scorecard along with a few other holes I could mention

Jim has a mid to high golf handicap so I asked him exactly what it was he was playing off these days i am a 17 handicap he said. before we go any further The 13th Hole on Winterfield golf course is a 368yd par 4 with a stroke index of 2. So I asked Jim what do you think your par is? It’s a par 4 Kevin you know it is, he replied. It is for a scratch golfer I said, but what’s your par? He looked at me with a vacant stare so I proceeded to put him out of his misery.

Your par for that hole is 5 not 4, with your handicap you can get a 5 and still come away with a nett 4. So each time you stand on the 13th tee and think about making 4 you are making it harder for yourself. But if you stood on the thirteenth tee and said to yourself it’s a par 5 how would you feel then? I am positive you would be more relaxed and think, that’s not hard I can do that, and that is precisely how you should approach every hole you play.

And that’s the problem most mid to high handicap golfers have, they are not playing their own game they are trying to play scratch golf. This is where good course management and mental approach comes in to play.

You must make out a personal scorecard relative to your handicap. With Jim’s handicap there is only one hole on the golf course that he is expected to par and that is stroke index 18 the easiest hole on the course. If your golf course has a par of 70 and your handicap is 15 then your par for the course is 85. I hope you can understand this here because it’s an important part of managing your game.

I know it goes against the grain but it will make each hole seem easier and allow you to play with and relax. Instead of getting out the driver on these tough longer holes and then messing up because you feel you must try to get a par, take golf clubs you are more confident with. Now you have your new way of thinking with regard to par you will be surprised at how much easier it is to play each individual golf hole. A par 4 on the course where you have a stroke means 3 shots to reach the green and 2 putts. Think this way and you will be amazed how many times you make an actual par, which in your case means … BIRDIE ….

I ended by telling Jim to think about his mental approach to the golf course now! Standing on par 3’s that now become par 4’s .. How much easier is that on the mind? With a nod of thanks and a gleam in his eye Jim left the shop and set off to the bar to join his friends and have a well-earned drink.

This fantastic game of golf is hard enough without putting undue pressure on yourself. Manage your own game better by thinking correctly and your course management will get better as well as your enjoyment of golf. Look at each hole on your golf course in a new light. Draw up your own personal scorecard.. NOW !!

There’s assorted ways that a golf player could accessorize by purchasing distinct items that would increase the enjoyment of the game, which includes carriers, caddies, or even novelty items. Few people consider the clothes which could be worn by players in order to gain advantages (both related to health as well as the game). Here’s some of the most favored items worn by players, and a few reasons for which they’re loved.

The initial objective of these clothing items should be to defend you from the dangers of being outdoors and the more dangerous element is the sun, however there’s several methods by which you could combat it. The first and most effective way to keep your game going strong in the face of major ultraviolet rays is to wear a pair of sunglasses while you play. When the sun is in your eyes, it has a devastating effect on your vision, and may not allow you to hit the ball to your full potential though much more critically, sunglasses also protect the retinas from harmful sun rays. Nevertheless your eyes are not the sole section of your body which requires protection from sun rays therefore whenever you head to the golf course for the day, you should cover your face as well as the arms up in sunscreen pretty well to avoid being burned. It’s normally a good idea to additionaly wear a cap for maximum face protection.

Golf shoes are used by a great many hardcore players and while they’re definitely not required to enjoy this sport, they provide a few advantages. They’re made to make it easy to cross the terrain which the golf course is composed of while leaving it’s grass in as good condition as it can. Crossing the green wearing normal shoes may be rather damaging, though golf footwear makes it so that the grass could effortlessly live through the onslaught of footprints. Golf shoes are about as expensive as regular footwear, though do  not have much use while outside the course so if you’re intending to be on the course about once a week, golfing shoes might be a good idea, otherwise you’ll be fine simply utilizing regular footwear for now.

The remainder of the golfer’s outfit is basically up to the golfer himself, although, it is a good notion to have comfy pants that you’ll feel OK walking for a few hours in. If you wear something too formal, you will just get a rash on your thigh so simply look at what all the other golfers are wearing, and attempt to emulate it. It’s best to go along with the trend, since the prospects are that they understand precisely what it is they are doing and they know what the more comfortable type of clothing is. It may require an excursion to a shop to perfect the wardrobe, although the comfort level will definitely be worth the amount of time that you put into it.

So long as there are no dress code in the course that you are playing on, you shouldn’t fret excessively about what you’re wearing because golf is supposed to be a relaxing and entertaining activity, so any requirement upon clothing should not be considered too seriously. Merely use what you’re comfortable in, and wear that which has an advantage (like defending you from the sun or preserving the grass that you walk upon). Of course, various regulations go for tournaments or outings with partners. Use discretion to decide what you’ll dress in, just like you’d do on any mundane normal day or in any other sport.

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