Golf Improvement blog» Golf Improvement Blog from HK golfer

How To Care For Your Golf Clubs Like A Baby

michael — Fri, 15 May 2009 16:24:01 +0000

Perhaps the most expensive accessory you've ever buy are your golf clubs. But even after shelling out a pocket for them, most golfers don't look after their clubs properly or don't know how to do so. Since you have invested time, money, and a lot of thought in purchasing your golf clubs, you should consider spending a little more effort in maintaining, storing, and using them properly. First, consider the golf bag itself. Before you buy one, ensure that that the sides are toughened with some metal, like maybe steel. This helps protect your clubs in case the golf bag falls out of the cart or if it hits other objects. To prevent theft of your clubs, see if you can buy a golf bag with a flap or a door on the top. The flap should come with a lock mechanism, for example, a number protected lock or even a simple lock-and-key will suffice. Consider painting, embroidering, or embossing your name on the sides of your golf bag. Some people even take it a step further and imprint their contact details with their names. In case the bag happens to get lost there is a fighting chance of recovering it again. See if you can get a professional to emboss your name and contact details on the handles of your clubs. This won't prevent theft, but at least you know you have a better chance at finding lost clubs again.

Taylor Made Golf Club: The Metalwoods Phenomenon

michael — Thu, 07 May 2009 16:26:03 +0000

Taylor Made golf clubs are into leading the combined driver, iron counts and fairway wood at PGA tournaments. The advancement of the metal wood technology employed by Taylor Made golf clubs make it possible to each player to have a his own club. This metalwood technology created famous clubs in the form of Pittsburgh Persimmon, Tour Preferred, Burner, and Burner Bubble, each is considered a high performance piece of device. With titanium clubheads, Taylor Made clubs are very strong but extremely light to use. Taylor Made's metalwood golf clubs boast of the following models with features that surely makes each golf club a hit to golfers:

R7 Fairway Woods is the Taylor Made golf club, which is with Taylor Made Launch Control (TLC) Port. TLC cartridges can be installed and removed to permit users in changing the CG location to vary the degrees of draws and fades that will consequently promote more accuracy and distance.

R5 Titanium Fairway is another Taylor Made golf club that has a titanium clubhead that is very easy to hit. It has permanent TLC cartridges that facilitate the launching of the ball high, long and straight for the players who would rather not change cartridges.

V Steel Fairway Woods claims its having the ultimate combination of power, accuracy and versatility. It is the Taylor Made golf club that attributes its excellence to its V-shaped sole that improves the force of how the sole interacts with the turf at impact.

Rescue Dual is a Taylor Made club that has double TLC ports that are widely spaced for increased forgiveness on incurring mis-hits. It has a new T-shaped sole that is responsible for the increased clubhead stability and decreased drag at impact that in turn promotes better accuracy and distance. With its low center of gravity (CG), it's a lot easier to launch than a long-iron and this makes shots higher and longer.

Rescue Dual TP, with dual TLC port and Taylor Made's movable weight technology, is best known to promote the variation of degrees of draw and fade. Further off, it makes for greater forgiveness. The difference between Rescue Dual and Rescue Dual TP is that TP has a higher center of gravity (CG) position that allows a lower, piercing ball flight that many experienced golf players find easier to manipulate.

Rescue Mid is said to be Taylor Made's breakthrough utility club that is engineered to be easier to use than a long-iron while displaying prowess in providing better distance. This golf club's excellent performance is from its way of uniting a high flash of inertia with a lower, deeper center of gravity. This creates maximum forgiveness on mishits, high launch angle and high spin for high, long shots that quickly stops.

Rescue Fairway is the Taylor Made golf club that indulges in its having a low profile that is responsible for its low and deep center of gravity (CG). It is made to smooth the progress of hitting the ball high, long and straight. This golf club is crafted with double sole that improves playability from a variety of lies. Taylor Made engineered it to launch a high angle with high spin for long-carrying shots that surely impress each player.

How Your Grip Effects Ball Flight

michael — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 03:36:00 +0000

Today I am going to share with you on the proper grip. This is the grip that you should take as you prepare to hit a golf shot.

There have been many different opinions on this topic, but very few instructors tell you WHY you should grip the club a certain way. The reason that the grip is SO important is because it is the only part of your body that controls the clubface, your hands.

If you have a tendency to slice the golf ball, try this:

Move both hands to the right so you can see one or two knuckles (top knuckles) of the left hand. The most important part of placing your grip is to make sure both palms are facing each other. So adjust the left hand, and then adjust the right hand so that your right palm is facing the left palm. - Strong Grip

If you have a tendency to hook the golf ball, move both hands towards the left (palms facing), and you should see no knuckles on your left hand. - Weak Grip.

