Making Your Drives Better
Driving is a very important aspect of golfing. Getting it right not only helps you to get better score, but it also boosts your confidence. Here are few advices and tips from our side that will help you in driving longer and straighter:
- First of all, you need to understand two things – the driver is the longest shaft of the clubs that are in use, therefore make sure that your swing is shallow and not steep. Steeping your driver will spoil your drive.
Also, another thing you need to keep in mind is that the driver possesses the minimum amount of loft that is present in clubs (other than the putter). So make sure that you use it for full swings and to get the maximum ascend on your drive.
- Select your driver according to your drive speed. An example can be that the players whose swing speed is low must use drivers which have high launch, with approximately 13 degrees of loft or more.
- Make sure that you tee the ball a bit higher. Almost half the portion of the ball must be above the top of your club.
- Here’s something we have to say about your stance while driving – take it an inch or two wider than the width of your shoulders.
- To make your swings shallower, make sure that you take your stance in such a way that your right hand is outside your chin. Also, stand more upright than in your other strokes and put your hands a bit away from your body than the irons.
- Your spine must be tilted away from the target and almost 60% of your weight should be on the foot which is away from the target (like on your right one if you are right-handed).
- To attain a smooth and a shallow, try hovering the head of your club above the ground which is behind the ball.
- Sweep the golf ball in such a way that your club isn’t steep.
- Practice drives frequently to make it your strong point. You can use the various driving drills available.
Apart from following these, make sure that you watch and observe when your partners and opponents play their drives. Looking at the way they play can help you a lot in knowing the result of a particular stroke. Also, you can take their help to correct any mistakes or difficulties that you might be facing.
Stretching Exercises For Golfers
If you want to increase the power and range of motion of your swing, then you must definitely try out some stretching exercises to improve your game, as well as to prevent any jerks that you may experience during the game. Doing some stretching exercises regularly helps to prevent any internal injury that may occur due to sudden strain while playing golf. Various types of stretching exercises significantly help to improve golf maneuvers of any golfer. Alternate practice of dynamic and static stretches increases the flexibility of muscles, thus enabling correct swing power, and at the same time helps in maintaining the energy level of the player. Warm up before golf, increases the endurance level of the golfer.
An ideal warm up regime would be of 15 to 20 minutes consisting of some simple but effective stretching exercises. Mentioned below are some exercises that you should include in your regime:
Brisk Walking: Walking with low skips for 3-5 minutes warms up the body and prepares and loosens any stiffness in the muscles.
Squatting with the help of a support: Squatting is another form of popular exercise that is helpful for golfers. It elevates the heart rate and increases blood flow in the whole body, thus preparing it for the action. The support can be anything like a short club. While squatting, you must remember that you must squat till your thighs are parallel with the ground. Repeat the exercise approximately 15 times. For a change, you can also try single leg squat using a support. Lift one leg at a time while you use a golf club as a support and place it on the opposite knee. Try to make an angle of 90 degrees. Now squat till the knee of the leg supporting the other leg is parallel with the ground.
Arm Swings: Stand with both your arms by your side. Swing your left arm in clockwise and anticlockwise directions for at least 30 seconds. Similarly swing your right arm. This will help you in achieving the correct swing which you desire in your game to get the required length. It is a great exercise for avoiding any injuries in arms and is a must for all golfers.
Some other popular exercises are waist rotations, bends, shoulder stretching, wrist rotation and leg swings. All or some of the exercise forms if incorporated in the warm up regime will definitely prove useful for any player. So get ready for some warm up sessions before you jump into action.
Difficult Shots? Handle them our way!
There are a number of strokes that you might be finding difficult to execute. This can happen because different golf courses have different grounds and layouts, and adjusting isn’t easy sometimes. To get you out of such situations, practicing your strokes is very important.
Taking difficult strokes as a challenge and trying to get through then successfully is something that you can definitely boast about when having a can of soda with your friends and fellow players. Also, these shots can be a hot topic for discussion after the game.
However, the truth is that not many recreational players go out there and practice these strokes. To help them, here is our list of difficult golf strokes and how to handle them…our way!
Plugged Bunker Shot
The complexity in this shot is that you can easily get the ball out of the bunker but you will fail if you try to get it closer to the hole as well. What you need to understand here is that the ball is in a pool of sand (or rather a hole) and when you hit it, it will come out considerably low. Because of this, the spin on the ball will be small and it will roll when it lands on the ground. To execute this stroke properly, close the face of your wedge and hit the sand which is very close to the ball in such a way that it comes out of the bunker.
