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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Beginner Golf Tips - Key to Golf Ball Spin
May 19, 2008
Teach me how to put spin on a golf ball, please? Very new to golf and watching my friends do it over and over with ease makes me want to learn how. Many thanks!! - Jim in Trinidad, CO
Strangely enough, putting spin on a golf ball happens whenever you hit the ball. The key here is obvious, learn how to do it when you want or need to. Through practice, practice, practice and a ton of dedication you will know how to spin a golf ball at will. Having golf ball spin is highly useful, especially to keep your score down. So here are some simple steps to apply that are key to golf ball spin.
Stand with your feet closer together. Position yourself in such a way that the ball is as close to your back foot, as possible. Make sure to use a 60° wedge, also known as a flop wedge is recommended for playing such a shot. A sand wedge can be used in emergency. When you take your swing, you need to swing your club on steeper plane to where you make impact directly at the bottom of the ball.
Don’t let yourself become distracted though by watching your friends putting spin on a golf ball. They have definitely worked themselves to the point where they can make it look so easy and that is something that should be admired rather than envied. Remember to let yourself focus on what you want to achieve but don’t be too attached to the result.
Worrying about it while you are taking your swing will do nothing but frustrate you and hold you back. So follow those simple steps you and will have the key to golf ball spin whenever you need it. Also, you may want to check out my other posts on this subject to get more information and a broader perspective of how its done. Check out How to Put Spin on a Golf Ball and Making Golf Spin Happen. Happy strokes!!
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Beginner Golf Swing Tips - Golf Tempo Training
April 23, 2008
Hey Golf virgin, what are some good golf tempo training tips that I can use to develop my swing? - Dolph in Bowling Green, KY
Absolutely, come here and I’ll reach into my bag of beginner golf swing tips for your pleasure. Consider this, one of the most overlooked areas in a player’s game is their golf swing tempo or what is also known as golf swing rhythm. This relates to the your ability of swinging a club at a consistent pace.
However, golf tempo training is something that can be difficult to master because you have to develop a keen awareness of how you are swinging your club. From experience, I have caught myself many times whipping through a stroke mindlessly without paying close attention to my golf swing tempo. Yet one of the best ways I have heard it described is simply this. Every one has their natural swing speed and you have to let your body feel it.
So get your club ready Dolph.
For this drill you will need to tee up 4 balls in a row. Now, for the one closest to you, I want you to hit the ball with a quarter of your normal swing speed. Regardless of how your first shot turns out. I want you to immediately step up and address the next ball.
But what I want you to do now is swing at half of your swing speed. Pay close attention here because for beginners it can be difficult to discern what the difference is between full power and hitting a ball at three quarters of your swing speed. Now do it, hit the third ball with as close to 75 percent of your swing speed as is possible. Last, to know the full range of your power, I want you to whack that fourth ball as hard as you can.
After you have run through this drill several times you will notice when your swing starts to speed up or slow down. But keep in mind to not become attached to the outcome of your swing, whatever it may be. Something I recommend reading is my post on the mental side of golf. The sole purpose of this is to gain a deeper understanding of your natural rhythm and is perfect for golf tempo training. Over time you will discover that with a more consistent golf swing tempo you will be able to hit farther and longer shots. Happy strokes!!
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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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Average Club Distance
March 31, 2008
Hey, can you help out with a beginner golf tip? What is the average club distance that I should looking for? It’s seems like almost everyone can shoot farther than I can and I want to know how to improve. - Hagen in Emporia, KS
Great question there, and a simple beginner golf tip is this.
I love charts, and there is a quick one below that provides a guide to measure by. This is a simple format that generally states what the normal yardages are for both amateur men and women golfers using a particular club. But remember this isn’t the end all and be all of the average club distance someone should expect. The ranges are pretty large, and represent short hitters, mid hitters and long hitters.
| Club | Men | Women |
| Driver | 200-230-260 | 150-175-200 |
| 3-wood | 180-215-235 | 125-150-180 |
| 5-wood | 170-195-210 | 105-135-170 |
| 2-iron | 170-195-210 | 105-135-170 |
| 3-iron | 160-180-200 | 100-125-160 |
| 4-iron | 150-170-185 | 90-120-150 |
| 5-iron | 140-160-170 | 80-110-140 |
| 6-iron | 130-150-160 | 70-100-130 |
| 7-iron | 120-140-150 | 65-90-120 |
| 8-iron | 110-130-140 | 60-80-110 |
| 9-iron | 95-115-130 | 55-70-95 |
| PW | 80-105-120 | 50-60-80 |
| SW | 60-80-100 | 40-50-60 |
There are, of course, people who hit it longer, just as there are people who hit it shorter, so don’t become attached to a certain number. Don’t be too hard on yourself, if you haven’t spent that much time golfing be patient and realize that it takes time to get your average club distance up to where you aren’t thinking about it so much. Then again this is something that we can all strive to improve upon, myself included.
