Try These Three #Golf Swing Thoughts

Golfers are going to be out in droves this Memorial Day Weekend; some have only pulled out their sticks a few times this season while others have been playing for months. There will be those golfers out purely for the enjoyment of the weather and there will be competitive players seeking the win. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned golfer, consider taking away these swing thoughts for use during your round.

1. Try not to fill your head with swing thoughts! Pick only one or two during the round and stick with them. My latest swing thought is to keep my elbows connected losing that dreaded "flying elbow" that has recently crept its way into my swing. Adam Scott agrees stating, "Whatever I'm working on, I like to keep one swing thought in my head when I'm on the course. Keeping it simple helped me at the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston last year."

2. Are you trying to regain composure after a blow-up hole? What's next, you think...another bad shot? Thoughts like this will have you spiraling downward, spewing curse words and throwing your golf clubs into a retention pond! Instead, think about the "C" word...Confidence.  Remember that one or two shots will not ruin your round, that you have hit good shots in the past and focus on the next shot instead of dwelling on something that is already past.

Read these Golf Tips to Improve Your Game from Tee to Green.

Look at the Positives of a Golf Hole: In his GolfTV.com video, Dave Marsh says that most players look down a par-five and immediately notice the trouble; the patch of grass or the bunker that they have to fly over...don't be that guy! Instead, when you step onto the tee box, look down the fairway and "pick three things you really like about the hole," and where you are going to place that golf ball.

A negative approach will almost always lead to some type of golf course meltdown so take each shot and hole as its own adventure, remain positive and look for a way out of trouble. Follow the words of Bob Rotella'sbook cover which says, "Golf is Not a Game of Perfect."

Which swing thoughts have helped improve your golf game and outlook on the course? Let us know below in our golf blog comments section and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners!

Do You Know What's In YOUR #Golf Bag?

Every week, there are lots of websites on what was in the winners golf bag that gave the pro his edge, right down to the snacks that fortified him during his final round of greatness. For example, at The Players Championship, Jason Day carried the following clubs and probably had these refreshments in his bag:

Driver: TaylorMade M1 460 (10.5 degrees, Mitsubishi Rayon KuroKage S TiNi 70X shaft)
3-Wood: TaylorMade M2 HL (16.5 degrees, Mitsubishi Rayon KuroKage S TiNi 80X shaft)
2-Iron: TaylorMade RSi 2 (True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 shaft)
4-9 Irons: TaylorMade RSi TP (True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 shaft)
Pitching Wedge: TaylorMade RSi TP (True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 shaft)
47-Degree Wedge: TaylorMade Tour Preferred EF Tour Grind (True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shaft)
52-Degree Wedge: TaylorMade Tour Preferred EF ATV Grind (True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shaft)
60-Degree Wedge: TaylorMade Tour Preferred EF ATV Grind (True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shaft)
Putter: TaylorMade Ghost Spider (Limited edition Red)
Ball: TaylorMade Tour Preferred X

"I like Cliff bars because they taste good and they’re convenient, and I drink Biosteel performance drinks for the energy," mentioned Day in a previous article about his snack preference.

Yes, I'll bet Jason Day and his caddie know exactly what is placed in the bag...(nothing lurking in a dark corner?) and this week, we ask readers, Do You Know What's In YOUR Golf Bag?

You have probably counted the fourteen golf clubs which are stated as the correct number authorized by the Rules of Golf (fewer clubs are okay but if you have too many, remove them now...) and have toyed with the correct match of clubs for your game but, has your bag gotten heavier and you don't know why? Time to take account, remove the extra baggage and lighten the load!

As PGA.com states, "Just because your awesome new bag has fifty pockets doesn't mean you need to use all of them."

Going through my PGA Tour Superstore golf bag recently, in addition to my set of Ping Karsten Irons, Callaway X2 Hot Driver, Titleist 904F Fairway Woods, two Vokey Spin-Milled Wedges and my Odyssey Two Ball Putter...

I came across two bottles of water stuffed into the cooler pouch (need hydration), an empty sleeve (no where to place the trash at the time and it just fell to the bottom of the bag), cover-up for when it rains, three extra golf gloves (for when one won't do), a huge bag full of tees (including the short, broken ones which are needed for the par-3's, several divot repair tools, brush for my club heads and several snack bars (some a bit crusty) for when the hunger takes over and makes me lose focus.

After cleaning out my golf bag (to some degree), I searched this question on the internet and found several stories confirming my theory that golfers stuff way too much into their bags from toilet paper to suntan lotion, not only weighing down the carrier but probably also upsetting the balance of positive feng shui on the course.

Remove the waste! Carry only what is necessary for that day's round and place the balance of extras into your trunk. If it is going to rain, take an extra pair of gloves and socks. Always bring an energy snack and water as a round is four hours in length. Lifting the weight out of the golf bag will help you find what you really need faster and you will get back to concentrating on what really matters...your game!


What have you found in your golf bag that you didn't realize was there? Let us know in the comments section of this golf blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.