Archive for the ‘golf tips for beginners’ Category
Golf at Trump National – Colts Neck, New Jersey
I had the opportunity to play Trump National Golf Course located in Colts Neck, NJ this past Friday. I must admit that Donald Trump knows how to do things one way, top notch. The course was taken over by the Trump Organization a short time ago and was revitalized to the tune of approximately $10,000,000 in upgrades.
The one upgrade that impressed me the most was the addition of a 19th hole situated at the rear of the club house just off the dining veranda. The hole is scheduled to be completed by the end of June. Anyone having lunch or enjoying a beer or other libation after the golf round can watch the golfers hit their golf balls onto the green or in the water as it is an Island Green for all intents and purposes. This is a fun innovation where all the bets made during the golf round will be doubled or lost, depending on who can handle the pressure better. Donald Trump has added another fine golf course to his portfolio and I look forward to playing there again soon. Happy Golfing to All!
When hitting golf balls at the range make sure to perform your set up routine for each shot as if you were actually on the golf course. This is an invaluable tip for bettering your game. Many golfers, especially beginners go to the range and just hit balls without aiming at a target or having a goal in mind.
For your next session at the driving range make use of the time there to work on even a single aspect of your game. Whether it be your chipping, long irons, woods, driver or other part of your game that is giving you the most problem, concentrate on improving for your next time out on the course. If you visit the range about once a week you will be surprised how fast you will lower your scores on the golf course. Happy Golfing to All!
Since more than half the strokes of your total golf score are made on or around the putting green it pays to spend some time working on your putting skills. In past seasons I have been a streaky putter meaning some days I’m off and others I drop every putt I hit into the cup. Naturally the latter is the preference and lately I made some changes in my set up and technique that have made me more consistent and better when on the green.
Speed and Direction are the two key components to the putt but you have to be able to read the slope of the green to determine direction. The read and speed will come mostly from practice and experience as each green is different. The techniques I now utilize to aid with consistency are the following: 1) Use the writing on the golf balls to place your ball on line with the read you determined after viewing the slope of the green.
2) View the slope of the green from at least two directions
3) Keep your head down until your hear the golf balls drop into the cup or until well after the ball is struck with the putter. {Fore: If you pick your head up too quickly it may pull you off line on the follow thru which is critical for good consistent putts}
4) Wedge your left elbow into your left side and use your shoulders and arms in a pendulum motion as you start your putt and hold this position until you finish the stroke.
Try these different methods and see if they help your game on the green. Happy Golfing to All!
I’ve always been a proponent of golf etiquette from the time of my first golf round. Many new golfers and some experienced golfers alike do not always observe the etiquette that is associated with golf. Of the many courtesies that should be extended to your fellow players on the golf course, one I observe frequently being overlooked is allowing a single golfer to play through or asking them to join you if there are only two or three players in your group.
This infraction of golf etiquette was more apparent this past weekend when I was the single golfer and the two groups ahead of me were not observing the common courtesies associated with the game. I played the first six holes solo and finally caught a twosome and followed them for a number of holes. I caught up to them on the tee box of the eleventh hole where they were preparing to tee off and they did not bother to ask if I would like to join them or play through until about four holes later. I finally did play through and ended up behind a foursome who was more discourteous than the twosome. They ignored the fact that I was waiting indefinitely on each hole as they proceeded to hit their golf balls, one shot worse than the other. I had enough at the 17th hole and left the golf course since I was waiting at least 20 minutes on each hole for them to clear the landing area. The amount of time they took was well above the average total of about 15 minutes usually required to play an entire golf hole. If the day was beautiful and sunny like it was the previous weekend I may have played the last two holes but the cold windy conditions made it difficult to wait for each shot.
Tip for the day (Fore: Observe Golf Etiquette - allow a single to join you if you have three or less golfers in your group. It is also courteous to allow a single player or twosome to play through, especially if you notice them behind your group and waiting on every shot.)
Happy Golfing to All!
A short time ago it appeared as if Tiger and Elin were trying to salvage their marriage after he had completed the first part of his sex addiction treatment. Now it is rumored that Elin will be returning home with their children and Tiger Woods will be competing in The Masters without his wife and family in the stands cheering him on. This is a good indication that the reconcilliation is not going well and it may be over for them.
The big question is will his personal problems and the lay off from golf competition affect his performance in The Masters. This is a tough venue to return for and it will be a true test of how this situation has affected perhaps the greatest golfer who ever lived. We should be able to make some determination by how he is hitting golf balls in the first two rounds if he will be around on Sunday to make a run at the Green Jacket. What do you think? Send in your opinion and comments. Happy Golfing to All!
