Golf News, Tips and Tricks

By James Hau
   
  
In Golf My Way, Jack Nicklaus writes of the importance he places on visualizing the target and the shot before hitting it:

” I never hit a shot, even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of  it in my head. It is like  a color movie. First I “see” the ball where I want it to finish, nice and white and sitting up high on the bright green grass. Then the scene quickly changes and I “see” the ball going there: its path, trajectory, and shape, even its behaviour on landing. Then there is a sort of fade-out, and the next scene shows me making the kind of swing that will run the previous images into reality. Only at the end of this short, private, Hollywood spectacular do I select a club and set up the ball.”

      Much has been written on the subject of visualization and mental rehearsal. These techniques can have a powerful effect on performance, but many people , including myself , do not see pictures distinctly when they visualize. The primary advantage to targeting in this way is that it can give yourself a clear goal in a language it understands: imagery.  Before putting, to tell yourself in words
that you want the ball to into the hole is much less effective than actually picturing the ball doing so. You will get the best results if you think of it as a way of communicating a request to Self 2. If you make it in an order in the form of a picture from Self 1 to self 2, you will induce doubt, and then you will try to accomplish what you visualized; probably you won’t get the results you visualized, and you will soon abandon the technique.
       It is the most important issue in visualization, using it to make a demand on Self 2, or as a gimmick, undermines trust in Self 2, and your proper relationship to it. Asking Self 2 by offering an image of the results you want is very different from demanding them, and affects the success of the technique as well as your general state.
When visualizing the target, it is best to hold the image in your mind throughout the swing. If you were shooting an arrow, throwing a baseball or bowling, your eye would constantly be focused on the target. Since this is impossible with the golf swing, the best one can do is to “remember” the target constantly. “Remembering” does not mean trying to steer the swing; it simply means holding the position of the target as vividly as possible in your mind so that Self 2 can direct the swing.

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By James Hau

As you go along the road of learning about golf, you will find yourself one day saying , ” I’ ve got the secret now.”  You must have said those words many times after taking a lesson or reading or viewing some instructional material.  It is clear that the search for the secret is what binds golfers together , as everyone goes out looking to solve the big riddle with one change, one tip, one last alteration to make things just right.  What about these secrets ? Is there such a thing ?   Should you try to find a secret to your swing ?

I think golfers should indeed search for the secret while recognizing that the secret differs from golfer to golfer and changes over time, even for the same golfer.  I define a secret as a key or cue that brings together the parts of your game in the right way.  The real secret is to identify what the key is for you at a given point in time.  You will need to reidentify what will help you the most as your game changes. Thinking about a full extension on the backswing may have been the key at some point, but now it might be thinking about the right hip turn. Down the road it might be something entirely different.  This is also true for the best players on the pro tours.

What causes a swing tip to work great for one round, or for that matter, for one hole, then to go away and leave you swinging as poorly as ever ? This is one of the mysteries of the game.  It may be because of fatigue, boredom, lack of opportunity to practice or play, or inattention to grip, setup or posture.  Or you simply may be overdoing the secret that worked in the first place.

One of the nineteenth-century German philosopher , Johann Herbart, never played golf but he may have had a possible explanation for the short life of secrets.  Herbart explained that people bring to each situation in life an “apperceptive mass “  - an accumulation of all our past experiences.  This apperceptive mass is full of our old and new ideas, and changes as we learn new things.  As our apperceptive mass changes, we see things differently. Take the case of re-reading a novel or textbook. You might come across passages or paragraphs that you highlighted or underlined the first time you read the book. Upon rereading it, you may be puzzled why you chose those certain passages to highlight and why you did not emphasize others.  According to Herbart’t theory, your apperceptive mass has changed between the first and second times you read the book.

In golf , our apperceptive mass changes from day to day for golfer of all skill levels. Some day, the keys to a good round won’t lie on the mechanical swing side, but on the mental side. Other days for the same player,it might be a very mechanical swing key.  The secret may be in the setup position , for instance.

The best way to manage your golfing secrets is to recognize that your apperceptive mass changes from day to day and to know where to search for your secrets. The simplest and best way is to jot down in a notebook your given thoughts on a day when your swing worked well.  This can be your guide to refer to and may save you a lot of frustration, since there is so much to learn that you end up forgetting a lot of it and it ends up seeming new again, which in turn can make it more difficult to grasp.

