Posted by Marita on 17 octubre 2011
Golf traveling is a trendy way to spend a vacation. If you are an avid golfer, getting to know new courses is just part of the fun of the game! Not to mention, each to course offers a new skill set that helps you improve your technique. A particularly popular place tourists go to for the love of golf is Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Here is a little about the area and what makes it on of the hottest golf vacation destinations.
First off, the area alone is filled with over 100 different world champion golf courses. Their courses are popular in readings like The Golf Digest. Pearl East and West, for example are just two of top courses in Myrtle Beach and one of them was nominated for being one of the “Best New Public Courses in America”. Each green in the area is known for something whether it is the course designer, the history of the property, the skillset, or the type of green. The landscape in general in this area is divine and full of lakes and beach front (Myrtle Beach is located on the Atlantic coast of South Carolina).
Also known as the “Grand Strand”, this area has an ideal climate for year round golfing. It hardly leaves the 70′s and sunny most of the year. Unlike courses in northern cities, South Carolina welcomes golfers nearly year round – making it a popular tourist spot. Matter of fact, did you know that literally millions golf games are played every year in Grand Slam?
The area really prides itself on its reputation for being a top golf city. There are over two thousands restaurants in the city and hundreds of different resorts, hotels, villas, and attractions all surrounding the areas top courses. Myrtle Beach gives its visitors a full day of entertainment during their stay. Even families can enjoy Wild River water park or Family Kingdom theme park when taking a day off of golf.
There are many reasons why this is a top area for golf tourists. The “Grand Strand” has made it easy for golfers to find new courses, accommodations, and attractions for vacationers to enjoy. Not to mention there are pages of golf vacation package sites available that are specific to Myrtle Beach. If you are planning your next golf vacation, it isn’t a bad idea to look into this area in South Carolina.
golfers world | golf tips
Posted by Marita on 14 octubre 2011
Although the Lyle & Scott brand of knitwear was founded in 1874, it wasn’t until the 1970′s it gained widespread popularity after the launch of its range of designer golf wear. However the brand failed to keep momentum and was all but forgotten throughout the eighties and nineties due to its association with the ‘casuals’ of the mid-eighties. However this downturn was reversed after the launch of their ‘vintage’ collection in 2003 which saw the reintroduction of its golden eagle logo which was quickly adopted by several popular indie bands along with a few youth TV presenters. This gave the brand some much-needed publicity and since then the brand has gone from strength to strength.
Lyle & Scott introduced their range of ladies golf wear in 1985. Their current range of golf clothing for the ladies forms part of both their Club and Vintage ranges and offers modern and fashionable golf clothes, sporting nautical inspired stripes, bright and bold colours along with more traditional golfing designs such as the classic golf jumper. Lyle & Scott’s range of golf clothes are designed for both the casual wearer as well as the professional golfer, and in recent years the brand has proved popular with Sheffield’s indie rock outfit The Arctic Monkeys, presenter and comedian Simon Amstel and television and radio host Dermot O’Leary.
Their current range of golf clothing features their usual range of sweaters and polo shirts which featured in both their ‘vintage’ and ‘heritage’ collections launched in 2003 and 2007 respectively. In 2009 Lyle & Scott launched a new line of golf clothes aimed at the younger golfer, aptly named the ‘club’ collection and features both casual and smarter golf clothing for both men and women. In addition to the traditional golf polo shirt and woollen jumper for which the brand is best known for, their current range of golf wear also includes soft shell fleece jackets, lightweight ‘wind stopper’ jackets and even hooded sweaters, all of which are perfect for the coming winter months.
In very recent years the brand has come on leaps and bounds as they have managed to reinvent themselves without losing sight of their heritage. In 2005 the Lyle & Scott brand opened their flagship store in London’s Covent Garden and surrounding streets, a long way from their roots on the Scottish border, but a lot closer to the fashion conscious youth who wear the Lyle & Scott eagle with pride.
golfers world | golf tips
Posted by Marita on 10 octubre 2011
I’ll never forget what Jack Nicklaus said in his Golf My Way video: “Consistency is the name of the game”.
The only way to acquire a good golf swing is when you can strike the ball in the sweet pot of each club and most of all when you can repeat it time, after time, after time…
So if you truly want to become a consistent golfer you have to get serious about consistency and consider it as the most important goal to achieve in your game through the right golf swing improvement.
