December 2007
You are currently browsing the articles from Golfswing Analyze written in the month of December 2007.
When one thinks of golf equipment, generally the first thing that comes to mind is golf clubs and golf balls. However, there are other pieces of golf equipment that can be utilized by a golfer to improve their game as well as equipment that speaks to their love of the game.
Some of those additional pieces of golf equipment can include markers, devices to keep golf score and items worn by the golfer.
Golf Markers
When putting on the green there are certain rules of golfing etiquette that need to be followed. One of those rules is that the player who is the furthest away from the cup gets to putt first. Therefore, it is important that golf balls situated between the furthest ball and the cup be removed so that the furthest player has a clear shot at the pin. Golfing etiquette allows for the ball to be picked up and marked with a golf marker.
Therefore, a practical piece of golf equipment is a golf marker. This item is a rounded peg that is attached to a thin dime-like platform. When picking up the golf ball this peg is inserted into the green to mark the position of the ball.
These golf markers can be made from either plastic, wood or metal. In addition this piece of golf equipment can be personalized with a golfer’s name, initials or other unique features.
Golf Score Keeper
An important part of the golf game is keeping score. Each stroke that it takes to put the ball in the hole on the green is counted as part of the golfer’s score. An important piece of golf equipment to help the golfer in keeping track and tabulating their score is a golf scorekeeper.
There are a variety of golf scorekeepers. Examples of this piece of golf equipment can range from counters that can be attached to the golf bag or clipped onto the back of the golfers golfing glove. In addition, certain golf scorekeepers can be advanced manually each time a stroke is taken or the scorekeepers can utilize digital technology.
Hat And Shoes
It can be argued that items which are worn by the golfer are part of golf equipment needs. The right clothes will not only protect the golfer from the outdoor elements, but will meet the requirements of certain golf courses.
One of the most important items to be worn by the golfer is a protective hat. Wearing the right hat will protect the golfer from the sun as well as provide shade for the eyes.
Another important piece of golf equipment to be worn is golf shoes. There are basically two types of golf shoes and are categorized as those shoes with and without spikes. Before choosing shoes with spikes, it is important to connect with the golf course to make sure that spiked golf shoes are permissible. In addition, the golfer will want to select golf shoes that are comfortable. This is due to the fact that the walking distances of playing golf maybe require covering a distance of four miles.
Written by GolfSwing on December 29th, 2007 with no comments.
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For those who are competitive, the game of golf is about winning or improving their overall game. The competitive individual wants to add distance to their drive, shave strokes off of their game and chase the elusive hole in one. The game of golf certainly meets the needs of those with a competitive spirit.
In addition to these benefits there are other benefits to playing golf. Those additional benefits include exercise, interaction with others and enjoying the outdoors.
Exercise
One of the most beneficial by-products of playing golf is the exercise an individual can achieve. This exercise is comprised of walking on the golf course from hole to hole, the swinging of the golf clubs and the carrying of the golf clubs.
There are basically two types of overall exercise categories. Those categories are moderate and vigorous. Golf can be considered as a moderate type of workout activity. It is estimated that for every one hour spent playing golf an individual can burn 370 calories. This estimate is based on that individual being a male, weighing 154 pounds and standing at 5′10″ tall.
Interaction With Others
Another benefit of playing golf is the friendships and interactions that are developed on the golf course. Generally, golfers team up in pairs or play their golf game with three other individuals.
This foursome provides an excellent opportunity for individuals to interact with each. This interaction is usually highlighted through the telling of jokes, the sharing of stories, conducting business, getting to know each other in an informal setting, etc. All of this is conducted in a non-threatening, but competitive environment. This type of interaction will prove to be therapeutic as well as an opportunity to bond with other individuals.
Enjoying The Outdoors
One additional benefit of playing golf is the opportunity to be outdoors and enjoy the natural surroundings. Being outdoors is an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of nature and breathe in fresh air.
In addition, the individual playing golf can use the quietness of the golf course to center themselves and focus on the simple things of life. In addition, being outdoors will provide a change of venue and help the individual to get away from their normal environment or routine. This normal environment could be the workplace or a stressful situation that they maybe experiencing in their home life.
Being outdoors and enjoying the game of golf can be an ideal way to release any possible stress in the golfer’s life.
Written by GolfSwing on December 21st, 2007 with no comments.
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Based on the sound the golf ball made when it was hit by his newly designed putter, Karsten Solheim named his custom-made invention Ping. The engineer from General Electric had been frustrated with his putting game, blaming it on the putters available in the late 1950’s so he designed his own, giving birth to Ping Golf equipment.
Working in his garage in 1959, the Redwood City, California resident designed the Ping 1A putter with a heel-toe weight, setting the golf equipment world on its ear. Sports Illustrated fell in love with the sound the putter made when used, and Ping Golf was moved to Phoenix, Arizona where it is headquartered today. After resigning from GE in 1967, Solheim continued for the first few years making his putters individually by hand.
