Golf equipment

Match Play Strategies

If you ever compete in match play events, you need to know
how to approach them in order to get good results. If you
think match play is the same as stroke play in golf, then
read on because I?m going to tell you what you need to do in
order to succeed.

Match play pits one golfer (or one team) against another.
Unlike in stroke play, in which total score counts, the
golfers compete for each hole. Whoever shoots the lowest
score on a hole wins the hole. If the two golfers (or teams)
finish with identical scores, the hole is ?halved.? Whoever
wins the most holes wins the match. If the players (or
teams) finish with the same score, the match is halved.
Match play does not usually affect your golf handicap.
These are the basics.

This head-to-head confrontation, as golf instruction manuals
tell you, radically changes how you play the game. Some
golf tips urge you to be more aggressive in match play than
in stroke play. Other golf tips urge you to play your normal
game. What determines how you play is where you stand on the
hole, where your opponent stands on the hole, and where the
two of you stand in the match.

Most golf instruction will tell you that match play is a
balancing act. You?re always weighing the need to put
pressure on your opponent against the need to win the hole.
The player who plays the best under pressure, regardless of
where his golf handicap is, usually wins the match. Handling
the pressure is not something golf lessons prepares you for.
It?s something you need to experience yourself.

On the tee it?s more important than ever to hit the fairway
with your drive. If you?re first off the tee, hitting a good
drive increases the pressure on your opponent to also hit a
good drive. And vice versa. If you hit a bad drive, that
takes the pressure off your opponent. And vice versa. The
object is to apply pressure as much as possible during the
match.

On the fairway you need to be aware of where your opponent
is and what his or her score is on the hole at all times.
Keep in mind those golf lessons that tell you to maintain
focus. You can hit a bad shot on the hole and still not lose
the hole if your opponent also hits a bad shot. In fact, you
can shoot an 8 on a hole and win the hole, if your opponent
shoots a 9. The key to winning a hole in match play is
knowing where your opponent stands on the hole and not
panicking if he or she hits a good shot. The next shot could
be out of bounds.

On the green, how aggressive you are on any putt depends on
where your opponent is, where you are, and where you stand
on the hole. Normally, if you had a difficult down hill
putt, you?d play the shot conservatively, so as to not slip
ten feet past the hole and cost yourself additional strokes.
That?s what most golf tips emphasize. In match play, where
your opponent is and what his or her score is dictates
putting strategy.

If your opponent is laying 3 and is five inches from the
whole, chances are he or she is going to sink the putt for a
4. If you?re laying 3, you need to sink the putt to tie your
opponent for the hole, so you might as well be aggressive
with it.

On the other hand, if your opponent is laying 3 and is
twenty feet from the hole, you might as well play that
downhill putt more conservatively, if you are also laying 3.
You don?t want to run the ball 10 feet past the hole. It
could cost you an additional stroke or two and, quite
possibly, the hole. Always know where your opponent is on
the green and what he or she is shooting before deciding on
your putting strategy.

Conceding putts is an issue in match play. You don?t have to
concede a putt, even if your opponent has conceded one to
you. But most golfers do if it?s short (within 2 feet) and
it?s not going to cost you the hole. Some players will
concede short putts right up until crunch time, then make
his opponent putt everything out just to put some additional
pressure on him.

It?s also good to know if your opponent is a good or bad
putter. If he?s a poor putter, you might make him putt
everything out. Chances are your opponent may 3 putt or even
4 putt on the hole, giving you the hole if you 2 putt.

And then there are going to be times when you need a ?hero
shot? to win the hole or the match. If the hole or the
match is on the line and you have a difficult shot, which
you?d play conservatively in stroke play, you want to be
more aggressive. If you play the shot conservatively, as
most golf instruction dictates, you?ll probably lose the
hole and/or the match anyway, so you might as well go for it
in the hopes of saving the hole or match.

