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CHOOSING THE RIGHT GOLF CLUBS
When you are playing a game of golf, one of the ways that you can ensure good performance is to have a good discretion when it comes to picking out the right golf club. In any given situation, you are faced with 14 different choices. The trick to being an expert golfer is being able to spot these situations when they come up, and decide which club to use from there. This is how you begin to truly improve your game, since each club has a very specific hitting ability. There are many different factors to observe when picking a golf club. Here are the main ones, and how you can analyze them to choose a golf club.
The distance between you and the target is the biggest factor in choosing the club. Since you can pretty much line them all up from the least to the greatest hitting power, you will be able to choose one that is in the correct range. Irons and Wedges are usually best if you are closer. They dont have as much hitting power as the long-range clubs, but they have the higher accuracy that you will need to hone in on your target. However, if you are still close to the beginning of the course (perhaps in the par-six or par-five zones), you will want to pick the long-range clubs. These include the Fairway woods, or the driver. These will allow you to really put your muscle into the swing and hit the ball a long way.
The wind is something that the real expert golfers really take into account, although often its importance is lost on the newer golfers. If the wind is blowing particularly hard in the direction that you wish to hit the ball, you can drop down to a less powerful club in order to allow the wind to pick up the slack. The same goes if the wind is coming forcefully towards you, in the opposite direction of your target. You will have to hit the ball extra hard in order to make up for the undesirable wind conditions, so choose a club that reflects this change. Usually it can be very hard for a beginner to determine how the wind strength and direction will affect their shot, so dont worry if the concept is lost on you at first. It just takes experience to start to make the connections.
Besides the horizontal distance between you and the target, you also need to consider the vertical distance. Hitting to a plane that is higher than your current one requires more club power, which means that you should probably switch to the club that is one rank above the one you would have chosen. The same goes if the ground is lower. If you use a regular club to hit to a target that is 10 feet lower than you, chances are you are going to overshoot it. By using a smaller club according to the change in elevation, you will avoid quite a few lakes and sand traps. Always plan out your shot thoroughly, and consider all of the elevations and the general shape of the golf course.
The surface of the golf course is the final thing that you want to consider, and is probably the easiest. If you are in difficult terrain, your top priority is not necessarily to get the ball to the hole, but rather just to get onto better terrain that will allow a better shot. Therefore you shouldnt try to choose the more powerful clubs. Instead, stick with the smaller ones and get yourself back into the game as best as you can. High loft irons are good for this purpose, instead of drivers or fairway woods. It may be difficult to remember all of these factors at first, but as you get more involved with golfing you will become very familiar with them.
CHOOSING WOMEN'S GOLF CLUBS
Both men and women love the game of golf and this is why manufacturers make women's golf clubs for all the women golfers in the world. Sometimes you see men and women playing mixed doubles and some of these women do as well if not better than the men do. Women can use men's clubs, but most women prefer to use a women's club, which is made for them, and the design is different from a man's. Some things to look at when searching for the perfect set of women's golf clubs is:
- Shaft and the material it is made from
- The length of the club and your stance
- The weight of the clubs and your swing
When you are looking for women's golf clubs, look for a graphite shaft that allows for more distance because your swing is smooth and easy. A lighter golf club is better than a heavier one. You will have the speed and the distance needed with a graphite shaft rather than a steel shaft. Many of these clubs are higher priced then than other clubs, but well worth the cost.
Always get a club is the right length for you. Women's golf clubs are made for the woman in mind and the proper length makes your swing count in every game you play. If you need a shorter shaft and you are using something to long, you swing, stance and entire game will suffer. You might even consider a custom-made set of golf clubs if you cannot find the right size.
If you do find the right set of golf clubs, you also want to consider the design. Different brands have different designs and you will want to have a good set of golf clubs to make the game and set you on your road to making a name for yourself on the golfing circuit. For more info see http://www.bestgolfclubreviews.com on Golf Club.
Because the weight and height of men's different so much from women's golf clubs, you can bet, your game will suffer if you try to start out golfing with the heavier clubs. You might want to find used golf clubs and try different types until you find just the right clubs for your golf game. Join the millions of women golfers and compete for your title in golfing along with the others in the world of golf. You will enjoy the thrill of the game as well as get plenty of exercise.
THE BASICS OF GOLF CLUB SHAFTS & GRIPS
If you are new to the game of golf, or if you simply don't know too much about the game in general, there are several areas that you should understand before you decide to step out onto the green. Some of the important things you need to understand include golf club shafts and grips.
These two parts of your golf club can either make or break your golf game. After all, how can one possibly play a good game of golf without having a properly and well-made shaft and grip? So, let's take a closer look at these elements of a golf club.
The Golf Club Shaft:
Think about it: all cars and trucks have engines. So, in the same way, a golf club also has an engine. This engine is called the shaft. The golf club shaft is basically a tube that is made of materials such as metal, steel, or graphite. The shaft is the main part of your golf club that you hold on to when you are playing.
And then there is the flex. The flex in your golf shaft describes the ability that your shaft has to bend when you swing it. There are several kinds of shafts that you golf club can have, depending on your preferences when you bought it. A golf club shaft can be extra stiff (X), stiff (S), regular (R), senior (A), and ladies (L).
No matter what type of flex your shaft has, it will automatically impact your trajectory, distance, and accuracy. To get the most of what you can get from you shaft, you must hit the ball square, with the face of the club. This needs to be done while focusing your aim in a completely straight line. This way, you will be able to make contact with the ball, and make it in the best way possible.