What a great weekend for golf and outdoor activities in general. Spring is in the air and golf fever is spreading quickly. It was nice to see the sun shining again after the harsh winter months and the “Hurricane Without a Name” just a short weekend ago. My significant other and I enjoyed golf at the Brentwood Country Club on Long Island this past weekend. As noted in previous posts this is a no frills golf course but it does promote and allow walking, which is our prteference whenever possible. Since we were trapped indoors for the past few months due to the snow, rain and cold this was a pleasant reprieve and very enjoyable to be out in the sun and getting some good exercise walking the golf course at the same time.
We started out early and hit some golf balls to warm up before our round. It was a real pleasure especially since it was not crowded and the pace of play was well above average for Brentwood. We played in about four hours, which is great as the average time for a round here is normally five hours plus. I am looking forward to playing golf again very soon to prepare for my Myrtle Beach trip in a few weeks. I played well this past weekend but I still need to fine tune my game and get the rust off before the trip. My buddies are very competitive and if I don’t bring my A- Game I will be paying the tab at the 19th hole after each round which is not my preference. So let’s get the clubs out, shake the rust off and schedule your first round for this golf season if you haven’t already done so. The green fees are still priced at winter rates at most courses so take advantage of the good weather and low prices while you can. Happy Golfing to All!
As most of you know we’ve had to endure extreme weather conditions in the northeast and also in many other parts of the country. For the past five days the weather has been brutal with torrential rain and high winds causing power outages, property damage and even loss of life. We’ve had enough. It is time to be out doors again, hitting golf balls and playing the game we love.
The projected forecast for this coming weekend is 66 degrees and sunny so guess what I’ll be doing, Golf, Golf, Golf! Can’t wait. I’ve only played once in the past four months and I’m looking forward to the spring and summer temperatures and hopefully not too rainy April. Let’s shake the rust off, take out the golf training aids and get ready to play golf. Happy Golfing to All!
I’m sorry to say it appears that the Farmers Almanac’s prediction for a harsh and snowy winter was on the money. This winter was not at all conducive for all of us die hard golfers to keep our games in shape for the coming golf season. Now is the time to start to exercise and preparing to allow yourself to play your best once the season arrives, which will hopefully be in a couple of weeks.
Some suggestions to help shake the winter rust off are as follows: 1) Take about ten to fifteen minutes each day and stretch. This will loosen the muscles and allow for a better fluidity in the swing and help avoid injury once the golf season arrives. 2) If weather permits take a few clubs or a weighted club and swing in the backyard which will also promote a better golf swing as the season is quickly approaching. 3) Get out the putting cup and practice rolling those putts whether in your living room, bedroom, den or any other available space in your home. Though not the same as putting on the golf green, you can still practice your set up, lining up your putt, your grip on the putter, keeping your head down, and your putting stroke, etc. 4)If you have an area in your backyard to actually hit golf balls then take advantage of this opportunity. If the golf range is open in your area this is another opportunity to check out your full swing and get the kinks out prior to the season arriving.
Have fun and Happy Golfing to all!
When all of the players in your group have hit their tee shots, you will go to the player’s ball that is furthest from the green on that particular hole and allow them to hit first. You will all then proceed to hit your second shots in order of who is furthest from the green or away as referred to in golf lingo, while observing golf etiquette and no longer using a tee.
The subsequent shots must be played where they lie in adhering to the normal rules of golf. In inclement weather conditions or after rain or where there is standing water in the fairway or rough, the ball may be lifted, cleaned and placed without penalty so that a player is not unfairly penalized for abnormal conditions they may encounter on the course on a particular day. There are also winter rules and ground under repair situations whereby you may remove and replace your golf balls in a new location, no closer to the hole, without penalty. The most important thing to remember is to have a good time. Happy Golfing to All!
Although winter is not yet over the weather this past weekend allowed for an enjoyable round of golf for the first time in almost four months. A good friend invited me to join him at Ballamor Golf Club in Egg Harbor Township in Southern New Jersey. Although over 100 mile trip I gladly drove there to be able to finally play the game I enjoy more than any other. Besides my good buddy Ferd, two other members of our annual golf competition in Myrtle Beach also joined us for some golf fun. I was definitely rusty as I shot almost 100 which is well over my average score of approximately 85.
It felt good to be outdoors in the fresh air and hitting golf balls again. We finished playing about 1:30 pm and then enjoyed a couple of beers and some chicken wings while dividing up the winnings from our golf bets. I actually lost a few dollars because my game was off and I was stiff from the lay off over the winter. Ballamor Golf Club was very well maintained and enjoyable to play. The layout of the golf holes was challenging, interesting and well presented. I would definitely include it on my places to play again list for this coming golf season and I’m already looking forward to my next golf round. Happy Golfing to All!