Proper Golf Set Up
April 30, 2008
How important is the golf set up? I have been playing this game on and off and want to know your advice on how to improve. Thank you!! - Havler in Issaquah, WA
Havler, the golf set up is key if you are serious about improving your game and this is the foundation for success. Yet building a solid fundamental skill set in this area is one of the most overlooked aspects of the game. I’ve found myself guilty of this a few times, especially when I’m solely focused on hitting better and farther shots but not paying close attention to the step by step process that will get me there. Again, this is absolutely needed to develop a consistent golf swing.
Anyone who has had any mentionable success at this sport is fully aware of the important building blocks of a great golf set up.
When you address the ball, you have to have a proper posture and foot placement. This allows you to maintain your balance throughout the swing. A good set up allows you to remain in balance when swinging and enables you to hit the ball perfectly in the center of the clubface.
You see, this helps you to create power and develop the control of where the shot lands. Your body alignment along with the ball position put into effect the conditions that will give you this control. The way your body is aligned when you address the ball has a direct relation to the path and angle on which you swing the club.
Consider this, wouldn’t it make perfect sense to be in the best position possible in relation to the ball? If you are not working from this solid foundation, how can you hit a consistent golf swing and transfer your intention of making that perfect drive into the ball? This puts you in the position of control and makes it so much incredibly easier to make an accurate shot without hamstringing yourself before you even begin.
I’ve learned my lesson and when I see myself spacing out and thinking of those high and lofty dreams, I bring myself back to earth and focus on the steps that will get me there. Happy strokes!!
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How a Golf Fade Works
April 28, 2008
Would you explain to me how to make a golf fade works and how it’s different from a slice? - Jeff in San Antonio, TX
A fade in golf is a term given to the flight path of a golf ball as it comes off the clubface. The trajectory of the ball will move from the left of your intended target before it curves slightly back to the right. How a golf fade can get confused with a slice in golf is simple to understand especially for beginners. Basically a slice is a severe and unintended curve of the golf ball to the right.
Now to fade a golf ball you should align your body to the left of the target and point your clubface directly at the target and here are 4 easy steps to follow that will help you produce a golf fade to envy.
Step 1
Set your clubface square to the ball. Hold the very tight in the bottom three fingers of your left hand.
Step 2
Aim your feet and shoulders to the left of the target making sure the clubface is still square.
Step 3
Because you are aiming your body towards the left except for the club, it should force you to make an out-to-in swing path. Aim to hit the ball at a 2 o’clock angle.
Step 4
Now on the downswing your focus should be on bringing the club back across the ball, with your angle of attack brought down on the 2 o’clock position of the ball which should give you a feeling of your right hand coming underneath the shot.
After you make this method your own, you can fade a golf ball whenever you need it and use it as a tool to set you up for that perfect putt. 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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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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A Clean Golf Club - Beginner Golf Tips
April 16, 2008
Hey Golf Virgin how much effect do you think it has if you don’t have a clean golf club? - Paul in West Point, MS
Oooo… by that question alone I can smell your virginity! Take some beginner golf tips right here and realize the essential need of a clean golf club. Paul, its of vital importance to keep the head of your golf clubs clean because the grooves are what help put spin on the ball.
Now, after playing game after game with out cleaning your golf clubs, the grooves become packed with dirt and the clubface contact with the ball is reduced. The accuracy of your shots will decrease significantly as a result of having all that dirt embedded in the grooves.
The best way I’ve found to clean this is by using a wire brush with some soapy water. By using the brush, you can slide it into those little grooves and get out all of the dirt which I’m positive has built up by now. Click on the link for the exact instructions on how to clean your golf clubs and after you’ve finished reading that click on the following link to learn where you can find golf ball washers out on the course.
Paul, since you clicked on both of those links, which I’m sure you have… both your shaft and your balls will be sparkling clean. Happy strokes!!
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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 Skins Game
April 14, 2008
Tell me what a golf skins game entails would ya? All this back and forth about golf betting games makes me wana gamble and lose my ass. - Jae in Terrel, TX
Haha, gamble away! It’s fun, and really easy to do with a good golf skins game. So Jae, here is how you do it. Got your wallet ready? Alright a skins game in golf is simply were you and a friend or a group of friends go head to head in a sort of match play. Each hole is worth points of a predetermined value, or a set dollar amount.
For the player that does win the hole, he is said to have one the “skin” and however much that hole is worth. Here is where it can get really competitive. If there is a tie and no one wins a hole, then the value of that hole is carried onto the next one and so on and so forth, compounding the value of the holes until one player wins.
As an quick example, say you and your buddy have your wallets stuffed and are eager to lose. A nice skins game in golf might start off at say $10 bucks a hole. If out of either too much alcohol, lack of skill… or even an act of the “golf gods“… or heaven forbid all the above - 5 out of 6 holes are played without a winner and on that 6th hole, your buddy wins. I’m sure you wouldn’t be too happy of him, now would you? No you wouldn’t. See how fun this can get?
Honestly, I find this to be one of the more entertaining golf betting games simply because of all the factors that can come into play where there is a huge lot to be won. Out of the blue it seems, you will observe friends sweating for no obvious reason, shaking like a crack fene having a fit of the yips and… maybe even shouting obscenities for the most trivial of causes. What could be more fun Jae?? Happy strokes!!
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What is Nassau Golf?
April 10, 2008
You mentioned match play in your last answer but what I have always wondered about is nassau golf. Some people say it’s a type of golf game based off a bet but I’m not sure, could you help please? - Jena in Edgemont, SD
You’re pretty much there, Nassau golf is a popular tournament format that consists of 3 separate tournaments in one. These 3 bets are combined together into one game. The most common Nassau golf game is betting on the front nine for $2, the back nine for $2 along with the 18-hole total that is worth another $2.
Keeping score in Nassau is practically the same thing as in match play golf but then again the players ultimately decide which scoring system to use. The team or player with the most points at the end of each 9 holes will win that side and from there, both the front and back 9 holes are totaled for the 18 hole award.
And naturally by using the joy of simple math, if you are a skilled golfer, a whopping $6 will be your prize. Cool huh?
You might be thinking that if you are going make a Nassau golf bet, you might as well make it worth your time right? Well, there is something that is called to press the bet, or pressing the bet. Basically, for each tournament that is originally $2 per 9 holes, a single player or a team can up the ante and raise the bet for that particular 9 holes or altogether on the 18 hole tally. Usually this is just another $2 added to the original bet but it is up to the player’s discretion.
Becareful though becasue this can lead to some pretty high stakes. Of course its depending on a person’s or a team’s level of enthusiasm to combine alcohol, golf, betting and money. Choose wisely. Happy strokes!!
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Match Play Golf
April 8, 2008
Hi, can you tell me what match play golf is please? Thanks. - David in Los Alamos, NM
Match play golf is one of the main forms of competition play. This type of game puts players against one another as golfers compete to win at individual holes. The player who wins the most holes is the one that wins the match and this differs considerably from stroke play.
Each match play score for a player is added up through out the game. With the beginning of a match, the score is “all square” or tied. Then the score is recorded in terms of one player’s lead over another. If a player is ahead by or wins more holes than what is left to play, the player is the winner. Also, remember in matchplay that the player furthermost from the hole always plays first. This is especially true on the putting green.
You are not allowed to putt if your opponent’s ball is still “live” and furthest away from the cup. However, you can pick up your ball up if you are given a conceded putt by your opponent. With all the interesting variations in playing golf, you will definitely never get bored with this sport and will always have the opportunity to learn something new. Happy strokes!!
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