What is the Diameter of a Golf Hole?
June 20, 2008
What is the diameter of a golf hole and why are they all the same size? - Jim in San Antonio, TX
Well the diameter of a golf hole is 4.25 inches exactly… I’m sure many people have taken a putt only to miss and think to themselves… “If only that hole was just a bit bigger my ball would have slipped right in.” So why was this standard golf hole size chosen to begin with? Here’s the answer. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, issued new rules in 1891 with the purpose of making the game more consistent and one of the ways they decided to accomplish this was to standardize the size of the golf hole. The size that they arrived at became the hole that we are all fond of today with the magic diameter of 4.25 inches.
Actually, this is the end result of the rules that previous incarnation of Royal Musselburgh Golf Club had come up with back in 1829. This led to the creation of the first known hole cutter and believe it or not this ancient ground eater is still in existence and is on display at Royal Musselburgh and was the exact 4.25 inches in diameter that we all are familiar with today. After the great people running the Royal and Ancient Golf Club adopted it into their rules back 1891 and the rest of the world followed.
However, there is a bit of wonder surrounding why the first hole cutter was created at this specific size. But more than likely, it was a totally arbitrary decision. Take that next putting stroke with pride and know you’re hitting your balls deep into a piece of golf history every time you take a putt.
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Left Handed Golf Grip
June 13, 2008
I want to focus on developing my left handed golf grip but I’m have some trouble getting used to holding my club like this. Can you help me out? - Mani in Beaufort, SC
Developing a left handed golf grip is in the best interest of everyone and the same rule applies for developing a strong right handed grip for a pure left handed golfer. This is definitely the case when you are working on perfecting your shot. From my experience, the easiest way for a righty to learn how to hold the club in their left is this. Take your club and while holding it at waist level, hold it in the right hand as you grip it in the left.
The shaft of the club is gripped in the middle with the right hand in the left hand position. Its absolutely necessary to have the leading edge of the club face and the back of the left hand to be as balanced as possible. When your left hand has been set in the correct place, your right hand should take the position which compliments the left.
For this exercise, the driver is the best club that lets you learn as quickly as possible. When you have the ball positioned on the inside of your left side make sure that your body is behind the ball. This position of having a high left hand and a high left shoulder will give you the sensation of being slightly inclined to the right. Your arms need to have enough room to move as you are taking the swing while allowing you to generate the speed that’s required to hit the ball.
There you go, you have just learned to be ambidextrous. Now you can hold your shaft effectively with both hands, great huh? Keep in mind that it takes both sides of your body to give you power in your golf swing and most golf virgins have a lot of difficulty starting out. So use these left handed golf tips and take stroke after stroke until you build up the consistency required to smack a ball far down range with whatever grip you choose.
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Uneven Lies - Accuracy in Golf
May 20, 2008
With uneven lies, whats the trick with being able to keep your accuracy when you hit either a downhill lie or uphill lie? - Mick in Topeka, KS
When hitting uneven lies, your swing pretty much is the same but your setup changes. You will have to hit a downhill lie at a lower trajectory whereas an uphill lie needs for you to take your shot at a higher angle. Its very important to maintain your balance and position your body in such a way which will allow you to keep your body perpendicular to the slope.
To hit a downhill lie make sure to use a club that is one size smaller than normal. This will make the ball able to fly lower off the face of the club and will allow you to shoot farther. A normal reaction is to pull the club up when you make impact in as you try to keep your balance. Basically for an uphill lie this technique is reversed. Use a club that is one size larger than what you would normally use for a shot.
Now the important thing to remember here is when you’re on the back swing, make sure that you support your right leg, meaning that don’t let the knee bow inwards. When you swing down, you need to focus shifting your weight to the left side, while keeping your balance as much as possible which basically forces you to make a full weight shift.
Being aware how to move your body in relation to the slope helps you set your shots up accordingly. After that you just need to make a steady swing that will give you more accuracy in golf and allows you to have more control over the ball. Happy strokes!!
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Beginner Golf Swing Tips - Power Golf Swing
May 15, 2008
Power in your golf swing? How? I’ve gotten my swing down to where the damn thing doesn’t hook or slice but it might as well just be limp in the wind. Tell me how in the world I can get a power golf swing!! - Nick in Reno, NV
Golf Virgin to the rescue dealing out beginner golf swing tips to the virgins of the world!! So you want a power golf swing? Well good for you Nick. I’ll teach you how to swing your shaft in such a way that your balls won’t know what hit them. But not too hard now, believe it or not. If you hit the ball with too much force you will come full circle and start hitting slices and hooks.
Here are some simple steps to follow to get more power in your golf swing. Relax your kung fu grip and forearms, having tight muscles prevents you from being able to have one fluid movement when you take your swing. Also, practice hitting the ball in the middle of the clubface, if you hit the ball on the toe or too high the ball won’t be able to travel nearly as far as a center hit.
