Golf Tips

Trevor Mulholland asked:


If you have decided to take up golf, you are probably in search of free golf tips. Good news! You’ve found them! These free golf tips are designed with every golfer in mind, and they are beneficial to anyone who reads them.
The first tip is to beware of tips! That’s right. Many well meaning golfers will offer you a great deal of advice. What many people fail to realize is that what works for one golfer probably won’t work for others. These tips, however, are for all golfers.
Enjoy the game. Getting mad isn’t much fun. If you aren’t enjoying the game, you need to find out why, and fix the problem. Getting upset over bad swings or problem areas won’t fix anything, and it will only serve to take all of the fun out of the game. This is a game that tests your skill and technique - but it is still a game, and games are meant to be enjoyed!
Be a great sport - even if you aren’t great at golf. Be respectful to the other players. Be still and quiet when they are taking their shots. Don’t criticize or make fun of the way they stand, shoot, or grip the club….no matter how good you think your own game is. Good sportsmanship is everything, and without it, you won’t have any golfing companions in a very short period of time.
Golf responsibly. Do not litter the course. If the grass is loosened and turned when you shoot, use your foot to replace it. Wait your turn if you come upon a group at the next tee - don’t rush them. Use caution when driving golf carts, and use caution again when you take your shots to avoid hitting houses, buildings, animals, or other golfers. Leave the course better than you found it.
When you practice, practice at the hardest holes on the course…don’t take the easy way out, practicing only on the easy holes, thinking you are making headway - you aren’t. Practice on the hardest tees, and the hardest putts. Put yourself in the traps, and practice getting out of them. Imagine worst case scenarios and set them up. This is what will make you a better golfer.
Play miniature golf, and take it more seriously - but still have fun. Playing miniature golf is a great way to improve your putting skills. Many seasoned golfers laugh at this suggestion - but its true! Good miniature golf courses provide really challenging obstacles that you must put through, under, around and over….some even offer more challenges than you will ever find on your local golf course greens!
Keep your eyes open for used training aids. If they are reasonably priced - buy them! Not all training aids will help you, but unfortunately, you won’t know which ones will unless you try them out first. Get together with golfing friends and go in together to buy golfing aids that you can share. The aids that are available on the market today will help you improve your game a great deal, in a short amount of time.
Read a lot - and play even more. There are lots of techniques that you can learn from golfing websites, golf books, and golf magazines - but you will learn them faster out on the course! Read it once, and then go try it. If you need to, print it out and carry it with you - but go put the theory into practice - and practice, practice, practice! You can learn the concept sitting in your living room, but you will never make that concept work for you if you don’t take it out onto the course with you!
If you can’t get on the course, and you have some spare time and enough room, practice your swing. You don’t need a ball for this. Consider using a training club during these times to help build strength as well. If you take the time to practice your swing several times a day, you will find that you have a perfect swing for you in short order! If your golf game gets rained out - use the time to practice your swing, or practice your putting indoors…but don’t let that time go to waste! The best free golf tips you will ever receive will all include the word ‘practice!’

Steven

George Gabriel asked:


Playing a golf shot from behind a tree or a hazard leaves several choices for the golfer. Having several choices surely can create a big problem. Most salesmen will tell you, leaving too many choices on the table can confuse the sale. I know that I am way off topic here, but having more than a couple of choices can really slow down the decision making process, and trying to sell yourself can be quite the task at times. Especially when there is a golf stroke involved. That is were a question and answer period has to take place, and if you’re trying to sell yourself the thought of making it around, through or over the tree in front of you, good luck!

Do you attempt to go over the hazard? Do you attempt to go around the tree from either side? The other alternative would be to go under the hazard. The safe golf shot would probably be to chip out of trouble, but a lot of us have like to go for the gold. Lets chip away at our options by asking a few simple questions and try coming up with a simple solution.

I’m sure this situation is a common problem for a lot of golfers, unless you hit the perfect golf shot all the time, and even a perfect golf shot down the middle of the fairway may land you behind trees that grow in the middle of fairways on some golf courses. To make a smart decision, you have to look at all your options and come to a reasonable decision on any attempt on trying to reach the green from behind trees. Taking your time on the decision making process is of great importance. Let us put a few options out in the open and see if we can make a wise decision.

First and foremost importance is choosing the right golf club. Ball placement distance to green has to be determined if you plan on going for the green. Let us assume that you’re 169 yards away from the middle of the green and it’s the perfect distance for your 6 iron. We also came to the conclusion that in order to climb the tree in front of you, the 6 iron will not be enough club because of the height to get over the tree, therefore you may have to take a golf club with more loft and less distance and lean into the shot to make up for the distance.

