I’d overlooked for years how important practicing with a golf grip trainer, thinking that they were purely gimmicks that were a waste of money. But within weeks of first using one, I’m converted!

First, a golf grip trainer forces you to place your hands into exactly the right position on the club. It also encourages you to hold this correct grip through the back swing and then down into striking the ball and the follow through. Having used the grip trainer several, my hands naturally started to fall into the correct position. Correcting an error that my lessons have failed to correct, no matter how many times it has been pointed out that my grip is slightly off.

Now my grip feels comfortable at the top of the back swing, a feeling that had previously not been there. OK, professionals can correct your grip and show you how to hold the club properly, but it is so easy to go back to old habits if you aren’t having weekly lessons.

By picking up the golf grip trainer, the grip trainer in the handle automatically moves your fingers into the best position, correcting nasty habits that you might have developed.

They are also, typically, shorter than most clubs whilst weighted and twisted so that they feel correct during the swing. With care, they can be used to practice indoors safely! This means that you can easily pick up the training aid and do a few practice swings each day.

The second training element of this trainer is the swing training. Because of the weighting the perfect path of the swing is slowly coached into your arms and when you go back onto the course or the range, you should feel you are striking much better.

I never thought much of these tools until I tried one. But having tried out what they can do I am sure that for the small price they really are worth the effort of buying one. You can practice in a spare 10 minutes in an evening, and because you aren’t actually hitting balls, you really do concentrate on the swing, not seeing how far you can belt the poor ball.

So today was my first trip out around a golf course since I’ve been using the grip trainer. Did I see any difference? Well, on the very first hole, a par 4, instead of losing the ball off to the right somewhere, with a 3-iron it soared straight down the fairway, much to my surprise. Which was a pity, as I’d aimed left and at a bunker, which I thought at over 240 yards was well out of reach. Sadly, a bounce or two and then my ball plugged into the bunker.

I wasn’t upset – a straight hit with a carry of over 200 yards with a 3-iron is a vast improvement on my game. I’ll be using that grip trainer every night now to make sure that more are going dead straight and far!

P.S. For the tips about golf stretching exercise - check out this blog post.

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Golf is a sport in which a player, using many types of clubs including a driver, a putter, and irons, hits a ball into each hole on a golf course in the lowest possible number of strokes. Golf is one of the few ball games that does not use a standardized playing area; rather, the game is played on golf “courses”, each one of which has a unique design and typically consists of either 9 or 18 holes. Golf is defined in the Rules of Golf as “playing a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive strokes in accordance with the Rules” Get yourself more involved in game with http://www.thegolfswingtest.blogspot.com/

Placing your hands properly on the golf club helps you better control the position of the club’s face at impact. During the swing your body turns to create power. Since the body is rotating, the golf club must rotate at the same rate. In other words, the body and the club must turn together as a team.

A fundamentally sound grip helps you create power and feel at the same time. Wrist action is a power source and gripping the club too much in the palm of your hand reduces wrist action.

The fingers are the most sensitive parts of our hands. Placing the club more in the fingers rather than in the palm increases the amount of wrist hinge, which results in longer tee shots and more feel.

One of the most common errors among golfers is a weak lead-hand (left hand for the right-handed golfer) grip that is too much in the palm. This produces a shot that slices and lacks power.

To grip the club properly for power and accuracy, use this simple procedure outlined and illustrated over the next several pages.

Important Golf Grip Tip - have the feeling that the palm of your right hand mirrors the angle of the golf club face. To really ingrain the correct golf grip it is sensible to purchase a practice club like the Refiner Swing Trainer that has a pre-molded grip that positions your hands into the perfect golf grip. Regular practice with such a club will help you to be very comfortable with your golf grip. Make yourself ready for a game, we will help you by providing golf swing.

