Archive for the ‘General golf tip’ Category

A pulled iron shot is a nuisance, mainly because when you pull one you tend to repeat the mistake, much as you do when you start shanking. Of course the pull doesn’t look too bad, as it does not hook or slice, and it feels firm coming off the clubhead, but it ends up 25 to 30 yards to the left of the green.

There are 3 common causes for pulling an iron:

1. Hitting the ball with an outside-in swing.

2. Closing the clubface somewhere during the swing.

3. Starting with the ball too far forward in the stance.

The first thing to do is check your stance. Every iron shot should be hit off the left heel, but no further forward than that. Now concentrate on taking the clubhead back in a straight line and bringing it onto the ball on that same straight line.

Finally, make sure that the follow-through throws the clubhead out towards the hole and that you finish with your hands high. A proper follow-through like this makes it almost impossible to pull the ball.

How often on the golf course have we had a fantastic few holes and then it falls apart. For   me it is usually the front nine. I could be level par of under and then the wheels fall off in   the back and what could have been an excellent round of golf becomes fairly mediocre.    What happens? I start think about what could be. I rush to the finish visualising how I  would feel with a wonderful round of level par gross or under. I loose concentration.    After Oosthuizen’s win in The Open this year it was revealed how a red dot on his glove  provided a reminder to him to concentrate on the shot in hand. When seeing it he was  reminded “now’s the time to get back into the zone – concentrate”. I thought that was a  wonderfully simple approach to ensuring he maintained his concentration throughout  the 18 holes and it certainly seemed to work.

Is there anything that you do that works for you?

Golf may not be the easiest of sports to learn but there is something about the game that no other sport can offer: The ability to enjoy playing golf well into your golden years.

Think about other sports that you may have been involved in. Most of us stopped playing baseball, soccer, football, rugby etc. after school or college/university. The reasons can vary, but mostly it is those sports became too vigorous and strenuous.

Golf, on the other hand, is a physically passive game. It is the only sport I know where I would be able to play with my 12 year old daughter and my 80 year old year old father.

Golf is a humbling sport, not a macho one. The fact of the matter is that you will never beat the course. It’s not meant to be “won”. Golf is a personal game, one that you simply strive to make fewer mistakes each time you play.

Brute force and aggressiveness has no room on the golf course. Instead, you will learn that humility, grace, and your ability to concentrate are the number one components to the game of golf.

US Open golf courses are set out as tough examinations of golf. One of the big tests that golfers will have is the need to play out of thick rough. We have all been there. If you find your ball, very often it provides an unwanted challenging test. Take a look at this useful video below from Barry Power on how to get out of the rough.

Deciding if and when to pitch the ball when you are close to the hole depends on several factors, especially if putting is out of the question (which is always the best shot to take near the hole whenever possible, on or off the green).

Here are some tips to help you decide the next time you play:

1) Always play the pitch shot whenever you must carry several yards of rough in order to get the ball to travel to the edge of the green.

2) You should attempt the pitch shot whenever the ball is buried in the rough with only the top half showing.

3) When playing from the fairway, a pitch shot is the ideal choice if at any point you feel that chipping the ball makes you uncomfortable (learn to listen to your instincts).

4) And finally, a wet golf course means pitching the ball almost entirely throughout the game. Why? Because it can be almost impossible to predict the length the ball will run when the course is drenched.

When it comes to the mastering your golf grip there is one important factor involved that I do not see too many golf enthusiasts talking about: How the thumb should be planted on the shaft. Over the years I have found the position of the thumb can have a marked influence on how I swing the club and the outcome of the shot.

Tournament players, instructors, golf professionals, and weekend golfers alike all share a different view on the matter. Should your thumb be loose? Should it be pressed down tightly? Should the thumb just lie down flat against the top of the shaft?

The Answer To These Questions Are Important

Now if you are the type of golfer who only gets out on the weekends then you probably have a tendency to just grab the club with your left hand, wrap your right hand around it and then be on your way swinging. Unfortunately you are preventing a better grip which can help your game tremendously.

The way you should place your thumb should have it touching as much of the shaft as possible, thus creating a more firm grip. This is especially true if you have small hands.

What I like to do is push my thumb as far down the club shaft as it can go, so long as the grip remains comfortable. By working on your thumb placement in this same manner your grip will give you more control of the club while providing a little extra feel in your swing. Try it and you will notice a difference immediately.