To give yourself a better chance of finding the secret, come up with several keys for the mental side, the setup and the swing. Write them down , and  when you set out to find them again, you will at least know where to turn.  You will have put yet a little more order in your search to learn golf, a search that will continue as long as you play the game. Read the rest of this entry »

By James Hau

Why do you even try to play golf ?  No doubt every golfer has tried to answer that question while struggling to finish a round when nothing seemed to be going right. Perhaps it was in the hotel corridor and you kept getting strange glances as you used the hallway’s mirrors to check your position at the top of your backswing.  Don’t worry - there was probably a fellow golfer standing there knowing exactly how you felt.

Golfers are members of a fraternity of millions. We have our own reasons for paying all that money for a club membership or greens fees, or for the privilege of being tutored by an esteemed teaching professional  or for the right to hit another bucket of range balls that look like they should have been taken out of circulation when Jack Nicklaus still wear a crew cut.

The game gets its hooks into us , all right. Before you can get your thoughts focused the right way, you need to get your minds off golf.  One tour player was a particularly tough case in this regard. He seemed never to be able to get his mind off golf.  It was his life. He thought about the game morning, noon and night and was grinding himself into mental and physical exhaustion.  I suggested he try a hobby - to find some diversion.  I had about given up hope that he would, then one day I got a call from him

His voice was as excited as I have ever heard about it.  I see what you meant.  I bought some watercolors the other day and I have been painting away.  “That’s great”  I replied.  “What have you been painting?” Golf course landscapes,” he said . I was stuck for an answer.

Why do golfers get hooked on the game ?  What draws people to golf so that they are unable or at the least unwilling - to let go ?

Golf is an endeavour that offers intermittent reinforcement. That is, its rewards don’t come with every shot, every hole, or even every round.  And psychological research has found that behaviours that are acquired on the basis of intermittent reinforcement are the behaviours  most resistant to extinction.  Playing the slot machines or smoking cigarettes are other examples. The slots dont pay off after every pull of the lever, of course, and that is what keeps the customers coming back for more. It is the anticipation of “the hit”.  A cigarette smoker does not enjoy every smoke , but somewhere down the line, after a meal ,or with a drink, he knows that one will taste very good. The “hit” and the good cigarette are remembered - the losses and the bad cigarettes are forgetten.

Golf is no different. You are rewarded with the feelings of pride, accomplishment and joy when you strike the solid drive or hole the snaking twenty-footer.  But not every shot goes your way, so you are constantly looking , and waiting, for the intermittent reinforcement.  It is a powerful concept.

For people who have achieved a high level in their everyday lives, golf can be an addictive sport. High achievers love activities that are difficult to master, and golf is certainly one of those. ” You can never own the secret of golf”  says former PGA champion Dave Marr.  ” You just try to borrow it for periods of time”  Unlike bowling, golf’s only “perfect game” exists in a golfer’s dreams. Even after extremely successful rounds, golfers can reflect on what might have been. Al Geiberger and Chip Beck , who hold the PGA Tour scoring record with 59s - Beck’s was shot in 1991 - still probably left the scoring tent considering the shot that got away.

In other words, golf is always an unfinished task.  Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, and even Nicklaus have never completed golf. There is always more to learn, more to experience, more challenges  to be met.  It is interesting that we speak of rounds of golf, since true rounds have no beginnings or ends. This is how avid golfers view it. Since we never complete golf, we are always anxious to return to the course for another round. Our everyday life is an interruption that intrudes on our golf games.

Golf, however , is made difficult because it consists of two very separate mental components.  The first is skill acquisition, the second is playing the game.  The kind of personality that makes it easier for you to succeed at the former often makes it harder for you to excel at the latter. Learning how to hit pure, technically correct 5-iron shots with the proper trajectory, for instance, is a requisite to being a good ball-striker, but playing the game well demands a different approach. The perfectionistic attitude that lets you stay on the  practice tee for hours and concentrate on learning how to hit that 5-iron can often get in your way on the course.  Likewise, if you live by a “let it happen ” philosophy, which can help you as you play the game, it may not be beneficial during practice sessions.  You need to be aware of these factors and your own personality in this regards.

A great golf swing is not only swinging with your arms.

