How to lower your score in 15 minutes

Golfers everywhere here it: :practice your SHORT GAME more often." But why? What is it that's so important about it? Many golfers think if they can improve their full swing enough, they'll be close enough to the green so that their short game will, in turn, be better. FALSE! I know you've heard the stat that even pros avg 13 greens a round, and they do it for a living!

Dave Pelz, one of the foremost experts in the short game, proves in his book 'The Short Game Bible', mathematically, why the short game is so important. He uses a statistic called Percentage Error Index (PEI) to compare golfers, not driving distance or even putts per round!

The way to calculate the PEI for a shot is simple. Imagine we have a shot of 100 yards to the pin. If you hit say, a pitching wedge and land 15 feet from the pin (5 yds), that's a 5% error in your swing. Theoretically, a perfect swing would be one where you made every shot you took from that distance, right? So what Dave Pelz did was, using this data from golfers' games, he compared driving, long irons, mid-irons, short game (inside 100 yds and off of the green), and putting. He then compared relative PEI's (from lowest to highest) against the PGA tour tournament winnings. What had the biggest correlation to money won? Driving? No. Putting? Close, but no. It was the players with the lowest PEI's in their short game that invariably won more money.

So it's really not a matter of whether or not you need to practice your short game, but how often, when, and where. Assuming you improve your short game, lower scores WILL follow.

Check out The Short Game Bible today on Amazon.

Many, not all, but many golfers struggle to decide what clubs best fit their bag. The answer is that it depends on your ability and what kind of course you're playing that day. Here are some tips

1. Get fit for clubs- After getting fit for my golf clubs, I discovered my current clubs were 3 degree too flat! This means I had to make compensations in my swing to make the ball go straight consistently. Think of all the time you may waste 'correcting' a bad swing when it may be your clubs

2. Replace long irons (4, maybe even 5, and up) with hybrid clubs. Unless you have a low single digit handicap, your swing is probably not consistent enough to hit long irons very well. Hybrids have the added benefit of getting up in the air rather quickly (and thus, landing softly) and helping you to chop through rough or fairway fringe more efficiently.

3. Add a wedge. I am surprised at how few golfers carry enough wedges. Invariably, the better golfers carry 3-4 wedges. These wedges (probably a PW, GW, SW, and LW) give a golfer a multitude of options around the green and inside 100 yards. 70% of your results will happen within this range, so be wise and get another wedge. (If pressed to choose 1, get the 60 degree wedge with low bounce)

4. If possible, find out the type of sand at the course. Although I hope you avoid the sand, often it is impossible. The think sole of a sand wedge with a lot of bounce will cut through fine sand better. Fine sand will cause the ball to sit in a 'fried egg' lie and thus will be difficult to cut under like a normal sand shot.

5. Check your driver loft. Many golfers have drivers with loft that is too low. Studies show that a higher launch often yields more in the way of distance. Unless you have a low single digit handicap, avoid drivers with less than 9.5 degrees of loft. This will have the added benefit of carrying the ball farther on the off chance you miss hit into the rough. Better to be closer to the hole, right?

6. Choose a putter- many people have several different putters. I think putting is mostly mental, so I would go with the one that feels that best that day. It's as simple as that. You will have more confidence and putt better. My better putting days are invariably those where I just "feel" on.

Hope that helps
JN

The popularity of golf has soared in recent years attracting many new players to the game. Additionally, those who enjoy game are desiring to excel more than ever before. More and more players are taking their golf fitness very seriously because they know just how big an effect it can have on their standard of play.

The first thing to understand is the purpose of golf fitness, and what it can provide. The principle goal of any golf fitness regime is simple: to improve a player's performance by optimizing their physical fitness. individuals undertaking such a fitness program should aim to increase muscle strength and flexibility, to increase their balance, and to ultimately play a better game. These goal are achieved through a combination of exercise and improved nutrition.

In particular, typical benefits of participating in golf fitness activities include:

- Improved movement ability

- Increased head speed of a club

- Increased power of a stroke

- Increased distance of a shot

- Increased accuracy of a shot

- Decreased occurrence of back pain

- Improved blood circulation

- Decreased chance of muscles becoming sore

Any single one of the aforementioned benefits would be highly desirable. In combination, they are virtually certain to help almost any golfer improve their game, and play to the best of their ability. Two things in particular to work towards are improved flexibility (which helps players achieve a more effective golf swing, as well as reducing the chances of injury), and strengthening muscles (which helps with the power of the swing, and helps protect the back from injury).

As you know, golf can be a long and physically demanding game, so the importance and value of improved golf fitness should not be underestimated - it really can make you a better player!

By S. Tanna. "Improve Your Golf Game With Exercises, Stretches & Nutrition" - Special Report reveals the secrets of how to boost your golf fitness and improve your golf game - includes simple exercises to improve flexibility, posture, balance and strength. Hit the ball further and more accurately! Prevent golfing injuries!
www.guide2golffitness.com

Leave the cart at the club house; you should be walking the golf course. Your doctor thinks so and so does the United States Golf Association.

Walking the course is the choice of the pros and, according to the USGA, the use of carts is a detriment to the sport and should be stopped. So basically, walking the course is good for your health, the course's health and even the game's health.

First, walking the course is great exercise. In one study, Swedish researchers concluded that walking a full round of golf was equal to 40-70% of the intensity of a full, high-impact aerobic workout. Another study, led by American cardiologist Dr. Edward Palank, proved that walking golfers were able to lower their levels of bad cholesterol. Basically, four hours of walking a good golf game is equal to about one 45-minute aerobics class.

Carts also damage a course and destroy the fairways. Typically, most courses discourage the use of carts on fairways for this very reason. The carts cause wear and tear, drag dirt onto the grass and create ditches and hazards. For the sake of the course and the environment of the area, walking is the best option.