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Golf News November 21st, 2008

Armour, Oberholser Lead at Pebble Beach

Defending champion Tommy Armour III eagled the 18th hole Friday at Spyglass Hill en route to a 1-under 71, joining Arron Oberholser in a one-stroke lead after two rounds of the Callaway Golf Pebble Beach Invitational.

Oberholser shot a 6-under 66 with seven birdies and one bogey — the day’s low round — at Spyglass Hill. He and Armour were at 7-under 137.

John Cook, who also played at Spyglass Hill and held a three-stroke lead after an opening-round 62 at Del Monte, had a 76 and was among five players at 138.

Brock MacKenzie (68, Pebble Beach) of the Nationwide Tour, Tom Purtzer (70, Spyglass Hill) of the Champions Tour, Nicholas Thompson (69, Spyglass Hill) of the PGA Tour and mini-tour player Andrew Hoffer (69, Del Monte) joined Cook at 6 under.

Former PGA Championship titlist Rich Beem (69, Spyglass), Bryce Molder (68, Del Monte) and former club pro Brad Martin (74, Spyglass) were tied at 139.

The 37th annual tournament featured players from the four major tours as well as mini-tour players, club pros and amateurs. Amateurs were competing on teams. Champions Tour and LPGA entrants received distance advantages on tee shots.

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Golf Lessons

Dubai turns sand into fantasyland

Curtis Hegge doesn’t usually speak strictly in superlatives. But that was before the 30-year-old moved to Dubai seven months ago.

Now the Calgarian, who is living and working in Dubai, claims this degree of grammatical comparison is the only way to describe the mojo of Dubai’s ruler, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, and his grand architectural scheme: to turn this tiny patch of parched land in the Middle East into the world’s biggest and boldest tourist fantasyland, luring 15 million visitors a year by 2010.

Perhaps not coincidentally, Dubai’s known oil reserves will most likely be tapped out by that year.
Hegge isn’t fussed about the timing.

“It’s a virtual Mecca. The scale and volume of options for tourists are mind-blowing, and the service you get, no matter where you go, makes you believe you’re an Arab prince,” he enthuses.

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Lessons in Golf

Hak, 14, youngest to make Euro cut

Hong Kong teenager Jason Hak, 14, produced a birdie-birdie finish to become the youngest player to make a European tour cut yesterday, smashing Sergio Garcia’s record set in 1995.

Hak drilled a 150-yard approach on to the 18th green and holed a 10-foot putt, shaking his fist in celebration as he reached the UBS Hong Kong Open’s weekend rounds with two scores of 70 for level-par 140.

Hak, who is aged 14 years and 304 days, beats Garcia’s record of 15 years and 46 days set at the Turespana Open Mediterrania in Valencia.

“I feel pretty happy. I played pretty well and tried my best. I think that’s important,” he said.

Hak, who was born in Hong Kong but lives near Orlando, Florida, said Garcia was one of his favorite players although his idol was Tiger Woods.

But the slight six-footer (1.8m) said he had not considered his chances of becoming Asia’s version of the world number one.

Adult Golf Lessons

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Golf News November 15th, 2008

Stanford Leads Lorena Ochoa Invitational

Angela Stanford shot a 6-under 66 on Friday in the second round of the Lorena Ochoa Invitational to take a two-stroke lead over LPGA Championship winner Yani Tseng.

Stanford had a 10-under 134 total on the Guadalajara Country Club course. Tseng, No. 2 in the world behind Ochoa, shot her second straight 68. Ochoa followed her opening 73 with a 71 on her home course, leaving her 10 strokes back.

Meena Lee (69) was 6 under, and Karen Stupples (71) was 5 under. Annika Sorenstam (72), leaving the tour at the end of the season, was 4 under in group that included Juli Inkster (69) and Seon Hwa Lee (72).

Golf Cart

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ELS EASES INTO LEAD

Ernie Els took over at the top of the leaderboard after finishing his first round at the Barclays Singapore Open this morning with two birdies in his final three holes.

