Golf Swing Plus

Keep Your Head Down During The Swing

2012-01-12T12:59:00.000-05:00

Keeping your head down during the swing has been blamed for numerous golf swing problems. This tip from PurePointGolf.com shows you why keeping your chin UP is more important than keeping your head down.

Improve Golf Swing-Tee Height

2011-04-26T13:34:00.005-04:00

Learn how to improve your golf swing with this golf swing tip about the proper golf tee height from Bobby Eldridge from PurePoint Golf Academy.

Bobby says... two minutes from now I’m going to have an answer for all of you on how high you should be teeing your tee shots so you can improve your swing. The new drivers that have come out in the last 5, 10 years have what is referred to as a deep face.

From the bottom to the top it’s about two or more inches. Most players associate all of that space with teeing the golf ball high. We even have three-inch tees now.

So, that isn’t true. You don’t need that. Some of you might, but most of you don’t.

So, here’s my rule of thumb for how high should you tee the driver: If the mistake you make is that you constantly top the golf ball, that isn’t always the answer. You could fix your posture and bend over a little bit and that would fix topping the golf ball.

If you always hit underneath the golf ball, this isn’t always the answer, where you tee it down so low. Maybe you simply need to get your chin up.

So, a great rule of thumb is that the golf ball should be slightly higher than the center of the club face.

If the golf ball sits much higher than the center of the face, the swing tip to improve your golf would have you hitting the golf ball on the upswing. If it was teed down close to the ground, and you tried to hit the golf ball on the upswing, you might wind up hitting a little grass behind it. Instead, you would have to hit this one on a little bit of the downswing, which is defeating the purpose of the driver. The driver’s swing is a sweeping swing. And you want to catch the golf ball at the bottom of the arc.

At worst, you want to catch it on the way up but not too much on the way up.

Experiment with your tee shots. Play a whole round of golf where you tee it a lot lower than normal, then the next round a little bit lower than normal. And then play the third round where you tee it real high.

I promise you that real high is not the answer. Try that the next time out.

I hope this golf swing tip on how to use golf tee height improve your golf swing was helpful.

Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory. You can check out PurePoint Golf instructional DVDs at click here.

Choosing The Best Golf Balls

2011-04-19T14:10:00.004-04:00

Would you like some help with choosing the best golf balls for your golf game?

This golf tip is from Dave Nevogt, "The Simple Golf Swing", and will help you with choosing the best golf ball for your game and for the right price!

Dave is recommending the Srixon AD 333. You can get them for about $20 per dozen, and he finds that they perform much better than other balls in that price range. If you want to upgrade, look into the Srixon UR-X. Srixon makes the best balls available today, and many of the tour players (Vijay Singh, Jim Furuk, Robert Allenby, Henrik Stenson, Karrie Webb, Laura Davies, Boo Weekly and more) use them.

They are top notch, and if you haven't tried them, you'll be very pleasantly surprised with their performance. The UR-X is very comparable to the Titleist Pro V1.

How the Srixon AD 333 compares: This ball promotes a high launch angle and penetrating trajectory for greater distance. The strong piercing ball flight produces a more shallow descent for greater carry and roll. The added benefit of the superior soft feel provides pinpoint control.

Srixon AD 333 Overview: The AD333 features a revolutionary cover formulation, new core construction and new aerodynamics, while maintaining the same feel and playability that have made it a course favorite for years. Srixon's solid-core standard of excellence has never been more apparent. The core's soft compression suits a wide range of golfers that possess average to moderate swing speed and provides the ability to maximize their distance potential.

No.1 BALL IN U.K.

The AD333 became the number one two piece ball in the UK market because people are hitting it longer and straighter.

I hope this helps you with choosing the best golf balls.

David Nevogt is the author of "The Simple Golf Swing" which guarantees to have you shooting 7 strokes lower in only 1 week from today. His golf teachings have helped over 220,000 golfers over the past 4 years.

Approach Shots In Golf

2011-04-08T13:17:00.004-04:00

Here is a golf lesson on approach shots in golf from Dave Nevogt of "Simple Golf Swing".

This lesson is entitled "Approach Shots: What it takes to Master Them."

Basically, your approach shot is your shot onto the green. One of the things I like to say is this, "You know your game is improving when you start fixing more ball marks on the green" - most likely meaning that you hit it on your approach, which is your objective.

Here are a couple of tips to keep in mind, and then we'll get to the heart of this article.
Aim for the middle of the green, not the flag. Pin placements and greens are getting tougher to stick all the time. Don't be a sucker and go for a pin that you'll most likely miss, which will leave you in a bunker or some other position which will add strokes to your round.

