Golf Tip to Stay Cool on Hot Days

Ever play when the sun is scalding your brain, and the humidity threatens to cut off your breathing capacity (yet, you still ventured on!! My kind of golfer)? Then, you reach for a towel to wipe your face, and, oh man, it's the same towel you used to clean your clubs with. Doesn't that soil in your hot, wet face feel great!! Try this:

BEFORE you start your round, get a clean, wet towel. Use the clip that normally is used to attach to your bag, and clip it to the top of the cart above/beside your bag (hey, if you are walking, you are out of luck). All carts have a roof top 'hole' of some variation to clip your towel on. You now have a ready made face cloth that
you will not confuse with your 'club towel', and you can moisten as you play. Simply throw a cup of water that you should be drinking!! on it, or use the dispensers that are typically at every second or third hole. It's free, clean, and handy.

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Golf tips to use the intentional fade shot

If you're like most high-handicappers, any sidespin you put on the ball is more or less an accident. Your goal is to hit the ball consistently straight, and work away from the wicked slice that has cost you too many balls (skins,nassaus, etc.).

At some point, however, you will want to learn how to deliberately send the ball on a gentle fade without letting the evil slice take over. There are several circumstances when a controlled fade will prove invaluable:

- When you need to get around a corner to the right (for the right-handed golfer). Perhaps your drive failed to reach the dogleg, but you're too close to the trees or too far from the green to try a direct sky shot.

- To compensate for a crosswind from the right

- The green is shallow, hard, or slopes away from you. Because fades have a natural backspin, you might need to hit a high shot that hits softly and without the extra roll that a normal or draw shot would impart.

Before you execute the fade, be sure to visualize the shot you want to hit before you address the ball. This puts you firmly in the mindset of shaping the ball flight correctly and helps eliminate any indecision you may have.

At address, set your stance open to the target line. Line up normally, as if you were going to hit a straight shot to your target, then pull your leading foot back away from the ball a few inches.

Open the clubface slightly to help impart the needed sidespin at impact.

Don't overdo it, though; you're already adding loft, and you don't want to come up too short, since the ball won't roll very far. In fact, the simplest and most effective way to accomplish this is to keep the clubface aimed at your target - where you want the ball to finish.

Take a slow, measured backswing, keeping the club from coming up too quickly. Otherwise you risk imparting too much sidespin to the ball, which turns a controlled fade into a wild slice.

This is particularly true if your normal tendency is to slice the ball.

Don't try to change your swing, in an attempt to hit the ball anywhere other than where your feet and body are lined up.

In particular, don't take an inside-out swing in order to "push" the ball more towards the target than where you are lined up. Just take a full, natural swing, hit straight through he ball, and be sure to finish with your hands high, above your left shoulder.

Practice this shot frequently so that you get a feel for how much fade is imparted by your swing, and how much is needed under the conditions. Also learn how much distance you're losing with the fade, so that you can compensate with club selection.

Need more info on fades? You can find many more tips and tactics in the new ebook, " How To Break 80...And Shoot Like the Pros!"

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Golf Tips to Make Good Bunker Shots

Do bunker shots make you nervous? That's typical for high to medium-handicappers. However, the pros are usually relieved when their approaches scoot into bunkers instead of hanging up in greenside rough. Why?

Because with practice, pros can predict their bunker shots. Typical weekend golfers rarely practice the sand shot, so almost every time they encounter sand it's during a round.

You may only get a couple of sand shots a round and you can't build a reliable stroke that way. Before you can practice your bunker play, though, you have to have a plan.

The standard approach is to open your clubface, aim slightly left of target, put the ball forward in your stance, take your club up sharply during the backswing,
swing the club from outside-in and aim an inch or so behind the ball, trying to splash the ball up on a small bed of sand.

While this can work, it also has multiple opportunities for failure. It's also not very predictable once it hits the green, even when executed well.

If the standard approach doesn't work for you, try the Harmon method of getting out of sand. It's based on 5 primary differences from the standard method:

- Stance is somewhat further back from the ball
- Extremely "weak" off-hand grip
- The impact zone is a minimum of 3 inches behind the ball
- The hands remain behind the clubhead through impact
- The swing of the club is directly towards the target,
rather than cutting across the ball

Begin by weakening the grip of your left (off) hand, then bring your thumb over the top of the shaft and leaving the back of your hand facing the target. This prevents the left hand from turning the club over during the swing and closing the clubface.

