GolfingStrategies.com

Your golf clubs can really make a difference in how well you play the game of golf.  New advancements in golf club technologies make lighter, bigger, and better golf clubs available to the experienced as well as inexperienced golfer.  How do you know what to look for in golf clubs?
For the novice golfer, the basic set of golf clubs consists of drivers, wedges, putters and irons. Using the proper type of golf club will help the beginner learn quickly and achieve results. Each different type of club is designed to help with swing speed and to correct faults to improve your game ?and your score.

You must take into consideration the style, size, and type of material used to make the golf club shaft. One of the less expensive materials is steel. Golf clubs with a steel shaft weigh more but can be longer-lasting than other types. The steel shaft may also give you more control over those fast swings. If you choose a graphite shaft, it will be lighter than steel but will be more costly. This type of club is used for long distance shots or for slower swingers.   Most golf clubs are available with both steel and graphite shafts.

Keep in mind that graphite shafts will not only be lighter and easier to handle, they will also be more forgiving if you have a bad shot.  They absorb vibration and allow for a much better feeling shot.  Plus, you will pick up some distance because the speed of the swing will be greater due to the lighter materials.

The flexibility of a shaft is referred to as flex, or bend. The less the bend in a shaft, the more control the powerful swinger will have. On the other hand, beginners and those with less powerful swings generally use a shaft with greater flexibility. The average swing speed is from 65 miles per hour for the beginner up to over 100 miles per hour for powerful swingers.

When it comes to selecting a golf club driver, especially as a beginner, you will probably want one with a head made out of titanium.  Titanium is stronger, denser, and lighter than steel so the club head can be made larger with the same amount of materials.  The advantage to having a large head driver is there is a larger sweet spot?giving you more area to hit the ball with.  With this type of golf club head, the club will be much more forgiving if you miss hit the ball or have a bad shot.

The goal when buying golf clubs should be to own the best golf clubs you can afford, whether they are name brands, used, or a reproduction of one of the name brands.

If you love golf, a golf vacation might be something that you like to do on a regular basis.  For the avid golfer, the thought of going on vacation where you do nothing but golf is the idea of heaven.  Here are a few things to consider before you take your next golf vacation.

First, it is always good to go on vacation with people who share your love of golf.  Most often a golf vacation turns into a buddy trip, but there are really nothing wrong with that.  But make sure that you pick a destination that everyone can agree on.  Take a vote if you must, but be sure everyone wants to go to the same place and that everyone can afford it.

You will also want to take into consideration everyone playing abilities when you plan a golf vacation.  Someone with a 3 handicap will enjoy a challenging course while a person with a 13 handicap will likely just get frustrated and mad on the same course.

As a general rule when planning a golf vacation, you should consider the courses first and the accommodations next. Resorts, especially those with quality golf courses, are expensive. But all in all, if golf is a main purpose or highlight of your trip, decide where you want to play first, and then decide on accommodations. You can take a golf vacation where you stay at a hotel to gain access to a course and then move to a less expensive hotel later.  It’s an inconvenience to have to repack and move during the trip, but can be well worth it in order to play top courses while not spending the entire vacation at posh resort prices.

Even if you are staying at a resort hotel which gives you access to its courses, find out how far ahead of your arrival date you can book tee times. All courses have specific rules for when they will make tee times, which you should take note of and follow carefully.

Some courses even have specific times you must call to reserve your time (e.g., between 7 and 9 a.m. on the Thursday eight days before the weekend you wish to play), though most guidelines are usually more general (e.g., a week before you wish to play or up to sixty days ahead).
You should book as far as ahead as possible, especially for high demand courses. Even as a resort guest, if the course is popular, you may be out of luck if you wait until a few days before arrival or check-in time to get a tee time

Once you are embarked on your golf vacation and are ready to play the courses you are chosen, don’t  just jump right in with the excitement that we know you feel.  You must take time to get a feel for the course and stretch properly.  Arrive at the course well before your tee time to avoid feeling rushed and look around.  Check out the scorecard to see the layout of the course and perhaps talk to the course pro to see if he or she has any advice for you.

A golf vacation is a great way for the golfer to enjoy some of the best courses our country has to offer.  So plan carefully and then get out there and have some fun.

A good golf grip is essential to playing a good game of golf.  If you are gripping the club incorrectly or too hard, you will end up with shots that go places you don’t want them to go.  There is no one exact science to the golf grip, but there are three basic golf grips that golfers use today:

* The overlapping grip is the most common golf grip used.  It is used mostly by male golfers and those with strong wrists and forearms.  The little finger of the right hand lies on top of or overlaps the index finger on the left hand.

