Understanding golf ball compression will assist you in determining which balls you should be playing with.
Once you match your golf balls to your style you will notice an improvement in your game.
Sometimes a change of ball might be all you need to nudge your handicap in the right direction if progress has stalled recently.
The compression of the golf ball is measured by how tightly it is wound.
There are three main compression ratings with golf balls and they are named as follows.
Firstly there are the 80 compression balls, which are the softest of the balls on the market.
These are the balls that beginners love because they fly further than the other types of balls, and beginners love to see how far they can hit the ball.
They are also suited to a slower swing, which benefits the beginner.
Women and elderly players often prefer these balls too.
When these softer balls are hit, they compress somewhat and that gives them a slingshot effect, which assists in the distance they can be hit.
There is a downside to everything and softer balls offer less control.
The next category of ball is the 90 compression and as expected these are a mid range compression that offer more control with a little less distance.
And finally there are the 100 compression balls.
These are the hardest balls and because of this fact they require a faster swing to get the same distance.
These are the balls that the pros use because they offer the highest level of control and that is what they are more concerned with.
They are able to hit the ball with sufficient speed to get the required distance and they can take advantage of the added control that these balls offer over the other ball compressions.
It is a good idea to buy one or two of each type of ball and test to see which ones you prefer to use, as it is not set in rock that a slow swinging golfer must use a softer ball.
These are just guidelines that are commonly followed.
Showing posts with label 4 Ways To Beat The Long Hitter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 4 Ways To Beat The Long Hitter. Show all posts
The Best Golf Investment You Could Make
What do you believe your best golf investment is?
Is it your clubs?
Maybe it is your driver?
Maybe the golf balls you use or the shoes you wear?
The best investment you could probably make would be to get lessons from a good golf professional.
The sooner people get professional instruction the better their golf will be simply because they won't need to relearn the correct techniques to replace bad habits.
Golf is all about fine tuning and making small improvements that compound over the course of a round to sometimes quite dramatically reduce your score and handicap.
Imagine the benefit of becoming more proficient with the use of your putter where it helps to save a shot every few holes.
At the end of the round, that could be the difference between a score in the 80's and dropping into the 70's.
Imagine knowing that should you get in the rough you will be able to chip out and set yourself up for a better approach.
Having the confidence to play from anywhere on the course will also make the game more enjoyable and this only comes from experience.
There is no faster way to gain experience than through the help of a professional.
They will be able to stand and observe you to correct any errors in your swing that you wouldn't be able to target on your own.
You might be only a fraction of an inch away from setting your balls up in the right position or your hand placement on the club might be slightly ill placed to get the correct movement.
A well-trained golfer will do more with a poor set of golf clubs than an inexperienced player with the best clubs in the world.
It is wise to get some good tuition first and then you might just find that you will be ready for a better set of clubs as your experience has risen to the next level.
Golf lessons are a very wise investment if you intend to play for any length of time.
Is it your clubs?
Maybe it is your driver?
Maybe the golf balls you use or the shoes you wear?
The best investment you could probably make would be to get lessons from a good golf professional.
The sooner people get professional instruction the better their golf will be simply because they won't need to relearn the correct techniques to replace bad habits.
Golf is all about fine tuning and making small improvements that compound over the course of a round to sometimes quite dramatically reduce your score and handicap.
Imagine the benefit of becoming more proficient with the use of your putter where it helps to save a shot every few holes.
At the end of the round, that could be the difference between a score in the 80's and dropping into the 70's.
Imagine knowing that should you get in the rough you will be able to chip out and set yourself up for a better approach.
Having the confidence to play from anywhere on the course will also make the game more enjoyable and this only comes from experience.
There is no faster way to gain experience than through the help of a professional.
They will be able to stand and observe you to correct any errors in your swing that you wouldn't be able to target on your own.
You might be only a fraction of an inch away from setting your balls up in the right position or your hand placement on the club might be slightly ill placed to get the correct movement.
A well-trained golfer will do more with a poor set of golf clubs than an inexperienced player with the best clubs in the world.