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Golf for Lefties
March 25, 2008
I’m a lefty and I’m having a real hard time learning this sport. Can you give me some left hand golf tips? - Harry in Louisville, KY
Sure I can Harry and you know why? I speak from experience, I am a left handed golfer and this is something that I have struggled with since the start. But I am determined and passionate about not letting anything get in the way of what I set my mind to achieve. Therefore, I will lead the way with a few left hand golf tips and help all my fellow lefties gain some peace of mind.
Strangely enough, when a left handed golfer starts out many of them will actually try to golf right handed! Most likely this can be do in part because they do not know any better and will use a friend’s set of clubs to test out the game and see if it may be something that they are interesting in pursuing.
But for some, even if they were to have a much easier and enjoyable experience, still use right handed clubs because they have been playing with them for so long and feel uncomfortable changing to something else.
The best tip for a left handed golfer is simply this. You need to play the game using your natural swing with left handed clubs and seek good, quality instruction from a teaching pro that can tailor their instruction to fit your game and to help you play successfully. When you’re looking for the right instructor, make sure that you ask to see if they can teach a left handed golfer and if they don’t if they would know someone who could.
Being left handed makes it a lot harder to find quality equipment that can suit your needs so you need to be very careful when choosing your clubs. If you have the opportunity, try searching around for a pro golf shop that carries a comprehensive selection of clubs.
Harry, all you need is a little faith in yourself. Don’t be dismayed but what others might consider as something that will get in their way of enjoying this sport. Remember that golf for lefties is possible and above all you’re in good company.
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The Importance of Your Grip in Golf
March 4, 2008
Hi, I wanted to know how important it was to have a good grip in golf and if that can really improve a person’s game. - Dale in Tempe, AZ
Dale, don’t you know that having a tight grip in golf is highly beneficial to the overall experience of making a great shot? Dale… you definitely are a virgin but I can help. Think of it like this. If you were to grip the golf club in your fingers and make a circular movement with your wrists, you will begin to understand the range of motion that this gives you. When you make a shot, this freedom of movement translates into your ability to have better control when you swing.
However, if you hold the club in your palms, it will feel uncomfortable and will affect how well you are able to play. As you grip the golf club in your fingers allow your hands to come together. When you take your swing, you really want your hands to work together and not fight one another and keep your fingers as close together as possible.
Think about other activities that you do on a daily basis with your hands and fingers that require a lot of coordinated movement. Now to develop golf grip finger strength, the simplest thing that you can do is go to the store and buy a couple squeeze balls. These are excellent for strengthening your fingers and improving your golf grip strength by leaps and bounds. Simply squeeze the balls, hold and then release in three sets of 15 for both hands.
Now Dale, you have the have the perfect option for improving your game. Grab your balls, imagine the perfect swing and squeeze.
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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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Never Hit Fat Golf Shots Again
February 27, 2008
I wanted to know if you could give me some advice on how I can stop hitting fat golf shots. I think I might have to change the local course I’m fond of because the superintendent isn’t too happy with me taking big chunks out of his green. Thanks in advance!! - Charles in Reno, NV
Hmmm… so you have a tendency to hit fat balls. I see. Well Charles, do you think your problem might exist on a deeper level? Even if it does, I’ll do my best to help. Typically, fat golf shots happen when the club hits the ground way too soon. This creates a cushion of dirt and grass in between the clubface and the ball and this pretty much kills the shot. To top it off you feel a horrible rattle as your club head strikes the ground and a nice chunk of green goes flying.
Tough situation to be in, especially when you have the course superintendent scowling at you like you’re a bumbling reject. To stop hitting the golf ball fat, the next time you are at the range, make a mark to measure where your swing actually makes impact by putting a tee even with your golf ball and parallel with the direction that your club is facing at a distance of 1 inch before the ball.
Take your normal shot and then compare your divot to where the tee is. You will probably see that the golf club made contact with the ground way behind the tee. This shows that you are definitely hitting behind the ball. So to improve, keep working this exersise and add 1 more step. Focus on hitting down but not too steeply on the back of the golf ball.
How I learned was by actually picking out a particular dimple on the ball to keep my eye on. Putting this technique together with making a mark of 1 inch before the ball with a tee helped me with this problem when I was starting out and hitting fat balls left and right.
Now you know what to do to quit hitting those fat shots in golf. After you improve maybe the super will look at you with a little bit of respect and you will get to stay at the course you are so fond of. Happy Strokes!!
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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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