Best ways to improve your golf swing!

How to Improve Your Golf Swing : Getting the Golf Ball in the Air on a Downswing

2010-01-05T11:12:00.001-08:00

Home Videos Channels Shows New! Advertisement Change Player Size Watch this video in a new window How to Swing a Golf Club : Using the Golf Dance

2010-01-03T01:39:00.000-08:00

How to Swing a Golf Club : Using the Golf Dance to Improve Your Golf Swing: Part 1

2010-01-03T01:38:00.000-08:00

Putting Mechanics: Do You Have a Problem Under Your Hood?

2010-01-01T05:09:00.001-08:00

There is an old saying in golf, “A good putter is a match for anyone, but a poor putter is a match for no one.” I am not certain who said it, but truer words in golf have never been spoken. Fifty percent of all strokes allocated against par are putts. There are many facets to the game of golf, but if you boil it down, golf is simply about getting a small white ball in a four and a half-inch round hole. In this offering, I will share with you four basic keys to develop good putting mechanics. Having taught golf as a professional instructor for many years, I have discovered a few short drills that you can practice in your spare time to improve what I believe is one of the most important aspects of golf.

The first key is the stance. Excellent putting begins with a well-balanced, athletic stance. It is built from the ground up, beginning with your feet, up through your body and out of the top of your head. Your feet need to be spread approximately shoulder width apart with an even distribution of weight. This creates the stable base required to make a balanced stroke. Along with your feet, your knees, hips and shoulders should be parallel to the intended line of the putt (where you want the ball to go). Now, from the hip, tilt your chest forward and push out your backside slightly until you arms hang freely and perpendicular to the ground.

The second key is good posture. To develop a repeatable stroke, you will need good posture, which consists of a slight flex in the knees, body weight evenly distributed between the left and right sides, and a relatively flat back (spine angle). This posture will allow adequate room for your arms and putter to swing like a pendulum. If you can develop and maintain good posture throughout your stroke, you will see more consistent results.

The third key is proper ball position, which is critical to accurate putting. Of the four putting keys we will discuss, I believe that improper ball position is the number one cause of poor putting. The two aspects with regards to proper ball position are distance away from the ball and the placement of the ball in relation to the width of your feet. First, the ball needs to be placed directly under your eyes. Although this sounds simple, this is a very important but common mistake. For a simple drill to practice this, take your putting stance and hold a golf ball between your eyes. From a proper stance and posture, drop the ball. Now, place a coin where the ball lands. This is where your ball should be positioned in relation to your eyes.

Second, the putting stroke should be an arc. As your arms swing, the putter moves away and up before and after the ball; thus creating an arc. Locating the bottom of the ark is the key. Combine the bottom of the arc with the eye position established earlier, and you have the perfect ball position. Whether you are a beginner or an accomplished player, incorporating these simple tips will lead to better mechanics and more consistent putting.

How many times have you made wonderfully flowing practice strokes only to strike the ball with something that does not even remotely resemble what you just practiced? This question leads us to the final key to great putting: pressure control. Nervousness while putting will tighten the muscles in both your arms and hands. This increased pressure will cause you to modify your normal stroke. In order to become an accomplished putter, you must find your own way of dealing with pressure. To reduce pressure before you make a putt, squeeze the putter as tightly as you can and then release. The release of pressure will take most of the tension out of your stroke and allow a freer motion through the ball.

For me personally, practice reduces pressure. The more I practice, the more confident I become. After quality practice, I become my biggest fan by using positive self-talk and imagery. Possessing the ability to tell yourself, “I have made this putt hundreds of times,” and visualizing it, can really impact your performance. The next time you practice putting, place about a dozen balls around the hole in a six-foot circle. Practice until you can make all twelve consecutively without a miss. This might take a while, so start small and set some goals. Perhaps for your skill level, three in a row might be a big improvement. Just be sure that it is difficult enough to be a challenge. Each time you practice, add a few more balls until making putts becomes a consistent and confident part of your game.

In closing, some might argue that putting is perhaps the most important facet of the game of golf; after all, a one-foot putt counts the same as a three hundred yard-drive. Take a look at the statistical leaders of the PGA Tour at http://www.pgatour.com and you will find that many times the statistical putting leaders are also the leading money winners. This, however, cannot be said for the longest drivers on tour. If you want to improve your score, spend more time on the putting green fine-tuning the mechanics of your stroke. Who knows? A little quality practice with good mechanics could lead to huge rewards the next time you head to the course.

Anthony Mullins is the President and Coach for The Elite Coaching Alliance. He specializes in leadership development, strategic planning, 1-on-1 coaching, facilitation and inspirational speaking. Anthony is also a member of the PGA of America and has extensively written and spoken about the game of golf and its mechanics. He is the author of the upcoming book "Leadership Links," a creative assembly of the parallels between powerful leadership and golf. Anthony can be reached by e-mail through his website http://www.elitecoachingalliance.com or by phone at 770.344.7975.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_Mullins

Improve Your Golf Swing - Relax, Just Do It

2009-12-30T06:13:00.001-08:00

If you want to improve your golf swing then your are going to have to learn to relax, study and practice . These are three fundamentals about golf that we sometimes forget and with this article, you should find it easy to get back into the swing of things.

What does it mean to relax when you are playing golf? Let's begin with a very, very important fact about the golf ball. It's already dead. So don't try to kill it. It just won't do you any good.

That is an important fact that we all over look. Why? Because we put too much pressure on ourselves while we are playing. The truth is trying to get extra yardage out of smacking the ball as hard as we can destroys our chances of having a good solid hit.

What exactly should you study in golf? Well, everything but here the most important thing to study is yourself. You need to videotape yourself hitting the ball. But you need to tape your hit in two different ways.

