Golf Accessories Organization

Right off the bat, I want to give you one of my best secrets to releasing your scoring potential.

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Not all golf instruction is good for your game!

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What? Yep, I’m not kidding. Once I fully realized this, it freed me up to begin to start playing my best. Not Tiger Woods best or Annika’s best, but Craig’s best. You see, I was a fanatical golf magazine reader and I was always asking for tips from playing partners to help me with parts of my swing when I’d hit a bad shot.

I was so twisted up in knots about golf advice that I never had a chance. In fact, it was when I literally gave up “trying” to improve that I made my biggest gains. I took every tip I saw or heard, work on it at the range for awhile, and then proclaim to myself that I have now found the answer to my golf swing troubles!

That would last for all of about 2 holes before I would give up on that idea as I continued to spray my shots. Were these bad golf tips? No, top pros created them and used them on their students in their lessons with much success. The problem for me was, I wasn’t in these lessons! (By the way, if you have no idea how to swing a club, then a set of lessons or ONE and only ONE instruction program should be your first move).

You can’t transplant a chicken leg to a one-legged human patient and expect the person to then walk! There are so many different theories on not only how to swing a golf club, but also in how to TEACH how to swing a club. Much of it actually contradicts or is completely opposite from one teacher to another. On top of that, we have all sorts of different body types, muscle strengths, flexibility levels and on and on that make for many different (and now here’s the kicker) SUCCESSFUL golf swings!

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I am here to tell you, right now, in print, that for most of us: Your swing is good enough!

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Even one of the greatest golf teachers of our time, David Leadbetter stated that “there is no definitive method” to a golf swing. This leads me to the heart of today’s lesson. And that is, The Pareto Principle. If you’ve never heard of it, it has also been called the 80/20 rule (or 90/10 rule) and it basically means that if you work on the 20% most important items first (for whatever you are trying to achieve), you will be 80% effective! In other words, you want to get the most results from the least efforts. Especially if you’re a busy person with little time to work on your game.

You know that the whole golf industry is geared toward selling you new equipment each year and teaching you how to get “the perfect swing” (which doesn’t exist anyway). Don’t get me wrong, improving your swing is not a bad thing. But it is not necessary for you to get quick, time-efficient score-lowering gains. The proof of this lies in the fact that there are countless top professionals that win at the highest levels with unorthodox swings! Look at Jim Furyk, who won the U.S. Open. And he has a huge LOOP in his swing. Look at Allen Doyle on the Champions Tour, he looks like he’s hitting a hockey puck! Lee Trevino always said that students should NOT try to copy his swing and we all know how successful he was. He was beating Jack Nicklaus in his prime! Spend some time watching the Champions Tour and you’ll see all sorts of wacky swings.

Forget about the pros for a minute. How many times have you seen a senior at your local course hit the ball straight down the middle nearly every time without hardly making any turn in his swing. While you blast drives 60 yards by him he destroys you on the scorecard. Do I need to remind you that it’s only the final score that matters in this game?

Stop working on your swing and start working on SCORING! There is no prize for the prettiest swing. Shoot, even though I am still tempted, I now actually force myself to ignore any swing instruction that I see in a magazine or book and just keep on with the basics of what I learned while striving for a REPEATING SWING, and not a perfect one. You can always work on your swing later after you tackle the 20% most important stuff. In my program, I tell you exactly what the top golf researchers have found to be that 20%, especially for us average golfers.

Tomorrow, I’ll write you about another tool (hypnosis) that you probably already use, to help you work on your game when you can’t make it to the range.

Greens and fairways!

Craig Sigl, the Golf Anti-practice expert, is a Master and Trainer of Hypnosis, NLP and Timeline techniques. He plays to a 5 handicap and teaches his methods worldwide.
Visit Break 80 Golf instruction to receive a free digitized golf book and ezine “Golf legends and Gurus”

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I have chosen four of what I feel are the most common trouble shots you may encounter at The Bridges Golf Club. And “Taking the Challenge” at the Bridges involves being prepared for trouble shots. It would be naive of me to think otherwise. Remember, every course has a little different layout and terrain so practice accordingly.