It is wise to get some good tuition first and then you might just find that you will be ready for a better set of clubs as your experience has risen to the next level.
Golf lessons are a very wise investment if you intend to play for any length of time.
Get a Grip On Your Game
More precisely the title of this should be to get the 'Right Grip' and that means get one that is specifically correct for you.
You can't expect the grip on your golf club to be the optimum size for both you and someone else with bigger or smaller hands.
How can the grip on the golf clubs of a large man be the right size for both him and that tiny old lady playing alongside him?
What is right for her will probably be too small for him and a grip that is too small will make him tend to hold the club too tight.
Instantly there will be a problem with his swing if he is holding too tight.
Just changing the grip to a bigger one can alter a game dramatically.
Your hands are your link to the golf clubs and everything that goes on below that point.
Your contact point with the clubs needs to be correct if you are expected to play well.
Don't be satisfied with the grips that the manufacturers supply, as they will offer a standard size to suit the majority of buyers.
You need to go one step further and find a grip that will allow you to control the club comfortably without having to hold it so hard that your game suffers.
A slippery grip will force you to hold too tight and that is something you don't want to contend with while you are playing.
Get grips for your clubs that are not only suited in size but also in the type of materials used as this can determine how tight you will hold them.
In addition to this, you need to warm up your wrists before play to ensure they are relaxed and ready for action.
Performing a few simple warm up exercises of rolling your wrist while holding your club lightly will help to reduce the possibility of injury.
You can't expect the grip on your golf club to be the optimum size for both you and someone else with bigger or smaller hands.
How can the grip on the golf clubs of a large man be the right size for both him and that tiny old lady playing alongside him?
What is right for her will probably be too small for him and a grip that is too small will make him tend to hold the club too tight.
Instantly there will be a problem with his swing if he is holding too tight.
Just changing the grip to a bigger one can alter a game dramatically.
Your hands are your link to the golf clubs and everything that goes on below that point.
Your contact point with the clubs needs to be correct if you are expected to play well.
Don't be satisfied with the grips that the manufacturers supply, as they will offer a standard size to suit the majority of buyers.
You need to go one step further and find a grip that will allow you to control the club comfortably without having to hold it so hard that your game suffers.
A slippery grip will force you to hold too tight and that is something you don't want to contend with while you are playing.
Get grips for your clubs that are not only suited in size but also in the type of materials used as this can determine how tight you will hold them.
In addition to this, you need to warm up your wrists before play to ensure they are relaxed and ready for action.
Performing a few simple warm up exercises of rolling your wrist while holding your club lightly will help to reduce the possibility of injury.
The Difference Between Club Shafts
The type of golf club shaft that is best suited to your style of play will depend on your swing speed.
The faster you swing the stiffer the shaft should be.
Shaft flex is determined by the ability of the shaft to bend during your swing.
A stiff shaft will not bend as easily as a regular shaft in steel or graphite.
Some people prefer graphite shafts because of their lighter weight.
Shaft flexes will vary from one manufacturer to another so this is an important element that needs to be taken into consideration as a regular shaft from one manufacturer won't necessarily give you the same flex as a regular shaft of another manufacturer.
To get the correct shaft for your game you should really get your swing speed tested, as this will determine what clubs to get.
The reason you need to understand how much flex you need is because the flex determines whether your club head will impact squarely on the ball at the point of impact.
If there is too much flex in the shaft the club head will impact in a closed or more lofted position.
The opposite is the case where the shaft is too stiff with the club head hitting in an open and less lofted position.
It can get difficult when your swing speed is on the borderline between club shaft selections and you might even need to get different shafts for the various clubs you use to optimize your game.
Club shafts have various ratings and they are as follows.
L Shaft is for a swing speed less than 70 mph.
A Shaft is between 70 and 80 mph
R Shaft is between 80 and 90 mph
S Shaft is between 90 and 105 mph
X Shaft is over 105 mph
This is a guideline but it will help in your selection.
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The faster you swing the stiffer the shaft should be.