The Golf Club Grip:
You can find the golf club grip at the opposite end as the golf club head. The golf club grip is typically covered with rubber, leather, or synthetic leather covering for you to hold on to. Most modern clubs have extravagantly comfortable grips for layers to hold one to. When it comes to the golf cub grip, it is all about comfort.
The Grip:
The end of the shaft opposite the head is covered either with a rubber, synthetic leather, or colloquially, a leather grip for the player to hold. The modern grip has also undergone a number of changes and the vast variety of models makes it far easier for a discriminating golfer to find a model that is comfortable to him or her.
With a great golf shaft as well as a super golf grip, you will certainly be set to play your best golf ever. Remember to stay on top of your game by replacing or keeping up on your shaft and grips. You will be glad you did when you step out onto the green!
HYBRID GOLF CLUBS
Hybrid golf clubs have appeared in the past few years, and their popularity will no doubt continue to increase. Phil Mickelson used a hybrid numerous times during his win at the 2007 Players Championship. Many other top PGA Tour players use hybrid clubs as well, and the popularity of these clubs will continue to skyrocket. Taylor Made has said that one-fourth of all its wood sales in 2007 will be hybrids. Almost one-third of U.S. golfers now choose to carry a hybrid golf club in their bags compared to about 7% in 2004. The trend is clear.
Why Use a Hybrid Golf Club?
In short, a hybrid golf club is easier to hit than a long iron with the same loft, and with a hybrid golf club the ball will have a higher trajectory. To understand this one needs to know about two things: the 24/38 rule, and the vanishing loft phenomenon which has occurred in golf over the past 20-30 years.
The 24/38 Rule
This is a rule known by golf clubmakers. Essentially it says that most golfers, that is the vast majority, do not have the ability to consistently hit an iron with 24 degrees or less of loft and 38 or more inches of length. For the vast majority of golfers in todays world, this means that they cannot hit shots consistently with any iron longer than a five iron. Heres why.
The Vanishing Loft Phenomenon
Surely every golfer is aware that the lofts of iron clubs have crept lower over the years. Golf club companies would introduce new clubs and promote how much farther you can hit a 5 iron, for example, with their new clubs than you could with your old 5 iron. They didnt immediately tell people that the new club had less loft and was really more like their old 4 iron, but eventually this became obvious. So a 4 iron today has generally settled into lofts of 23-24 degrees vs. 28 degrees some years ago. Applying the 24/38 rule to this means that only a few golfers today can consistently hit a 4 iron. How is it that the lofts and lengths of clubs were allowed to change? It so happens that there are no official standards for these and other golf club design parameters. Thus the golf club companies could make the lofts be whatever they thought was best for the marketing department, within reason.
Why Does The Ball Fly Higher With a Hybrid Golf Club?
The answer to this question is easy to understand. With a hybrid golf club the center of gravity (CG) of the club is farther back. For example, the CG of a 4 iron or any other iron club for that matter is slightly behind the club face. A 4 hybrid, which looks like a small wood club (wood as in 3 wood, 5 wood, etc. All these are made of metal these days) has a CG that is farther back. This make the ball get into the air easier and thus the club seems easier to hit.
Should You Hit Hybrid Golf Clubs?
Unless you are a very skilled player to whom the 24/38 rule does not apply, the answer is probably yes. Even PGA Tour players, who clearly are not bound by the 24/38 rule are using them because sometimes they want to get those long iron shots higher into the air. In fact for most players, the longest iron in their bag should probably be a 5 iron. 3 and 4 hybrids should replace your 3 and 4 irons, which most golfers cannot hit properly and consistently. And remember, your hybrid golf clubs should be the same lengths , or at most a half inch longer, than the iron which they are meant to replace. You want to replace the 3 and 4 irons with the equivalent hybrid golf clubs. What you dont want is a club that will hit the ball further and create a yardage gap between the 4 hybrid and 5 iron, for example. Thus, the lofts of hybrid golf clubs and the irons they are to replace should be equal as well. You want your 4 hybrid to travel the same distance that your 4 iron did. Give hybrid golf clubs a try- they are a great addition to the game.
GOLF ETIQUETTE
Sometimes golfers let themselves go and they dont follow the first rules they were probably first taught. Golf etiquette (often misspelled as: edicate) is one of, if not the most important parts of the game. There are a few main things that golfers seem to forget about.
Be quite while others are hitting
Dont hit-up on other golfers
Rake the sand after your shot
Fix your ball mark or divot on the green, fairway and tee box
Talley your scores at the next tee box and not the green
Constant though out the game you must follow golf etiquette like being quite while someone is lining up to hit, and not to hit up on other golfers in front of you. Then at each part of a golf course you have etiquette to follow.
Like at the tee box, not only keeping quite and respectful while someone is hitting, but you must fix your divot and if you broke your tee than throw it away, dont just liter up the tee box. Te boxes get chewed up quick so each player must hold their own.
Then once you come up to your ball in the fairway, again you must fix your divot, and wait for the players in front of you, but if you end up in a sand trap you must rake the sand after your shot to allow other golfers to have a better chance of a good lie. Once on the green the first thing you need to do is follow your path to find where your ball landed and fix your ball mark or divot.
By fixing your divot you are repairing the green and keeping it in great condition for all the other golfers. Beyond the rules of golf etiquette goes a long way and if every golfer just does their own clean up it will the course in better condition.
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