His first set of Ping Golf irons continued with his innovation of heel-toe weighting and he named them “69,” which he considered a good score for a round of golf. John Barnum earned a PGA Tour event in 1962 using a Ping Golf club, and sales of his work continued to climb. Sales escalated even higher following the 1965 Golf World Cup in Japan after many of the professionals used Ping putters during the televised event.
Additional Clubs Added To The Equipment Mix
With a new idea for a putter in his mind, Solheim could not find a piece of paper to draw his idea, so using a dust cover of a 78-RPM record, he sketched his new putter. When trying to come up with a name, his wife suggested that since it was the answer to his putting problems, he should call it the answer. However, since the name was too long to fit on the club, it was shortened to Anser.
In 1966 the United States Golf Association’s rules committee banned all Ping Golf putters, except the Answer, claiming the slight bend in the shaft below the grip gave golfers too much of an advantage. Considered a conventional putter, the Answer is the winningest putter in professional golf history.
Following his resignation from GE in 1967, a new factory was built and houses Karsten Manufacturing Corporation, which today makes all Ping Golf equipment in its plant in Phoenix, including putters, irons, woods and hybrid clubs. Ping Golf has grown to be one of the most widely known and respected brands of golf equipment manufacturers in the world.
Written by GolfSwing on December 20th, 2007 with no comments.
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While the beginnings of the game of golf in the United States was still running its course there was no real organization bringing all the players and rules together. PGA golf began as an organization in 1916, as a group put together by Rodman Wanamaker, a department store owner in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Since that time, PGA golf has grown to be synonymous with premium golf.
It is the largest sports organization, boasting over 28,000 members, mostly golf course professionals and the players on the tour. Although many players also belong to the PGA Tour, of which the teach pros are not members. PGA golf hosts 4o professional tournaments each year, along with The Players Championships at courses around the country. PGA golf also runs four major tournaments throughout the year, the Ryder Cup, PGA Championship, the Champions Tour and the PGA Gland Slam of Golf.
The PGA golf senior’s tour includes many of the former touring professionals and the 68th Senior PGA Championship played in 2007 at the Kiawah Island, Ocean Course in South Carolina. The Grand Slam of Golf, previously played in Hawaii, will be played in Bermuda in 2007, marking a few of the recent changes being made in tournament locations.
Foundation Helps Spread Enthusiasm For Golf
The PGA golf Foundation is the resource for helping golf gain popularity through various walks of life and in many communities. By focusing resources on underprivileged children, the foundation hopes to help teach the fundamentals and sportsmanship of the game of golf.
PGA golf also oversees merchandising and licensing to help protect the integrity of the sport. Electronic games licensed by PGA golf revolve around some of the best players in the game and authentic PGA clothing lines must have the quality required to earn the licensing prestige of the PGA. Whether it is hats, vests or trousers, strict specifications must be met.
Offshoots of PGA golf such as the Ladies Professional Golf Association and the Junior Golfers Association all maintain strict player standards and the rules and equipment committees meet regularly to discuss any potential need for changes. Maintaining a close watch on equipment innovations helps maintain a level playing field, with players relying on their skill as opposed to inducements made by equipment.
Television and radio commercials stress the abilities of the professional players and how they can withstand the pressures of their sport. The most recent tagline, “They’re that good” makes a statement of what it takes to belong to the PGA golf tour.
Written by GolfSwing on December 17th, 2007 with no comments.
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Often, for that special person in our lives, we wish to purchase a gift that represents our appreciation and that is something they will find useful. If that person is a golfer you may have already purchased that special golf sweater, shoes or golf cap. The question is what can you get this year that will reflect your sentiments as well as something that they will enjoy.
The answer may be personalized golf balls. Personalized golf balls can be inscribed with the golfer’s name, motivational sayings, a company’s logo, or other individualized messaging.
Golfer’s Name
The giving of personalized golf balls is one gift that is a favorite amongst those individuals who love the game of golf. That personalization can be in the form of the golfer’s initials or their full signature.
In addition to having the name or initials graphically imprinted on the personalized golf balls there are variations in ways this can be accomplished. This personalization can be accomplished using different fonts, colors and can also include monograms.
Motivational Sayings
To excel in any venture, success in that venture often begins in the mind. This motivation can be accomplished by reciting a mantra or disciplining the mind to think successfully. Possible mantras for improving an individual’s golf game could include “drive for success” or “putt with purpose.”
These personalized golf balls not only make great gifts, but can be used to inspire the golfer.
Company Logo
In addition, personalized golf balls can portray a company’s logo and other pertinent information regarding the company. This information could include the company’s branding slogan.