The South African trailed clubhouse leader Lam Chih Bing of Singapore by one stroke with four holes to play when darkness ended play at Sentosa Golf Club yesterday evening with half of the field yet to complete their opening rounds.

The ‘Big Easy’ spurned an opportunity to draw level with Lam on four under when he missed a birdie putt on the 15th with his first stroke of the day.

But birdies at the 16th and 18th saw Els card a five-under-par 66 as he moved into first place in the US dollars 5million Asian Tour event.

“I’m pleased with that,” said Els. “I putted nicely and hit the ball okay.

“It’s not an easy course. If you miss shots, you’ll pay the price. I felt comfortable with the swing and I’m pretty pleased with the start.

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Private Golf Lesson

Golf pushes today for spot in 2016 Olympics

GENEVA | Leaders of several sports, including golf, will present their cases today to the International Olympic Committee, hoping for inclusion in the 2016 Summer Games.

Besides golf, officials from baseball, softball, karate, roller sports, rugby and squash also will meet the 16-member program commission, which will deliver an influential report to the IOC’s top decision- making body before the vote by IOC members in October.

The IOC will field 28 sports at the 2016 Olympics, allowing two sports to be added.

Each sport has a one-hour slot, with baseball making the first pitch in the closed-door presentations in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The case for golf, last played at the Olympics in 1904, will be presented by the International Golf Federation. It’s led by PGA executive Ty Votaw and Peter Dawson of the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland.

Golf Practice

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Golf News November 8th, 2008
Golf Course

Stenson Takes 1-Stroke Lead At HSBC Champions

Henrik Stenson shot a 7-under 65 on Thursday to take a one-shot lead after the first round of the HSBC Champions.

The Swede dropped a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th, putting him a shot ahead of four of the game’s top players: Sergio Garcia, Anthony Kim, defending champion Phil Mickelson and Australia’s Adam Scott.

Garcia nearly tied for the lead, but the Spaniard missed a four-foot eagle putt on the 18th. “Unfortunately, my putting stroke didn’t feel as good as it’s been feeling lately,” Garcia said. “Maybe it’s the jet-lag or something.”

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Learn To Golf Now!

Golfer John Daly Drunk, Detained in N.C.

Professional golfer John Daly was placed into police custody early Sunday morning after passing out at a Hooters restaurant and refusing to be taken to the hospital, police said.

When police arrived at the restaurant, emergency medical personnel were treating Daly, who had apparently lost consciousness earlier. According to EMS, Daly refused to go to the hospital.

Police said Daly appeared extremely intoxicated and was uncooperative, repeatedly refusing to be escorted to the hospital. Hooters personnel eventual asked Daly to leave the restaurant.

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Marino joins Verplank in Disney lead

Steve Marino posted a six-under 66 on Saturday to join overnight leader Scott Verplank atop the leaderboard after the third round of the Children’s Miracle Network Classic.
Verplank, who bogeyed the 18th hole for the second consecutive day, shot a three-under 69 to match Marino at 19-under 197. The pair is two shots ahead of Davis Love III (64) and Scott Sterling (66).

The Magnolia Course hosts the final two rounds after players competed with amateurs the first two days. Action was split between the Palm Course and the Magnolia Course.

This is the final PGA Tour event of the season, and players are fighting to get into the top 125 on the money list to keep their PGA Tour cards for next season.

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Golf Tips and Lessons November 15th, 2008

Gate Drill can help your putting | Golf Tips

Golf Drills

Here is an oldie but goodie drill for putting that is making a big comeback, thanks to a company called Momentus. They make many well-made teaching aids for golfers of all abilities and ages.

This one is called the gate drill. If you don’t want to pay the $50 fee for the device itself, you can make your own for with some supplies you most likely already have.

Pictured on the left is a simple practice putting station with two golf tees and a string representing your line to the hole. On the right is the Momentus teaching aid that does the same thing.

