Monthly Archives: May 2009

Beyond the Golf Course

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If you look at any of the top golfers like Tiger Woods, you will not only notice the quality of their golf games but also marvel at their fantastic fitness levels. It is just proof of the fact that golf fitness not is very much part of the games just like mastering your swing or your putting is. If you would like to participate competitively at the highest levels of the game, you have to have a regular workout routine, watch what you eat and focus completely on the game. You also need to look at different angles of playing the game, develop golf strategies, pursue it on the golf course and then see how you polish it up before your next game.

Many of your friends may still snicker at golf being called a tough game, both physically and mentally. However, there have been considerable changes in the game since the old days. While there may not be much physical running around or physical contact, you do need to have tremendous physical stamina to be able to hit the ball regularly to distances of 300 or more yards. Further, if you are playing on big golf courses that easily cover over 7000 yards, you can see the level of fitness you need to reach in order to be able to complete the course in reasonable time.

While you do need to work on your stroke-play, one also needs to plan on how to play the game strategically. If you watch any game closely especially the top level ones, you will notice that the difference between the top three is usually not more than a stroke per round. Although this may not seem like much but in the final analysis, this makes a difference between the winner and the losers, not to mention the cash-prize, the headlines and endorsements that usually follow the winner.

Therefore, you will often hear professional golfers talking, not just about improving their swing or their driving but more importantly on how they try to stick to their plan and focus on various tactics for each hole. You will find them playing for every position, attacking certain holes while for some, you will find them backing off. This helps them maximize whatever advantages they have in terms of their strokes. If you do not have a well-thought out strategy, you may find yourself just one stroke behind at the beginning of the round but will soon start falling behind even more.

Get in to the habit of planning a strategy for every hole before you get on to the course. Knowing your game well helps, as you are aware of what your strengths and weaknesses are. Use this and try to maximize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. Try and understand which hole offers you the best chance considering your stroke play – play attacking golf for that hole. Some may offer trickier positions for you – learn to play defense there and do not let go of any advantages that you have derived so far.

You may feel that since it is highly unlikely that you will be competing for the US Open, mental strategy may not matter as much. However, giving a little more thought to how you should approach each hole, for example, the way you play various strokes will help you be prepared when you are to take the stroke. You will be able to successfully visualize yourself making a good stroke and that will translate into reality. In fact, it has also been noticed that people with a high handicap will benefit from more mental strategies than professionals for whom such thinking may come more naturally. You could easily pick up two to three strokes in each round and that will make enormous difference in your confidence and in your enjoyment of the golf game.

As we mentioned earlier, the key tactic in your mental strategy should be visualization. Visualization is a key to having a positive mental attitude when you start off on any round. Close your eyes and try to see in your mind, a perfect picture of the ball going the distance you want it to or falling gently into the hole. Do not dwell too much on your drawbacks at this time. See the ball going in the exact direction and to the exact spot you want it to.

This way you are trying to train your mind to see only positive results. Your mind will then will your body to mimic the same result. This is why it is very important that you focus only the positive aspects of your game and not the negative. When you have the mental image of a successful shot, you will also experience a sense of accomplishment. This is the key to your being able to convert this mental image into reality. Keep this feeling of accomplishment and focus on the mental image till you have completed your shot.

Of course, your shot is not going to go to the spot you intended to every time. There will be hits and misses. If you have had one bad shot, just forget about it for the time being and move on to the next shot in a positive mindset and with a positive attitude. Repeat the same process for this shot.

Keep practicing this visualization technique every time, before you start the game and before every shot. Gradually, this will become second nature to you and the number of good strokes will soon start to outnumber the bad ones.

Golfing Gear – not just clubs

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Golf now is as well known for the excitement it generates as for the accessories that are turning into style statements themselves. A golfer has lot to choose from – little novelty toys to sophisticated organizational tools, which may range from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. These can be found in many places including in stores and on the Internet.

