Posts Tagged ‘golf accessories’
Golf Shoes for More Stabilty as You Swing!
Two very important, but sometimes taken for granted pieces of golf apparel are golf shoes and gloves. Golf shoes provide the basis for a solid stance which is critical for a good set up routine. As many of you know golf is a game whereby success is determined by fractions of inches. Any advantage that can be gained by adding golf gloves or golf shoes to your equipment is well worth the investment.
Golf shoes allow you to attain the traction you need during the golf swing. Just as the club has a tendency to turn in your hand as you swing, your feet will have a tendency to move off line if not set properly before you swing the golf club. Also as with golf gloves their are various manufacturers of quality golf shoes such as Footjoy, Etonic, Callaway, Nike and Addidas to name a few. If you have not played with golf shoes yet and want to improve your game, treat yourself to a pair and you will realize the difference in your new improved swing stability. This will translate into saved shots and better scores so steady your stance and get a pair of golf shoes. Happy Golfing to All!
Although not a necessity, a golf glove is an important accessory to take advantage of to help your game. The grip is a critical part of the set up and preparing to hit the golf ball. It is a natural tendency for the golf club to turn in your hands as you swing if it is not held properly. When I first started playing golf I never wanted to use a glove as I thought it felt more comfortable without one. After a while watching other better players and also almost every golf professional using a glove when they played golf I thought there must be some advantage to wearing one.
One day I decided to try out a glove and purchased a Footjoy Leather Model. Footjoy was a known brand at the time and very popular for their golf shoes and gloves. Wearing a golf glove felt uncomfortable at first, but once I got used to the feel I would never play without one again. It allowed me to grip and hold the club with more confidence as the grip felt like it locked in when I used a glove. As with golf balls and clubs there are many different brand names of golf gloves for sale. The manufacturers of golf clubs and balls such as Titleist, Callaway, Taylor Made, Ping, Top Flite, Orlimar, Wilson and the like all carry a full line of golf gloves. I have tried many golf gloves by most of the names noted but Footjoy is still my glove of choice. Be sure to try a golf glove next time you play and you may be in for a pleasant surprise. Remember to Get a Grip and Happy Golfing to All!
It’s that time of year when all the lights and decorations are in place and the holiday spirit is in the air. Most people are looking forward to spending time with family and friends and enjoying the festivities of the holidays.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have subscribed or visited Guide For Beginning Golfers and wish you all a very Merry Christmas and Joyous and Blessed Holiday Season!
I’m looking forward to returning to the links with golf clubs in hand as soon as possible. Unfortunately we received a substantial snowfall in the northeast, as in many parts of the country and unless we can plan a quick getaway down south golf will be on hold for a while. I’ll set up my auto putter, do my golf exercises to stay loose and read up on the latest golf developments in Golf Digest until the snow melts and the golf courses are accessible again.
Happy Holidays & Happy Golfing to all!
When a golfer is first learning to play it is usually difficult to estimate yardages to landing areas in fairways and especially to flagstick placements on the green. I know from experience that some greens are fairly large and deep and the club you select can vary 3 or 4 numbers, depending on where the flag may be located on that particular day. These golf training aids are excellent for the beginning golfer because they will allow you an advantage to help lower your golf score.
If you have an accurate read on the distances to your target on the course, it will increase your confidence with your shot, thus translating into better scoring potential on each hole. The new Rangefinders on the market will continually calculate and display distances to the front, center and back of every green. They also show the locations of bunkers and hazards, which are critical to avoid if you want to score well.
Some of the manufacturers are:
1)GARMIN, who is the world leader in GPS technology,
2)Skycaddie SG5 by Skycaddie
3)uPro Golf GPS by Callaway
Any of these top brand names will provide you with course maps to upwards of 15,000 golf courses at a low annual subscription fee so have fun with your new GPS and Happy Golfing to All!
In order to overcome an obstacle in the way of your approach, such as a sand trap, tree or water hazard the shot will require a different strategy. This will also depend on the amount of distance to the obstacle, the trajectory required to clear it and still reach the flag location. The most important thing is to concentrate on is the shot at hand and follow thru to a finished position. The strategy I use to get over an obstacle quickly is to set up with a higher lofted club such as the sand or lob wedge with the ball position nearer left foot, similar to when using the driver. I then lay the club face open so the ball pops up faster than normal and open my shoulders slightly when I position myself for the shot. The term lay open means the clubface is approaching a flat position with the blade pointing upward and a bit right in relation to your stance and the ground.