Welcome these difficult situations as a test of your intellect. These shots just take a bit more creativity than others. Besides, if we hit every shot in the fairway and then on the green, we would have nothing to talk about over a beverage after the round.

Trouble shots might be the hot topic of conversation after the round but are less popular at the practice range. There are several reasons why we don’t practice trouble shots. First of all, we never expect to have to play a trouble shot. And there are not many practice areas set up to work on these types of shots. Besides, trouble shots are not the most glamorous shots to practice. Imagine yourself hitting a large basket of practice balls from high rough or under a tree. The way to practice trouble shots is with one golf ball and the competition of others. It’s the difference between practicing for five minutes or two hours.

Here are four common trouble shots. With a little guidance and practice you could save yourself a few strokes and a lot of frustration.

The Plugged Bunker Shot

This is a fairly easy shot to get out of the bunker, but difficult to get close to the hole.
Understand: Because the ball is in a hole it will come out fairly low and with very little spin. Little spin will cause the ball to roll when it lands on the green.

Keys: Close the face of your sand or lob wedge. Next, close it even more. Did I mention, close the face? Finally, strike the sand fairly close to the ball. Make sure you get the sand out of the bunker.

The Backhanded Shot

In this situation, you cannot take your stance because a tree, bush, or severe slope is in your way. This shot is necessary when your only option is to stand on the opposite side of the ball.

Understand: This is a difficult shot to hit more than 30 yards. So we are just going to take our medicine on this one.

Keys: Flip your seven iron around, stand very close to the ball with your back to your target. You are going to use your dominant hand to hit the shot. Take lots of practice swings, and avoid your ankle! Trust me, this is much easier than trying to hit it left-handed.

Downhill Chip Shot

Several of the greens at The Bridges are set into the hillside, testing your ability to chip down to the putting surface.

Understand: Don’t try to hit this shot high. The slope of the ground has already determined that this shot must be hit low.

Keys: The most important key is to make solid contact. You’re going to use a basic chipping technique with one adjustment, angle your shoulders with the slope. This will help you swing with the slope. On a downhill chip, you will make a higher backswing and a lower follow through.

Ball in a Small Hole Next to the Green

This is almost guaranteed to happen at least once a round. The ball is located just a couple feet off the surface of the green, but it has settled into a small depression, not much larger than the ball itself. This simple shot is very easy to chunk short or blade over the green.

Understand: Because the ball is sitting down in a depression it is very difficult to spin. This is the bad news and the good news. Because it will come out with topspin, it will be easier to predict the first bounce. No matter if the first bounce is in the rough or on the surface of the green I know it will not spin. The ball will roll true, which makes the shot easy to execute with a putter!

Keys: Use your putter, it’s the key. Place the ball slightly back in your stance, and treat the shot like a chip. You will contact the ball with a descending blow, the ball will pop over the long grass, and roll with topspin. Plan on hitting it close to the hole.

It is a good idea to be knowledgeable of the trouble shots you encounter the most, and practice them. You need to set up your practice to be entertaining. We cover a few trouble shots during the on-course instruction portion of our one-day golf schools at The Bridges Golf Club. It’s a real kick to put yourself in a situation and see how many shots it takes to put the ball in the hole. No matter the situation or the results, make sure you keep it fun.

Perry Andrisen is a PGA Teaching Professional at The Bridges Golf Club in San Ramon, California. He teaches over 2,000 lessons a year. He has previously worked at Montreux Golf Club and Hazeltine National Golf Club. Perry has coached players from the PGA Tour, Nationwide, Hooters, Teardrop, Spanos, Pepsi, Dakotas, and Golden State golf tours. Among his PGA Tour clients is his former college teammate Aaron Barber. Perry has found a Profession that he absolutely loves, and it shows in every lesson he gives. For more information, visit Perry’s Web site at http://www.perryandrisen.com.

