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No doubt there are high hopes heading out to that first tee. You feel strong; you can see that ball exploding off the club. That feeling of raw power as the ball soars through the air; that swing so smooth and powerful; your head definitely in the game.

And then for some reason after taking a smooth practice swing and still feeling on top of the world, you address the ball, a little doubt creeps in. You start that back swing with a little sway in the body and before you know it you have over-swung just a bit. Then as you start your downswing your hips shift slightly causing your hands to get too far ahead of the club so that at impact you are coming from outside in cutting at the ball causing a severe slice to the right and the round begins.

From the heavy rough you try to make the miraculous shot only to find yourself advancing about 100 yards with a 4 metal and no better of a lie. By the time you reach the green you have visited the sand and are now putting from 25 feet for bogey with a slight breeze in the brilliant sun but you might as well be playing in the rain – you see nothing but two putts.

You reach the second tee, you are now the last one to tee off and the smoke is billowing. Smack! This time the ball takes an abrupt turn to the left, heading toward the trees, ricocheting off the tall branches and settling softly behind a beautiful Douglas Fir with no way to advance the ball. From here you play straight across the fairway, left-handed by the way, and are then hitting number 3 to this 375 yard par 4.

Finally you lift one up into the air heading directly toward the green and it looks like a beauty and the rest of your foursome yells “great shot”, “at a way partner” but suddenly it comes up short, lands in a soft spot where moisture has collected from last night’s 5-minute shower storm and the ball is plugged.

All of you look for a good 5 minutes but there is no ball to be found. Soon, reluctantly, you pull out another Titleist take your lost-ball stroke, then shank it onto the green leaving yourself another long putt but now for double-bogey – oh-oh, another two to get down. Two holes completed and you are now 5 over par.

Smoke is now coming out of your ass.

“Where’s the golf strategy, sweetheart?” Any hopes you had of “this being the day” have just vanished in the first 13 meetings of your clubface and that little white ball.

Of course we all know that this has nothing to do with you. There is obviously something wrong with the golf clubs or the ball is out of balance or they did something to the golf course. This just can’t be. You felt too good. You had this all planned out in your mind and you were told by that latest article that all you had to do was visualize the shot and that is exactly what you did.

Where is the justice??? Somebody call the sheriff and get his fat buns out here.

Golf is always full of surprises. And to many of us that is probably what makes it such a great game. But just once, wouldn’t it be nice to be hitting on all cylinders and having that ball land in just the right spot on every hole? And then have every putt break just as you had planned and end up perfectly in the middle of the hole? …probably not going to happen.

The above scenario is not so far fetched as most all golfers know. In fact, you play this game enough and you will have many of these sorts of stories of your own. Most of us have one or two every round.

But this is the very reason why golfers need to think more about “Golf Strategy”. It is too easy out there over a period of 4 to 4 ? hours for things to get out of control. And if you don’t have something written down to help you get back on track you can turn one mistake into many very quickly and that is what can drive up the score.

The written strategy does not have to be complicated at all. It is just a reminder of what you intend to do on each hole. Where do you want the ball to land? What club selection makes sense off the tee? What do you need to consider giving you the best chance at par? What do you definitely want to avoid? And what are the distances from certain landmarks so you know what to do if things don’t go quite as planned?

Most golfers try to do all of this in their heads. But when things go a stray, plans start to get abandoned. And that is not good. It is better to only have one bad hole as opposed to many if you can prevent it. And the quicker you can get your mind off of the bad shot or the missed putt the better off you will be.

The concept behind a written plan in golf is no different than a written plan in business or your personal life. It helps to solidify the plan or strategy in your mind and then keeps you on target – you have something to refer to when distractions get in your way. It is also a great tool for evaluation. You are not just remembering what you did that was good or bad but you have your plan to see how you are doing against your strategy for each hole.

In time this will pay dividends with more consistent play.