Shaft flex is determined by the ability of the shaft to bend during your swing.
A stiff shaft will not bend as easily as a regular shaft in steel or graphite.
Some people prefer graphite shafts because of their lighter weight.
Shaft flexes will vary from one manufacturer to another so this is an important element that needs to be taken into consideration as a regular shaft from one manufacturer won't necessarily give you the same flex as a regular shaft of another manufacturer.
To get the correct shaft for your game you should really get your swing speed tested, as this will determine what clubs to get.
The reason you need to understand how much flex you need is because the flex determines whether your club head will impact squarely on the ball at the point of impact.
If there is too much flex in the shaft the club head will impact in a closed or more lofted position.
The opposite is the case where the shaft is too stiff with the club head hitting in an open and less lofted position.
It can get difficult when your swing speed is on the borderline between club shaft selections and you might even need to get different shafts for the various clubs you use to optimize your game.
Club shafts have various ratings and they are as follows.
L Shaft is for a swing speed less than 70 mph.
A Shaft is between 70 and 80 mph
R Shaft is between 80 and 90 mph
S Shaft is between 90 and 105 mph
X Shaft is over 105 mph
This is a guideline but it will help in your selection.
READ MORE
How Do You Keep Your Head Still?
One thing we are all taught when getting golf lessons is to keep your head still when you hit the ball.
Obviously this is not completely possible and even the best players in the game have some head movement during their swing.
Observe them next time you see them play and you will see what I mean.
There is one thing that all good golfers do manage to do and that is, they keep their head behind the ball at the point of impact.
They might have some movement on their back swing but they will ensure that their head is behind the ball when they strike it and that is what is most important.
You should certainly try to keep your head as still as possible and the less movement you have the better, however as you drive faster and harder you will naturally get more head movement.
While you need to control your head movement it is not something that you should have to focus on when you are playing.
This action should come naturally and that will happen more easily with practice.
As soon as you start thinking too much when you are about to take your shot you will begin to have trouble.
Your head will naturally move to the back of the swing as it would do with any swinging motion, and the bigger the swing the more your head is likely to move.
Once you have hit the ball your head will follow through naturally with the movement of your shoulders.
You can even observe how some golfers actually tilt their head to their trailing arm before their downswing to ensure that it is behind the ball at the point of impact.
This is something that you could try, but at all times your swing should feel comfortable and the movements should feel natural or you will revert to actions that won't deliver the best results.
READ MORE
Obviously this is not completely possible and even the best players in the game have some head movement during their swing.
Observe them next time you see them play and you will see what I mean.
There is one thing that all good golfers do manage to do and that is, they keep their head behind the ball at the point of impact.
They might have some movement on their back swing but they will ensure that their head is behind the ball when they strike it and that is what is most important.
You should certainly try to keep your head as still as possible and the less movement you have the better, however as you drive faster and harder you will naturally get more head movement.
While you need to control your head movement it is not something that you should have to focus on when you are playing.
This action should come naturally and that will happen more easily with practice.
As soon as you start thinking too much when you are about to take your shot you will begin to have trouble.
Your head will naturally move to the back of the swing as it would do with any swinging motion, and the bigger the swing the more your head is likely to move.
Once you have hit the ball your head will follow through naturally with the movement of your shoulders.
You can even observe how some golfers actually tilt their head to their trailing arm before their downswing to ensure that it is behind the ball at the point of impact.
This is something that you could try, but at all times your swing should feel comfortable and the movements should feel natural or you will revert to actions that won't deliver the best results.
READ MORE
How My Top 30 Predictions Turned Out?
The LPGA talent is unquestionably at its highest level ever.
With so many great players, it seemed we had a different winner every week. In fact the 27 tournaments played, brought us seventeen different winners.
We had winners from eight different countries. The LPGA has truly become the international tour that Commissioner Michael Whan predicted it would be when he took the commissioner's job a few years back.
The number of tournaments has grown from 23, when Mr. Whan took the reigns, to 27 this year. In about 6 weeks the 2013 schedule will be released, and rumor has it that we could have 30 tournaments. In these troubled times for our economy, the LPGA is heading in the right direction.