* The baseball grip is most commonly used by younger golfers, females, seniors, and those with weaker wrists and arms.  The index finger of the left hand and the little finger of the right hand meet but do not overlap or interlock.

* An interlocking grip will be used by golfers with shorter hands and fingers, those with thicker or chunkier palms, and golfers who have difficulty with the overlapping grip.  The index finger of the left hand and the little finger of the right hand overlap each other and interlock.
Here is the basic way to grip a golf club no matter which grip you use.  Start by holding the club directly in front of you with your right hand with the club head pointing away from you at about a 45 degree angle.

Next grip the club with your left hand. The club will be mainly in the palm across the pads at the base of the fingers. However, the club will lie across the first section of the index finger. The thumb will be positioned straight on top of the golf club shaft. Relative to the golf club, the thumb will be in the twelve o’clock position.

Now, with your right hand, grip the golf club just above your left hand with the fingers, not the palm, of your right hand. The thumb will be positioned slightly off to the left. Relative to the golf club, the thumb will be in an eleven o’clock position.

If you have gripped the golf club correctly, only the first two knuckles of your left hand will be visible. Also, your left thumb should be completely hidden under your right hand.  The index finger position of your right hand will look and feel like a gun trigger finger.

If your golf grip pressure is right, the club could almost be pulled out of your hands, but not quite.  A correct golf grip will make you feel as if you are holding the club mostly in the palm and last three fingers of your left hand. Regardless, both hands should hold the club with equal pressure.  A correct golf grip doesn’t guarantee a successful golf swing; however, a defective golf grip will almost always result in a failed golf swing.

We live in a stressful world, so it is only natural that we look for new venues of entertainment to ease our minds.  You can get a lot of entertainment when you play the game of golf.  Especially if you are willing to have a little fun with it!

Some people get plenty of entertainment when they simply play the game of golf.  But it can be made so much more fun when you put twists on regular games.  You can modify the way you play and get a lot more enjoyment from the game.

For example, why not play a game of monkey golf?  For this game, you put slips of paper in a hat that bears the name of each club in a normal bag.  Players pick out a slip of paper and they have to use only that club for the entire round.  The entertainment possibilities here are endless as you can imagine a person driving off the tee with a putter or chipping with a driver!

You can find great entertainment in the golf game when you play a little night golf.  Golf courses aren’t lighted, but you can get glow in the dark balls and have grease pots on the greens so you can see where you are going ?well, sort of.  It is great fun to drive your ball and then have to navigate in the dark to see where it went!  Let hope you didn’t slice into the woods!

A friendly game of Wolf is hilarious entertainment.  With this game, you have the option of picking players to be on your team based on how they hit the ball.  Teams can change often.  But the most fun of this game is when a player is putting to win the hole.  The other players are allowed to do anything they want as long as they don’t touch the ball.  That leaves the field wide open.  You can cover the player eyes, place obstacles in front of the hole ?the possibilities are endless ?and great fun!

Some friendly side bets can also increase the entertainment value of the golf game.  Try making these bets with dares instead of money.  Wouldn’t
it be funny to make your opponent play with his or clothes turned inside out if they don’t make that putt?  Use your imagination and be creative ?however, keep it G-rated.  The golf course is, after all, a public place!

Finding entertainment on the golf course is actually quite easy when you think outside of the proverbial box.  Just remember that the whole point of a friendly game is to have fun.  So go out and do it!

Many golf courses have driving ranges.  These driving ranges are instrumental in helping you improve your game, and you should use them as much as you possibly can.  Even though it is called a driving range, you can practice all of your golf shots on the range.  By taking advantage of this valuable tool offered by your golf course, you are sure to improve your game.

In the game of golf, it is essential to know how far you are able to hit your clubs on a consistent basis.  By taking advantage of the golf driving range, you will get a great idea of how far your driver can go as well as your 9 iron.  Once you know how far you can hit your clubs, you will be able to practice some great course management skills when you are out on the course.

Start out with a bucket of balls and your driver.  Try out various stances and see which ones help you drive the ball farther.  Hit a lot of balls and pay close attention to what works and what doesn’t.  When you find a shot you are pleased with, hit several more balls using that same technique to see if it was just a fluke or if you can replicate it over and over again.

Then you should move to your fairway woods or your irons.  Practice the same technique with these clubs.  You may have to buy another bucket ?or bag on some courses ?of balls, but believe me, it will be well worth the money when you are able to effectively know what clubs will give you the yardage you need and want.

Many golf courses have lighted driving ranges, so even if you can’t play the course, you can still work on your swing in the evening hours.  Many people find that having a lighted driving range can help them work on their swing at inconvenient hours when daylight has left but they still feel the desire to swing a club.

