People think playing golf is as easy as getting hold of the golf stick like a normal baseball bat and then hitting the ball. Bu there is more to it than just that, it is not just that easy for one to hit a golf ball and it lands on the tee that easily.

If you do not have the correct golf grip it is hard to be considered a good golf player. This is because it all results to a bad swing always. It is then very important for one to have the correct golf grip.

The first thing one should do if you are a right hander is to hold the top of the golf club with your right hand. Then your left hand should naturally from the shoulder, your hand being down the side of the golf club grip.

The left hand ends up turning slightly inwards, towards the body which is not wrong. The next thing is to bring the left hand from its hanging position and then place it against the golf club grip.

The one thing that should be noted is how the fleshy pad in your palm should run diagonally downwards to the shaft.

The next thing is to close the fingers of your left hand to form the perfect golf grip. The thing that should be noted is that the club should not be held too tight.

The pressure can be likened as to holding a tube of super glue that may result to one being damaged if not held carefully. It should be tight enough to hold but not too much to squeeze the glue out and make a mess.

The other thing for a correct golf grip is to place your thumb on top of the grip.

It should be a little to the right centre of the grip as you look down on it. The left thumb should not be pushed too far as it tends to give the feeling of a more solid grip yet it has the exact opposite effect.

This is because it ends up preventing the thumb to support the club at the top of the backswing.

The last final step to a correct golf grip is to bring your right hand from its natural and original position as you lay the club to the fingers. The index finger and the thumb should form a kind of trigger around the grip.

The last thing is to rest the little finger of your right hand into the groove formed by the first and second fingers of the left hand.

With all this steps followed carefully it results to a good grip that results to a good swing like that of Tiger Woods.

By: Ricky Lim

About the Author:

I will show you exactly how to learn and practice the perfect golf swing. Over 99.9% of all golfers miss this and then they’ll worry about how to achieve the perfect swing when they’ve done everything the wrong sequence.

If I asked you to run a 20 mile marathon could you if you just started running? Of course not because you don’t have the necessary conditioning and training to enable you to even attempt such a marathon.

The funny thing about golfers is they tend to want to run the 20 mile marathon as soon as they pick their first golf club.

Here are the typical steps that beginner golfers tend to do when they first pick up a golf club:

1. They usually go to a golf shooting range

2. They get a bucket of balls and a few clubs

3. Then they take a full swing and attempt to hit the ball as hard and as hard as they can.

Here are the following steps you should take even before you go to a driving range:

1. At home take a golf ball and put on the floor in front of you

2. Then take a club and from a starting position right behind the ball, pull your club about 12 inches back, then bring it back to the original position.

3. After you’ve trained this for approx. 10 times, then do the same as above and bring the club back about 2 feet then bring it back to the original position for 10 repetition.

4. Then you continue doing the same as above by bring it back for 3 feet…then 4 feet and so on till you have done the whole swing from start to finish.

5. If you see there is a certain distance that you can’t control as much as they other ones then it means that you should practice that particular distance for more repetitions till you’ve overcome that problem.

6. Once you’ve practice all the above steps then you should attempt to go out and actually hit some golf balls and not before.

Note: The above steps will teach you to control, feel and analyze exactly each step of your swing starting at different distances of your swing. Remember if you don’t have control of your swing when you bring it back, for example: 12 inches, then don’t expect that you’ll have a better swing when you bring it back for 24 inches and so on.

It’s done in a step by step process where you take to time to fully analyze, feel and make sure that you control each step of the overall swing which is trained at 12 inches at a time.

I would say that 99.9% of all beginners will try to hit the golf ball at a driving range with a full swing while trying to hit the ball as hard and as far as they can before they even know even how to do a basic swing.

Review: Take a golf ball at home and start by practicing your initial swing by increments of 12 inches at a time for 10 repetition, then go to 24 inches….36 inches and so on till you’ve practiced the whole swing.

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By: Victor Cormier

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Understanding golf balls for beginners is a tough call but a must given its importance in the case of golf swing and shots.

As a beginner you will keep on hearing several terms related to golf balls like X-out, two piece compression balls etc. Then there are various numbers on the golf ball which can come in handy while selecting a golf ball. Apart from that there are logo golf balls which are a favorite of a lot of golf event organizers. Apart from these there are various branded golf balls which you may need to decide upon while buying a golf ball.

Here is my guide for golf balls for the golfing beginners.

