Choosing A Flex Rating For Your Golf Clubs

When you pick golf clubs, you may be overwhelmed by how many things you have to take into consideration. The length of the shaft, the weight of the head, the grip, and many other smaller details combine to make clubs that are perfect for your golfing style. Perhaps the most important factor is that of the flex of the golf clubs that you are buying. There are different flex ratings for different golf clubs, and choosing the right one can have a great positive effect on your game. It may be difficult to understand at first, but you should be able to pick a shaft with the perfect flex for you with no problem after you familiarize yourself with some of the basics of shaft flex.

The bend of a shaft is very subtle and imperceptible, and causes the greatest effect during your swing. The force and momentum of the club head cause a very small flex in the shaft. Depending on the material and production techniques used on your club, this flex can range from extremely stiff to fairly flexible. If you aren’t sure about the particular clubs that you have been using in the past, then you may consider asking a golfing expert to look at them and see if he can’t discern it. If you can find out what you have been using previously, then you will have a much easier time switching to something new.

The four main flex ratings are L, R, S, and XS. These stand for Ladies, Regular, Senior, and Extra Stiff. Usually L, R, or S should work fine for the casual player, so it is a good idea to simply try out the golf clubs in the category you fit into. You will find more often than not that this level of flex is perfect for you. However, if you don’t feel comfortable with the clubs then you will probably want to delve into a more technical process of choosing your shaft flex. This is accomplished by closely analyzing your swing, and deciding from there what the best course of action is.

The speed of your swing is the biggest factor when you decide to get into the more technical side of shaft flex choice. It all depends on how you swing the club. The fastest swingers tend to stick with stiffer shafts – if your club travels like greased lightning, then the XS style shaft is probably the best choice for you. If you tend to have a slower and more controlled swing, you can stick with R or even L. The letters are arbitrarily assigned based on data gathered on swinging habits, and if you are a man that needs a “Ladies” style shaft, there is no shame in sticking with what you need in order to play your best.

The material of the shaft can also affect the way that you swing it. Graphite and steel are the two materials that almost every golf club is made out of, and each of them is very distinct when you look at them from a flex viewpoint. Steel clubs have a lower torque rating, which means that they will be useful more to one group of golfers than another. When you are faced with the choice of picking new golf clubs, it is a good idea to know which one you prefer so that you can choose the one that you will be most accustomed to.

Picking the flex level of a new set of golf clubs can be one of the hardest choices you will make, especially if you are new to golfing. But once you try out enough and get a feel for your personal needs, you will know it for the future. Every time you buy clubs from then on, you will know exactly what to choose, and you will always be able to stick with the same clubs. This allows you to really be constant in your game, and improve your skill.

Tags: pick golf clubs

06 June 2010 in Golf Lesson 0 Comments

Golf Fitness Exercises for the Pre-season

Golf fitness exercises can be very beneficial in getting you ready for the upcoming golf season. Golf exercises with swing drills can prepare you for a successful year on the links right from the start.

The PGA Golf Tour is in full swing and for many parts of the country and world the golf season is upon us. Many of you are anxious to dust off the golf clubs and get out to the golf course for your first round of golf. A question that may be on your mind is how do I get ready? How do I knock off 6 months of rust on my golf swing, feel comfortable with my driver on the first tee, and post a good golf score at the end of the round?

All questions that are asked often in the world of professional golf and this article will provide you with the answers. Answers to these questions and many more fall under the category of how do I prepare myself for the golf season?

Interesting enough if the guidelines from this article are followed the golf score you post for your first round of the year may be lower than you ever expected, the distance of your drives may well be farther than you imagined, and the number of accurate golf shots you hit may be even more surprising!

The answer to all the questions on how to get ready for the upcoming golf season centers on preparation. Preparation is the key to a successful first round of golf and every round you play in the upcoming golf season.

We all probably understand the definition of preparation but lets take a quick look in order for us to all be on the same page. Preparation can be defined as the work or planning involved in making something or somebody ready or putting something together in advance (Encarta Dictionary, MSN.com).

A definition that sheds light on getting ready for the upcoming golf season. Using the above definition we can see the process of preparing for the upcoming golf season does not begin 10 minutes before your first tee time, but rather in advance of when you get ready to hit driver off the first tee. Bottom line the process of getting ready for the upcoming golf season begins weeks or even months before your’ first round of golf of the year.