Now let me share some proven tips that helped me to gain consistency so that you can benefit from:
REDUCE YOUR GOLF SWING SPEED
If you like to watch golf tournaments on TV you’ll notice that the golf swing of pros like Ernie Els, Bijay Sing and Fred Couples look great and especially effortless.
I remember that in one of my classes my PGA instructor told me to slow down and try to swing at a 70 to 80% of my speed. And when I did it I was surprised that my shots reached the same or more distance than the 100% ones and with more accuracy.
Then he explained me that “When you slow down your golf swing you increase the chances to make a better contact and hit the ball right in the sweet pot of the club. This is because your body can do your best swing at a more natural motion rhythm”.
He also told me to forget hitting golf balls: “Swing through the Ball, Not at It” and since applying this concept everything became clearer for me…
Every time I executed my new slow down swing I noticed that I started gaining more confidence caused by my golf swing improvement. With it I avoid shooting out of bounds and also I started reaching more fairways and greens than before. And finally this also helped me to lower my scores.
Try this tip at the driving range and see the difference. And if you’ll notice that you need a longer club on certain distance shots it isn’t so important because you’ll be making more fairways and greens and start a virtual circle of confidence through consistency.
PRACTICE, PRACTICE AND MORE PRACTICE
At an early stage of my sport life I always tried to do my best. And when I started to play golf I knew that once you achieve the technique needed as a skill to perform good golf swings you must repeat it on a regular basis until it becomes yours definitely.
The golf swing is a very uncommon movement for most beginners and most of all if they start to play after their childhood.
If you are serious about being a good golfer you’ll need to make your time to practice during the week. I remember that I use to practice 2 or 3 times a week after work at the driving range before I went home.
In each of them I did the following practice routine: 100 balls minimum dedicated to short, mid and long irons and then with my driver and other fairway woods; another 50 balls in the bunker and around the green (chips and pitches), and always 20 to 30 minutes of putting green.
Additionally I had a mat at home were I could practiced my golf swing and also a rubber hole to exercise my putter.
By doing all of this on a regular basis I was able to play 9 in almost a year since I started. And by this wonderful experience I can assure you that, after a good golf instruction, practice is the only way for acquiring a consistent golf swing improvement. So remember this: practice, practice, and practice regularly.
FIND, LEARN AND USE ONLY ONE METHOD
When I started golf I suddenly remembered what my school teacher once said: “I fear the one book teacher”. This means that when you choose the best source for knowledge and skills you can be sure that you are going on the right track.
Because you’ll find out that there are many PGA pros with their own different golf swing and have great knowledge, the key here is in “your right choice”. So once you find your best teacher just follow his or her golf instruction without doubt until you feel that you have achieved your own good golf swing.
Once it’s done, avoid looking and copying other methods because you will delay your progress to your goal of developing a consistent golf swing and become a consistent golfer.
YOUR BEST EQUIPMENT
Your golf swing needs to be learned and executed with the right equipment.
This means that if you use golf clubs that doesn’t fit to your body you will need to compensate your swing to hit good shots.
So before buying a new set of clubs take in mind that most big brands offer a free or affordable fitting service for their equipment. I personally used this service and once I’ve got my fitted clubs my only concern was to develop my golf swing improvement and gaining consistency.
The golf balls are the other key element of your equipment.
There are lots of brands and differences en each of them to choose the one you prefer. Because they are not made the same, and according to your feel when you hit your clubs and around the green there are some structural differences that you should know and try before choosing the one you like most and according to that and your possibilities, always look for the best.
Once you made your choice stick to it and don’t change your balls every day because you won’t find the feel and touch you are familiar with and this will affect your swing and shots loosing your consistency.
YOUR GOLF ROUTINE
There are special moments were you must develop and reproduce your same routine that leads you to play great golf.
As you can see on tournaments, each pro has their own that enables to put their game in autopilot after they’ve done the exact same routine each and every time.
Those moments are when you arrive to the curse, when you perform your practice, when you are getting to the first tee, your pre shot routine (grip, aiming, set up, visualization, etc.), the pre putt routine, are just some examples of all the areas that you’ll need to develop in a consistent routine and get yourself into a secure and comfort zone and play your best.
