How NOT to Get Shafted With the Wrong Driver! #golf

Whether you are a golf beginner or have been playing the sport for years, the wrong shaft on your clubs, and on your driver in particular, can make you lose distance, accuracy and wreak havoc with your game.

Let's first consider the beginners' golf swing; awkward for sure, could be fast or slow speed and, most likely, with a considerable lack of proper tempo.

An amateur who has been playing golf for years can still have the same problems as the beginner but improper swing thoughts will already be ingrained. The shaft of the driver surely does have a lot of work to do, doesn't it?

Golfalot.com states that "the length, flex, torque, kick-point, weight and alignment of the shaft all have an effect on the performance of your golf club."

It is, therefore, important for all players to take lessons to understand the relationship between the driver and your swing as well as to be custom fit for golf clubs before making your purchase, avoiding an expensive mistake.

Which Driver Shaft is Right for Your Golf Swing?

Consider these notes before buying a new shaft for your driver:

1. Have you been measured for a new driver?

Going to a store such as PGA Tour Superstore or Golfsmith (a few stores will still remain open) will give you a wealth of information about your swing from speed to spin rate.

During my custom club fitting, I was told by the store rep that a "higher kickpoint shaft makes the ball go lower," News to me and, if you don't know what kickpoint is, I suggest you also question a professional - we are truly always learning!

2. Do you typically have a fast or slow swing speed? (Could vary depending upon your nerves!)

According to HittingTheGreen.com, "the faster your swing the more the shaft of the club is going to flex, so to help control the swing, if you have a fast swing speed you should always opt for clubs with a stiff flex."

3. The long and short about driver shaft length and flex:

Are you more interested in distance, control or both? Are you looking to correct a slice, hook...are you not launching the ball properly? Is your golf club so old that your mates laugh whenever you pull it out of the bag?

A shaft can be too long or too short - with longer shafts you should be able to hit the ball farther but you will probably suffer with diminished accuracy, which means you will probably be playing military golf (left, right, left, right...).

Instead of building a golf club to fix a problem, find a qualified PGA professional and take a few lessons; the problems in your golf swing will be addressed and corrected - then, visit a custom club fitter!

Driver Shaft Flex: Stiff, Regular, Senior, Ladies - which shaft flex is right for your game?

The flex of the shaft can directly affect the clubface's alignment at impact. Too stiff a shaft, you will probably lose most of your distance; too whippy and you are likely to slice or hook the ball.

How far do you currently drive your golf ball?

If the golf ball flies over 250 yards each time, you might look into a stiff shaft. Otherwise, to all of the ego-driven males out there, time to reconsider the flex on your club.

According to Golfsmith, stiff shafts are for mid to low handicappers with higher handicappers selecting regular shaft flex. Although ladies (especially beginner golfers) often opt for the ladies flex, golfers with faster swing speeds (like myself) should opt for a regular flex. This means getting fitted for the proper shaft as it may have to be cut down to proper size.

As your technique improves over time, it is more likely that your shaft will no longer suit you and you will need to be refitted until your swing stabilizes down the road.

Having the proper shaft on all of the golf clubs is important but, since the driver is usually the first club out of your bag, getting it set up correctly the first time can make or break those first tee jitters.

PS - Did you notice how many times I mentioned to take lessons and to go to qualified club fitters? That was not in error; I hope some of that subliminally-placed notes within this golf blog will take hold and instill in you the necessity of the right people for the right job - the goal being...to improve your swing and enjoyment on the golf course!

Share your golf driver experiences in the comments section of our golf blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.


photos: www.nextgolf.it

Are Single Length Irons Another Gimmick to Sell More #Golf Clubs?

Can You Play Better Golf with Single Length Irons in Your Bag?

Much internet chatter lately has been on the subject of playing golf with single length irons. What does it mean to have a single length iron set, what type of player will benefit most from a switch to this type of set and should you go out and try them?

What it means to have a set of Single Length Irons in your golf bag:

The simple answer is that the shafts of the entire set of irons are built to one specific length but with changes in the head and more. 

