Golf Basics for the Absolute Beginner

Golf is continually becoming more and more popular of a sport and for good reason, it is a great way to get outside and get some exercise with a group of your friends. It can also be a very relaxing sport, after a long stressful week of work, a nice round of golf can really make you feel better. The golf course can also act as an office, many business discussions have been held over 18 holes of golf. Another great thing about golf is that you can play at your own pace, if you play at a snail's pace the people behind you might catch up and be upset, but otherwise you can play at just about any speed. If you are reading this article then you are definitely a beginner golfer, and one thing you should definitely realize is that golf is not easy. It takes lots of practice to become a great golfer, so if you think you are just going to grab a set of cheap clubs and go out and shoot par, then you are in for a rude awakening. Even the best of the best still have bad days and still need to fix things in their swings. I am not trying to discourage you from playing, I just want to make sure you realize that even though golf is relaxing and a great stress relief, it is anything but easy. One of the great things about golf is that every round you get a score, and as you get better you will see that score drop, so it is very easy to see your improvements if you have been practicing.

Lets go over the basic rules of golf since this article is for the absolute beginner golfer. Golf is played on an 18 hole course. Each hole is given a score called par, this is the normal number of shots you should be able to finish the hole on. So finishing a par 4 in 4 shots is a good score. If you finish 2 shots under the par, this is called an eagle. One shot under par is called a birdie. One over par is called a bogie, then there is double bogie, triple bogie and so on. If you are an absolute beginner golfer, do not expect to shoot par, don't even expect to shoot all bogies, golf is difficult. If you have ever watched golf tournaments, you will know that most of the golfers that start the tournament do not finish under par, so thinking that you can shoot anything close to par when just starting out, will certainly lead to disappointment. Holes will have a par between 3 and 6.

Each hole is made up of the tee box, where you start, the fairway, the rough, and the green. You want to keep the ball on the fairway, this is the shortest grass on your path to the green where the hole is, and is the easiest to hit off of. Outside the fairway is the rough, this grass is longer and tougher to hit good shots out of. Holes may also have hazards that will make your life more difficult, sand traps, water and trees will all get in your way if you don't hit the ball accurately. When you are starting out as a golfer, look for easier courses that have fewer hazards and larger fairways, these will make learning easier and make your round of golf much less frustrating. Those are the basics you need to know to get started.

Sam Davis is a contributing author who writes many articles on improving your golf game. You can find more great tips and a free ebook on the perfect golf swing at Golf Swing Basics located at http://golfswingbasicssite.org/

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Golf Swing Videos Are A Great Tool For Fixing Your Game

Everyone who plays golf understands that it's all about the swing, no matter what else happens if your swing isn't going the way it's supposed to go then you'll find yourself hitting something else than what you think you're hitting and the ball will not go where you think it should.

The golf swing must be a smooth delivery with the proper arcing motion from beginning to end. If there's a break in the fluidity of the swing, the impact of the ball will be affected. Many golfers don't fully understand the arc that they're making and whether they can replicate the same arc each and every time they swing. The great thing about golf swing videos is that you get a personalized video of your swing along with so much more.

Trajectory is the path toward an object and the trajectory of a swing is how the swing follows a path from its beginning to its end. The knowledge you have when you find out whether your swing follows a perfect trajectory or whether it takes on a different path is extremely valuable in order for you to understand how to fix a swing. A quality golf swing video will show you the path of your swing and overlay it onto the path of a perfect swing. By perfect swing, there are actually a few to choose from, depending on which professional you'd like to mimic.

Professional golf swings follow a perfect arc and the reason they're professional is because they can repeat the same arc time after time. The average golfer is lucky if he can mimic the same exact swing 30% of the time. That means three out of 10 swings could be considered identical whereas the rest have some kind of flaw. A good golf swing video will show you what the flaw is and how to fix it. It could be a matter of bending an elbow or wrist or just letting gravity take the club through to its full length and follow-through.

