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How Proper Exercise Can Help To Lower Your Golf Handicap
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Some people like to debate whether or not golf is a "real" sport. I think it's safe to say that most of us do consider it a sport. It may not be as rigorous as football or as demanding as running, but it does require physical skills and it involves competition. Sounds like a sport to me.
As with any sport, practice is of the utmost importance. Practice right to play right. We've all heard the cliches. Practice makes perfect. Have you found that despite all the time spend practicing your golf swing, you just can't seem to improve much? Do you have nearly perfect form but you feel like your game's become stagnant?
What could be lacking when you practice all the time? Maybe what you're missing out on is exercise. You can't just swing and swing and swing and expect to improve. As you know, you'll find yourself improving quickly at first but then your skill level plateaus and you get stuck in a rut. What you're probably missing out on is tuning your body as a whole. It's not enough to simply practice your golf swing technique. It's important to do a variety of exercises to improve your golf swing and lower your handicap. These exercises are simple ones that anyone can do.
First you need to start stretching more. Stretch all your muscles every day, both before golfing and after. This will help prevent injuries and keep you from feeling sore after a grueling 18 hole battle with your buddies. golf's a sport, right? Then treat it like one. All sensible athletes stretch regularly, and golfers should be no exception. There are tons of different stretches you can do that will help your game in the long run. Basically you need to stretch your arms, shoulders, neck, back, and legs. Any basic stretching exercises you do on a regular basis will improve your range of motion which will improve your golf swing and make you a better player. Stiff or tight muscles will prevent your from realizing the full potential of your golf swing. Don't skip the stretches. It's not a good idea to walk right out onto the course without warming up at all. Not bothering to stretch is a good way to get hurt. It's simple, if you want to improve your golf swing you'll exercise in addition to practicing your swing.
Another key to improving your golf swing is strength training. I'm not saying you need to be a body builder to improve your golf swing, but I am saying that a little working out will improve your game. It stands to reason that, all other things being equal, the stronger person will hit the ball farther than the weaker one. This is pretty obvious, so it's surprising that so many supposedly serious golfers never hit the gym. As with stretching, basic strength training will help you be more resistant to injuries.
Finally you need to consider your cardiovascular health when looking for ways to improve your golf swing. As you already know, it's not easy to knock the cover off the ball on the 14th hole. You can be pretty tired by then. But if you've been doing some aerobic exercises, then you'll be stronger in the end than your non-exercising opponents.
Exercise is the key to improving your golf swing and lowering your handicap. By stretching, doing some strength training, and running or biking regularly you'll find that your golf swing practice will be aided tremendously and your game will improve for sure.
Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as golf training at http://www.golfclubsplusmore.com.
About Golf Carts and How To Select One
At some time or other we reach the stage where using a golf cart becomes an experience and leaves us with the thought of someday purchasing one. I have played with those who use a cart for eighteen holes and also play another 9 holes for exercise. This is good if you have the time up your sleeve. None the less, golf carts are not only a time saver but come with a whole bunch of benefits that shouldn't be over looked. Here some things you ought to know.
golf carts are small vehicles, initially designed to carry the golfers and their equipment around the course with less effort and faster than walking. Now, they are used everywhere: airports, universities, warehouses, farms, etc. Coming as a mixture between hobby and utility, golf carts are also being purchased for personal use.
golf carts are also referred to as “golf cars”, which is more technically correct, as carts are not self-propelled, or as “utility vehicles”, especially by the manufacturers who reserve the term for the vehicles used on the golf course.
Types of golf carts
If you are considering purchasing a golf cart, it is important to know exactly what you’ll be using it for.
If you want a cute low-pollution easy-to-drive vehicle in order to get around your neighborhood, you need a standard golf cart and you can choose from a large variety of accessories and options.
If you live in a locality where golf carts are street-legal, you can outfit the vehicle appropriate safety features( turn signals, brake lights, windshield, seatbelts, and headlights). There are communities that encourage the use of electric golf carts due to their lack of pollutants, lack of noise, and safety for pedestrians.
Another category of golf carts are the commercial and industrial vehicles and they are used in a variety of ways. They are used to carry tools, sod and fertilizer in office parks, cemeteries, sports complexes, etc. Foremen and managers use them for supervising the activities efficiently. golf carts are also used in large farms or ranches, for carrying large loads.