The first videotaping should be of you doing practice swings and practice shots. Did you every notice that practice swings are actually pretty good. Without the pressure of the score, you probably have a good swing.

Now tape yourself on the actual golf course. There is probably a big difference between the two shots. But if you can tell the difference you can improve your shot.

There is also another reason to know your own swing. If you like the swing of another player, on the course or on tv, you know what the difference is and you can change. The change will probably be really small. Make the little changes and you will improve your golf swing.

Okay, we talked about the need to relax and the need to study your own swing. Now it is time to practice your new swing.

There is a story about the great golfer Gary Player. A fan came up to Mr. Player after he watched him play a round of golf. The fan said, "Gee, I wish I could play golf like you." Mr. Player replied, "If you hit buckets of balls until your hands are bloody and then hit some more, you can."

Now you don't need to play until your hands are bloody but without practicing you really never will improve your game to where you are happy.

You now know three important steps to a better golf swing. You must be relaxed, enjoy it for what it is, a great game. You must know your swing to be able to improve your swing. Finally, you must practice. If you are missing any of these three points in your game then you are not going to really improve your swing.

If you want to improve your golf swing [http://golfswing.withbrian.com] then check here [http://golfswing.withbrian.com] for more tips. These free golf tips may improve your game and they are easy to digest.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brian_Kowalczyk

Ben Hogan Slow Motion Swing

2009-12-29T03:27:00.000-08:00

Golf Swing Slow Motion Drill

2009-12-29T03:25:00.001-08:00

Basic Golf Swing Techniques - Finding the Muscles Involved in the Golf Swing

2009-12-28T02:00:00.000-08:00

Hamstrings for golf posture, shoulder muscles for better control of the club, and core muscles for a flexible rotation on the backswing - these are just a few of muscles essential in perfecting your golf swing technique.

A proper golf swing is indeed significant if you wish to improve your game. It does not only guarantee you a long drive; it also prevents injuries, like "golfer's low back". Greater flexibility of the golf muscles increases your chances of making a perfect golf swing.

If you aspire to hone your golf swing techniques, you must understand that it is not only the workings of the mind that enables a golfer to improve his shots. Full mind and body coordination is required. So, it is important to train the muscles involved. You do not train your golf muscles through heavy weightlifting or working them on machines. Rather, it requires a good golf exercise program that has golf specific exercises. The exercises strengthen and condition the key golf muscles for some real golf swing moves - muscles from your head and neck to shoulders and down to your feet and heels.

Even if you have been learning techniques from golf magazines or websites, you might find yourself struggling in applying these tips. If your key golf muscles are not exercised or conditioned regularly, your body will not respond to the correct golfing techniques. But if you do otherwise, the golf swings would feel natural and comfortable to your body.

So, these muscles should be kept in good condition. You should do everything you can to keep them both strong and flexible so that the next time you swing, you will deliver what you expect or even more.

With constant practice and exercise, achieving the proper golf swing technique is not that hard to imagine. You just have to do your part as well. It does not only take flipping through magazines or watching golf videos. It takes the discipline to build that necessary stamina and staying powers of your muscles. Focus on those muscles, and you will improve your golf swing technique in no time.

Learn simple golf swings from the best today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Darwin

2 Tips To Improve Your Golf Swing In A Hurry!

2009-12-24T12:04:00.000-08:00

o you want to improve your golf swing? It's one aspect of the game common with many golfers keen to attain a golf swing good enough to form the foundation of a consistent game.

The honest truth... most part time golfers won't do anything about improving their golf swing simply because they enjoy the outing and the social aspect of the game. But if you are reading this article, then you are certainly serious about picking up a tip or two to help develop some consistency in that swing.

Why is it so many players have difficulty maintaining a consistent swing? For new players, the ability to eliminate bad habits from their game is easy.

For more experienced golfers it's not so easy but it's doable. One tip I picked up early in my golfing career when I was having trouble with my back swing certainly transformed and helped me improve my golf swing.

In fact, this one tip not only helped me eliminate the unco-ordinated knees and falling shoulders during the process of the swing but helped me add a strong mental side to my game.

How To Improve Your Golf Swing

The back swing is a big problem area for many players and most of the time it can be corrected without too much fuss and effort. For some reason, the left knee is allowed to collapse on top of the right knee during the back swing process. The result:

- the shoulders tend to collapse and drop in the process and

- your hips will tend to go into a swaying motion

What's up with this? The result is always hit and miss. Sometimes you hit the ball flush and most times you don't. Two things you can try:

- when about to play the swing, just imagine your left knee is drawn towards the area you intend to hit the ball and

- if this is difficult to implement, grab your favorite soccer ball or basketball and place them between your knees during practice sessions.

The first tip was handy but it was the second tip which helped this author. It's amazing but after several practice sessions using a soccer ball, every time I played a round of golf for several months after it felt like that ball was always there during the swing process.

The effect can be dramatic and worth the effort if you are serious about wanting to improve your golf swing.

Want to take your golf swing to the next level? Get these great tips and tricks guaranteed to improving your golf swing and eating up your handicap!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dean_Caporella

How to Swing a Golf Club : Using the Golf Dance to Improve Your Golf Swing

2009-12-23T08:50:00.000-08:00

Free Golf Tip - Improve Your Golf Game by Walking

2009-12-18T06:08:00.001-08:00

While riding in an electric or gas cart is the preferred method for most golfers to get around on the golf course, walking with a pull cart is something you should seriously consider if you want to improve your golf game. Not only is walking the course great exercise but an extra minute of uninterrupted reflection can actually take strokes off your game.

