BY JIMMY STURO

Golf schools all claim to be the best. But do not be taken in by the glitter of their marketing strategies — it is necessary for a learner like you to study and compare the services that your prospective golf schools offer. Following are points to consider when looking for a top golf school.

History and reputation. Look into the golf school’s service record. How long has it been in operation? How many members are enrolled? How long has the school been offering golf tutorials? Trace the achievements of the former students. Are the former students good at golf now? Have they joined and won tournaments?

Facilities and condition of the greens. Does the school offer lessons in 18-hole courses, 22 holes, or 27 holes? Remember that modern facilities play an important role in learning the game. Ask the school if they’ve got the facilities to help you master Side Hill, Uphill, Downhill, Sand, and other trouble shots.

It is also important for a golf school to provide separate grounds for training beginners. Students should not be mixed in with professionals and enthusiasts. The golf school should likewise have enough facilities and manpower to take care of the grounds when the weather becomes unfriendly.

Teaching techniques. What is the school’s instructor to student ratio? The more instructors available, the more personalized lessons are. Try to look into the methodologies employed by the golf school by asking people who have already taken lessons at the school. What people you trust say about a golf school can help you decide.

Tournament hosting. It will be beneficial to you if the golf school hosts tournaments. Aside from learning the actual specifics of the game, you should also be able to watch the experts play. This will expose you to a wide spectrum of techniques and strategies in playing golf.

Having gathered all pertinent details, compare and contrast the golf schools on your list. Only you can judge the best golf school for your needs. Weighing your options carefully will help you make the best choice.

Jimmy Sturo writes for e-GolfSchools.com where you can get more detailed information on golf schools, golf vacation schools and resorts, and more.

BY JEFF O’BRIEN

Many times when you hear people talking about getting the most distance out of their drives or irons, you probably hear the word timing used as they talk about how to achieve this. Or, when you watch the professionals play (especially in person) the distance they achieve seems to come so effortlessly and smooth.

Although a discussion of the entire golf swing isn’t within the scope of this article, let’s talk about the timing. Timing is a word that is often bantered about when discussing the golf swing and more precisely achieving maximum distance; but timing of what? And how do I achieve it?

In a nutshell, when it comes to getting the most efficient distance out of your golf shot, the timing element is the timing of the release of the stored energy that has amassed during the process of your golf swing.

Again, for the purposes of this article, let’s fast forward just a bit to the point where you are at the top of your golf swing. At this point, if all has gone well, your left arm will be straight. The relationship between the club and your wrists will be 90 degrees (wrists will be cocked). Your hips will have rotated approximately 45 degrees away from their original address position, while your shoulders have rotated more toward a 90 degree posture. Essentially, you are in somewhat of a ‘coiled’ position at the top of your back swing.

At this position, you have accumulated your stored energy. Except for additional energy that will be stored and released rapidly as your shaft flexes and un-flexes, this is what you have to work with.

Now that you have all this energy stored up, how and when to release it is one of our greatest conundrums. This power that you now possess is but a fleeting thing, and one must apply it at the proper moment in order to achieve the desired results.

Unfortunately, from this position at the top of the back swing is where the vast amount of golfers go wrong; and that is that the first movement they make back toward the ball is with the hands and arms. If you do this, a vast amount of your stored energy has now been released and not available to be applied to the golf ball. When you do this, you lose the angle created between your wrists and your club. You lose the angle that you have created between your shoulder and your hips. In essence, (among other things) you have begun uncoiling way too early.

Among other things, in its simplest form, this type of action is generally called swinging or releasing from the top or casting the club. Aside from grossly leaking energy from your swing this will cause an outside-in swing path, and more often than not produce some severity of slice.

But, let’s stay strictly within the confines of energy and timing. If, from the top of your swing, you begin the ascent of your golf swing toward the impact zone from the ground up and maintain the aforementioned angles we discussed much longer, you’ll be well on your way to applying the energy of your swing at the proper moment (not to mention your swing path will be much more desirable).

