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Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Approach Shots: What It Takes To Master Them
Approach Shots: What It Takes To Master Them
David Nevogt
Basically, your approach shot is your shot onto the green. One of the things I like to say is this, "You know your game is improving when you start fixing more ball marks on the green". To fix a ball mark on the green most likely means that you hit it on your approach, which is a good thing. Here are a few tips to keep in mind, and then we'll get to the heart of this article. Aim for the middle of the green, not the flag. Pin placements and greens are getting tougher to stick all the time. Don't be a "sucker" and go for a pin that you'll most likely miss, which will leave you in a bunker or some other position to add strokes to your round. Focus on alignment, not distance. That leads us into the main part of the article. As you know, it's not an easy task to master the approach shot, but there are some ways in which you can drastically improve the accuracy of the shot. Alignment is the key to improving your approach shots. Most golfers don't practice their alignment too much on the practice range, but they should. Think about this for a minute. Generally, when you are off the green it is due to alignment, not distance. Chances are, you have your 160 yard club, 150, 140, 130, etc... And if you hit a poor shot, the ball may go a little further or a little shorter. But even if that happens, most greens are deep enough that you should be on the putting surface if you have selected the club that would leave you in the center of the green. But...alignment is another story. If you pull the ball, more times than most you really pull the ball, correct? When your alignment is off, it's off by much more than 5-10 yards! And if you push the ball, you generally are pushing it for the entire round, correct? Bunkers, water, and uneven lies are the obstacles you face. How are you supposed to compete? The answer is simple. Practice your alignment. Take your home course for example. I would be willing to bet there's somewhere in the ball park of a 160-yard par 3 on the course. Now picture that hole. What happens if you're 5-10 yards deep or shallow? You're probably still okay, right? But what happens if you go right or left? That shot, more than likely, has trouble written all over it. David Nevogt writes golf instruction material that helps golfers of all levels reach their full potential and lower their scores. David is the author of "The Simple Golf Swing" which guarantees to have you shooting 7 strokes lower in only 1 week from today. You can find more of his golf instruction by going to http://www.golfswingguru.com
http://1golfsource.com
David Nevogt
Basically, your approach shot is your shot onto the green. One of the things I like to say is this, "You know your game is improving when you start fixing more ball marks on the green". To fix a ball mark on the green most likely means that you hit it on your approach, which is a good thing. Here are a few tips to keep in mind, and then we'll get to the heart of this article. Aim for the middle of the green, not the flag. Pin placements and greens are getting tougher to stick all the time. Don't be a "sucker" and go for a pin that you'll most likely miss, which will leave you in a bunker or some other position to add strokes to your round. Focus on alignment, not distance. That leads us into the main part of the article. As you know, it's not an easy task to master the approach shot, but there are some ways in which you can drastically improve the accuracy of the shot. Alignment is the key to improving your approach shots. Most golfers don't practice their alignment too much on the practice range, but they should. Think about this for a minute. Generally, when you are off the green it is due to alignment, not distance. Chances are, you have your 160 yard club, 150, 140, 130, etc... And if you hit a poor shot, the ball may go a little further or a little shorter. But even if that happens, most greens are deep enough that you should be on the putting surface if you have selected the club that would leave you in the center of the green. But...alignment is another story. If you pull the ball, more times than most you really pull the ball, correct? When your alignment is off, it's off by much more than 5-10 yards! And if you push the ball, you generally are pushing it for the entire round, correct? Bunkers, water, and uneven lies are the obstacles you face. How are you supposed to compete? The answer is simple. Practice your alignment. Take your home course for example. I would be willing to bet there's somewhere in the ball park of a 160-yard par 3 on the course. Now picture that hole. What happens if you're 5-10 yards deep or shallow? You're probably still okay, right? But what happens if you go right or left? That shot, more than likely, has trouble written all over it. David Nevogt writes golf instruction material that helps golfers of all levels reach their full potential and lower their scores. David is the author of "The Simple Golf Swing" which guarantees to have you shooting 7 strokes lower in only 1 week from today. You can find more of his golf instruction by going to http://www.golfswingguru.com
http://1golfsource.com
Monday, June 05, 2006
Golf Balls - The Science Behind The Dimples
Golf Balls - The Science Behind The Dimples
Susan Chiang
The dynamics behind the flight of the golf ball offers a fascinating insight into the physical interworkings of air pressure, turbulence, and aerodynamics.