If you start with a bad setup, you’ll probably follow with a Pure golf back swing, a pure downswing, and a pure follow through. About the end of the golf back swing, some golfers do that Mistake of letting the heel of their front foot lift from the ground.

Again, the golf back swing starts at the top your shoulders and arms And works its way down to your hips and legs. The golf back swing Is primarily about how the body is being coiled upwards thus creating? The needed tension in the muscles as well as torque to be able to let Out that all powerful downswing. However, one should keep that foot On the ground to make golf back swing well-anchored.

A great golf swing is not only to swing with your arms and turning your body, many golfers do not think about the importance Of there hands in the golf swing.

A proper stance and a good set up is the basis for your swing. The fundamentals of the golf swing are based on scientific facts such As keeping your spine angel, good rhythm, centre of gravity, and more. The ability to execute a powerful and balanced golf swing.

The backswing is when you take your club away low and slow from your ball while keeping an imaginary line through the ball. A good take away gives your club head speed and control. Swing your golf club behind your back and at the same time turn you’re back against your target. Swing slowly using a good rhythm.

The back swing in golf is very similar to the back swing in baseball. The perfect swing takes rhythm and balance. The rhythm of your Swing may be fast or slow, depending on your body type and natural rhythm, but whatever the rhythm is, it should be done nice and easy. Rushing on your swing may cause a bad balance.

If you are able to do your backswing correct, your body will unwind in it self thus releasing the club and striking the ball that will then result in a follow through that is in a good balanced.

Cocking your wrists is a very important part of creating club head speed. Amongst the most vital tips on golf swing is to maintain a square clubface. Swing your golf club behind your back while you turn it to your target.

Conclusion

Believe it or not, when you perform a golf back swing, it’s not only your arms. If you look at it closely, the golf back swing works from up to down. The golf backswing is effectively the coiling up of a spring until an optimal point of tension; then releasing that tension as a controlled explosion. My golf back swing, or golf swing takeaway, By bringing the golf club over my right shoulder.

If you’re a “normal” golfer, you’ve been looking for your a better golf swing for long time. Do some Investing in golf swing aids that will improve your golf swing and you will have fun with your game. My Blog: Get Your Golf Backswing Right.

By James Hau

People can debate who the best current player is , but I am pretty sure the best player with the worst luck has to be Greg Norman. What are the odds of a player losing both the Masters and the PGA in playoffs when his opponents holed shots on him on the last hole? Yet it happened to Greg.

We all know that luck can run hot and cold in golf. I think Greg is due for some good luck. He is a big strong player and Jack Nicklaus thinks he is the best in the world today, so that should count for something.

I think Greg would do himself a favour if he stayed and played in the States a bit more. Travel has improved, but it still will take a lot out of you and your game.

People often criticize his career, point out that he has won just one of the four majors which is the British Open. But they forget that he has lost in playoffs in the three others. One shot here and there and it is a different story. The real test to me is how he copes with the disappointment of losing in those playoffs. The great champions have all come back from defeats, and I think Greg Norman will, too.

By James Hau

The secret to improving golf overnight is to allocate time to practice your new techniques.

Practice time is a personal choice but do yourself a favour and allot specific times to practice sessions. You have to practice more intently at first.  Practice often at home, between rounds, just prior to a round, and even after a round. Allow at least 45 minutes for any practice session until your putting abilities improve. You may not like it, but at least for a while you have to practice as much as you can to develop your new putting style and to become accustomed to new techniques.  Even if your practice does not involve using a ball, just pick up your putter and stroking it 10 or 12 times a day will help.

Set a regular routine for practising golf at home , between rounds, and after a round.  Allow extra time for practising new techniques. At home you may want to practice putting into a glass for 10 minutes, three times a week. Perhaps you could spend 15 minutes a day on both Saturday and Sunday swinging your woods and irons.  Keep a putter in your closet at home or in your office and practice whenever you have the chance.

Have fun,  be competitive, and practice often. It will pay off in the long run.  It is often difficult to practice new techniques while competing with your friends, so you may want to practice these new techniques alone.  You will probably have an adjustment period in which your game will suffer for a brief period.  In a fairly short time, your game will improve and you will be a much better player.