As you walk into buy golf balls from a golf equipment store you will be presented usually with two sets of golf balls one at a higher price and one at very steep discounts. You will wonder why they are at a steep discount and the reason most likely is that these are X-out balls which mean these balls do not have a brand name on them. That does not mean that they were not manufactured by a good company but while manufacturing even if there is a small defect good ball manufacturing companies do not out them into the market. Instead, they put an X mark over the brand names and then sell it to shops at very steep discounts and hence the name X-out. These balls are great for beginners obviously because of the prices and believe the defect is so minor that as beginner it will impact your game at all.

The other thing which is imprinted on the ball is the number like a single digit number from 1 to 9 and is used for identification by golfers in case they are playing together. Then there is a three digit number on the ball say in 300s or 400s which suggests the number of dimples on the ball.

Just make sure that even buying golf balls at cheap prices is also an art you need to learn. There are those who buy in bulk so as to get great discounts and there are others who will but absolutely the best quality at whatever price the manufacturer asks for. Take your pick as it all depends on your pocket.

By: John Border

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Isn’t the slice one of the most maddening aspects of the game of golf?

How in the hell are we ever supposed to lower our scores if the ball is always rolling sideways across the fairway? There’s nothing more disheartening to really make solid contact, only to see that sudden, mid-air curve grab hold of your golf ball.

Obviously, since slicing the ball is so common, there are lots of aids and instruction on how to prevent it. There are special tees, and special clubs…instructional videos and books.

The list is large for sure. But each and every one of these methods is attempting to accomplish the same thing, which is change the spin that you put on the ball when you hit it. Vicious, sideways spin equals a slice…forward spin or ‘overspin’ equals a nice straight shot down the middle.

As we’ve discovered, there are many ways to try and accomplish this, all with varying degrees of success. The anti-slice technique I like to use is a nice short backswing, followed by a bottom hand wrist roll through impact.

To simplify…I make sure my backswing isn’t wrapping around my head in some huge, arcing motion. Consciously keep it shorter and you’ll have much better control of your clubs.

Then, just as I’m making contact with the ball, I roll my bottom hand over the top, so that the palm of the bottom hand is facing the ground.

You’ll have to mess around with the timing to get it right, but it will put overspin on the ball and will stop you from slicing the ball all over the golf course. Good Luck!

By: Richard Styles

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Each set of clubs in the bag is different, yet with similar uses. It’s vital that golfers get a clear understanding of the purpose of each club. After all, it would take you a bit of effort and time to get round just using a putter now, wouldn’t it.

Driving Down The Fairway (The Long Bit!)

First, you have to know that there are the woods. These are called the driver, the two wood, three wood, four wood, and the five wood. There is a six wood and seven wood but they are rare.

The number describes the angle of the face of the head, with driver being the most upright and the lower numbers angled more, to give loft to the ball when it is hit.

Woods are used for getting the golf ball the farthest distance possible and do so by the weight they have behind the head. It’s shape is bulky and weighty, so that when you swing you have all the meat of that weight built into the momentum of the swing, then POW – down the fairway you go!

If you want to hit the golf ball over two hundred yards off the tee then you may well use a wood. Incidentally and confusingly, they are nowadays made of metal!

Distance With Control

Second, you have to understand that there are the irons. These clubs are meant for greater accuracy and are most commonly, though not exclusively, used for short distance shots.

You see, you can use irons for distance too and especially with a tricky hole, or when the weather is a bit challenging, you will see pros using irons

There are several types of irons. These are numbered one to nine, with an increasing loft, which also reduces the distance possible. These standard iron golf clubs are essential in getting the golf ball as close as possible to the pin, using loft and flight as the main tools.

Special Golf Clubs

Third, there are the special golf clubs, most of which are very specific in nature.

The first of the special golf clubs that you have to understand is the wedge. The wedge is used to get the golf ball as high as possible. If you want to go over a tree, or if you want the ball to drop like a stone with little forward bounce, like on the green, then this may be the golf club of choice.

The second of the special golf clubs is the sand wedge. Do you see the sand bunkers all over the golf course? When you get stuck in these sand bunkers, you need to use the sand wedge to get out of them.

Due to the loft this club will, when used with the right technique, slice through the sand beneath the ball and lift it onto the grass.

The fourth of the special golf clubs is the pitching wedge. This pitching wedge is used so that you can get an accurate shot to the green. The pitching wedge is the second most accurate golf club in your golf bag.

The last of the special golf clubs is the putter. The putter is the most accurate of the golf clubs because this is what you use in order to get the golf ball into the hole. It’s a very specialized club that you use nowhere else on the course.

What Golf Clubs To Buy?

Now that you are familiar with all these types of golf club in your bag, you have to understand that aside from the types of golf clubs, there are also many, many brands out there. This is where your headaches really begin!