When you have an opportunity to pick up a golf swing video, do yourself a favor and spend a few bucks and get yourself a glimpse into your game. You won't know what's broken until you see it on video and you won't know how to fix it until you understand what's broken. Understanding the trajectory of your swing and how it compares to a professional swing are a priceless tool for your arsenal.

Watching golf swing videos will easily cut hours off your valuable practice sessions. We have generated a web site with 1000's of golfing videos to improve your game and also give you guidance on how to improve your score. Check them out.

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Golfing in Gran Canaria

The paradise island of Gran Canaria is thought to be the birth place of golf in Spain. The first club to pioneer golf on the island was founded in 1891.

It's easy to see why Gran Canaria is so closely associated with golf, as year round sunshine and dry conditions provide perfect playing conditions.

There are eight magnificent golf courses in Gran Canaria, all designed by professionals, offering world class golf in calm and tranquil conditions.

Many of the best courses on the island are located close to fantastic quality accommodation in Maspalomas.

As Gran Canria boasts excellent road networks, it's quick and easy to travel between courses and accommodation, making for a hassle free holiday. There are good public transport links and very affordable car hire deals.

Maspalomas Golf is regarded as one of the best courses in Gran Canaria.

This 18 hole, par 73 golf course is located next to the Maspalomas Dunes.
The course was designed by Mackenzie Rose. The course is close to the sea, providing wonderful views, and a gentle breeze on glorious hot days.

Salobre Golf and Resort (North) is an 18 hole, par 72 golf course, designed by Ron Kirby. The course is one of the newest on the island (inaugurated in 2008) providing an exciting new challenge for golfers visiting the island.

Sanbre Golf and Resort (South) is an 18 hole, par 71 golf course, designed by Roland Faure. This varied course is suitable for golfers of all abilities. The course offers magnificent views over the sea and mountains of the upscale area of El Salobre.

Lopesan Meloneras is an 18 hole, par 71 golf course designed by Ron Kirby. The course is located next to the sea in the resort of Costa Melonerias. The course boasts 9 holes with views of the mountains and 9 holes with magnificent views of the clear ocean.

Golfers of all levels visit Gran Canaria to enjoy a wide range of courses. Specialists on the island can advise which courses are best suited to the abilities of each group.

Golf equipment can be hired, or purchased, on the island from a range of club shops and general sports stores.

After a competitive game, there are plenty of ways to unwind, with many leading golf clubs boasting fantastic restaurants, bars and private clubhouses.

Visitors who don't play golf can often join the golfing party for a relaxing glass of wine and traditional tapas overlooking the greens.

There are plenty of other activities for non-golfers to enjoy in Gran Canaria. The island is also popular for diving, cycling, hiking, surfing and fishing.

Gran Canaria also boasts fantastic tourist attractions for all the family including Holiday World. This popular attraction boasts a 27 metre high Ferris wheel that can be seen from afar.

There is also a roller coaster and a laserdome, bowling alley, shops, restaurants and bars.

Another popular attraction, situated near the golfing area of Maspalomas, is the Botanical Park of Maspalomas. There are more than 50 different species of plants in the garden, ranging from palms to vegetables, from around the world.

There is also a popular water park, with rides and attractions for all the family, considered by many to be the perfect way to cool down in the Gran Canaria heat.

Gran Canaria is the perfect destination for golfing holidays, boasting fantastic golf courses for all abilities, great sightseeing locations, exciting tourist attractions, wonderful food and drink, and a wide range of self catering accommodation to suit all budgets.

It's no wonder that thousands of golfers choose Gran Canaria is the destination for fun filled golfing holidays. Let the golfing adventures begin.

Carlos Richardson writes for Adventure Included - Adventure Holiday Spain.

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Drive The Ball Farther

Every golfer wants to hit it past their golfing buddies off the tee. Having a powerful golf swing and hitting long drives makes the game easier and more enjoyable. I'm here to give you some tips on how to gain some more distance off the tee.

