Golf Swing Tips – The Driver

Posted on April 14, 2011, 10:42 am, by golfer and received Comments Off.


Unlike the irons, the driver is played differently when it comes to the golf swing that is needed for this club.


The set-up is different and so is the swing. In this article I want to share with you my golf swing tips with the driver. There are many ways of swinging the driver club but the fundamentals are the same. Three of these fundamentals that apply are as follows:

1. Because the driver golf club is longer than all the other clubs in the bag, you are forced to stand further away from the ball at the address position. The beginner at golf can find this quite daunting, and until you get used to standing further away with this golf club you will struggle to hit your drives consistently well.

The problem I believe is that from the golfer’s perspective, as he or she stands to the ball, we tend to think we have to put lots of effort into the swing to get the ball to travel long distances. This is a misconception, as the golfer needs to learn to rely solely on the ability of the steep face of the driver golf club combined with a smooth golf swing to deliver the drive we want.

2. The driver golf swing is meant to be to be made in a wide and smooth arc. My advice is to watch one of the top players and study how they swing the driver. Then try and copy the movement in your own swing. That would mean being conscious of keeping the arms straight as you begin the backswing.

Keep them extended as you take the club back and bend the wrists naturally until they are fully cocked at the top of the backswing, all the time remembering this movement does not have to be hurried. The aim is to have a smooth and wide arc.

3. When playing the driver you will be aware that the weight bias of your body is to your right side, and this gives the golfer an unnatural perspective on the set-up until you get used to it. It takes practice but when you start hitting golf drives consistently down the fairway you will be convinced that it is what you must do to play the driver to the best of your ability. Keep the weight inclined to the right side all the way through the golf swing with the driver.

The length of the shaft together with the steep and unforgiving face of the driver golf club make it a difficult club to play consistently well. By concentrating on the principles laid out above you will be on your way to hitting some decent drives and keeping out of the rough.

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Golf Swing Analysis Software – The Holy Grail Of Golf Instruction?

Posted on April 12, 2011, 10:11 am, by golfer and received Comments Off.

It is only natural for golfers to seek ways of improving their golf game. One of those ways is to use golf swing analysis software.

Of course, the other option is to take lessons and follow the advice of a good teaching professional. But golf lessons can be expensive. As the saying goes, “you pay your money and take your choice.”

So what exactly is golf swing analysis software? It is software, which you buy from a vendor, on a CD and run the program on your PC at home. You then use the data and feedback the software gives you to improve your golf game. You record your swing on a camera and the software for its part analyses your swing for you, by precisely measuring the key metrics of the golf swing.

These metrics are typically, the angle of the club face, the swing path, and the information it has found is displayed on the computer screen. This is obviously valuable and useful feedback for the golfer to use to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of their golf swing. The information is usually available in text or graphic form. Audio feedback is also an option.

When you compare the possibilities of golf swing analysis software with golf instruction from a teaching professional you can see there are distinct advantages for some golfers who choose to use this software. An instructor cannot give you precise measurements, distances, angle of the golf club, etc. But, a good golf teacher can soon analyse golf faults and have them ironed out.

Whether you decide to buy golf swing analysis software or not, the objective is the same, and that is to help you improve your golf game.

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Golf Swing Training Aids – Do They Work?

Posted on March 28, 2011, 2:23 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

Do golf swing training aids help golfers improve their golf game? That is an open question, and as there are many thousands of golfers on the planet,

I am equally sure many will fall both sides of a yes or no answer. Some golfers might not believe in golf swing training aids, dismissing them out of hand. They could be seen as gimmicky. It depends on your outlook.

However, I am of the opinion that anything which will help me to become a better golfer has to be worth a closer look. Secondly I want to know what the golf swing training aid claims to be able to do for my game, and then I would want to know how effective it is in achieving that objective. In other words, does it work, and what do the product reviewers have to say about it.

In reality some of the most effective golf swing training aids are simple exercises golfers can do for themselves in no more than a few minutes. Stretching exercises to warm up before your round of golf, for example. These train the muscles to get the golf swing into gear straight away.

Anything which helps strengthen those muscles which golfers use. This could be the lower leg muscles, or the hands, wrists and arms. Golfers have a variety of weight training aids available to use in improving muscle gain in these parts of the body.

One of the best golf swing training aids I learned many years ago, and which still works well today, is to practice swinging two golf clubs together instead of one. This takes effort and concentration and helps to strengthen the right muscles as well.

