It’s been estimated that 60% of golf shots are taken within 40 to 50 yards of the hole. But full, powerful drives are what everyone wants to develop.

Driving ranges are filled with golfers hammering away at the ball aiming at the far end of the range. The truth is that most golf games could be improved with some practice time spent on golf pitching.

One of the defining characteristics of a golf pitch is the high flight of the golf ball, followed by little or no roll. If there is an obstacle between you and the flag, a golf pitch is the best way to get over it.

Most golfers agree that golf pitching is more difficult to master than chipping. What you want to achieve with a golf pitch is a steeply angled trajectory and as little roll as possible when the ball lands.

Golf pitching is accomplished with a pitching wedge. A golf pitching swing is like a Reader’s Digest version of a full swing; that is, essentially the same but shorter.

You should still keep a regular swing rhythm. Practice your golf swing using a musical metronome or some other regular ticking device.

The golf pitching stance might feel strange until you’re comfortable with it. Imagine the line defined by the position of your feet and point it to the left of where you want to hit the ball.

This is called an open stance. But keep your shoulders parallel to your desired flight line. Adjust your stance so that the golf ball is centered. The length of your backswing will vary depending on the length of the shot.

Controlling distance is the key to mastering golf pitching. This starts with estimating how far away you are from the target.

The next step is controlling the shot so that you actually hit it that amount of distance.

Many professionals carry at least three different pitching wedges in their bag.They understand how crucial a good short game is to your round of golf.

Even if you have to give up some of your other clubs to stay within the rule book limits, it’s worth it to have additional pitching wedge options.

What if you need to pitch from the tall grass in the rough? Work on getting a steeper swing angle. By the way, it’s really difficult to get any backspin on the ball when your hitting from the rough, so target accordingly.

What’s the best way to get better golf pitching results? Make golf pitching a significant part of your practice routine. Practice will help you learn control and accuracy.



By: Martin Haworth

About the Author:

Tammy

The days of basic leather golf bags are long gone, as designers make the most of modern technologies

Long gone are the days of plain, practical and purely functional golf bags. Golf equipment designers and manufacturers have realised in recent years that golfers love variety, and are taking risks with the styles of their golf bags.

Golf Bags of Days Gone By

Golf bags have come a long way in a century. In the 1920’s the standard style for a golf bag was a cylindrical carrier made of cloth and leather, with a shoulder and hand strap. They were usually black or brown in colour, although there are examples of antique golf bags for children with bright tartan patterns. These designs were very basic and functional, and had no special features that we see in modern day golf bags, such as compartments for clubs or pockets for accessories.

The Development of Golf Bags

As golf grew in popularity throughout the middle of the century, the design of golf bags became more technical. Some of today’s major golf bag brands began to put a lot of time, effort and money into researching and designing their products, and golfers began to enjoy bags with high-quality and light-weight fabrics. There were other developments that affected the golf bags industry, such as the invention of a battery-powered golf cart in the 1950’s. Golf companies started to develop bags that could sit safely on these carts and caddies began to worry about losing their jobs! In 1986 the first golf bags with an automated leg system were invented, and in 1990 the double straps on carry golf bags first hit the greens.

Today’s Golf Bags

When you go shopping for golf bags nowadays, you are simply spoilt for choice. Designs range from affordable bags made from lightweight nylon, to blow-the-budget designer leather bags. Double straps come as standard on most golf bags now, as do features like golf club compartments, pockets for accessories and a rain hood. When you move into the mid- and top-range golf bags, you can expect features like fur-lined pockets, lighter-weight designs, and more strategically-placed pockets for items like golf balls and water bottles.

Golf Bags of Tomorrow

With advances in technology, golf bags look set to become highly technical pieces of equipment. One recent development is a Dutch-designed golf bag with solar panels, which can charge mobile phones and laptops. This is ideal for businessmen who need to be able to take calls at every hour of the day and can’t risk running out of battery power on the golf course. And who knows what else golf bag manufacturers might come up with? A talking golf bag that advises you on which club to use for your next shot? An in-built weather predicting function? Golf bags with built-in drinks coolers? With today’s technologies the sky’s the limit!

Golf bags are available in various varieties and now technology is advance, now you have many choices to select according to your requirement, don’t require going old ones.



By: Neil Bennett

About the Author:

Eddie

 

Most good golfers and professionals know how far they hit their iron clubs.