You can probably find suitable accessories for every aspect of the game. For example, there is a huge variety of golf clubs from various brands. Again, the golf clubs require various accessories for cleaning, protection or for enhancing them. Some of these accessories include cleaning kits, club grips and also protective covers for the club heads. You can find head covers to suit your taste. If you prefer something stylish, you may get ones that can be labeled with your family crest or even a monogram. On the other hand, if you prefer a causal look, you can get one with animal shapes or just plain shapes. There are a large number of golf club grips as well for you to make your choice. There are standard universal grips but one can get customized golf grips as well.

Similarly, all golf balls and tees may look the same to you. However, if you look carefully, you will be surprised at the amazing variety in them as well. You can pick up a bag full of absolutely generic tees without giving it a second thought or you could invest in some fancy personalized tees, which can be made in any color that you like. Though traditionally, one always went in for wooden tees, you can now get rubber or brush tees which are claimed to possess more accuracy and are supposed to last longer than the traditional ones. Similarly, golf balls also come in various colors and various brands claim that theirs is more accurate than the others.

A sunglass is very much a part of a golfer’s personality. You can choose between sunglasses or caps or visors or combinations of both. If you live and play in a sunny climate, you will certainly need one on you all the time. Even otherwise, one is hard pressed to find a golfer without at least a golfing cap on. It may be helpful to pick up one of those wrap-around sunglasses that come with special lenses that protect against harmful UV radiation. Of course, one should be careful that these sunglasses have a clear view of the ball and the course. An umbrella is another useful accessory that you may find many carrying around since it provides protection against both the sun and the rain.

Golf towels are another essential part of golfers’ equipment. In fact, many golfers have their ‘lucky’ towels with them for years together. Towels of course, have their utility value but more importantly it allows many to personalize some aspects of their game by having their names or company names on them.
Some of the other miscellaneous golf accessories include ball cleaners, ball retrievers and other maintenance products that go a long way in keeping you golfing equipment in shape for years to come.

As we mentioned earlier, golf accessories can be found in any professional golf shop at any course. However, you can also take a look at some of the online golf shops that offer better varieties, state-of-the-art brands and great bargains.

Taylor Made Golf Company

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Taylor Made Golf is one of the largest companies that manufacturers golf club, balls, and accessories for the serious golfer. Founded in 1979 by Gary Adams, an entrepreneur who also started Founders Club and McHenry metals, Taylor Made has grown into a name synonymous with golf greatness.

While working as a salesman for Witteck Golf, Adams noticed that the new two piece balls performed better on irons than on true woods. This led him to develop the Taylor Made metal wood. The driver caught on quickly and Taylor Made has been a leader in hollow metal woods ever since.

Taylor Made continues to make innovations in the area of golf club design. They have come out with new hybrid golf clubs that are lighter and easier to swing. The drivers that Taylor Made produces are made of materials that make them easier to hit and as the club faces get larger and larger, Taylor Made has also joined in on the craze.

Many golfers, amateurs and professionals alike, swear by Taylor Made clubs. Their constantly improving design and performance have made them favorites on the pro circuit. Golfers are finding that they can get some real distance with Taylor Made drivers and their irons perform very well too.

Besides some of the greatest golf clubs in the world, Taylor Made also manufactures its own line of golf balls as well as producing Maxfli golf balls. Their two-piece balls come in a variety of specialized weights and compressions which can help you hit the ball farther and with more accuracy. Of course, that does depend somewhat on your swing as well!

Recently, Taylor Made acquired the Adidas corporation and are now adding golf shoes to their lineup of products. Their bags are durable and are a favorite among many golfers today. The present company is known as Taylor Made-Adidas Golf.

If you want to own a set of Taylor Made golf clubs, be prepared to pay quite a price for them – especially if you are buying them new. But know that you are making an investment in your golf game and will be paying for quality clubs that can last you for a very, very long time.

Taylor Made’s drivers, hybrids, and fairway woods are used by more professionals than any other brand. There’s a reason why the pros choose Taylor Made for their club selections.