These personalized golf balls, offered by companies or corporations could be an excellent way of advertising the company’s product. In addition, these personalized golf balls could be excellent gifts that could be given to customers or prospective customers. This type of marketing will bring to the individual’s mind your company when they are in need of your service.
Additional Idea
One additional idea for the use of personalized golf balls is the commemoration of special events. For example if a 25th anniversary is being celebrated a wedding photo can be graphically portrayed on a golf ball. Rather than use this golf ball on the links it can sit prominently on an individual’s desk or other place of prominence.
One other special event that could be captured on a personalized golf ball could be a baby’s photograph. This event could be reflected through the use of an actual photograph or a pair of baby booties.
Written by GolfSwing on December 16th, 2007 with no comments.
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Now, I can already hear you saying you already have a fitness program in place – fair enough. What we’re talking about here is a strength training program that is golf specific. We’ll look at the training elements, plan strategies and try to squeeze in some golf too.
Training Elements
In order to establish a strength training program for golf, we start with the basics – health and physical fitness. I’ll let you make your own definition of healthy but will give a working definition for physical fitness. Physical fitness relates to the condition of the human body, in which all organs are functioning normally, with sufficient strength to endure everyday use and occasional stress without adverse effects. Fitness also implies a healthy cardiovascular system and a good muscular and skeletal state of affairs.
Naturally, strength plays a pivotal part in fitness, but a strength training program for golf is something else. We start with fitness and then add task specific exercises – demands for golf are unique and differing from other sports. For example, building a strong chest, back and abs is excellent golf training. Range of motion, flexibility and stretching exercises would be also be included in an intensive golf regimen. To top it off, endurance enhancing leg work, lung capacity and heart work are stressed with a program of gradual progressive overload (GPO).
Make A Plan
The serious golfer will add some or all of the typical workout elements into their strength training program for golf. This includes a trip to the gym three or four times a week. Many country clubs have full gym and spa, so you may be able to find a personal sports trainer onsite. When designing a practical workout schedule, be sure to add cardio workouts and if you are not a runner, add thirty minutes or more of cardio work after each strength training session.
The weight training segments of a strength training program for golf require regular full body workouts with specific attention to chest, shoulders, back and flexibility. It sounds like a lot of work, but take a good look at Tiger Woods next time out and you will see fitness, strength, function, balance and focus.
.Make a plan, adjust if necessary but stick to it!
Let’s Play Golf!
The good news here is that a typical strength training program for golf includes lots of link time – probably three to four rounds a week at a minimum. Good luck!
Written by GolfSwing on December 13th, 2007 with no comments.
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Despite its seemingly simple technique, golf is actually a very hard game to learn how to play well. Like most games, one can learn to play the game and then practice for many, many years and never become a good player of the game. This happens very often in golf because professional training programs for golfers are most often ignored.
Why Is Training So Important
Training is important for everything…from new jobs to new games and new skills. Training is just as important for a game like golf, which might, on the surface, seem quite simple, as it is for a complicated game such as chess. Although most new golfers balk at the cost of professional golf training programs, you might want to think twice about turning down a program of professional golf training before truly starting to play the game on your own.
Many people spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars buying clubs and fancy rolling carts and bags, and then decide to forego private lessons because they’ve already spent so much money up front on equipment and then they have to pay each time to play, and it’s certainly not cheap!
If you make a few well-informed choices about which professional golf training programs you choose to follow, it is possible for the training to become a wise investment instead of a net loss of money. If you ignore professional golf training programs because of the cost, you may become one of the many who let their clubs rust away to uselessness because they are actually embarrassed to be seen on the golf course because of the sheer ineptitude that they display while on the course.
Buying golf training programs made by professionals, such as DVDs, with which to train at home, is, indeed, a less costly option up front, but you may not be able to interpret such training programs well enough to get the results that you need. A professional training program for golfers which is sponsored by your country club or by an area pro shop is guaranteed to produce results; the myriad of devices and DVDs available on today’s market are certainly tempting, but they are missing one essential thing. These devices are missing the human touch that professional golf training programs offer; this personal touch is what makes the training so expensive, but it’s also what makes them worth it.
Written by GolfSwing on December 11th, 2007 with no comments.
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For most people, going on a vacation means taking yourself away from the things that you do on a daily basis and getting to do things that you’ve always wanted to do in your spare time. Even though some people spend a great deal of time on the golf course, it is usually the golf course that is near their home, and therefore is a place that they consider to be something of a daily routine for them. For these people and for those that don’t get to golf very often, going on golf vacations can be something great.