There’s always a time for everything and probably this is the time for you to start playing your best. But first you’ll need to get serious about it.
Applying some or all of these tips in your game you’ll gradually gain the consistency that you’re looking after and you deserve.
golfers world | golf tips
Posted by Marita on 7 octubre 2011
Even though it’s simple to find golfing tips for beginners on the Internet, various reports along with training systems skip over a number of portions that are significant for new golf players.
Here are a couple of the lesser-known golfing tips for beginners.
Before everything, it’s essential that you select the right golf clubs. Kids and juniors require clubs that are sized accurately for their height. Many youthful participants attempt to learn using their parents’ clubs, but this isn’t a good way to learn the skills younger players want, and could even lead to poor swing practice.
An extra overlooked golfing tip for beginners is to learn and respect the basic regulations and decorum on the course. For example, various fresh players will not understand how to enter and depart a sand trap. They might not be familiar with why the rake is sitting at hand, or that whenever they ground their golf club they will be violating a regulation. This is often somewhere more veteran golfers can lend a hand. As you play a round with a novice player, explain what you can about the rules and time-honored course protocol.
Loads of novice players will aim to instruct themselves the ground rules of the swing. This can be a long, aggravating course of action. One of the biggest golfing tips for beginners is to receive a tutorial or two from someone who is familiar with the workings of a high-quality swing. The course professional can assist the player get set up correctly, clarify the swing procedure, as well as evaluate the swing on the spot.
Of particular importance to novice players is the takeaway. Lots of new players will whisk the club back with their hands. The correct takeaway for any golf shot is vital to the rest of the swing. New players need to understand that they do not have to carry the club back quick to make up a great shot.
Body rotation is an additional trouble spot for lots of new players. The correct method to transport the club back is to let your shoulders to turn while keeping a square club face, followed by the hips. At the pinnacle of the backswing, the hips set in motion the process of the downswing, not the hands.
Another of the lesser-mentioned golfing tips for beginners includes the significance of good follow through. Several shots require a complete follow-through, and some do not. Learning which style is best for every shot needs to be a leading concern for anybody learning this game.
Exceeding all, the most essential golfing tips for beginners is to practice. This is a sport that demands hands-on training, not just with the driver but with every one of the clubs, including the putter. You will never learn the golf swing unless you invest the time and energy to become skilled at each club and understand how it reacts to your swing.
golfers world | golf tips
Posted by Marita on 3 octubre 2011
The single biggest factor holding back intermediate golfers is the mental part of golf. If you know the mechanics of a good golf swing, understand the course, hit great shot on the range, but just can’t seem to put those good golf shots together on the course this information is for you.
We often hear people say that golf is a mental game. Well…it is. In fact all sports are mental games. What makes golf special is that you have a long time to think about each shot, and a long time to over-think, second guess, and psych yourself out of each shot too.
The lag time between golf shots is a major problem and leads to frustrating days at the golf course, broken shafts, and strong words directed at that evil little golf ball. Seriously though…golf can be very frustrating, but when you get a handle on the mental side of golf you will start shooting lower scores (the ones you know you are capable of) and you will start having a lot more fun too. Here’s how:
Controlling The Mental Side Of Golf:
Self Talk:
It’s okay…we all talk to ourselves and that’s perfectly fine (as long as it isn’t out loud). The inner dialogue you have with yourself on the golf course can be one of the biggest handicaps to your game. The key is to acknowledge that this inner dialogue exists and train it to work in your favor just like every other part of your swing.
Slow down that inner dialogue. A good friend and colleague, Golf Pro Billy McKinney, likes to tell his students to “Quiet Their Mind” before they make each shot. This is crucial to creating a great golf swing that is consistent and repeatable. Think about it…to create a consistent golf swing we all know that you need to make the same movements every time you swing the golf club. Why should what’s going on in your head be any different?
Training your self-talk:
You need to come up with a special phrase that you say to yourself every time you swing the golf club. This should be a simple slow phrase almost like meditation (this is how athletes get into that ‘zone’ we always hear about). You can say something like “Back…And…Hit,” or my favorite “Slow from the top.” The important part is that you think these words while you swing, this is not some kind of pep talk you say to get yourself pumped up before the swing.
