Golf stance and its physical requirements

Golf stance is one of the most ignored terms and issues in the golf swing and yet the golf stance dictates the success of every golf swing you make.

When golfers think of golf stance, they don’t realize how hard it is to maintain over 18 holes (four and a half hours). Just take a look at the position your body is in during your set up. There are many physical issues taking place, even though it is a static position at the start.

Let’s go over the physical requirements of the golf stance right now.

Bend At Hips To Address Golf Ball

To achieve this initial movement takes strength and flexibility in not only the lower back, but the hamstrings and core muscle groups. If these muscle groups are limited, you will have a very difficult time achieving this simple move.

Flex In The Knees

A combination of bending at the hips and knees allows you to get to the ball. The shorter the club, the more the bend at both the hips and knees. If your quadriceps are weak, you will have a very difficult time maintaining the proper knee flex therefore causing you to create in improper golf stance…resulting in mishits and lack of distance.

Ankle Flexion

Take a look at the ankle joint of any golfer. It is definitely bent (flexed) to accommodate the bending of the knees and hips. If your calf muscles are weak/or tight, you will find it very uncomfortable to stay down at the ball. I see so many golfers with tight calf muscles and they never even knew it.

Spine Extension (Erectness)

This is a BIGGY! How many times have you seen the golfer (maybe even you) in his/her golf stance with the dread ‘camels back?’ This is very common among older golfers and is a KILLER in the golf swing. I could (and probably will) write a complete article on this physical limitation. But the bottom line is a rounded (weak) upper spine will dramatically hinder your ability to make a full backswing. Result: very short drives and a lot of embarrassment.

I just briefly covered just a couple of physical requirements of the golf stance, but I hope you know see the importance of addressing your physical limitations to achieve the end result.

Longer drives, lower scores and beating the pants off your golfing buddies! Pay more attention to your golf stance!

Save the body sway for the dance floor not in your golf swing

Body motion in the swing is necessary, but too much of a good thing can wreak all kinds of havoc with your golf swing.

I received a question over the weekend from a BioForce Golf subscriber about “body motion” in the swing.

The question from our subscriber asked how not to fall into the trap of too much movement backwards during the golf swing.

What we are really talking about is weight transfer during the golf swing.

Too much weight transfer onto the back foot during the take-away and backswing causes difficulty in getting back to your front foot on the downswing.

This creates some difficulties in your timing during the golf swing.

Oftentimes, this type of swing fault is termed “body sway.”

So how do we fix this golf swing fault?

Let’s take a brief look at golf swing mechanics.

Optimal golf swing mechanics are both a rotational (rotating around a fixed spine angle) and linear (weight transfer backwards and forwards) movement.

It is the sequencing (proper order) and combination of these two biomechanical movements that develop the great foundation of your golf swing.

Amateurs often have difficulty performing these two biomechanical movements simultaneously and in the correct sequence.

Discussing “Body Sway” in Relation to Linear Weight Transfer of the Golf Swing

Amateurs often shift their weight too far onto their back foot. Once this occurs, they are never able to get their weight forward, causing them to “spin out” and leave the clubface open at impact.

A conversation I had with top teaching pro Rick Smith on body sway enlightened me on one of his teaching points: the weight transfer in the backswing cannot go past the inside arch of the back foot.

In order to limit your weight transfer in the swing to this position, you must “feel” it in your swing. You must be able to feel your weight on the inside of the back foot and not allow it to move any farther back.

If your weight transfer exceeds this position, your timing will be off, your golf swing mechanics will be flawed, and compensation of the downswing will occur.

Now knowing what we need to know about golf swing mechanics and the problems resulting from “body sway,” how do we go about fixing it?

The golf swing is one of the most intricate athletic movements performed in sports today.

It requires precision in every biomechanical movement involved in the swing, the correction sequencing of each movement, and the correct timing.

As a whole, the golf swing is a very difficult movement to perform.

Attempting to “fix” a swing fault when swinging the golf club at full tilt is almost impossible.

So what are you to do?

Simply, it is much easier to break down the golf swing into parts.

Working on pieces of the golf swing and then re-building the swing is the way to go. This is a much easier task to achieve.

Once you have broken down the golf swing into pieces, then you can focus upon the area of the golf swing that is giving you difficulty.

