What You Should Know Before You Buy Golf Clubs

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Golf Lessons

With all the different types of golf clubs out there, how are you supposed to know which ones to buy? There are a few things you should consider before plunking down major money on a set of new clubs.

Your first step before purchasing new golf clubs is to ask around. Your friends who golf or other golfers in your league may have very strong opinions about particular brands of clubs. Listen to what they have to say and gather as many opinions as you can. Ask them what they like or dislike about their golf clubs and ask how they decided to purchase that particular brand of clubs.

Watch the other golfers on the golf course and see what golf clubs are in their carts. Take a peek at passing carts. This will give you a rough idea of what clubs others on the course are using. It also may tell you that a certain brand may be better suited for the course or may be available for a discounted price in the area. Also, while you are at the golf course, ask the local pro what he recommends. However, keep in mind that many pros have ties to manufacturers of particular golf clubs.

Next do a little research on golf clubs. Read the reviews of any clubs you are interested in. Also, read golf magazines. These publications frequently review new golf clubs or have feature articles on manufacturers of clubs.

Once you have a few brands of golf clubs selected that you are interested in, do some comparison shopping. Often, you may find that one manufacturer is much cheaper than another, which helps you make your decision. Or, maybe the local sporting goods store is having a sale on a particular brand of golf club.

Finally, keep your eyes open for demo days in your area. These are days when you can try out golf clubs from various different makers. This can give you a good idea of which clubs feel good to you and work well with your golf style or complement your strengths and weaknesses in the game. It is always a good idea to try out a set of golf clubs before you invest in them.

By taking the time to ask around and research golf clubs, you can end up with a set that you not only love playing with, but also got a great price on. The key is to gather as much information as you can before purchasing your golf clubs. Then you can rest assured you’ve gotten the best golf clubs for you.

What You Need to Know Before Buying Used Golf Clubs

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Golf Lessons

If you’re in the market for golf clubs, and haven’t considered buying used golf clubs… you should! Here’s why. There are many golfers out there who like to have the latest and greatest equipment all the time and have no problem spending big bucks for it. They pick up a brand new set of Callaways, then next week decide they don’t like them and want Titleist instead. But this is great news for anyone who would rather buy used golf clubs for a fraction of the price than shell out the money for new clubs.

If you’re considering purchasing used golf clubs there are some things you should be aware of before you plunk down your money. There are the obvious "buyer beware" tips such as making sure the seller is reputable. But there are also some things that relate specifically to used golf clubs that you should consider.

When buying used golf clubs, first check the club heads. You are looking for signs of wear. If there is a shiny worn spot in the middle of the club head, it means it may not hold the ball as well. Also, the grooves should still be well defined. Stay away from used golf clubs that don’t meet these requirements.

Next, you will want to check the shafts and grips on the used golf clubs. Look for worn areas on the shaft that could make the club weak. With steel shafts, make sure none of the shafts are bent. Look for cracked or worn areas in the grips. You don’t want to save money by buying used golf clubs only to have to spend more to get them re-gripped!

You will want to make sure that the set of used golf clubs is consistent. They should all appear to be from the same set. Mixing and matching clubs from different sets can affect your game. Also, check the prices of new golf clubs from the same and other manufacturers before you purchase the used clubs. Sometimes you can find a new set from a different maker that costs less than the used golf clubs.

Finally, ask the seller if you can try out the used golf clubs before you commit to the purchase. After all, a bargain is not really a bargain if you won’t enjoy using the clubs or if they just don’t feel like they are sized right for you. If this is not an option, at least check with other golfers, professionals, or product reviews to see what people think of that particular set. Used golf clubs can be a great way to go for the financially savvy golfer!

Tips for a Perfect Golf Swing

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Golf Lessons

The perfect golf swing is what all golfers are after, whether they are pros or simply weekend players. If it were easy to have a perfect golf swing, then everyone would. However, having a Proper Golf Swing takes time and lots and lots of practice. These tips can help get you started though.

First, balance and rhythm are crucial for a perfect golf swing. Finding your ideal rhythm can help you to keep your balance. And having great balance, as any pro will tell you, is crucial for a consistent and perfect swing. Balancing your weight throughout your shot can help you achieve the perfect golf swing. Your weight should start out balanced, then move to your back foot and end up on your front foot.