One point you need to keep in mind when on the golf driving range is that you are playing in perfect conditions.  There are no hills, there are no hazards, and you are concentrating to the best of your ability.  Just because you can hit a 300 yard drive on the range doesn’t necessarily mean you can do the same on the course.

However, you can certainly learn a lot about your golf game when you are on the driving range.  Don’t pass up the chance to practice as much as you can.  Practicing is best done on the golf driving range, so buy a bucket of balls and whack away.  You never know what you willl find out!

Just as in other sports, golf statistics are easy to come by.  But statistics can really tell a lot about the game of golf.  They can predict the growing popularity of this great game and give golfers something to strive for as they attempt to meet or best the statistics set by the pros.

For example, there are 57 million people all over the world who call themselves golfers.  In the last ten years, there have been 7,800 new golf courses open up all over the globe.  The average male golfer can drive the golf ball 195 yards while the average drive by women is 145 yards.  The record for longest drive is 415 yards.

Golf statistics are especially important for the professional golfer as well.  They are ranked according to their showing in various tournaments and assigned points that determine who is the best golfer.  These golf statistics are especially important in years when the Ryder Cup is played as their point totals determine who will play in this prestigious tournament.

There are also golf statistics that keep track of how much money a player has made which is another way of ranking their abilities.  As of the writing of this article, Vijay Singh is the worldwide money leader with Tiger Woods following closely behind.

Because there are many, many golf leagues at golf clubs all over the world, keeping track of player statistics is essential in the running of these leagues.  Often players will also want to keep track of their own statistics to track their progress.  Luckily, there are a lot of software programs that can help with this.  Many of them are even free for download on the Internet.

Here are a few programs we are found that seem to be pretty comprehensive for keeping track of golf statistics:

* Stat Doctor ?keeps track of handicap, golf statistics, and overall game performance in an easy-to-use program.  Available for download at www.golfstatdoctor.com

* Keep My Golf Score ?this is an online golf statistic software program where you join for free and input your playing information.  The program will then compute your golf statistics and keep track of your performance.  www.keepmygolfscore.com

* Golf Tracker ?their website states simply, you golf.  We keep score?  This is also an online golf statistics program that is free to use.  You input your information and they will keep track of them.

Some people think that statistics are dry and boring ?especially golf statistics, but if you are a golfer who is interested in improving your game, you will want to keep track of your golf statistics and then watch as your golf game improves!

When it comes to golf equipment, you have a lot of choices.  There are multiple brands and styles of golf equipment that you can use, but it can be confusing as to what you really need to play a good game of golf.  Let take a look at some of the equipment that most golfers consider essential.

Of course, your most important pieces of golf equipment are your clubs.  You will want to take care to choose clubs that are suited to your style of golf.  They should be easy to handle and designed toward your height.  Beginners and experts alike should lean towards the lighter graphite shafts and titanium heads so that you have maximum forgiveness in the event of a bad shot.

You will want to have a full set of clubs.  That means you will need a driver, a 3 wood, a 5 wood, a full set of irons (from 3 to 9), a sand wedge, and a putter.  That the minimum.  You can also add other clubs to your arsenal as you become more proficient at the game.  You can include a 1 iron for fairway shots as well as a lob wedge for getting out of the deep rough.

The golf ball really can be a very important piece of golf equipment.  Depending on what you are looking for, you can find balls that will improve your distance, your spin, or your performance.  Look for balls that are a bit softer ?like a balata.  Also find a ball with lower compression ?especially if you are a beginner.

If you are never given thought to your golf tees as part of your golf equipment, now the time to start.  There are actually many types of tees that you can choose from ?each with their own advantages.  There are long tees when you need to have the ball teed up high, short tees for those tee box iron shots, and even three-pronged tees for stability.  In fact, the three-pronged tee was the first type of golf tee that was used in the early years of golf.

If you like the idea of carrying your clubs around in one bundle, I guess you can just go ahead.  However, a golf bag sure makes carrying your clubs around much easier.  Plus, with a good golf bag, you can also carry your tees, your balls, some hand sanitizer, snacks, your cell phone, and anything else you think is necessary.

Because the golf swing requires a certain amount of stability, you will also want to add some golf shoes to your golf equipment list.  Golf shoes have cleats on the bottom that allow you to maintain your footing while swinging.  This can be so very important as you are moving your body to hit the ball.  Golf shoes help you stay balanced and keep your feet rounded?if you will.