When golf was first played in Scotland, most players played using clumsy golf apparatus, with the first golf clubs and golf balls made of wood.
In 1618 the “Featherie” was introduced. It was a golf ball made of feather. This feather golf ball was handcrafted from goose feathers tightly pressed into a horse or cowhide sphere while still wet. After drying, the leather shrank and the feathers expanded, creating a hardened golf ball.
As this type of golf ball was specially handcrafted, it was usually more expensive than golf clubs, so that only a few privileged people could afford to play golf back then.
After the Featherie golf ball came the Guttie golf ball. This type of golf ball was made from the rubber-like sap of the Gutta tree found in the tropics, and was shaped into a sphere when hot and eventually into a golf ball. As it was made of rubber, the Guttie golf ball could be cheaply produced and easily repaired by reheating and reshaping.
Comparing the two types of golf balls, the Featherie golf ball was said to travel farther than the Guttie golf ball because the Guttie golf ball’s smooth surface prevented it from covering more distance.
With this discovery, the developers of golf balls came up with the “dimpled” golf balls that are so predominant in modern golf nowadays.
The dimples on the golf balls help reduce the aerodynamic drag. Aerodynamic drag normally affects smooth golf balls and slows them down, because when they sail through the air, they leave a pocket of low-pressure air in its stir thus creating a drag.
By applying dimples to the golf ball surface, the pressure differential goes down and the drag force is reduced. These dimples create turbulence in the air surrounding the golf ball, which, in turn, forces the air to clasp the golf ball more closely. By doing so, the air trails the warp created by the golf ball towards the back instead of flowing past it. This results in a smaller wake and lesser drag.
Dimples were first added onto golf ball surfaces back during the gutta percha phase. Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored golf ball encased in a gutta percha sphere. Then in 1905 William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell golf ball, thus giving rise to the modern golf ball as we know it today.
After its beginning, dimpled golf balls were officially used in every golf tournament. In 1921, the golf ball took its current form with standard size and weight. Nowadays there is a wide range of golf balls to fit every style, game and condition, with some golf balls offering control, and other golf balls offering distance.
Though a common sight nowadays, the dimpled golf ball is not just a mere element of the sports arena; it is a showcase of physics at work.
For a more comprehensive look at golf and golf equipment, drop by Susan's site on Golf Balls. Other informative sports related articles are available at Shopping Palace and Niche Weblog.
http://www.1golfsource.com
Susan Chiang
The dynamics behind the flight of the golf ball offers a fascinating insight into the physical interworkings of air pressure, turbulence, and aerodynamics.
When golf was first played in Scotland, most players played using clumsy golf apparatus, with the first golf clubs and golf balls made of wood.
In 1618 the “Featherie” was introduced. It was a golf ball made of feather. This feather golf ball was handcrafted from goose feathers tightly pressed into a horse or cowhide sphere while still wet. After drying, the leather shrank and the feathers expanded, creating a hardened golf ball.
As this type of golf ball was specially handcrafted, it was usually more expensive than golf clubs, so that only a few privileged people could afford to play golf back then.
After the Featherie golf ball came the Guttie golf ball. This type of golf ball was made from the rubber-like sap of the Gutta tree found in the tropics, and was shaped into a sphere when hot and eventually into a golf ball. As it was made of rubber, the Guttie golf ball could be cheaply produced and easily repaired by reheating and reshaping.
Comparing the two types of golf balls, the Featherie golf ball was said to travel farther than the Guttie golf ball because the Guttie golf ball’s smooth surface prevented it from covering more distance.
With this discovery, the developers of golf balls came up with the “dimpled” golf balls that are so predominant in modern golf nowadays.