A great phrase to use as your anchor would be a short piece of golfing advice that an instructor gave you. Especially if that advise really made things click for you. But to be honest it could be any word or phrase, because the most important part is that you say it the same way every time you swing the golf club.
Think About One Shot At A Time:
The purpose of this article is not to get you to stop thinking on the golf course. You should always be thinking about the shot at hand. For example you will want to know what club to use, what hazards to look out for, how long the roll is on that particular day (is the grass long, short, wet, or dry) and any number of other important things.
However, you should only be thinking about one shot at a time. Don’t beat yourself up because you happened to hit your last shot into the rough (that shot is over and done with, you can’t change it), and don’t start worrying about chipping over all those bunkers by the green until you are actually there. Focus on the shot at hand, making it the best shot you can (remember you can only play this game one shot at a time).
This means you shouldn’t be worried about your score while you are getting ready for your next shot. Good swings make good golf scores, but your score should have no effect on your golf swing.
golfers world | golf tips
Posted by Marita on 1 octubre 2011
The single biggest factor holding back intermediate golfers is the mental part of golf. If you know the mechanics of a good golf swing, understand the course, hit great shot on the range, but just can’t seem to put those good golf shots together on the course this information is for you.
We often hear people say that golf is a mental game. Well…it is. In fact all sports are mental games. What makes golf special is that you have a long time to think about each shot, and a long time to over-think, second guess, and psych yourself out of each shot too.
The lag time between golf shots is a major problem and leads to frustrating days at the golf course, broken shafts, and strong words directed at that evil little golf ball. Seriously though…golf can be very frustrating, but when you get a handle on the mental side of golf you will start shooting lower scores (the ones you know you are capable of) and you will start having a lot more fun too. Here’s how:
Controlling The Mental Side Of Golf:
Self Talk:
It’s okay…we all talk to ourselves and that’s perfectly fine (as long as it isn’t out loud). The inner dialogue you have with yourself on the golf course can be one of the biggest handicaps to your game. The key is to acknowledge that this inner dialogue exists and train it to work in your favor just like every other part of your swing.
Slow down that inner dialogue. A good friend and colleague, Golf Pro Billy McKinney, likes to tell his students to “Quiet Their Mind” before they make each shot. This is crucial to creating a great golf swing that is consistent and repeatable. Think about it…to create a consistent golf swing we all know that you need to make the same movements every time you swing the golf club. Why should what’s going on in your head be any different?
Training your self-talk:
You need to come up with a special phrase that you say to yourself every time you swing the golf club. This should be a simple slow phrase almost like meditation (this is how athletes get into that ‘zone’ we always hear about). You can say something like “Back…And…Hit,” or my favorite “Slow from the top.” The important part is that you think these words while you swing, this is not some kind of pep talk you say to get yourself pumped up before the swing.
A great phrase to use as your anchor would be a short piece of golfing advice that an instructor gave you. Especially if that advise really made things click for you. But to be honest it could be any word or phrase, because the most important part is that you say it the same way every time you swing the golf club.
Think About One Shot At A Time:
The purpose of this article is not to get you to stop thinking on the golf course. You should always be thinking about the shot at hand. For example you will want to know what club to use, what hazards to look out for, how long the roll is on that particular day (is the grass long, short, wet, or dry) and any number of other important things.
However, you should only be thinking about one shot at a time. Don’t beat yourself up because you happened to hit your last shot into the rough (that shot is over and done with, you can’t change it), and don’t start worrying about chipping over all those bunkers by the green until you are actually there. Focus on the shot at hand, making it the best shot you can (remember you can only play this game one shot at a time).
This means you shouldn’t be worried about your score while you are getting ready for your next shot. Good swings make good golf scores, but your score should have no effect on your golf swing.
If you follow these tips I know that you will see improvement in your golf game the next time you play.
golfers world | golf tips
Posted by Marita on 26 septiembre 2011
Tyler Whitehurst stared intently as the ball soared through the air and headed toward his target over the water. When the ball landed on the green and rolled within 6 feet of the cup, Whitehurst managed a slight grin while several fans started clapping and screaming their approval.