Choosing the right golf cart
Before buying a golf cart, you have to gather information on your driving terrain, like: type of surfaces, hills, and weather. For instance, if you need it for use in a warehouse, a low horsepower vehicle is better as it is more economical. On the other hand, if you want to drive it on a hilly golf course, you need a much more powerful vehicle. You also have to estimate the physical size of the cart, the weight and the number of passengers you want it to carry. There are many brands to choose from, and as in all other fields, each manufacturer has its own strengths and weaknesses. The main manufacturers of golf carts are club Car, EZ Go, and Yamaha. The better is to test drive the models you ‘re considering and see how you like them.
Gas vs. Electric golf carts
Electric golf carts have an electric motor run by standard lead-acid batteries. The batteries are recharged by plugging into a standard power outlet. Power choices range from 24 volts to 72 volts, but the most common are 36 and 48 volt models. Electric vehicles are much more popular than the gasoline ones, because of their lack of pollutants, lack of noise, and their low cost to operate: it is five to ten times cheaper to operate in comparison to a gas model.
Gas-powered golf carts are still the top choice for some specific applications. They are a good choice for carrying heavy loads or for farming and hunting use.
golf carts pricing
The prices for new golf carts vary between $4,000 for a bare bones model up to more than $10,000 for luxury models including fancy wheels, lights, upgraded upholstery radios and cell phones chargers.
If you are not willing to spend that much for a golf cart, but still want to purchase one, you must consider the option of buying a used one. They can be found for as little as $2,000. golf courses need large numbers of golf carts and they always want them to be in top condition. They permanently exchange the used golf carts with new ones. This is why you can always find many used but good golf carts on the market.
If you are a golf player, you must certainly understand the pleasure and advantages of driving a quiet ,non-polluting vehicle such as the golf cart. But even if playing golf is not one of your passions, you must consider all the benefits that a golf cart might bring to you. It can help you a lot in your daily activities and it might also be the perfect way to relax and enjoy beautiful landscape views on the course.
Author - Chip Enrunn - Chip often writes for and with Golf Schools where there is far more information, news and resources. If that link is inactive, you can paste this link in your browser - golfing-schools.com
Becoming A Good Golfer All Begins With Perfecting Your Swing
golf is very simple when it comes down to it. All you're trying to do is to hit the ball into the hole using as few strokes as possible. Of course, we all know there's much more to it than that, but we can also agree that it really does come down to just that. The less strokes it takes you to get where you're going, the more successful you'll be at golf. To decrease the number of strokes it takes you to get the ball in the hole, it's important that your golf swing is correct.
There are four basic components to a good golf swing: club head speed, solid contact with the ball, the angle of the club face, and the swing plane/path. The speed of the swing is important because this is where a lot of your power is generated. Perhaps this is self-evident, but many people don't realize that perfect form is meaningless if your swing is slow. To improve your club head speed and achieve the best golf swing you can, you really need to stretch, exercise, and lift weights. You don't have to be a gym rat. Just take good care of yourself and work your muscles and you'll find your club head speed will increase noticeably as will the distance of your drives.
Making solid contact with ball is important, too. All the strength and club head speed in the world are meaningless if you can't hit the ball squarely. Related to making solid contact is the angle of the club face. This is a key aspect of developing the best possible golf swing. If the angle of your club face isn't right, you'll end up hooking the ball or slicing it.
Fourth is the swing plane and swing path of your golf swing. Just as it's important to have your club face at the right angle, it's equally important that the angle of your swing as a whole is correct. As a general rule you want the entire path of your swing to be at a 90 degree angle to your back and 45 degrees in relation to the ground. Keeping this in mind will help you hit the ball well and true.
Of course there is much more to achieving your best golf swing than just those four aspects of the golf swing. Your swing needs to be strong but loose that the same time. You don't want to force anything. Don't loft the ball too high when it's windy or you'll ball won't travel as far, or it'll travel in the wrong direction! swing smoothly and confidently, with just a short pause at the top of your swing to get yourself into a good rhythm. The significance of a good rhythm and stable balance to making your golf swing as good as it can be can't be overstated. Remember to use your whole body, not just your arms and wrists. You'll gain a good bit more power if you can get your whole body into your golf swing.
The goal of golf is to get the ball into the whole using as few strokes as possible. Along with exercise, the key to achieving the best golf swing is to practice it regularly using correct form.
Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as golf clubs at http://www.golfclubsplusmore.com.