My first word of advice starts with the setup position. When hitting the driver, you want to setup to the ball with your spine tilted slightly away from the ball. This helps you to hit the golf ball on the upswing which translates into greater distance because of a decreased spin rate and better launch angle. With this altered spine angle, you will want a wide stance and you want to play the ball towards your front foot. You need a wide stance to act as a stable base for the long and fast swing you make with the driver. You also want to play the ball towards your front foot to catch the ball on the upswing. I suggest playing the ball just inside of your left heel. This setup position also means that you are going to have approximately 60% of your weight distribution on your right foot.

My second tip is to keep your lower body movement very quiet as you rotate your upper body. This movement creates a lot of torque, which means when you do start your downswing you can unwind your upper body quickly to create maximum clubhead speed. This requires flexibility to achieve, which may mean that you will need to work on your flexibility at the gym or in your home during free time. The best areas to stretch to achieve this movement are your lower back muscles and hip flexors.

A third key is to swing the club faster, not harder. What I mean by this is to try to gain more clubhead speed by making sure the sequence of your movements is correct and you stay in balance. When most golfers try to hit the ball farther they try to hit the ball harder, which usually results in an errant shot because they have fallen off balance or tried to throw their hands through impact. This always results in an errant shot because your natural timing and rhythm is thrown off. It should feel like you are swinging smoother, which also gives you a better chance of hitting the ball on the sweet spot of the club and result in more distance.

Finally, don't rule out the need for a new driver. Technology is advancing in drivers very quickly and you do not want to have a driver that has inferior technology. There are many golf courses and golf retail shops that will fit you for a driver. Getting fit for a driver is a pretty simple and quick process. You go through different driver head and shaft combinations to find the perfect setup that gives you the right amount of spin, launch angle, etc.

These tips should help you drive the ball a little farther and give you some bragging rights with your golfing buddies next time you hit the links.

Written By:

Evan Ives
PGA Certified Golf Professional

Visit my blog for golf instruction articles, golf course reviews, golf equipment reviews and more!

http://www.golflessonblog.com/

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Great Golfing Tips for Beginners

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.

"Find more great info and helpful advice on all aspects of golfing at http://www.novicegolfingtips.com/ and grab your FREE eBook while your there"

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How to Hit a Flop Shot

First of all, do not ever hit a flop shot unless it is your last and only option to get the ball near the hole. The flop shot is an extremely difficult shot to pull off and control, so I recommend exploring all options before settling on a flop shot from around the green. If there is any way to run the ball up to and on the green I would suggest hitting a chip or pitch shot. The only times when a flop shot is advisable is when you have an obstacle between your ball and the hole, such as a bunker, water hazard, tree, etc. and you have little green to land on and let your ball roll towards the hole.

To execute a flop shot you need to take into consideration many variables. First, you are going to need to examine the lie of your golf ball. This is very important because you are going to play the shot differently if you are in short grass, long grass, buried in rough, etc. If you have a clean lie in short grass you will be able to put more spin on the ball which will help the ball stop once it hits the green. If you have a buried lie in the rough you won't be able to impart spin on the ball and will have to allow for your ball to roll out once it hits the green. Once you have figured out what kind of lie you have, you will want to walk up to the green to see how much putting surface there is between the edge of the green and the hole, you will also want to look at the contours of the green to see where your ball will roll once it lands on the green. Lastly, take a look at what is in between you and the green. If there is a water hazard or bunker there, you may want to think about erring on the side of hitting the ball too far to make sure you get over the hazard. The last thing you want to do when you short-side yourself near the green is compound a mistake and throw away more shots.

After surveying the situation and determining what severity of flop shot that is needed, it is time to setup to the ball and execute. To set up for a flop shot you are going to want to open your body so that everything aligns to the left of the target. You will play the ball just ahead of the middle of your stance and take a fairly wide stance because you want a solid base for the swing and it helps get you lower to the ground which will help open the clubface. Turn the toe of the club towards your back foot (to the right for a right handed golfer) so that the club face is in an open position, this adds loft to the club so that you can hit a high and soft shot. The next two adjustments are the key to hitting good flop shots. The first is when you turn that clubface open, make sure to take your hands off the grip and re-position them as if you were normally gripping the club. If you fail to do this you will essentially be gripping the club as if it were square because you haven't moved your hands at all. The second adjustment is to pull your hands back toward your back hip. This again adds loft to the clubface and helps you hit the ball high. Your hands will be behind the ball after this adjustment, which goes against almost everything taught in golf but it is allowed for only flop shots. The key, though, is that your hands will be back in front of the clubhead and ball when you are at impact because you want to strike the ball with a descending blow.