When I mention the knuckles that I have been referring to, here's what I mean.

1. After you have addressed the golf ball and you look down at your hands from the address position.

2. You should look at your left hand to see if you can see any knuckles.

Now let's talk about grip pressure.

Tip: The tighter you grip the golf club; the more the golf ball has a tendency to go off to the right. The looser you grip the golf club; the tendency will be for the golf ball to go off to the left.

Most of the time when I am giving a golf lesson, I can see the whites of my student's knuckles because they are gripping the golf club so tight. This is incorrect! Hall of Fame golfer Sam Snead once said "Hold the club as if you are holding a bird in your hands." Another quote that I once heard is that you should grip the club like you were holding a tube of toothpaste.

How to Get out of a Bunker

michael — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:13:39 +0000

Everyone knows how frustrating they can be if you don't know the proper mechanics to get out of them. But the bottom line is, for the pros, bunker shots are some of the easiest shots on the course. These steps will ensure that you have the right mechanics for getting out of bunkers. Once you've read these steps, practice them and get used to hitting out of bunkers, and they will become just as natural as a regular short game shot. These steps will give you the solid foundation that you need for bunker success. Here are the steps: (note: These steps apply to a normal sand bunker. Not wet or hard sand) 1. Choke down on the golf club (Have your right index finger about an inch from the bottom of the grip). Choking down gives you control of the club and allows you to "feel" the shot rather than hitting it. 2. Narrow your stance a little and play the ball a few inches forward in your stance. This will also aid in controlling the shot, and it will contribute to higher ball flight. 3. Dig into the sand with your feet a little and get comfortable. 4. Keep your body completely still throughout (no twisting hips). 5. Start your swing with your arms and keep your swing vertical. The end of the grip butt should be pointed at the ball at the top of your backswing. (Don't bring the club straight back, remember steep is better here!) 6. Your left arm should be parallel to the ground and fully extended at the top of your swing. 7. Then start your downswing at the sand focusing to hit 1 inch behind the ball. Don't focus on hitting the ball, hit the sand an inch behind and the ball will get out every time! 8. Your arms and body follow the ball as it leaves the sand. 9. Remember - a steep angle into the sand is key here. You don't have to swing too hard; we are not blasting the ball out, we are advancing it. Drill: Go into a bunker and take 3 clubs your pitching wedge, sand wedge, and a lob wedge(if you have one). Remember that you can get creative with shots; just because it's a sand wedge doesn't mean that you'll "feel" the most comfortable or get the best results. But I want you to notice the difference in design and performance. Hit a few shots with each club and really notice the difference in how the ball comes out of the sand. Then choose the club that bests suits you. But remember, with all these clubs swing steep and hit 1 inch behind the ball. You can even draw a line behind the ball and aim for that line. At home, office, or at the course take practice swings and focus on bringing the club up at a steep angle. Watch as your grip end points to the ground. And stop there - this is the position that you want to be in. A great way to see if the grip is pointed over the ball is sticking a tee in the grip handle. Do that a few times to ensure that you know where to stop the golf club and start your steep downswing. Then the downswing is easy! Just hit an inch behind the ball. Practice this for a few days then go have fun in a bunker!