The message of this article? I would question what golf swing training aids can really do for your golf game that you could not do for yourself by following a simple home exercise routine. I might be wrong.

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Golf Workouts – To Kick-start The New Season

Posted on March 21, 2011, 1:02 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

Are you ready for the new golf season? How’s it going with the golf workouts? I mean, are you physically fit enough to put your body through all that it demands from you to play a good game of golf?

It is true that many golfers, me included, take our body for granted and neglect to prepare for the many rounds of golf to come.

I like to get my clubs out and check they are all in good condition, after having stored them during the harsh winter we have had here. Hopefully, you will have looked after your clubs carefully before putting them away for the winter months. That means cleaning the club face and checking the grips for signs of wear.

Regular Exercise Is The Key

As I get older, and we all do each year that passes, I am aware that every golfer needs to be in shape to withstand the physical and mental stresses and strains of the golf course. After all, we can expect to be on our feet for a good few hours each round. So I have been been doing plenty of walking in the closed season, off the golf course, to build up my physical stamina. I know there is always the golf buggy, and there are golfers who need to use them, but I play golf for the exercise, and I do not want to get flabby. Just my personal choice.

Golf Workouts

Walking is a good all round exercise for fitness anyway, so I do it not just for the benefit of my golf, but for good health in general. After a few months away from the golf course, it is important to pick up a golf club and tune up the golf swing. You can do this anytime and for as long or short a time as you choose. I take practice swings from a few minutes out in the back yard.

I experiment by swinging the club at different speeds, to find the one that feels most comfortable. Swing speed is a difficult thing to replicate, from one round of golf to the next. I then swing two golf clubs together, just to test the muscles that bit more. The theory behind this is that if I can swing both together in a controlled way, it will be a lot easier swinging one golf club only. And it does wonders for my golf swing.

Don’t forget the hands. They are your link to the club. Do you remember the saying, “good hands means good golf?” Well, its true. There are a number of exercise you can do at home to work those fingers. I use a squash ball, but you can just as easily squeeze a towel hard with both hands.

I hope you finds these golf workouts useful and good luck in the coming golf season.

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Golf Swing Drills – You Know They Make Sense

Posted on March 19, 2011, 8:48 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

Golf swing drills are a necessary routine for every aspiring golfer. That is for every golfer who wants to improve his or her golf game, and I am sure that is true of most golfers on the planet.

The trouble with golf swing drills, as far as the average club golfer is concerned, is the lack of motivation to actually begin them in the first place, and then to actually take them seriously enough to see them through to the end.

So you could say, whether you do these drills or not before playing your game of golf is a sign of how seriously you take the golf game. More importantly, how dedicated you are to becoming a better than average golfer?

We can all hold our hand up and say to ourselves, “I wish I had taken the time to warm up before today’s round”. Usually this confession comes too late, by which time the round of golf is well under way and things are not going too well. Quite frankly, if this is you at this point, there is very little you can do about it other than concentrate and try to play better. But that does not always work, and can lead to yet more frustration.

The moral of this article is clear. Take the time to do those golf swing drills, because you know in your subconscious that they make sense. The top golfers do them so that ought to be motivation enough to go through with them in your own game. Once you have that settled, there comes the decision of which golf swing drills are right for you.

As a guide, I would say that starting with a warm up routine works best for most golfers. A few stretching exercises, done sensibly, can work wonders. The point is to get those muscles warmed up and ready for action on the golf course. Follow this by hitting a few shots. I like to start with my favourite club which is a mid iron. I stop when I am satisfied everything is OK, or after hitting about ten shots, then I move on to hitting some drives. That gets all the muscles moving and as far as I am concerned, it is a necessary golf swing drill for the real thing which is soon to happen.

To finish, like many other club golfers up and down the land, I take to the practice green and work on my putting technique. Here I am looking for confidence. That is fine, as long as you bear in mind the greens you are soon to be putting on need to be in the same condition as the one you are practising on. It is not always the case.

And that’s it! If I return a disappointing score after going through these golf swing drills then at least I cannot blame myself for neglecting to go through them before beginning my round.

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How to hit a 6 iron – This Is The Way I Do It

Posted on March 16, 2011, 9:42 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

This article is intended to give a general outline of how to hit a 6 iron. Whether this is off the fairway or from the tee, the method is the same.


If you are learning to play golf you soon realise that each club needs to be played differently. There are certain golf fundamentals that need to be in place to hit a golf ball correctly, then the golfer needs to be able to play each club in the bag to a competent degree.

