Surefire Tips to Improve Your Golf Short Game

The short game, also called the pitch, is the most technical aspect of golfing. If you are good at the golf short game, you are likely to perform better and have a lower score. By following the golf short game tips below it can help you improve your golfing and ensure that it will take fewer strokes to complete the hole.

The short game is often ignored and people concentrate and practice the long game harder. The short game is hard because of the technicalities involved and takes up much more time to master. However, with these great tips, you will have no problem in stepping up a notch and becoming an expert golfer.

There are two type of pitches involved in the short game. These pitches depend on the distance that you are from the green. The further you are away from the pin the longer your swing will be. When you are around the fringe of the green that is when you will be chipping and that is outside of the scope of this article. In this article I will concentrate on pitches of 30 yards or less and those of 100 to 30 yards away.

You have taken the big swing and landed the ball within 100 yards of the hole. Now you need to take a swing at the ball. Here are the surefire tips for the short game that will help you get the ball closer to the pin.

Inside 30 Yards
For this pitch you want to assume a neutral grip. What I mean by a neutral grip is that when you look down at your hands as they grip the club you should be able to see two knuckles of the left hand (right hand for the left hander's). You should also be griping the club down at the end of the grip and close to the shaft.

For your stance you want to place your feet a little less than shoulder width apart and play the ball in the middle of your stance. Your hands should be a little ahead of the ball and you left (right for lefties) should be slightly pointed out about 25 to 35 degrees and the other foot about 10 to 15 degrees.

Your knees need to be flexed as you address the ball and your knees, hips and should should be perpendicular to the target. Your weight should be about 60 percent towards the left foot for right-handers and the opposite for the lefthanders.

For the standard pitch shot you want to bring the club back by cocking the wrists until the shaft of the club is parallel to the ground. Then you want to follow through until the shaft of the club is perpendicular to the ground. Remember the follow trough is important as it helps to make sure that the club head is acceleration through the ball.

The clubs you will use to this shot will vary with the circumstances. If you want a high pitch then you would use a wedge or another lofted club. For a low pitch you may want to choose a 7, 8, or 9 iron. You have to remember that the lower the pitch the more run you will get when the ball hits the green.

Inside 100 Yards
For this shot you will more than likely be choosing a wedge for a club. This club is ideal for this type of pitch. Wedges come in various degrees of loft so you need to practice to see which wedge you feel comfortable with for the distance you are at.

For this shot you are going to set up much like you did for the pitch shot 30 yards and under with a few exceptions. In order to get the required distance you are going to have to turn your body further and swing further. To accomplish this you should widen your stance to about your shoulder width and grip your club in the normal manner, more up towards the end of the grip. Your weight distribution should be equal or slightly to the back foot.

Once you have establish the address position you will simply need to turn and swing back until your arms are parallel to the ground and the club is perpendicular to the ground. From the backswing you want to turn and swing through in unison until the finish where you will find almost all of your weight on the front foot and the club above your head and parallel to the ground.

I feel that if you follow these tips on the short game that you will be able to reduce the number of strokes on your score card.

I hope that you have found these tips on the short game helpful and if you want please check out our site for golf tips and more to help you improve your golf game.
Visit http://www.ultimateseniorgolfer.com where you will find great tips and information for the senior golfer.

The Prerequisites For Attaining A Perfect Golf Swing

Having a perfect golf swing is a prime attribute of all of the top players in the sport. However it is not a piece of cake to refine the rhythm and swing every time at a tempo that is consistent. Not only that, but there is a perpetual state of balance that is achieved through a lot of practice.

There is an ineluctable link between rhythm and balance. There are players like Tom Watson who have much quicker tempos. On the other hand, one sees players like Ernie Els who play with a slower tempo. Whatever the case, there is equilibrium between their tempo and rhythm, which ensures a perfect golf swing.

The smoothness of pace and the maintenance of balance is what can help a player to attain lasting consistency with their swing. There are some mistakes that should be avoided by a golfer if he wants to perfect his art. One of them is rushing the swing, which leads to inconsistent contact as well as poor ball flight. Those who are extraordinary in the sport of golf do not lose their balance with a few exceptions, of course.