Think about it: Get that “Strategy” out of your head and onto some paper for better results.

About the Author
Article by Jeff Gustafson – the creator of the Pocket Pro Personal Game-Plan and Strategy System http://www.the-sixth-man.com

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The Diary of a Golfer

Most people dream of having a career where they enjoy waking up every morning to go to work and are passionate about their job. In a perfect world, everyone would have the ideal job, however, that is not a reality for the vast majority of the population. But why can’t your job be what makes you happy? If an individual is passionate about a subject, they should look into pursuing it as a career. This is where teaching golf comes into play. Not only is it a sport that millions of Americans enjoy to play, but it also offers a wide range of employment opportunities that most people would never think of.

Golf has become more and more popular in the United States over the past few decades. Golf dates back all the way to before the 1400s when it was originated in parts of Europe. The concept of hitting a ball into a predetermined hole the least amount of times possible was played early in the Netherlands, Scotland and England. Everyone from royalty to peasants played this particular sport in Europe. The game of golf ventured over to the United States and made way for the United States Golf Association in 1894. Since then the sport has grown to become one of America’s favorite pastimes. With the popularity of golf growing the need for individuals to teach golf is growing as well.

With golfers such as Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus inspiring the young and old alike, it is difficult not to become enthralled with the sport. Both newcomers to the sport and others who have taken a swing at the sport have a vested interest in learning different techniques to improve their golf game. This leaves a lot of room for professionals to step in to teach golf to amateurs. There are numerous ways to go about gaining the experience and proper credentials needed for teaching golf, attending a golf academy being one of them.

Becoming a student at a golf academy will not only provide you with the tools to teach golf, but it will also provide the necessary course work to obtain experience and skills in various fields pertinent to golf. Students will learn how to manage a golf course, repair golf clubs and run tournaments among other important talents. The typical course work includes teaching techniques, how to repair and fit golf clubs properly, the rules of the game, as well as tournament planning.

Students also learn skills that are needed for everyday life in the real world. Management and planning courses offer knowledge that can be used beyond the golf course and in typical day-to-day activities, as well as an office or managerial job. Teaching golf does not necessarily have to be a full time job. Students can attend an academy to learn the basics so they can teach on the side or use it for recreational purposes.

Students attending a golf academy benefit by not only improving their golf game, but they will walk away with a better understanding of the game. They are also given various teaching techniques to help relay the information they learned at the academy to golf students of their own. Learning how to play golf is one thing, but teaching golf and relaying the techniques needed to improve an individual’s golf game takes skill and patience. Teaching an individual how to play golf is not for everyone, but those who do have the special talent needed make a proud and rewarding living.

About the Author
Andy West is a freelance writer for SDGA. San Diego Golf Academy is a premier golf school with five locations across the United States. To learn more about teaching golf, please visit http://www.sdgagolf.com .

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For the Love of Sports A Guide to Teaching Golf

For beginners there are three tips for playing the game of golf that my instructor gave me when I first started. It has been a real great help for me. With so much equipment available, people offering you tips for free together with the general understanding that you must take it all seriously, beginning in the game of golf can be perplexing.

1. Never Break the Bank with the First Set of Clubs You Have

When you begin, you are not going to enjoy all of the usefulness that you get from the best set of golf clubs. You are not going to have the club head speed or consistent contact that is needed because you are a beginner. What you can do is buy a cheaper set. A better idea would be to get yourself a set that has already been used. Until the time you realize which clubs would best suit you, you may also want to borrow a set from any of your friends who are already experienced players.

2. Take your Instructions from the Right Person

My suggestion is to really understand the rules of the game you need to get your training from a professional. Your relatives, friends and at times even people who do not know you may believe they have the golf tips for beginners that will take care of all your difficulties. It is very true that your friends who are quite good at the game may offer you tips which may help you when you are just starting. But golf pros are experienced in tackling swing problems and explaining things to you in terms of how swing problems may affect ball flight. I believe that even two to three lessons on golf will aid you to establish a strong basis for your game and lessons are available at almost any golf course.