I am not a golf teacher and this method of hitting a 6 iron is my own, but is written here in the hope it might help someone’s golf game.

Grip.

The grip is one of those fundamentals I mentioned above. I use my normal overlapping grip to play this club.

Stance.

There is lots of advice about how to stand to the ball, but for the 6 iron I like to have my weight mostly on my heels with my feet a shoulder width apart. I think this is a good rule of thumb for considering how far apart to have the feet at the address position, especially given that we are all physically different from one another, and of differing heights.

In normal weather conditions, I position the ball midway from my right heel at the mid point between my feet. I do this to give myself the best chance of hitting the ball before the turf. Every golfer dreads hitting the ground before the ball.

The Back Swing

Before beginning the backswing, I check that I am lining up the shot to the intended line of flight, with my feet square to the ball. This is the setup for a straight golf shot. When you get good at playing this club you can experiment playing an intentional draw or fade with a six iron. But first, you have to master the basics. I happen to believe that beginners at golf should first get used to playing at least one golf club well, before trying to play them all well at the same time.

I take the club back on the inside swing path and stop when my hands are at shoulder height. By then, my body weight will have shifted, to an extent, to the right leg, and while my left shoulder will be pointing to the ground, the hips will have rotated ninety degrees to the right.

Downswing

The down-swing is initiated by a leftward movement of the hips, and with the wrists still fully cocked until they are at the height of my hips, I then deliberately whip the club through the ball, and then follow through, keeping my head down. This uncoiling of the hips is the power base of the golf shot, and is where the power and accuracy of the shot originates. If you get this right, you will play good golf and you are on the way to a lower golf handicap.

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Golf Swing DVDs – Learning From A Golfing Legend

Posted on March 14, 2011, 4:06 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

It has come the time of year again when the weather starts to improve and it’s getting warmer outside as well. My thoughts turn to getting out on the golf course and hopefully playing a better game of golf this season. As a mid handicap club golfer I need all the help I can get, so I was interested in the DVD by Tom Watson:Golf Lessons of a Lifetime.

Buy Now On Amazon UK

I have been a great admirer of Tom Watson all through his playing career and I have a copy of his best selling book Getting Up And Down so I didn’t take much persuading to have a look at the Golf Lessons Of A Lifetime DVD. I read about this DVD on Amazon UK where, at the time this is written, there are an overwhelming 35 star ratings out of a total of 35 customer reviews. That tells me that that this instructional golf DVD must be good.

A bit of background research showed that this DVD is beneficial to beginners at golf especially, and to more experienced golfers as well. But, it’s one thing to watch and learn about improving your golf game, the other part of the equation to make it work, is to apply what you have learned to the practice ground and put it into action. You can do that with this DVD.

Contents

As the title implies, the content of Golf Lessons Of A Lifetime is just what it says. The package consists of 2 DVDs and a 16 page booklet. You can see a full content listing by clicking this link.

Suffice to say, the subject matter covers a great deal about golf instruction. No doubt, some golf teachers are better than others in putting their message across, and because this is a DVD, it’s like having Tom Watson talk to you personally, and explaining how to do what he is showing you.

The 100% positive customer reviews on Amazon UK (to date), tell their own story about customer satisfaction with this DVD, and it can be purchased from the Amazon UK website.

The most helpful positive customer review reads as follows:

This is a worthwhile value for money purchase on several grounds. 1) its a good tutorial on the fundamentals and the swing with quality demonstrations.. the right mixture of talk and action; and this guy can really do the demonstrations… 2) it’s a brilliant tutorial on the ‘short game’ and it would be well worth the money alone to watch him around the green and in the bunker.. Absolutely wonderful chipping and bunker work. 3) He comes over as…….click here to read this review in full.

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DSC-GB300 – Golf Buddy Tour GPS Range Finder Review

Posted on December 23, 2010, 4:35 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

DSC-GB300 Golf is a game where you need the help of a caddy to be able to tell you the exact distances to the green, or bunkers, or how far away the nearest hazard is. This kind of information is invaluable to any golfer, and used correctly this information can save valuable shots in your round of golf.  This is where the DSC-GB300 comes in.

Buy The DSC-GB300 – Golf Buddy Tour GPS Range Finder with FREE shipping on Amazon.com

Not everyone can afford the services of a caddy, but there is another choice. The Golf Buddy Tour GPS Range Finder is the next best thing. This little gadget really is your golf buddy. All you do is switch it on and it knows without you having to do anything which course you are playing.