Golfwrx has conveniently put all of this information into an article but, unless you are an amateur who enjoys reading the difference between distance gapping and head weights as well as the other "small nuances involved to golfers", suffice it to say on this golf blog that a group of amateur golfers "just like you" were given a set of single length irons to compare to a standard set with their results posted on Golf.com.

What was the outcome of the test?

"There was no clear 'winner.' A case can be made for standard-length and single-length clubs and who will be using them.

Some standard set shorter irons were easier to play but the single length irons seemed to be a better choice for golf beginners and high handicappers who learn one setup when everything in the basics of the swing seem harder to fathom. Golfers, in general, may find it a challenge to get used to new, single length irons.

Can You Change YOUR Golf Irons Into Single Length Clubs?

The simple answer is No because of the difficulty involved in the changeover.

According to pro golfer Jaacob Bowden who wrote an article on SwingmanGolf.com, head weights differ so you would have to "grind off a bunch of weight from the other higher-lofted clubs to get them all as light as the 4-iron head." Also, the lie angles and balance points of the clubs are also different.

Are single length irons another gimmick to sell more golf clubs?

Every year, manufacturers create new products for a hungry public with disposable income.

You can only change the heads so many times, change the appearance, shaft weights, colors...you name it...but how many times are you going to change over your clubs? At $750 or so per set, that can get expensive if you're not Tiger Woods. As for the single length irons, I believe these clubs could work well for beginners who play but are having difficulties with how to adjust their setup or ball position to the different iron lengths in their bag.

According to "Old Timer" on the GolfWrx forum, "I have friends that have tried this.  It does not work.  This idea usually appeals to new golfers, don't get caught up in this scam, it has no validity.

"This one club length came from an iron that came out many years ago.  It was an iron that
has an adjustable blade, 1 - PW, and it is still sold today.  Look in the back of a golf
magazine I think they still advertise.  Don't buy either of these unless you never want 
to shoot under 115."

Golf pro Lanny Wadkins is said to have concurred, calling these irons a gimmick."If it really worked, legit players like Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus would have done it years ago"

Jaacob Bowden's experience was a positive one, "4 months after I bought them, I played in the 2007 Long Beach Open and I shot my first tournament round of golf in the 60s."

Valid points! Have you tried single length irons? What was your experience with them? Follow and share your experiences with golfers worldwide on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

photo credit: Golf-Facile.com

Playing Golf - A Matter of Life and Death?

Is golf good for your health? Many people agree that there are physical as well as mental benefits to playing the sport that is said to last a lifetime but can the sport also be a life saver?

In a recent tweet, Annika Sorenstam asked her followers this simple question, "Want to be healthy and live longer? Play golf."

Want to be healthy and live longer? Play #golf @GolfAndHealth

— Annika Sorenstam (@ANNIKA59) October 16, 2016

Normally, I might retweet this statement and move on to the always updating thread of my Twitter feed, @Golf4Beginners (...follow me) but Annika got me to thinking about the whole "mind-body" relationship of golf and whether or not the sport can truly help players to live a longer, healthier life.

I visited the site she linked to, GolfandHealth.org, to review an infographic on the benefits of golf which included:

1. Live Longer
2. Healthy Mind
3. Healthy Body along with wellness benefits
4. Reduced Risks of Chronic Conditions

Still, I was not totally convinced - I even typed this query into Google: "Do you live longer playing golf?" When I did, the results were an overwhelming, "YES!"

Researchers located at the purported home of golf, namely, Scotland, conclusively stated that golfers live five years longer, that the sport improves mental health, helps to prevent chronic diseases and can burn up to five hundred calories.

Related Story: 5 Minutes to Tee Time - Are You Ready?

Although "injuries and illnesses associated with golf have been identified", lead researcher, Dr. Andrew Murray states in the British Journal of Sports Medicine,  "golf's contribution to muscular strengthening, balance and falls prevention" as well as the ability to offer "moderate intensity aerobic activity" with an improvement in "self-efficacy, self-worth... improved confidence, interpersonal skills and emotional control", all lead to the conclusion that golfers can have an increased life expectancy.