Many Types of Golf Vacations
There are many types of golf vacations that you could go on. First of all, there are several vacations that take you to a golf resort, where you stay right on the golf course. This means that each day you can get up and try your luck on their course. This can be a dream come true to some people who only get to golf on the weekends, or occasionally. Usually, the resorts that you stay at on one of the golf vacations are beautiful resorts that have many amenities to offer you. This can be something quite relaxing for most people, and it can be something that a lot of people find they enjoy.
There are also golf vacations that take you on a tour of a state or a country’s best golf courses. These types of golf vacations might be longer lasting, and will require more traveling. Usually you are booked into the same type of golf resort as in the first type of vacation, but in this one you travel from resort to resort and try out different golf courses. This can be great for someone who wants to get out there and see the world, and who wants to find themselves doing exciting adventure traveling as well.
No matter what kind of golf vacations you go on in your life, there are several things that you are going to want to remember. First of all, bring your best golfing clothes and shoes. You never know what kind of rules and regulations the different golf courses have, so you don’t want to be turned away for not having the proper attire. Also, you are going to want to make sure that you’ve checked up on the different rules of the courses on your golf vacation to be sure you are following them all correctly.
Written by GolfSwing on December 8th, 2007 with no comments.
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All golfers know that in order to have a powerful swing their muscles have to be powerful. It is simply not effective enough to just work on the mechanics of one’s swing; there has to be real power behind the swing if we want the ball to go as far as possible. Most golfers turn to weight training routines; however, golf is very different from your average sport. A very specialized weight training routine especially for golf is needed. Doing a general weight training routine won’t affect golf; at least, we can not take it for granted that any old weight training routine will change your golf game.
Why Is This?
The reason for this, and this stands for all sports and not just golf, is that different muscles are used differently in each sport. While it’s true that real power must be the driving force behind one’s golf swing, it’s also true that the proper muscles must be developed, not just any old muscle that happens to be trained by your particular weight training routine. Golf requires strong upper body muscles, but it also requires balance and good posture. It is for this reason that bench pressing 150 pounds may not have an effect on your golf game. This weight training routine will simply add some bulk to your muscles; it will not help you to develop the finesse that is needed for a good golf swing.
It is for this reason that the best weight training routine for golf just might be a routine that does not include weights in the proper sense of the word. What I’m referring to is the kind of weight training that uses one’s own body weight as resistance. Need proof? Ever seen a male ballet dancer’s thigh muscles through his white tights? Well, male ballet dancers do lift weights to develop upper body strength for carrying and throwing their female partner’s, but those thigh muscles are not from using weights in the gym. Those muscles are quite simply the product of many, many hours of ballet exercises and stretches per day. The only weight involved in these exercises and stretches is the weight of the dancer himself.
The same principle applies to building muscles and improving posture in the name of your golf game. Weight training routines are okay, but they’re not the best way to get the results that you really want on the golf course. A weight training routine for this purpose should be specifically tailored to a golfer’s body’s needs, which is to say that the actual muscular bulk is not the most important consideration; the most important thing is that the muscles be generally strong and have the finesse from good posture to use the muscles to their fullest potential.
Written by GolfSwing on December 5th, 2007 with no comments.
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Keep your head down, stay balanced and do not think too much are the golf tips given more often than any other. On any given day, you can find a multitude of people ready and willing to offer other players golf tips to help them improve their score. However, few of those receiving the tips actually ask for them and many of those giving the tips are not qualified to do so.
When a person is handing out golf tips it is better if that person consistently has a lower score than the golfer receiving the tip. While some golfers, while watching their ball sail into the woods may ask what they are doing wrong, it is usually a rhetorical question. Unless you are the course’s golf pro or being paid to give lessons, they really are not asking for your opinion.
Many weekend warriors are more than ready to accept constructive criticism, especially those on the golf course to have fun. Those that do not take themselves or their golf game, too seriously. Offering them golf tips to help them stay out of an adjacent field may be appreciated. If you are in a position to offer golf tips concerning equipment such as balls, shoes or tees, no one is sure to get upset but constantly handing out advice to a person not scoring too well, is generally frowned on.
Each Day Can Prompt Different Advice
Every person’s golf swing is different and their success at hitting the ball straight and long can vary from day to day. Several golf tips that work today for one person, may not work on another day or for another person. Before you go handling out golf tips, you should think about what is working for you that day, and if your advice is potentially going to create a rift between friends.
Things like keeping your head down and your feet are higher than the ball on the tee may be golf tips that can be accepted. Sometimes when golfers are lining up their shots they become too focused on one thing and ignore others and golf tips can help break that imbalance. However, you should judge the mood of the person to whom you are aiming the advice.
Another thing to remember about golf tips is when you let them slip. Being quiet while a person is addressing the ball is an accepted practice on the golf course and blurting out advice in the middle of their backswing has been known to cause a club to come loose from their grasp, with little control over its direction of travel.
Written by GolfSwing on December 3rd, 2007 with no comments.
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