The dimples on the golf balls help reduce the aerodynamic drag. Aerodynamic drag normally affects smooth golf balls and slows them down, because when they sail through the air, they leave a pocket of low-pressure air in its stir thus creating a drag.
By applying dimples to the golf ball surface, the pressure differential goes down and the drag force is reduced. These dimples create turbulence in the air surrounding the golf ball, which, in turn, forces the air to clasp the golf ball more closely. By doing so, the air trails the warp created by the golf ball towards the back instead of flowing past it. This results in a smaller wake and lesser drag.
Dimples were first added onto golf ball surfaces back during the gutta percha phase. Coburn Haskell introduced the one-piece rubber cored golf ball encased in a gutta percha sphere. Then in 1905 William Taylor applied the dimple pattern to a Haskell golf ball, thus giving rise to the modern golf ball as we know it today.
After its beginning, dimpled golf balls were officially used in every golf tournament. In 1921, the golf ball took its current form with standard size and weight. Nowadays there is a wide range of golf balls to fit every style, game and condition, with some golf balls offering control, and other golf balls offering distance.
Though a common sight nowadays, the dimpled golf ball is not just a mere element of the sports arena; it is a showcase of physics at work.
For a more comprehensive look at golf and golf equipment, drop by Susan's site on Golf Balls. Other informative sports related articles are available at Shopping Palace and Niche Weblog.
http://www.1golfsource.com
Friday, June 02, 2006
The Most Underrated Golfer in History... Buffalo Bill! Huh??
The Most Underrated Golfer in History... Buffalo Bill! Huh??
Floyd Snyder
Buffalo Bill was introduced to golf by his father at age 5 and started his PGA Tour career in 1955 at the age of 24, which could be considered a late start compared to today's standards. Even with this late start he ended up with 51 wins on the PGA Tour, 6th on the all time win list. Included in those 51 victories are two U.S Opens and one Masters. He also has won nine Senior Tour Championships including two Senior Majors, one of them the USGA Senior Open in 1983.
Buffalo Bill was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1978 and the PGA Hall of fame in 1982. He played on eight Ryder Cup teams and captained the 1979 Ryder Cup. He won five Vardon Trophies, awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average for the year, and was a two-time Player of The Year winner. In 1968 he was the first player to surpass $200,000 in single-season earnings and won his second money title. He was also the second player in history to reach the $1 million career earnings mark, Arnold Palmer being the first.
These are the highlights on Buffalo Bill's golfing career. Only five people in the history of game have accomplished more on the PGA Tour. Sam Snead leads the all time victory list with 81 wins, followed by Jack Nicklaus with 73 and Ben Hogan with 64, "The King", Arnold Palmer, has 62 and Byron Nelson has 52, to round out the top five. All five of these great champions, as well as lesser-accomplished pros, are talked about all the time, but not Buffalo Bill. For some reason his name only pops up occasionally. One would think that with credentials like these, his name would be a household word at least through-out the golfing world. Yet, for some reason that is not the case.
Heck his name hasn't even popped up here yet! Who is Buffalo Bill?
Well for those of you that haven't figured it out yet, it is none other then San Diego's native son, Billy Casper.
Why Buffalo Bill?
When Billy Casper began a strict diet of buffalo meat, he went on a winning streak - 51 PGA Tour victories in all - that assured him legendary golf status. This culinary peculiarity earned Casper the moniker "Buffalo Bill." The rest, including the above-mentioned Masters championship and two U.S. Open titles, is history.
If you have a Great Golf Story you would like to share, email it to floyd@sbmag.org
More interesting golf stories at http://www.sbmag.org/Golf_Stories/Great_Golf_Stories_Index.
Floyd Snyder is an avid high handicap golfer and the owner of Strictly Business Magazine at http://www.sbmag.org and http://www.TraderAide.com
http://www.1golfsource.com
Floyd Snyder
Buffalo Bill was introduced to golf by his father at age 5 and started his PGA Tour career in 1955 at the age of 24, which could be considered a late start compared to today's standards. Even with this late start he ended up with 51 wins on the PGA Tour, 6th on the all time win list. Included in those 51 victories are two U.S Opens and one Masters. He also has won nine Senior Tour Championships including two Senior Majors, one of them the USGA Senior Open in 1983.