Fixing the area of the golf swing that is giving you problems can be addressed by implementing swing drills.

Swing drills introduce and re-enforce the proper swing mechanics into your body and allow you to eventually cure your swing fault.

This will eventually return you to a position where you can “feel” every position in the golf swing.

So, if you are struggling from “body sway” in the golf swing, break down the swing into parts and address the area of the golf swing that needs help through swing drills.

Sean Cochran

How to optimally prepare for the golf season with golf fitness exercises

The PGA Golf Tour is in full swing and for many parts of the country and world the golf season is upon us. Many of you are anxious to dust off the golf clubs and get out to the golf course for your first round of golf. A question that may be on your mind is how do I get ready? How do I knock off 6 months of rust on my golf swing, feel comfortable with my driver on the first tee, and post a good golf score at the end of the round?

All questions that are asked often in the world of professional golf and this article will provide you with the answers. Answers to these questions and many more fall under the category of how do I prepare myself for the golf season?

Interesting enough if the guidelines from this article are followed the golf score you post for your first round of the year may be lower than you ever expected, the distance of your drives may well be farther than you imagined, and the number of accurate golf shots you hit may be even more surprising!

The answer to all the questions on how to get ready for the upcoming golf season centers on preparation. Preparation is the key to a successful first round of golf and every round you play in the upcoming golf season.

We all probably understand the definition of preparation but lets take a quick look in order for us to all be on the same page. Preparation can be defined as the work or planning involved in making something or somebody ready or putting something together in advance (Encarta Dictionary, MSN. com).

A definition that sheds light on getting ready for the upcoming golf season. Using the above definition we can see the process of preparing for the upcoming golf season does not begin 10 minutes before your first tee time, but rather in advance of when you get ready to hit driver off the first tee. Bottom line the process of getting ready for the upcoming golf season begins weeks or even months before your’ first round of golf of the year.

To have a successful first round of golf and a good season of golf you must begin the process of preparation well in advance of your first time on the golf course. If you look at professional golfers they begin the process of preparing for the upcoming golf season months in advanced. I would suggest doing the same. Develop a plan that will get your golf swing ready once the snow thaws, the birds are chirping, and the greens are ready for putting.

What does such a plan contain? This type of “golf preparation plan” would contain drills, exercises, and programs to improve and prepare every aspect of your golf game. If we break down the game of golf into categories the “golf program” becomes much easier to understand. Obviously, we have the different shots made on the course. A brief breakdown would indicate the need to implement swing drills to work on the full swing, short game, and putting. We could obviously get a little more detailed than a breakdown of the golf game into three different categories, but lets’ keep it simple.

Now that we have this breakdown of the game of golf into full swing, short game, and putting the next step is to implement a series of drills to work on each of these aspects. Simply put I would suggest devising a series of drills to work on each part of the golf game/swing. This can easily be accomplished by purchasing a few books or videos from one of the top-teaching professionals in the world of golf.

Each one of these qualified golf instructors have numerous materials available to help you with your golf swing. And if you are one of those individuals that lives in a cold climate and is unable to get to a driving range or practice facility, no need to worry. Most all of the instructional videos/books available have drills that can be performed in the comfort of your own home.

At this point we have a couple of bases covered in the “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season. We understand preparation is key to a successful year on the golf course, the “preparation plan” begins well in advance of the first tee time of the year, and a portion of the plan consists of swing drills. This brings us to final part of your “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season.

This part of the plan centers on the implementation of golf fitness exercises to go along with your swing drills. We must understand the concept of your body and the golf swing. The golf swing is executed in its’ entirety by your body. In order for your body to execute the golf swing correctly. It requires you to have certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power within it. If you are lacking in any one of these physical areas compensations will occur in your golf swing.

It comes down to this: In order to be prepared for the upcoming golf season and to improve your golf swing. The implementation of golf fitness exercises geared towards developing your body around the golf swing is necessary. This type of program will prepare the body for the golf swing and the upcoming golf season.

