Pre-Swing Fundamentals Reduce Golf Handicaps
Vijay Singh works harder than anyone on the Tour. He spends hours and hours every day working on his game, practicing every facet of it—from putting to chipping to driving—so that he can be the best he can be. In fact, his practice sessions are legendary among the world’s best players. Needless to say, his determination has paid off. He’s earned millions and millions of dollars in prize money.
While you’d probably like to spend more time practicing and playing golf, you can’t always do it. You have too many responsibilities. But hitting balls at the range or taking golf lessons from a pro isn’t the only way to cut strokes from your golf handicap. You can also do it by working on key pre-swing fundamentals—fundamentals that many a weekend player overlooks. By ingraining them, you’ll trim strokes from your golf handicap without ever picking up a club.
Below are six pre-swing fundamentals that help you cut strokes from your scores without going to the driving range:
1. Acquire The Right Mind Set
Having the right mind-set before swinging the club is crucial. It’s even more crucial when driving. Hitting a good opening shot gets you started on the right foot. So work on having a positive attitude before hitting the ball. Don’t think, “Don’t hit it in the water.” Think, “I’m going to hit it right down the middle.” That way, you’ll create positive images of successful shots in your mind. That develops self-confidence.
2. Perfect Your Grip
Many golfers—especially beginners—overlook the importance of having the right grip. These players don’t fully understand how the grip affects your swing. Since your hands are the only part of your body touching the club, how you grip it is critical. It determines clubface position. If your grip is incorrect, your clubface will mirror it and be either open or shut. The perfect grip has both hands rotated 45 degrees to the right for right-handed golfers.
3. Develop Good Posture
Posture is another pre-swing fundamental weekend golfers overlook. Golf is an athletic activity. You must be in the optimum starting position to be able to “explode” when you need to. If you’re slouched over or too straight at address, you can’t generate the kind of swing discussed in golf lessons and golf tips. In short, good posture lets you make a good pivot. Use a full-length mirror to examine your posture. Make sure you’re in the right position at address.
4. Apply Proper Grip Pressure
Work on holding the club with the right grip pressure. If you grip the club too hard, you’ll “strangle it,” preventing you from swinging fluidly. If you hold the club too loosely, you’ll lose it during your swing. You must apply the right grip pressure to strike the ball well. Good swings come from good, free-flowing pressure, not death grips. More importantly, applying the right grip pressure produces the right tempo during your swing.
5. Align Your Body Properly
If you’ve ever shot a gun, you know there’s no point in pulling the trigger if you don’t aim the gun properly. The same thing is true in golf. If you don’t aim yourself properly, you won’t hit your target. When your bodylines cross, your chances of making a free flowing swing greatly diminish. That means anything can happen. Work on aligning your body to the target line and let your swing flow. Good alignment produces a good swing path.
6. Find The Right Ball Position
All good swings start with the club descending into the ball—even when you hit driver off the tee. But playing the ball too far back or too far forward in your stance when driving throws your swing off. You’ll pop the ball up, dribble it off the tee, or hit some other type of ugly, embarrassing shot. Good ball position results in good contact. Lay a club down so the toe is against the heel of your front foot. The shaft will stick out two inches from your heel. That’s where your want to position the ball on a drive.
These six pre-swing fundamentals are as critical as any swing fundamentals you work on in golf instruction sessions or read about in technical articles offering golf tips. They are timeless. Work on them in your home or at the office as often as you can and make then an integral part of your pre-shot routine. Ingraining them will impact your golf handicap more than your think.
Jack Moorehouse
http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/preswing-fundamentals-reduce-golf-handicaps-1018719.html
Categories: golf putting Tags: Balls, Driving Range, Facet, game, Golf Handicap, Golf Handicaps, Golf Lessons, Good Posture, Handed Golfers, Having A Positive Attitude, Images, Playing Golf, Posture, Practice Sessions, Prize Money, Right Foot, Self Confidence, Strokes, Swing Fundamentals, Vijay Singh
Hockey Stick Putter New Jersey Devils Golf Putter
Hockey and golf are very different sports. But together, you can show your passion for play on the ice during a round on the links. The Hockey Stick Putters NHL® team golf putter is a precision weighted flat blade with a compression molded graphite shaft, a cast aluminum alloy blade and moisture prof putter grip. The team’s logo is stitched on a head cover. This putter can be used by both left- and right-handed golfers.