Address the ball as if you were hitting a shot about forty-five degrees to the right of the target, but standing further from the ball than you would for a normal wedge
shot.

Now rotate your entire body to the left until the clubface lines up with the target.

This has several beneficial effects: it forces the swing to take a sharper angle on the downswing; it opens up the clubface, promoting a higher trajectory; and it generates more "wristy" action from the right hand, which is desirable in this particular shot.

You need to stand further back from the ball than normal because the opening of your stance will bring your right thigh more into your swing plane, and you don't want to
cramp your swing.

On the backswing, bring the club up sharply, cocking the right wrist immediately. Be sure you turn your shoulders as well; an all-arm backswing will cause the downswing to descend too steeply and the clubhead will dig into the sand.

On the downswing, keep the clubhead forward of the hands at all times, and swing the club directly through the ball towards the target, rather than cutting across it from the outside in. This imparts a reliable rolling action onto the ball, rather than an unpredictable sidespin.

You can think of your right arm as throwing the clubhead through the sand into the ball, starting about 3 inches behind the ball and taking a long, shallow scoop out of the bunker. The sand caught between clubhead and ball will help impart backspin.

Bunkers and more tips and tactics are covered in detail in the new ebook, "How To Break 80...And Shoot Like the Pros!


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Tips for Reading Golf Greens

Ever looked ahead and tried to figure out what to do on the next green? You're not alone.

There's always lots of discussion on the links about whether the most important aspect of putting is having a consistent stroke, or being able to read the green.

While your stroke is important, the perfect stroke in the wrong direction is never going to sink a putt.

Reading greens is as much art as science, but whether you have a feel for it or not, mastering the basics will give you the right line the vast majority of the time.

The two major components that will affect any putt are slope and grain.

Slope is the slant or tilt of the ground, and grain is the direction in which the grass on the green tends to grow. To state the obvious -- putts will tend to go downhill and with the grain.

- Greens tend to slope generally back to front, to better receive approach shots.

- If there is water nearby (stream or pond), the grass will often grow towards the water.

- Other factors being equal, the grain will tend towards the setting sun (the west), especially up north where the day is shorter

Usually you can see the slope, but it's often helpful to walk from your ball to the hole generally along the line of the putt.

Your feet will tell you of more subtle slopes than your eyes can see. On longer putts especially, pay careful attention to any slopes near the hole.

If the green slopes away from your ball near the hole, you will want to be careful to avoid hitting the putt too hard. This is even more critical if the area around the hole has been extensively trampled by earlier players.

Squat along your putting line and look across the grass towards the hole. If the grass appears shiny, the grain is with you; if it appears dark or dull, the grain is against you.

A final trick to determine the grain near the hole is to look at the grass immediately around the perimeter of the cup.

Most of the time you can see a spot which appears browner and rougher than the rest of the perimeter (which will have a cleaner cut). The read here is that the grain is growing in the direction of the brown/rough area.

Once you think you have a good idea of the grain, and a feel for the slopes that might affect your putt, you still need to figure out how to compensate in your putt.

- As the ball slows, it will be more affected by the slope of the green. This means that you'll need to compensate for undulations near the hole more than you will for the same slope near the ball, especially on longer putts.

- Mid and high handicappers overwhelmingly tend to miss the putt on the low side. If you're reading some slope into your putt, aim to compensate for the slope - and then aim even a little bit further uphill.

- When you're eyeing your putt, look in the direction of the line you want to take rather than directly at the hole. This might help keep you from under-reading the break.

Still need help reading greens? You can find many more tips and tactics in the new ebook, "How To Break 80...And Shoot Like the Pros!"


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Golf Tips for Consistent Chipping

Have you ever wished your chipping was more consistent?

Anytime you're near the green but not in a position where you feel comfortable putting, the chip is usually the preferred stroke over the pitch.

Why? Because if you miss, a chip is generally less disastrous. You should always elect to chip rather than pitch the ball if:

- The green is hard

- The lie is poor or downhill

- The wind will affect a high shot

With a chip, you always want to get the ball onto the green and rolling towards the hole as soon as possible. So you should choose the straightest-faced club that will get the ball to the green without hanging up in any roughs that are in the way.