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Gimmies take away satisfaction of making putt for birdie

Junior Golf Lessons

You’re playing with your regular foursome and hit a great iron shot up onto the green with your ball landing only two feet from the hole.

What do most weekend players do next? They walk up and knock the ball away, giving themselves the putt either before or after their partner said, “that’s good.”

Not only did you break a rule, but you’ll never know if you actually would have made the putt.

You’ll forever lose the satisfaction of making a real birdie since you didn’t actually putt the ball in the hole.

Golfers do this everywhere, on every course, and they’re breaking the rules every time they do it.

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Golf tips from a pro

Golf Balls

There is not much movement needed to make short putts, but we often leave the green with a sour taste because we miss one too many of them. The problem is we get so caught up in mechanics, that we forget how simple they really are.

The best way to start to make more short putts is to practice them and learn to free your mind. I’m going to give you a few drills and games that you can do to improve your putting.

* Place six tees surrounding the hole, about 2 feet from the hole. Play a putt from each spot until you can make them all in a row a couple of times. Then try to make them with your eyes closed. Listen, too. Hearing the ball going in the hole will help to build your confidence.

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Golf tips: getting the kids started

It is definitely a great idea to get your kid or kids started out in this great game early and correctly.

It teaches them so many wonderful things like self control, honor, respect, teamwork, problem solving and the list goes on, and on.

Your child does not have to be the next great thing in the game, just get them started and just watch what happens.

You do not have to go to the golf course to work on this game with kids. Keep it fun, I would suggest getting them to enjoy putting first. Any decent simulated putting green will be fine.

Once they learn some basic rules and etiquette start taking them to your nearest driving range or par-three golf course to learn the full swing and how to play the game. If you are not sure of the basics yourself, get the “summary of the rules of golf” for juniors from the USGA or PGA. Your local pro can help you. Good luck and keep it simple.

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There are balls for all different levels of skill, from the beginner to the pro, and within those levels there are balls designed specifically to match various playing styles.

The balls are designed with different densities that allow for varying levels of spin, distance and control.
The various types of covers on the balls and the core of the ball determine these factors.

Before you even consider buying a golf ball, you need to know what your style of play is and what type of ball you need to maximize your performance.
This will change if you are still progressing through the game, and as you master new skills you will need to change the type of ball you use accordingly.

If you are unsure of your style, spend a little time with a golf pro and get him or her to watch you play some shots.
Ask them to tell you what type of ball you should be using.
If they are any good at their job, they will be able to advise you what balls to buy.

Good ball choice can also help correct some errors that you might have in your style of play.

It could be that the balls you are currently using are mismatched to the way you are hitting them and this is actually more prevalent than many people understand.

The golf player who can switch his mind off that last shot, and move on, will always have a decided advantage over the competition. If you are one of the many golfers who let their previous performance affect the rest of their game, then retraining your mind will do more for your game than all the tuition that any golf pro can give you.
Visit Golf Tips for more information and some pointers on how to get the most out of your game.

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Golf Clubs

The golf swing can seem complex and difficult to master. If you are learning the game for the first time then it is important to get started on the right foot otherwise you could spend a lot of time and money doing things that are just not effective and will not help you play better golf. Here are some simple golf swing tips that you can follow to help you on the road to shooting lower golf scores quickly.

Tip 1: Use the right grip

The grip is the first fundamental of golf swing mechanics you need to master. There are many types of grips you can use and the most popular one is the interlocking grip which works well for people with smaller hands. The other grip types include the ten finger grip and the baseball grip which is used by many beginner golfers.

Grip pressure is important and it is ideal to use a very light grip pressure in most situations unless you are in deep rough in which case you may need to use a slightly stronger grip. Gripping the golf club too tightly can result in a poor release which will send the ball off target in most target with a loss of distance as well. The interlocking grip is used by most good players and involves simply locking the small finger of the right hand with the index finger of the left hand and this applies to right handed players.