One way of determining if you have enough loft is to stand behind the tree with the golf club in hand and place the golf club head on the ground with the face of the club towards you, and put the bottom of your foot on it and let the grip go. If the tip of the golf club shaft points up and over the tree, chances are the loft of the golf club is enough to go over the tree. If the tip if the golf club points at any part of the tree, chances are you need a loftier club. You may want to practice picking up the golf club head right away on the take-away to get more height from your golf clubs.

If you decide to do the opposite, and attempt to go under the tree, you have to do the extreme opposite with a more closed faced golf club, like a 3 iron, 4iron, 5 iron and maybe a low driver off of the grass depending on your lie. You may want to choke down on the golf club to take a little distance off the ball flight. Again more decisions have to be thought out, depending on how low the branches hang from the ground.

Another alternative would be to try and go around the obstacle. Going up and over or around the hazard will always make the golfer reach for a longer club because of the added distance. If you decide to go around the hazard, you have to make sure the golf ball does not go straight and you’re not going to end up in more trouble, unless you know how to maneuver the golf ball at will. Typically depending on side of the obstacle you decide to go, you may have to open or close the clubface to manipulate the direction of ball flight. If you must attempt to go around, assure yourself that you can spare the couple extra strokes it may cost you to end up right back where you started if you hit it straight out of bounds.

I know being positive is the way to think, but it’s okay to face the possibility of human error to keep us within our capabilities. Staring the situation down with the least amount of fear is the positive mindset that we all like to play. Question you have to ask yourself in that moment of greatness; what is my handicap? Once you’re comfortable and honest with your answer, think no more! Take the shot!

Taking your time and going through a couple simple questions could help you save strokes. Try to avoid making quick decisions on the golf course. Try not to forget that you are paying and playing for the enjoyment of being out on the course. You have every right to take the time on the golf shot within reason. Other golfers do not like to play behind slow golfers either. If you think you have to rush the golf shot, it does not become enjoyment any longer. Talk to your group of golfers and possibly let the group behind you play through if you feel rushed.

Carla

Reggie Dunn asked:


You can safely say that golf tips are the thoughts you harbor in your subconscious mind as you swing that golf club of yours. At the end of the day what matters is how well the golf tips work, irrespective of where it came from - another player or a golf veteran or that indisputably terrific player you came across at your most recent golf vacation in Las Vegas.
Our minds and bodies have their own unique system of working. When your mind is uncluttered then your body seems to work the best. This phrase means that you just let your body do its thing rather than trying to think through your actions. The trick is to train yourself to make this a custom and not an uncommon feat of achievement.
Here comes the first tip. Learn how to switch off your mind and give permission to your body to swing without interrupting it consciously. Your body remembers how to swing it correctly, if you have successfully done that.
A terrific way to materialize such a thing is to recall the time when you had achieved that fantastic swing. Visualize the scene in detail. Then remember how it felt. Mentally play it out in your inner eye and get back that wonderful feeling again. Now play it out. This is an easy, simple and effective exercise.
Understand that a good grip is the first step towards playing good golf. For your performance on the course your golf grip is crucially of consequence.
Most of the professional golfers have very similar golf grips. So keep your eyes open.
You have to experiment to find the hand position that suits your individual style the best. It is something you must train yourself for. Being consistent is the most crucial thing. Stick with the grip once you land upon it through the trial and error method.

Only when you hold the club exactly in a similar way every single time can you really tell whether your golf grip gives you the achieved outcome. Practice and learn to grip the golf club the same way whenever you play.
So your second golf tip is to find out the golf grip that works best for you and continue with it.
When you choose a club that always make sure to ask yourself, “How far must I back off of this swing?” the 75% rule works best. Make a ¾ backswing and follow through, concentrating on controlling the direction and distance of the shot.
A club that is heavy will give you the force you need to improve your control and aiming the target. If you practice with heavier clubs then you will have the capacity to swing with more control since you will not be investing all your strength into it.
You will see that you are making better contacts more and more with the ¾ swing and will now begin to hit the ball farther with that wonderful control in your swing than the full whack.
The third golf trip is to play with a heavier club and lower your swing to 75%. This way you will get power and control that is much better.