This is something that every golfer should have an idea about. Not knowing how far you hit each of your golf iron shots would prevent you from playing good and consistent golf.

It does not take a long time to go on to the driving range to find out how far you hit

certain iron shots for that matter any clubs. You need only check some of your clubs, not all. You could do maybe only 4, 7, 9 and PW. That should enable you to work out the ones in-between.

Different golfers hit the ball different distances, so don’t worry too much if your irons don’t go as far as your competitors’. No golfers can always hit their club to its maximum distance on every shot. Therefore it is always advisable to hit the longer club as it is not always possible to hit the perfect golf iron shots.

To ensure the ball goes high and far with an iron, please follow the following steps:

1) Grip your iron firmly but without being too tight and allow your arms to hang down so the iron is down at your waist level. Then bend down from your waist until the head of the iron touches the ground with the ball in front of the iron’s face. Always keep yours knees bent even through the swing.

2) Start your back swing by turning your hips and coil up your body for more power. At the top of the back swing the clubs shaft should be kept parallel to your shoulders.

3) Following through with the swing after hitting the ball, the club should be brought behind the back of your head.

In golf, the aim is to achieve a 85 to 90% success. Stick to this rule and you won’t go too far wrong from hitting good golf iron shots.

 

 



By: John Woon

About the Author:

Gertrude

Golf fitness exercises can be very beneficial in getting you ready for the upcoming golf season. Golf exercises with swing drills can prepare you for a successful year on the links right from the start.

The PGA Golf Tour is in full swing and for many parts of the country and world the golf season is upon us. Many of you are anxious to dust off the golf clubs and get out to the golf course for your first round of golf. A question that may be on your mind is how do I get ready? How do I knock off 6 months of rust on my golf swing, feel comfortable with my driver on the first tee, and post a good golf score at the end of the round?

All questions that are asked often in the world of professional golf and this article will provide you with the answers. Answers to these questions and many more fall under the category of how do I prepare myself for the golf season?

Interesting enough if the guidelines from this article are followed the golf score you post for your first round of the year may be lower than you ever expected, the distance of your drives may well be farther than you imagined, and the number of accurate golf shots you hit may be even more surprising!

The answer to all the questions on how to get ready for the upcoming golf season centers on preparation. Preparation is the key to a successful first round of golf and every round you play in the upcoming golf season.

We all probably understand the definition of preparation but lets take a quick look in order for us to all be on the same page. Preparation can be defined as the work or planning involved in making something or somebody ready or putting something together in advance (Encarta Dictionary, MSN.com).

A definition that sheds light on getting ready for the upcoming golf season. Using the above definition we can see the process of preparing for the upcoming golf season does not begin 10 minutes before your first tee time, but rather in advance of when you get ready to hit driver off the first tee. Bottom line the process of getting ready for the upcoming golf season begins weeks or even months before your’ first round of golf of the year.

To have a successful first round of golf and a good season of golf you must begin the process of preparation well in advance of your first time on the golf course. If you look at professional golfers they begin the process of preparing for the upcoming golf season months in advanced. I would suggest doing the same. Develop a plan that will get your golf swing ready once the snow thaws, the birds are chirping, and the greens are ready for putting.

What does such a plan contain? This type of “golf preparation plan” would contain drills, exercises, and programs to improve and prepare every aspect of your golf game. If we break down the game of golf into categories the “golf program” becomes much easier to understand. Obviously, we have the different shots made on the course. A brief breakdown would indicate the need to implement swing drills to work on the full swing, short game, and putting. We could obviously get a little more detailed than a breakdown of the golf game into three different categories, but lets’ keep it simple.

Now that we have this breakdown of the game of golf into full swing, short game, and putting the next step is to implement a series of drills to work on each of these aspects. Simply put I would suggest devising a series of drills to work on each part of the golf game/swing. This can easily be accomplished by purchasing a few books or videos from one of the top-teaching professionals in the world of golf.

Each one of these qualified golf instructors have numerous materials available to help you with your golf swing. And if you are one of those individuals that lives in a cold climate and is unable to get to a driving range or practice facility, no need to worry. Most all of the instructional videos/books available have drills that can be performed in the comfort of your own home.

At this point we have a couple of bases covered in the “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season. We understand preparation is key to a successful year on the golf course, the “preparation plan” begins well in advance of the first tee time of the year, and a portion of the plan consists of swing drills. This brings us to final part of your “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season.