Experiencing A Great Golf Game
Although great deal of interest has been recently directed to the amazing game of golf, as in all things in life, golf does maintain a fair part of its own mystery and does indeed entail change and progress. For example, the origin of golf is still open to debate among Chinese, French, Dutch and Scottish, while the golf course has not always had eighteen holes. Whether people will one day agree on who invented golf first or decide to add more holes on the golf's playground is a matter of time and interest. But, what golf professionals, fans, and spectators in general, undoubtedly attest is golf is an excellent game to exercise the human body and mind.
In fact, the most crucial aspects of the golf swing and the game, in general, all revolve around the building of a strong and solid foundation fro the body, the mind and the basics of an athletic swing. Specifically, the most important concepts that play a critical role in our understanding of what creates a great round of golf, as well as to what contributes to a lifetime of enjoyment of the game, are stamina, stability, strength, flexibility, spirit, sequence and skill.
Although many golfers tend to ignore the cardiovascular element of golf, the great American golf championship Tiger Woods has stated that fatigue can affect one's focus and cause the player to make a bad decision. If one considers in addition to this comment that golf walkers cover approximately a distance of 4-5 mile in each round, staying in shape is as important as knowing how to golf.
Then, a golfer has to think about stability. Developing strength from the core region of the body outwards, allows forces to be transferred successfully from one's feet to his arms and thus to his ball swing. Finding and practicing on keeping a specific posture, stabilize one's trunk and joints, can separate the good from the great golf player. More specifically, strength comes in many forms with regard to the golf swing. Exercising and developing strong back muscles allow the golfer to exercise greater forces on a swing. In fact, experts support that combined muscle strength produces balance and coordination.
Of course, flexibility is perhaps the most crucial physical characteristic a golfer must possess, as it directly influences a golf swing. Maintaining a tight body might result in a restricted swing motion and produce less that optimal results. Keeping a flexible body posture, while being firm and confident is a goal few golf players in the history of golf have managed to attain. Directly affected by the flexibility factor, a true understanding of proper body motion at each sequence will ensure consistency in one's swing. Essentially, it is the goal of every golfer to manage to develop and maintain a fluid, but repeatable golf swing. But apart from the necessary golf practice, developing good swing mechanics requires the presence of skill. Considered as an absolute necessity, in every sport, skill cannot be underestimated.
Finally, a golfer should keep in mind that a winning and positive attitude is everything in this game. As in every competitive game, what one thinks, says or how one selects to act can contribute positively or negatively to the game's outcome. Keeping a positive and hopeful spirit when playing golf can be one of those things that will lead you to victory.
Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including
Golf, Sports, and
Recreation
Enjoy The Game Of Golf More With These Beginner Golf Tips And Ideas
golf is a great game, and being a beginner is very exciting. Starting this fun new hobby gives you the opportunity to learn, do, read, and find out as much as you can about the game of golf. Basically, golf involves hitting a ball around a golf course, until it lands in the hole. You want to hit the ball the least amount of times possible, so that your score is lower. Unlike most sports, in golf the winner is the person with the lowest score. Weather conditions can certainly make golf more challenging, particularly in the rain or when it's very hot. Visiting a new golf course can also be a challenge, but then again that's why people play golf - because of all the variables that make it challenging.
If you can walk around a golf course, or even ride in a golf cart, then you can play and enjoy golf. You need to be able to stand and swing the club, and also see where the ball has gone after you've hit it. It's possible to play golf, and even play it well, despite having poor hearing, difficulty walking or even if you have trouble standing for long periods of time. To succeed at golf you need to be able to 'see' the invisible lines the golf ball will travel, and be able to work out where you want to hit the ball, and how hard you need to hit it. There's no need to rush when playing golf, you can relax with your friends and enjoy yourself.
As a beginner, one of the best things you can do is watch the more experienced players while you're waiting for your turn. Look at how they stand, and start to get a feel for the invisible lines that connect you to the green, which is where you want your ball to land eventually. Over time you will improve your skills and have more success getting your ball to the green quickly, and once you get some putting practice, you'll be able to lower your scores.
Think about your feet while you're preparing to swing, as they should always be in the same place when you tee off. It's important to pay attention to your feet, because it's the basis of your whole stance and affects the quality of your swing. Watch what other players are doing and imitate them to help improve your own stance. Keep your elbows in as you swing, so that you keep the swinging motion tight. If your swing is loose or wayward, you will most likely hack the ball and it will end up in the wilderness somewhere. With practice, you'll find that your swing motion becomes a circle, and your accuracy will improve.
For more exciting golf tips that focus on golf swing improvement, golf swing instruction, golf swing tips and golf putting tips try visiting Golf-Swing-Improvement.com