Arnold

Victor Lensora asked:


The correct grip is a key fundamental component of a golfer’s game and is required to have a consistently good straight game, giving you the ability to shoot low scores with ease.
When the grip is faulty, poor shots often result along with an inconsistent and unreliable game. Therefore it is essential for your game that your grip is correct if you want to take your golf to the next level.
Firstly place the club in your left (opposite for lefthanders) hand, close your left hand around the grip as if you were shaking somebody’s hand. Your thumb should be pointing down the grip, slightly to the right of centre.
Then bring in the right hand, firstly interlock the little finger of your right hand with the forefinger of your left hand. The underside of the grip should be placed on the joints of the second and third fingers of the right hand. Your right thumb should also be pointing down the grip, while your right palm should be facing towards the target with your left hand facing away from the target.
Two V’s should be formed by the thumb and forefinger of each hand, these should both point somewhere between your right shoulder and eyes.
When holding the club, the club must be held firmly but with the minimum of effort. Having the correct grip allows your hands to work freely with the utmost control while a poor grip leads to a lack of club head control.
Key Points:
• Your arms and hands are relaxed.
• Your left forefinger is linked with the little finger of right hand, 2 or 3 knuckles should be visible.
• The V’s created by the forefinger and thumb on each hand should point be to between your right shoulder and eyes. These V’s should be pretty much parallel to each other.
• The grip should be comfortable yet held firmly with little effort, it is vital that the club head does not open or close on impact.
To test that you have a good grip, it should feel as though both your hands work together as if one. When you lift the club and move it, your hands should feel comfortable and secure.
Problems and cures for slightly faulty grips: You may find that you are slicing the ball; this could be due to a problem with your grip, (although it may be due to other reasons mentioned in my other article that aims to solve the slice) try rotating your grip slightly clockwise around the grip; also try holding the club more in the palm of your left hand.
If you have problems with hooking the ball, make a conscious effort to feel the ends of the fingers on your right hand pushing upwards through impact with the ball. This should help prevent you from closing the clubface on impact and so helps prevent you from hooking the ball.

Hazel

Gaurav Walia asked:


There are good golf tips and bad golf tips. The question is, “how do you decide which golf tips to listen to?”

This question has been brought home to me recently because a good friend took up golf about two years ago. He has really caught the bug and plays several times a week. He also has lessons and practices frequently. Whenever we play together he is constantly asking for tips and advice about his swing.

It is my belief that you should only give a player a golf tip if you are sure that it will fit in with the rest of his swing. I have seen far too many players lose their swings when trying to adopt a golf tip which simply does not fit in with everything else that goes on when they swing the club.

OK, I know, there are certain golf tips which are universally sound, like, “keep your head still.” But equally there are plenty of other golf tips that can be ruinous even when given with the best of intentions.

In particular I recall a good player with whom I’d played many rounds who always drew the ball right to left, usually with good control. One day when his draw was a bit exaggerated, his partner suggested this perfectly sound golf tip: “You know, if you were to keep your right elbow well tucked in on the downswing you would lose that nasty hook.”

The suggestion was well meant. However, for a player who had a well grooved habit of swinging slightly over the top of the ball, as Arnold Palmer was wont to do, it proved to be one golf tip too much. He became so conscious of his right elbow that it threw the whole of the rest of his swing out of shape and it took him months to get it back again.

The point is that the golf tip didn’t fit in with the rest of his swing.

This is a mistake that many golfers make. They listen to all the golf tips out there and try to adopt them all in their desperate search for a good swing. It is my belief that your aim should be to groove a golf swing that will give you streams of straight and long golf shots by modelling your swing on one set of advice. Then you should develop a mind movie of that swing so that you can reproduce it whenever you play a shot.

Think how long some of the most famous partnerships between players and their swing coaches have lasted. Think of Jack Nicklaus and Jack Grout, Tiger Woods and Butch Harmon, Nick Faldo and David Lead better to name but a few. All these great players relied on one coach’s vision of their swing to keep their mind movie in shape. They did not go asking for golf tips from other players.

Jared

Max Johnson asked:


You are interested in playing golf and are looking for beginner golf tips. You have found the right article to help you do that! As everyone knows the game of golf is not always cheap to play. However, before you fully commit yourself to the game, there are ways to get a little taste before you buy the cow. Again, reading these beginner golf tips before you dive in can save you time and money.

Beginner Golf Tips - Get A Putter That Fits You - The first thing that I would suggest that you do is to get a putter that fits you. It does not need to be fancy or the top of the line but it does need to fit you. The local PGA Professional or club-maker can help you with this. Drop balls just a few feet from the hole and start your new adventure! Do not make the mistake of trying to make a bunch of 50 foot putts.