The key in match play is knowing when to be aggressive and
when to be conservative. Match play is not about lowering
your golf handicap. It?s about winning holes. Where you
stand on the hole, where your opponent stands on the hole,
and where the two of you stand in the match dictates
strategy. Try not to let the pressure get to you and try to
increase the pressure on your opponent whenever it?s
prudent. And don?t panic if you fall behind early. You can
still win the match, if you don?t give up.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book How
To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros. He is NOT a golf pro,
rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers
from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately.
He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips,
golf lessons and golf instruction.

Article Directory: EzineArticles http://ezinearticles.com

Improve Your Golf Swing and Driving Distance with Golf Stretches

The golf swing is arguably one of the most difficult athletic actions to perform. The golf swing requires you to draw the golf club through a long range of motion with proper technique and exact timing.

Any error in swing plane, timing, or sequence will cause your golf swing to suffer, and suffer it will. Unfortunately, the result of your golf swing suffering will be errant shots, poor golf scores, and frustration on the golf course.

Often the amateur is at a lost for why their golf swing results in errant shots. Countless hours are spent at the range in an effort to improve their golf swing. Hundreds or even thousands of dollars are spent on lessons each year, and not to mention the purchasing of new equipment.

It all adds up to a lot of time and money spent on improving the golf swing. Unfortunately, for many amateur golfers their handicaps and score never improve. Leading to the question “why is my golf game not improving?”

If this is you and this question lingers in your mind. The answer to your question could easily be staring right back at you in the mirror. The failure of improvement may have absolutely nothing to do with the driver you are swinging, the teaching pro helping you with your swing, or even your practice routine. It could all do with you! Yes you, the physical body swinging the golf club.

Keep in mind the golf club does not perform the mechanics of the golf swing. Nor do the mechanics of the golf swing execute themselves without you. It is you and your body executing the mechanics of the golf swing. The point to make is your body directly affects the mechanics of the golf swing.

Additionally, the golf swing requires your body to encompass certain physical qualities to execute the mechanics of the golf swing correctly. These physical qualities are certain levels of flexibility, muscular strength, balance, and power. If you are lacking the minimal amounts of flexibility, balance, strength, and power to execute the golf swing correctly. Compensations will occur even before you swing the golf club.

For example, let’s look at your flexibility. The golf swing requires you to draw the golf club through a large range of motion. The backswing requires a full shoulder turn to set the club in the correct slot for the downswing, and the finish position is almost a mirror image of the backswing.

In order to perform these parts of the golf swing correctly, the muscles of your body must be flexible. An inflexible body in which muscles are “tight” creates restrictions in movement. Restrictions in movement in relation to the golf swing will undoubtedly result in limitations pertaining to golf swing. The limitation will impede you from creating a full shoulder turn and balanced finish position. This causes compensations in the mechanics of the golf swing.

The entire body needs to be flexible for the golf swing. Certain muscles more than others are involved in the golf swing, and if these muscles are “tight” they will directly affect your golf swing. One such set of muscles is your hamstrings.

The hamstrings (back side of your upper leg) are often “tight” and cause problems to many people, not just golfers. However, they have a profound effect on the golf swing and it is not a good effect. Hamstrings that are “tight” are in a shortened position. The shortened position of the hamstrings has a direct effect on the position of your hips. Your hips will be “tucked”, directly affecting your posture. This in itself can hamper the ability to place oneself in the correct position at address within the golf swing, not to mention maintaining a proper spine angle during the swing.

Additionally, “tight” hamstrings place an undo amount of stress on the lower back. Large amounts of stress on the lower back cause fatigue, soreness, and increase the possibility of injury. If you are a golfer that has ever experienced lower back pain you know the effect it has on your ability to swing the golf club correctly.

A combination of a postural change and undo amounts of stress on the lower back, just begin to scratch the surface of the effect inflexible muscles can have on the golf swing. “Tight” muscles change the kinematics of the body. As a result, the biomechanics of the golf swing must be altered. These alterations usually lead to compensations in the mechanics of the golf swing resulting in errant shot patterns on the golf course.

And no matter what you do in terms of practice or instruction these alterations will not go away until you address them. Just as you address swing faults, you must address flexibility faults. Flexibility faults can be addressed through golf stretches.

