Archive for the 'golf techniques' Category

Can I Help My Golf Game By Taking Lessons?

Saturday, August 1st, 2009

Everyone who plays golf wants to get a lower score.  What usually happens though is they find that their handicap pretty much stays in the same range for a long period of time.  You can practice and practice but even lots of practice doesn’t seem to help the score improve.  If that is the situation you are in, maybe it’s time that you start taking the game more seriously and seek out professional instructors for a few private lessons.

 

Instructors of the game of golf are members of the Professional Golfers Association of America (PGA).  These golf instructors are certified to teach the game through years of studying golf course management and various aspects of the game.  PGA programs include pro shop management and they must also keep their credentials current by continuing education programs.

 

Most golf lessons with a Pro are hour long sessions at a golf course of driving range.  Some golf shops house cool computer swing analyzers so you can take lessons right in the golf shop on a virtual golf course.  Some instructors are now taking video of your swing and analyzing the biomechanics of your swing with new computer technology. 

 

You can find a golf professional at your local club house, by looking in the yellow pages of your local phone book, or by going online to www.pga.com.  There you can find listings of local professionals.  Private golf lessons from a PGA professional can range from $50 an hour to $100 an hour.  These costs can be reduced sometimes if you purchase a package of several lessons or ask at your local golf course what options there are.  Sometimes courses will offer packages with a certain number of rounds of golf combined with lessons.

 

One of our local courses offers a clinic for kids in the spring where they can learn the basics and start a lifetime of loving the game of golf.  You’ll also sometimes find these kinds of packages offered to women or beginners.  It’s a great way to learn the basics the right way so they don’t have to correct bad habits later on.

 

You can also go to a golf academy run by a PGA professional.  These often consist of a full day of instruction and several round of golf with an instructor which could really help your game.  Do your research, either on the internet in golf forums or asking around at your local clubhouse and find out which of these academies are the ones most liked.  These can be geared to one on one instruction or some of them are set up to instruct large groups at a time.  The one you choose will depend on how much personal attention you want.

 

Are You Gripping Your Golf Club Correctly?

Tuesday, June 17th, 2008

For anyone that is first learning the game of golf, one of the most obvious things that one must learn to play a great golf game is to grip the golf club correctly.  Since the club and ball are the main objects in the game, it goes without saying that the beginner should know how to grip the club correctly.  If you would like to have some idea of how to grip your club before you sign up for lessons at the club, here are a few tips to learn how to grip a golf club correctly.

The grip on your club is the only way you connect and feel the golf club.  A proper grip is what gives you the control you need for the clubs face impact on the ball.  When learning how to grip a golf club correctly, you have to swing your body so that you imprint power to the ball.  When gripping a golf club correctly, your hand and the club become one in the move.  Always use your dominant hand for a stroke, since that is the way to hit the ball with precision.

 

To grip the golf club correctly, place the last joint of your index finger right under the club’s shaft.  Then, keep the club at a clear downward angle.  When you place the lead hand on the angle, put the left thumb on the back part of the shaft.  Try to imitate the moves of your instructor who will show you how to grip the golf club the right way.  For professional information you can check out the resources in the resource box below.

When gripping the golf club correctly, many people will have trouble managing the right strokes in the beginning.  It will all pay off if you PRACTICE!  You need to not only practice in the lessons you may be taking and on the golf course, but you also need to practice at home.  The more you practice the movement with the right grip, the better you golf game will be in the long run, even though at first you may find it frustrating and uncomfortable.  This is the first step in the golf learning process as you will soon go on to learn swing and be able to give the best shots possible.  If you practice the correct grip on your club, the rest of the game will follow.