By Raul T. Cruz
I am an avid golfer for almost 3 years and as an amateur, I learned several things the hard and painful way a golfer should do right prior to playing every round. It involves selfdiscipline.
Follow these golf routines before playing a round.
Arrive Early
You will never see PGA pros arrive at the club 30 minutes before his tee time, rush to the locker room to change then hurry to the first tee. Yet, it happens to amateurs most of the time. The result is they struggle to play to their potential. It is of paramount importance that every golfer whether amateur or pro should arrive at the club at least 75 minutes or 1 hour and 15 minutes before his scheduled tee time. This is sufficient to reduce the level of anxiety and gives the golfer time to limber up at the range.
Eat Right
There is no prescribed food for golfers but eating right will have a bearing on one's performance. Take food at least 2 hours before tee time. Avoid too much sugar and carbohydrates, as this will make a golfer sluggish. Also when the sugar level goes down, weakness will be experienced. Take fresh fruits rich in potassium like bananas or apples for lasting effects. Avoid coffee and soda, take only water to avoid dehydration.
Loosen up
Before going to the tee mound, every golfer should loosen up by doing some stretching routine before making the first swing. Most types of golf related injuries were attributed to tight muscles. Stretch for golf means stretching every muscle group before going to the range and you will swing to a more effortless and injury free game. Also, concentrate on pre round swings to hone your balance and tempo.
Start with the Lob or Sand wedge.
Most golf newcomers I've seen on the range start with the driver and just blast away those balls, too eager to break their record drive. They just overlook this golf routine most of the time. Start with the shorter clubs instead because they put less strain on the body at impact. Concentrate more on your short game. Hit a mixture of chips, lobs, and sand shots before playing. End with woods and driver when your muscles are completely loose and your swing is on track.
Limit it to 50 balls.
Most amateurs hit an average of 150 balls at the range before the actual round leaving them weak and exhausted. Hit only 50 shots divided evenly among your most used clubs. A typical progression is sand wedge, pitching wedge, 9- iron, 7-iron, 5-iron, 3-iron, 3-wood, and driver
Putting, that's where the money is.
If you still have time, don't forget to practice putting. 35-50% of your score will come from putting. Start by rolling long putts to calibrate the green speed. Finish it off by rolling in a half-dozen or so three- footers.
Be at the tee mound early.
Be on the tee before the flight or group ahead of yours has hit. These last few minutes are devoted to club, ball and tee preparation. Also take this time to visualize exactly how you want to play the first hole. By now you are loose, alert, and focused on shooting the lowest score possible. Lastly, focus your mind. Follow all your pre golf routines, a game plan, manage the courses well and you'll be surprised on how you will improve your game and your handicap.
Raul Cruzrtcruz@yagbi.com
Main website http://www.shokandawe.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Raul_T._Cruz
For great golf products go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Golfing Rules - Explained
By John Gibb
The rules of golf are relatively simple once you know them, but they take a while to explain. If you’re not even sure of the basics, read this: the object of the game is to hit your ball from the start (tee) of each of the 18 sections of the course (holes) into the hole itself. The hole is situated on a particularly short and well-maintained piece of grass (the green), and once you’re on the green you must use a putter (a club with a slab-like end) instead of a normal golf club.
Each one of the holes has a certain target number of shots, known as the par. On a par 4 hole, for example, you are trying to get the ball into the hole in four shots or fewer. If you take exactly that number of shots, you have scored par. One under par is a birdie, while two under is an eagle. Three under is very rare, and is called an albatross – it is only possible if you get the ball in the hole with two shots on a par 5 hole. The best score of all, however, is a hole in one, which is when you hit the ball straight from the tee into the hole.
By the same token, if you don’t make par, there are special words for that too. One over par is a bogey, while two over par is a double bogey, and so on. If you ever go over 12 shots, you forfeit the hole, and have to move on to the next one.
Along the way, though, you will have to deal with various hazards. If you hit the ball into long grass (the rough), you might find it very hard to get out again, and trees are also often placed on courses to make them more difficult. The worst hazards are ponds and lakes, as hitting the ball into one will cost you both the shot you just took and an extra one shot penalty, making it very difficult to even reach par on that hole.
John Gibb is the owner of golf resources For more information on golf please check out http://www.Golf-Sources.Info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Gibb
For golf gift ideas go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com
The rules of golf are relatively simple once you know them, but they take a while to explain. If you’re not even sure of the basics, read this: the object of the game is to hit your ball from the start (tee) of each of the 18 sections of the course (holes) into the hole itself. The hole is situated on a particularly short and well-maintained piece of grass (the green), and once you’re on the green you must use a putter (a club with a slab-like end) instead of a normal golf club.
Each one of the holes has a certain target number of shots, known as the par. On a par 4 hole, for example, you are trying to get the ball into the hole in four shots or fewer. If you take exactly that number of shots, you have scored par. One under par is a birdie, while two under is an eagle. Three under is very rare, and is called an albatross – it is only possible if you get the ball in the hole with two shots on a par 5 hole. The best score of all, however, is a hole in one, which is when you hit the ball straight from the tee into the hole.