Riding in a golf cart gives a golfer too many options of things to do besides concentrate on improving their golf game. It is very easy to start talking to your golf buddies about everything in the world while riding up to your golf balls. That time may be much better spent if you were to walk to your ball, giving you time to think about how good or bad your last shot was. If it was a good shot, forget about that one and think about the next shot and the best way to get up and down. If it was a bad shot, forget about that too and concentrate on the most sensible way to save the hole.

Many players these days are using the compact and lightweight GPS units. If you have trouble gauging yardage then this is a wonderful tool. Many of the newer models come equipped with yardages for thousands of courses already installed. Knowing how far it is to clear the water or the distance to the fairway bunker can improve your golf scores by a huge amount.

Another option besides a GPS unit is a rangefinder but these can be a little fickle at times. Rangefinders sometimes have a habit of not being able to use the same reference point that you want to use.

A third option when walking the golf course is, sadly, often over looked or just not available to players who like to walk. That option is a caddy. A good caddy knows his or her loop better than any golfer out there and can tell you yardages for every reference object on the course, be it a tree, bush or sprinkler head. He or she also know what parts of the course are under repair. The pro's all use caddies and those caddies are well compensated for the service they provide.

So, hit the links and lower your golf score by getting your head in the game. You may just be amazed at the new level of concentration you have when you walk. Your doctor will love the extra exercise you are doing.

Rick Greene

Live to Golf/Golf to Live

If you enjoyed reading this article then please do a search for my name to read other articles about all things golf. To learn a lot more tips, info and golf instruction check out http://BetterGolfSpot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rick_Greene

Golf Training Aid

2009-12-17T10:17:00.001-08:00

How to Achieve the Perfect Golf Swing - 4 Quick and Easy Tips to Improve Instantly!

2009-12-14T10:22:00.000-08:00

Even the pros sometimes need help with their golf swing. However, the difference between the pros and most amateurs is that the pros take the time to learn about their golf swing.

They look at each golf swing element and then address them individually. Some of the basic areas they constantly work to achieve the perfect golf swing includes the grip, stance, ball position, alignment, flexibility, balance, and the swing plane.

The foundation of a perfect golf swing starts with your grip and stance. You want balance when it comes to your golf swing, and this begins with a solid stance. Your feet should be a little more than shoulder's width apart. Your grip should be comfortable and not too tight. One sign that you may be gripping your golf club too tightly is if your hands begin to ache during your round or after you have finished playing.

Tip 1: You should also focus on your fitness level.

If you truly wants to achieve a perfect golf swing you also focus on your body fitness. The reason why is because you need flexibility. With greater flexibility comes increased power which will improve everything about your golf swing. Without being flexible, you will not be able to take a full golf swing, taking the club back far and finishing with a thorough follow-through.

Tip 2: Golf training aids can quickly improve your golf swing.

Many easy to use golf training or teaching aids can be found online, such as golf impact indicators or golf swing trainers. Integrating equipment such as training aids into your golf practice routine will bring some great improvements to your golf swing and game on the course.

Tip 3: What about equipment?

No matter how much you work on your perfect golf swing, if you are not using the right equipment you will always be hindered. Make sure you are using the right size golf clubs that have the right club shafts in them. Also, try and find a golf ball that is right for the type of golf game that you play.

Tip 4: Constant and dedicated training.

You can have the best tools and all the knowledge in the world but what it really boils down to is your level of dedication. The best golfers in the world spend countless hours on the driving range working on their golf swing. You have to be willing to invest time and energy if you truly strive to have the perfect golf swing.

To learn how to play golf like a pro and significantly lower your score, visit my website for more information Click Here to find out how

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Staffan_Moritz

How to Improve Your Golf Swing : Golf Alignment Tips

2009-12-12T14:36:00.001-08:00

Is it Really So Difficult to Improve One's Golf Swing?

2009-12-11T11:38:00.000-08:00

Perhaps like you, I have struggled with this wonderful game of golf most of my life. An avid reader and student of the game, I tried countless tips and numerous training aids, all with little help. There is a golf cartoon floating around that depicts a golfer taking a swing, with the club in several different positions. Around the golfer, and using up every bit of white space, the cartoonist wrote in 52 tips or techniques of which he was aware. If space allowed, he could have added others. The cartoon simply reminds us how difficult the swing can actually be.

Not so surprising, most of the tips were arguable. It was not until I focused on two unarguable aspects of the swing did my game improve and did I finally break 80 at age 65. I am not a good athlete like a Michael Jordan, who is still struggling with his game. But with a focus on these two aspects, it is my belief that there is hope for all golfers at any age.

Within my readings, I recently came across a golf article simply entitled Entropy, by Ben Witter and published in "Essays on the Future of Golf". Holding a mechanical engineering degree myself, I wondered what "entropy" could have to do with golf. Here is what Witter wrote. "The second law of thermodynamics states that all objects in the universe are subject to entropy, meaning that they will all revert back to their original form and shape unless acted upon by an outside energy." Applied to golfing proficiency, Witter writes:" If you began golf as a hacker and you work on becoming better, your destinations toward becoming a hacker again is inevitable. It is actually a physical law of the universe."

Evidence to support his conclusion is offered by comparing and reviewing USGA indices from golf clubs across the country, over the past 50 years, wherein golf handicaps have remained about the same. This statistic is astounding because of the fact that there have been huge advances in equipment technology, advances in instructional technology, and advances in golf course maintenance and course conditions.

I for one, take issue with Witter's analogy and his conclusion. I did start as a hacker at about age 30. Not a good age to start such a difficult sport because according to physiologists, my body had already reached or was soon to reach its peak physical condition. My handicap remained around 19 for a good part of my life. Finally at age 65, I shot a 78 and have shot rounds in the 70's several times since. To what can I attribute my improvement and how does the law of entropy apply, if at all?