So, the next time your spouse says you have something more important to do than to go out with your Sunday foursome, just say, you have to go; it's a matter of life and death!

Do you agree that playing golf can add years to your life? Comments welcomed in the section below of this golf blog and on our Twitter page, @Golf4Beginners.


Read About: New Ways to Mark Your Golf Ball!

Tiger Woods Sorry - Playing It Safe After #Golf Tournament Withdrawal

The original title to this golf blog was intended to be something like "Two Huge Draws to Boost Napa Safeway Golf Tournament...Tiger Woods and...?" Unfortunately, days after Tiger Woods had committed to playing golf at the Safeway Tournament in Napa this week, he withdrew.

According to Woods,

"After a lot of soul searching and honest reflection, I know that I am not yet ready to play on the PGA TOUR or compete in Turkey. My health is good, and I feel strong, but my game is vulnerable and not where it needs to be."

A practice session proved to Tiger that he was not yet ready for the big league but why wait until only three days before the tournament? Woods said he "wasn't ready to compete against the best golfers in the world." He also apologized and said that his game was close but obviously not good enough.

Ticket sales were said to have been boosted by a minimum of thirty to forty percent and visibility on TV, radio and social networks would have been increased by more than any event in recent memory, not to mention advertisers who booked time (probably attached to a healthy sum) based upon Woods' okay.

Wonder what all of those folks are thinking who specifically bought tickets to see the return of the former number-one golfer in the world play alongside of Phil Mickelson? I guess they will have to watch the golf game for the pure enjoyment of the sport.

According to Golf Digest, The PGA Tour was so excited at the prospect of a Woods-Mickelson pairing that it released the information as soon as confirmed; usually, this information is not available until the Tuesday before the Tournament! The Safeway Open website was said to have a banner which read, "See Tiger, Daily Tickets Only $30. 'Now the banner says, See Phil, Daily Tickets only $30." There were reports of fans requesting refunds.

Think about it... what could be more exciting than a return to the greens by one of the greatest golfers of all time, being paired with a current top-ranked player whose back-and-forth duels have been likened to some of the best sports moments in history?

Mentioned on ESPN.com, "in 1,139 rounds in his PGA Tour career as a pro, Woods has been paired with Mickelson just thirty-two times -- or less than three percent of their rounds."

I am sure that many golf fans can remember a few of the more exciting Mickelson-Woods moments; my favorite is the 2005 "Duel at Doral" where Phil played his best but where Tiger Woods rallied at sunset to regain the world number one ranking. Sorry folks, not this time.

Mickelson is raring to go with Woods; Phil and Tiger spent quite a bit of time together during the Ryder Cup and mentioned in an interview last month, "that would be really fun. I would love it."

I guess Tiger Woods fans will have to wait until his foundation's "Hero World Challenge" to get a peek at the game gone south of our former hero.

What do the fans think of Tiger's comeback flip-flop right before the Safeway Tournament?

Tweet using our handle @Golf4Beginners and feel free to post below in the comments section of this golf blog.

photo: SafewayOpen.com.

What Did YOU Learn from Watching The Ryder Cup? #golf

Every golf tournament can be considered a learning experience by players and fans; the Ryder Cup is no exception. Some writers looked into the seriousness of the individual golfers and teamwork displayed while others wrote about the validation of the USA "family".

It was said many times during the Ryder Cup that this tournament is like no other event in golf; the seriousness is there but the cheering and jeering elicits so many different responses in the players that they must seek out their zen place in order to close out distractions. In a recent article by Golf Digest, it was suggested that players do not try to block out pressure but, instead, embrace and channel it.

"You probably aren't playing in front of a 50,000-person gallery, but everybody will get to a shot that gets the butterflies going," related top PGA Teacher Randy Smith.

 "The trick is to practice drifting into the past, to access the good shots you've hit on that hole or in a similar situation. When you do that, you're reminding yourself that the situation isn't completely foreign. The nerves are there, but they're part of the experience."

The Golf for Beginners mantra is that we are always learning...and sharing our thoughts with golfers of all levels so, here are a few observations as to how to use Ryder Cup model to your advantage during a friendly competition with your mates.