Keep your focus on making your swing speed peak at impact, this is simple to understand but kinda hard to apply. Especially if you are accustomed to swinging with that crazy kung fu grip. Those are the steps there Mr. Nick so practice and get yourself to where you can feel the power emanating from your shaft and when you take that shot you will finally posses the almighty power golf swing!!! Happy strokes!!
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Beginner Golf Tips - Golf Club Comparison Chart
April 25, 2008
Where can I find a golf club comparison chart that will show me the golf club loft and golf club lie for irons? - Ivan in Orlando, FL
Absolutely, I’ve made you a golf club comparison chart that will not only compare the club loft and club lie but the golf club length for both medium and long irons.
Hope this helps you select the best iron for your game so get out there and stroke a few into the hole for your favorite Golf Virgin!!
| Golf Iron Comparison |
Loft |
Lie |
Medium Golf Club Length | Long Golf Club Length |
| 9 Iron | 45° | 65° | 35.5″ | 36″ |
| 8 Iron | 40° | 64° | 36″ | 36.5″ |
| 7 Iron | 35° | 63° | 36.5″ | 37″ |
| 6 Iron | 30° | 62° | 37″ | 37.5″ |
| 5 Iron | 25° | 61° | 37.5″ | 38″ |
| 4 Iron | 20° | 60° | 38″ | 38.5″ |
| 3 Iron | 15° | 59° | 38.5″ | 39″ |
| 2 Iron | 10° | 58° | 39″ | 39.5″ |
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Golf Shanks - Why?
April 15, 2008
Can you give me some info on why a golf shank happens? I have a general understanding of it but I don’t know the specifics. - Carl in Grants Pass, OR
Sure I can explain why golf shanks happen.
Go grab your golf club and take a look at the part of the iron where the club face and hosel meet. If you where to take a swing and make contact with the ball in this particular area, the golf ball will shoot off in what is known as a shank.
Now, the interesting part is that in the mind of the golfer, a good reason why a shank golf shot can happen is because the person is making a “push” at the ball rather than driving through it. If you make this pushing stroke with the club, only the grip portion of the club proceeds forward and the club head will lag behind the stroke.
As this happens, the club face will open up which makes it possible for the hosel to make impact with the ball. Basically, when a player makes a shank golf shot, their hands will be in front of the ball as the club head makes contact. This is like a safety move, stemming from a lack of firm confidence in a player’s stroke.
A good analogy would be trying to take a swing at somebody with a club or baseball bat and not believing that you can really hurt them with it.
So you end up making these small timid strikes that do nothing but really piss the other person off. That is pretty much the same thing that is going on here. A shank in golf happens because you have angered the ball and it whizzes off into the blue yonder out of not hitting it with the proper focus and intention.
Now you know Carl, and knowing is half the battle. Refer back to my post on Say Hello to the Golf Shank Fix and learn the steps necessary to banish this demon shot into the bowels of hell for good. Happy strokes!!
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Golf Explained - Etiquette of Golf in 13 Easy Steps
April 3, 2008
Your very own “beginner golf tip girl” the Golf Virgin, felt that it was time to help out with some common sense driven golf course etiquette. She has recently been appalled at stunningly stupid behavior from “people” who should know better.
Here is a nice, quick and easy chart… < - - loves charts, for all of you to fold up in your pocket and carry with you onto the green. You’ve now been forewarned. Learn this simple, etiquette of golf and be saved the misery of wide open mouths staring at you in disbelief. See below - golf explained.
| 1. Arrive at your scheduled tee off time. |
| 2. Be sure to be patient and respect other players on the course as you wish to be respected and don’t make any loud noise. Normal speaking or conversation is ok but hooting and hollering at your buddies isn’t. |
| 3. Check your marker and your ball number in order to avoid confusion during the game. |
| 4. Do not take practice swings on the tee off zone. |
| 5. For the sake of common sense, do not stand close behind, near or in front of any other player and be as quiet as possible when a player is about to take a shot. |
| 6. Normally, the player with the lowest handicap starts the game by taking their first shot. On all other tees the player with the best score out of the previous hole has “the honor”, meaning he has the right to play (with) his ball first. |
| 7. Always be prepared to play your ball in order to avoid any delay in the game and leave immediately after you’ve made your shot. (Sounds like most men doesn’t it?) |
| 8. Don’t play your stroke if other players intend to do their puts on any green in the neighborhood. |
| 9. Don’t take a shot in the direction of another player that may be in hitting distance. See the post why we yell fore in golf for more info. |
| 10. Be kind, nothing will piss off a Superintendent more than not replacing divots or fixing any other damage you cause to the course. And make sure to rake those bunkers back into perfect condition! |
| 11. To avoid looking like someone of lesser intelligence, don’t drive your cart over tee off areas, greens or through a sand bunker. Also, before putting be sure to leave your cart somewhere beside the green, preferably in an area beside the next tee off zone. |
| 12. Try to stand somewhere beside the player who has to do the next shot. |
| 13. If possible, try to observe not only your own but also the balls of the other players in your company. This will help to save time in case one of your partners may not be able to find his ball immediately after his shot. |
I could go on and on and on, especially after some of the absolutely, thoughtless behaviors I’ve witnessed in my time. So now y’all know some quick and easy ways not to look like “fantard” swaggering around, looking for a beating. Use this etiquette of golf and if you don’t hey… don’t be surprised if someone takes their club to your head. Happy strokes!!