There is no doubt in my mind that improvement came about because I began to focus on keeping my head behind the ball through impact and by maintaining my spine angle. My study of the game lead me to the conclusion that at least these two aspects of the golf swing were unarguable. To incorporate this change into my swing was now the challenge. I knew enough about muscle memory and neuromuscular training to realize any change to my swing required feedback, if such change was to become consistent, repeatable, memorized and ultimately executed unconsciously.

At my age I knew also that time was not on my side. I did not have the time to get sufficient feedback from playing enough rounds of golf, or by hitting hundreds of balls at a driving range or by taking numerous lessons from the same Pro. I somehow had to get frequent and instantaneous tactile feedback on these two aspects to change and improve my swing. And so I did with a full swing training device that I designed and built. Lo and behold the 80 barrier was broken.

As for the law of entropy, if in fact it does apply, my only explanation is that the forces exerted by my body, coupled with the training device, might have provided that "outside energy" that enabled me to delay the inevitable journey to again becoming a hacker. For me, golf is fun.

Robert S. (Bob) Doyle is the founder and president of Forever Better Golf Inc. a golf equipment and training aid company dedicated to helping all golfers improve their swings and lower their scores. Their flagship product is the PRO-HEAD Trainer, a full swing training aid that helps golfers maintain their spine angles and keep their heads back and behind the ball through impact. To see the PRO-HEAD Trainer in use and take the 60 second challenge, visit http://www.foreverbettergolf.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Doyle

Golf Swing Tips - How to Stop Topping Golf Balls and Improve Your Golf Swing

2009-12-09T10:16:00.001-08:00

Do your golf balls just roll along the ground and never get into the air? This is called topping the ball, and happens because your club contacts the ball above its equator. Ironically, many golfers make the problem worse by trying to "help" the ball into the air - trying to lift or scoop the golf ball off the turf. So, what is the correct way to stop topping the golf ball?

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. Fundamentally, the problem is that your golf swing mechanics are incorrect in some way. Assuming that you are using the correct golf club, its design will ensure that ball will fly into the air when you swing the club correctly. The fastest way to stop topping golf balls is to consult a golf pro or golf swing coach. He will be able to see where your worst mistakes are and suggest the best drills to improve your golf swing. Once you learn to perform those drills correctly, this embarrassing problem of dribbling your golf ball on the ground will be fixed.

Of course, not everyone has access to a competent golf pro. Before you start surfing the web for a solution, let me give you a warning. Some websites use the terms topping the golf ball, skulling, and hitting the ball thin interchangeably. Not to mention that the golf swing tips contradict each other. Let me suggest a more old fashioned alternative. Go hit your local library for some golf swing instruction books. Look for the books which teach golf swing techniques or show the correct golf swing mechanics. Browse them and borrow the books which you can understand. Read them carefully and take notes. Then go hit a few dozen golf balls and capture it all on video. Analyze what you see, and compare it against your notes. You should see some major deviations from the norm. Once you correct these mistakes, you should have improved your golf swing and stopped topping your golf balls.

Pursuing shortcuts tends to be a hit or miss affair. I must admit that sometimes you just do not have time to do it right. In such cases, you just have to cross your fingers, make a quick prayer and hope for the best. So, here are two quick golf swing tips to stop topping golf balls:

Aim one inch in front of the ball.
Stand with the ball further back in your stance. Swing your club as usual, and you will hit the ball lower.

Some golfers find that they only top the ball with their drivers and low-numbered irons. This shows that they have difficulty controlling the added power when they swing these clubs. Here are three golf swing tips to help you:

Practice half-swings until you consistently hit the ball without topping, then graduate to practicing full-swings
Practice swinging the golf club in slow motion to ingrain the correct movement into your muscle memory. Once you are satisfied that you fully understand the correct golf swing mechanics, gradually increase the speed you swing the club.
Practice your golf swing with old-style blade irons. These old-fashioned clubs have tiny sweet spots. They give you excellent feedback when you do not hit the ball right - the club vibrates strongly and stings your hands. Once you can contact the ball with the sweet spot consistently, you will stop topping the golf ball.

Topping the golf ball once is embarrassing. Topping the golf ball swing after swing is humiliating. The fastest way to stop topping golf balls and improve your golf swing is to ask a golf swing coach to look at your swing. The next best way is to study and understand the correct golf swing mechanics.

Do you have these 3 problems with your golf swing: 1) inconsistency; 2) slice; 3) distance? Click here to find out how to improve your golf swing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Godfrey_Swain

Simple Golf swing- learn how to play better golf!

2009-12-07T22:52:00.001-08:00

Biomechanics of a Golf Swing - Breaking Down the Perfect Golf Swing

2009-12-06T23:42:00.000-08:00

There have been dozens of books written lately about the biomechanics of a golf swing. The bio...what? Man, that's a really technical term. Many of these books break down the golf swing into agonizing details. Trying to read one of these books can put you to sleep fast. Not only that, they are hard to understand as well.

If you are reading this, then more than likely there is something wrong with your swing. Why else would you search for the "biomechanics of a golf swing" on the web? Trying to figure out what is wrong with your mechanics can be a tough task. Are you slicing the ball, hooking, hitting behind it, or topping it? All of these things can be detrimental to your game. The good news is I can help you out.

The Problem With Most Biomechanic Golf Books

I have a real problem with most golf books out there. Most of these books are looking at a pro such as Tiger Woods and breaking down his swing step by step. So, why is this a problem? Don't I want to be able to swing a club like Tiger?

Well, YES, of course I do. The problem is, I will NEVER be able to swing like Tiger Woods. And you probably never will either. We just need to accept that fact. If you have ever read Tiger's book "How I Play Golf" you will notice that it deals more with course management and trouble shots than it does with the mechanics of Tiger's swing. Why? Because Tiger Woods knows that the general population would get absolutely no benefit from reading about the biomechanics of Tiger's swing. They simply cannot copy it.

