Charlotte NC Golf

THE CAROLINA AM RENEWS PARTNERSHIP WITH WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP!

The Carolina Am Golf Championship, the metro area's most prestigious amateur golf tournament, has renewed its partnership with the nationally famous PGA Tour Wyndham Championship of Greensboro.

Charles Humphreys, Director of the Carolina AM, said, "We are excited and privileged to renew our partnership with the historic Wyndham Championship of Greensboro. This will again create a rare opportunity for a local amateur golfer to have a chance to play in a PGA Tour golf tournament. This doesn't happen often."

The winner of the 2009 Carolina AM will receive an automatic berth in the pre-qualifier to be held August 13th at the Bryan Park Golf Course - Browns Summit, NC. The top 50 from the pre-qualifier will have a chance to qualify for a spot in the Wyndham Championship.*

The Carolina AM is a two day 36 hole stroke play golf tournament for amateurs only. To qualify amateurs must have a 6.3 handicap index or less. The event is hosted annually by Northstone Country Club of Huntersville. The date is Saturday August 1st and Sunday August 2nd. The field is limited to the first 100 players.

Qualified amateurs can enter the Carolina AM by logging on the www.northstoneclub.com site and clic on the golf tab.

For more information, call Charles Humphreys, Carolina AM Director at 704-236-4312, or Head Professional, Courtney Ford, at Northstone Country Club, 704-948-4286, Ext 244. *Winner must have index of 2.1 or less to enter the pre-qualifier.

Click here for Charlotte North Carolina Golf Carolina AM form

Improving Your Balance

Balance - it sounds so simple! As a golfer who has been to your share of Charlotte golf clubs, you know that maintaining a proper balance is key to your game. And it's more than just having the correct stance.

Optimal balance depends on three aspects - your visual perception, the signals from the inner ear, and signals from your muscles and joints. Sometimes these aspects get out of sync, causing a balance disorder.

A lack of balance usually occurs when your head position changes - which is a good reason to keep your head still during your swing!

Migraines can attribute to a balance disorder. So if you have frequent migraines, seek medical attention. These headaches can affect your golf game in ways you may never have thought of.

If you have read Charlotte NC Golf before, you know I like to find ways for you to save money so take note:

Don't spend a fortune on new golf equipment hoping for better play before you check your medicine cabinet to see if any drugs you're taking affect your balance.

The condition "ear poisoning" seriously affects your balance. Ear poisoning is usually caused by side effects of some medications - notably the antibiotic gentamicin. Up to 50 % of people who take this drug experience some sort of ear poisoning.

Diuretics can pose a problem as well. So if you're on any medicine and you start feeling dizzy, get medical help! Sometimes the dizziness can literally become a lifelong problem, so don't delay in seeking help.

If your balance is a little off in your game, you may want to do some simple exercises to improve it. Just kicking a ball around your backyard can help. You can also set up a little obstacle course and weave in and out of it to improve your balance. Your kids will have fun with the course, too! In fact, they may even set up one for you!

You can also buy a balance board to help you with your center of gravity. We found a handmade, well-crafted balance board on eBay. These boards are challenging and fun to use!

In addition, working with flexibility exercises helps increase your balance by releasing muscle tension. Try some simple yoga stretches to help with loosening up tight muscles.

Another useful item is a yoga ball or exercise ball. Even just sitting on one of these balls requires balance - so try using one for part of the day. Work up gradually until you can sit on the ball for 30 minutes at a time. These ball exercises can help you develop proper posture, increase the mobility of your lower back, and develop overall control of your body core.

Since balance is fundamental to every aspect of your golf game, spend some time each day working on developing it. Who knows? You could find your swing and your score improving dramatically!

Then we will all be reading about you winning the next North Carolina Golf Tournament!

Some beginners think that all they have to do is mimic V.J. Singh's or Tiger Woods' every move and voila! Instant golf success!

Unfortunately, it's not that easy.

Really, no two people ever swing at the ball in the same way. Because of your unique body build, you develop your own individual set of muscles. A method of golf used by one person who's of a different build and has developed a different set of muscles may not be of value to you. Golf will always be individual. Find a method of playing that produces results for you, and then go with it.

While it's often a waste of time to try to copy someone else's style or imitate someone else to a T, coaching by a professional can help in finding a fault that you've developed and getting suggestions on how to make corrections. But you want to hire someone who works with the natural swing you have rather than a teacher who tries to teach you something totally different.

If you hire a pro, make sure he is a top notch player. You don't just want him to stand there and watch you swing either. Have him actually show you how to get out of sand, mud, and water and the principles of some less obvious shots. Then you'll really be getting value for your money!

When you're ready to play a game, and you're faced with a shot - make your decision on how you're going to do things. Don't be persuaded to change your methods every time you have a bad game.

Granted, some techniques really are fundamental principles and need to be observed. But it's impossible to make a shot and the whole time be thinking of seven or eight things like your grip, where your feet are, where the ball is, keep your eye on the ball, follow through, keep your head straight, etc.

Here are two basic tips to improve your individual game.

The one foundation you need no matter what stroke you're making, no matter what club you're playing with, is balance. You must keep balanced during the striking of the ball.

Another basic tip is to always keep your eye on the ball. Make sure any stance you take allows you to see the ball from every point of the stroke.

Take your time and develop your own methods that work for you. And when you're doing well, be sure to give the kid who's trying to mimic you the advice above!

More Charlotte NC Golf tips are on the way so check back often, bookmark this site and join our RSS feed. Have a great game.