From the top of your swing, the weight beginning to transfer from your back instep toward your front foot is what initiates the downswing. Not your hands, not your shoulders, not a spinning motion with your hips. As your weight begins to move toward your front side, your hips will follow by beginning to release (uncoil) from the angle they had attained at the top of the swing. As the hips begin to uncoil and continue to follow the weight shift your shoulders and arms will naturally follow. Note that I said naturally. You shouldn’t be consciously firing your arms and shoulders to catch up. If you do, once again, you have just spent more of your stored energy.

As the weight shifts, the hips follow with rotation and the shoulders and arms now begin to follow suit, your wrists should still be in a ‘cocked’ position in relationship to the club. In other words, this angle is still maintained.

As your left hip clears, this imparts a tremendous amount of pressure for your upper body to catch up. And catch up it will in a big way. With your hips cleared and your belly beginning to point down the target line, you shoulders will follow through the hitting zone and finally your arms and hands will be naturally forced to release in a dramatic fashion through the impact zone. As all this happens the shaft of your club will have a pretty fair amount of flex imparted on it. This is easily discernable if you look at a slow motion or still photo view of the club coming into the impact zone.

It is at this point, with the shaft flexed that the right hand begins to release (and eventually pronate) that is the culmination of releasing all this stored energy upon the golf ball with the proper timing.

In a sense, the release of the energy which entails the hips following the initiated weight shift, followed by the upper body responding to the hips uncoiling, that then begins to lead the arms and hands down the target line and through the hitting zone until finally the hands can no longer remain ‘cocked’ and they release the club naturally as a result of rapidly catching up to the rest of what the body has done.

In summary it is the arms and hands that complete the release of your stored energy NOT initiate it from the top of your swing. As you begin to bring this concept together it may actually feel to you as though your arms and hand are ‘trailing’ the rest of your swing. And in a sense they are… they are waiting for the precise timing. And the great thing is, the physics of this will all take place quite naturally once you begin to refine the mechanics of your golf swing with your teaching professional. And with some practice you’ll soon be able to let the natural forces and physics of a good golf swing apply the proper timing to the golf ball in a smooth and effortless longer distance manner.

Jeff O’Brien’s website, Golf-Ology, offers instruction and insight on golf that will get your golf swing and golf game on track or off to a good start by establishing a good foundation on which you will build your golf swing and game.

BY DARELL MCKISSICK

It’s a fact that the most often used golf club in every bag, every round, is the putter. It follows that no other club in the bag is responsible for more wasted shots.

A missed short putt is one of the only bad shots in golf that you cannot recover from. All you can do is add one to the score and tap the ball in.

On the other hand, you can still save par from the trees off the tee or the bunker by the green. You can still make the 10 footer you may have after the worst long putt you can possibly hit.

So it makes perfect sense that if you want to lower your scores you should start with your short range putting. I hope some of these putting tips will help you putt better from close in.

1 Always line up the ball. At the very least, use the brand name to line up with. The best way, though, is to use a Sharpie and make a line that is straight and easy to see. Would you rather shoot a good score with an ugly ball or an ugly score with a pretty ball?

2. NEVER practice on bad greens. Does it really help you to hit putts on a slow bumpy green? NO! The best you can hope for is to do no damage. Don’t waste your time and endanger your putting confidence putting on bad greens.

3. Play more break on fast greens. The ball rolls at slower speeds to go the same distance, so logically it will break more than the same putt if the overall speed of the green were slower. The faster the putting surface is, the more effect the slope will have.

4. Play less break on slow greens. This putting tip is just an extension of the previous one. The speed of the greens will always have as much to do with the break than the slope does. Take this into account when you are reading the green.

5. Play more break on downhill putts and less on uphill putts. Another extension of putting lessons 3 and 4. All other things being equal, a downhill putt will break more than an uphill putt of the same length and slope.