The Biomechanics of a Golf Swing:

So What Should We Do Now? Ok, hopefully we agree that we will never have a golf swing like a Tiger Woods. So what should we do now? Are we forever stuck slicing, hooking and topping the ball everytime that we play? Of course not, there is an easier answer. Instead of getting really technical, the biomechanics of a golf swing should be simple and easy to perform. There simply needs to be common positions in your swing that are CONSISTENT every time. This will give you the straight shots and distance you are looking for.

What we need is a simple golf swing. One that we can repeat without any thought or conscious effort. We need to make sure that we don't over-complicate the golf swing. The setup, backswing, and impact are the only things we need to focus on. Anything else is just excessive.

The Simple Golf Swing breaks this process down into 5 steps to focus on. Each step is a building block onto the next. The system is easy to learn and it will have you hitting the ball straighter and farther than you ever have. I know, because I have used it myself and gotten great results. For more information about the "The Simple Golf Swing" check out my links below:

=====================================================================
Need More Golf Tips? Grab your copy of my Free Report that is loaded with information the will help you drop strokes and create a simple, consistent swing. Get My Free Report!

You may also enjoy this site:
Golf Biomechanics - This site goes into much greater detail on the biomechanics of a golf swing and how you can improve your game.

Thanks and Enjoy the Info!
=====================================================================

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brayden_Fisher

Golf Pro Lesson Golf Swing Medicine

2009-12-06T12:56:00.001-08:00

Keep Your Golf Swing in Shape All Year with a Golf Fitness Program

2009-12-05T08:37:00.001-08:00

Some PGA Tour players have been playing for a couple of weeks in Hawaii and California. Others like Vijay and Ernie have been playing on the European Tour. Regardless of how many tournaments the pros have played this year, they have been working on their games for more time than most of us realize. Make no mistake about it: in golf – or baseball, football, basketball or any other pro sport – there is no longer an off-season.

So while this may be the first official shot of the season for some, the training process to get ready to make that shot has been quietly going on for months.

The amateur can learn a great deal from the professional golfer. Many parts of the world it is not possible to play golf year around, but there are ways to keep your golf game in shape all year long. Professionals know how to do it and so can you.

Realistically, there is very little time to take a break and do absolutely nothing for professional golfers. While every pro is different, there is a generic blueprint most will follow. After the pro finishes his last golf tournament, they take a little break. A few weeks off to give the body and mind a little rest. Every pro athlete needs that time to just recharge and give the body – both physically as well as mentally – time to recover. The PGA Tour season is one of the longest in sports and even though they may not play every week, it’s very taxing on the body and the time off is essential to ensure positive results when we begin training for the next season.

I would recommend the same recipe for the amateur. Regardless if you are able to play year around or not, take a period of at least 2 weeks to put the golf clubs in the closet. The break away from the game will do wonders. You may even find after you return you are playing better golf and shooting lower scores.

Following the rest time – and like I said, it’s longer for some, shorter for others – its time for the tour player to begin ramping up for the next season by physically improving the parameters of the body for the upcoming year. Just like any other golfer – from the Sunday hacker to the scratch golfer to the club pro – the professional golfer will work on trying to increase flexibility, balance, strength, endurance and power.

The amateur during this time of the year (usually the winter when snow is on the ground) can implement a golf fitness program. A golf fitness program will entail developing the physical capacities of the body around the golf swing. The program will look to develop flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power in relation to the golf swing. This is the first step for the amateur to keeping their golf swing in shape all year long.

The amateur during this time of year can also implement swing drills into their training program. The professional may or may not incorporate swing drills into their program at this time year. But for the amateur I recommend it, why? This is the time of year in addition to developing the body for the golf swing. The amateur can work on swing faults that hindered their scores the previous season.

The swing drills can be simply performing “mirror drills” to work on posture and the phases of the golf swing.

You should start putting drills this time of the year. If you are lucky enough to live in a region you can play golf year around, a couple short sessions at the range every week is a good idea. I would recommend the range sessions be kept short and focused on fixing the “problem” areas in your golf swing. The important point is the off-season is a time the amateur can take advantage of working on both their bodies and their golf swing

Professionally when the PGA Tour season approaches, we begin what is essentially the preseason. This is when the player starts to practice the fundamental mechanics of the sport. If it’s a golfer, he’s on the range working on his swing, if it’s a pitcher, he’s throwing getting ready for spring training. Physically, we’re still training the body, but we tone it down while the player fine tunes his game. But make no mistake about it, even though working on the golf game is 75 percent of the focus of this pre-season training program, we’re still working on the basics of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance and power training.

The pre-season for the amateur marks the time of year when the snow is beginning to melt and the “itch” to play golf comes around. I would suggest the amateur follow a similar program as the professional during this time of year. Start spending more time at the range. Working on all aspects of your golf game. Continue with your golf fitness program, but you may want to back off it a little as a result of the increased practice time. Again, keep in mind the body swings the golf club and we must keep the body in shape to do so.

The pre-season program of increased golf practice and a little less golf fitness continues with the professional golfer until their first tournament. This marks the point when we shift to an in-season golf fitness program. The golf fitness exercises don’t stop, but we back off on the intensity. The program doesn’t change much. We’re still focused on flexibility, balance, strength, endurance and power, but the amount or volume of work is much less to accommodate the physical and mental strain of competition.

Four days of tournament play can take a toll on the body. As a result, we must back off on the amount of golf fitness training. The amateur during the golf season is probably in a little different of a situation. They are probably not playing 4 competitive rounds of golf per week plus practice. At most, they may be playing 2-3 rounds per week with a couple practice sessions. As a result of the lower volumes of golf they can spend a little more amount of time with their golf fitness program.