To summarize, the process of preparing yourself for the upcoming golf season begins with a “preparation plan”. This plan begins weeks to months in advance of your first time out on the golf course. Additionally, this “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season contains a series of golf training drills to prepare your golf swing. The golf training drills break down the golf game into three sections; full swing, short game, and putting. A series of swing drills are implemented to work on each one of these parts of your golf game. In addition golf fitness exercises are implemented into the golf-training program to develop your body around your golf swing. Put all these pieces together and your first time out on the golf course this year should be an enjoyable one.

Sean Cochran

Exercise training for golf will do wonders

Exercise training for golf is what every golfer who is serious about improving their golf swing power and mechanics should be focusing on…especially senior golfers in the “off-season” or winter months.

If you’ve read any of my articles you’ll know where I’m coming from.

“Your body dictates your golf swing!”

“A broken body will never achieve optimal golf performance”.

“You are only as good as your ‘physical limitations’ will allow you.”

You heard it hear first. My quotes above are “my quotes” that I have used for over 10 years with golfers of all ages, abilities and sexes.

I have seen it thousands of times throughout the past 10 years. Golfers getting so frustrated they want to quit the game.

They’ve taken lessons. They’ve practiced til their hands bled. And they own the latest/greatest equipment.

And…

They are NOT playing any better!

Why?

Because their body is keeping them from what they think they can do. There is a gap between the mind and the body.

You can will a great game in your mind as much as you want, but if your body isn’t capable…it will NEVER happen!

Those are the cold hard facts.

The sooner you realize your body is the “magic bullet’, the sooner you can start your exercise training for golf and see real results.

These results will be long-lasting too!

No band-aid swing fixes that don’t even last for 18 holes.

Your exercise training for golf program should focus on your personal, physical limitations to save time and money. Eliminate your limitations and watch your golf game soar!

I’m here to MOTIVATE you…not sugar-coat it!

It’s time to regain those lost yards off the tee, and get back to shooting scores you did years ago!

Get started right now on your program of exercise for golf.

Golf grips and full release grips

Grips are the most important equipment of golf club. Golf grips which provides faster grip lose is considered to be best golf grips. There are different companies in the market that manufactures the golf grips keeping needs of the golfers in mind. Experts recommend frequent change of golf grips to avoid disadvantages of your used golf grips which may be lead to loosing your grip due to hardening, oxidizing or grips getting slick. It is always better to change your golf grip either after 3,000 rounds or once in six months.

Introduction of full release golf grips is considered to be the biggest change in the golf club during last century. Full release golf grips help you in improving you game. Full release golf grip enables you to hit straighter and farther. It also gives you advantage of improving accuracy, confidence and distance. You will find number of golf grips available for sale in the market. You have wide range to choose from. Golf grips and full release golf grips are manufactured according to the approved specifications. Full release golf grips facilitate you in full release of the golf club and to achieve club head speed at its optimum.

Following are the some examples of full release golf grips.

• X-line full release golf grip: This golf grip is made up of smooth rubber. You have the option to either purchase it singly or are available in the set of 13 set golf kit.

• X-line cord golf grip:

• X-wrap full release golf grip: These x-line grips are also made up of smooth rubber.

• 2 color wrap full release golf grip

• Designer wrap full release golf grip: These golf grips are made from soft polyurethane. These are tacky wrap golf grips. Designer wrap full release golf grips are available in two types names Wrap designer red golf grip and wrap designer blue red grips. These designer grips are known for their property of becoming tackier where the weather is inclement.

• Reverse design golf grips

Generally these full release golf grips are available in golf grip sets. A golf grip kit consisting of grip tape, visuals (video) and instructions for use of golf grips is always accompanied with the golf grips.

Full release golf grips manufactured according to Taperedo Technology specifications are like that of baseball bat grip, thinner at the top end and thicker at bottom end. Patents confirmed golf grips permits you easy release that enhances swing speed of club and gives you improved game touch.

Following are the few salient features of full release golf grips:

• Full release golf grips help you in professional players’ like proper finger tip grip. This helps you in improving your game.

• Full release golf grips provide you with enhanced distance and speed of club head.

• Full release golf grip helps you in improving your short game.

• Full release golf grips allow you powerful release without changing swing weight.

• Golf grip reduces hooks and dispersion in slice-shots.

Full release golf grips have displaced the traditional grips. It is felt that these full release golf grips will become more popular in near feature considering the benefits it offers to improve your golf game.