From used golf clubs to new ones, from clones to personalized fit clubs, you have the world of a choice to make. Whilst it’s true to say that your performance should only be about your swing and skill, most manufacturers will say that their clubs make the difference.

It’s for you to decide which golf clubs you buy and use. The fun begins!

By: Martin Haworth

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Never Slice Again! Did you know there are 3 types of slices in golf. You need to know which one you do in order to fix it. Maybe you’ve been trying to fix the wrong type of slice all this time. The secret move that will help you stop from coming over the top of the ball. I’ll teach you the anti-sidespin setup and three incredible drills that will have you on your way to hitting the ball straighter and further than you ever have in your life.

Let’s start with the 3 types of slices. Chances are you are hitting the golf ball in one of these 3 ways if your a “slicer”.

1. The Straight Slice- this happens when you path is straight and in alignment, but you leave you club face open just a little bit. The result- the ball starts off straight, it’s looking good for the fist 150 yards, and then it slowly starts to fade down the right side of the fairway.

2. The Pull Slice- Your swing path is outside-in and your club face is open- Double whammy! The result you start off left to over compensate and then your ball takes a right turn down the fairway and ends up way right.

3. The Push Slice- Your swing path is inside-out and your club face is open. Ouch! The result- Your start going right, right off the bat (I mean club) and keep going right, and keep going right, and keep going right. You get my point.

Why is it important to know which slice you hit? Well, the reason is, in order to fix it you need to know if it a swing path problem, a an open faced club problem or both. Once you know that, you can work on these drills I’ll explain later to help you fix them.

The #1 slice causing problem is improper swing path. You hit the ball square but it’s the angle your club hits the ball the causes the slice. This would result in a straight ball off the tee, but one that fades down the right side of the fairway after it’s out there a ways.

Here is a very simple but very effective drill that will help you alleviate the problem. Setup in your normal position, feet just past shoulder width, knees slightly bent, only this time take your back foot and move it so it is just about in line with your heal of your front foot. Now take some practice swings. This will force you to hit the ball with an inside-out path and make your balls go much straighter off the tee, and stay straighter down the fairway.

The next most common slice is the open club face. Even if the club face is open just one measly little degree, it can send your ball off by more than 10 yards. For this next drill you may want someone to video tape your or at least watch what you are doing to tell you the results.
Take your normal backswing with say 5 or 6 iron. Now stop at the top of your swing, just before you would begin your downswing. (This is where you’ll need some help). Where is your club head pointing? If it’s pointing down you will have an open club face at impact. If it’s pointing right, your too closed. In the correct position you shouldn’t even see the club face from behind, it should be perfectly parallel with the shaft at 45 degrees. Work on various grips and setup’s until you can get the correct position at the top of your swing. Just a minor little tweak will make a big difference. Don’t over due it.

A drill to help get proper swing plane…take 2-3 middle irons at a time. swing them back and forth over and over again in your warm up, this will help you produce a proper backswing and swing through the target correctly on the proper plane. The reason being is that you can’t swing too hard with 3 clubs at a time. This lead me to my next point…

And finally stop trying to kill it! You’ll get more power from a centered contact than you would from an open faced hit or a swing with an improper plane. There is just too much that has to happen at the exact pin-point second in a golf swing to hit the ball properly. If your coming out of your shoes and your balance is off, forget about it. You can swing as hard as you can and it still won’t go as far as a 3/4 swing that is squared up and right in the center of the club head. Don’t go too far back in your backswing, if your not that flexible, your balance will be off and so will your swing path. Just take a nice slow backswing until you feel the tension and then begin your downswing.

By: Chris Mccann

About the Author:

Are you looking for golf swing help? These 3 tips will add 10 yards to your drive:

1. Golf Fitness Training

Have you ever wondered how the world’s top golfers manage to drive the golf ball so far? Did you notice that many of them look very fit. For example, much of the power in Tiger Wood’s swing is attributed to his tremendous flexibility and core strength.

Their strength and flexibility does not come out of thin air. These professionals work out at the gym when they are not on the golf course or driving range. A little bit of weight training, lots of flexibility training and core training add a lot of power to the golf swing techniques of these top golfers. An additional advantage is that golf fitness training is done indoors, so you can get your workout no matter what the weather is like outside.

You, too, can do the same thing and add many yards to your golf swing. Even if you cannot work with a dedicated golf swing trainer, many gyms offer a Pilates training program. Although Pilates does not specially target golfers, the general core training and flexibility exercises in the program will still help you a lot.