6. Speed is king. Putting is all about speed. If you are going to hit a bad putt, you are much better off getting the speed right than the line. A putt that is slightly off line still has a chance if the line is only slightly off but the speed is right. Even if it is a foot offline you will still have a tap in. A putt left short will never go in and if it is hit too hard it has to go dead center or it will lip out.

7. Make your short putts easier. To minimize three putt greens, and to make your round less stressful, you should try to lag your long putts to the easiest place from which to make your second putt. A relatively flat uphill five footer is a lot easier to make than hard breaking downhill three footer. On long putts it’s all about where you putt from next, not making it.

8. Maintain your stroke speed through impact. Many putts are missed because of “decceleration” of the putter head through the impact area. This has lead many well meaning golf teachers to suggest that you should “accelerate through the ball.” This advice has wreaked havoc with the strokes of many amateurs. A better way to do it is to take the putter back at the same speed you need on the through stroke, and then reestablish and maintain that speed on the forward stroke on through the ball. The speed of the putter head at impact should be established well before you actually hit the ball rather than trying to accelerate to that speed at the precise moment of impact.

9. Make at least one putt per hole. As simple as this putting tip is to do, most amateurs just don’t do it. Instead, they pick up the ball when it is still a foot or two away. As a result, they miss almost every putt they hit during the round. Do yourself a favor and putt those “gimme” putts. Even making a one foot putt can help build your confidence. You need to see as many putts drop as possible.

10. Always be positive. Putting is mostly a mental game, and short putting is TOTALLY DIFFERENT from any other golf shot. It is a near certainty that any putt you think you will miss will not go in.

11. Be committed to your choices. If you are going to make your putts, you must be 100% committed to the line and speed you have chosen. There is no room for doubt.

In the end, all you can do is hit the ball on the line you pick and and at the speed you want. If you do that and the putt doesn’t go in, it’s not your fault. It’s just golf.

Darell is the author of the revolutionary putting ebook Target Putting, The Secret to Successful Short Putting.

BY SEAN COCHRAN

The short game for the professional, amateur, junior, or woman golfer is an integral part of golf. A good short game can be the difference between a good score and great score. Often times golf fitness exercises, the woman golfer, and short game are not connected. The reality is golf fitness exercises can be a great benefit to the short game of any woman golfer.

The short game does not necessarily require the power associated with tee shots where golf fitness is a benefit, but rather in a different set of requirements. The short game requires a great deal more finesse. Finesse in terms of finite control of the distance, spin, and carry of every shot. This type of finesse requires more motor control from the nerves and muscles of your body. Increasing the motor control (i.e., the ability of your body to execute finite actions) can occur through the utilization of golf fitness training.

The specific type of golf fitness training that can improve the motor control is classified as balance training. This type of golf fitness exercise trains both your nervous and muscular systems of the body. As a result these exercised improve the interaction of your nerves and muscles. One of the benefits of this type of golf fitness training is the ability of your muscles to control movement more efficiently. As a result the ability to control finite movements becomes much easier. This lends itself to improvement in your short game.

In addition to improving the motor control of the body for short game shots, balance training can in addition improve your “feel”. Feel is a term used to describe the ability of the woman or any other golfer to know where their “body is in space”. This concept explains how a golfer can feel the club head, know the position of the body, be aware of weight shifts, and body angles. All of which are important aspects of developing a good short game. Balance training exercises within a golf fitness program can improve the “feel” within your short game.