Why not take the guesswork out of your golf game. No more trying to figure out in your head by using landmarks how far it is to the green. Let the Golf Buddy Tour work it out for you. It comes with pre loaded course information from around the world, and it helps you gain confidence on the golf course by giving you the exact distance of your next golf shot.

There is a large, easy to read screen that displays the exact distances to the green, bunkers, water hazards, and lay ups. The view of the green it shows you changes, depending on your angle of approach. By taking all the guesswork of distances out of the equation, the Golf Buddy Tour gives you the confidence to know which club to play for the correct distance of the shot required.

There’s no need to aim the Golf Buddy either, all you do is switch it on and it automatically recognizes your surroundings.

This is perhaps the best feature of the Golf Buddy Tour GPS. The fact that you don’t have to search through thousands of courses to find the one you want. The Golf Buddy finds that information automatically for you, leaving you free to concentrate on your golf game.

In summary ,the features of the DSC-GB300 Golf Buddy are:

* Golf rangefinder with true GPS capabilities and automatic course and hole recognition
* Comes preloaded with course information from throughout the world
* Provides the exact distance to greens, bunkers, lakes, lay-up points, and hazards
* Large, easy-to-read screen; stores up to 20,000 courses and 1,000 scores
* Measures 2.25 x 4.25 x 1 inches (W x H x D); weighs 4.23 ounces; 90-day warranty

Any Cons With This Product?

Not that I can find.

Buy The DSC-GB300 – Golf Buddy Tour GPS Range Finder With FREE shipping on Amazon.com


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Hitting Longer Golf Drives – What’s Stopping You?

Posted on September 23, 2010, 9:56 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

Hitting longer golf drives is the dream of every club golfer. If you took a random poll of golfers across a range of different skill levels I am confident you would find the majority want to hit the golf ball longer off the tee. In a hurry to learn how it’s done?

Let’s face it, it is no fun playing your second shot first every time, with your golfing buddies consistently hitting their drives past your ball. No one likes to be second or third best.

So what is stopping you from hitting the ball long off the tee?

Is it a mental problem? Having the right attitude I am sure does help when playing different golf shots, including the driver. But it cannot be down to that alone. There is a certain truth in the idea of visualising yourself hitting a long straight drive, as you stand over the ball on the tee. It must help. But it doesn’t depend on mind alone.

How about achieving a full shoulder turn at the top of the backswing? Every golfer knows how important a full shoulder turn is in the build up of power in the back swing. That together with restricting how far the hips turn, are both key elements in hitting longer golf drives.

A lot depends on what happens during the downswing. Get this wrong and you hit a poor golf shot. There is so much to think about and get right during the complete golf swing, you must wonder, like I do sometimes, how on earth I ever manage to hit a decent drive off the tee.

Hitting longer golf drives is surely within every golfers capability.

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Finding Your Way Round The Golf Course – Playing Blind Holes

Posted on August 27, 2010, 6:50 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

How do you feel about playing blind holes? Playing your golf shot from a position where you will not be able to see the ball come to rest once you have hit your golf shot, over a ridge, for instance. Like most golfers, I find these shots a little daunting, though it helps if you walk forward before you play the shot and see for yourself the layout of the land in front of you.

This also helps me to visualize the golf shot before I play it. It is like taking a mental photograph. Once you have looked back to where you are about to play the shot from, then forward to where you are aiming, the problem then is picking out a landmark that you can aim for so that you know you are aiming on target. I typically look for a tall tree in the background as a marker, aiming straight at it, or to the left or right of the marker. If there are no obvious landmarks, then that calls for more ingenuity on the part of the golfer.

Since researching the GPS for golf, in particular the Garmin Golflogix GPS 8, I realize there is another dimension to these golf shots. The lay up. The golf course gps allows me to lay up to say, fifty yards from the green, depending if there are any hazards in my path. Call this strategic thinking, or safety play, if you like, but I see it as a strategy to save me wasting golf shots and keep my ball in play.

Some golfers might see lay ups as a defensive style of play, but I think this is a sensible option. Going back to the playing over the ridge example above, one way of playing the hole would be to play to the top of the ridge, where you can still see your ball, then play the next shot to the green, from where you now will be able to see the green in front of you. Do you sacrifice a shot by doing this? Perhaps. But at least you are less likely to lose your ball, or hit it out in a hazard, or worse, play it out of bounds.