Backhanded Shot
The complexity in this shot is that you have to stand on the side opposite to the one you take your stance on (with respect to the ball), facing away from the target. You have to do this when there is a bush, or a tree or even a slope which is preventing you from playing the stroke in your normal stance. This shot is difficult to play when you are planning to give it a considerable range. To get through it, turn your seven iron around and stand very close to your ball. Now, hit it with your dominant hand. You need to practice some swings in this position to get it right.
Downhill Chip Shot
Chipping downhill can also be difficult. What you need to understand is that you don’t need to hit the ball high. The slope will oppose it. To play this stroke, your shoulders must be angled with the slope. Next, make sure that your backswing is high and the follow through is low. Solid contact must be made with the ball.
Another tip we want to give is that use your putter for the shots which are close to the hole. Practice difficult shots if you want to be above others in the scorecard.
Artificial Putting Green
For the beginners, and those who do not know the game of golf very well but want to understand it, before discussing ‘artificial putting green’, let us see what a putting green is. The process of striking the ball with a club such that it rolls towards the cup is known as ‘Putting’. The ground of play is known as ‘putting green’. To ensure proper rolling of golf ball the grass on this putting green is kept very short.
In most of the golf grounds you will find that the grass is grown on the course and is maintained short by regular cutting of grass. However, many golf courses have started using artificial turf instead of real natural grass.
Artificial turf was invented by David Chaney in 1960. Not only golf, but this artificial grass was used in a lot of sporting grounds which require grass. Initially, a lot of people disliked the artificial turf, since its surface was not as soft as natural grass and thus posed a threat of injury to players. As a consequence it was banned by the authorities.
With the passage of time and improvement in technology, this issue was resolved and new artificial turfs are made to resemble natural grass in all possible aspects. Sand or rubber filling is used to make the playing surface. With its new and improved avatar, artificial turf is now regaining its lost pride.
Some of the advantages of artificial putting green are listed below:
- The most evident benefit is that an artificial putting green requires no maintenance. They give the look and feel of natural grass without requiring the tedious efforts like mowing, watering and regular chemical spraying.
- They are economical and do not fade easily.
- They are perfect for heavy usage.
- They are eco-friendly and safe.
- A huge variety of shapes and sizes of artificial turf is available and can be chosen according to the suitability.
- Novices and golf learners can use synthetic or artificial putting green for indoor practice. They can be installed easily in their backyard or inside the home and practicing golf can be enjoyed at home with ease.
Warming Up Before a Round of Golf
Just as every other sport requires its players to warm up for performing better, golfers also need it to attain better swings. Pro golfers go through regular and proper warm up sessions before the round begins and as a result, you see near-perfection in their strokes right from the start. On the other hand, if one asks a recreational golf player about what he does for warming up, the answer will simply be rushing from their cars to check in, and then dashing towards their tees; all in less than five minutes, in most cases. However, if a player aims for good swings, he must do more than that.
Here is our suggested schedule for individuals who want to play golf on a particular day:
- Make sure you arrive early at the golf course, at least by 45 minutes. This will give you time to relax and get into your pre-play preparations nicely and easily. Also, it will do your confidence a world of good and it lets the excitement and anticipation build. Having time on your hands also allows you to prepare for the day ahead.
- Next, you should start your practice at the putting green first. Since putting is the most relaxing stroke, you are bound to be more relaxed when practicing. Along with this advantage, you will also get an assessment about the speed of the green and another advantage is that it will build a tempo which will be smooth and comforting. Then spend some time in rolling some putts into the tees and hitting putts that run up the hill.
- Analyze the nature of the green by stroking the ball with different speeds. Spend some time hitting a few chips in the green. Make the tee your target.
- Next comes practicing your swings with stretching.
- Take an easy walk from your stretching spot to the practice tees. Then practice full swings with strokes that are small wedged. After hitting a few, gradually proceed from short irons towards long irons and then towards woods. This will help you to attain some balance and rhythm.
- Finally comes timing this routine. Make sure you pan it in such a way that it finishes just as your group comes in to start play. In case there is a delay in their arrival, keep working on the stretching.
If you fail to maintain a warm up routine, your game will suffer. Think like a pro and give your best to everything you do, and not just the game.