Once you've chosen your chipping club - and you can chip with just about any club in the bag, except maybe the putter - the most fundamental aspect of the chip is to keep
your hands ahead of the ball through impact and the entire follow-through. Never let your wrists break.

Your stance should be narrower than normal, slightly open, with your weight a little more on your forward foot than normal. Position the ball back in your stance, just off your back foot.

Grip down on the club, and flex your knees to get close to the ball. Keep the club close to your body; don't reach out for the ball.

Like a good putting stroke, the backswing and the follow-through should be approximately the same length. Also like the putt, the overall motion of the swing should resemble a pendulum.

Do not try to scoop or lift the ball at impact. Like any other good golf stroke, the club should strike the ball with a descending blow, allowing the loft of the clubface to get the ball airborne.

If the hole is near the ball and you don't have much green to work with, choose a more lofted club and try to land the ball in the light fringe. But avoid the temptation to stab at the ball, or you will likely chunk it and leave yourself
with another chip.

Need more work on that chip shot? You can find many more tips and tactics in the new ebook, "How To Break 80...And Shoot Like the Pros!"


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Tips for Golfing in Bad Weather

Golf is tough enough in nice weather. But what do you do when the wind picks up or it starts raining?

If you know how to adjust your game to fit the elements,you can go for the green while your fellows scramble for an up-and-down par or bogey.

You'd think a strong wind at your back is a good thing, and that when you turn into it you should just grab an extra club or two and hope you hit it squarely.

But sometimes that headwind can be your best friend, particularly when hitting into a hard green with a long iron or putting down a treacherous slope.

Watch the grass carefully not only for direction but also for speed. While a 12 mph wind may feel a lot like an 18 mph wind on your face, the difference on your ball flight will be noticeable.

Don't change the force of your swing based on wind direction and speed. Instead, change your club selection and take your usual swing.

More club into a headwind not only delivers more distance, but the lower trajectory also cuts into the wind and allows for more roll when it lands.

Additionally, a harder swing produces more backspin on the ball, creating lift and bringing the wind even more into play. Widen your stance to stabilize yourself and your swing. You will also gain control by choking down on your club.

Stick with your normal straight shot and compensate for the wind with your aim. Wind multiplies the effect of sidespin on balls; a squarely-hit straight shot that gets pushed 10 feet by the wind might get thrown 30 feet if it has even a little unexpected sidespin in the wrong direction.

What about rain? Well, playing in the rain (never a thunderstorm), while just another part of the game for the pros, can be a frustrating experience for the high
handicapper.

Not only is your vision often compromised and your grip slippery, everything just feels heavier. Balls plug instead of rolling, fairway shots feel "fat" even when
struck fairly well, and wet sand requires a different approach than the typical bunker shot.

Overcoming rain starts with good equipment. If rain's in the forecast, take a big umbrella, several towels, a wide-brimmed hat, some rain pants, a light rain jacket, and a pair of gloves (right and left hand) especially designed for wet conditions, such as Spider gloves.

On the course, take an extra club or two on most shots. Swinging harder will only increase the chances of losing your footing during the swing.

Humid air tends to slow balls down and reduce carry, so you'll want to get the most out of the airtime you do get, especially since you may get little or no roll in the
fairway.

Consider laying up if you catch heavy rough on your tee shot. The wet conditions only make rough that much harder to escape from cleanly, and you're more apt to overswing (and possibly slip) if you think you can reach the green.

For bunker shots, try to pick the ball out cleanly instead of splashing the ball out on a bed of sand. Also consider using a lofted iron other than your flanged sand wedge, which will tend to bounce harder off the wet sand and exacerbate the effects of a slight mis-hit.

Hit putts harder on wet greens. You might be surprised how quickly a ball will stop on a wet green, even downhill.

Finally, know the rules as they relate to casual water, as you will almost certainly be faced with this issue at least once during your round.

Want to know more about dealing with weather conditions or other intricacies of golf? You can find many more tips and tactics in the new ebook, "How To Break 80...And Shoot Like the Pros!"

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Tips for Hitting Out of the Rough

Have you ever found yourself having to hit a ball out of the rough? Did you wonder what to do? Well, if you're a high or even mid handicapper, you'll end up hitting more shots from some form of rough than any other single type of lie.