To have a successful first round of golf and a good season of golf you must begin the process of preparation well in advance of your first time on the golf course. If you look at professional golfers they begin the process of preparing for the upcoming golf season months in advanced. I would suggest doing the same. Develop a plan that will get your golf swing ready once the snow thaws, the birds are chirping, and the greens are ready for putting.

What does such a plan contain? This type of “golf preparation plan” would contain drills, exercises, and programs to improve and prepare every aspect of your golf game. If we break down the game of golf into categories the “golf program” becomes much easier to understand. Obviously, we have the different shots made on the course. A brief breakdown would indicate the need to implement swing drills to work on the full swing, short game, and putting. We could obviously get a little more detailed than a breakdown of the golf game into three different categories, but lets’ keep it simple.

Now that we have this breakdown of the game of golf into full swing, short game, and putting the next step is to implement a series of drills to work on each of these aspects. Simply put I would suggest devising a series of drills to work on each part of the golf game/swing. This can easily be accomplished by purchasing a few books or videos from one of the top-teaching professionals in the world of golf.

Each one of these qualified golf instructors have numerous materials available to help you with your golf swing. And if you are one of those individuals that lives in a cold climate and is unable to get to a driving range or practice facility, no need to worry. Most all of the instructional videos/books available have drills that can be performed in the comfort of your own home.

At this point we have a couple of bases covered in the “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season. We understand preparation is key to a successful year on the golf course, the “preparation plan” begins well in advance of the first tee time of the year, and a portion of the plan consists of swing drills. This brings us to final part of your “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season.

This part of the plan centers on the implementation of golf fitness exercises to go along with your swing drills. We must understand the concept of your body and the golf swing. The golf swing is executed in its’ entirety by your body. In order for your body to execute the golf swing correctly. It requires you to have certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power within it. If you are lacking in any one of these physical areas compensations will occur in your golf swing.

It comes down to this: In order to be prepared for the upcoming golf season and to improve your golf swing. The implementation of golf fitness exercises geared towards developing your body around the golf swing is necessary. This type of program will prepare the body for the golf swing and the upcoming golf season.

To summarize, the process of preparing yourself for the upcoming golf season begins with a “preparation plan”. This plan begins weeks to months in advance of your first time out on the golf course. Additionally, this “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season contains a series of golf training drills to prepare your golf swing. The golf training drills break down the golf game into three sections; full swing, short game, and putting. A series of swing drills are implemented to work on each one of these parts of your golf game. In addition golf fitness exercises are implemented into the golf-training program to develop your body around your golf swing. Put all these pieces together and your first time out on the golf course this year should be an enjoyable one.

Tags: Exercises for the Pre-season, golf course, Golf exercises, Golf Fitness, golf swing, PGA Golf Tour

06 June 2010 in Golf Lesson 0 Comments

Golf – Beginner Basics V 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 asdriving? 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 orthe 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!

Tags: Beginner Basics, Golf Beginner Basics, golf putting, master golf

06 June 2010 in Golf Lesson 0 Comments

Golf – Beginner Basics IV The Short Game,

We’ve all the seen the long accurate drives of TigerWoods. 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 thegreen 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 beused, as well as your pitching iron, sand wedge or lobwedge.
Most golf courses have practice areas as well as adriving range. Spend some time working on hitting your ball onto the green from different distances. Aim fora ten-foot circle in the center of the green at first. Experiment using your wedges; what works for some one 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 sandtrap. Knowing how to get the ball out of a trap willcut your score.
Plant your feet firmly into the sand, with your left foot turned toward the hole. Imagine a 4-inch circlearound 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. Thisdoesn’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.

Tags: golf course, Golf for Beginner, Golf Lesson, short game

05 May 2010 in Golf Lesson 0 Comments

Golf – Beginner Basics III 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, thelonger and lower your ball will go. A 4-iron shot willtravel long and low and will most likely roll, where asa 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, orcompletely miss the ball.

Driving is very important to the game, and many hoursspent at the driving range will help improve your distance. Experiment with the same club to see whatworks for you if you move the ball forward or backwardin your stance. Take a lesson, if possible, and learnthe proper swing from the beginning.
Mastering the long game helps you get to the green infewer strokes, keeping your score and frustrationlevel down. Remember that it takes a long time tolearn consistency and remember to have fun!

Tags: Golf Beginner Basics, Golf for Beginner

05 May 2010 in Golf Lesson 0 Comments