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Stretches for Golfers
March 20, 2008
Hi Golf Virgin, do you know of a good golf stretch to help my golf muscles not be so sore after just a few rounds? - Jeremiah in Santa Fe, NM
You’re not asking if there are stretches for golfers because you’re having difficulty holding your shaft with proper form are you? Awww you poor thing… are your golf muscles just cramping up at the worst time possible? Many virgins have had this experience. Jeremiah, I will do my duty and help to alleviate your misery. Read on and I’ll show you a few good ways to get that perfect golf stretch.
For those of you who are not familiar with this sport, believe it or not, there is such a thing as golf muscles. When you take a swing, it uses every major muscle in your body. These golf muscles are absolutely necessary for providing the club head speed that is delivered to the ball at impact. The level of your flexibility and strength is the determining factor in how far you can really hit your drives. I have listed 4 quick stretches for golfers below.
Side Bends
1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and arms at your side
2. Bend to the right keeping your hips facing forward and letting your right arm slide down the outside of your thigh until a stretch is felt along the left side of your torso
3. Hold each stretch for a count of 10
4. Repeat 3 times
5. Reverse arm positions bending to the left and complete steps 1-4 above
Quadriceps Stretch
1. Stand with one arm holding onto a wall or your golf partner
2. With the other hand grasp your ankle and pull your foot behind you toward your buttocks
3. Feel a stretch in the front of your thigh
4. Hold for a count of 10
5. Repeat 3 times on each leg
Hamstring Stretch
1. Sit with your right leg out in front and your left leg bent so your left foot touches your right knee
2. Reach down your right leg until you feel a stretch in the back of your thigh
3. Hold for 10 seconds
4. Repeat times 3
5. Repeat steps 1-4 with your left leg out in front
Trunk Rotation
1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart
2. Bend your arms at your elbows grasping the golf club behind your head
3. Twist your upper body toward the right keeping your hips facing forward
4. Hold for a count of 10
5. Twist your body toward the left and hold
6. Repeat each stretch 3 times
Training your golf muscles with these particular stretches for golfers enables you to develop the power needed to achieve a great swing. Remember, this is a highly dynamic sport that requires balance, coordination, stability and body awareness. You can’t get this just by training on machines alone. If you really do put the time and effort in stretching before you play, you will be surprised and amazed with how quickly your game improves. Happy strokes!!
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Your Nearest Point of Relief in Golf
March 5, 2008
How would I figure out the nearest point of relief? - Nathan in Odessa, TX
Hmmm, well the nearest point of relief is not the bush over yonder where you can urinate after your 8th beer.
The nearest point of relief is the spot where a ball can be played which is nearest to where the original ball lies. This is the closest spot on the course that is away from interference where a player may drop or place their ball.
Now here is an example, if the cart path interferes with your ball, stance or swing, you can move and drop the ball with absolutely no penalty. But you must drop your ball within one club-length of the nearest point where you can stand and swing without interference from the path - so long as you do not move the ball closer to the hole.
This also depends on the length of your club that you are about to take your next shot with so keep that in mind. Look at your ball in relation to the hole and what is causing the interference. Then determine the nearest point that allows you to stand and make the swing that you need for your next shot and this is your nearest point of relief.
P.S. I have recently answered a question about casual water and how this relates to the nearest point of relief. Take a look.
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How Does Casual Water Affect Your Game?
March 3, 2008
Good morning Golf Virgin, would you please give me more info on casual water? - Jae in Shoreline, WA
Casual water is a condition of temporary interference that golfers may encounter from time to time, kinda like when you’re out there hunting around for something strange and happen to find it. Casual water isn’t as fun as a get together with certain types of friends. Still there are some benefits to it. In golf casual water is simply a puddle that has collected in a depression in a fairway or bunker.
Here’s the upside to it, if you were to make a shot and upon arriving at where your ball had landed and you found that it had in fact landed in a puddle, you are allowed by the rules of golf to move it away from the interference which may put you in a better position for you’re next shot. You need to know that you are only allowed to pick up your ball and drop it within one club length of the nearest point of relief, so long as when moving the ball, you are not in fact moving closer to the hole.
There you go, you are covered by this rule to make sure you don’t find yourself in a compromised position. Get out there and stroke away and don’t be worried about if your balls land in some casual water. Have fun.
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