2. Use The Longest Distance Golf Balls

Did you know that the longest distance golf balls can travel 260 yards when hit by an amateur golfer? CNN’s Golf Labs actually tested more than 50 of the best golf balls in play today, using a machine to hit the balls with a normal driver.

One of the longest distance golf balls is Noodle+, which travel 259 yards. Another excellent golf ball, Nike One Platinum, travels 240 yards. Tiger Woods actually uses this ball, because it gives him the greatest control over his game.

You could be losing many yards from your drive by using cheap golf balls. Try a top-grade golf ball and add another 10 yards to your drive.

3. Getting the correct golf clubs

Are you using the correct golf clubs? Amateurs have these 3 main problems with their golf clubs:
Grip – Are the grips on your golf clubs the right size for you? A grip which causes you to hold the golf club too tightly or too loosely can cause you to slice or hook the ball, losing precious distance in your drive. More than one golfer has found his slice miraculously disappearing once he got the grips on his clubs correctly fitted. Length – Yes, length matters. Too long or too short, and your swing could be badly affected. In the past, picking the golf clubs with the right length shaft was a hit or miss affair. However, with modern technology, many golf shops are equipped with golf swing analyzers and can analyze your golf swing and suggest the best shaft length for your driver. Flexibility – The more flexible the shaft of your golf club, the more power you have on tap. Unfortunately, more flexibility also means more torque, which can lead to a slice or hook. If you find yourself suffering from a bad slice, you may want to test a driver with a stiffer shaft. Conversely, if your golf swing techniques are good and you consistently hit the ball straight, getting a driver with a more flexible shaft could give you more power in your swing and a an extra 10 yards in distance.

Using just one of these golf swing help tips could add 10 yards or more to your drive. Use all three and gain 30 yards.

By: Godfrey Swain

About the Author:

Golf is one of the greatest games on Earth. It is also one of the hardest games. You would do well to follow these beginner golf tips to ensure that your entry into the golf world isn’t as bad as it could be. Too many people give up before they have really begun because they don’t adopt good habits. To give your game a turbo boost read on. You will be part of the ever growing band of Golfers Anonymous in no time at all.

1) The golf swing is a side action. It is not an up and down action. To understand this fully take a ball and throw it from your side with an underarm technique. This is the type of action you want to develop. Notice that the further you want to throw the ball the more you need to turn your shoulders.

2) A time old classic is to imagine that you are swinging a baseball bat. The main difference is that the club will need to reach the ground at some point so your stance will be different. Practice swinging a golf club as if you had a bat in your hand to train your muscles to understand the technique you are looking for.

3) When setting up to the ball stand with your feet shoulder width apart, bend your knees slightly and bend down from your hips with your back straight. Practice this by sticking your behind out to get the right feel for it. You want your arms to hang in front of your body. Try not to hunch over too much. When it comes to playing for real you don’t want to be too near the golf ball or too far away – this tip will help you get this right.

4) Grip the golf club lightly. Most beginner golf tips miss this out – if you grip too tightly you will not be able to swing with freedom. This will have a very negative impact on your game. Imagine you are holding a tube of toothpaste and you only want to squeeze just enough to get a little paste out. This is what you are looking for.

5) When swinging try to be as smooth and rhythmical as you can. It might feel a little strange at first but the more you swing a club the more comfortable you will get. Try to imagine a big hula hoop surrounding your body at an angle. You want the club to be swinging round your body on this path and it should be accelerating the nearer to the ground it gets. Forget about trying to hit the ball – think more about the fact that the ball is in the way of your club. Too many beginners get caught up with trying to hit at the ball and end up taking the club away from its intended path. This will only end in tears.

The golf swing can get very technical. A lot of beginner golf tips introduce some difficult concepts too early and this results in confusion. Golf is as much a feel and touch game as it is a scientific one. As you become more used to the basics you can start to introduce some more advanced techniques.

By: Michael M Lewis

About the Author:

One of the problems most golfers have is slicing the golf ball. It causes great frustration and some struggle for years hoping to improve this problem. There are many tips and tricks to eliminate the problem, it’s up to you to identify which areas of your game, grip or stance needs work.

Proper Grip

Start by moving your hands until they are in proper golf grip position. Take the club in your left hand and place your thumb on the shaft. If the line between your thumb and your index finger is pointing towards your right eye then it’s placed correctly. Now you have to wrap your right hand over the left hand and place your left thumb on the palm of your right hand.

Avoid gripping the golf club too tightly if you are right handed, it could cause the ball to hook towards the left. But you could cause the ball to slice towards the right if your grip is too weak; therefore you have to practice having a neutral grip when holding your golf club.