A good setup can help you create a perfect golf swing. The proper posture and foot placement helps you to keep your balance throughout the swing. A proper set-up also helps you create power, which in turn helps you control the direction of the shot. Lastly, professionals aiming for a perfect swing will tell you that your setup can put you in a position of advantage, making a proper golf swing possible.

When you want a perfect golf swing, sometimes you have to go against your instincts. For example, your instincts would suggest that to make the ball go up, you should hit up at it. This is a reasonable assumption when you look at the shape of the club head. You would think you need to get it under the ball and lift up. However, for a perfect golf swing where the ball really soars, you need to hit down. When you hit down, the ball will compress from being trapped between the club head and the ground. The ball will spin backwards onto the club face, then decompress, then soar through the air. You will then be on your way to a perfect golf swing.

Achieving the perfect golf swing can take many years of practice. But when others marvel at your perfect golf swing, it will all be worth it!

Putting Tips and Techniques

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Golf Lessons

If you’re like most golfers, you could use some putting tips to improve your short game. You can have the Perfect Golf Swing, but without good putting skills you can still lose the game. That’s why putting tips come in handy.

The first of these putting tips is simple. Practice. Then practice some more. Then keep practicing. All the putting tips in the world won’t do you any good if you don’t get out there and practice your putting skills. Becoming good at reading greens requires a lot of watching how the ball reacts to different contours. This is perhaps one of the most important of the putting tips.

Putting tips for reading greens are especially important for new golfers. First of all, get close to the surface of the green so you can better see the contours. Squatting is the easiest way to do this. More putting tips include checking other views and watching your partner’s putt. Check out the putt from the side and from the other side of the flag. If your partner putts first, watch the way his or her ball breaks.

One of the best putting tips is to ask for help. If you are new to the sport, most likely the friends you are playing with will be more than happy to help you out a little. And once you putt, don’t forget to watch what happens. You can learn a lot from simply watching your putts and seeing how they break. This is perhaps the simplest of the putting tips provided.

Taking a few putts on the practice green before you play can provide you with some putting tips of your own. This will give you an idea of the speed of the greens and how the wind affects your putts. Remember that reading the speed of your putt and reading the break are two separate things, but combined they equal reading the green. Practicing breaks are much harder than practicing speed. Keep these putting tips in mind and don’t get discouraged if it takes a lot of practicing your breaks.

The most important thing to remember is to practice these putting tips and any other ones you pick up along the way. Looking to improve your swing? Besides putting tips, this site offers Golf Swing Tips. Don’t forget to check them out!

How to Improve Your Golf Swing Mechanics

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Golf Lessons

The Perfect Golf Swing boils down to having perfect golf swing mechanics. If all of your mechanics are lined up and perfected, then you can be assured your golf swing will be perfect. This sounds much easier than it is. The list of golf swing mechanics is not only long, but differs depending on who you ask. Here’s some tips and advice from the pros to get you started.

Some believe the key to golf swing mechanics is strength and flexibility. However, simply stretching and hitting the gym more often will not improve your golf swing mechanics. You need to specifically target the muscles and movements you use when swinging the gold club. By improving your golf-specific strength and flexibility, your swing mechanics will improve as well.

The great golfer Lee Trevino observed that one key to proper golf swing mechanics is to keep your head behind the ball. If you move your head forward, most likely your spine will follow. This will throw your spinal alignment off and therefore create less than exceptional golf swing mechanics.

Percy Boomer, an early golf pro, gave the golf swing mechanics advice of picturing your self hitting from within a barrel. The purpose of this is to keep you from swaying or sliding forward too much. Also, when you are practicing good mechanics your shot will rotate around the axis of your spine.

Your grip is another part of Proper Golf Swing mechanics. You should be able to hit the ball and bring your club back down and be ready to hit another ball. If you have to readjust your grip before taking another shot, then you need to improve your grip. Proper golf swing mechanics dictate that a good grip should keep a constant and stable connection to the club.

Another popular piece of advice for golf swing mechanics relates to how you hold your club. One way to think of it is to hold your club like you would a baby bird. Not so tight that it hurts the bird, but not so loose that the bird flies away. Jay Sigel once commented on his successful golf swing mechanics. He said the main reason he could get such great distance even as a senior was due to the way he gripped his club.

The most important thing to remember about golf swing mechanics is that they take lots of time and even more practice to master.