Essentially, the amateur can pretty much stick to pre-season volume of golf fitness training unless they are playing quite a bit. Just make sure the right balance of golf fitness training is in place in relation to your golf practice and playing. This is necessary so that you do not physically over-tax the body. Bottom line if you are looking to keep your golf game in shape and improving year around, I recommend following what the pros do; take a break at the end of the season, implement a golf fitness program, work on your swing faults during the winter, increase your practice time at the range before the season, and during the season keep a good balance of playing, practicing, and working out.

About the Author

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. To learn more about Sean and his golf fitness programs go to http://www.seancochran.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_Cochran

Improve your golf swing using a video camera

2009-12-03T13:28:00.001-08:00

Golf Swing Lessons, Tips & Instruction - Releasing the Club Head

2009-12-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

Improving Your Golf Swing - 3 Keys to Lower Scores

2009-12-01T11:03:00.000-08:00

1. Correct your golf slice
To be the best player you can be and to improve your golf swing you need to hit a draw (unless you are one of the few golfers who can hit a power fade). 80% of golfers worldwide slice the ball and lose huge amounts of distance as a result. They say that the hardest shot to play in golf is a straight one so if you are going to bend the ball one way or the other..make sure it is not that old banana ball because you will leak distance, right through your bag..with every club.

2. Sort out your fundamentals
An improving golf swing is one built on sound fundamental which are grip, alignment, posture and set up or stance. If you don't pay assiduous attention to these fundamentals your swing will always have to make corrective moves to compensate. And that is not a recipe for consistency or lower scores. Particularly when the adrenaline is pumping and you really want to hit a big one. So take your time and work honestly on your fundamentals and give yourself the best chance of improving your golf swing.

3. Rhythm
Work on your rhythm. Even a bad swing with a good rhythm can work..but a bad swing with bad rhythm is disastrous. So practice with rhythm in mind and resist the temptation to rush your downswing or lunge at the ball from the top of the backswing. Counting 'one' on the backswing and '2' as you swing through impact will help you improve your rhythm to the point where you will train it and trust it.

For more FREE tips visit ...

http://MizunoGolf.info

If you are serious about improving your golf swing and would like more FREE tips and FREE video visit MizunoGolf now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Gorry

Perfect golf swing-tip of the month

2009-11-25T22:55:00.000-08:00

Tiger Woods golf swing in slow motion

2009-11-17T12:44:00.000-08:00

Your Golf Swing Will Smash The Improvement Barrier, If You Will Learn To Do This!

2009-11-16T11:51:00.000-08:00

Golf instruction is based on the need to know doctrine.

It is also based on the goal of the student. Some times getting the ball in the air is good enough. And so when you take a golf lesson and learn to do that, well, you are done. Good!!

Some of you, however, have higher aspirations. Your goals are to play as well as the body the good Lord gave you will allow. This is where the "need to know doctrine" comes into play.

This article is for you. Those who think their game can be better than just getting it in the air.

It is an advanced on line golf lesson that will give you a tremendous boost if you will go to the range and practice with purpose. You will never get to your full potential without this golf lesson.

Remember this ..practice makes perfect, but only if your practice is perfect.

And for you who are not so " into it" you should read this too. It will give you information that you will not hear during a golf swing instruction. But you can tuck away the knowledge and when you are ready, you can adopt it, and put it in your swing. There is nothing wrong with having an advanced lesson, even if you are not ready to use it. You will have it for later. Especially if it's free.

So what follows is based on the need to know doctrine. If you want to play as good as you possible can, you need to know what is contained here.

As always, I will first tell you that there has hardly ever been a good player with a bad grip. So, for crying out loud get a good grip. Start with left hand more on top than on the side of the club. Two knuckles viewed when held in front of you at eye level.

The right hand then should be a bit on the side more or less matching the left hand. The thumb of the left hand goes snugly into the pad of the right hand. The pad is the fat part of you right palm that is the extension of the palm side of your thumb. It's just above where your life line is.

Funny thing about that.

Your grip is not a light wimpy grasp. It is very snug with the right hand onto the left hand. You should be able to feel some tension here.

And just for the heck of it, if you don't think the golf swing is a violent athletic move, take a look at the faces of the Pros on the weekend when they are hitting a full shot.

It is not at all relaxing. And their grips are not light and soft. If they did have a bird in their hands the life expectancy of the bird would be less than a nano second. Sorry!

So, if you have been taught to grip lightly, I am sorry to tell you to forget about it right now.

Need proof? Watch any pro golfer on any weekend on any full swing. See if you can look at their forearms during the swing, best is at setup. You will see the muscles and tendons are very tense, not at all relaxed.

The idea here is to get the grip right because as you progress, your grip will lead you into the magic moves that are required to get to the next level.

The grip is not something that you can afford to take lightly. It is incredible important.

If you do this grip wrong, it is true that you will not be able to do the rest of this swing. One thing depends on another here. You will build your golf swing in increments.

Starting with the grip.

Let us assume that you now have a good grip and you are in an athletic setup position. This is when you are well balanced and you have a reasonable straight back and your butt is slightly in the out position. Your hands hang directly under you shoulders and you chin is slightly up, not laying on your chest.

Your knees are comfortable bent and are directly over the top of your shoes. You are ready to spring in any direction. You are an athlete ready for movement. Ready for action.

You are not just hanging around in a relaxed oh hum manner. This will not work.

So .. now with the club in your hands and a good grip.

Let's push the right hand against the left hand. Just enough to feel pressure, while at the same time using the middle finger and the ring finger of the right hand to pull against the grip of the club.

This is a push / pull action. And it is slight but noticeable. Slight but noticeable. It is not something that an untrained eye would even see or suspect you are doing.