{Fore: See Photo on left – In my opinion the best choice of the golf clubs available for this type of shot is the lob wedge. It will provide the greatest angle trajectory to allow the player to clear the obstacle while also giving them the best stop action when the ball lands on the green. If you do not carry a lob wedge select the most lofted club in your bag, such as the sand wedge instead.}
I also break my wrists back sharply and quickly, which also promotes height and less distance, which is your goal for this type of shot. Remember to follow through to a finished position or there is a good chance you will leave the shot short of your intended landing area. You can try this shot even if there is no obstacle in your way to get a feel for the line of ball flight you will achieve for future reference under actual playing conditions. How close you get to your target will be determined by the following:
- The distance away,
- Your set up and grip techniques,
- The amount of follow thru combined with the speed of your swing thru the ball at impact.
Accuracy and touch for distance will come with practice but the main goal is to get over the obstacle and onto the green and not land in a sand trap, tree, water or other hazard that may lie in front of you. This is one of the tougher shots required in golf so if you master this one it will help your game and score tremendously. Practice is the Key. Happy Golfing to All!
It’s always nice to pack up the golf clubs and head for a weekend golf getaway at this time of the year. In the northeast the chill is in the air and anywhere from Myrtle Beach and south is usually a good bet to provide reasonable conditions for golf. Unfortunately we had to cancel our early December trip because of work obligations. It was scheduled for this coming weekend and it looks like the weather is not going to be so great down south either. The long range forecast predicts a good possibility for rain both days of the weekend, which is a bummer for whoever is scheduled to be in Myrtle Beach at this time.
Cathi and I were really looking forward to the trip but we will have to put it off until a more optimum time when both work obligations and the weather are more favorable. In the meantime we will monitor the long range forecast for each weekend to see if another opportunity to play golf locally arises anytime soon. Back in 1994, when we were members of Bellport Country Club on Long Island, New York we were braving sub 30 degree temperatures in the off season just to play golf. We’re a bit older now and look for a temperature at least in the mid 40’s, whenever possible. When you’re a die hard golfer, cold does not stop you but the wind and rain might. Well, I must admit we’re disappointed that our trip fell through but we’re looking forward to the holidays, which are almost upon us. It is a time to celebrate with gifts, good meals, fun and good times with family and friends. Happy Golfing to All!
The Holidays are quickly approaching and I can attest from personal experience that no gift thrills an avid golfer more than something golf related for the holidays. Any type of golf equipment of from golf clubs to golf balls and any accessories in between will do the trick. Some type of Golf Equipment makes a great gift because you can find something to fit any budget. If your budget is tight, say between $20 and $50, then a golf glove, a dozen of the recipients favorite golf balls or some stylish golf apparel will do the trick. Golf balls can range in price drastically from $9.99 / dozen to $45 or $50 / dozen for the Titleist ProV1 or 1x. If you decide to give any of these items as gifts to the golfer in your life, then make sure you know the brand of glove or their favorite brand of golf ball or golf clothes before purchasing. The gift will mean so much more if they know you went out of your way to buy their preferred name brand.
If your budget is higher or unlimited then the following suggestions would work very well also. A medium priced gift could be a golf lesson or series of lessons, which can range from $75.00 to $95.00 for one session to about $700.00 or so for a series of about ten lessons. You can also plan a golf trip for the family, golfer and non-golfer alike at a resort such as Disney World or Myrtle Beach, two of our favorite places to golf and vacation on the east coast. This works well if you were going to plan a vacation anyway and you can kill two birds with one stone so to speak. I mentioned Disney and Myrtle Beach because they are centered around activities for the entire family, golfer and non-golfer alike, so no one is left out or bored. A new set of golf clubs is also a great gift depending again on your budget. If the golfer is just starting to play, there are great deals on entire sets including woods and hybrids for less than $500, if you shop around. If you are not certain of what ball they play or what type of clubs to get, a gift certificate to your local pro shop or sporting goods store such as Dick’s or Golfsmith can solve your problem. You can purchase the gift certificate with any amount to fit your budget and then the giftee can pick out their favorite golf products and brand names, so everyone wins.