Now that we are setup, it's time to make a swing. You will need to vary the length of the swing depending on how far and high you want to hit the ball. Always make sure you are accelerating through impact. It also helps to take the club back to the outside of your hands because that will again add loft to the clubface. You are going to need to break your wrists and hinge them quite a bit to get clubhead speed and hold the clubface open through impact to send the ball high in the air. Swing the clubhead along your body line, which is aimed left of the target because the open clubface will send the ball off to the right of where you are swinging (for right handed golfers). At impact you will want to feel like you are sliding under the ball with an open clubface. Be sure to finish your swing and hopefully, if everything goes well you will be watching your ball fly high in the air towards the hole over all the hazards in front of you.

Written By:

Evan Ives
PGA Certified Golf Professional

Visit my blog for golf instruction articles, golf course reviews, golf equipment reviews and more!

http://www.golflessonblog.com/

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How To Recover From Bad Shots In Golf

How often have you found your game deteriorating after you hit that first bad shot? You were out there, hitting balls nice and sweetly, holing out well, mentally calculating your score and feeling pretty good. Then, out pops that stray shot, seemingly from nowhere, and it triggers a downward spiral.

We've all been there, and we've watched professionals fighting that same tendency. Sometimes you win that fight and at other times you lose. The question that remains is how can you take control of these situations and maximize your ability to ensure that you win more frequently and no longer allow one bad shot to trigger a whole truck load of baddies?

The thing about golf is that no matter how perfectly you hit the ball on the range, playing on the course presents an entirely different challenge. The lies are anything but flat and straightforward. Balls can be sitting there on lies that are downhill, uphill, sideways, lumpy, bumpy, deep in rough, plugged in sand, shaded by trees, deep in the undergrowth, and so on.

The courses themselves are set up in such a way so as to create optical illusions and correct alignment is no longer a simple matter. And then there's competition pressure, wind, rain...you name it, there's a load more to contend with when you are actually out there on the course. Your perfect swing will only hold up to the same degree as your mind holds up.

When you're on the range and you hit a bad shot you don't get upset. You're there to practice, there to learn. You expect a few bad shots. And you can hit one ball after another and so quickly replace in your mind any bad ones with a series of great ones. This enables you to walk away from the range feeling pretty good with yourself.

The golf course is a different matter. You hit a bad shot and you can get upset. You don't get a chance to replay it and replace the memory of that bad shot. Or do you?

You see, this is a big part of the mental game of golf. The ability to commit the memory of bad shots to your mental trash can and replace it with a strong visual image of a perfect shot is the key to recovering well from a bad golf shot.

In this way, you don't give in to the natural instinct to get upset. You remain calm and in control of your thoughts, focus and emotions. This enables you to be present and fully in control for your next shot. It stops you from dwelling on the past bad shot and chewing on it like a bone.

Being present is hugely important. If you aren't fully aware of what you are doing how can you possibly do it well? It's possible too, that when you think back, you might discover the reason why you hit that bad shot in the first place was because you were not absolutely present.

Your mind might not have been 100% engrossed in the task of hitting that ball. You might not have been 100% committed. You might even have been busy thinking about that card which was beginning to burn a hole in your golf brain!

Golf may well be more mechanical than mental whilst you are on the range. But as soon as you even contemplate setting foot upon the first tee box this game turns out to be almost entirely mental. If you want to be a good golfer you have to conquer both the mechanical and the mental aspects of this challenging game.

Roseanna Leaton, avid golfer and specialist in golf hypnosis mp3s and author of the GolferWithin golf mind training system.

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