That is part of the reason you won't get this information from too many instructors. It is not because they are holding back on you. It's because it is not an obvious move and it won't show up on any video.

It's a feeling. But absolutely required to help create and maintain the power angles.

Continuing!

And one last feeling, still with the right hand. You should feel some pushing pressure with the right index finger, as if it were a trigger finger on the shafts grip. This is located ( the pressure) on the inside of the index finger just below the interphalangeal joint, or the joint that is in the middle of your finger.

This pressure is also important because it will help you feel the creation of the power angles. And it will help you maintain the angles.

Once you feel this pressure, your job is to remember how it feels and how you created it. This little tidbit of information will also be your key to the knowledge of whether you maintained your power angles or not.

It is the tattler.

It will give you up and let you know that you failed to maintain angles through out the swing. If you lose the feeling you lost the angles.

Now get a club and do this. Do this before you read any more. This is way advanced for most people. It is stuff that you will never hear about on the lesson tee. Or at the range.

But when and if you do this and get it right, you will not believe how much of a difference it makes.

So please, re-read the above, grab a club and try like the dickens to create the feelings. I know it is hard to understand these words and then turn them into feelings, but try.

I also understand and hope you do to, that this is only part of what is going to become a whole concept.

We are building a swing based on solid and time tested techniques. But not necessarily well known.

Ok, here is the key to this grip. Once you have your hands properly on the club, you now will begin to build these feelings described above. And for clarity sake, once again described below.

Start by pushing the right hand bent.

This is pushing against the left hand and allowing the right hand to bend back toward the outside of your right forearm ever so slightly. By the way this is one of the angles and it will increase as you make your moveaway motion into the backswing.

So , for now make sure you push against the left thumb with the inside of your right hand and allow the right hand to bend back. This is not a big move. Slightly is the key word.

At the same time as this is happening, pull slightly with the middle finger and ring finger of your right hand against the grip. This little move will help with the pushing action against the left thumb and it serves to " key in " the grip. Make sure you lock into this feeling.

Last but not least, make sure you feel some pressure against the index finger of the right hand.

Finally you have it. Push right wrist bent, pull with the middle and ringer finger of your right hand and feel a tad of pressure against the index finger of your right hand.

This is not three feelings. It is one feeling with three components.

All done without a single move on your part. Just a little pushing and pulling. Not one single athletic move has occurred. Not one. So anyone, and I mean anyone should be able to do this with not one problem.

Now the fun begins.

You will begin your backswing by turning the middle of your chest to the right, you will take your hands and arms and hence the club with the chest. The chest conducts this movement, not the hands. The hands are like stone in this move.

Turn them into wood if that idea helps. You must turn the chest that will bring the arms and hands along for the ride. This is the hardest part for most people.

It is a very connected move.

The important part is that the hands are dead. The reason for this is that all that pushing and pulling you did with the grip must stay in tack through out the swing. Keep the feeling the whole time, all the way to impact.

So you must not manipulate your hands in any way. Just turn with your chest and bring your arms and hands with it.

Backing up a little. Note the angle that is created as a result of the right wrist being pushed bent. This angle is between the back of the right wrist and the back of your forearm.

Also note the angle between you right forearm and the shaft of the club.

These are the two angles that are your power angles. You have created them by using the proper grip described several times already.

Your objective is to maintain these angles all the way to and through impact.

So turn to as full a backswing as your body allows, do not try to get more than this move lets you have. Frankly shorter is better with this move.

The right hand will have a slightly " trayed " position at the top of your backswing. Make sure that you left hand is not " cupped" back towards the left forearm.

The back of the left hand should be flat at the top. Or in line with it's forearm. No cupped left hand.

There is a very good reason for this. As you do not need to do anything with you hands through out this swing if you have gripped correctly, a cupped left hand will lead to an open clubface and a poor shot.

Or worse it will cause you to intellectually know that something is amiss and you will drift into the land of correction and manipulation, that will kill this swing concept.

You must maintain the angles you created at set up through the entire swing.

Practice this with short chip shots, over and over and over. Get the feelings down pat.

You may be wondering about the release of the clubhead at impact. Good question. The fact is your body will release it for you. You grip has already set it up to happen. That is why the grip and it's associated pushing, pulling and pressure points are so important.

If you just turn your shoulder in the backswing and then turn then into the downswing you will see what I mean. Dead hands. A squared clubface and a solid hit.

Maintain the angles using a little chip shot until you are sure you have established that you know how to create the angles, can feel the needed grip parts and pieces and can turn the whole thing back and forth without manipulating the hands in any way.

The fun part about this swing is that if you want to hit it further, you just turn your shoulders a little faster.

What is even more fun, is that once you learn how to keep the angles, this is the most automated swing you have ever seen and you will hit it as if by magic.

Caution, this move takes practice and patience. It is exactly the swing that many PGA players use. It is simple and repeatable. There is no reason in the world why you can't do it.
Angles = leverage

Leverage = Power

Power = Distance

No angles no leverage

no leverage no power

no power no distance

All good players do two things exactly the same. They have good grips and great angles.

And they keep them both throughout their entire golf swing.

Now you know what they know.

My name is Paul Macleod.. I love angles and my golf swing has two. How many does yours have?

Questions? paulm39083@aol.com

If you want to know if there are any real magic moves in the golf swing the answer is yes, there are four. You can learn the first one here for free and take it to the range for a spin, click here: http://www.ebooksbestbuy.com/golf

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Macleod

A Golfing Tip For Swing Consistency

2009-11-15T12:22:00.000-08:00

A good golfing tip to help you improve your control will have a tremendous impact towards improving your golf game.

Playing good golf consistently requires good control over both the mind and the body. Thus any golfing tip to help you improve your control over both will have a tremendous impact towards improving your golf game.