It was one of many quality shots that Whitehurst struck during last week’s 12th annual Special Olympics Golf National Invitational Tournament at PGA Golf Club. Asked about the shot afterward, Whitehurst smiled again.
“It was a 6-iron,” he said. “Just like the 6-iron Phil Mickelson hit out of the woods on the 13th hole at the Masters last year.”
Tyler’s dad, Jim, chuckled when he heard his 20-year-old son recount Lefty’s risky play. “He never forgets a shot,” Jim said of Tyler. “He remembers them from years ago — even when they’re not his.”
When Tyler was 5, he was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, a form of autism that is usually characterized by difficulties interacting socially, physical clumsiness and restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior.
Those traits can make it difficult to function at a high level in a real-world setting, but for Tyler they have translated well onto a golf course. He has won several Special Olympics golf titles in Florida the last few years, was an honorary member of the East Lake High School golf team near his hometown of Palm Harbor, Fla., and Sunday won his first national title at PGA Golf Club in Level 5 with scores of 84-91-80-255.
“He likes golf because there’s a starting point and an ending point on every hole,” Jim Whitehurst says. “He likes the order of golf.”
Whitehurst was among more than 175 golfers from 21 states, as well as Canada and Bermuda, who took part in the tournament for children and adults with intellectual disabilities that was sponsored by the PGA of America, PGA TOUR and the U.S. Golf Association. There are more than 18,000 Special Olympic golfers in the U.S. The golfers compete in five levels, depending upon their abilities, with Whitehurst playing 18 holes by himself in Level 5.
“It feels awesome because this is my first national tournament and I won a gold (medal),” Whitehurst said. “It’s a whole new level of competition and accomplishment for me. I just want to keep getting better.”
To watch Whitehurst hit a shot, you’d never know he is autistic. His swing is long, balanced and creates the same sweet sound as a scratch handicapper. What seems different, however, is his never-failing optimism.
In the first round, for instance, he cracked a solid drive that failed to hook as he hoped, splashing into a lake. “That’s OK,” as he prepared to take his drop. “I can still get up-and-down from here.”
And he nearly did, his 9-iron approach landing next to the hole before rolling over the back edge. Whitehurst almost holed the chip shot for par, tapping in for a solid bogey. His resilience in golf has helped him off the course, as well.
“What’s so amazing is he never had an opportunity to set a goal, and get that sense of self and feeling of pride to reach it,” said Amy Whitehurst, Tyler’s stepmother. “Special Olympics has given that to him and from that moment forward, it totally changed his life.”
Last year, three-time major champion and PGA TOUR member Padraig Harrington became a Global Ambassador for Special Olympics. He said he first got the idea to get involved when the Special Olympics World Games was held in his homeland of Ireland in 2003.
“It’s probably the biggest event that’s ever happened in Ireland,” Harrington said. “The whole country got behind it. It has always been on my consciousness and I got an opportunity a few years ago to get involved and I jumped at it. It’s such a great cause.”
Harrington does more than lend his name to the cause. He has conducted several clinics for Special Olympics golfers, including one last month at The Barclays, where he gave every athlete a free, autographed putter from Wilson.
“I get more out of the time I spend with them than they do around me,” Harrington said. “They are just some of the most enthusiastic guys and girls in the world.”
Yes, there were smiles and fist-pumps all over PGA Golf Club during the tournament. And not just from the golfers. There is something so special in watching the unbridled joy in a Special Olympic athlete. So many times in life they feel out of place, but not with a golf club in their hand. Fittingly, the second round was held on the second anniversary of Eunice Kennedy Shriver Day, honoring the woman who founded Special Olympics.
“They certainly have some challenges in life, but golf gives them a way to participate in sports, enjoy the competition and the camaraderie and an avenue to be active people in our society,” said PGA of America President Allen Wronowski. “Their motto says it all: I want to win, but if I can’t win let’s be brave and enjoy it.”
Jim Whitehurst says he hopes his son can someday get a job at a golf course. They are already making plans to once again attend the nearby Transitions Championship at Innisbrook next year where he hopes to meet Harrington.
“Tyler has been handed so many lemons in life,” said his father, “but he somehow always turns them into lemonade.”
Craig Dolch is a freelance columnist for PGATOUR.COM. His views do not necessarily represent the views of the PGA TOUR.
golfers world | golf tips