This part of the plan centers on the implementation of golf fitness exercises to go along with your swing drills. We must understand the concept of your body and the golf swing. The golf swing is executed in its’ entirety by your body. In order for your body to execute the golf swing correctly. It requires you to have certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power within it. If you are lacking in any one of these physical areas compensations will occur in your golf swing.

It comes down to this: In order to be prepared for the upcoming golf season and to improve your golf swing. The implementation of golf fitness exercises geared towards developing your body around the golf swing is necessary. This type of program will prepare the body for the golf swing and the upcoming golf season.

To summarize, the process of preparing yourself for the upcoming golf season begins with a “preparation plan”. This plan begins weeks to months in advance of your first time out on the golf course. Additionally, this “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season contains a series of golf training drills to prepare your golf swing. The golf training drills break down the golf game into three sections; full swing, short game, and putting. A series of swing drills are implemented to work on each one of these parts of your golf game. In addition golf fitness exercises are implemented into the golf-training program to develop your body around your golf swing. Put all these pieces together and your first time out on the golf course this year should be an enjoyable one.

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with Masters and PGA Champion Phil Mickelson. To learn more about Sean and his golf fitness programs go to http://www.seancochran.com



By: Sean Cochran

About the Author:

Jean

 

 

For some people the golf swing feels uncomfortable and awkward. For those of you who fall into this category you may want to try this drill until you start feeling better (more comfortable) about the golf swing.

 

In a previous article (Golf Basics Part 2), I said you should probably be spending less time thinking about what your arms are doing and where they’re going? Once my wrists are cocked, I really don’t think much about my arms.

This golf swing drill consists of practicing your golf swing without using a golf club. Why would anyone want to do that you say? By doing this, you’ll be able to concentrate on the feeling of your muscles coiling up and releasing without being confused or distracted by the movement of your arms. It’s very important to master this muscle movement prior to actually hitting a golf ball.

This swing drill is also a good opportunity to practice keeping your feet on the ground. Some beginners tend to raise their left heel (for right handed golfers) during the back swing and their right heel during the follow through. First things first, practice having your front (left) foot roll inward on the back swing and try to memorize that feeling. Take your time with this drill because it can make all the difference in creating that perfect swing.

I particularly like this drill because you can practice it anywhere or anytime.

Here’s how we start.

 

Begin by getting into your regular basic golf stance. You can place a ball down in front of you or imagine where it would be if that helps. Now instead of holding a golf club, cross your arms in front of you so your left hand is on your right shoulder and your right hand is on your left shoulder. It’s like giving yourself a big hug!

Here are some important tips:

 

· Try not to do this drill fast or slow

 

· Do it at a steady tempo

 

· Do this drill frequently

 

· Memorize the movements and how they feel

 

· Do these movements without thinking (muscle memory)

 

Again, the golf back swing starts at the top (your shoulders and arms) and works its way down to your hips and legs. Remember, your head will move to the back but should not bob up or down. It should stay level.

Of course, in this drill you don’t use your arms, so you begin by turning your shoulders. For me, it is more beneficial to think of turning my midsection (Let’s say about six inches above your bellybutton.) away from the target. Now, when you do it this way your shoulders will also turn (automatically). For some, it may be difficult to get comfortable because of the feeling the torque building through your body creates. Don’t worry. This is normal and will become less uncomfortable as you practice.

As your shoulders and hips turn, remember to not let your right (back) knee turn outwards (towards the back). This will have the feeling of pushing that knee inwards and/or keeping your body weight on the inside of the back foot. If this is difficult for you, try placing a book (1” thick) under the right side of your right foot. You will immediately feel the difference.

You should feel your front knee turn inwards and the front foot roll towards the inside but remain on the ground. Take the time to concentrate on this part.

Start from the bottom.

 

Now that you have accomplished a good solid back swing, this golf swing drill is a good time to practice the down swing. Try to begin moving your front knee towards the target as a trigger to your down swing. Don’t start the back swing by moving your arms or shoulders. As an advanced technique, try to start that move (moving your front knee) before the back swing is complete. At the same time, try to get comfortable with that low, squatty feeling.

Turn your hips by thinking about turning your belt buckle to the target. You will feel like your hips are leading the rest of your body. The shoulders will naturally follow as you pivot on your front leg.