Buffalo Bill was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1978 and the PGA Hall of fame in 1982. He played on eight Ryder Cup teams and captained the 1979 Ryder Cup. He won five Vardon Trophies, awarded to the player with the lowest scoring average for the year, and was a two-time Player of The Year winner. In 1968 he was the first player to surpass $200,000 in single-season earnings and won his second money title. He was also the second player in history to reach the $1 million career earnings mark, Arnold Palmer being the first.
These are the highlights on Buffalo Bill's golfing career. Only five people in the history of game have accomplished more on the PGA Tour. Sam Snead leads the all time victory list with 81 wins, followed by Jack Nicklaus with 73 and Ben Hogan with 64, "The King", Arnold Palmer, has 62 and Byron Nelson has 52, to round out the top five. All five of these great champions, as well as lesser-accomplished pros, are talked about all the time, but not Buffalo Bill. For some reason his name only pops up occasionally. One would think that with credentials like these, his name would be a household word at least through-out the golfing world. Yet, for some reason that is not the case.
Heck his name hasn't even popped up here yet! Who is Buffalo Bill?
Well for those of you that haven't figured it out yet, it is none other then San Diego's native son, Billy Casper.
Why Buffalo Bill?
When Billy Casper began a strict diet of buffalo meat, he went on a winning streak - 51 PGA Tour victories in all - that assured him legendary golf status. This culinary peculiarity earned Casper the moniker "Buffalo Bill." The rest, including the above-mentioned Masters championship and two U.S. Open titles, is history.
If you have a Great Golf Story you would like to share, email it to floyd@sbmag.org
More interesting golf stories at http://www.sbmag.org/Golf_Stories/Great_Golf_Stories_Index.
Floyd Snyder is an avid high handicap golfer and the owner of Strictly Business Magazine at http://www.sbmag.org and http://www.TraderAide.com
http://www.1golfsource.com
Thursday, June 01, 2006
How To Hit The Ball Well From Uneven Lines
How To Hit The Ball Well From Uneven Lines
David Nevogt
To view this message online please go here: http://www.golfswingguru.com/articles/uneven-lies.htm I know some of you are laughing under your breath wondering what I am doing writing a tip on UNEVEN LIES. What in the world could I possible know about uneven lies living in Scottsdale, Arizona? Well, it is the Grand Canyon State for starters, but yes you're right, we do not face as many uneven lies as someone from North Carolina, for example. However, there are plenty of times during the course of a round when we are faced with a golf ball that might be on a side hill lie. Before I begin, I am going to first give you the definition of the four uneven lies in golf. Uphill Lie - The easiest of the four uneven lies. The ball is level with your feet but the slope is up-hill, we refer to this as an uphill lie. Downhill Lie - A ball that is level to your feet but the slope is down hill, probably the second most difficult shot in golf. Ball Below Feet - The most difficult shot in golf is when the ball is below your feet Ball Above Feet - The fourth uneven lie is when the ball is above your feet. Don't get confused between an uphill lie, and when the ball is simply above your feet. These are 2 different lies, and should be addressed separately. Also, don't get confused with the downhill lie, and the ball being below your feet. Again, these are 2 different lies. Let's start with the easiest shot in golf, the up-hill lie. If you struggle with this shot, you probably swing the golf club to vertical into the ground and hit a fat shot. Before you prepare for an uphill lie, you need to think of a few important items first. 1. Make sure you take a less lofted club. When you have an uphill lie, it will make the ball go HIGHER and SHORTER. 2. The ball will have a tendency to hook to the left, so aim a little to the right. 3. To avoid hitting the shot fat, check your shoulder alignment and make sure they are parallel to the ground you are standing on. If you are on an uphill lie, your back shoulder should be a little lower that your leading shoulder. 4. The ball should be positioned according to what club you are using, as though you were on a level lie. (A bit forward for longer clubs.) 