And though it seems backwards, a walking team of golfers can usually complete 18 holes faster than golfers on carts. Basically, a walking team doesn't have to spend time all going to each individual golfer's ball on every hole, but can rather split up and maintain a steady speed throughout the course. So typically, the tortoise walkers win the race.

If you're new to walking the 3 kilometers of a full course or have become dependent on your cart but want to start walking the golf course again, you can always work your way back up to it. Try alternating your holes with a friend, with each of you walking every other hole or walk one set of nine holes and then ride the final nine. Once you're ready, go for the full eighteen.

Also, it may be time to invest in a lighter bag or a wheeled hand cart. Today, a number of companies sell a double-strap bag that can be worn like a backpack and is a lot easier on a walker's shoulders. If you opt for a wheeled hand cart, though, never take it onto the green.

Though it is tempting on a hot summer day to take the easy ride around the golf course, walking the entirety of the course instead will actually energize you in the long run.

For both practical and exciting golf course and general golfing improvement aids information, please visit www.golf-the-course.com, a popular site providing great insights concerning all kinds of relevant interests for the golf enthusiast.

Golfers are a demanding lot. We all want more distance in our dries. (Who wouldn't want to step up to the tee and belt a 300-yard drive?) We want pinpoint accuracy, so we can put the ball right where we want it when we want it. And we want lower golf handicaps. Yes, golfers are a demanding lot.

Unfortunately, distance and accuracy don't always go together. If we want distance, we usually have to sacrifice accuracy. If we want accuracy, we often have to sacrifice distance. Right? Wrong. You can achieve more distance without sacrificing accuracy by finding the right combination of loft, clubhead center of gravity (CG), shaft, and golf ball.

Let's review each of these components before discussing how to combine them effectively. We call it getting dynamic in my golf instruction sessions. Doing so will not only generate more distance without giving up accuracy, it will produce lower scores and improve your golf handicap.

Loft

Driver loft is the single most important factor when it comes to distance. Because backspin fights off side spin, golfers often find distance and accuracy in a club that features more loft. The more loft in the club, the less your shot will curve right and left, allowing you to hit more fairways. Golfers who lack loft on their club heads usually lack consistency and accuracy off the tee, which can cost strokes, especially on courses with tight fairways and/or deep roughs. Instead of hitting from the fairway for your second shot, you're hitting from the rough. But using a driver with additional loft provides more distance without sacrificing accuracy.

Center of Gravity

If loft is the most important element in distance, CG is not far behind. CG is the point on the head of a golf club where it's perfectly balanced. The position of the center of gravity within a clubhead affects the trajectory of shots. A CG position that's low and toward the back of a clubhead, for example, encourages a higher trajectory. When the club sits according to its design, CG encourages the face to rotate properly. The natural rotation of the face through impact is what causes a ball flight that curves slightly from right to left. CG location is critical when trying to make consistent contact with the ball and generate more distance and better accuracy.

Shaft

Shaft is another key element. Measured by a machine, shaft frequency is the number of times a shaft oscillates either vertically or horizontally. The units of frequency measurement are known as cycles per minute, or CPM. A shaft with a higher frequency (more CPMs) is stiffer than one with a lower frequency (fewer CPMs). By using frequency to compare shafts, you can tell which shaft is stiffer and by how much. Usually a player with a fast swing requires a shaft with less flex. Those with a slower swing needs a shaft with greater flex.

In addition, today's shafts are made with specific launch characteristics in mind. While flex is important, the launch parameters of a shaft keys how far a ball can be hit. Composite shafts allow for manipulation of "kick points" to create specific launch angles for each shaft, which is great for generating distance.

Golf Ball

Far too many golfers use the wrong golf ball, as I've often pointed out in my golf tips. A ball impacts your game almost as much as your clubs, so it's important to choose a ball that's right for you. Factors to consider are things like spin, durability, and control. If you have a high golf handicap, for instance, you'll probably be looking more for distance and durability in a golf ball than spin and control, so a good two-piece ball is probably best. This ball has a harder cover, and creates less backspin, which enables you to hit it farther.

Finding the best match between all these elements is called launch angle optimization. And the best way of achieving this is using a launch monitor during a session with a professional club fitter. The session will consist of your hitting different golf balls with drivers having different lofts, head designs, and shafts. You'll also hit your current driver for comparison.

The fitting session usually takes about 30 to 60 minutes. When it's done, you'll have the right set of dynamics to drive the ball farther than you ever have without losing any accuracy-and that's bound to help not only your scores but your golf handicap.

Copyright (c) 2008 Jack Moorehouse

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.
www.howtobreak80.com

Ben Hogan had an impeccable short game, and Ted Hunt just finished a book detailing that system. Here is an excerpt from a review of the book:

You won't be able to swallow this book in one sitting. I wanted to get that out there before I begin to review the book. I originally was disappointed at how dense the information was within the book, and you may feel overwhelmed at first. But keep reading; the information is great. If you take the time to engrain the messages in this book, your time will be really well spent. This review is my attempt at covering the positives and negatives of the book. This is a great book for any Hogan fan, but I don't think it's the type of book you were expecting.

Positives: Hogan Did Have Secrets That Set Him Apart.

This book starts at the shortest possible swing; the one you make with a putter. It seemed odd, at first, because I had heard that Hogan was not the greatest putter in his day. But the book is not really giving you a putting lesson per se, as much as allowing you to feeling the proper impact and setup for a putting swing. Once learned, this feeling translated wonderfully towards learning to implement the system outlined in the rest of the book. So in order to actually grasp the meat of the book, starting with this feeling will be a great tool.

To read the rest of the review, follow the link below:

Ben Hogan's Short Game Simplified