Golf Swing Tips To Give Your Game More Power and Accuracy

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Golf Lessons

Anyone who wants to improve their golf swing is surely looking for golf swing tips. Golf swing tips can provide you with the insight you need to improve your swing and therefore your game.

Many golf swing tips deal with your balance. One of the best tips for balance is to use a quarter to gauge your balance. Place a quarter on the toe of your left shoe (for right handed golfers) and try to keep the quarter on your shoe. After your swing, see where the quarter is. If the quarter has fallen to the inside of your foot, the golf swing tips for you involve moving less weight back during your swing. If the quarter has fallen to the outside of your foot, then the golf tips for you involve the positioning of your foot. If the quarter has fallen in front of your foot, then you have lifted your foot too far off the ground. If the quarter stayed on your foot, then you have a balanced golf swing and you may not need any golf swing tips!

Other golf swing tips focus on rhythm. One activity to try is to place five golf tees in the ground approximately four inches apart. Stand beside the closest tee and begin swinging a club with a continuous motion. Walk forward, clipping each tee out of the ground as you move forward. Repeat this a few times until you find a pace that allows you to keep your balance while generating club speed. Golf swing tips like this can help you to practice some of the fundamentals.

You can find other golf swing tips in magazines and books. These can be helpful golf swing tips because you can look for ones that address your particular needs. Another great source for golf swing tips is other golfers, especially the pros in your areas. Don’t forget the internet as a source for great golf swing tips. To make finding these tips easier, we have provided links at the bottom of this page to excellent golf websites.

How To Develop The Proper Golf Swing To Improve Your Game

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Golf Lessons

The key to a great golf game is consistently using a proper golf swing. And the key to consistency is balance and rhythm.

Finding the right rhythm is an important part of a proper golf swing. Some professional golfers have faster tempos while others have slower ones. However, they all have a proper golf swing and they are all balanced. If you rush your swing, you can get off balance and your contact will be inconsistent. Great golfers are rarely off balance when they strike the ball. Great rhythm allows you to have the proper golf swing to make your ball soar.

The proper golf swing is accomplished by being positioned properly in key stages of the swing. First is the setup. To have a proper golf swing, your weight should be evenly balanced between your left and right foot in your setup. Also, your weight should be on the balls of your feet, evenly between your heels and toes.

The next phase to master for a Perfect Golf Swing is the top of your backswing. As you move into the top of your backswing, your weight should move to the inside of your back foot. For a proper golf swing, you should have approximately 75% of your weight on your back foot and 25% of your weight on your front foot.

For a perfect golf swing, you need to focus on the point of impact next. By the time you make contact with the ball, you should have shifted most of your weight to your front foot. Approximately 70 – 75% of your weight should be on your front foot. Also, if you want to have a proper golf swing, your hips should shift forward and your head should be behind the ball.

The last phase to perfect for a proper golf swing is your finish. As you complete your swing, almost all of your weight should shift to the outside of your front foot. About 90% of your weight should be there.

Your keys to a proper golf swing are balance and rhythm. Practice these and you’ll look like a pro on the course!

Golf Swing Instruction Can Improve Your Game

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Golf Lessons

Everyone from new golfers to seasoned pros understands how valuable golf swing instruction can be. The golf swing is one of the most difficult aspects of the game, so most people welcome a little instruction. There are many different forms of golf swing instruction, each one of them geared for different problems or situations.

The ideal golf swing instruction is individual lessons from a pro. This offers a professional perspective on what you are doing right and wrong. However, individual instruction can be very pricey. If you are on a budget, you will want to consider other options.

Books can also provide excellent golf swing instruction. There is a wide array of titles available, many of them geared toward specific problems for golfers. For example, there are golf swing instruction books available for women golfers and new golfers. A good general golf swing instruction book is "The Golf Swing" by David Leadbetter. This book focuses on the full golf swing and includes more than 250 illustrations.

Another option for golf swing instruction is golf magazines. These probably won’t target your specific weak areas, but they often have articles on improving your golf swing. If you’re looking for help on a certain issue, golf magazines probably aren’t your best source for instruction. However, if you are just looking for general Golf Swing Tips, golf magazines are an excellent choice.

Videos and DVDs are another source for golf swing instruction. These can be especially helpful because you can see a professional demonstrate the Proper Golf Swing. Many instructional videos and DVDs will also slow down the motion of the swing to point out important information about form. You can also find videos and DVDs that are specifically geared toward you. For example, an excellent video for women just picking up the game is "Beginning Golf for Women." It is a two-volume set with one the videos focusing on the long game and on golf swing instruction.