5. You want to make sure you follow through HIGH after impact. Now we can move on to one of the hardest shots in golf, the down hill lie. If you have a tendency to struggle with this shot, the miss hit is usually a top. Follow the steps below and you will see a huge change in your down hill shots. 1. Because the ball will fly lower, you can take a more lofted club to help the ball go a little higher. 2. The ball will have a tendency to curve to the right, aim a little to the left. 3. If you have your shoulders at address tilted level to the down slope of your lie, this will encourage the club to swing DOWN into the ball (correct) and not up in the down swing. Thus, you will hit the bottom of the ball and not the top. 4. Play the ball in your stance according to the club you are using (again, a little forward for a longer club). 5. You want to make sure you follow through LOW to the ground after impact. Now we are back to an easy shot, the ball above our feet. If you follow the steps below, you will not hit the ground behind the ball anymore, and the ball above your feet will become your absolute favorite shot in golf 1. If you struggle with hitting the ball fat in these shots, make sure you are standing taller than your normal stance. 2. The ball will have a tendency to fly to the left, aim a little farther to the right. 3. DO NOT BEND YOUR KNEES 4. This is the main point, the golf club wants to swing more AROUND your body, let it...DO NOT TRY TO MAKE A NORMAL SWING...let the club swing around you. THE HARDEST SHOT IN GOLF. The dreaded, (I can't believe this is happening to me) BALL BELOW YOUR FEET golf shot. You have come to the right place, below is the answer. 1. When the ball is below your feet, you will have a tendency to top it to the right, whiff the ball, or shank it. 2. The address is the most important part of this shot. Bend your knees and bend WAY over at address. You ALMOST can not bend TOO much. 3. The ball will have a tendency to go to the right, aim farther left. 4. The golf club wants to swing up and down, NOT around. LET IT...It will feel like a lob swing, this is correct. IF you make your normal swing, you will whiff the ball completely. Now, forget everything you knew about uneven lies and give this a try. I KNOW IT WILL HELP! Get back to us with all of your golf successes. For more instruction like this, check out: The Simple Golf Swing Ebook - http://www.golfswingguru.com/index1.php The Simple Golf Swing Full Swing DVD - http://www.golfswingguru.com/dvd.php The Simple Golf Swing Short Game DVD - http://www.golfswingguru.com/shortgame.php Sincerely, Bobby Eldridge and David Nevogt Bobby Eldridge is the head professional at http://www.golfswingguru.com, and he teaches "The Simple Golf Swing". Bobby writes golf instruction material, has given over 70,000 private lessons, and is the Director of "The Simple Golf Swing Academy" which operates in Chicago and Scottsdale. To join the "Simple Golf Swing" Academy, please tap on the location you are interested in below. Chicago - http://www.golfswingguru.com/chicago.php Scottsdale -- http://www.golfswingguru.com/scottsdale.php Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePont Golf Academy where he teaches "The Simple Golf Swing" theory. You can check out PurePoint Golf instructional DVDs at http://www.golfswingguru.com/dvd.php
http://www.1golfsource.com
David Nevogt
To view this message online please go here: http://www.golfswingguru.com/articles/uneven-lies.htm I know some of you are laughing under your breath wondering what I am doing writing a tip on UNEVEN LIES. What in the world could I possible know about uneven lies living in Scottsdale, Arizona? Well, it is the Grand Canyon State for starters, but yes you're right, we do not face as many uneven lies as someone from North Carolina, for example. However, there are plenty of times during the course of a round when we are faced with a golf ball that might be on a side hill lie. Before I begin, I am going to first give you the definition of the four uneven lies in golf. Uphill Lie - The easiest of the four uneven lies. The ball is level with your feet but the slope is up-hill, we refer to this as an uphill lie. Downhill Lie - A ball that is level to your feet but the slope is down hill, probably the second most difficult shot in golf. Ball Below Feet - The most difficult shot in golf is when the ball is below your feet Ball Above Feet - The fourth uneven lie is when the ball is above your feet. Don't get confused between an uphill lie, and when the ball is simply above your feet. These are 2 different lies, and should be addressed separately. Also, don't get confused with the downhill lie, and the ball being below your feet. Again, these are 2 different lies. Let's start with the easiest shot in golf, the up-hill lie. If you struggle with this shot, you probably swing the golf club to vertical into the ground and hit a fat shot. Before you prepare for an uphill lie, you need to think of a few important items first. 