READ MORE
With so many great players, it seemed we had a different winner every week. In fact the 27 tournaments played, brought us seventeen different winners.
We had winners from eight different countries. The LPGA has truly become the international tour that Commissioner Michael Whan predicted it would be when he took the commissioner's job a few years back.
The number of tournaments has grown from 23, when Mr. Whan took the reigns, to 27 this year. In about 6 weeks the 2013 schedule will be released, and rumor has it that we could have 30 tournaments. In these troubled times for our economy, the LPGA is heading in the right direction.
READ MORE
"The secret to heal that part of Golf .When nothing worked until this moment for you? '
Do you ask yourself after a bad round "Why
am I even golfing at all" ?
Have you gone to the range and somehow you miraculously started to hit straight golf shots, saying to yourself... "I think I got it, I think I got it!" ... then when you hit the course your score card still looked horrible ?
... Or are you the type of golfer that wants to get better, spending countless dollars on lessons and expensive clubs, but nothing seems to put a dent in your Golf Slice ?
READ MORE
Have you gone to the range and somehow you miraculously started to hit straight golf shots, saying to yourself... "I think I got it, I think I got it!" ... then when you hit the course your score card still looked horrible ?
... Or are you the type of golfer that wants to get better, spending countless dollars on lessons and expensive clubs, but nothing seems to put a dent in your Golf Slice ?
READ MORE
Golf Strategy - How to Break 90?
Breaking the Distance Barrier
Golf science for superior swing performance
How to develop your swing around "your physique" to increase golf swing speed, distance and consistency without wasting countless hours of ineffective practice
The simple mechanics and physics of the golf swing demonstrates that your best opportunity for swing improvement is to develop a swing that is "matched with your physique"...
Armed with the indisputable science of golf I will show you how to rapidly increase your swing distance and improve your swing consistency to lower your scores..
READ MORE
Golf science for superior swing performance
How to develop your swing around "your physique" to increase golf swing speed, distance and consistency without wasting countless hours of ineffective practice
The simple mechanics and physics of the golf swing demonstrates that your best opportunity for swing improvement is to develop a swing that is "matched with your physique"...
Armed with the indisputable science of golf I will show you how to rapidly increase your swing distance and improve your swing consistency to lower your scores..
READ MORE
Golf Basics Build Your Foundation First
More and more people every year get bitten by the golf bug. Golf’s
popularity continues to rise year after year. With more and more people
becoming interested in golf, more and more people are taking their first
steps in wanting to learn how to play the game.
And the great thing is – it is people of all age groups, genders, race and social strata. I have really been enjoying working with every type of golfer.
The first aspect of the game of golf that I talk with about a person or group of people that are just beginning to take up the game is that learning to play golf is going to take some time and much patience. In fact, the patience part never goes away in this great game!
The second aspect (or at least real close to it) that I speak with beginning golfers about is practice; and the amount you spend with quality practice time will get you to the point in your game you want to be.
Everyone has different ambitions and expectations as to how far they want to take their game. Whether it’s just a spouse who wants to learn enough of the game and the golf swing to enjoy an afternoon with their significant other, or someone who one day wishes to play competitively, the game of golf can accommodate. But, it’s fundamentals and practice that will get you to your goal.
At its core of the game of golf is the golf swing. Your golf swing. How you start out learning the mechanics of the golf swing is crucial. Don’t skip the basics! Learn some fundamentals before you even begin to tackle the swing.
The grip, the stance, the setup to the ball, and your posture, is the foundation from which you must learn the golf swing. If you don’t spend the time early on ingraining these aspects into your physical psyche, you’ll not (if ever) consistently strike the golf ball. So, make sure when you are working with your instructor, you don’t just start whacking at balls. Make sure you build the proper foundation with the aforementioned elements.