Here's what can happen when you try to hit out of the rough:

- Grass comes between the clubhead and the ball, making clean contact difficult and reducing backspin

- Clubhead speed is reduced

- The clubhead or shaft may become caught in the grass on its descent, causing the club face to twist closed

- Grass in front of the ball can provide extra friction, further reducing the distance the ball will fly

- The first three generate a lower ball flight, making it more difficult to "stick" a shot onto the green. The third one can also send the ball off line.

However, if the rough is short enough, sometimes the only noticeable effect is reduced backspin. But in most cases, some fairly universal rules can be applied to shots from the rough.

- Use a short to mid-iron (5 iron or shorter) to help cut through the grass

- Take a couple of practice swings through nearby rough to give yourself a feel for how much the grass is going to resist your swing.

- Place the ball further back in your stance to promote a more vertical downswing, decreasing the resistance of the grass in your swing path

- Choke down on the club for greater control

- Swing hard, and maintain a full follow-through to get the club all the way through the rough

If the rough is thick or the ball is deep, get the ball back to the fairway rather than trying to do too much and finding yourself in worse shape on the next shot.

One thing that separates the pros from the amateurs is knowing when to swallow their medicine and take that one extra stroke to get back into position. Better to take a
bogey (or give yourself an outside shot at par) than to risk double-bogey or worse on a prayer of a shot from the weeds.

Want to know more about dealing with the roughs? You can find many more tips and tactics in the new ebook, "How To Break 80...And Shoot Like the Pros!"

Wishing you the best of golfing success


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Golf — Exercises For Better Scores

Like any athletic activity peak performance is not just superior technique, but having a body that does what you need it to do. Toning, stretching, warming-up, and easy weight training all help improve scores on the course.

STRETCHING

Putting requires relaxed concentration, driving mandates strength and limber joints. Start by rotating all the 'golf' joints — hands and fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. Then loosen up that all important neck and spine by rotating the head gently counter then clockwise.

Start slowly, stretch less than the maximum possible. Hold each stretch for several seconds, then repeat until you work smoothly out to the maximum extension.

Standing straight, stretch the arms straight up, rotate the forearms, then wrists, then flex the finger joints. Follow by rotating the entire arm, first one then the other then both together. Reverse directions and repeat.

With elbows bent and hands clasped above the head, use the right hand to pull the body right, followed by the left hand to pull the body left. That stretches those major muscles called the latissimus dorsi. (The long ones running from the shoulder blades down to the waist.)

Separate the feet to about shoulder width and bend side to side, front to back. Remember to keep pressure off the lower back, by keeping the angles shallow until you've achieved athletic fitness.

Keep all angles and extensions age appropriate.

WARM-UP

Start by walking around in a circle of about twenty feet in diameter, building up to the distance around a city block. To elevate muscle temperature, start with simple aerobics. A short jog on a gentle surface, or even a few minutes running in place. Keep in mind, you're not doing weight loss exercises, just getting lots of blood flow to the muscles and raising the heart rate slightly.

LOW IMPACT EXERCISES

Hip Internal Rotation

Sit on a chair with your knees pointed straight in front of you. Rotate your ankles outward keeping your knees and thighs pointed straight ahead.

Hip External Rotation

Same position. Now, cross the left ankle in front of the right and, keeping the thighs and knees pointed straight, hold for one second. Repeat, reversing ankles.

Hip Abduction

On your left side bend the left knee slightly and straighten your right. Raise your right leg straight up, keeping it in the plane of your body. Hold for one second and count to two as you lower the leg. Repeat on the other side. In a few weeks, try adding a one- to two-pound ankle weight.

Hamstring

Extend your left leg, knee straight on a low bench. Keep your back straight and chin up as you slowly reach toward the toes. Hold for two seconds, then repeat on your right leg.

Lower Back

Sit with head erect, shoulders squared on a low bench. Slowly turn to your left, to slightly less than maximum. Reach hands around as if reaching for a seat back. Remember to keep your feet nearly flat on the floor. Hold for two seconds, then repeat on right side.

Forearms

Extending your left arm straight out, palm face-up, use your right hand to pull back the fingers of your left hand. Then turn your palm down and again use your right hand to gently pull back the fingers of your left. Hold each position for 10 to 20, then repeat, switching arms.

Start slowly and increase repetitions, adding weights to wrists and ankles as you gain strength.


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