Arrange a golfing schedule that allows you to practice aiming one week, setting up to a putt the next, stroking the ball the next week, and putting from off the green the next. You may want to devote more time to your weaknesses. Whatever you do , be sure to keep track of your current scores and compare them with your scores in six months.  You will be pleasantly surprised.  Remember to separate the total number of strokes taken with the putter on the green from those taken with woods and irons.

By James Hau

Not many golfers consider the effect of wind on their putt. Many tend to putt badly in the wind because they allow it to affect their stance and the result is nearly always an off-center hit and an unsuccessful putt. Wind can dry the putting green , thus making the ball roll farther than normal. Wind can push or hold back a ball that is rolling across a green. A strong wind can make it difficult to maintain a secure stance.

When setting up you putt in the wind, be patient, take careful aim, widen your stance to gain better balance, lower your grip a few inches on the putter handle, and concentrate harder than ever to keep your head still and your eyes over the ball. Crouch low to anchor yourself. Take a short , firm stroke. On the backstroke, increase your control by fixing your eyes on the ball and keeping the motion short. On the forward stroke, hit the ball especially hard while maintaing a firm grip. If the wind is gusty, crouch even lower, taken an even wider stance, and use a very firm stroke.

By James Hau

Practice is not only a way to reinforce your golfing skills, it is also an effective means of warming the muscles you will be using on the course.

How many times have you gone out on a course and played poorly for the first two or three holes, only to show remarkable improvement as the game progressed ? You improved because your muscles had time to warm up , resulting in a better game and increased confidence.

If you absolutely hate practice but still want to go out and enjoy the game, at least practice aiming and setting up with your woods, irons and putter at home. While you probably cant hit any balls with your woods and irons, you can stroke 10 short and 10 long putts on a carpet before going out to play. This will produce some rhythm and balance and will help to warm up your muscles. It will also help to put you in the mood to play golf. You will now be able to play better than if you had no practice at all.

Just think what your game would be like if you warm up before going to the first tee. Getting your muscles ready for golf is especially important if you dont play or practice often. A proper warm up prevents many aches and pains and improves your rhythm during pre-round practice. So practice if only to warm up your muscles.

If you like to travel with your golf clubs, it’s important to have a golf travel case. But protecting your clubs means choosing the right golf travel case.

Choose the wrong case and you will regret it for some time. Too small and you don’t have the space to add your shoes, hat and maybe even a set of clothes. Too big and carrying it around becomes a problem. Golf travel cases like other golf accessories come in many different sizes, styles, designs and colors. You may prefer a simple dark colored basic golf travel case or a case promoting your favorite team may be your choice.

Your golf travel case has to fit the requirements of your travel needs. If you travel the majority of the time on airlines, then a hard sided golf travel case is the one for you.

Baggage handling, and shuttles all seem to involve tossing and jostling of your clubs. With the full capacity of most planes today the baggage handlers are struggling to get planes loaded and unloaded in a timely manner. This means your clubs get thrown and jostled more than ever.

Hard Case Or Soft Sided Bag?

The rigid exterior puts a layer of protection between your clubs and the outside world of baggage handlers. With your clubs securely strapped inside the hard golf travel case and the protective padding, your clubs are as safe as a baby in a car seat.

Travel mostly by car? Then the soft golf travel case will be tops on your list. Your clubs are protected with a waterproof covering and interior padding whether they are in the trunk of your car or on the hotel’s luggage cart.

Soft golf travel bags store easily in the closet or under the bed. So if you’re on the road or in a hotel you won’t have to worry about storage. A hard golf travel case can be a challenge to conveniently store.

So choose your golf travel case based on the travel you do. A golf travel case is important to protect your clubs. And depending on the model you choose you can have additional pockets to store shoes, hat, and an extra set of clothes-everything you need to quickly get out on the course.

There’s a wide variety of golf travel bags available online. Whether you choose a hard golf travel case or a soft golf travel bag you’re apt to discover one to fit your needs and protect your clubs.

Travel and golf are a fantastic combination. Enjoy your travel as you discover new courses. Don’t forget to protect your investment in your clubs with a golf travel case.

Using Bobby Eldridge’s chipping tips, you can vary the distance of your chips by using different clubs - try using your 5 iron, 7 iron or 9 iron and only ONE SWING instead of using your Sand Wedge and 3 different swings.