It makes a difference of course, when faced with these shots, on how well you know the hole you are playing. If you have played it before, that makes a difference. This type of strategy might make more sense if you are playing a course that you do not know. As always in golf, it calls for judgment on your part, with a view to returning the best golf score you can.

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What To Look For When Choosing A Golf GPS Rangefinder

Posted on August 23, 2010, 9:24 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

When you are thinking about buying a golf GPS rangefinder, there are a number of features to look for. It can be quite confusing, with so many different models doing the same thing. There are some features which are common to all golf GPS rangefinders, but some models have more features than others. Here are some important features to look out for, not necessarily listed in any order of importance.

1. Screen Size. It should be big enough for you to be able to read the display, else you won’t use it once you have bought it.

2. Display and Screen Graphics. The display must be clearly visible, even in bright sunlight. Conversely, you need to be able to read the display in poor light, so a back-light is useful for this purpose.

3. Waterproof. If it is raining, you don’t have to worry about the golf GPS unit getting wet.

4. It must be able to tell you the key yardage distances on the course. That is the distance to hazards, and to the green, especially the front, middle and back of the green. This is particularly important where the green is a large area.

5. The number of golf courses it can hold at one time needs to be sufficient for your needs. 20 is a good number. In addition, look for how many golf courses are available for download.

6. Light weight enough to hold in one hand.

7. Shockproof. If you accidentally drop it, you want to know it will continue to operate normally.

8. Does the GPS for golf automatically recognize the course you are playing?

9. Screen advances automatically to all of the targets on the golf course so there are no buttons to push or lasers to point during your round.

10. Battery life needs to be generous, look for at least 20 hours. The batteries should be readily available to buy, and check if the model uses re-chargeable batteries.

11. Distances display in yards and metres.

12. Look for on you can fasten on to your belt or golf bag.

13. Easy to use software with the Golf GPS unit, in order to download more golf courses.

14. Guaranteed for at least 12 months.

15. Are there any membership fees to pay?

16. Check the customer feedback from users who have purchased and used the golf GPS rangefinder you are interested in.

To read my golf gps review of the Garmin GolfLogix GPS 8 click the link.

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Miniature Golf – Are There Any Putting Lessons To Be Had?

Posted on August 22, 2010, 7:58 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

Playing a game of miniature golf with friends or family, some of whom might never have held a golf club before in their lives, can be a reality check for the seasoned golfer. In my case, perhaps I am not so competent at golf as I thought. Just because I play golf on the golf links does not mean I can transfer those skills easily to the game of miniature golf, as I proved to myself recently while on holiday.

My daughter fancies herself as being a bit useful with a putter so I took her on at miniature golf. Trying to sink those short putts in the same firm manner I use on the golf course proved to be really costly for me on some of those holes. The greens were so fast that I hardly touched the ball and it seemed to carry on rolling for ever. Yes, they were lightening fast.

Of course, success at mini golf is also about hitting the angles correctly. If you cannot identify with what this means, it is hitting solid objects at a certain spot so as to get the ball to go in the direction of the flagstick. It’s not that easy. It helps if you play snooker, pool or billiards as well because the same principles apply in certain situations in those games.

So what value does putting on lightening fast, artificial greens have to do with putting on the normal links golf greens? Quite a lot really. For one thing it taught me the importance of striking the ball firmly at the hole with the putter. OK, if you miss the hole, you are faced an even longer putt back. If you see this exercise as a confidence builder, then there is value to be had in playing miniature golf.

The moral of this?. Decide on your line. Decide how hard you are going to hit the ball. Play the putter confidently, every time. Keep that confidence every time you putt.

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Why You Need A Golf Course Rangefinder

Posted on August 20, 2010, 7:41 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

The golf course rangefinder is one very handy piece of equipment for the golfer who wants to play better golf and not waste too much time on the links. You know what it’s like when you think you have a three hour slot you can fill by playing most of a round of golf, if you are lucky. Well, the golf course rangefinder can help you speed up your progress round the course by giving you the exact distances to the flagstick and other course features, such as hazards.

When your golfing buddies see how accurate they are, and here I am referring to the Garmin GolfLogix GPS 8 in particular, they will surely want you to keep feeding them with distance information, if they do not have their own GPS systems. It is a bit like having your own clever computer caddy alongside you the whole time. The major difference is the Garmin GolfLogix GPS 8 gives more consistently accurate distances.