As it is, no one is perfect and even in the sporting careers of some of the best players there are some low moments. Their positions and movements are linked by their natural cadence. A golf swing by a seasoned pro generally seems effortless as one expert describes the approach in the words "swing easy and hit hard." The proper sequence of the body movement enables one to reach a posture of leverage and power. Calvin Peete, being a ten-time PGA Tour driving accuracy champion presents the success factors behind straight driving - balance, balance and more balance.

Achieving consistency is only possible if understanding is acquired about how the body gets its balance in the respective vital positions. The weight should be balanced between the right and left foot with the support of the player's middle and long irons, even while the spine is curved away from the target of focus. There should be no specific pressure on one particular heel or toe. As it is, on this level also attaining the right magnitude of balance is imperative and that is accomplished by a movement of the balls of the feet.

When the player arrives at the impact point, the majority of the weight should be transferred to the front foot. With the head positioned behind the ball and the hips shifting forward about four inches past their original position, the spine tilt is increased to twice its original angle. In short, propriety and coordination is what is required in the course of achieving this target that can only be attained by a lot of practice and hard work.

Are you looking for the tips for driving in golf? Be sure to visit my site for tips on getting straighter drives.

Tips On How To Improve Your Golf Chipping

The short game is very important, as most golfers know. In this article you will find plenty of short game tips to help your golf chipping.

Around the greens you will find a few different approaches to golf chipping and type of shot to be executed. There are many ways and techniques to learn around the greens, not just one method. There are a few variables to take into consideration that can affect the outcome of your chipping and they are, your lie, the surface condition and also distance from the target.

We will begin our tips on golf chipping with the basic chip. This chip is executed from just off the green. Your clubs of choice for this type of chip are the wedges or an 8/9iron. The best tactic for a simple chip is to choose the club that will let the ball run out to the hole for at least two thirds of the way. You should play this shot from an open stance with the ball position more towards your back foot, weight forward and hands ahead of the ball.

Our next golf chipping tip takes a look at the flop shot. When executed correctly your intention is to loft the ball through the air landing softly with little run. Most of the time a lob or sand wedge is used to help with the height required to pull off this type of shot.

With the flop shot you need to open the club face a bit. Keep your hands behind the club head with the ball positioned off of your front foot for this swing. Accelerating the club head through impact is vital to the success of this shot. A short, high flight with the ball nestling softly by the hole side with little or no run can be achieved when performed correctly.

A low chip and run is needed when you have a lot of green to cover before reaching the hole. Better to use longer irons for this like a 3/4/5/6 or 7 iron. A downward strike on the ball is needed for a crisp strike and consistency, so position the ball back in your stance. Once again you should align the clubface to the target and keep your hands ahead through impact.

The important thing here is the ball is rolling most of the way with this type of chip, so you have more control and will be able to judge the distance better.

The best thing to come from all these golf chipping tips is the need to practice with every iron in the bag if you want to become a better golfer around the greens. As with all golf skills it is important to get out there on the practice range or golf course and work on them until you become proficient.

Lower scores can be achieved if you become skilled in the short game area. Put these golf chipping tips to good use to enjoy lower scores and hopefully reduce your handicap along the way.

Kevin Phillips is a Golf Professional, and the Head Pro at Winterfield Golf Club on the East Coast of Scotland. He has written and published numerous golf articles. Visit his Golf Club Website ==>> http://www.winterfieldgolfclub.info - You will find more invaluable advice, tips and resources at the 2nd home of golf -->> kpgolfpro.com where you can also get a FREE report on how to become a better golfer as well as a free subscription to his golf newsletter.

How to Improve Your Short Game in Golf - Playing a Par 3 Course

Learning how to improve your short game in golf is by far the most important thing you can do to shoot a low round and improve your golf game. Amateur Golfers will play between 20 and 30 shots inside of 150 yards every round.

I watch so many people on the golf course struggle with their short game. Oh they will hit the green, but most of the time they are looking at long putts for birdie or par.

There are a couple of par 3 golf courses where I live and I love to play them on a pretty regular basis. My golf buddies laugh at me and think I am crazy. They tell me that I am wasting my time.

I know that understanding how to swing a wedge golf club will improve my golf swing technique faster than hitting a thousand shots on the driving range.

I have challenged them to come play, even betting them that if they can break par that I would pay for their round. No one has ever taken me up on it. I attribute it to the way I win so often when we are out playing.
When I play this course I take 2 clubs and a putter. The longest hole on the golf course is about 125 yards and the shortest is about 60 yards.