3. Have Fun with the Game

One of the best golf tips for starters is to just enjoy yourself when your out in the field. This may sound too simple, but bear it in mind that considering everything you may not get your PGA card. Remember also that golf is a leisure game. So being competitive is all right and you are of course going to put in effort for improvement. But play it slow and steady and have a good time with your friends too.

The above mentioned tips for golfers who are just beginning can be a real good stimulant. Golf can be one of the ideal ways to spend your free time, given the conditions that you get the perfect clubs to start with, take instructions from the right people, and have fun.

About the Author
Reggie Dunn is a long time golfer and lover of the game. Get more information about golf at his blog, which can be found at golf tip

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Three Golf Tips For Beginners

Before you start learning to play golf, let’s look at how the game began. This first set of tips will give you the history of golf and some fun facts.

The first reference to Golf that we know of was mentioned in 1297 in the Netherlands. The Dutch played the game with a stick and a leather ball. Whoever hit the ball the least number of times to get it into the target, won.

In Scotland, King James II banned the game of golf (along with soccer). Apparently, the sports were keeping his subjects from their archery practice. The ban stayed in place through the next three kings, until 1502.

King James IV of Scotland lifted the ban on golf, because he took up the game himself. King James also bought the first set of golf clubs, engineered by a local bow maker.

Mary, Queen of Scots (daughter of James IV) loved playing golf. In fact, in 1467 she was chastised for playing golf just a day or two after her husband was murdered.

In 1744, the Honorable Company of Edinburgh Golfers in Scotland (the first official golf society) drew up 13 rules of golf. They also announced that GOLF stood for, Gentlemen Only, Ladies Forbidden.

THE GOLF CLUB

Today’s standard golf club has three parts: the head, the shaft, and the grip. This next set of tips will explain each of these and tell you why they’re important.

Head

The head of your club is the very end part that makes contact with the golf ball. Heads today are primarily made from Zinc and Aluminum alloys. Heads have several shapes and weights that make up the standard twelve club set.

Shaft

The shaft is the long part of the club that connects the head and the grip. You can get your shafts made from two different components: graphite or steel. Graphite is best for beginners. You can also have your shaft custom made to fit your height.

Grip

The grip on your club is on top, and it’s what you hold when you swing it. It’s important that you change your grips often because they can harden, oxidize, get slick and lose their grip. A good rule of thumb is to change your grip every six months.

TYPES OF GOLF CLUBS

There are basically three (sometimes four) types of golf clubs. This next set of tips will describe them and what they’re used for.

Woods

Woods are big-headed, hollow-bodied clubs. They are used to hit long shots (more than 175 yards away from the green). They all are assigned a different number called loft, which tells you how angled the head is. A standard set of clubs has three woods. These usually consist of:

1 wood (also called the driver)
3 wood
5 wood

Irons

Irons are primarily used for shots less than 200 yards away from the green. A standard set of clubs has eight irons: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 irons and the Pitching Wedge (which we will discuss next). The closer you are to the green, the higher the iron you will use.

Wedges

Wedges are really just specialty irons. (REWORD) Wedges increase in 4 degree loft amounts, so they come in 48-, 52-, 56-, 60-, and 64-degree lofts, and they are as follows:

Pitching Wedge: 48 degrees
Approach Wedge: 52 degrees
Sand Wedge: 56 degrees
Lob Wedge: 60 degrees
High-Lob Wedge: 64 degrees

Putters

A golf set includes just one putter. This putter has only one job: to get your ball into the hole. When you finally get on the green and close to the hole, use your putter to putt your ball gently into the hole.

About the Author
For more information about hobbies and especially RC Hobby please visit our website: http://www.hobby-rc-toys.com

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A Brief History of Golf and Different Types of Golf Clubs