4 ways to beat the long hitter

1. Hit it straight

Nothing gets inside a long hitters head faster then a fairway hitting opponent. Chances are the long hitter is not the most accurate driver of the golf ball, keep the heat on by hitting the fairway as much as possible. If you have to use a hybrid club or a iron off the tee to keep the ball in the fairway, the mental edge of hitting the fairway outweighs the loss of distance.

2. Hit the green

Most of if not all of the time you will be hitting first, keep the heat on by hitting the green If he knows you are looking at birdie putts all day, it starts to wear on him

3. Have a good short game

The short game is the true equalizer on the golf course. If you have a sharp short game you can compete against any golfer on the planet.

4. Ignore his distance

Accept the fact the he hits the ball 50 to 60 yards past you. If you accept the fact that distance doesn't matter, you will have another psychological advantage. What difference does it make if he is hitting a pitching wedge and you are hitting a 7 iron for your second shot? Golf is all about getting the ball in the hole in the fewest strokes, not how you got the ball in the fewest strokes.

When you are playing a match against a long hitter, and lets face it, with the technology in golf clubs, golf balls, strength training and nutrition, guys are hitting the ball 300 plus yards on a regular basis. The fact still remains that when you are on the golf course you are walking (or riding) with a bag of tools. It is just a matter of using the right tool for task at hand. Does it really matter what club it takes you to hit a golf ball 150 yards? Weather it's a 6, 7,8 or 9 iron should not matter to you, and your opponents club selection should be the last thing from your mind during a match.

The pride of the long hitters game is hitting it long, so the fact that you can compete with him without having to hit the 300 yard drives is already a advantage in your favor if you choose to look at it that way. As a short hitter you should focus on keeping the pressure on as much as possible. The four steps that I have outlined will give you the mental edge that you need to negate the long drives that your opponent is blasting past you.

AllGolf. org

Left handed golf

Left handed golf players might be scarce in numbers compared to right handed golfers but statistics show that there are a lot of Left handed golf players out there. It used to be rather difficult to find left handed clubs in stores, but that is gradually changing. It is becoming more and more common to find sets of left handed clubs in sport stores. The best way for a left handed golf player to play golf is to use the right golf equipment. Experts recommend left handed golf players wait until they can get suitable left handed golf clubs and the best place for this is over the internet.

Golf Buy It Online has an incredible range of left handed golf equipment for men, ladies, senior and junior golfers from irons to putters and drivers to wedges and more. You’ll be able to find left handed clubs from all the best brands in golf such as Ping, Callaway, Mizuno, Cobra as well as many others.

Left handed irons can be found in sets and individually and feature the likes of Ping Golf G10 Steel shafted Irons, Nike Golf Ignite Steel Shafted Irons, Callaway Golf X-20 Steel Shafted Irons and more. Left handed putters that can be found at Golf Buy It Online include Odyssey Golf White Hot Number 9 Putters, Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Detour Putters, Nike Golf Ignite 001 Heel Toe Putters as well as many others. If you’re looking for left handed drivers then you’ll be able to find Taylor Made Golf R7 Superquad Men’s Drivers, Titleist Golf 907 D2 Drivers, Callaway Golf FTi Graphite Square Drivers and more at Golf Buy It Online.

Left handed instructors are starting to become more common with the rise of famous left handed golfers recently. The most notable left handed golfers on the PGA tour include Mike Weir and Phil Mickleson, who are two of only three lefties to win a major championship.

As golf continues to expand and appeal to more people, the options for left handed golfers are becoming much more diverse. Still, the best tip for left handed golfers is to look online at Golf Buy It Online for your left handed golf needs.

Taking your golf game to the next level

Here is a quick guide to help you take it to the next level.

If You Shoot Over 100

If you currently shoot over 100 you are probably new to the game. Golf is game that takes plenty of practice and understanding. At your level, you're probably very excited to just get out to play. You always have a big grin on your face because you've found a new hobby that gives you a little exercise and gets you breathing some fresh air. Unfortunately, shooting over 100 will get old very quickly especially if you're a competitive person by nature. So your smile will start to turn into a frown and you may end up giving the game up. It is quite easy to break 100 if you know what to do.