Tip 2: Setup the right way

The setup to the golf ball is important. A good setup will make it more likely that you will execute a good golf swing which will send the ball far and straight. Make sure your feet are aligned directly at the target so check for this by using a golf club on the ground that points to your target on the driving range or have a fellow golfer check your alignment for you.

Your stance should get wider with each club until roughly shoulder length for the driver. If you are really tall then your stance may exceed shoulder length slightly as you will need the wider stance for more stability. The ball position should start at the center of your stance with the wedge and gradually move up to line up with the right foot for the driver.

Lessons in Golf

Tip 3: Use a proper backswing

Do not rush your backswing and at the same time do not go too slowly either. Move at a pace that fits your personality. If you are generally a fast talker and walker then you will probably have a backswing that is relatively quick. It is best to start the backswing in one piece and keep the left arm as straight as you can for the entire backswing. At the top of the swing you should feel some tension in your right hamstrings and keep both feet planted on the ground.

Tip 4: The right downswing and follow through

Start the downswing by pulling the club with your left hand and do not get your right hand involved too much otherwise you will end up casting the club and releasing it too early which will result in loss of power and accuracy. Keep your head down and let the momentum of a complete follow through bring your head up instead of trying to peek to see where the ball went. Try some of these golf swing tips to help you reduce your handicap and shoot lower scores.

If you are tired of shooting high golf scores and want a way to reduce your handicap fast then you need to try the “How To Break 80″ system to improve every area of your game so you can shoot low scores fast.

Golf Drills

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Learning golf is not a simple task that you can carry out  brainlessly. Golf in real life is sometimes pretty challenging and will require that you focus on the proper rules and form.

You need to be aware of some common mistakes that first timers are prone to make and a seasoned golf instructor can help you from committing those same mistakes.

Everything becomes simpler with the help from a seasoned instructor.
This is one mistake that beginners usually make: new golf players who are learning to golf usually lookup when striking.

This is not good as it can result in a stroke being counted even if you did not hit the ball. It is vital to always look down until after you have hit the ball. You can achieve this by keeping your hips rotated after the hit. Extend your arms fully - this position really helps a beginner who is learning golf. Pace yourself by counting to up five after a hit to avoid looking up too quickly.

Another common mistake for golf learners is that once on the green, too many putts are missed. You can prevent this by taking a putting stance and looking at the top of the ball. This will increase your probability of hitting the ball while steering it towards the direction you are aiming for. The success you experience will steer you towards bigger accomplishments.
It is interesting to see the ball of new golf players, going to the sides instead of the middle of the green. A little bit of patience will make a big difference in redeeming this situation.

Proper stance is vital to execute the perfect stroke. You need to make sure that you are taking the time to carefully examine your stance before each swing so you may need to back up a little to make sure that you are not hitting the ball from the side of the club. Hitting the ball from the side of the club will definitely throw the ball to the side of the green. Ensuring a solid, square swing will cause your ball to fly to your desired location with continued practice.

Be mindful of hooking - they are most irritating bad habits that are pervasive in most amateurs learning to play golf. Some have problems with their stance which causes the ball to hook, while others are grasping the club too tightly, causing it to hit the ball inaccurately. Hooking the ball is also caused by the act of holding on to the club too hard. Of course, always remember that practice is essential if you want to improve the game of golf.Learning to play golf is not a simple task that you can carry out brainlessly. Golf in real life is sometimes pretty challenging and will require that you focus on the proper rules and form.

You need to be aware of some common mistakes that first timers are prone to make and a seasoned golf instructor can help you from committing those same mistakes. Everything becomes easier with the help from a seasoned instructor.

This is one mistake that beginners usually make: new golf players who are learning golf usually lookup when striking. This is not good as it can result in a stroke being counted even if you did not hit the ball. It is vital to always look down until after you have hit the ball. You can achieve this by keeping your hips rotated after the hit. Extend your arms fully - this position really helps a beginner who is learning golf. Pace yourself by counting to up five after a hit to avoid looking up too quickly.