When considering purchasing a golf course gps, look for one which has good graphics that are easy to read, even in bright sunlight. Shockproofing helps as well, as does selecting a waterproofed model. If you don’t, every time it rains you have to prevent them from getting wet. Who wants to do that?

I prefer golf course rangefinders where you don’t have to press too many buttons. One that just looks after itself and updates as you make progress round the golf course. The Garmin GolfLogix GPS 8 does just that, and you can read my review by following the link.

When you try a golf course rangefinder for yourself, and see how clever and accurate they are, you won’t want to be without one.

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A Personal Review Of The Garmin Golflogix GPS 8 – GPS For Golf

Posted on July 31, 2010, 9:12 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

golflogix gps by garminAs a golfer myself, who was brought up before the golf course gps existed I was curious to find out what I had been missing all these years, and discover for myself what a gps for golf could do for my golf game.

After all, I had relied on approximate distances from well known landmarks on our local course, such as bunkers, trees, etc.,for so long that I did not know any other way to get round a golf course. I was in for a surprise. Golf GPS rangefinders are a real asset to the serious golfer.  I did some research into the best golf gps for my money I could find, and I came up with the Garmin GolfLogix GPS 8

What to look for in a golf GPS rangefinder?

When buying a gps for golf there are a few important features to bear in mind. These are:

User Friendly Interface
Display Key Yardage Distances On the Course
A Large number of golf courses in the database
Waterproof and Shockproof
Screen Easy To Read
Good Battery Life

If you settle for anything less than these features you might be disappointed later. The GolfLogix GPS by Garmin measures up to these features as follows.

User Friendly

Switch it on and scroll down to the hole you are playing. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. The screen advances automatically to all of the targets on the golf course so there are no buttons to push or lasers to point during your round. The GolfLogix GPS 8 recognizes the course you are playing automatically.

Display Key Yardages

As you play your round of golf the main distances that are going to be useful to you are, the distances to the front, middle and back of the green, and the distance to the nearest hazard. The Garmin GolfLogix GPS 8 calculates these distances for you as you walk round. It also tells you the distance of your last shot. That can be useful if you want to know typically how far you are hitting a particular club, such as the driver. That appealed to me as I am constantly trying to hit my drives longer.

Aside from the distances to the front/center/back of green, the Garmin gives the distance to; hazards; bunkers; water; lay-ups; and carries.

It is so nice to have a gadget alongside you that is able to give you the distance you need to hit the ball, so you can concentrate fully on playing the next shot. It speeds up the time it takes to get round the golf course as well, as there is no pacing out needed.

Number Of Golf Courses

You naturally want the course you are playing to be available on the golf course gps. The Garmin GolfLogix GPS 8 lets you download up to 20 golf course maps on your unit at one time. If the golf course you are looking for isn’t there GolfLogix has a database of more than 15,000 golf courses, and you simply download the one you want to your pc.

The first course map, of your choice, you can download for free, using the included golf gps software. If you want more course maps, you can download many more for an annual membership fee.

Waterproof and Shockproof.

Water can damage your golf GPS, so it is reassuring to know that every time it rains you don’t have to think about protecting the Garmin GolfLogix GPS 8 because it is waterproof. In fact it is 100 percent waterproof. It is also shock proof and impact resisitant for rugged outdoor use.

Can You Read The Screen?

When the sun is shining it can make reading the gps display really difficult, but with a screen size of 1.25 x 2.25 inches and a screen resolution of 64 x 128 pixels the Garmin GolfLogix GPS 8 copes with that very well by means of an adjustable screen contrast. For darker conditions there is a backlight to assist visibility.

Battery Life

The battery is the heartbeat of the golf gps and you need to know it is not going to let you down when you need it most. The Garmin GolfLogix GPS 8 has a battery life of up to 22 hours which is reassuring to know.

How Much Does It Cost ?

The Garmin Golflogix GPS 8 is normally priced between $300 and $150, and the cheapest I have seen it priced is on Amazon.

What’s In The Box?

GolfLogix GPS by Garmin

USB cable

Belt/bag clip

2 AA alkaline batteries

Printed instructions.

What Are Others Saying?

This golf course GPS model is well received by customers and has an overall 4 star customer rating on Amazon.

Here are some comments:

“Simple and accurate golf GPS”

“Excellent product”

“Wonderful instrument”

“The GolfLogix Garmin GPS works as advertised!”

“Best ever”

“So far so good”

“Easy golf”

“This is all you need”

Where Can You Buy The Garmin GolfLogix GPS 8 ?