What to Do To Break 100

If you're new to the game you have not ingrained any bad habits yet, so before you do, take some lessons from a qualified pro. It's usually quite easy to teach you the proper fundamentals of the golf swing because you're eager to learn and never second guesses the teacher. If the relationship between the student and teacher is good, the speed at which you will see results is very quick. Usually within a month or two the "over 100" shooter can easily take 10 - 20 shots off of their game. Once you break 100 on a regular basis you'll start to see the game differently. Although shooting in the 70's is a few years into the future it may be attainable because taking lessons initially has given you a great start on the game.

If You Shoot Over 90

If you currently shoot over 90 you're someone who has to play more often. You're probably playing about 20 - 30 rounds a year and most of these rounds are in corporate tournaments. Corporate tournaments are a definite game wrecker. The usual scramble format leads you to just bashing the ball as hard as you can trying to get that one drive that helps your team. Unfortunately this leads to a HUGE slice with the driver which doesn't help your team at all. I know it's fun to try and hit the ball as hard as you can but If wailing away at it was the way to play good golf, everyone would be a pro. You will also find the short game very difficult. Although the short shots around the green look easy they quickly become a nightmare to you because of the amount of touch that's required.

What to Do To Break 90

For starters, you have to get out to the course more often. You can still play in corporate events but you have to do so with a new attitude. You have to quit trying to be the hero and start actually helping your team. This can be done by swinging easy and trying to get the ball in the fairway or the middle of the green. If you swing easier and try to become more accurate you will be amazed at how many of your shots the team actually uses. You would greatly benefit from weekly lessons. The lessons would not only give you a better swing but they would get you out to the range and course on a regular basis. Finally, you have to take at least one short game lesson to see how easy it can be. This will create a better understanding of the short game which will then make practicing it more enjoyable.

If You Shoot Over 80

You're the kind of person the major club manufacturers love. You think that you can "buy your game" so every opportunity you get to try the latest and greatest clubs you take it because you don't think that your swing is the problem. So you buy that new driver and for a while you hit it great. A few weeks later that great new club isn't so great anymore and it's back to your old game. This leaves you scratching your head because you thought you had it and now it's gone. At some point in your golf career you probably have taken 1 - 3 lessons and you always try every golf tip you hear about. Because of these constant changes in both your swing and your clubs you never really have the opportunity to get used to anything so you are left in a state of limbo always thinking that the elusive 70's are just around the corner.

What to Do To Break 80

In order to break 80, you have to admit that it's not the clubs. It's about developing a repeatable swing and a great short game. To create this repeatable swing and great short game, you have to work with a qualified teacher on a weekly basis. You're going to forget trying different tips and quick fixes because you will destroy the changes the teacher is trying to make. This whole process is not going to be easy because you basically have to re-learn the swing (making changes to your swing may cause you to hit some very poor shots at first because you're not used to it and you're in between swings). If you stay determined, you'll start to hit some shots that will totally amaze you. These amazing shots are telling you that your hard work is paying off and pretty soon you will be playing in the 70's.

If You Shoot Over 72

You have a great swing. It'll still go astray on them from time to time but you can usually get it back rather quickly. You usually make a few mistakes in a round that you just can't seem to let go of. This creates stress and pressure that effects the rest of your game. Your short game may not be as good it could be. You know this but actually finding time to practice it is sometimes a challenge. Finally, you may be taking the game a little too seriously causing you to try to hit every shot perfectly. This may lead to second guessing your swing which is definitely trouble when you are on the course.

What to Do To Break Par

You have to find the time to do some serious work on the short game. If it's difficult to make it out to the course you can always chip and pitch balls in your backyard and putt on an indoor carpet every night. This dedication to the short game is what will allow you to still shoot good numbers when your swing is not at it's best. It will also reduce pressure on your approach shots because if you can get the ball up and down regularly it's not that big of a deal if you miss the odd green. When you do work on your full swing try to work on the weaker clubs in your bag and hitting the ball from poor lies. Also, forget distance. At your level you are probably long enough. Concentrate on never swinging over 80% of your ability. If you can resist the temptation to hit the ball too hard your miss hits will not stray to far off line eliminating the need for that miraculous shot to get you back it the game. Finally, have fun out there. If you lighten up a little you will reduce your stress levels allowing you to switch into automatic mode instead of having to grind it out all of the time.

Until next time,

Paul Wilson