Golf - Beginner Basics part 2

The Short Game

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Putting

"Drive for show, putt for dough" is the lesson we’ve all seen and learned from watching professional golfers in every tournament and championship.

The masters of golf can drive a ball from here to eternity, but it all boils down to how many strikes of the ball it takes to put the ball in the hole. The long accurate drives don’t amount to anything if you’re unable to putt accurately.

Choosing a putter is important, but using whatever putter you have consistently is more so. I’ve had the same putter for fifteen years; I know what it feels like in my hand, I know its weight and how that plays into my putts.

Putting takes lots of practice. Typically, we drive the ball eighteen times in a game, but putt at least double that number. Doesn’t it stand that we should practice our putting at least twice as much as driving? If you can’t get to the practice green regularly, practice on your carpet at home.

Keep in mind that no ball can make it into the hole if it doesn’t have enough power behind the ball to get
there. Take the time to get down and look at the path from your ball to the hole; does it slant one way or
the other? Is it uphill or downhill?

Stand with your feet spread for balance and line up the putt. Keep you hands, arms and shoulders completely still; imagine that you are a "bobble head" but you move from just below your chest. Keep your
head directly over the ball. Pull your club back; keep your hands, wrists, arms and shoulders steady-the
movement comes from your chest. Hit the ball, following it with your club.

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

Getting a feel for the approach shot

After mastering the concept of the tee shot, the next step as a golf instruction beginner is to move on to the short game and what are known as approach shots. For most people, these shots will be increasingly more difficult because they require more skill & patience than a simple tee shot.

There are a variety of approach shots, all of which are used in different situations depending on where your initial shot lands on the course. However, your intention with these shots is always to land on the green.

The pitch shot is an approach shot that is played from farther away than the other shots. Using a wedge, the ideal pitch shot is the perfect combination of enough swing momentum to carry your shot through, but not enough to send it sailing over the green. Trajectory will be low to average depending on how far you are from the cup and you want to make sure the ball doesn't roll too far.

You must start off with a slightly open stance, positioning your right foot directly across from the ball. When following through on a pitch shot, always make sure to keep your backswing as short as you possibly can. Failure to keep your backswing in check will usually cause you to instinctively put the brakes on your shot while accelerating, which is a definite no-no. You want to have enough confidence in your wedge to let the club do the work for you: don't think you have to assist the ball through the air.

Another approach shot is known as the chip shot. You'll need to use a chip shot once you're within about 30 yards from the green, usually after a fairway drive or tee shot. The idea is for this shot to have a much shorter trajectory, so you will need to use a less lofted club. Proper weight distribution is paramount to getting off a decent chip shot. If you're a right handed golfer, you want to put the majority of your weight on the left side and hold this position through the duration of your shot.

There are generally two kinds of chip shots that we want to concern ourselves with. The first one is what's known as the bump-and-run shot, and the second is a flop shot. The Bump And Run is usually taken with an 8, 7 or 6 iron club and with the clubface hooded. That way your shot will have have less loft. You also want to have just enough power in your backswing to follow through. The flop shot is used when you want to get over an obstacle like a rough patch or a sand trap, so you're going to want to have a much higher trajectory in order to push the ball over. Open up your stance and follow through as far under the ball as possible to try and pop it up, and you'll keep your ball away from the danger zones with a good position for a subsequent shot.

Golf Beginner Basics

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What to keep in your golf bag.


There are many golf bags available, some designed for fashion, some for utility and some that combine both features.

The general opinion is that you should be aware more for the utility factor, than for fashion.

The purpose is to make sport, not fashion parade.

However, as in any sector, the fashion is more and more taken in consideration.

There are big bags, bigger bags and bags so big that they would keep everything you need for a long
weekend vacation in one of the side pockets!

You are the one who decide how big should be your bag. As long as you take with you everything you need,
the size of he bag doesn't matter.

Generally speaking, you need a bag just large enough to hold your clubs, extra balls, your glove, tees, car
keys, extra pencils, ball markers, a ball retriever, sunscreen, a windbreaker and a large umbrella.

It is also a good idea to have a packet of tissues, a band-aid or two, and if you play courses where insects
are a problem, a can of bug repellent comes in very handy.

A small pack of baby wipes come in very handy; in your bag they get warmed by the heat, so when you get
sweaty or a sand trap covered you with sand, a nice warm wipe can be very refreshing.