The golfing tip I would like to give in this article is that by working on improving control over your body, you will in effect also gain more control over your mind. This is simply because the mind gains more confidence that the body will be able to perform whatever instructions the mind communicates to the body.

This is the single golfing tip that has the potential of transforming any golfer's game literally overnight. Many times golfers work very hard on their minds and preparing them for the ideal golf game they would like to enjoy.

In fact many business executives, who have used the power of the mind to improve their businesses or even to build huge successful businesses, fully understand the potential of the mind in improving their golf games.

Still, many of them end up feeling discouraged and puzzled when things do not work out with their golf game quite the way they do in the corporate world.

They lack the simple golf tip that the game has a physical side to be taken care of, if one is to reap the full power of a mind prepared for ideal golf.

The second part of this golf tip is that there is only one known way of gaining better control of your body and it involves exercise.

Simple weight training that is golf-specific will instantly give you much better control over your body. When you strengthen your muscles, you improve functional strength which automatically gives you more control and balance. Some people believe that weight training will cause them to lose feel.

The weight training I am talking about in this golfing tip is not a program for weight-lifters and to build colossal muscles. This golfing tip is about the weight training specific to golf that conditions muscles used in golf and builds up strength. This kind of program rather than making somebody lose feel, in fact increases feel tremendously.

This is an amazing golfing tip that is bound to have an profound impact on your game.

Do you want to discover the secret to creating more power and consistency in your golf swing... AND eliminating ALL your swing faults?

Download this: http://www.performbettergolf.com/ebook

Mike Pedersen helps golfers' improve their golf swing power, consistency and golf swing faults by addressing the physical limitations in their golf swing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Pedersen

A simple golfswing!

2009-11-09T10:19:00.000-08:00

What you need to master the simple golf swing is the right technique. Many people look for the right tips, right maneuvers, or the secret to a simple golf swing and if you’re an avid golfer, the first thing you will want to do is to master the simple golf swing - which is actually not a too difficult task to achieve. The best way to quickly lower your golf scores is to build a better, simple golf swing. Remember, just a mad swing at the golf ball is not what’s going to achieve reasonable or desirable results on a golf course. If you keep your swing consistent you will soon see that you will always hit the ball straight. A simple golf swing is what drives your score. Develop a simple golf swing once and for all. Just imagine having a consistent and repeatable golf swing!

Gaining extra distance and greatly improving your accuracy is easy with a simple golf swing. Firstly, understanding the mechanics of a golf swing and how different parts of your body affect your swing and the entire shot is vitally important. Your stance also plays an important part here as if you are too upright or knees are bent too much it will be more difficult to execute a good back swing and you will lose balance either at the top of your back swing or at the follow through part of the swing. This is caused through your stance being too narrow or too wide. If you look at any of the really good players, you will see that they actually initiate the downswing by pulling the club down with their arms. They do NOT start the downswing by twisting the chest towards the target. Initially, just focus on the set-up, top of the back swing and follow-through positions. Once you have visualized those three positions it is pretty easy to get a simple golf swing happening.

With a simple golf swing, you’ll be able to enjoy and play golf the rest of your life. Others have made the golf swing far too complex. With a simple golf swing, you will get more enjoyment out of your golf game and you'll rise to a whole new level of confidence in your golf game. You're new found confidence will allow your whole game to improve and this will reflect on your score card.

Achieving a simple golf swing will surely change your golf and you'll be amazed with your game. No matter how long you have to enjoy the great game of golf, those years can be filled with an enhanced enjoyment of the game, brought about purely by developing a simple golf swing.

There are a lot of resources on the web where you can access simple golf swing video sequences and other teaching resources.

And speaking of resources…here's an awesome program which guarantees you will drop at least 7 strokes off your golf game in just 2 weeks. Take a look now http://4u2bn.com/w36

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shelley_Allen

How to Improve Your Golf Swing : Getting the Golf Ball in the Air on a Downswing

2009-11-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

Improving your golf

2009-11-05T13:43:00.000-08:00

First things first,let me just start by saying if you are just starting out get a few lessons to get your swing right. It is much easier when you start off with a good swing than going to the driving range and picking up bad habits, then trying to correct them.

Golf is an individual sport for a reason, because everyone is different. What works for one person may not work for another and because of this not one person has the perfect swing, chip or put. For me golf is a thinking persons game.A game of golf is won or lost on club selection and hitting the best possible shot with that club.

One of the most important points is to try to hit your ball onto the green. Once you can do this the next step is to get the ball as close to the pin as possible.Learning what clubs to use and knowing how far the ball will travel before and after bouncing is an important factor an golf. Try to find a golf range or club with a pitch and putt facility,and practice pitching from different distances to improve your knowledge of which club to use from different distances.

You must keep your head still when you are trying to hit the ball.It is impossible to see the ball all the way through the shot if you do not keep your head still, and will probably end with you not making good contact with the ball.When you do hit the ball correctly you will know straight away from the sound and feel of the ball.Next shot try to visualise the shot before you actually do it,let it go through your mind keep your head still and don’t forget to follow through with the shot.If you do one thing when starting in golf, get your swing right and your distance and accuracy will improve with practice.

Another important point in golf is the club grip.This is another good reason to get a few lessons first as a good instructor will show you where and how to grip your club.
Sometimes instructors will have some clubs with a special handle to show you where to put your fingers of each hand.Clubs should be held with the fingers rather than the palms of the hands and should be held loosely rather than tight. You should be relaxed and loose rather than tense.Everytime you pick up a club you should make sure your grip is right and try to keep your grip the same each time.

Jeff Ryall runs a golf website that focuses on information about golf and golf related products. You can enjoy reading tips, tricks and techniques about golf at his site at http://www.golfswing.wordpress.com [http://www.golfswing.wordpress.com]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Ryall