Beginner Golf Tips - Buy A Club At A Time - You do not need a full set of golf clubs to get started. You can start to take lessons or learn the game around the greens (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) by using just a pitching wedge. As you get better, you can add clubs to your set. Most players, as they start, tend to hit many of their clubs the same distance just because they do not know how to use the club properly yet.

Beginner Golf Tips - Get Golf Lessons: To play the game so that you can enjoy it, you will need some professional instruction. Lessons can be found in many different forms. There are individual lessons as well as clinics. Obviously with the individual lessons, you are the star and all the attention will be placed on you. These lessons are more expensive but again, you are one on one with the instructor. Clinics are a great way to first get involved in golf. You will be meeting other people with your skill level and will have the potential to meet some playing partners from your class.

Beginner Golf Tips - Finding A Golf Instructor: We suggest to go about this as you would look for a doctor or any other professional. Ask your friends that play who they have had success with in the past. Also, do not be afraid to interview a new professional. They would be more than happy to sit down with you and discuss where you are, where you want to go and how are you going to get there. If you are comfortable, great! If not move on to the next instructor.

Beginner Golf Tips - Training and Resources: The internet is a great place to find free golf instruction articles written by PGA Professionals as well as any full swing golf instruction aids or putting training aids that can help you quickly improve your game. Make sure the inforamtion that you are reading is from a qualified instructor which can be a little difficult on the internet.

Beginner Golf Tips - Rules and the Regulations: You will need to learn some of the simple rules when you are ready to out onto the golf course. DO NOT get bogged down in them. The Rules of Golf is very complicated. You will need to learn proper etiquette and a couple of the major rules. Again, your PGA Professional should be happy to help you with that. The USGA posts the rule book posted online as well as quizzes for you to test your knowledge.

Mary

Steve Madigan asked:


Coming from someone who has been playing golf for over 40 years, if you are thinking about starting to take up the game start with some tips for beginner golfers. A beginner golf swing instruction set of lessons if probably the best thing that you could do. This will not only give you some confidence, but will also help you to improve your golf score right off the bat. Now there are many things that you can do to improve your golf game or even take away from your game, but speaking from experience, a good swing will usually produce some good results.

Have Good Balance is a Great Tip for Beginner Golfers

Getting the right tips for beginner golfers, is going to make the game much easier. Now whether you are trying to hit a drive off the tee or a fairway iron, having a comfortable and confident swing can help. As mentioned before there are many different aspects to playing golf well. One key is to have good balance. Taking the club head back with good balance and then delivering the club head on the ball on the downswing with good balance will produce a fine golf shot. If you try to hit the ball like you are chopping a piece of firewood is not going to produce any type of result that you want.

When taking a golf swing as a beginner is sometimes a difficult thing to do. Having a smooth transition at the top of the swing with smooth rhythm is going to produce the swing that you want. Having smooth transition will help to deliver the club with good club head speed at impact. For the beginner golf swing, instruction can teach them the correct stance and grip, the balance that is needed to hit the ball straight and very long, depending on the club that you are using.

Beginner Guide to Golf, Keep the Golf Swing Simple

When trying to hit a golf ball, you are going to find that it is a lot of hand and eye coordination. Having good hand/eye coordination allows the golfer to strike the ball at the right moment at the bottom of the golf swing. What will happen over time is that each golfer is going to find a swing that is comfortable for them. When they find this swing that is when their game is really going to start to improve.

If you watch professional golfers, you will see that not all swings are the same. They have found a swing that is comfortable and repeatable for them and that is what they have developed. When you are getting beginner golf swing instruction, they teach you how to square the club at impact. This will help you to avoid hooking the ball or slicing the ball. Now what you do see in all professional golfers is that they all have fantastic balance taking the club back as well as great balance while delivering the club head on the golf ball. When you watch their follow thru swing, they are in perfect balance. So you want some tips for beginner golfers, then practice your balance through the golf swing.

Maintaining good balance and having good fundamentals thru the golf swing is going to help eliminate your frustration and aggravation time on the course. This will allow you more time on the fairways and greens, rather than spending most of your time in the woods or rough looking for your lost golf ball. This will also make the game nice for the group that is playing behind you. There is nothing worse than playing behind a group of beginner golfers, who have never practiced anything, and really have no business on the golf course. They should be spending there time on the range practicing their swing and finding that balance point. Now if they don’t hold anybody up, well then I guess it is ok.

So now you have some tips for beginner golfers to help you enjoy yourself more and have some fun with this great game that is called golf. If you are looking for more great beginner golf tips visit: http://puttlightsout.com/golf-tips/golf-tips.html

Juan