1. Make sure you take a less lofted club. When you have an uphill lie, it will make the ball go HIGHER and SHORTER. 2. The ball will have a tendency to hook to the left, so aim a little to the right. 3. To avoid hitting the shot fat, check your shoulder alignment and make sure they are parallel to the ground you are standing on. If you are on an uphill lie, your back shoulder should be a little lower that your leading shoulder. 4. The ball should be positioned according to what club you are using, as though you were on a level lie. (A bit forward for longer clubs.) 5. You want to make sure you follow through HIGH after impact. Now we can move on to one of the hardest shots in golf, the down hill lie. If you have a tendency to struggle with this shot, the miss hit is usually a top. Follow the steps below and you will see a huge change in your down hill shots. 1. Because the ball will fly lower, you can take a more lofted club to help the ball go a little higher. 2. The ball will have a tendency to curve to the right, aim a little to the left. 3. If you have your shoulders at address tilted level to the down slope of your lie, this will encourage the club to swing DOWN into the ball (correct) and not up in the down swing. Thus, you will hit the bottom of the ball and not the top. 4. Play the ball in your stance according to the club you are using (again, a little forward for a longer club). 5. You want to make sure you follow through LOW to the ground after impact. Now we are back to an easy shot, the ball above our feet. If you follow the steps below, you will not hit the ground behind the ball anymore, and the ball above your feet will become your absolute favorite shot in golf 1. If you struggle with hitting the ball fat in these shots, make sure you are standing taller than your normal stance. 2. The ball will have a tendency to fly to the left, aim a little farther to the right. 3. DO NOT BEND YOUR KNEES 4. This is the main point, the golf club wants to swing more AROUND your body, let it...DO NOT TRY TO MAKE A NORMAL SWING...let the club swing around you. THE HARDEST SHOT IN GOLF. The dreaded, (I can't believe this is happening to me) BALL BELOW YOUR FEET golf shot. You have come to the right place, below is the answer. 1. When the ball is below your feet, you will have a tendency to top it to the right, whiff the ball, or shank it. 2. The address is the most important part of this shot. Bend your knees and bend WAY over at address. You ALMOST can not bend TOO much. 3. The ball will have a tendency to go to the right, aim farther left. 4. The golf club wants to swing up and down, NOT around. LET IT...It will feel like a lob swing, this is correct. IF you make your normal swing, you will whiff the ball completely. Now, forget everything you knew about uneven lies and give this a try. I KNOW IT WILL HELP! Get back to us with all of your golf successes. For more instruction like this, check out: The Simple Golf Swing Ebook - http://www.golfswingguru.com/index1.php The Simple Golf Swing Full Swing DVD - http://www.golfswingguru.com/dvd.php The Simple Golf Swing Short Game DVD - http://www.golfswingguru.com/shortgame.php Sincerely, Bobby Eldridge and David Nevogt Bobby Eldridge is the head professional at http://www.golfswingguru.com, and he teaches "The Simple Golf Swing". Bobby writes golf instruction material, has given over 70,000 private lessons, and is the Director of "The Simple Golf Swing Academy" which operates in Chicago and Scottsdale. To join the "Simple Golf Swing" Academy, please tap on the location you are interested in below. Chicago - http://www.golfswingguru.com/chicago.php Scottsdale -- http://www.golfswingguru.com/scottsdale.php Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePont Golf Academy where he teaches "The Simple Golf Swing" theory. You can check out PurePoint Golf instructional DVDs at http://www.golfswingguru.com/dvd.php
http://www.1golfsource.com
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