Essential Golf Etiquettes
No matter what the game is, adopting proper etiquettes is an essential part of it, and golf is no exception. The golfers must be aware of certain rules that they need to keep in mind while playing the game. These include manners which help in making the game safe for the players, keeping pace of the play and keeping the field of play (the golf course) in order.
Here are the ones which are most important:
- When swinging your club (playing a stroke), make sure that all the others, including your opponent are at a safe distance. Likewise, you should stay at a safe distance too when he hits the ball.
- If a player plays a wrong stroke that is mistakenly aimed at anyone, shout ‘Fore’ which is an internationally known word to warn players of an error in a stroke.
- When playing a stroke, make sure that everyone, including the audience, is out of your stroke’s range.
- Practice your swing in a safe spot, away from other players.
- Follow the safety instructions listed in the golf cart.
- Keep track of your emotions and never let them make you too childish things such as throwing your club.
- Make proper preparations and make sure that you take your stroke immediately when your turn arrives.
- Try your best to keep pace with the group ahead of you or behind you.
- Don’t waste too much time in finding a lost ball. Incase you decide to follow the rule (five minutes are allotted to find the lost ball), make sure you tell the other group to play through.
- Always take spare (or different sized) clubs with you so that time is not wasted in retrieving them from the cart.
- Try your best to keep the golf cart out of the green patches and hazards.
- Take care (or repair) the areas, including the green and bunkers, after you play your stroke.
- Do not take a divot on while practicing swings.
- Do not talk when the game is in progress, and especially when the other player is taking his stroke.
- Keep your excitement level under control. Do not shout or yell under it.
- Be extremely cautious with other player’s putting line. Do not cross it or walk through it as it can damage it.
These are some basic etiquette that you must keep in mind while playing. They help in making the game comfortable and more fun.
Getting an Insurance for Your Golf Cart
Golf cart accidents are not uncommon and the damage caused costs hundreds of dollars. It is a good idea to get insurance for your golf cart if you don’t want anything to be heavy on your pocket suddenly.
Preventive measures taken by golf ground authorities or organizations are not enough to control such accidents. It won’t do any harm to have some insurance policies in your hand so that you can be prepared monetarily for any mishap which can happen in the golf course. Though it is always difficult to compensate for personal and emotional losses, yet financial security is one support that you can definitely plan for yourself.
All golf carts, whether they are bought by an individual or an organization, must be insured. If you are one of those who use their personal “street legal golf carts”, then you can also take the benefit of golf cart insurance. Though it is not very famous, still is very useful for all professional golfers and those who play golf regularly as a hobby.
Before you opt for a golf cart insurance you must keep in mind some important aspects to make sure that you make the best possible deal:
- Try to take a policy where you need to pay the premium annually instead of paying them on a quarterly or half yearly basis. Most of the times companies where you have to pay premium half yearly charge more interests. Paying the premium on annual basis helps you stay relaxed for the whole year.
- Seek for coverage on safety apparels along with the cart. Many insurance companies provide facilities like safety jackets, helmets gloves etc for driving the cart.
- Check whether the policy cover for towed trailer (required for large scale events) or not. It can be an added advantage.
- Property damage covers and life insurance come as a part of golf cart insurance in most deals.
- Go for a company which is ready to offer increased limits in case of golf cart liability insurance.
- Not only accidents, but incidents like fire, adverse weather or theft of golf cart should also be covered in the policy.
Getting yourself a golf cart insurance will let you play with a relaxed mind and will keep you prepared for any kind of mishap that might occur with your golf cart.
A Perfect Golf Holiday
If you are planning a golf holiday you need the blend of perfect environment, weather and setting. Golf holidays are not meant just for the experienced players who have achieved expertise in the sport, but even a novice can plan a golf holiday for himself and who knows, he might end up learning some real golf by the time the vacation is over. Make sure you are accompanied by seasoned players who can give you the perfect company along with some good guidance.
Choosing a proper destination is mandatory for a golf vacation. Choose a golf resort where you feel comfortable and which can offer you the facilities you require. –You can consult your friends or relatives who might be involved in this sport as well and who have a good idea of golf resorts. Select the golf course according to the level of your play. A novice and an expert will need different kind of golf course.
If one plans to make this a family holiday then make sure that your destination offers all the fun your family would be looking forward to because if your family is not interested in playing , they might end up getting bored while you practice your sport.
Here are some things that you should keep in mind, to make your golf holiday a perfect one:
- Do some financial planning and prepare a budget.
- Check out the golf facilities offered by your destination like courses, equipment, instructor etc.
