Golf instructions – Golf Swing

The Correct Golf Driver Loft

Choosing The Correct Golf Driver Loft

I`ll bet , like most of us, the last time you bought a new golf driver you hit a demo club at the range a few times, it felt good and you bought it.

This is how almost all of us buy new golf clubs. But let`s take a look at the driver. It is probably the most important club in the golf bag. Playing golf from the fairway is a lot easier than the rough and also, hitting a 9 iron to the green is a lot easier than hitting a 6 iron. That`s pretty obvious, so what`s the point?

The point is that most of us are not playing with a driver that has the proper loft to provide us with maximum distance and accuracy. The simple reason for this is that golf club manufacturers are not making drivers with the lofts that are correct for most golfers.

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Here`s an idea of the range of lofts that we are talking about to provide optimal driver loft: (source: Golf Engineering)

The numbers below represent (A)Clubhead Speed (how fast you swing the golf driver), (B)Estimated Optimal Driver Loft (your ideal driver loft) and (C)Category (who should be using these lofts)

(A)_____________(B)____________(C)

(1) 130-150…..4-7 degrees…..men long driving champs
(2) 110-125…..8-9 degrees…..men touring pros
(3) 95-105……10-11degrees….strong men & women
(4) 85-90…….12-13 degrees…most men golfers
(5) 75-85…….14-15 degrees…senior men & most women
(6) 65-75…….16+ degrees…..most women golfers

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As you can see, most men golfers should be using a 12-13 degree loft with their driver, senior men and women even higher and we know that this is not the case.

Also, what this validates is the fact that the average male golfer is better of driving with his 15 degree three wood. We have known this for years but we really did not know why, now we do. It is all about the optimal loft! There are more factors that control golf driver distance and accuracy, other than loft, but for our purposes today, this is one variable that we can easily control.

Now, we know that we are not going to give up hitting the driver. The grip it and rip it mentality is too deeply ingrained in us to give up our driver. But, at least now we can give up trying to hit an 8 degree driver and maybe change to a more sensible 10.5 degree or, even better, a 12 degree driver. The fact is that the lower degree of loft has been working against us and we never knew it!

So, stop fighting gravity and starting using a loft that will provide you with the optimal launch angle. Hit your driver longer and straighter. Give it a try, I think you will like it.

Senior Golf Instruction DVD

Senior golfers… golf instruction dvd… play the best golf of your life!Purepoint Golf has introduced a new golf instruction dvd. It’s a new senior golf dvd.

It’s especially designed to help golfers 55 and older play the kind of golf they thought was a thing of the past.

In fact… regardless of your age or physical condition… PurePoint Golf is saying… if you follow their instructions and get in a decent amount of practice, you just might find yourself… playing the best golf of your life.

Here is the secret to successful senior golf according to Bobby Eldridge, head teaching pro at PurePoint Golf

It’s compensation and here’s how it works.

Let’s say you’ve convinced yourself that your 300 yard drives are gone forever. Well, maybe they are.

I’ll teach you how to compensate for that loss in distance with better ball-striking ability…a superior short game…and precision putting that can have you winning skins from guys half your age.

But back to distance for a minute. I’ll bet everything I’ve got in my pocket right now that you’re selling yourself short in that department. I’m convinced and dead serious… about the possibility of your playing the best golf of your life.

After all, that’s what I’m doing after 40 years of playing and so are my senior golf students”.

Here’s a little of what you’ll learn in the Senior Golf DVD.

Why your old irons may be weighing down your game.
Why going to graphite is the smart shaft move.
How a new grip can make playing with arthritis practically painless.
The difference a different kind of ball can make.
Why hybrids aren’t just for the highway.
How the wrong clubs can cost you distance.
The single most common mistake most senior golfers make in their posture and how to fix yours.
A simple, down-to-earth method for increasing your downswing speed.
The other thing to do before you leave home.
How to maximize impact and get back most of the distance you thought you lost.
Why the short game can be your new best friend.
How to get solid shots with real zip to them.

That should be enough for you to check out how this senior golf-new golf instruction dvd can help you.