By the same token, if you don’t make par, there are special words for that too. One over par is a bogey, while two over par is a double bogey, and so on. If you ever go over 12 shots, you forfeit the hole, and have to move on to the next one.
Along the way, though, you will have to deal with various hazards. If you hit the ball into long grass (the rough), you might find it very hard to get out again, and trees are also often placed on courses to make them more difficult. The worst hazards are ponds and lakes, as hitting the ball into one will cost you both the shot you just took and an extra one shot penalty, making it very difficult to even reach par on that hole.
John Gibb is the owner of golf resources For more information on golf please check out http://www.Golf-Sources.Info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Gibb
For golf gift ideas go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Warming Up Before Playing Golf
By Peter S. Mason
Warming up for a golf game is more important than most think. Not only will it help you play golf at your best but it will also prevent you from injury and fatigue. Warming up before a game means something different to every player, but in any case it shouldn't be just a few swings on the driving range. You want to warm up your muscles, cardiovascular system, golf techniques and be mentally prepared for the game before your tee time. Here are some suggestions for properly warming up before you hit the golf course.
The amount of physical calisthenic warm up time depends on your physical condition. If you are active and work out often then a 5 minute brisk walk will suffice. Some golfers purposely park far away from the club house and count the walk from their car as the warm up. If you haven't done a lot of activity lately then a longer walk would be in order; start off at a slow stride and work your way up to a faster pace. In any case you need to get your blood flowing before a golfing to prevent overexertion which can lead to a heart attack.
Also do some basic stretching before teeing off so you don't pull or strain a muscle. Stretch your upper and lower back muscles as well as your shoulders and wrists. A few stretches will prevent a pulled muscle that will surely put a halt to your game.
After you've physically warmed up, now it's time to hit some balls to warm up your swing. Don't think that 1 or 2 shots on the driving range will suffice. Hit about a dozen balls on the diving range so you get a good feel for your grip and swing. Don't use your warm up time to practice new techniques since you won't have enough time to perfect it and poor shots will only lower your self confidence.
Before you hit the green and tee off, take a few moments to mentally prepare for the game. Don't take your problems to the golf course or you'll surely perform poorly and you won't enjoy the game. Relax and concentrate on focusing on the game so you can perform your best and enjoy the game.
Whether you're a novice or experienced golfer, warming up before playing golf is essential. Don't show up at tee time. Instead, get to the driving range at least 30 minutes before so you have time to warm up physically and mentally and get a good amount of swings in before teeing off.
Being especially passionate about golf property Costa Blanca, Peter Mason was editing different publications in the area. With his detailed publications, the writer showed his skill on issues associated to golf in Spain.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_S._Mason
For gifts for your golfer go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com
Warming up for a golf game is more important than most think. Not only will it help you play golf at your best but it will also prevent you from injury and fatigue. Warming up before a game means something different to every player, but in any case it shouldn't be just a few swings on the driving range. You want to warm up your muscles, cardiovascular system, golf techniques and be mentally prepared for the game before your tee time. Here are some suggestions for properly warming up before you hit the golf course.
The amount of physical calisthenic warm up time depends on your physical condition. If you are active and work out often then a 5 minute brisk walk will suffice. Some golfers purposely park far away from the club house and count the walk from their car as the warm up. If you haven't done a lot of activity lately then a longer walk would be in order; start off at a slow stride and work your way up to a faster pace. In any case you need to get your blood flowing before a golfing to prevent overexertion which can lead to a heart attack.
Also do some basic stretching before teeing off so you don't pull or strain a muscle. Stretch your upper and lower back muscles as well as your shoulders and wrists. A few stretches will prevent a pulled muscle that will surely put a halt to your game.
After you've physically warmed up, now it's time to hit some balls to warm up your swing. Don't think that 1 or 2 shots on the driving range will suffice. Hit about a dozen balls on the diving range so you get a good feel for your grip and swing. Don't use your warm up time to practice new techniques since you won't have enough time to perfect it and poor shots will only lower your self confidence.
Before you hit the green and tee off, take a few moments to mentally prepare for the game. Don't take your problems to the golf course or you'll surely perform poorly and you won't enjoy the game. Relax and concentrate on focusing on the game so you can perform your best and enjoy the game.
Whether you're a novice or experienced golfer, warming up before playing golf is essential. Don't show up at tee time. Instead, get to the driving range at least 30 minutes before so you have time to warm up physically and mentally and get a good amount of swings in before teeing off.
Being especially passionate about golf property Costa Blanca, Peter Mason was editing different publications in the area. With his detailed publications, the writer showed his skill on issues associated to golf in Spain.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_S._Mason
For gifts for your golfer go to http://digitalmomento-n-more.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)