One of my favorite balance training exercises for golf is the airplane rotation. Before performing this or any other golf fitness exercise, make sure you are in good health, and cleared by your physician. Begin this exercise by placing your feet together, bend at the hips so your back is flat, and chest is parallel to the floor. Extend your arms straight out from the shoulders, keeping eyes focused on the floor. Lift the right foot off the floor and balance your weight on the left foot. Once the weight is balanced on the left foot, extend the right leg back from the hip. The right leg should be parallel to the ground. Attempt to keep the right leg straight throughout the entire exercise. Begin the exercise by rotating the left arm downward towards the floor. At the same time, rotate the right arm upward. Continue to rotate to a position where the left hand is directly above the left foot, and the right hand is pointing straight up. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Outside of improving motor control and “feel,” golf fitness exercises can benefit the short game and woman golfer in another area. It is well known short game shots require “more” from the hands and forearms. Short game shots require acceleration of the club head through the ball, bouncing the club on sand shots, and at times moving through thick rough.

All of which ask more from these body parts. As a result increasing the strength in the hands and forearms can benefit the short game. Golf fitness exercises can do just that! These types of golf fitness exercises develop increased levels of strength in the muscles of the hands and forearms. As a result the ability to hit chips and pitches from the rough, the bouncing of the club in heavy sand, and accelerating through the shot becomes much easier.

Some easy to perform hand, wrist, and forearm golf fitness exercises to improve your short game are ball squeezers and towel wringers. Both of these simple to perform golf fitness exercises will improve your strength in these integral parts of the body for the short game. As with airplane rotations before attempting these or any other golf fitness exercise make sure you are in good health and cleared by a physician.

Ball squeezers can easily be performed with either a tennis ball or racquetball. Simply place the ball in your palm and squeeze with your fingers. Hold the “squeeze” for 2 seconds and release. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions and proceed to towel wringers. Grasp a towel in your hands and “wring” the towel. Perform the wringing of the towel in both a clockwise and counterclockwise direction. Again, perform 10-15 repetitions of this golf fitness exercise.

To summarize, the short game for the woman, junior, amateur, or professional is of great importance. Improving your short game can mean the difference between a good round and great round of golf. The finesse required in the short game can be improved through the utilization of golf fitness exercises. Balance exercises within a golf fitness program are the type of exercise that can improve the finesse of your short game. Additionally, the short game requires high levels of hand, wrist, and forearm strength. Simple to perform golf fitness exercises can improve the strength in these integral parts of your body for the short game. So remember, utilize balance and strength exercises in a comprehensive golf fitness program to improve your short game.

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. He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on his BioForceGolf website.

BY KEN LOPEZ

There I am driving to the golf course for my 8:00 AM tee time. I’m early enough to hit the practice range and putting green with plenty of time to spare.

The weather is perfect, the sun is out, and I arrive at the first tee with my buddies, looking forward to a morning on the golf course. We hit our drives then begin our walk down the fairway. Looking around, I can’t help but think it doesn’t get any better than this!

After carding a few routine pars and bogeys, we make our way to the second tee, exchanging a few jokes along the way.

Unfortunately, that early morning high doesn’t last long. You see, as we approach the next tee we find a foursome teeing off with two other groups waiting in line.

We realize what we’re in store for… a long five and a half hour round.

Slow play seems like the rule, not the exception…

If you’ve played a fair amount of golf, then you’ve experienced your share of long rounds. Nothing ruins the enjoyment of a beautiful day on the golf course more then long waits between every shot.

Slow play is becoming epidemic, and it may be the biggest reason why some people simply play fewer rounds, or quit playing altogether.

So how do we go about dealing with this very real challenge?

Let’s look at what Ready Golf is and see if following a few simple guidelines can help overcome the frustration of slow play.

Ready Golf is about planning ahead…

Now, a lot of players assume that the rules of Golf and the rules of Ready Golf are different. But that’s really not true. Ready Golf is about anticipating your next shot so you’re ready to play when it’s your turn.

Where do the rules of Ready Golf apply?

In all situations and at all times throughout your round. On the tee, in the fairway and on the green. Golf is a social game, and should always stay that way. Ready Golf does not mean ignoring your playing partners and rushing through your round.

Taking it from tee to green, let’s outline a few common sense steps to help move things along.

