Archive for January, 2009
There are several ways to shave strokes off your golf score. Most people try to hit their driver longer and straighter, thinking that’s all it takes. Although hitting the ball longer and straighter can help, it won’t really lower your scores significantly, unless you are now constantly hitting your drives into trouble.
There are two areas of your game that are easier to improve on than your driver and will also shave more strokes off your score. These two areas are: the short game (shots to the green from 100 yards and closer), and putting. In this article I’m going to be discussing the short game shots.
Several years ago I saw a player on the PGA tour give a tip on how to control the distances on shots that are less than full shots. I started to use his technique the very next time I played golf and saw immediate results. I now consider myself pretty good at those so called “half shots”. About a year ago I saw Dave Pelz, who is considered by many the guru of the short game, give the exact same tip. I later realized he was the one who taught it to the PGA player that I got it from.
Basically, he said the key to controlling the distances of your golf shots is altering the distance of your backswing. You don’t hit the golf ball farther by hitting it harder or hit the golf ball a shorter distance by hitting it easier. You hit the ball farther by taking a longer backswing and hit the ball a shorter distance by taking a shorter backswing. How do you know how far back to take the backswing?
View your hands in a golf swing as you would hands on a clock. When you are addressing the ball, your hands are at six o’clock. When you are halfway back in your backswing, your hands are at nine o’clock, and at the top of your backswing, your hands are at twelve o’clock. After viewing your swing in this manner, you control the distance of your shots by taking your hands back to a certain position on the clock dial. The distance of your shot will determine where on the clock dial you stop your backswing. The key is to make a smooth accelerating swing. Don’t baby the shot and don’t try to hit it too hard.
Let’s say you hit a sand wedge 100 yards with a full swing. When you have a 75 yard shot try taking your hands back to ten o’clock. If your shot comes up short, try taking your hands back to eleven o’clock, if your shot is long, try nine o’clock. Practice using different clock positions for different distances and before long you will get a feel for these “half shots”. With just a little practice you will be amazed at how quickly you become more consistent at these shots.
Next time I’ll talk about putting and how to reduce those dreaded 3-putts.
Unlike other sports where speed, size, and raw power can give players a significant edge, golf is truly a game of finesse. Though the strength of your arms can give your swing a slight advantage, golfers with perfect form will always prevail over strength alone. To achieve perfect form in golf, you need the right equipment. This includes a well wrought set of golf clubs, golf shoes, and even a hat to keep the sun out of your eyes. Golf is about precision, and even the slightest change to the direction of the swing, or the force used to strike the ball will achieve drastically different results.
Golf tournaments have been dominated by Tiger Woods in recent years, and the aspect which makes Tiger most amazing is his perfection of form, finesse, and precision at such a young age. He’s renowned for making impossible shots, which are achieved through his mastery of the game of golf
Between two teams, only one of which sports enthusiasts predicted ‘could’ make it to the Super Bowl, the 2009 Super Bowl game between Arizona and Pittsburgh will no doubt be one to remember. The Arizona Cardinals are a team who have never been to the Super Bowl, but lead by Super Bowl veteran and MVP Kurt Warner, it’s no doubt possible they could make it happen. The Pittsburgh Steelers, under the leadership of Ben Roethlisberger, have already won a Super Bowl in recent years, and head into the 2009 Bowl a heavy favorite. However, in every playoff game thus far the Arizona Cardinals have gone in as underdogs and come out as clear victors. The team is on fire, and those who bet on them to lose initially would be wise to not count them out.
This week the teams are resting up, working out, preparing their football equipment and reviewing tapes about the opposing team. The 2009 Super Bowl will be one talked about for years to come