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There are many methods of golf instruction, from one-on-one training with a professional to group lessons. Golf instruction videos have many advantages over face-to-face classes or other learning methods such as books or audiotapes. You can both see and hear the instructions as you perform the task. The instructor on the video becomes your personal teacher taking you step-by-step through each skill. You can set your own pace and repeat the video over and over as needed. You can watch certain sections at any time of the day or night. If you are embarrassed about the weaknesses of your golf game, you can work on improving them in the privacy of your own home.

With thousands available you should have no problem finding the golf instruction video best for you. As with any training tool, you need to choose one that addresses your specific needs.

While some video ads make outrageous claims about its ability to improve your game, take it with a grain of salt. Look at your golf instruction video as a guide, not a guarantee. A golf instruction video will not magically transform your game. Watch the video several times, however, to make sure you have extracted all the tips and advice offered. Several small pieces of advice can add up to a big difference and big improvement.

A golf instruction video visually presents methods to improve your golf. Compare the visual examples provided with what you do yourself. Get someone to videotape your swing, putt or whatever you are working on with the video so you can see where you differ from the advice in the video. Look at posture and stance, backswing and follow through, and look for differences. It’s not easy to see and correct your faults without taking a very close look.

Consider your fitness level. You can’t take advantage of everything a golf instruction video has to offer without having muscles fit for golf. Try doing golf-specific exercises so that you can be sure that your muscles are ready to be trained for improved golf.

Ask other golfers if they have used a golf instruction video that has been helpful. While your needs may differ, you might find a different video from the same company if you get a good recommendation.

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Dr. Richard Myers provides the avid golfer with golf instruction video products to improve his or her golf game. Stop by http://www.thinkandreachpar.com and see what everyone is raving about!

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Have you ever thought about what your hands and forearms are actually doing at the moment of impact? If not, please give this a try because it’s one of the most important parts of the swing. The Simple Golf Swing explains this move, and others, in much more detail.

Try to get into the impact position, like you are about to make solid contact with the ball. Now flip your trailing wrist like you were casting a fishing pole. This is referred to as a wrist break, and it’s not a move that you want to make in golf. So if you are trying to “flip” your hands through the ball at impact, this tip may help you understand the correct way to make this happen.

If you put a wrist watch on you’ll be able to visualize the correct moves to make. As your leading arm approaches impact the watch face should be getting close to pointing exactly down the target line, or to the flag. Now simply ROTATE the watch face so it’s pointed at the ground. With a club in your hands, you’ll see that this move makes your trailing wrist and forearm “flip” on top of your leading wrist and forearm.

You also see that this will help to “close” the face of your club nicely, that will both reduce your slice, and add distance. This is the correct move to be completing through impact.

It’s important to note that your forearms should be working together as well. Try to keep your forearms as close to each other as possible through the impact zone. If you can master this move, you’ll find increased distance and it will also do wonders for your slice.

David Nevogt writes golf instruction material that helps golfers of all levels reach their full potential and lower their scores. David is the author of “The Simple Golf Swing” which guarantees to have you shooting 7 strokes lower in only 1 week from today. You can find more of his golf instruction by going to http://www.golfswingguru.com

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Most golfers want to improve their game. Of the many, many choices available, you can find the golf training aid that can help you improve virtually any and every aspect of your game. These include weighted clubs, impact balls, special mats, measuring devices and much, much more. Many golfers would agree that although golf is an easy game to learn, it is difficult to master.

Each golf training aid is designed to help you focus on one thing, such as your stance or your swing. Practicing over and over trains your mind and your body until the correct positioning or motion becomes second nature on the golf course.

However, a golf training aid that works for one person won’t necessarily provide someone else the same benefits. Those new to the game of golf have an advantage in using training aidstheir lack of experience means almost any aid will be helpful by providing experience just by using it. More experienced golfers have probably developed bad habits that are harder to change. Or, they have very specific faults they want to address and it’s harder to find a golf training aid specific enough to improve those faults.