RukkNet Portable Driving Range

RukkNet Portable Driving Range with Tri-Fold Golf Mat and Chipping attachment: The most complete, quick and durable golf practice package system available. Comes with a 5 ply knotless ball returning net that can be replaced if it ever wears out, attaches to the frame using T bars, not Velcro. No thin netting or mesh. Knotless netting allows the power from shot to disperse efficiently and the ball to roll back smoothly. The Rukk Net is the simplest and fastest net to set up and take down. Taken out of the bag the net pops-up instantly and folds down using clear instructions printed directly onto the net featuring our brand new Easy Fold system. 7′ Tall and 9′ feet wide the net is durable, light-weight, and versatile. Use the net for multiple sports. Great indoors or outside, in backyards, basements, garages, patios, practice fields, or league games. The base of the net is double layered to protect floors as well as for long life on rough surfaces such as driveways. Ideal for perfecting your swing before the next trip to the driving range or golf course. The ball returns after each shot eliminating bending down or having to carry a bucket of practice balls. Maintain position and grip to find your groove and work on swing fundamentals, correct repetition is the key to a great golf swing. Also a great tool for warm ups before a round. All Rukket Nets are double stitched and built of the heaviest materials available. Carrying case is thick canvas with double zippers for long life, capable of carrying the tri fold hitting mat, golf balls, chipping attachment and a golf club it also has a thick comfortable shoulder strap. Very portable at 16 lbs. Folds flat into a 32 inch circle. Easy fold system with super tough mat and chipping attachment make this the most versatile practice sports net ever! *Rukket is US owned and operated. If you have any questions call anytime at 18554RUKKETRukket 4pc Golf Bundle | 10x7ft Portable Driving Net | Chipping Target | Tri-Turf Hitting Mat | Carry Bag | Practice Outdoor and Indoor 4.2 out of 5 based on 277 ratings.Golf Training Products Rukket $165.99

Proper Set Up In Using The Golf Driver

Here is a quick golfing tip on the proper set up in using the golf driver from to teaching pro Bobby Eldridge. Bobby teaches “The Simple Golf Swing”.

Let`s listen to Bobby…

I often see a number of amateurs prepare for their driver golf swing by walking up, after they have teed the ball up, they just take a step back and they address it. They grip the golf club and they address it, and they sort of just plot their feet down wherever they land, but let me tell you the proper way.

This way you’ll be able to get the ball in the correct position more often than not. After you have the golf ball and you’ve gripped it and you have addressed it, then you’ll just look down, take a peek down, and if this golf ball is running towards the left heel, then this is correct.

If you look down and you see the golf ball is a little too far forward off your left, that’s too far forward and you’ll probably see that the shoulders are aimed too far to the left.

On the other hand, if you look back down and you think the ball is too far back in your stance when you put this shaft along you, you’ll be aiming way off to the right.

So, after you’ve addressed the golf ball, all you have to do to get ready for your driver golf swing is bring the shaft up and lay it along your shoulder line, and it should be going in the direction you want to go with it.

If you get it too far back in your stance at address, you’ll wind up aiming your shoulders too far off to the right.

And if you get it off the left heel, this should be proper for most people.

Golfing tip on the proper set up in using the golf driver… give that a try the next time out.

Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory.

Pro Hitting Golf Mat

Mat measures 48″(inches) x 60″(inches) Made of 100% spring crimped nylon material. It will not fade, bunch, weather or leave marks on your clubs.The mat is 1.125″ thick bonded to a 5/8″ thick polyethylene foam using a specially engineered urethane stabilizing layer. The foam is added for dimensional stability. You do not need special rubber tees. No more hitting off of a predetermined height of a rubber tee. Our mat will accept a real wooden tee which allows you to choose different clubs you want to hit at different heights. Rubber tees also give you a different feel because they obstruct your club at impact. Our mat gives you that on the course feel. Our dense fiber mat allows you to feel the difference on a fat shot because if you go too deep the thick fibers will slow your club head speed resulting in a fat shot. In practice you will learn to eliminate your mishit shots. Our competitors golf mat will “bounce” which will result in mishit shots. Our mat lets you hit down and through the ball for better practice. Made in the USA

Practice Your Chipping

Practice Your Chipping… improve your golf scores the easy way … and fast.

Here is a quick, under two minutes, video with Bobby Eldridge, head pro at PurePoint Golf, with a method to practice your chipping.

Bobby has just finished playing in a pro-am and his amateur playing partners had skulled their chip shots numerous times. I don`t know if you are plagued with this problem but many amateur golfers have this affliction and it can be quite frustrating.

In the video, Bobby shows us how to take a good chipping set up. He shows us how to get our weight forward in our stance, how to execute the proper take away and what the follow through should look like.

This set up, take away and follow through allows us to hit a crisp chip every time and prevent those dreaded skulls.

I`m sure you will find this method will be very helpful as you practice your chipping.

As usual, Bobby does an excellent job of explaining the problem and the cure.

I hope you enjoy the video and it helps you practice your chipping. As always, I welcome your comments!