Categories: golf putter Tags: Aluminum Alloy, Cast Aluminum, Different Sports, Flat Blade, golf putter, Graphite Shaft, Handed Golfers, Hockey Jersey, Hockey Nhl, Hockey Stick, New Jersey Devils, Passion, Putter Grip, Shopping, Team Golf, Yahoo
Frontgate – Putting Training Green – 9′
This Training Putting Green mimics the speed and feel of an actual putting green indoors. Perfect your long putt and every other aspect of your stroke for the price of a few lessons with a top pro. Engineered to deliver the same speed as country club and professional coursesPractice green builds confidence and makes for improved putting on an actual courseDesigned for left- and right-handed golfers alikeTraining green arrives with a stroke block to ensure level, accurate strokesString guide lines up your putt to the cupMoveable contour pads allow for a varied terrainCup-reducing ring gives you a sharp mental edgeMakes a perfect sporting gift for the golfing enthusiast in your life.
Categories: golf putting Tags: Confidence, Contour, Frontgate, Handed Golfers, Mimics, Putting Green, Putting Training, Shopping, Stroke, Yahoo
Vector Pro Video Launch System
Golfsmith Vector Pro Video Launch System: The Golfsmith Vector Launch System is a great tool for fitting and selling golf clubs, and has improved with the addition of video swing analysis software. The user-friendly Vector Launch System is one of the most precise instruments available in ball launch technology. It gauges launch angle, ball speed, back spin, side spin and side angle of every shot and can be used indoors or outdoors, on left or right handed golfers. The video swing analysis software supplements the fitting software and allows teaching professionals and fitters to analyze the results of swing or equipment changes on actual performance. Fitters and teachers can now use one device for fitting and instruction instead of having to purchase multiple systems. The easy-to-read data translates into increased, accurate knowledge of equipment and swing. Features: Eliminates guesswork and clearly demonstrates which club is best for each customer Displays and stores information about each shot for easy comparison Video swing analysis makes it easy to detect differences in performance by visually reviewing each swing On-screen annotation allows teachers to quickly provide lesson points and note swing modifications Digital image capture system uses high quality optics and an exact timing system with a baseline accuracy of less than one microsecond Automatically recalibrates after each shot to ensure the data is always accurate Analyze launch angle (in degrees), ball backspin (in rpm), ball side spin (in rpm or % of total spin), ball velocity (in mph or fps) and side angle (in degrees) Ball flight is measured in down range, off line, flight time, max height and total distance Built-in protective shields protect against errant shots Built-in leveling legs work on all surfaces The two-camera system provides high quality resolution and accuracy Performance reports visually display the results of club fitting and teaching sessions System requirements: Operating System:
Categories: golf review Tags: Accurate Knowledge, Ball Flight, Ball Speed, Customer Displays, Digital Image Capture, Exact Timing, Fitting Software, Handed Golfers, Image Capture System, Launch System, Line Flight, Max Height, Precise Instruments, Quality Optics, Quality Resolution, Side Angle, Spin Ball, Swing Features, Time Max, Video Swing Analysis
Los Angeles Hockey Stick Golf Putter
A real precision weighted putter, for actual use on the golf green or display in your home or office. A must have for every Hockey and Golf enthusiast. This putter features a compression molded graphite shaft, cast aluminum alloy blade, moisture proof putter grip and a stitched logo head cover. This putter can be used by both left and right handed golfers. Length: 35″”(standard), Hand: Right or Left. Official NHL Team License.
Categories: golf putter Tags: Aluminum Alloy, Blade, Cast Aluminum, Golf Enthusiast, Golf Green, golf putter, Graphite Shaft, Handed Golfers, Hockey Stick, Moisture Proof, Putter Grip, Shopping, Weighted Putter, Yahoo
Columbus Blue Jackets Hockey Stick Golf Putter
A real precision weighted putter, for actual use on the golf green or display in your home or office. A must have for every Hockey and Golf enthusiast. This putter features a compression molded graphite shaft, cast aluminum alloy blade, moisture proof putter grip and a stitched logo head cover. This putter can be used by both left and right handed golfers. Length: 35″”(standard), Hand: Right or Left. Official NHL Team License.