1. Managing Emotions: As discussed above, emotions do play a role on the golf course but the key is how to use those feelings to your advantage.

Preventing a meltdown is easier said than done when you slice your ball so badly that it splashes into the green-side pond or when you have a few shekels on the line and miss that three-footer to go down by three in the match. Dr. Deborah Graham suggests using Dave Stockton's "2 Second Rule" as a quick fix to a possible emotional disaster.

Basically, give yourself two seconds to react to a bad shot - release frustration and then change your thoughts to something you can control and move on to the next shot.

2. Try a Different Format: Match Play format is sometimes the better format when going out and playing with friends. You can have a blowup hole without losing the match as in stroke play; the game also moves along faster because of gimmee putts and takes less time for when you need to finish in under five plus hours (ah, the publinks experience!)

3. Try Playing as Teams: The team experience can be very rewarding, creating a sense of cameraderie during the round.

About the idea of playing with a team, Karen Stupples mentioned that solo golf can be very "selfish" and said with regards to her experience in the Solheim Cup, "You have to be aware of what everybody else needs as well and you may have to make some sacrifices. You will definitely feel more pressure in this type of format because you don't want to let your team down."

I personally like the option of playing best ball and believe that the joint strategy offers less pressure because the team is shouldering some of the weight. Ham and egging it has its advantages!

What did you learn from watching the Ryder Cup matches?

Now that the Ryder Cup is officially in the books, we congratulate both teams for their incredible winning spirit. Next up in the way of team sports is the Solheim Cup slated for mid-August of 2017 and then the President's Cup at the end of September, 2017.

Are you a fan of team sports? What can you offer about your experiences playing with a team? Tag us on Twitter @Golf4Beginners and feel free to comment in our golf blog below.

Which #Golf Clubs Can I Use as a Putter?

If you watched the Tour Championship this past week, did you happen to notice Matt Kuchar, during the second round, using a hybrid golf club to make a putt?

Ryan Moore, during the sudden death showdown with Rory McIlroy, pulled out an iron on the very fringe of the green to make a shot which ultimately lost him the tournament...and several million dollars. (A higher lofted lob wedge might have offered Moore the height he needed to land safely and, IMO, the putter would have been his best choice...)

Pros will often utilize golf clubs other than the standard putter when making shots just off of the green. For a beginner golfer (or any amateur that has not learned how to use clubs other than the putter just off of the green), I suggest sticking with the flat stick as it offers four degrees of loft and is the safest option (as Ryan Moore probably remanded himself over and over again after his loss).

“Putting is like wisdom – partly a natural gift and partly the accumulation of experience, " 
...The King, Arnold Palmer.

That being said, Golf for Beginners takes a look at a few different clubs which should be learned by amateurs to increase the number of shots in your bag.

The Rules of Golf state that a player can use any club for any golf shot, so why not use...

1. Hybrid Golf Clubs: PGA Instructor Blake Cathey says, "If you miss the green and your ball ends up in a closely mowed area don't forget about the hybrid putt.  Approach the shot just as you would a putt.  Use your putting grip, stance, pre-shot routine and stroke.  You will find that with a little practice you will start getting up and down."

2. Three-Wood: Dave Marsh from iGolfTV.com shows us in the YouTube video below that the fifteen degrees of loft in a three-wood allows the player to use the top-spin to pop the ball over an obstruction (like gnarly grass) and get safely on the green.




3. The Chiputt: In a previous Golf for Beginners article entitled, "To Chip or To Putt? A Golf Dilemma Answered," Master Instructor Dave Pelz's suggested method for very long putts is called the "Chiputt"; basically, chipping with your putter. Click the link above to learn more about his method of saving strokes.

Practice these techniques several times before a round (you don't want to attempt these shots without knowing how to perform them) so, the next time you are near the green, you will be able to better plan your method of attack, get the ball close to the hole or in!

Which golf clubs do you favor around the green? Follow @Golf4Beginners on Twitter and the comments section of this golf blog to share your thoughts.