You can buy this product from Amazon, where it is currently selling for a great price and comes with the free shipping option just now. Click here to view on Amazon

Want To Read More Customer Reviews for The Garmin GolfLogix GPS 8 ?

The best place to get these reviews from customers who actually use the product is from Amazon. Click here to read more.

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Swingyde Golf Swing Training Aid – Does It Work?

Posted on July 21, 2010, 8:11 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.


Swingyde Golf Swing Training Aid

Swingyde Review

Who is the Swingyde Golf Swing Training Aid for?

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The main benefit of this device for the user is that enables you to feel the positions you should be in rather than have someone show you how it should be done. It is for golfers who want to improve their distance and accuracy on the golf course. At the same time, this device improves your swing plane, clubface alignment and follow through. So lets look at how it works.

A clip attaches to the club shaft by a wing nut, while the other end rests on the left forearm at the top of the backswing. The Swingyde is a rigid golf training aid that teaches you to develop a consistent release in the downswing. This action is key to a consistent and powerful golf swing. You can try this action out for yourself to see that it works.

The Swingyde comes with a sweat band and a rubber band. The sweat band is to protect the arm from any discomfort, if you are practising a lot. The rubber band can be used by golfers of all abilities in helping you to learn the correct golf swing action. The Swingyde helps teach the correct takeaway, followed by the wrist hinge. If this is done incorrectly, the Swingyde does not rest on the forearm at the top of the backswing. That’s basically what this training aid does for your golf swing.

It can be used with a left or right handed golf club.

Customer Reviews on Amazon for the Swingyde Golf Swing Training 

Currently showing a total of 43 customer reviews on Amazon with an overall average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars.

34 out of the 43 reviews are 4 and 5 star ratings.

6 out of the 10 most recent reviews are 5 star ratings.

Click here for all the customer reviews beginning with the most helpful.

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The Stack and Tilt Swing: The Definitive Guide to the Swing That Is Remaking Golf

Posted on May 22, 2010, 3:36 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

Co authors Andy Plummer and Mike Bennet together authored this ground breaking golf instruction book called the Stack And Tilt Golf Swing. Why is this golf instruction book so different? Because the traditional concepts of teaching golf are based on what is commonly known as the fundamentals of golf. These fundamentals are the way golfers grip the golf club, and the way we stand to the ball, in a line with the intended direction we want to hit the shot.

The stack and tilt golf instruction model teaches that this approach is largely irrelevant for you and me because if you watch one or more good golfers hitting their shots on the range, they all appear to be doing things differently. They grip the club differently, they stand to the ball in different ways, and they play their shots differently as well.

In the stack and tilt golf swing video, Mike Bennett explains that they look for what all these golfers, hitting the ball in their own ways, have in common. And the first thing they all do is hit the ground in the same spot. So you need to be able to do this. How many of you reading this can do that? I cannot. Not consistently at least.

The second characteristic all these golfers have in common, is the ability to hit the ball far enough to give themselves the chance of scoring well. If you were learning this method you would then need to know how this is done.

In the last piece of the learning jigsaw, the Andy Plummer stack and tilt method goes into all those “acquired feels” that the good players have.

If you watch the stack and tilt golf swing video you will see that there is good evidence to show that the spine does indeed move around during the swing, rather than stay in the same angle as it was at the address. The term ‘stack’ comes from the shoulder position in the back swing, and this in turn comes about as a result of the spine tilting during the swing.

The stack and tilt golf swing teaches you to hit the ball further, straighter and shoot lower scores.

With those three objectives in mind, the Stack And Tilt Golf Swing instruction book is worth a look. Click here for more about this book.

You can watch the Stack and Tilt Golf Swing video here.

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The Golf Swing – How To Hit Irons Consistently

Posted on May 12, 2010, 2:34 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

I don’t know about your golf game, but with mine I find the golf irons can let me down badly, sometimes. The problem is I lack a consistent swing speed. Sometimes I swing quickly, other times I slow my swing down. This is mainly because I have never learned how to hit irons consistently.

The irons are difficult to play, especially the long irons. The professionals and low handicap amateurs make it look easy. It should be easy. Seeing others hitting iron shots consistently is proof that it can be done. Why not by mid to high handicap golfers as well?

When I identify a problem with my golf swing I like to do some research, usually via books and videos, and then take to the practice ground and start hitting some shots using the new insights I have been learning about. I like to work on my golf swing rhythm in general, for all the clubs in the bag, because I know that if I can get a comfortable tempo going, then my golf shots with all the clubs will benefit.