Proper Stance

Ensure that your shoulders are aligned with the ball. You are allowed to adjust stance to feel comfortable, but stance does play quite a big role when it comes to eliminating golf slice. Pay close attention to how you stand and address the ball – if you are doing everything else right but still slice the ball, you might want to practice your stance in the mirror and see if you find any areas to improve.

Tips to Avoid Golf Slice

As mentioned previously as well, the easiest to fix is your grip. Don’t tighten up when you get nervous, relax and keep the grip as neutral as you can.

If nothing you try seems to work – experiment with a stronger grip bit by bit. This won’t work for everyone and it should be something you try when nothing else seems to work for you.

During the downswing, your left hip will be leading and during the early downswing it will be your right shoulder that lowers and your right elbow should return to your side. A slice will be produced if your elbow is flying or flapping in the breeze, you must avoid this.

Proper position means your right arm will be closer to your torso than your left, your shoulders will be in line with the target line and your right shoulder will be lower than the left.

Avoid turning your hips too much, limit the movement. If you have too much movement the club will go too far inside and loop over the top.

Move into your forward swing with a leg thrust to the left.

By: Mike A Murray

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Do you make this mistake and cost yourself 15 yards off the tee?

In an effort to hit the golf ball harder to pick up a few more yards on your drive, do you grip the club really hard on the downswing, thinking that if you could just put a little more power into the shot you could launch a bomb? Only when you get out to your ball you find that it is actually shorter then your normal drive? (that is, IF you can even find your drive?)

Extra Grip Pressure Kills Swing Speed

Your extra grip pressure may be costing you 15 yards or more off the tee – particularly if you squeeze with the thumb and forefinger of your right hand.

The “secret” to driving the golf ball as far as you can is to increase your clubhead speed. For every 1 mph increase in clubhead speed you add about 2.5 yards of distance to your drives.

Anything you can do to speed up your clubhead speed will improve your distance.

Conversely, everything you do that slows down your clubhead speed will cost you distance.

To Swing Faster, Allow the Forearms to Rotate Through Impact

Maximizing your clubhead speed at impact involves allowing the forearms to rotate through the impact zone. Your right forearm should cross over your left forearm after contact with the golf ball.

Physiology May be Working Against You

You may be making a physiological mistake that is robbing you of forearm rotation, and therefore robbing you of distance!

If you have your right thumb on top of the shaft – what I call a 12:00 position – it is a quite normal reaction during the downswing to push with the thumb and squeeze with the right forefinger to control the club.

The Right Thumb at 12:00 Prevents Forearm Rotation

The problem is that using the thumb and forefinger activates a set of muscles on top of the forearm that prevent rotation, thus slowing down club head speed!

One of my students has taught woodshop for 30 years. When we discussed grip and the right thumb position, he related it to the way students are taught to hold a hammer. For precise nailing in fine woodworking the thumb is placed on the top of the hammer handle. He had always thought that lining the thumb up at 12:00 was more accurate because of the alignment. He had never considered that placing the thumb along the top of the handle activated muscles that worked to limit forearm rotation!

Bing!

You could see the light bulb go on.

His forearms were not rotating through the impact area in his golf swing because his thumb position was activating the forearm muscles that prevent forearm rotation.

Move the Right Thumb from 12:00 to 10:00

When we moved his thumb to a 10:00 position the results were immediate. His distance and his accuracy improved dramatically.

But there was more.

Through long habit with his thumb on top of the grip he had learned to squeeze with the right hand thumb and forefinger on the downswing. We used the “finger-wrap” drill to finally get him to stop squeezing.

Finger-Wrap Drill to Eliminate Grip Squeeze

To use the finger wrap drill, take your normal grip and address the ball. Without changing your hand position on the grip take your right forefinger from underneath the grip and wrap it around the top of the grip. Leave your right thumb in position on the grip (forefinger will rest on top of the thumb). The grip will now be between your right forefinger and middle finger.

Make your normal swing. It looks and feels awkward, but the results may surprise you.

Relaxed Thumb and Forefinger Adds 15 Yards

Pay attention to the way your grip pressure feels, particularly through the impact zone. Keep the pressure from your thumb and forefingers light. The finger-wrap drill is an easy way to learn how to keep from squeezing with the wrong muscles that slow down swing speed. Your golf ball will fly straighter and your drives will be longer. I’ve had students pick up 5-6 mph in swing speed and 12-15 yards immediately without any other changes to their golf swing, and the answer was right at their fingers!

By: Eric M Jones

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