On the Tee…

Ready Golf does not mean hitting out of turn. Only if you have the honor and are not ready should someone else hit first. Don’t stand around waiting for the next player in line to take their turn if they’re not prepared.

On the fairway…

Once off the tee, things can get even slower. And, believe it or not, riding in carts can cause delays if they’re not used properly.

All players should get to their shots as quickly as possible. That doesn’t mean walking in front of players getting ready to hit. You can always move off to the side of the fairway and get as close to your ball as you can.

Size up your next shot as you are reaching your ball, decide on club selection, then move to your ball after players behind you have hit up.

What is one of the biggest time wasters on the fairway?

Playing Coffee Clutch Golf. Your foursome moves from shot to shot together with everyone stopping at each and every ball. There is only one time everyone should move up in a group like this. That’s when players hit their shots on the same line and fairly close to each other.

What about carts?

Drivers should drop partners off, have them take several clubs if needed, then move on to their own ball and get ready to play. How many times have you seen drivers stopping at every shot on the way to the green? That simply defeats the purpose of using a cart to speed up play.

Finding Lost Golf Balls…

So there you are on the third hole. You hit your drive and begin walking down the fairway. To your surprise the fairway appears to be open! But as you approach your ball you realize the foursome ahead is searching for a lost ball. Everyone’s searching and nobody is getting ready to play their shot!

Should everyone help look for lost golf balls? Of course. But you should do it after you hit your own shot.

Here is a quick guideline: If you’re closest to the green, then help out first. If you’re farthest from the green, play your shot then begin helping out. With this Round Robin approach, your foursome can keep things moving.

On the green…

What’s the one thing you should do to speed up play around the green? You should leave your clubs at the back of the green on the side closest to the next tee.

Nothing is more disconcerting than standing in the fairway and watching players walk to the front of the green after putting out.

Worse yet? Waiting for players to mark their score cards before moving along. Mark your card on the next tee; don’t make the next party wait while you tally your score.

Here are two other things to keep in mind to speed things up…

First, survey and line up your putt while other players are putting. That means being ready when it’s your turn.

Second, use the Continuous Putting Rule if you’re not in someone else’s line. If you leave yourself a short putt coming back, don’t mark your ball. Take your stance, make a smooth stroke and make your putt.

Emulating tour pros has done more to slow down play than anything else. Try to make your putt in about half a minute once it’s your turn. That’s plenty of time to approach the putt, take your stance and make the putt without rushing.

The bottom line…

A four hour round of golf should be the rule, not the exception. Use the common sense guidelines presented above and you’ll guarantee yourself a more enjoyable round of golf.

If you think playing five and a half hour rounds are the norm, if you’ve given up on having Saturday afternoons to yourself, put these Ready Golf Rules to the test and you’ll experience an astonishing improvement in your round!

Ken Lopez writes articles for Pure Impact Custom Golf.

BY WILLIE JONES

Golf is a major sport all over the world and is not likely to go away any time soon. It is often said to be the rich man’s sport because it is an expensive hobby or occupation. But that doesn’t mean anyone is excluded by any means.

If you want to learn this wonderful sport and meet people that have the same interests as you then golf is a great sport to take up. Like any other sport golf takes a lot of trial and error but it is through the bad grips and swings and landing in the dreaded sand pits or ponds that you develop your game.

At the same time that you are learning the game itself, it would be wise to learn about golf attire and style. In any sport you take up there is a distinctive style and code of dress. If you take up horseback riding then cowboy boots and hats are the order of the day. In English riding the code of dress is completely different. If you take up tennis then the short white skirts serve to maximize one’s game.

Each code of dress is not just for style alone but serves a practical service. In western riding the hat keeps the sun out of your eyes. The English riding attire is designed for comfort and ease of movement but has extra padding where the most chaffing occurs. In tennis the short skirts allow for maximum movement while white or light colored fabric deflects the sun and keeps you cooler. So it is with golf as well.