I hope I have given you some ideas what to get for the Golfer in your life. If you don’t have a significant other or spouse to surprise you with a nice holiday gift then treat yourself to something you want and make sure that price is No Object. Remember, you deserve only the best. Happy Holidays and Golfing to All!
There are many different types of putters on the market today so how do you choose one that will work for you? The more popular putter name brands are Odyssey, Titleist Scotty Cameron, Ping, Nike, Cleveland, Intech Trakker Series, Taylor Made, Adams and Wilson. As with golf balls almost any of the putters will work for most new golfers and it is a matter of an acquired feel, which takes time and practice, to select the one you feel comfortable using and will provide you with the best results. Over my 30 plus years playing golf I must have tried at least two dozen putters or more. When I first started playing golf Ping was the most innovative manufacturer and name brand on the market so I opted to use their putters. As noted I tried many other putters but kept coming back to Ping. I also like the Odyssey White Hot XG-2 and the Titleist Scotty Cameron brand but these putters are on the high end of the spectrum when it comes to cost . Putters can range in price from $30 for the more economically priced brand to $350 or more for the Titleist Scotty Cameron line so you must also choose a putter that fits your budget.
One suggestion I would make is to visit your local sporting goods store or golf pro shop and speak with the golf professional there. Most stores such as Dick’s and Golf Smith have areas with simulated putting greens where you can try out the different putters. A Key factor in selecting a putter is to make sure the length and weight of the putter feels right for you. This is where the golf pro can help. He will be able to recommend from checking your height and the length of your arms which putters will be best for you. He can also direct you to the brand names and models that are within your budget. Unfortunately, there is no magic formula to determine the putter for a particular individual but that is one of the fun parts of the journey to learning and playing golf. The developments in modern golf equipment are so innovative and forthcoming that you will most likely play with many different golf club sets and putters during your journey with golf so just enjoy the ride. You can still find a good putter for under$100 so purchase one that meets your price range and specifications and most of all have fun.
Putting Tip: When lining up a putt, I always use the lettering on the golf ball to mark the line to the cup or hole. After you mark your ball, a rule of golf etiquette, clean and replace the ball with the lettering lining up with the intended line to the hole. Then make a smooth relaxed stroke and keep your head down until you hear the putt drop in to the cup. Many golfers, especially beginners, have a tendency to look up to see where the ball is going but when you peek you also may pull your shoulders and arms off line, thus causing you to miss the putt. Try this technique on the practice green before you play. I think you may be pleasantly surprised how it could help your putting. I know, it worked for me.
When you think of golf the first thing that comes to mind, as far as equipment is concerned, is that you will need golf clubs to play and justifiably so. The USGA rules of golf allow 14 clubs to be carried with you while you play. You are allowed to carry less clubs but more than 14 is an infraction of the rules of golf and can cause a player to lose a tournament in competitive play. Although when playing for fun you can have more than 14 clubs, it is good practice to get used to playing golf with the correct amount of clubs so as to abide by the rules in case you ever decide to compete in tournament play. The more common clubs to put in your bag are the Driver, a 3 Wood, 5 Wood, Hybrid, a 4 thru 9 iron, pitching wedge, lob wedge, sand wedge and a putter.
Besides clubs, there are other items such as a golf bag and golf balls that are also important because you need a bag to hold your clubs and golf balls to play. Other golf equipment I would suggest to carry is a Ball Marker and a Divot Repair Tool. The Ball Markers are used to mark the ball on the green, so as not to obstruct another players line to the hole and the Divot Repair Tool is used to repair any indentation in the green caused by the golf ball landing on the green, both rules of golf etiquette. Some additional golf equipment I would highly recommend are golf shoes, a golf glove, a towel, an umbrella and golf tees, which are all important to maximize any golfers performance and comfort while they play. Last but not least the proper golf attire is required by many of the golf courses to allow access to play and also a rule of golf etiquette. A collared shirt for men or women and golf slacks or proper golf shorts meaning NO jeans, tank tops, tee shirts, cut offs, etc. are allowed on the course nor are they compliant with proper golf etiquette. Prepare a check list to be sure you have all of your equipment before venturing out on the golf course for it will allow you to have a much more fun and stress fee day. Happy Golfing to All!