Play Smart Golf

Play Smart Golf… Learn To Save Stokes

Playing Smart Saves Strokes

Even players who thrive on crushing the ball know that hitting it long isn’t always the best strategy. Sometimes, they need to hang back and save that muscle for another time. We call it playing smart. Jack Nicklaus was a great example of a player who plays smart. He knew when to take what the situation gives him. That’s one reason why he was one of the world’s best golfers. For weekend golfers, playing smart can save strokes and keep your golf handicap from ballooning.

But playing smart isn’t always the first thing on your mind when in trouble. Many golfers try “miracle shots” to salvage the situation when in trouble. Often, it’s a shot they’ve never hit before. Save miracle shots for when you must try one. The rest of the time, play smart. It may not seem like the best strategy, but it can save you strokes later on. In my golf lessons I emphasize three situations when playing smart works well. Below I describe these situations and provide golf tips on how to play them.

Ball In High Grass

When we say high grass, we mean high grass—the no man’s land of rough. You know the kind—where you could be standing over the ball and not know it. The problem with this rough is that it’s much thicker than regular rough. It’s so thick it can catch your club and turn the hosel before the clubface is even close to the ball. Thus, it may take multiple shots to get out. It’s that thick.

The only remedy for this lie is to take your wedge and attack the ball with a hard descending blow. But first you need to adjust your set up using these golf tips: Use an open stance but close the clubface a bit. Next, take a firm grip, aim just behind the ball, and swing down hard. These adjustments make it easier for the clubface to cut through the grass. Make sure, you also swing through—because if your club gets stuck, the ball will, too.

Ball In Bunker

While a ball buried deep in the sand requires a shot like the one described above, a regular lie in the sand—one where the ball is sitting on top of the sand—needs just the opposite approach. The goal here is to “shave” the ball out, not shovel it. Here, you need to take a smooth controlled swing with an open stance and clubface. Aim to make contact two inches behind the ball. It will fly out softly with minimal sand, saving you strokes and landing the ball close to the pin.

Playing The Punch Shot

The punch shot is a third play smart situation. The object of the punch shot is to keep the ball low, straight, and precise. It makes for a great approach shot in the wind. But it also makes for a great shot to salvage par from the trees. Many players use a longer iron to make this shot, but a hybrid works just as well, as I’ve mentioned in my golf tips newsletter. Here’s how to make a punch shot work for you:

Play the ball just back of the middle of your stance, which takes some loft off your club and enables the ball to fly lower with backspin. Take a three-quarter swing, mostly with your arms, and keep your wrists firm and hands quiet on the downswing. Make a smooth controlled swing, with out decelerating or hurrying through the shot, and keep your follow through short and low. The punch shot is a great weapon to have when in trouble or when playing in a stiff wind.

These three common “play smart” situations are often discussed in golf instruction session and golf articles. There are more not so common play smart shots. Look for them and then store them in your mind so you’ll remember them. In these situations, forget the “miracle shot” you’ve never hit before unless you’ve no other choice. Playing smart helps keep a lid on scores and stops golf handicaps from ballooning.

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book “How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros.” He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. He has a free weekly newsletter with the latest golf tips, golf lessons and golf instruction.

Modern Golf Swing Technique

There is a term that commentators on television will often say. He came, or she came, up and out of the shot. When you hear that, it usually means that the ball has gone to the right.

So, let me tell you an example of what ‘up and out of the shot’ means, and then I’ll give you a golf technique that you can use for your own golf game.

In the downswing, both knees stay bent during the bottom of the hit. And as the golf club passes you, the arms have to get out in front of you before you can turn through.

Now, here’s an example of a player that comes up and out of the shot. As they start down, they get out in front and their body unwinds. And they get tall in the hitting area and the spine comes up and you’ll see a push to the right.

So, here’s the golf technique. If you push to the right and you think there’s a chance that you may be coming up and out of your shot, you’ll hit it weak to the right.

A great little practice is for you to keep a little more weight on your right side and let the arms pass you before you turn through.

Thanks, and have a great day.

Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory.

Mental Side Of Golf

Mental Side Of Golf… Stay In The Present And Lower Your Scores

A frequently heard commentators comment is that of a player needing “only to stay in the present”, possibly an obvious observation, but, certainly one of the most difficult states to achieve. The brain is such a fast operating super-computer that unconscious thoughts seem to fly unbidden from the right side of the brain to the left with alarming speed and clarity. Among the most useful tools that the sports psychologist or mind coach can give to a player are those that help clear the mind and allow them to stay in the present.

One of the most effective methods is that of “squeezing the sponge”. Squeezing the sponge is the title of a breathing exercise whereby the art of concentrated breathing will calm and relax a player. People generally believe deep breathing to have its emphasis on inhaling, squeezing the sponge is in fact the exact opposite, by fully breathing out, exhaling, to the point where the stomach can be felt moving backwards towards the spine eventually a point will be reached where a reflex action takes place and the body is filled with clean fresh oxygen as the player is forced to inhale, in scientific terms, an involuntary action. As a player breathes out they are also expelling any bad feelings, while the new breath provides new energy and centers the mind and body. By concentrating on breathing in this way a player has been forced to stay in the present.