The style and quality of fabrics for golf has changed over the years. You rarely see the knickers and the colorful knee length socks any more. But who knows, at some future date it may come back in style. Old styles are often brought back to fashion.

The current golf attire is designed for the most part for warm temperatures. For this reason a good golf shirt must keep moisture and perspiration away from the skin while at the same time maximizing comfort and sanitary conditions. One is after all outside for hours at a time.

You’ve seen golf shirts in stores but just because you see it in the store does not mean that it is going to do you any good on the golf course. A good golf shirt can be expensive but is worth every penny. The less attention you have on your sweaty clothes, the more attention you can put on your game and your golf buddies.

When looking for a good golf shirt, look for 100% cotton. Not all cotton is the same though. There is regular cotton and then there is Pima cotton. Pima cotton is superior cotton. This yarn is longer, stronger and much more durable then regular cotton. The result is a softer, silkier and more durable fabric and is absolutely perfect for golf shirts and pants. Look for Pima cotton on the label of the garment before you buy.

Now that you have comfort covered you also want to look good on the course. There are dress codes that should be respected though. Jeans and spandex are generally a no no. As a general guideline for men, you might want: golf or polo shirts, tailored shirts, golf pants or Bermuda shorts. For women: golf shirts or blouses, golf pants, golf skorts or shorts (not short shorts), dress pants or dress shorts. There is no real color preference but due to warm weather usually lighter colors are worn to stay cooler. The opposite is true for golfing in cooler weather. You’ll want to wear dark colors to capture the sun’s warmth.

Golf shoes are also very important. During a golf swing the golfer’s weight is being transferred from the upper body to the lower body and at the same time weight is being transferred from the right leg to the left. If the right ankle is not stabilized, then your body can sway, you overcompensate, and the ball goes awry. A good golf shoe should cushion your feet while giving good support. The best place to go for golf shoes is not in a department store, but a sports store, or a specialty golf shop. They are more specialized and will be better able to help you in this.

A really good pair of golf shoes (and glove) can improve your game. They also need to be comfortable for the long trek through the course. And of course you want to look your best and quality really shows. People will know you are not only serious about the game but they’ll know you are also willing to play the part of a well dressed golfer. And believe it or not, people will not only judge you by how you play the game but also by how you look. We do this in all aspects of our lives, every day, judging people by how they look.

So spend the extra money for the quality. You’ll see that it is well worth it in the long run.

Happy golfing!

Willie Jones is a freelance writer, researcher, floral designer, and artist, for Art Inspires, Inc.

BY ANTHONY LEE

Golf and exercise may not sound alike, but they are definitely a hot combination. Most golfers may not be aware of it but the probability of maintaining a good fitness exercise for the body can significantly increase or improve one’s game. The ability to deliver a good swing lies primarily on the type of condition a golfer has.

Hence, to improve your chance of playing the game in the best possible condition, here are some great tips on how to improve your game with golf strengthening exercises.

1. Dumbbell exercises

This simple golf exercise can notably improve one’s swinging ability. It can improve your balance and correct any unnecessary mistakes in your ability to control your muscles while swinging the golf club.

Balance is very important in golf. The proper coordination of your body muscles as well as your stance will greatly help the proper delivery of a good swing.

This type of golf exercise can absolutely reinforce your lower back. By doing so, you will be able to maintain a reliable stance throughout your golf swing.

2. Jog-walk program

You start the jog-walk program with a very modest challenge to your cardiovascular and respiratory systems. First, you will modify the distance jogged. Later you will modify the intensity by shortening the walking or rest periods. This double progressive training procedure has been proven effective in improving one’s golf game.

3. The shoulder and biceps stretching exercises

This exercise provides a static stretch of the biceps muscles, which otherwise are very difficult to stretch. It also stretches part of the shoulder muscles, which often become painful as the result of unusual movements.