The Callaway Golf Club

michael — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:41:36 +0000

The Callaway golf club is one of the most popular and also reliable types of golf club in the market today. There are so many people (particularly retired men) that are fascinated with golf today and it is no wonder why the Callaway golf club is now in the peak of success in the world of golf clubs. The Callaway Golf club is headed by Ely Callaway. He bought half of Hickory Stick USA and renamed it Callaway Hickory Stick USA. After purchasing it, he decided to hire the best people that would be an instrument in supporting his dream of Callaway golf club. He hired Richard C. Helmstetter to be the Chief Club Designer and this as others would say is the point of no return. The designs for Callaway golf club are truly revolutionary and innovative which is why the Callaway golf club is dubbed as the type of golf club that is unique and also high-performance kind golf equipment. After that, Ely Callaway renamed his company into Callaway Golf and then relocated from Cathedral City, California to a sleepy seaside town called Carlsbad, which is just north of San Diego. One of the most innovative designs that the firm came up with was to create a stainless steel driver that had a larger and more forgiving head than any previous design. The CEO, Callaway dubbed it as Big Bertha?which was derived from a German cannon back in WWI which was famous for its capability of shooting long distance range. This type of design was the one that made Callaway golf club a house hold name in the states because it experienced millions of sales and the Big Bertha type of Callaway golf club was the reason why Callaway became the number one manufacturer of golf clubs not only in the US but in the whole world which shows how popular golf is to the whole world. At present, there are six classifications of the Callaway Golf club. The first classification is the drivers which are comprised of two models which are the Big Bertha Fusion FT4 and Big Bertha Titanium 454. The next classification of Callaway golf club is called the Fairway Woods. Fairway Woods have three types of clubs which are Big Bertha Fusion Fairway Woods, Big Bertha Titanium Fairway Woods, and Big Bertha Fairway Woods. The next classification of the Callaway golf club is a hybrid which is designed for long and distant shots. The model for this type of Callaway golf club is called Big Bertha Heavenwood Hybrids. The next classification is called irons which are divided into five types of models and these are Big Bertha, Big Bertha Fusion, X-Tour, X-18, and X-18 Pro. Another classification of the Callaway golf club would be the wedges and the model here is called Forged+ Wedges. The last classification for Callaway golf club is called the Putters. The Putters have two models in its classification which are Callaway golf I-Trax Putter and tour Blue. The classification and models of Callaway Gold Club mentioned above are the ones that the firm manufactures. All of these models were made in the lieu with science, research, and practice. All of these models are worth a try and who knows? You might be the next Tiger Woods in the world of golf. Michael www.1golfproshop.com/golf clubs/callaway.html

The Ping Golf Club: An Overview

michael — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:49:21 +0000

For a golfer, one of the most important things that he should examine is his golf club because according to experts, it is one of the main reasons why they do not hit the ball. This is the exact reason why the Ping golf club was born. Karsten Solheim was the one who invented the ping golf club with different intentions. The story has it that Karsten was practicing golf but he could not hit the ball so he started to practice up to the time that he began to design and experiment his very own putter so that he could play better through it. He thought of designing his own putter without a figment of a though that it would be known worldwide. By the year 1959, his putter experiments had evolved into 1A design. While deciding for the name, he heard the sound of his putter and declared proudly to his wife that he would name the putter from its sound, hence the name Ping? At that same year, Sports Illustrated published an article in their August issue regarding the ping golf club dubbing it as a musical putter. This was the beginning of success for the ping golf club. At present, the Ping golf club is manufactured in Phoenix, Arizona by Karsten Manufacturing Corporation. There are more than 400 patents registered for the ping golf club and each of these designs are all innovative and very original designs that are suited for each and every golfer. Here are some of their key patents and products: In the year 1962, the Heel-toe weighting type of ping golf club was granted patent. This design was the one that revolutionalized other modern designs and golf clubs that are manufactured in the market today. In the year 1969, another type of ping golf club was introduced which was the perimeter-weighted, investment-cast iron. The reason for this type of ping golf club is that the perimeter weighting is able to increase the moment of inertia thus when a ball is not struck squarely on the face it makes the club more forgiving. Another innovative movement for the ping golf club was the application of investment casting in the manufacture of the K Series Irons. This is not really a new technology in fact; the old name for it is the lost-wax process. The purpose of this type of method is to ensure precise detail and consistency to all of the parts of the ping golf club. Another type of patent for the Ping golf club is the Cushin Selective Filtering Insert. This is a patented invention which screens out and disperses the unwanted frequencies that can harmfully affect muscle, bone, and connective tissue. Through this invention, the golfer receives less vibration with greater feel on each shot. The reason why the ping golf club is popular and widely used is because of its innovative, ever-changing yet reliable design. These designs are what people, particularly golfers, recognize about ping golf club. lost one of your ping golf clubs? Do not worry because serial numbers are here to save you! In every ping golf club, there are serial numbers which are etched on every PING iron. If ever there is a need to replace one club, the company has the exact specs at the time of manufacturing on file and could actually build a new club to match your set.

How Golf Accessories Can Improve Your Game

michael — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:51:32 +0000

Other than hiring expensive tutors, golf pros use many other tricks in order to improve their game. Rigorous and regular practice is, of course, an obvious tactic. However, most pros will also exploit their golf accessories in many which ways. If you do the same, it will help improve your game and reduce your handicap as well. Many pros will attach golf weights to the ends of their clubs. Then they practice their slow swings with the additional weights. This offers 3 distinct benefits ? One, they can quickly develop the correct set of muscles due to the additional resistance. Second, the extra weights add some zing to their regular training and helps in boosting motivation levels. This in turn, allows the pros to come to the greens and practice regularly, without fail. And third, it allows them to use the lighter clubs with greater power and accuracy so that their long shots cover a respectable distance with unerring precision. Pros will also invest a bit of money in another critical accessory - a putting green. This allows them to practice everyday, often, twice a day. They also prefer using the same putter and same balls that they might use on the golfing green for better control. Pros also watch other pros putting and swinging. So feel free to rent, buy, download, or borrow instructional DVDs or VHSs. If you watch other pros then it might help you develop better swings which might help shave a few critical points off your total score.

