Posts tagged "Dimples On A Golf Ball"

Different Golf Balls and Basic Golfing Rules

Having the right golf ball is important. There are two basic types of balls (spin and distance) and two basic ball coverings (balata and surlyn). This set of tips will explain them.

Spin

As its name dictates, a spin ball is designed to spin. These balls have 3 parts to them:

A central core (liquid, most of the time)
Rubber windings
A cover made of a thin, soft material called balata

Distance

A distance ball, made for longer shots, has a much harder core and a harder cover. The core is made of a firm synthetic material, and the cover is a hard durable material called surlyn. This combination allows the ball to travel greater distances.

Dimple Myth

There’s a popular myth that says more dimples on a golf ball means a higher trajectory. This isn’t true. The average golf ball has between 350 and 450 dimples, and this number doesn’t make any difference in the path your ball takes. Trajectory is actually determined by the dimple’s depth and not the number.

GOLF TERMS

The game of golf seems to have a language of its own. This next set of tips will give you some common golf terms and their definitions.

Par

Par is the number of strokes a player should take to complete a round. It’s calculated by yardage and then gives you 2 strokes at the green. For instance, a par 5 hole gives you three strokes to get on the green, and then two putts to get your ball in the hole.

Tee

A tee is normally a wooden or plastic peg that the ball is placed on for hitting the first shot of each hole. Originally this was a pile of sand used to elevate the ball for driving.

Green

According to the official golf rules, the green is the whole golf course. However, it more popularly refers to the putting surface at the end of each hole. Greens vary in shape and size, but most are oval or oblong in shape.

Fairway

The fairway is the area that runs between the tee and green of a golf hole. This area is well maintained so the ball will move well on it. The grass on the fairway is usually cut at a height from 3/8 of an inch to a half-inch.

Handicap

Handicap is a number that represents how well a golfer plays. This number is the number of strokes a player may deduct from his actual score to adjust his scoring ability to the level of another golfer. The lower a golfer’s handicap, the better the golfer is.

Divot

Most shots from the fairway will scrape off the top of the turf where the ball was sitting. A divot is the turf that is scraped up, and the scarred area in the fairway where the turf had been. It is polite to replace and stomp down the turf afterwards.

Lie

Lie has two meanings:

Where the ball lays. A common expression would be a good lie, which means the ball is on a great piece of grass. A bad lie, would mean it’s on a rough piece of grass, or a hazard.

How many strokes it took to get the ball where it sits.

Address

The position a golfer takes as he or she stands over the ball, ready to hit it. The club must be grounded (touching the ground) for a golfer to be considered at address.

Hazard

A hazard is anything on a golf course designed to obstruct play. These hazards can be:

Sand traps
Water
Rough

Flagstick

A flagstick is a movable marker to show the location of the hole. Many courses will color code the flags on flagsticks to tell you if the hole is near the front, center, or back of the green.

Fore

Fore! is what you yell if your shot is in danger of hitting or landing by another player or group of players on the course. You yell fore! to warn players to watch out.

Mulligan

You won’t find this is in an official rule book, but when you’re playing a friendly game of golf, sometimes you or someone else will swing and miss, or a make really bad shot. A mulligan allows you to take that swing over without penalty.

Allan Wilson
http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/different-golf-balls-and-basic-golfing-rules-95413.html

Golf Equipment – What you Need to Get Started

As with any other sport to play golf you need to ensure that you have the correct equipment so that you can play golf correctly. Hopefully this article will provide you with a basic understanding as to what is required.

Basically, there are two main components to play golf – there are the golf ball and the golf clubs. The golf ball is not just a ball it is a scientifically designed piece of equipment. The dimples on a golf ball are designed so that there is less resistance in the air – if you look closely at different brands of golf ball the dimples are slightly different and it you count the dimples on a golf ball some balls have more than others. The inside of the golf ball is also different – this inside of the ball is normally determined by how much spin you want to be able to impart onto the ball, both in the air and upon contact with the ground.

There are numerous different varieties of golf clubs available at present, these are the driver, fairway wood, utility club sometimes also known as a hybrid club, irons, wedge and putter. Each of these different varieties has their relevant use on the golf course. For example the driver is the club which you use from the tee when you want to make a shot which goes a long way, the wedge is used for the short approach aspect of the game when you are coming into the green and of course the putter is used when you are on the green. Which club you decide to use for each shot is individual choice and can depend upon numerous things, game style, course style, ball lie, distance etc etc.

To make it easier to transport your golf clubs, both on and off the course you require something to carry them in. This is where the golf bag is used. The golf bag is used more than just for carrying your clubs however, it is also a piece of equipment which you use to protect your golf clubs. There are numerous varieties of golf bag available and the choice bag is down to both personal preference and requirements. For example if you will not be using a golf cart then a stand bag will probably be your requirement, however if you will be using a golf cart then it may be more beneficial to use a cart bag. The golf bag will protect your golf clubs from banging into each other and also protect the shafts against wear. The golf bag is of course able to carry other things other than your clubs, there are numerous pockets on the bag where you can put your golf balls, tees, drinks, waterproofs etc.

Another good item which is used to protect your golf clubs (normally your woods) is the golf head cover, this is a device which slides over the club and protect the club from damage.

If you are going to be playing on a golf course then you will need good grip. To facilitate this you will require a good quality set of golf shoes, Golf shoes are different to normal shoes as they have ‘spikes’ on them – these are so that you feet grip into the ground when you are making your swing. Slipping when you make your swing can have disastrous results – in some cases it can cause you to miss the ball altogether. These spikes come in all sorts of varieties, however soft spikes are the normal preference as they do not cause and damage to the greens when you walk on them. Golf shoes do more than just assist you in retaining your grip – the also give you the ability to keep your feet dry. When choosing a pair of golf shoes choose a pair which are sturdy, however they need to be comfortable as you could be walking a long way in them. If you do not feel comfortable in your shoes you will definitely not be able to concentrate on your game and could even do some damage to your feet.

You will require some tees. Tees are either made from wood or plastic and are used when you are teeing off on a hole. You balance the ball on the top of the tee and strike the ball from it rather than from the ground.

Most golfers tend to wear a golf glove. The golf glove is normally worn on the other hand to your ‘master hand’; therefore if you are right handed you would wear the glove on your left hand. The glove is there to prevent the club from slipping in your hand and assist you in getting a better grip on the club. There are various types of glove available, you need to ensure that the glove is a good fit and is like a secondary piece of skin.

When you play golf there is a lot of walking involved which is why a lot of golfers invest in a golf cart. There are 2 different varieties of golf cart available, there is the manual cart which you either push or pull and there is the electric cart which is driven by an electric motor. In your golf bag will be a lot of equipment and the bag can be heavy, it will also feel a lot heavier as the round goes on. When you use a golf cart you place the bag onto the cart and pull or push the cart along. This makes the round a lot less tiring and therefore a lot more enjoyable.

You can purchase golf equipment from various shops both online and offline. Golf equipment can be expensive to purchase initially, therefore if you are on a budget you can look into purchasing second hand equipment. The Internet is a fantastic resource for locating good equipment. All golf equipment is not alike, however which is why it is recommended that you investigate each product prior to purchase.

Peter Cunningham
http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/golf-equipment-what-you-need-to-get-started-61867.html