Whether you are a beginner or a golfer who has logged hours on courses around the globe, you will only benefit from training aids that are suited to your needs and your preferred learning methods. Read reviews and keep yourself updated about the teaching aids available. Don’t be shy: talk to other golfers and find out what training tools they have found helpful.

Aside from making sure you choose a golf training aid best suited to your needs, make sure your selection makes sense. Be wary of products that make promises as well as those that address a certain skill without also touching on the related skills. For example, a training aid designed to increase your swing speed should also focus on establishing a good swing. What good is a faster swing if you are just hitting the ball into the woods? If the product promises to improve your swing speed without also addressing swing control, quality and accuracy, move on to another aid.

Bear in mind that a golf training aid can only improve your game to the degree that your body is able. If you don’t have a good foundation of strength and flexibility, a training aid can only do so much. Work on improving your physical condition along with the specifics of your golf game.

Another important factor in successfully benefiting from a golf training aid is regularly using it. It will take several sessions with the device before you will see a difference in your game. Don’t give up too quickly and move your training tool to the garage or basement never to be seen again.

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Dr. Richard Myers provides the avid golfer with the proper golf training aid improve his or her golf game. If the perfect game eludes you, see Richard at
ThinkandReachPar.com.

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So you need a little help with your golf swing. This article will give you some tips that may help with golf swing improvement. Golf swing improvement is an important consideration when you are serous about the game.

Golf swing improvement tip #1: You need to have self confidence. Without self-confidence the likelihood of golf swing improvement is not very good.

Golf swing improvement tip #2: Don’t worry about what others think or say about your golf swing. Think about how you feel about your swing and then work to improve it.

Golf swing improvement tip #3: Develop a positive attitude about your golf swing.

Golf swing improvement tip #4: You may not feel relaxed but you can learn to play whether you are relaxed or not.

Golf swing improvement tip #5: If you have problems with your left knee buckling when you swing, try imagining that you are holding a basketball between your knees.

Golf swing improvement tip #6: Don’t swing too quickly. Figure out a rhythm and stick with it.

Golf swing improvement tip #7: Remember to use the muscles in your legs and trunk. Using your wrists only will not produce the swing you need.

Golf swing improvement tip #8: If it is breezy it is not going to do you any good to hit the ball harder. Try hitting the ball lower.

Golf swing improvement tip #9: Work on a golf swing that has good balance and a very smooth tempo.

Golf swing improvement can occur with a little mental and physical work.

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Golf-Swing-Improvement.com. He provides more golf putting, golf swinging and golf game improvement tips that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

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Are you planning on attending a golf school on your next golf vacation? Don’t expect to kick your feet up, relax with a cold beer and nap every couple of hours. Furthermore, don’t expect to enjoy your learning experience unless you prepare yourself physically. Golf schools require at least a minimum level of golf fitness.

All golf vacation schools are not the same. But most do have one thing in common. You will swing a golf club much more than usual and this will put your body through more stress than a normal round of golf.

The last thing you want to do on your golf school vacation is to wake up so sore that you can not enjoy your next day of golf instruction. Also, if your body is sore and tired, chances are your mental capability for learning will suffer.

Here are a few quick tips to prepare your body for your golf school experience. And guess what? Your health will improve as a bonus.

• Start your conditioning at least a month before golf school.
• Begin walking or jogging at least thirty minutes a day.
• Go to the driving range and hit buckets of balls four or five days a week.
• Begin the right kind of strength and flexibility program.

In the last tip, I state to “begin the right kind of strength and flexibility program”. This is a very important part of the equation. If you do not follow the right kind of program, your golf game will suffer.

Many personal trainers claim to know how to train golfers. This is just not true. Choose a fitness program and a fitness professional that understands the biomechanics of the golf swing.

If you follow these tips, you will enjoy your golf school vacation. You will learn more. You will play better golf. And in your free time, instead of popping ibuprofen and donning ice packs, you can relax by the pool with a cool drink, enjoy the local attractions or play more golf.

