How to Chip a Golf Ball
April 17, 2008
Hey can you tell me how to chip a golf ball please? - Steve in Dover, TN
Basically, a chip shot is a putt that has a short flying start. For this you will need a club that has a low loft. This will range from a 4-iron to a 7-iron and will allow the ball get up and over onto the putting surface. Now, as you are holding your club, its best to move your hands towards the bottom of the handle.
Also, you should hold the shaft in a more vertical way as if you were holding a putter. From here simply make a straight-back and straight-through movement at the ball as you take your stroke. This will utilize the loft of the club and will send the ball towards the hole.
Another way you can try chipping a golf ball is to move the handle forward a small amount where you put some more weight on your forward foot. If you are feeling ambitious and want to go after that longer hole, use a club like a 7-iron. You would follow the same steps of taking a simple, straight-back and straight-through motion.
This chipping stroke will send the ball up into the air and again, as it lands it will roll it’s way onto the hole. I find this to be an excellent choice when I’m too far away to take a putting stroke while at the same time being too close to launch a ball with a driver. Happy strokes!!
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In the Leather
March 17, 2008
Golf Virgin, I saw your answer earlier and I wanted to know if “in the leather” is similar to what you talked mentioned about a conceded putt? - Don in San Diego, CA
Well, the term in the leather has nothing to do with certain types of risqué practice that some people enjoy. And yes you are correct in your thinking of this being similar to a conceded putt, where one player allows the other making the putt to move on as if the putt had been holed.
In the leather is a slang expression for a short putt, no longer than the distance from your putter head to putter grip when laid flat on the green. Be friendly to your buddies because you never know when you might find yourself all tied up.
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Are Balata Balls for Virgins?
March 8, 2008
Hey Golf Virgin, I have heard about balata balls from my friends and I wanted to know if they were better? - Ivan in Bay City, MI
Gosh, I love virgins… so naive… so willing to try new and interesting ways of doing things. Has listening to your buddies talk about their balata golf balls and how much better they feel got you curious hun?
Balata balls are covered by a substance derived from the gum of the “Bully” or Balata tree of the West Indies and Northeastern South America. These types of balls are said to have more “action” or spin to them along with a better feel but not necessarily the distance of other balls. Here is something that you should remember though, beginners should avoid these because they are not as durable due to the covering and can be more expensive.
Just keep playing with the golf balls you have right now and soon, one day… you can open your package of fresh new balata golf balls and with your nice and shiny balata putter, sink one deep into the 18th hole for The Golf Virgin. Enjoy!!
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The Plumb-Bob Technique
March 7, 2008
Can you tell me what a plumb-bob is and how you do it? - Steve in Monroe, LA
A plumb-bob, plumbbob, or even plumbing bob for those who may not be familiar with this golf term is actually pretty simple. Basically this helps you figure out the most likely break of a putt by holding your putter vertically in front of the line and then staring at it for a long period. Wow, so much fun… holding your shaft in line with your ball and staring down the hole.
Here is how you plumb-bob. Standing behind your ball and in line with the hole, look through your dominant eye and hold the putter steady. Now hold your shaft to where it hangs vertically and in line with the ball, if you’re a normal human then this should be easy to understand… If the hole appears to be on one side of the shaft, then your putt will break in that direction. After you determine the break, focus on your goal and take your putt.
There you go Steve, that is how you go about plumb bob putting. Remember though that it is very important to be sure of your line before you stand over any putt. Doing so will allow you take stroke after stroke with pure confidence.
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How to Get the Best Putting Stroke Possible and Some Putting Tips to Boot
February 25, 2008
This may seem like a real amateur question, but I am having a heck of a time with my putter stroke. It’s not so much that I freeze up but I have this strange tendency to space out right before. I really try to make the best putting stroke possible but it always seems that the ball gets right to the edge and just sits there. What can I do to improve? - Frank in Boise, ID
That definitely is a bad situation to be in, now as far as you spacing out right before you putt… I would say that you should probably cut back on certain things that inhibit you concentration. You know what I’m talking about.
Grab a couple of small pieces of wood about 8 inches long by half an inch wide. If you have a couple wood rulers laying around, those would be perfect for this. Now take these with your putter and some balls and go out to your local putting green. What you want to do is line up the two pieces of wood in front of where you will take your stance and these should point in the direction in which you are going to putt.
However, leave them far enough apart that your putter head has about a half inch clearance on either side. These two pieces of wood will form an alley that your putter head and golf ball will travel down. Now take practice putts from 5 to 10 feet in length and focus your mind on taking the putter back straight and following through with shooting the golf ball as straight as possible through this alley. The purpose is to not make contact with the pieces of wood so you can develop your putting stroke.
I have found out through my own experience as well as with helping other virgin golfers that if you are very inconsistent, this technique can really help you get the putter moving in the correct motion. Keep in mind that this will also improve your direction control during your putter stroke.
Frank, by using this simple technique, you will keep your balls from stopping and hanging right at the edge of the hole and sink that putt time and time again. We all know how frustrating that can be when you get so close…
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Whats the Limit to the Number of Golf Clubs in a Bag
February 21, 2008
Dear Golf Virgin… A friend of mine and I were talking the other day and we were going back and forth about the limit to the number of golf clubs in a bag. Could you help clear this up for me? - Joe in Arlington, VA
How cute, so you two are arguing about the legal number of golf clubs in a bag you can carry around so you have a choice of what you bang your little white balls into a hole with? Well, ok that’s a valid question… I suppose.
The rules of golf allow you to carry 14 clubs in your bag during tournament play, so many golfers will add another iron or a specialty wood. Also, remember that the putter is considered to be one of the clubs as well so keep that in mind. You know, the more tools you have available the easier it is to sink that ball as deep as possible.
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