Stretching exercises can relieve minor but annoying shoulder and hand pains, a common complaint by golfers. Hence, if you will incorporate this simple exercise to your program, you can be sure that your game will greatly improve.

4. The upper and lower back stretcher

This exercise stretches every muscle in the back part of the body from head to toe. These muscles are often fatigued by poor posture or by constant utilization during swinging performances in a golf game.

With the upper and lower back stretcher, your muscles will be relaxed, which may help prevent spasms that can bring about excruciating pain to the lower back.

These tips on improving your game with golf strengthening exercises can absolutely help you get into making beautiful swinging shots. However, these golf exercises must be performed easily and gently, without jerking, bouncing, or sudden movements to avoid further muscle strain.

Anthony Lee writes for the Golf Tips website.

BY DAVID NEVOGT

If you have been slicing the golf ball, this tip is for you. Here’s how to cure a golf slice.

The way I grip the golf club enables the club face to return square when it comes back down to the golf ball.

I don’t have any challenges with slicing the golf ball. But if you’ve been slicing the golf ball and when you look down at your left hand and you don’t see any knuckles, your club face is probably wide open at impact.

So, the next time you go tee up, give this a shot. Turn your left hand over towards your right hand. Make sure you can see one or two knuckles and make sure both palms are facing each other. This is a great way you can cure a golf slice.

With that, I guarantee you that the club face will now start to square up at the bottom.

Now I’m going to tell you the most common fault with a driver. It’s slicing it, that’s a given.

But let me tell you the reason why I believe that so many people slice it. If you turn when you go back and you swing your arms up, in the downswing the arms have to come first.

So many amateurs open the shoulder up in the downswing. And that makes the golf club cut across it.

From the top the arms swing first, and your shoulder never opens.

So, let me teach you something that I think will help fix a golf slice.

I cannot tell you how many golf balls I have hit with my feet and knees touching each other and making normal, real golf swings. Everything else stays the same.

It is a wonderful way for you to start feeling that the arms swing away from the body. And they aren’t connected to it when you turn into it with the left shoulder.

The arms are free to swing past you and you don’t have to worry about the body.

You can play golf that way. I shot 71 on a really good golf course 10 years ago with my feet and knees touching each other the whole way around.

You will hit about 80% of your regular length this way but have 100% better contact with the golf ball and fix your golf slice.

Give that a try the next time out.

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.

BY JEFF O’BRIEN

Certainly there is no shortage of advice and tips when it comes to subject of improving your golf game. I alone am constantly being asked on how to improve on the various parts of someone’s golf game.

Tips and advice, although a good place to start, aren’t the panacea for all that ails one’s golf game. All the advice in the world is only as good as the person’s desire to practice and implement the advice.

Practice is essential. Just playing more and more isn’t practicing. If you’re serious about improving your game you have to practice on a regular basis.

Think about it for a moment. If you bemoan your sand play, but the only ‘practice’ you get is when you are on the course playing, how much practice and attention is your sand game receiving? Not much. During the course of an actual round of golf how many sand shots will you be required to execute? Even with a bad day on the beach not many at all. If this is you, don’t be frustrated when you blade your sand shots way over the greens and triple bogey holes.

Practice not only improves your ability to make shots… the added bonus is that it also improves your overall confidence in your game. Golf is like anything else, what you get out of it is directly related to how much you put into your game. Even if you don’t have the time for prolonged practice sessions, try to take advantage of any free time just to grab a club and work on your swing. The road to improvement isn’t how long you can practice at any given time; rather it is how often you can practice if even for a short time.

Next, if you gotten yourself into the habit of regularly practicing, when you do play your rounds of golf then take them seriously. Learn to control your emotions and focus on each shot. Every stroke counts and they all add up one at a time, so take your game seriously. This doesn’t mean you take the fun out of the game, you just increase your focus and purpose.