Enjoy your golf vacation school learning experience. Make sure to visit our website for more information on how to train correctly for golf and how to pair the right golf school with your golf game.

Copyright 2005 Evans Putman - All Rights Reserved. Reprints allowed see below.

Article courtesy of http://www.PerfectGolfVacations.com your source for the best golf destination information. We deliver “Truth in Golf Travel”. PerfectGolfVacations.com delivers the best local market information and word-of-mouth recommendations from golf destinations like Myrtle Beach, Las Vegas, Ireland, Hilton Head, and more. Keep current with updates, news and specials at our blog http://www.PerfectGolfVacations.blogspot.com.

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Golf swing flexibility exercises that are the most effective are not what you read in all the “so-called” fitness for golf books. I make this bold statement because I bought every golf fitness book and was so disappointed I wrote my own Ultimate Golf Fitness Manual.

What I didn’t see in most of these books was dynamic (movement) stretches, especially for core flexibility. The golf swing is a rotation, therefore it only makes sense to incorporate as many core rotational movements, stretches and exercises into your routine as possible.

This is more prevalent in the senior golfer. He/she has lost a large amount of core rotation and in return massive yards off the tee. That’s the biggest complaint I hear among senior golfers is their lack of distance off the tee.

But, what’s frustrating for me is that same golfer will buy more equipment, take more lessons and hit more balls and not see improvement. This is because the “root cause” has still not been approached.

Until you fix the “machine”, you will not see improvement. Your body’s physical capabilities dictate your golf swing efficiency and power. Until you realize this and make the commitment to improve this, you’ll continue to be a very frustrated golfer.

The great thing about golf swing flexibility exercises are they don’t require any equipment and can be done anywhere. In your officeat your homeeven on the golf course. There is no reason (excuse) not to participate in a golf swing flexibility exercise program.

If time is a valuable commodity you don’t have a lot of, then doing just 3-4 rotational stretches daily and you’ll see a huge difference in your power and distance.

There is only an “upside” to doing it.

How about adding 30 yards to your drives? No more back pain? Feeling like your 20 years younger and playing like it too?

I could go on and on about the benefits, but you’ve got to believe it and do it.

Just remember the golf swing is a rotational movement, so you should train your body from a rotational strength and flexibility standpoint. Taking this concise and yet effective approach will give you the quickest results from your golf swing flexibility exercises.

About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf performance experts in the country. He is Golf Magazines golf performance expert; author, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf performance membership sites. Take a look at his just released golf training and manual at his golf swing improvement site - Perform Better Golf.

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This is for all you golfers out there, you know who you are, those who show up with club in hand and without any warm up practice of any kind tee off and expect a great round. A big no no!

If you want to see any improvements you need to put forth the time and effort. And arriving a half hour early for a pre-game warm up certainly makes all the difference. Ever since I adopted this habit I can’t imagine playing without a pre-game warm up. It’s addictive! Trust me.

A good warm up session includes hitting balls for 15-20 minutes. Hit 5-10 balls each with a 9, 7, 5, and a 3 iron, as well as your 3 wood and driver. Always start with the shorter clubs first working your way towards the longer clubs and finish your warm up session with some wedge shots and putting. This not only loosens up your muscles but prepares the mind.

It’s a simple habit that will add years of enjoyment and injury free golfing to your life!

The second type of practice will definitely improve your game. Get out to your favorite driving range and practice once, if possible twice, a week for around 60 mins, never more. Always keeping in mind to practice the shorter clubs first working your way up towards the longer clubs. And remember you can form bad habits while you practice so practice with purpose just as you would while playing.

Also, remember the importance of reviewing your past games. This is crucial. When you’re out playing a round it’s time to enjoy the game - it’s not time to be learning. That’s what post-game assessment of your weakest areas is for - so you can practice with purpose!

A Pro is a Pro because s/he keeps learning. Never stop learning!