When you do progress to actually swinging the club, I like to have people start with middle iron (usually a 6 or 7 iron). In my opinion, the middle iron is the best club to begin learning the golf swing. With a six iron, for example, the ball placement is in the middle of your stance. This means that as you progress to higher and lower irons you will have a benchmark to work from. Also down the road, if you swing begins to trouble you, I usually suggest that you get back to your basic neutral position club of the six iron and get your rhythm and timing back.
If you are just beginning, you must understand that the longer the shaft on the club, the longer it is going to take you to consistently and accurately hit the golf ball. It’s just the physics. I see way too many beginners want to rush to justice and hit the driver and they never learn the proper swing. Always learn, tune, and groove your swing with a middle iron. Then work to keep that mindset as you climb the ladder of your clubs.
From you middle iron placement your longer shafted clubs will find your ball placement more toward your front foot’s instep; while your shorter irons will have the ball work more toward the back foot’s instep.
But before you do any of this, make sure you start with your foundation. Make sure that when you speak with your teaching professional you let them know that you want to spend time with and make sure you understand the concepts of the grip, stance, alignment, and posture. This will ensure that you don’t build a house of cards with your golf swing that will always be tumbling apart.
Once you get past your first couple of lessons of working on the foundations, don’t forget them. Always, always, always, be cognizant of your grip, stance, alignment, and posture even as you begin developing your golf swing. Be sure to incorporate a quick check of these before you engage your swing.
And finally, we come full circle. Be patient with yourself and spend time practicing. If you do, you’ll realize the wonderful rewards that the game of golf returns in a much sooner fashion.
And the great thing is – it is people of all age groups, genders, race and social strata. I have really been enjoying working with every type of golfer.
The first aspect of the game of golf that I talk with about a person or group of people that are just beginning to take up the game is that learning to play golf is going to take some time and much patience. In fact, the patience part never goes away in this great game!
The second aspect (or at least real close to it) that I speak with beginning golfers about is practice; and the amount you spend with quality practice time will get you to the point in your game you want to be.
Everyone has different ambitions and expectations as to how far they want to take their game. Whether it’s just a spouse who wants to learn enough of the game and the golf swing to enjoy an afternoon with their significant other, or someone who one day wishes to play competitively, the game of golf can accommodate. But, it’s fundamentals and practice that will get you to your goal.
At its core of the game of golf is the golf swing. Your golf swing. How you start out learning the mechanics of the golf swing is crucial. Don’t skip the basics! Learn some fundamentals before you even begin to tackle the swing.
The grip, the stance, the setup to the ball, and your posture, is the foundation from which you must learn the golf swing. If you don’t spend the time early on ingraining these aspects into your physical psyche, you’ll not (if ever) consistently strike the golf ball. So, make sure when you are working with your instructor, you don’t just start whacking at balls. Make sure you build the proper foundation with the aforementioned elements.
When you do progress to actually swinging the club, I like to have people start with middle iron (usually a 6 or 7 iron). In my opinion, the middle iron is the best club to begin learning the golf swing. With a six iron, for example, the ball placement is in the middle of your stance. This means that as you progress to higher and lower irons you will have a benchmark to work from. Also down the road, if you swing begins to trouble you, I usually suggest that you get back to your basic neutral position club of the six iron and get your rhythm and timing back.
If you are just beginning, you must understand that the longer the shaft on the club, the longer it is going to take you to consistently and accurately hit the golf ball. It’s just the physics. I see way too many beginners want to rush to justice and hit the driver and they never learn the proper swing. Always learn, tune, and groove your swing with a middle iron. Then work to keep that mindset as you climb the ladder of your clubs.
From you middle iron placement your longer shafted clubs will find your ball placement more toward your front foot’s instep; while your shorter irons will have the ball work more toward the back foot’s instep.
But before you do any of this, make sure you start with your foundation. Make sure that when you speak with your teaching professional you let them know that you want to spend time with and make sure you understand the concepts of the grip, stance, alignment, and posture. This will ensure that you don’t build a house of cards with your golf swing that will always be tumbling apart.