Choosing Golf Clubs For A Particular Game

michael — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:28:36 +0000

Choosing the right club could be the most important part of your game of golf. If the technique of your stroke leaves something to be desired, then the right choice of a golf club may compensate for this very often. There are a lot of things that you may have to decide before making a choice of the golf club you want to play with. Once you begin, then you will see how to go ahead with the game and making a choice becomes part of that. Choosing the right golf club is one of the qualities of a skilled golfer and one of the ways of improving quickly, noticeably so in fact. People who do not play golf regularly have a very difficult time believing that the 14 clubs that are in a golfer's bag will at some point be handy. However, with practice and time and as you play on a regular basis you will get to know that there are different situations in which each club will need to be used. If you are a beginner then your golf bag must have irons, putters, wedges and drivers. Each of these is used a couple of times in every game and most of them are made to correct those strokes that are not perfect. Make sure that you choose clubs that fit in with your skill type and level of playing. A golfer's handicap will show what kinds of clubs he often carries in his bag. If a golfer scores about 10 strokes on an average that means his bag will look considerably different from that of another golfer whose score is 100 strokes on an average (this may sound ridiculous but it is fairly the standard score of someone who is new to golf). Golfers who belong to this category will carry more woods than irons, because woods provide a very high level of accuracy. Golfers who have a high skill level will carry clubs that will be less helpful in rectifying the mistakes and help in sending the ball rocketing in whichever direction it is sent to. This is one reason why golfers who are beginners take a skill level that is higher to master. Adjustable clubs or hybrid clubs are also useful for beginners who are not so well versed with the game and who do not have a hold on their playing style. Hybrid clubs are those clubs that are between irons and woods. These clubs provide accuracy because of their short lengths and provide absolute distance with their heads that are especially designed for this purpose and are light and hollow. These clubs are unique and it takes some time to get used to them. Make sure to try out one at the store before you actually buy it and you will realize that it will add a new zeal to your game. All these clubs are very vital for getting you to the golf course and to the hole. You should pay a lot of attention to a lot of things before you choose your golf clubs and make your game more enjoyable. Michael

Beginner's Golf Clubs? How and What to Choose

michael — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:06:35 +0000

Hi, this is the my first post in HK golfer blog. Hope you will enjoy and keep eyes on my post. Once you're decided that golf is your game, the next item on your agenda is to find the perfect golf clubs. It is confusing when you are confronted with a great many advertisements, each brand laying claim to manufacturing the most innovative designs in terms of science and technology. The best option is to try the different brands until you come up with the one that best suits you. The right way to go about it is to seek out deals that these companies offer to beginners. Half golf sets or clubs that can be adjusted are what you should be looking for. A half golf set comes without the clubs used by seasoned golfers that might be wilder the beginner were they to be included in the pack. A list of the more popular brands will help you make the right choice. If you are a novice, Ping might be the ideal brand for you. Well known in the market, they cater to beginners by offering half sets and clubs that can be adjusted. It is easier to practise your golfing skills with a few clubs that can be adapted to the style you wish to adopt. Once you have perfected your technique in stroke making, you might like to invest in a 14 piece golf set, since by then you will be familiar with the use of the various clubs. Magazines that are specific to golf have great praise for Ping products. Each popular brand has a product that it is proud of and to Cobra it is the driver. A novice takes time to get used to the distance the ball travels when he drives, and it could unnerve him when he hits a ball and it goes to an uncomfortably long distance. He has to get the feel of the driver and the ball. Cobra drivers are easy to handle and ball control is learnt effortlessly with one of these. Another globally popular brand is Titleist. Professionals swear by this brand. Although their beginner's set is a bit expensive, it is worth the price as it equals the best tutor you could have. You could borrow or buy an old set of clubs, but the best way to have quality training and learn the right technique is to invest in branded clubs that have stood the test of time and suit your individual style. First, try the product in question and make sure it is the right choice for you. Survey the market, be aware of the brands and visit different games stores that stock golf equipment until you come upon the clubs you deem perfect. All your clubs don't have to be of the same brand. For example, you could choose a club from Titleist and pick out a driver from Cobra if it pleases you. Take your time to decide. Your patience will be rewarded. Happy golfing!! Michael