If it happens to be allergic to bees, hornets and wasps, an Epipen is an important addition to your bag.

Actually, for any health problem you have, of course, if you have, you should have some first aid kit with you.

However, there is one item that doesn’t need to be in your golf bag, and that is your cell phone.

If you must carry it, turn off the ringer as a courtesy to the other players.

If you must use it, be aware of others who might be taking a swing or putting their ball. Be considerate!

Having these items in your golf bag should provide everything you will need, even in a minor emergency
(like a blister) or a major inconvenience, like a sudden rainstorm.

Being prepared makes the game a great deal more fun.

The Long Game

The long game refers to your drives (shots off the tee) and fairway shots; everything short of the shots you make to get onto the green.

Each hole has a different difficulty level, different par and distinctive hazards, so instructing you to use your Driver on every tee would be blatantly wrong.

This is something you will learn over time as you learn the various shots you make according to the club, the placement of the ball and your personal swing.

Generally speaking, the lower the club number, the longer and lower your ball will go. A 4-iron shot will
travel long and low and will most likely roll, whereas a 9-iron shot will have much more loft and go less distance both in the air and on the ground.

The professionals on television make it look so easy; they consistently hit the ball long and straight and
never miss-hit the ball making it dribble ten feet, or completely miss the ball.

Driving is very important to the game, and many hours spent at the driving range will help improve your
distance. Experiment with the same club to see what works for you if you move the ball forward or backward in your stance. Take a lesson, if possible, and learn the proper swing from the beginning.

Mastering the long game helps you get to the green in fewer strokes, keeping your score and frustration
level down. Remember that it takes a long time to learn consistency and remember to have fun!

Golf Lessons: How to Get out of Bunkers

Everyone knows how frustrating they can be if you don't know the proper mechanics to get out of them. But the bottom line is, for the pros, bunker shots are some of the easiest shots on the course.

Golf

These steps will ensure that you have the right mechanics for getting out of bunkers. Once you’ve read these steps, practice them and get used to hitting out of bunkers, and they will become just as natural as a regular short game shot. These steps will give you the solid foundation that you need for bunker success.

Here are the steps: (note: These steps apply to a normal sand bunker. Not wet or hard sand)

1. Choke down on the golf club (Have your right index finger about an inch from the bottom of the grip).
Choking down gives you the control with the club and also allows you to “feel” the shot rather than hitting it.

2. Narrow your stance a little and play the ball a few inches forward in your stance. This will also aid in
controlling the shot, and it will contribute to higher ball flight.

3. Dig into the sand with your feet a little and get comfortable.

4. Keep your body completely still throughout (no twisting hips).

5. Start your swing with your arms and keep your swing vertical. The end of the grip butt should be pointed at the ball at the top of your backswing. (Don’t bring the club straight back, remember steep is better here!)

6. Your left arm should be parallel to the ground and fully extended at the top of your swing.

7. Then start your downswing at the sand focusing to hit 1 inch behind the ball. Don’t focus on hitting the ball, hit the sand an inch behind and the ball will get out every time!

8. Your arms and body follow the ball as it leaves the sand.

9. Remember steep angle into the sand is key here, however you don’t have to swing too hard, we are not
blasting the ball out we are advancing it.

Drill:
Go into a bunker and take 3 clubs your pitching wedge, sand wedge, and a lob wedge(if you have one). Remember that you can get creative with shots; just because it’s a sand wedge doesn’t mean that you’ll “feel” the most comfortable or give you the best results. But I want you to notice the difference in design and performance.

Regardless, hit a few shots with each club and really notice the difference in how the ball comes out of the
sand. Then choose the club that bests suits you. But remember on all these clubs swing steep and hit 1 inch
behind the ball. You can even draw a line 1-2 inches behind the ball and aim for that line.

At home, office, or at the course take practice swings and focus on bringing the club up at a steep angle. Watch as your grip end points to the ground. And stop there - this is the position that you want to be in. A great way to see if the grip is pointed over the ball is sticking a tee in the grip handle. Do that a few times to ensure that you know where to stop the golf club and start your steep downswing. Then the downswing is easy! Just hit an inch behind the ball. Practice this for a few days then go have fun in a bunker!

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.If you would like to find out more about "The Simple Golf Swing".