Once you get past your first couple of lessons of working on the foundations, don’t forget them. Always, always, always, be cognizant of your grip, stance, alignment, and posture even as you begin developing your golf swing. Be sure to incorporate a quick check of these before you engage your swing.
And finally, we come full circle. Be patient with yourself and spend time practicing. If you do, you’ll realize the wonderful rewards that the game of golf returns in a much sooner fashion.
4 Ways To Beat The Long Hitter
1. Hit it straight
Nothing gets inside a long hitters head faster then a fairway hitting opponent. Chances are the long hitter is not the most accurate driver of the golf ball, keep the heat on by hitting the fairway as much as possible. If you have to use a hybrid club or a iron off the tee to keep the ball in the fairway, the mental edge of hitting the fairway outweighs the loss of distance.
2. Hit the green
Most of if not all of the time you will be hitting first, keep the heat on by hitting the green If he knows you are looking at birdie putts all day, it starts to wear on him
3. Have a good short game
The short game is the true equalizer on the golf course. If you have a sharp short game you can compete against any golfer on the planet.
4. Ignore his distance
Accept the fact the he hits the ball 50 to 60 yards past you. If you accept the fact that distance doesn’t matter, you will have another psychological advantage. What difference does it make if he is hitting a pitching wedge and you are hitting a 7 iron for your second shot? Golf is all about getting the ball in the hole in the fewest strokes, not how you got the ball in the fewest strokes.
When you are playing a match against a long hitter, and lets face it, with the technology in golf clubs, golf balls, strength training and nutrition, guys are hitting the ball 300 plus yards on a regular basis. The fact still remains that when you are on the golf course you are walking (or riding) with a bag of tools. It is just a matter of using the right tool for task at hand. Does it really matter what club it takes you to hit a golf ball 150 yards? Weather it’s a 6, 7,8 or 9 iron should not matter to you, and your opponents club selection should be the last thing from your mind during a match.
The pride of the long hitters game is hitting it long, so the fact that you can compete with him without having to hit the 300 yard drives is already a advantage in your favor if you choose to look at it that way. As a short hitter you should focus on keeping the pressure on as much as possible. The four steps that I have outlined will give you the mental edge that you need to negate the long drives that your opponent is blasting past you.
http://www.AllGolf.org
Nothing gets inside a long hitters head faster then a fairway hitting opponent. Chances are the long hitter is not the most accurate driver of the golf ball, keep the heat on by hitting the fairway as much as possible. If you have to use a hybrid club or a iron off the tee to keep the ball in the fairway, the mental edge of hitting the fairway outweighs the loss of distance.
2. Hit the green
Most of if not all of the time you will be hitting first, keep the heat on by hitting the green If he knows you are looking at birdie putts all day, it starts to wear on him
3. Have a good short game
The short game is the true equalizer on the golf course. If you have a sharp short game you can compete against any golfer on the planet.
4. Ignore his distance
Accept the fact the he hits the ball 50 to 60 yards past you. If you accept the fact that distance doesn’t matter, you will have another psychological advantage. What difference does it make if he is hitting a pitching wedge and you are hitting a 7 iron for your second shot? Golf is all about getting the ball in the hole in the fewest strokes, not how you got the ball in the fewest strokes.
When you are playing a match against a long hitter, and lets face it, with the technology in golf clubs, golf balls, strength training and nutrition, guys are hitting the ball 300 plus yards on a regular basis. The fact still remains that when you are on the golf course you are walking (or riding) with a bag of tools. It is just a matter of using the right tool for task at hand. Does it really matter what club it takes you to hit a golf ball 150 yards? Weather it’s a 6, 7,8 or 9 iron should not matter to you, and your opponents club selection should be the last thing from your mind during a match.
The pride of the long hitters game is hitting it long, so the fact that you can compete with him without having to hit the 300 yard drives is already a advantage in your favor if you choose to look at it that way. As a short hitter you should focus on keeping the pressure on as much as possible. The four steps that I have outlined will give you the mental edge that you need to negate the long drives that your opponent is blasting past you.
http://www.AllGolf.org
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