Twitter Updates for 2009-05-29

• Women in Business Networking Mixer at SeaCliff Country Club (Huntington Beach, CA) – Thurs, June 18th, 6-9pm http://twitpic.com/64oee #

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Take Advantage of Great Deals

The economy is hitting our country hard, the golf business has not been spared. Golf club manufacturers are offering very good deals on almost all of their equipment. The deals just keep coming and this has given the opportunity for golfers to replace aging equipment. Many companies are offering a free fairway wood with a driver purchase or a free wedge with an iron set purchase. Some companies are even offering six free balls when you purchase a dozen.

If you are in the market for new clubs now is certainly the time to buy. Just make sure that the equipment you are buying is the properly fit to you. Ask your local PGA Professional for a fitting and have him or her order the clubs in the proper length and shaft flex. You can still take advantage of the manufacturers great deals and get custom clubs for a great price.

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Options From Hazards

It happens to every single golfer at some point.  Shots find a lake, creek, or ravine with the dreaded red or yellow stakes and lines. The only way that this can get worse is you if you compound one mistake with another. This is why it is so important to know all of your options on the course.

First of all check to see what color the stakes, or lines, are around the hazard. There are more options with red stakes than yellow. Remember that there does not have to be water for an area to be marked a hazard and if your ball is in a hazard you cannot ground your club prior to hitting the shot. If you take relief from a hazard it is always a one stroke penalty, but there are many different options and knowing them can save you strokes.

If the ball is in a hazard marked with yellow stakes you have several options. You can play the ball out of the hazard if possible, which should be considered but remember that in most cases it is best to drop the ball under a penalty of one stroke unless you have a high percentage shot out of the hazard. The next option would be to replay the shot from the spot from which it was originally hit. This does not sound like a great option but some times it is the best one. You may also drop the ball keeping the spot where the ball last crossed the hazard line in between you and the hole. You can go back as far as you want so it is best to find a nice even lie if there is a slope near the hazard. A shot that is ten yards longer from a flat lie is much better than a downhill lie closer to the green. Just remember that if the hazard line is yellow you have to keep the spot the ball last crossed between you the and the hole.

If the hazard line is red you have the options above plus two more. You can drop the ball, while incurring a one stroke penalty, within two club lengths of where the ball last crossed the hazard line but no closer to hole. You may also go to the other side of a hazard and drop the ball, must be the same distance to the hole.

Now that you know the options take the time to think it over before just throwing another ball down. Sometime there is such a thing as a good bogey.

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Twitter Updates for 2009-05-22

• Marbella Country Club (San Juan Capistrano, CA) offering special Summer Sport Membership valid from June – Sept. http://twitpic.com/5nkcc #

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Rules of Golf

Reading the USGA rules book is about as fun as waiting in line at the DMV. Unfortunately it is something that every golfer needs to do. I cannot even count how many times I have seen golfers cost themselves strokes by simply not knowing their options. The rules are designed to keep the game fair for every player and even the field.

The USGA offers a quiz online, that can tell you just how well you know the rules. While it is nearly impossible to know every rule, the USGA Decisions book has roughly 1,200, every golfer should know the basics. Over the next few weeks there will be articles covering rules that affect golfers on a daily basis. In the meantime pick up the latest rules book from your local course or online. It is only a couple dollars and can save you countless strokes over the golfing season.

Tags: Rules of Golf
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2010 USGA Modified Groove Rule

If you have watched any TV coverage since last August you have heard Johnny Miller talk about a new groove rule that will take affect on January 1, 2010. Essentially the new rule makes grooves less effective and will reduce the amount of spin that players can impart on the ball. The areas being affected are the depth and shape of the grooves and also the sharpness of the groove edge.

