photo credit: klavr

Your swing will change, your accuracy and distance will improve with practice, and you’ll become deadly with a putter, but you will always do these things while standing on your feet.

Your feet need to be comfortable! Have you ever developed a blister while walking or running? It’s all you can think about and it ruins the experience. Don’t let uncomfortable shoes ruin your golf game.

This is one area where you shouldn’t let your frugality make the decision for you. You will be wearing these shoes many times and they should be considered an investment.

Comfort should be your biggest concern when buying shoes. Your foot should not move at all on your heel when you walk, yet your toes shouldn’t feel cramped. Have you shoes professional fit to your feet and walk around in them before you buy them.

Proper golf shoes should be waterproof so that your feet remain dry in damp conditions. Good socks are important too; they will wick perspiration away from you feet, keeping your feet dry and comfortable.

All golf courses prohibit metal spiked shoes in the effort to protect their delicate greens. Purchase shoes that allow you to change the rubber spikes easily, and while you’re there, purchase some extras. You never know when you might lose one. Replace the spikes when they become worn.

With all the things you have to worry about while playing golf, your feet shouldn’t be one of them. When it comes to golf footwear, quality counts.

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photo credit: mahalie

It’s never easy asking for help, but in golf, it is almost a necessity. Unfortunately, we often ask our buddies and partners, when in reality we should take a lesson or two.

We think that a Pro would critique harshly, but they are honest, positive and very helpful.

Lessons at the local course aren’t as expensive as you might think and they are worth it because your game will improve rapidly and cause you less frustration, making the game much more enjoyable for you.

Of utmost importance, is being honest about your game. The Pro will ask you what you want to start with; driving, chipping, putting or whatever you feel you need help with.

Listen carefully and follow the instructions. You may have doubts if the Pro changes your stance, your grip or your swing; the Pro knows best.

Don’t hesitate to ask questions. Don’t worry about if the question or concern in stupid-they’ve heard it all before and will not make you feel like an idiot for asking. If you don’t “get it”, tell him/her that you’re not getting it. You should never walk away from a lesson with unanswered questions.

You can concentrate on one thing during a lesson, or several. You might start with a lesson in driving; get the right grip, the right stance, the right swing, the right follow-through in one lesson, and then practice it. Next time, you might work on your short game, or putting.

You’ve invested in the equipment, doesn’t it make sense to learn how to use them to their advantage and improve your abilities?

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The master can drive a golf ball from here to eternity, but it comes down to how many strikes the ball is needed to put the ball in the hole. Driving is nothing if you can’t putt accurately.

Choosing a putter is important, but using  your putter corectly is more important. I had my favorite putter for twelve years, I know how you feel, when it’s in my hand I’m used to it, I know the weight and how it plays my putts.

Putting takes much practice. Typically, we drive around eighteen times a game, but at least putt twice that many times. So we should practice putting twice as much as driving right? If you can not reach the practice green regularly practice on the carpet in your home.

Note that you can not ball into the hole, if you don’t have enough power behind the ball to get it there. Take time to get down and view the path to the hole, does it slope one way? It is uphill or downhill?

Stand with feet apart for balance and align your putting. Keep you hands, arms and shoulders, completely still, imagine that you are a “Bobble Head” but you move from under the chest. Keep your head directly over the ball. Pull your club back, keep your hands, wrists, arms and shoulders to balance - the movement comes from your chest. Hitting the ball, following through with your club.

Learning from each putt and remember the lesson. Practice, practice, practice!

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photo credit: Kelowna09

We’ve all the seen the long accurate drives of Tiger Woods. The ball flies through the air and lands in the middle of the fairway, 300 yards away.

The green-eyed monster of envy consumes us as we wonder if we could ever hope to drive like that. Fortunately, long drives are not the be-all-end-all game of golf.

Enter the short game. Without good short game skills, all the long drives are for naught.

The short game is those shots that get us onto the green from about one hundred feet out, be it from the fairway, a bunker, the rough or a drop zone and includes chips, sand shots and pitches.

This is where your higher numbered clubs would be used, as well as your pitching iron, sand wedge or lob wedge.

Most golf courses have practice areas as well as a driving range. Spend some time working on hitting your ball onto the green from different distances. Aim for a ten-foot circle in the center of the green at first. Experiment using your wedges; what works for someone else, might not work for you and your particular swing.

After you get accustomed to doing this drill consistently, it’s time to spend some time in a sand trap. Knowing how to get the ball out of a trap will cut your score.

Plant your feet firmly into the sand, with your left foot turned toward the hole. Imagine a 4-inch circle around the ball and try to hit the edge of the circle that is away from the ball.

Take lots of sand with your ball and swing completely. Don’t decelerate at all when or after you hit the ball. It should pop up onto the green and stop. This doesn’t work unless the sand is very soft and powdery. On hard surfaces, you might need to avoid actually hitting the sand.

As in all aspects of the game, only practice will help you to improve.

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photo credit: David Masters

Beginner Golfer Steps # 1

     The popularity of golf has increased tremendously over the past forty five years, giving us champions like Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman, and Tiger Woods, andworld-renowned courses like Pinehurst, Augusta National and the Blue Monster at Doral.

     Why has golf become so popular? It’s the opportunity to be outside, to get a good whole body workout, network with friends or business colleagues at a leisurely pace, and to play a game that you can never perfect.

     Your scorecard, over time, shows your improvement, which keeps you playing again and again.

Here is a very basic lesson in golf for the person who has no clue about the game.

     Golf is played on an eighteen-hole course; each hole has its “par”, which is the number of tee shots (drives), fairway shots, chips (short hits as you approach the green), and putts.

     The par number is based on the length and difficulty of the hole. Pars range from 3 to 6. If you get the ball in the hole in five shots on a par five hole, you”made par.” If it took you six shots, it’s called a bogie, if you made it in four, it’s a birdie.

     There are usually “hazards” of some sort on all the holes. Bodies of water, sand traps, and trees are strategically placed to make the hole more challenging. Beginner golfers should seek to find courses to play that are easier to play, with fewer hazards.

     Each player keeps their own score, marking the number of total number of shots for each hole. At the end, each person adds their scores – the lowest number is the winner.

     It is important for beginner golfers to not take themselves too seriously. It takes a long time to get good at this game; even though the professionals make it look so easy.

     Take a lesson or two at the onset; it will help you develop a proper swing and help you get off to a good start.

Remember that it’s just a game. Have fun and look atthe big picture-you’re outside and you’re not at work!    4

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