Dedicated to improving your game.

Discover How You Can Easily Duplicate The Success Of Golfers Who Consistantly
Improve Their Game With a Little Known Scorecard Secret And a
Golf Handicap Tracker.

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Yes, there truly is a “secret” of golf.
Good players know it, and use it almost
subconsciously. The Golfing Machine describes
this “secret” as “Lag”.

“It is simple, elusive, indispensable, without
substitute or compensation and always present”.
- Homer Kelley

What is lag? We’ve all heard this term.
Lag can be defined as, “trailing” or ”
following”. Golf Instruction tells us
we need to have it but why?

In this article we will focus on “clubhead
lag”. Clubhead lag promotes even and steady
acceleration assuring dependable control of
distance. An example would be a tour player
hitting a shot. As the player starts their
pre-shot the announcer tells us that the
player has 193 yards to the flag and that
they are going to hit a 6 iron. A 6 iron!
A lot of players would love to
hit their Driver that far!

In every good swing at the moment of Impact
the clubshaft is leaning forward (toward the target).
The hands are in front of the ball, and clubface,
turning the 6 iron into a 5 or 4 iron. The
average player arrives at Impact with the hands
BEHIND the ball and the clubshaft either vertical or
leaning backward. This ADDS loft and turns that 6 iron into
a 7 or 8 iron! Do you play golf with someone that is
always complaining that all of their irons go the same
distance? These players have a backward leaning clubshaft.

The good players use a steady acceleration, the poor
players over-accelerate. The hands reach maximum speed
before reaching Impact and this one move dissipates all of
the “lag”.

Here are some drills to feel, establish, and maintain
clubhead lag.

What does “lag” feel like? It is
exactly like dragging a wet heavy string mop through Impact.
In this drill use a towel. Wrap the towel around the
hosel of your club and place the clubhead on ground just
outside of your trailing foot. Now try to use just your
wrists to take the clubface to the ball. This move is
difficult at best and the shaft will be leaning backward.
Now replace the club but this time rotate your right
shoulder downplane to the golf ball and toward “right
field”. You’ll notice a distinct sensation of
dragging and a heavy pressure through the ball.

For the next drill you can simply take a piece of rope and
hold it like a club. Go the top of the swing and allow the
rope to rest on the top of your right shoulder. As you
start down “feel” like the rope stays ofthe shoulder as
you take your hands on a direct downward line to the ball,
or a spot in front of the ball. This is called a
“rope handle technique” in The Golfing Machine.
As you can see, the “end” of the rope is “lagging” your hands.

The majority of golfers do just the opposite. They try move
the clubhead with the wrists. This produces a ”
quitting” motion and the club moves upward toward
Impact instead of downward.

A properly lagging clubhead produces a strong downward
thrust which adds distance, trajectory, and
consistency.

For a great drill use a duffel bag, pillow or Impact bag.
Take the club back to waist high with the clubshaft parallel
to the target line and horizontal to the ground. Now
simply rotate the right shoulder downplane to the golf ball
and toward “right field”. This will bring the hands and
body to Impact position and the club will be lagging!

Chuck Evans is one of only 31 Teachers in
the world to hold the designation of
“Doctorate in Golf Stroke Engineering”,
he is one of the most highly sought after
instructors in the world not only by players
but other teachers as well and is known
as the Teacher of Teachers!

Chuck has appeared on numerous golf talk shows,
written and published instructional articles in
local, regional, and national golf publications.

His DVD, “60 Days To Game Improvement” has sold in
excess of 10,000 copies and his new eBook,
“How To Build YOUR Golf Swing” is in the library
of amateurs and Teaching Professional alike.

He has also appeared as the featured instructor
for education classes regarding the golf swing at
various PGA Sections and Chapters around the country
and has is recognized by Golf Magazine as one of
America’s Top Teachers.

You can reach Chuck through his Golf Academy in Mesa
Arizona by calling 480.862.6544, by email at
chuck@chuckevansgolf.com

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