There are a several reasons for the new rule. With the advancement of technology scores on professional tours are lower than ever. Thanks to advanced research and development major golf manufacturers are able to create wedges that will create more back spin making shots out of the rough stop on a dime. This is what makes for some great highlights but some feel it has taken some creativity away from the game, and the USGA agrees. On January 1 of next year the major golf tours of the world will adopt the new groove rule along with all sanctioned USGA, R&A, and Augusta National Golf Club events. If you do not play in any of events, which 99.999% of all golfers don’t, you don’t have to worry about a thing. You can continue to use your current wedges. This rule is aimed towards the elite golfers of the world on major golf tours. So next year look for some more creativity and perhaps an extra bogey or two.

Tags: Golf Rules, New Groove Rule, USGA Groove
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Golf Bunker Shots

Tags: How to Golf
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Creative Practice Makes Perfect

Every person has heard that practice makes perfect. In reality it is often not possible to go to the golf course or driving range several times a week and hit balls or work on drills. Recreational golfers have jobs, family and other responsibilities that are far more important than anything that happens on the course. With some creativity and a couple household items you can practice at home  and still improve your game.

One of the best things for your short game is to practice chipping with a Ping Pong ball. While they are roughly the same size as a golf ball they are obviously too light to cause any damage and have good feedback. First of all make sure you have plenty of room to swing the club without hitting anything breakable. Using a sand or lob wedge practice hitting a Ping Pong ball onto a couch or table. Short game is all about feel and creativity and sometimes you have to get pretty creative when hitting a Ping Pong ball onto a dining table. Practice hitting down on the ball to get it airborne faster with spin and adjust ball position to the back of your stance to keep the ball low. Practice this a couple times a week and you will definitely see results.

If your putting is a concern simply grab a 4×4 that is roughly two feet long. By keeping the heel of your putter against the side of the board you can get the feel of a straight back and straight through putting stroke. This is a great drill when you cannot log time on the putting green, it is also a great drill at the course. Great players often do this drill for hours without hitting a single golf ball. The repetition of the stroke is what matters when the pressure is on.

Next time you feel you need to get some practice in but just can’t find the time to get to the course just get creative. By practicing twenty minutes a day or even every other day at home you will see improvement.

Tags: creative ways to improve your golf game at home
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Play Smart to Avoid Hazards

This week the PGA Tour is at the Players Championship. Played on a Pete Dye design, the course has dozens of hazards along with deep rough and fast greens. On courses like this strategy is as important as any aspect of the golf swing. On a very tough course the key is to hit from tee to green without short siding yourself. Pete Dye is notorious for little quirks on his golf courses that can cause mayhem but also make the course look spectacular.

While watching coverage you will notice the announcers saying things like “left is absolutely dead” or “there is major trouble left of the green”. This is why you will see a lot of shots short of the hole and in the middle of greens. This is an excellent strategy to take with you on an average round.

Amateurs tend to try to attack every pin hoping for the miraculous shot ending with a tap in birdie. More often than not this will leave a difficult shot around the green. So try playing to the middle of the green for a couple rounds. This will allow more room for error and will save you strokes.

Tags: cut golf strokes by choosing clubs better, importance of golf course management, play smart to avoid hazards
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The Importance of Distance Control

As a golfers ability progresses, there are several things that improve greatly. The short game sharpens and less mistakes are made. One of the most important factors in golf occurs when you pull a club out of your bag. Studies have shown that amateur golfers do not know how far they actually hit their clubs, and when they say they do they are often times way off. Nearly every golfer over a five handicap does not hit enough club on most of their shots. This leaves them with difficult shots at an awkward yardage and piles strokes on the score card.

While swings between professionals and amateurs are very different, their mental and strategic approaches are what separate them from the thousands of great golfers in the world. Professionals do not care if they have to hit an eight iron from 130 yards if that is what the situation calls for.  They would rather have a putt for birdie rather than hitting a PW and a bunker shot. So spend a couple hours at a driving range that has several yardage markers. Hit all of your clubs and figure out what your real distances are, not what you want your buddies to think. Write them down until you can remember them all. This will help advance your game and lower your score. If you need to hit more club then do it. When you shoot your lowest round, your buddies aren’t going to care what club you pulled.

Tags: how to find the right golf club for the right shot, the importance of distance control in golf
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