The reason I like to spend time playing this course is to help me improve my golf swing technique. I have found that the more I play this course the better my short game has become and the better my golf game is when playing on a full length golf course.

Knowing how to improvise golf shots when inside of 150 yards gives you an advantage that most amateur golfers never take into consideration.

There are golf schools that focus strictly on the short game. When you watch the professional golfers play on tour, one thing that you will notice is their ability to scramble.

Players like Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and others are known for their short game. This is one of the big reasons they are so good.

When you realize that between 20 and 30 shots a round are played from inside 150 yards, you begin to understand why it is so important to have a strong short game.

Golfers, take time to learn how to improve your short game in golf. You will lower your scores and improve your golf game.

I have found that while being out on the course I have been able to observe others and offer suggests that quickly improve their performance. Helping others with the little things in life are always a joy. It makes my day when I can help someone else with their journey in life and on the golf course.

Discover simple golf swing advice to help you shave 7 to 10 strokes off your game - click here.

How to Get More Distance in Golf Through Exercise

While perhaps not the most physical of sports, golf is still a sport that requires a certain level of physical fitness. Improving your overall physical fitness in two key areas can enable you to achieve more distance during play. The question of how to get more distance in golf can be answered by regular, targeted exercises designed to increase core strength and flexibility.

Core Strength
A proper, effective golf swing relies heavily on core muscles, the set of muscles that run from your chest to your hips all the way around your body, which are responsible for body rotation. While a swing involves the muscles in your arms, legs, and shoulders, your core is where the power behind your swing comes from. If the goal is to achieve a better distance golf swing, then core muscles should be the focus of your effort.
Core strength training has increased in popularity in recent years, and for good reasons even beyond a better golf swing. Yoga and Pilates both offer great core strength development. Many golfers incorporate core exercises into their daily schedule or just before hitting the driving range. Exercises may involve using a golf club or a weighted medicine ball. The key to core exercises is smooth, slow motions with proper breathing.

Flexibility
The second type of physical activity for hitting longer drives is flexibility. A fast, full golf swing, which gets a longer drive, requires a wide range of motion and flexibility. Tour players are extremely flexible, which allows them to achieve fluid, powerful swings.

A golfer with tight muscles or joints will not be able to carry through a full swing, and his body will attempt to compensate for the lack of a full swing. The compensation is not nearly as effective as a full swing and can lead to poor golf habits that may persist. Like core strength, flexibility does not require complex, difficult exercise programs or regimens. Instead, regularly performing relevant stretching exercises will pay off with longer drives in time.

Golfers, especially newer golfers, often are tight in their lower back, hamstrings, and shoulders, so flexibility exercises should focus on these areas. Golfers who seek to understand how to get more distance in golf will be wise to institute a core strength and exercise regimen before investing in the latest $500 club or signing up for a dozen golf lessons. Within a couple of weeks of performing regular exercises, golfers should see a noticeable increase in their distance.

After all, the distance that your ball gets is determined by the effectiveness of your swing. A full swing that can tap into core strength will result in a faster, more controlled, and longer drive.

For more resources on getting more distance and improving your golf game, visit http://www.womensgolfclubsreview.com for information on choosing the right equipment. We offer comprehensive reviews of top-rated golf equipment from many manufacturers for any level of player with any budget level.

What Is Your Yard Per Pound Ratio?

"What Is Your Yard Per Pound Ratio?"

(And How Does This Help With Consistency?)

By Marc Solomon

Let’s hear it for Mark Wilson, the winner of the PGA Tour event a couple of weeks ago in Phoenix, Arizona.  Here’s a guy that is 5’8” tall and weighs 145 pounds (1.52 meters and 65.7 kg) … yet he was bombing his Driver 301 yards (275 meters) in the 3rd round of the tournament!

This translates into 2.07 yards per pound (4.18 meters per kilo) with his drives!  What’s your yard per pound rating with your Driver?  Meaning, if you weigh 200 pounds and your average drive is 220 yards, your rating is: 1.1 yards per pound.