Swing tempo is particulalry important with the golf irons. I believe that successfully hitting iron shots consistently is linked to a smooth and powerful golf swing. What I like to do to regain an even swing tempo with the irons is, pick up any iron club, address the ball, stand with the golf club well above the ground, holding the club out in front of me, and swing the club back and forth in a continuous motion.

By doing this I free up any feelings of tension, and I am concious of working on accelerating the club head through the ball at impact. This can be done without forcing it, if you are swinging the club smoothly.

For mid to high handicap golfers like myself, it is essential to learn how to hit iron shots consistently. I know if I don’t do this I am going to accumulate many wasted shots on my score card, and my round of golf is going to end being a frustrating experience.

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Ben Hogan Five Lessons – The Modern Fundamentals of Golf

Posted on April 26, 2010, 2:30 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

The Modern Fundamentals of Golf by Ben Hogan is one of the classic golf instructional books. The book was first published in 1957 and has been reprinted many times since. This is testimony enough to the longevity of the golf principles taught in this book.

The Ben Hogan Five Lessons book is a must have book for the keen golfer, and one to keep for handy reference in the years to come.

I remember being glued to this golf instruction book as a boy, when I was first learning to play golf. Who can help but admire and envy the Ben Hogan golf swing. It is absolutely wonderful to look at. Thankfully there is plenty of archive footage remaining to see this golf swing in action today.

I came across an interesting golf video of Ben Hogan demonstrating the golf training exercise on pages 81 to 83 of his Five Lessons book.

If you would like to own a copy of this book, click the link here
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Zen Golf – Mastering The Mental Game

Posted on April 25, 2010, 9:11 pm, by golfer and received Comments Off.

Zen Golf – Mastering The Mental Game is a golf book for everyone. This is a great addition to the serious golfer’s library of golf reference books. It shows you how to take control of your mind while playing golf. If you apply the principles taught in this book there is a reasonable chance of shooting a lower golf score.

You can check out the customer reviews on Amazon to verify this. Zen Golf is for those who lack mental focus in golf, and it teaches confidence and positive thinking, two key ingredients to playing better golf.

Zen Golf Mastering The Mental Game is for those who want to improve their game by concentration and mental working, and it teaches you to take control of your thoughts. This is especially useful if you sometimes lose it on the golf course, and you want to take control of that tendency.

It will show you how to visualize the golf swing and the shot you are about to hit. There is no doubt in my mind that visualization alone does help to improve your golf. See my previous article on the golf mental game for more on this.

Zen Golf is easy to read and understand. You can also apply the principles taught in this book to the wider world, as they don’t just apply to golf. Would you like to be able to stay calm on the golf course? If your answer is yes, then this book can help you take control of your thoughts and enjoy your golf game more.

Among other things Zen Golf teaches you to focus on the target and shut out everything else, practice effectively and stay in the present through effective breathing.

Zen Golf Mastering The Mental Game is a popular golf book for very good reasons. You can buy the book here

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The Power Golf Swing – Learning A Powerful Golf Swing

Posted on April 21, 2010, 11:04 am, by golfer and received Comments Off.

The power golf swing can be acquired by generating as much club head speed as possible in the hitting zone. Its as simple as that. A powerful golf swing has this characteristic. You only have to watch Tiger Woods or any other top flight golf professional strike the golf ball to see the late hit, or golf swing release, in action. This is the source of the power golf swing.

How do you get yourself into the correct position for hitting powerful golf shots? Well, here is a golf swing drill I will share with you.

What I do, and this has helped me to learn a powerful golf swing, is the following.

1. I use a three quarter length backswing, which stops me from over swinging and gives me more control. It also helps prevent any tendency to slice my golf shots.

2. Practice, using any golf club, by hinging the wrists and holding the position at waist height. Freeze the position there for a moment, then, using the hands and arms only, I deliberately accelerate the club head through the ball and stop at waist height on the follow through.

By practicing this technique, I am doing two things.

1. I am training my mind to memorize this action so, in time, I won’t need to think about it. I will perform it automatically on the golf course.

2. I learn what it feels like to generate club head speed through the hitting zone.

Before I used this golf swing drill, I used to swing the club with an even tempo. Since I have been praticing this drill, I am definitely hitting my golf shots longer. I don’t know exactly how much distance it has added to my drives, but I am confident I am hitting them longer.

I encourage you to give this golf swing drill a try, and discover for yourself the power golf swing.

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