You can use this drill to commit to memory, or muscle memory, any movement that isn’t a swing thought.

In a slight variation of this drill, you could start the golf back swing with your arms (no club). Practice hinging your arms at the shoulder and cocking your wrists as your arms cross your chest near the back arm pit triggering your shoulder turn.

And that’s the basics of the golf swing. You won’t get any better unless you practice. If you can maintain good solid mechanics in your golf swing, you will have the beginning to a great game!



By: Joe Cavell

About the Author:

Erin

For anyone who wants to learn the secrets of golf there are lots of lessons for beginners. Special golf schools organize golf lessons for beginners all year round for groups of fifteen to twenty people. Recently it has become a business practice to send members of the staff to golf lessons for beginners in order to achieve some team building goals. Or you may simply take advantage of golf lessons for beginners while on vacation and the hotel where you’re staying offers this facility. This could be a truly unique opportunity for you and there’d be lots of fun.

Who can take advantage of golf lessons for beginners? There are no restrictions for age or gender; on the contrary children are highly encouraged to take up a sport that creates great focus skills. The internet is the most rapid way to learn on the possible offers golf schools provide. You may choose to have golf lessons for beginners with an individual trainer, or you may attend regular classes designed for groups. It is important to mention that it comes much more difficult to start learning golf on your own, whereas golf lessons for beginners provide the basic knowledge necessary for further practice.

Keep in mind that if you want to take golf lessons for beginners as a hobby, you have to take it as some sort of leisure activity. By this I mean that you should make all the efforts necessary without losing the fun part of it, after all this is a sport and a great relaxation opportunity. Golf lessons for beginners vary in price from one school to another; usually classes are more expensive at clubs that target mainly executives for instance. At regular sports centres, the costs are pretty accessible when it comes to golf lessons for beginners.

A site such as www.ultimategolftips.com will give some insight on this sport and will teach you what to expect from golf lessons for beginners. Moving to the next step on your own should not be too difficult afterwards. You may consider the golf lessons for beginners as the first step of individual practice too, as when you master the basics it is a lot easier to move to some more difficult exercises. There are plenty of tips online for those who want to aim at the professional level; yet, it takes patience and a lot of practice. Good luck!

 

 



By: Emmanuel Mba

About the Author:

Diane

Selecting The Best Golf Clubs For Beginner

There are a number of conflicting considerations here. When you are first starting out with golf, you will want to have equipment that is geared as much towards your skill level as possible. On the other hand, your golf clubs should be good enough that it will not discourage you from learning the game. It is also important for you to understand that your golf clubs should be affordable. So, a good set of clubs for beginners might be an inexpensive used set composed of a few irons, wedges, putter and a 3 wood.

Choosing The Best Sized Clubs To Play With

When starting out, most golf players tend to play using shorter sized clubs. Both men and women seem to have a tough time trying to master shots when using longer irons. The same goes for using fairway woods.

There is a simple reason why this happens. It is about control. The shorter the golf club, the better control you have. Smaller sized golf clubs are easier to control. With a shorter club, you are able to have a better sense of where the club is at during the swing, and exactly what it’s doing.

More specifically, the sense of control can be attributed to the shorter clubs offering a more tight and a steeper swing arc. Adding a few more inches to the length of the club, as with the long irons, requires a more pronounced arc sweep. It is much more difficult to get a handle on the club movement.

Mastering Longer Clubs

As a beginner, you can choose to golf with short clubs or you can begin the process of mastering the longer golf clubs. If you opt to go for the latter, you will probably make far more mistakes initially. But, you will also likely advance in your golf game much faster.

With longer clubs, your swing arc should be shallow and a bit longer. It is important to keep your clubhead low to the ground when pulling back and avoid hitting the ball too aggressively. Instead, the club motion should be smooth and sweeping. Certainly, developing a smooth tempo and a graceful swing is important in order to have the best control possible.

Another consideration – move the ball farther up within your stance, than you would when playing with a short or middle iron. By positioning the ball 1 or 2 inches back, you allow more room for the longer shaft and for the wide swing arc of the club.

You should remember that when you are first learning to play, the challenges that you will encounter will primarily come from your swing, and not from the clubs you choose, even if the clubs are not the most appropriate choice for you..



By: Verlyn Ross

About the Author:

Shawn