This obviously isn’t a stat that is extremely vital … although it does tell a lot about the efficiency of your golf swing.  How much are you truly getting out of your golf swing?  Is you golf swing efficient?  Or is your golf swing similar to the US Budget?  Meaning it has a lot of waste stuffed into it?

Obviously, the bigger you are … the harder it is to have a higher efficiency rating.  For example: a guy that’s 250 pounds would have to average hitting his Driver over 500 yards to equal Wilson’s rating.  And if the same 250 pound Golfer averaged 250 yards a drive he would ‘only’ have a rating of 1 yard per pound.

The key is that everyone’s goal in their golf swing should be to make it as efficient as it can be.  Or, in-other-words, getting the most out of your swing that you’re capable of.

Now this doesn’t mean you should just swipe at the golf ball as hard as you can.  Doing that doesn’t make an efficient golf swing.  If that was your mindset before each swing, your golf balls would be flying (or rolling) all over the place.

So how do you become more efficient?

A question I am often asked is:  “Marc, what makes a good golf swing?”  My belief is:  A good golf swing depends on each individual person.  However, the key for you to improve your golf swing is to start working on becoming more efficient in your movements.  The more everything is working together … the less problems.  The less everything is working together … the more inconsistent you will become.

Why is Tiger ‘struggling’ right now?  His golf swing is less efficient than it used to be.  Can he regain that efficiency?  Of course he can.  When will that happen?  When he stops trying to incorporate new stuff into his golf swing and starts going back to becoming efficient.  Why do most Golfers never improve their game?  Because they’re always trying to incorporate new stuff into their golf swing … instead of learning to make an efficient golf swing.

Most people consider improvement being based on becoming more consistent.  However, I believe that consistency is just an Effect of a more efficient golf swing.  When you’re able to have more parts of your body working together in unison to bring that club from the starting position to impact – you’re becoming more efficient in your motion.  And because you’re becoming more efficient … your golf swing is becoming more consistent.

For example:  When a Golfer comes to GMS and learns how to allow their left side of their body and their right side of their body to work together … they are learning to become more efficient with their golf swing.  When Golfers first come to see us … 90% of these Golfers are completely right side dominate.  Their right side is much, much more coordinated than their left side.  Everything from their right foot all the way up their body to their right arm and hand is more coordinated than the comparable body part on their left side.

So what are the effects of that problem?  Well, their right side then has to compensate for their slower, weaker, less coordinated left side.  Thus, because of these compensations, their golf swing isn’t close to being efficient.  Meaning, they are continually making different adjustments each and every golf swing to try to overcome their bad golf shots.  Which is just another way of saying that you are inconsistent. Yet, this inconsistency is Caused by your lack of efficiency.

However, most of you are trying to fix that inconsistency by trying to swing more inside to out, or keeping your head more still, or trying to stack and tilt, or trying to create more lag, or blah, blah, blah, blah.  Yet, you’re getting farther and farther away from consistency because you’re trying to fix different Effects.  And these Effects will not disappear because you haven’t worked to fix the Cause of these problems.

What we have found is that the more you get both sides of your body working together, the more efficient your golf swing is becoming.  Thus, your golf shots become more consistent.

 

Do you want to become more consistent?  Stop Monkeying Around – Start Learning To Become More Efficient!

Consistency is based on Efficiency …

Consistency is not based on an inside to out swing!

Consistency is an Effect.  It is an Effect that is based on a more efficient golf swing.  Or in other words, have you been working on becoming more consistent?  What have been your results?  Over the time you have been working on becoming consistent, how much more consistent have you become?

If you’re like most people, your answer is “very little”.  Why is this so common?  Because a consistent golf swing is an Effect.  And you can’t work on fixing an Effect.  You need to fix the Cause!

Perhaps the Cause of your inconsistency is that your golf swing isn’t very efficient.

For example:  How can a 145 pound person hit the golf ball over 300 yards?  His golf swing (at least for those 4 rounds of golf) was very efficient!

What’s your yards per pound (meters per kilo) with your Driver?  The higher it is … the more efficient your golf swing is.  The lower it is … the less efficient (and possibly more inconsistent) it is.

The Monkey is working on Effects to become consistent … and continues to stay inconsistent

The Player knows consistency comes from efficiency

 

Go ahead, Be A Player!
 

Regards,

 

Marc Solomon - Your Instructor For Life

http://www.GolfMadeSimple.com