Golf stretches enhance the flexibility of your body in relation to the golf swing. Golf stretches often times return muscles that are “tight” such as the hamstrings to their proper length. This results in the ability of your body to perform the biomechanics of the golf swing correctly. If you are one of many golfers who are not finding their golf swing improving through practice and instruction. Take a moment and look at the body swinging the golf club. This very well may be the root of your golf swing problems. Fix your flexibility faults through golf stretches and find yourself on the road to lower golf scores and more enjoyment in the game of golf.

Sean Cochran

About the author:

About the Author Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2005 PGA

Golf Gadgets: For The Golfers Who Have Everything

Golf gadgets: Who wants them? Who needs them? These little devices come in as many shapes, sizes, and forms as there are stars in the universe. Unlike short-game training devices or swing aids they do not work directly on teaching you the proper techniques of the golf swing. However they are indeed incredibly creative in unexpected and very imaginative ways. They are made to make the crazy game of golf more fun, a lot less strenuous and simply easier to play.

It is for this reason that the avid golfer in the family can no longer go through any Christmas without receiving one accessory either in their stocking or under the tree. These golf gadgets have become somewhat of a phenomenon and even a tradition in some house holds be it good or bad.

For the golfer who is receiving these gifts it becomes a sheer reminder of how much they need to work on their games. To some it can even become and embarrassment to think that these little golf accessories can help improve their games. For others they give them a great little giggle when they see what some crazy fool has come with to help their golf swing.

Do we as golfers really need them? Some would say yes that these little golf gadgets are essential to improving their performance on the course. These golf addicts will go to every extreme and buy every little gadget out there because they feel that it will help. On the other hand, most of us know that there is no cure other than straight hard practice that nobody really wants to do let alone has time for.

Unfortunately most of the golf gadgets on the market are not perfect and have some sort of a defect or an annoying flaw. That is why most of them don’t make it into widespread circulation and use. Having said that, there are a small number of good little gadgets out there that actually work!

These items include the suction cup on the grip of your putter that makes it easier to pickup your ball form the hole without bending over. Another good one that is almost essential to every player is the divot repair tool that can come in many shapes and styles. You also have the Brush-T that is said to make contact with the ball less inhibiting by making the tee flexible. One other must have for the average golfer is the groove cleaner to help remove the dirt from your clubs so you can hit a crisper shot. The most important thing to remember about these items is that they are mainly for fun. They’re great to have and enjoy every time you play golf. There are so many golf gadgets out there in the market you just have to pick the ones you think are cool and simply try them!

About the author:

John Bolt is the owner of Golf Equipment Source and has created the ULTIMATE FREE online guide to gol f gadgets and accessories. To find out more about your favorite golf gadgets please visit htt p://www.golfequipmentsource.com/golf-accessory.html

Finding The Best Golf Swing Tips That Fit Your Needs

No matter what area of your game needs improving, whether
it’s balance and alignment or power and speed, there’s a
solution waiting for you. The biggest concerns of golfers
today are inconsistency first of all, followed by slicing
and distance. You need great hand-eye coordination, balance,
athletic ability and creativity to play golf.

Concentrate totally on your game and you’ll get the best
score. Overall, you generally want to play golf with
confidence. Always be aware the mental aspect of the game
contributes one way or another to the difficulty of the golf
swing.

Use the muscles in your legs and trunk when you swing. Swing
slowly and steadily using a nice rhythm. The backswing is a
rotation to the right, consisting of a shifting of the
player’s body weight to the right side, a turning of the
pelvis and shoulders, lifting of the arms and flexing of the
elbows and wrists.

Putts and short chips are ideally played without much
movement of the body, but most other golf shots are played
using variants of the full golf swing. Pick out a spot on
the course, preferably the green of the fairway, and
concentrate on hitting the ball to that spot. Accomplished
golfers purposely use sidespin to steer their ball around
obstacles or towards the safe side of fairways and greens.

Standing over the ball for too long a time and wondering
whether you’re going to swing the club correctly can easily
result in a skewed shot, or completely missing the ball. One
of the problems that most inexperienced golfers share is
they think too much about their swing. After the ball is
hit, the follow-through stage consists of a continued
rotation to the left.