The sensation caused in the abdomen during the full exhale in the breathing exercise is also the area of the body concerned with the concept of centering. Centering is a method used widely in the field of martial arts and is an excellent tool for helping players stay in the present. In his book “Chen-Hsin – The Principles of Effortless Power” Peter Ralston states.

“There are aspects of this field of study that are sometimes emphasized or made pivotal to the rest. Centering is one of those. Indeed, it would be possible to devise an ENTIRE art founded totally and solely upon this one point. Many warrior trainings, esoteric practices and metaphysical techniques revolve around this one principle of centering.

In my life, I have spent much time concentrating on that spot and have practiced a great deal moving from there. It is my experience that this produces TREMENDOUS results.

The center region is concentrated in a place within the abdomen. You should feel this place to be large enough to be powerful and yet not so large that you cannot maintain a feeling of its density.

Performing and functional activity while concentrating on that spot will automatically increase the POWER, SKILL and EFFECTIVENESS of that activity.”

It is important that players practice the art of centering to the point where they can automatically find their center in the pressure situation of tournaments. To help this and reinforce the benefits of these tools try hitting a dozen balls on the range thinking of nothing but technique, to in effect be hitting balls with your head, but still with a specific target. Then hit a second dozen having first squeezed the sponge and then following the centering technique as they cross the play line, feel how different the experiences are. This exercise has a tremendous added benefit in that when a player is fully and correctly centered they will also be perfectly balanced

Another tried and tested method to help players stay in the present is that of “clear keys”, clear keys are tools that can be used to distract the conscious mind and allow the subconscious to perform unhindered. An exercise to show how this works is to stand about 12-15 feet away from a partner, he holding one golf ball, you holding two. Initially using only one ball each start tossing the balls to each other simultaneously and continuously but the only thing either of you concentrate on is saying the word ‘now’ when you perceive that the ball approaching you has reached the apex of its flight. You will find that you are both effortlessly throwing and catching the balls in the manner of seasoned circus act. After a short period, introduce the third ball into the exercise, you will find that you continue to “juggle” the balls without difficulty. The word “now” is your clear key and you have quieted the conscious mind.

Clear keys whilst playing usually take the form of some sort of mantra, back-hit, being one of the most common, humming is another often used key but any distraction can produce the desired result.

Nick Madgett is a Sports Psychologist and qualified Mind Factor Coach, the Mind Factor system is used by some of the worlds greatest players such as Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, David Howell and Graeme McDowell. Nick is also the main contributor to http://www.golfpsychologyonline.com.

Improve Golf Swing-Tee Height

Learn how to improve your golf swing with this golf swing tip about the proper golf tee height from Bobby Eldridge from PurePoint Golf Academy.

Bobby says… two minutes from now I’m going to have an answer for all of you on how high you should be teeing your tee shots so you can improve your swing. The new drivers that have come out in the last 5, 10 years have what is referred to as a deep face.

From the bottom to the top it’s about two or more inches. Most players associate all of that space with teeing the golf ball high. We even have three-inch tees now.

So, that isn’t true. You don’t need that. Some of you might, but most of you don’t.

So, here’s my rule of thumb for how high should you tee the driver: If the mistake you make is that you constantly top the golf ball, that isn’t always the answer. You could fix your posture and bend over a little bit and that would fix topping the golf ball.

If you always hit underneath the golf ball, this isn’t always the answer, where you tee it down so low. Maybe you simply need to get your chin up.

So, a great rule of thumb is that the golf ball should be slightly higher than the center of the club face.

If the golf ball sits much higher than the center of the face, the swing tip to improve your golf would have you hitting the golf ball on the upswing. If it was teed down close to the ground, and you tried to hit the golf ball on the upswing, you might wind up hitting a little grass behind it. Instead, you would have to hit this one on a little bit of the downswing, which is defeating the purpose of the driver. The driver’s swing is a sweeping swing. And you want to catch the golf ball at the bottom of the arc.

At worst, you want to catch it on the way up but not too much on the way up.

Experiment with your tee shots. Play a whole round of golf where you tee it a lot lower than normal, then the next round a little bit lower than normal. And then play the third round where you tee it real high.

I promise you that real high is not the answer. Try that the next time out.

I hope this golf swing tip on how to use golf tee height improve your golf swing was helpful.

Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory. You can check out PurePoint Golf instructional DVDs at click here.