Since you are now practicing regularly (even if only for a short time) and playing with more focus and purpose, your game is beginning to improve. If you haven’t by now you should look at upgrading your golf clubs. I’m not suggesting that you break the bank on your next set of clubs, but if you’ve never been fitted properly for a set of clubs you will, at some point, limit your improvement progression. Also, since you’re practicing more and playing better, your swing will be settling into a more consistent routine. As a result, getting some properly fitted clubs will be a better investment than if your swing was about to dramatically change.

As your game continues to improve, the areas of your golf game that need attention and improvement won’t be so glaringly obvious. So, the next level of improvement will take a bit of analysis. I always encourage people at this stage of their development to keep stats on their game. When you do this you are able to pinpoint trends and weaknesses in your game that you may not be so readily able to determine just by trying to evaluate on a round by round basis. So start keeping track of your fairways hit, greens in regulation, 3 putts, putts that you miss inside of 6 feet, sand saves, up and downs from around the green.

By now you are well on your way to playing significantly better golf. I know that the short time span of this article isn’t directly related to the time you’ll need to spend to improve your game, but if you persist with your practicing you’ll prevail. So, by now you’ve come full circle and now need to continually evaluate your golf game and improve on those trouble spots and weaknesses.

Aside from the obvious benefits of improving your golf game (like lowering your handicap), now you’ll really begin to appreciate the beauty, the challenges, and the uniqueness of each and every course you play. Each course will take on its own personality for you. Because, let’s face it, all the courses look about the same from the rough or the trees.

Jeff O’Brien’s website, Golf-Ology, offers instruction and insight on golf that will get your golf swing and golf game on track or off to a good start by establishing a good foundation on which you will build your golf swing and game.

BY BRIAN JOHANSSON

There are many rules to the game of golf that are not enforced by penalties. These rules are that of etiquette and respect for other golfers. They are mainly in place for safety and fairness. The game is only part decision and skill. The key to having the best golf experience begins with the correct etiquette. There is nothing that ruins a game of golf like being embarrassed by not knowing the rules. There are some simple rules to follow that will ensure you look professional the whole time you are on the course.

First off, you always look smart by stretching before the first hole. Every athlete knows that he needs to warm up. The best way to start is to take advantage of the practice green that is usually located near the clubhouse. This green consists of about 6 to 8 holes that you can putt to. If you feel confident enough, you can use your 9 iron or pitching wedge at the practice green to warm up your chipping capability.

When teeing off, it is always best to have the most accomplished player tee off first. This will set the pace for the game so that everyone else can move up the course towards the green. If partners that are sharing a cart hit to opposite sides of the fairway, they can either change partners to adapt to their hitting styles or drop their partner off at their ball and drive to their ball. This saves time so that parties behind don’t have to wait longer. It is also appropriate to take a few clubs with you anytime that you are dropped off. This allows for multiple hits in case you do not get back to the cart. The furthest person from the ball should always be the one to hit and any cart should not move ahead of this player’s ball. In case your ball should land in heavy grass, take a quick scan to find your ball. The limit to find a ball is 5 minutes and should only be exercised if you let a waiting party play through. Any divots that are made should be replaced with the missing grass and or some sand from the bucket on the cart.

When reaching the green, the pin should remain until all people have also gotten on the green. The furthest from the hole putts until he is not the furthest, and any ball that is potentially in the putter’s path should be replaced with a marker. It is also considered rude to walk in the path of another golfer’s putt because it may alter the path of the putt. You should also be aware of your shadow while another golfer is putting. Make sure that your shadow does not fall in the path of a putt because it is distracting.

Following these simple rules is an easy way to make certain that you do not look foolish on the golf course. Golf is a common form of business meeting that can be disastrous if you do not follow the common rules. Skill is not as important as etiquette in a sport like golf. Practice manners just as you would skill and you will exude the presence of a true professional.

Brian Johannson writes for the Golf Clubs site.