Whatever form of golf swing instruction you choose, make sure you get out on the course or the driving range and practice what you are learning.

How to Choose and Buy Discount Golf Clubs

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Golf Lessons

If you have looked into buying golf clubs lately, you know they can be quite expensive, which is why discount golf clubs can be an excellent option for many golfers. If you do your research, you can walk away with quality clubs at a fraction of the price. But the discount golf clubs industry is full of manufacturers selling poor quality products that they claim to be as good as the higher priced brand name clubs. Beware of these traps when searching for clubs.

The most common discount golf clubs are referred to as clones. Clones are golf clubs that use the same designs and materials as the more expensive manufacturers, but at a much lower price. They are able to do this because they don’t spend the same amount of money on marketing and overhead as the bigger brands. These discount golf clubs can be a real bargain.

However, there are some manufacturers who try to profit from offering low quality discount golf clubs that look much like the pricier brand name clubs. These clubs usually have a very similar name to the higher priced brand name clubs. These companies are often violating copyright laws, trademarks, and patents, not to mention defrauding their customers. Be very careful to avoid these makers of discount golf clubs.

Reputable clone manufacturers offer discount golf clubs that have a modern design, quality, and performance. They will often make statements that the discount golf clubs are "comparable with the ABC Pro Putter," for example. If the company is legitimate, you can rest assured that the golf clubs probably are comparable to the more expensive models.

The advantages of discount golf clubs are obvious. First, they are often anywhere from 50-75 percent less money than brand name golf clubs. That can translate into hundreds of dollars if you are buying a whole set of clubs.

Another advantage is that discount golf clubs allow you to buy new clubs more often. They make it an affordable option to have the latest technology and design advances in golf clubs. Discount golf clubs also make it possible to purchase special clubs you may not otherwise have added to your collection.

If you are a beginning golfer, discount golf clubs are an especially nice option. They allow you to get involved in the game without a huge initial investment. You may not know if you are going to enjoy and continue to play golf, so buying discount clubs is a much less risky investment.

There are a few disadvantages to discount golf clubs. As I mentioned before, purchasing from a company that is not reputable is one danger. Another disadvantage is that discount golf clubs do not have the brand name status. If you are looking to be associated with a particular brand for the status of it, then these golf clubs may not be the best choice for you.

With a small amount of research and time, you can save yourself a large amount of money by buying discount golf clubs. Beware of illegal knock-off clubs and check the reputation of the company before handing over any money. If bought from a reputable company, you will enjoy the quality and design of your golf clubs for a fraction of the price of brand name clubs.

Golf Training Aids Do They Really Improve Your Game

Posted on March 30, 2012 by Golf Lessons

Golf training aids can help you improve your overall golf game or work on a specific part of your game. Looking for a way to improve your swing? There are golf training aids for that. Want to improve your putting? There are golf training aids for that. Whatever it is you need to improve, chances are there golf training aids to help you.

One of the most popular golf training aids is the Inside Approach. The Inside Approach is easy to set up and use and most importantly, it works. It also comes with an instructional video featuring professional golfer Jack Nicklaus. The Inside Approach is designed to correct slicing. As far as golf training aids go, this one is winner. The Golf Channel put it to the "6 Swing Challenge" where random golfers who were having problems with slicing tried the aid. Most of them fixed the problem in six swings or less.

Golf training aids frequently focus on a golfer’s swing, since this is such a big part of the game. The Smart Swing is a self-correcting golf club. The driver feels like a normal driver, however, it is far from normal. It comes with computer programs built into the club that analyze your swing. This is part of the new trend of high-tech golf training aids. It can provide immediate feedback as well as be downloaded into your home computer for further analysis. Golf training aids such as this don’t come cheap; the Smart Swing ranges from $649 to $799.

Golf training aids for perfecting your swing are important, but golf training aids for improving your putting are equally as important. A practice putting mat can be one of the most effective golf training aids for putting. The Practice Putting Mat by Izzo is a great choice. It comes in both six foot and nine foot versions and has a slight incline to promote a solid stroke. One of the best features is that the cup is ¼ inch smaller than the standard golf cup. This forces you to really sharpen your aim.

Whatever aspect of your golf game you are trying to improve; chances are there are golf training aids to help you.