There are definitely all sorts of golf equipment that you can buy and use when playing the wonderful game of golf.  Just don’t go overboard and concentrate on the basics to begin with.  Then when you get better, you can add all of the newest gadgets to your bag and see if that golf equipment will help you lower your score!

With the ever-rising popularity of the game of golf, mainstream television decided they needed to cash in on the golf craze and founded The Golf Channel.  The history of this cable phenomenon is really a storied one.

In 1990, cable and cellular entrepreneur Joseph Gibbs of Birmingham, Alabama, offered to host a professional golfer for the 1990 PGA Championship.  Mr. Gibbs was ecstatic to learn he would be hosting Arnold and Winnie Palmer during the week of the tournament.  A friendship was instantly born and as the friendship blossomed so did the discussion of a 24-hour cable network devoted entirely to golf.

After conducting a Gallup survey to determine public interest, Joe Gibbs was pleased to realize that there was a strong interest for a golf channel among the general public.  The successful entrepreneur and the golf legend were convince that The Golf Channel would flourish with offerings for the golf-loving viewer.

By 1995, the new corporation had raised over $80 million to finance and launch The Golf Channel.  It debuted with less than 1,000 cable subscribers.  The Golf Channel first live televised tournament was the Dubai Desert Classic which debuted on January 19, 1995.

Since then, The Golf Channel has grown by leaps and bounds in popularity.  Many cable and satellite dish systems now carry The Golf Channel as part of their regular lineup of channels.  It is now broadcast in Japan and Canada and in 1999, reached a break even?status on their financial statements.

Today, The Golf Channel is considered the place to go for golf news and programming.  They have a daily golf news show called golf Central?along with college Central?which is dedicated to college golf.  They air highlight shows of past tournaments and have many programs with professionals handing out golf tips to the eager viewer.

Not to be left behind with the reality TV phenomenon, The Golf Channel has joined in with their reality-based program called the Big Break?  This program was designed to help aspiring professionals gain exemptions into PGA Tour and LPGA events.  It has proven to be wildly successful.

In 2005, The Golf Channel helped set up a special match play event called Big Stakes Golf, in which teams of two paid a $100,000 entry fee to play in a special tournament where the winning team split a $3,000,000 first-place prize, the largest in golf history. In the end, mini-tour professionals Garth Mulroy and David Ping won the grand prize.

Two guys had a dream ?one with business savvy, and one with golf savvy ?and when The Golf Channel was born, that dream became a reality.  Many households depend on The Golf Channel for their daily golf news ?and this author household is no different.  We love The Golf Channel ?and you will too!

Casual golfers don’t give a lot of thought to choosing the right golf ball.  They think of the golf ball as simply a tool that really isn’t important.  After all, you are just whacking it around the course, right?  Wrong!  Having the right golf ball can gain you distance in your drives, make it easier to pull off finesse shots, and so much more!

Basically, there are three types of balls:  balata, two-piece, or a combination of both.  Golf balls are constructed with three types of purposes in mind as well:  distance, spin, and control.  Choosing an appropriate golf ball really depends on what you are looking for in your golf game.

Are you a low handicap player looking for great spin and control?  If so, choose a balata golf ball.  This is just a softer ball that has a softer cover and allows for more spin.  This is the ball that most professionals choose.  They are also more expensive than other balls.

Perhaps you have a higher handicap and are looking for more distance and durability.  This is where a good two-piece ball will be best.  This golf ball has a harder cover which creates less backspin allowing you to hit it further.

Some golf balls are designed for slower swing speeds with a lightweight construction that catches air.  They are generally marketed for women or seniors, but plenty of men will play these balls because it gets them extra distance.

Believe it or not the weather you are playing in can make a difference in which golf ball you use.  Course conditions can also dictate golf ball choice.  Let say the course has been deluged with rain.  In this case, you will need a ball that will travel father and produces less spin.  If you are playing on a rock hard, sun-scorched track, choose something softer that will land soft and spin.

Look at the temperature as well.  Balls for men come in two compressions ?90 and 100.  When you hit the ball, the ball compresses.  Therefore the 90 compression ball will be softer than the 100.  If it is cold, the ball will not compress as much so you will want to play a 90 compression golf ball.  If it is hot out, you will want to opt for the 100 compression.

In general, two piece balls are going to give you more distance and they will be more durable so they will last longer.  Solid core golf balls will offer less trajectory and can spin for better accuracy.  Even the dimples on the ball can have an effect on your game.  Smaller dimples lessen trajectory while larger dimples increase it.

Choosing the right golf ball really is important to playing a good game.  There are many, many choices on the market.  Explore which golf ball you may want to use and then try it out.  Experiment and in time, you’ll find exactly the right golf ball for you.