Another common mistake for golf learners is that once on the green, too many putts are missed. You can prevent this by taking a putting stance and looking at the top of the ball. This will increase your probability of hitting the ball while steering it towards the direction you are aiming for. The success you experience will steer you towards bigger accomplishments.

It is interesting to see the ball of new golf players, going to the sides instead of the middle of the green. A little bit of patience will make a big difference in redeeming this situation.

Proper stance is vital to execute the perfect stroke. You need to make sure that you are taking the time to carefully examine your stance before each swing so you may need to back up a little to make sure that you are not hitting the ball from the side of the club. Hitting the ball from the side of the club will definitely throw the ball to the side of the green. Ensuring a solid, square swing will cause your ball to fly to your desired location with continued practice.

Be mindful of hooking - they are most irritating bad habits that are pervasive in most amateurs learning to golf. Some have problems with their stance which causes the ball to hook, while others are grasping the club too tightly, causing it to hit the ball inaccurately. Hooking the ball is also caused by the act of holding on to the club too hard. Of course, always remember that practice is essential if you want to improve the game of golf.

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Every golfer knows how important a good set of golf clubs is to their game and many golfers spend quite a tidy sum of money to purchase the best quality clubs they can afford. In addition, many golfers also spend a lot of money on private golfing lessons and golf training aids, but sometimes they overlook one simple and fundamental thing; their golf grips.

It is very inexpensive to be able to outfit your entire golf club set with new grips, and it is an effective way to help improve your game, as it helps you with having more consistency due to the ability to have a better hold on your clubs. Having a firmer and improved grip allows you to improve the delivery of your swing.

When you gold clubs have been used continuously and the golf grips worn out, it makes no difference if you buy thousands of dollars of the best golf training aid products available in the market, you will still not improve your game simply because if the grips are in bad shape it will just deteriorate your game. For golfers that are really serious about improving their game to the highest potential, they know that every aspect of their golf equipment has to be kept in the best condition possible.

For a lot of the amateur golfers, they tend to forget about changing their golf grips. For novices, it is even worse as the have the tendency of playing with the same golf sets for many years and then they wonder why they are still not improving their game the way they expect, despite spending a lot of money on training courses, spending so much time in practicing, and procuring the most expensive of golf training aids.

The professionals on the other hand know exactly the importance of changing their golf grips regularly, and as a matter of fact they even ensure that their clubs are re-gripped at the end of each and every round of the golf tournament or event that they are playing in. They do this so that their clubs fell does not change and that their hands feel the same on each round that they play.

It would certainly be an overkill to change the golf grips after every round for the average golfer, but considering the extremely high level of competition in the golf tournaments today, every advantage counts and for the pros they will leave no things to chance. By the fact that the professionals are putting that much emphasis on ensuring that their grips are in the best condition, it should not be surprise for any other golfer why they are not in the same league if they are unable to make the same commitment in keeping their golf equipment in top condition.

The general guidelines for how often to replace grips are as follows. If you play golf an average of one time per week, then the grips on your clubs should be changed once every year. If you frequently play a round two times a week, then you should increase the frequency of replacing the grips to twice a year. If you also get to the driving range once or twice a week, then you should change those grips even more often than that.

You may not need to replace all of the grips on your club set at the same time. It really depends on how often you use your clubs. You can choose to only replace the grips on the clubs that are used more and are starting to feel worn. However, some golfers like to have all of the clubs re-gripped at the same time so that, for awhile at least, all the clubs have the same feel to them.

As a habit, you should check the condition of your golf grips at least once a month, do this especially if you do play golf on a weekly basis. Any grip that seems to have a slick and shiny feel has to be be replaced. When you put your hands around a well conditioned set of grips, it should feel a little sticky and should always feel great in your hands.

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