Use the basic ‘hitchhiker’ position when you’re working on
your backswing. Try not to grip the club too tightly.

Conditioning your golf muscles will reward you with
straighter swings. The state of the physical condition is
very often overlooked as a possible cause of golf swing
problems. Once you understand that you can change your swing
by using a simple technique, you’ll never underestimate golf
fitness again.

Overall, investing in golf swing aids will greatly improve
your golf swing and your golf game. Look for golf swing aids
at your local golf course. If you’re looking for an aid to
improve your stance they’re not hard to find.

Make sure to look for reviews and ratings online for any
golf swing aid you’re considering. Aids come in all shapes
and sizes including apparel type accessories to correct
alignment or a golf club add-on accessory to monitor your
swing. Keep in mind that with some aids, you may still need
advice or help from an expert.

Golf magazines often review the newest golf swing aids and
are reviewed by golfers, making it easy to choose the right
one for you. In any case, stick to just one aid at a time;
don’t load up on them. Whether you’re a seasoned golfer or
just starting out, pick just one aid, then go to work on
your swing.

Before buying any golf swing aid, check with an expert to
get an idea of what problem you need to work on first;
backlift of golf swing, momentum of downward thrust or
stance for example. If you’re a golfing novice just starting
out, it’s easy to become overwhelmed.

When you play a round of golf, concentrate on improving your
golf swing, putting or something specific that day; have a
plan in mind. There are hundreds of useful golf tips to seek
out in golf magazines, consumer magazines, sports magazines,
in books, ebooks, DVDs, online and offline. Practice,
practice, practice!

For more information on golf swing improvement golf swing
aids and golf swing fitness go to
http://www.Best-Golf-Guide.com specializing in golf tips,
help, advice, resources, and instruction including
information on golf swing tips

Article Directory: EzineArticles http://ezinearticles.com

Golf Balance Exercises To Create A Rock-Solid Golf Swing

Golf balance exercises should be a must for every amateur golfer. One of the biggest issues with most amateurs is balance, stability and body control in their golf swing.

So often I see a golfer swinging outside their physical capabilities and losing their balance, resulting in a severe mishit that will end up being a double or triple bogey.

There is a physical requirement to maintaining your golf balance throughout your swing. The golf swing position commonly referred to as golf posture is a very unnatural position for the body to be in at address, let alone throughout the swing.

Having a forward tilt over the balls of your feet require a high level of both strength and flexibility in your hamstrings. Just get in your golf posture and reach back behind your upper leg to see how tight your hamstrings are.

If your hamstrings are tight and/or weak, you will have no chance at maintaining your golf posture and ultimately balance throughout your golf swing.

How about your quadriceps?

The play a critical role in keeping your golf swing stable. Rotating your upper body around a somewhat fixed lower body takes a tremendous amount of leg (quad) strength. Also your quads help maintain your knee flex that you had at address. If your quads are weak, your legs will straighten, causing you to come out of our swing.

As you can see, your golf balance requires muscular strength and flexibility. Without it, you’ll be falling all over your swing forever!

One great golf balance exercise (drill) is swinging and actually hitting balls on one leg. Give it a try! You’ll soon find out how difficult it is. But stick with it, and you’ll become a pro at it. If you can hit straight balls on one leg, using both legs will be a cinch.

In all of my advanced golf performance training programs, I have the golfer do a majority of their strength exercises on one leg. It is brutal! It takes so much focus and concentration, you’ll be sweating before you even grab the weight.

I have literally dozens of golf balance exercises in my dvds, books and websites that will dramatically improve your balance, stability and overall control. It’s amazing how many emails I get from golfers who thought these golf balance exercises were easy until they did a full set of just one exercise.

They thought differently after that!

This could be your missing link to a great game! Focus on those golf balance exercises!

About the author:

Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf performance trainers in the country, author and founder of several cutting-edge online golf improvement sites. Take a look at his just released golf dvds and manual at his golf swing fitness training site - Perform Better Golf.