- Entertainment facilities for your family and your relaxation.
- Value-adding facilities like discounts, treks or parties organized by the resort.
Remember that apart from the factors you can decide, your game is heavily dependent on weather. Make sure that you are aware of the weather conditions if you are planning to spend your time in an area which is unvisited or unknown to you. Your elaborate planning will get ruined if your summer sky turns into a cloudy one.
Do not fall for golf resorts which offer a surfeit of facilities and huge number of golf courses because most of the times you won’t be even able to avail all these facilities if your vacation is not very long. It is wiser and more economical to choose a resort which suits you the best and offers sufficient facilities.
A well planned golf vacation will relieve you from the stress of your monotonic life and at the same time will help you attain perfection in the game.
A Standard Golf Hole
The golf hole is one of the major constituents of the game. In fact, the main aim of the game itself revolves around the hole – and putting the ball in it.
There would have been a lot of times when you stroke the ball and it misses the hole by just a fraction of an inch. In such situation, you definitely would have helplessly hoped that the hole could have been just a bit wider. But if you are a golfer who likes to play by the rules, then you will realize that the hole size can neither increase nor decrease. It is set to a standard one – 4.25 inches diameter. Every golf course developed for even recreational purposes has holes of that size.
The most frequent question that golfers tend to have is that why the size is standardized to what it is today. The answer to this lies back in time and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, along with some connections in Mussel burgh, are responsible for it. They issued a new set of rules in 1891 and it was in meeting that they decided to make the size of the golf hole uniform throughout the golf courses in the world.
The main reason behind choosing this size – 4.25 inches diameter, is in Mussel burgh. It is now known as the Royal Mussel burgh Golf Club and it is a municipal golf course with 9-hole. In 1829, the people in Mussel burgh had invented the first ever hole-cutter known to mankind. And after having a look at it, the Royal Mussel burgh Golf Club or the R&A decided to adopt the size which that cutter (or rather the cutting tool in it) was able to cut – 4.25 inches diameter. Maybe they liked that size! After the rules were made and released, including the new hole size, the hole world decided to adopt them.
If you are wondering why that first hole-cutter had a diameter of 4.25 inches, then let us tell you that the reason behind that is unknown to the present generation of mankind. Our guess is that maybe the creator of that tool liked the size too!
So next time you wonder about the size of the hole, remember that it too has a great history behind itself.
S360 Electric Golf Trolley Review
Electric golf trolleys are becoming popular day by day, and S360, a product from protrolly.com gives you all features you might want to have in your trolley. It is light in weight and has a practical design making it easy to use. A simple click would fold or unfold the trolley, thus making it golfer friendly.
If you are worried about any power failure or related problems while you use an electric trolley, S360 has the solution to all such problems, thanks to its robust power connectors. The best feature of this trolley is the fully adjustable handle, thus making it suitable for golfer of any height. This is the first trolley to offer this feature and if you compare it with other oval shaped trolleys you will find its design to be the most compact and alluring.
Its detachable wheels make it even more adjustable and offer you a lower profile. Clutches in the wheel give you a free wheel option advantageous for all professional golfers. It helps in accomplishing better steering and mobility; and of course you cannot neglect the new design of the wheels providing them better grip in the golf course, stability and longer life. The wheels can easily be positioned for freewheeling if desired S360 comes with a fingertip speed controller with which you can increase or decrease the speed according to your requirement.
High performance and the silent motor (Linix, considered one of the best motors for golf trolleys) make S360 stand out from other electric trolleys.
Key features of S360 Electric Golf Trolley
- Light weight (Weight 10.0Kg)
- Max speed: 6 mph (10Kmh)
- Max load capacity: 25Kg including battery
- Tiers with better grip and puncture proof
- Fingertip speed controller
- Battery: 12v 20Ah, 26Ah or 33Ah
- Slim design, charger with automatic switch off functionality
- Heavy duty motor
- Quick release wheels, with free wheel ability
- 6-7 hrs , battery charging time
- 2 Yr Trolley warranty
- 5 Yr Motor warranty
- Free Tool Kit
- Free Battery Charger
- Free Trolley Carry Bag
- Free Battery Rain Cover
The offer becomes even more tempting as this amazing product offered by ProTrolley comes in a waterproof design and an anodized aluminum frame making it light weight. Moreover the battery is corrosion resistant. This product is recommended by us to all to those who might be looking forward to buy an electric golf trolley.