Focus on alignment, not distance.

As you know, it's not an easy task to master the approach shot, but there are some ways in which you can drastically improve the accuracy of the shot. Alignment is the key to improving your approach shots. Most golfers don't practice their alignment too much on the practice range, but they should.

Think about this for a minute. Generally, when you miss the green it is due to alignment, not distance. Chances are, you have your 160 yard club, 150, 140, 130, etc...

And if you hit a less than perfect shot, the ball may go a little further or a little shorter. But even if that happens, most greens are deep enough that you should be on the putting surface if you have selected the club that would leave you in the center of the green.

But...alignment is another story. If you pull the ball, more times than most you really pull the ball, correct?

When your alignment is off, it's usually off by much more than 5-10 yards!

And if you push the ball, you generally are pushing it for much of the round, correct? Bunkers, water, and uneven lies are the obstacles you face.

How are you supposed to compete? The answer is simple. Practice your alignment.

Take your home course for example. I would be willing to bet there's somewhere in the ball park of a 160-yard par 3 on the course. Now picture that hole. What happens if you're 5-10 yards deep or shallow? You're probably still okay, right?

But what happens if you go right or left? That shot, more than likely, has trouble written all over it.

Summary: Go to the range, and practice your alignment. Always hit to a target.

Approach shots in golf from David Nevogt... Simple Golf Swing.

Proper Set Up In Using The Golf Driver

2011-04-06T10:33:00.002-04:00

Here is a quick golfing tip on the proper set up in using the golf driver from to teaching pro Bobby Eldridge. Bobby teaches "The Simple Golf Swing".

Let`s listen to Bobby...

I often see a number of amateurs prepare for their driver golf swing by walking up, after they have teed the ball up, they just take a step back and they address it. They grip the golf club and they address it, and they sort of just plot their feet down wherever they land, but let me tell you the proper way.

This way you’ll be able to get the ball in the correct position more often than not. After you have the golf ball and you’ve gripped it and you have addressed it, then you’ll just look down, take a peek down, and if this golf ball is running towards the left heel, then this is correct.

If you look down and you see the golf ball is a little too far forward off your left, that’s too far forward and you’ll probably see that the shoulders are aimed too far to the left.

On the other hand, if you look back down and you think the ball is too far back in your stance when you put this shaft along you, you’ll be aiming way off to the right.

So, after you’ve addressed the golf ball, all you have to do to get ready for your driver golf swing is bring the shaft up and lay it along your shoulder line, and it should be going in the direction you want to go with it.

If you get it too far back in your stance at address, you’ll wind up aiming your shoulders too far off to the right.

And if you get it off the left heel, this should be proper for most people.

Golfing tip on the proper set up in using the golf driver... give that a try the next time out.

Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory.

Golf Swing Tips

2011-03-08T16:09:00.005-05:00

Here are some great golf swing tips regarding the golf stance... from Bobby Eldridge... head pro at PurePoint Golf reviewing stance and ball flight... plus golf grip instruction.

Here`s Bobby...

I’m going to talk with you about how to draw the golf ball, hook the golf ball, or fade or slice the golf ball on purpose.

That way, the next time you go play, if you have a dogleg right or a dogleg left, or the wind’s blowing from the left or wind’s blowing from the right, you’ll be able to curve the golf ball that will be beneficial towards you.

Let’s say I’m going to play a hole that has a big dogleg to the left, and I think that I can get it out and around the corner. I’m going to give you a couple of ideas on how to draw the golf ball.

After you go through your routine, make sure that you aim the golf ball further right than normal, than you’re used to.

The second thing is I’m going to give you some golf grip instruction. You should turn your grip a little bit to the right. This will encourage the face to curve over.

And lastly, make sure that you’re aiming with your shoulders, knees and hips to the right. And if you’d like to and you feel comfortable, you can put the right foot back a little bit.

This will encourage the golf club to swing a little bit more underneath you from the inside.

Now let me give you a little bit of information on how to make the golf ball fade.

After you’ve gone through your routine and you’ve aimed down the left side of the fairway, another golf trip instruction is to make sure that before you draw the golf club back that you turn your grip to the left a little bit. And this will delay the face from closing opposite of the draw, and the face will return more open than it will square or closed. And then swing away and that will help the golf ball fade.

Now let’s spend a minute correcting a hook. If you’ve been struggling, really hooking a lot of your tee shots, all you have to do is check your grip. The golf grip instruction is to make sure that it’s over to the left a little bit and that will encourage the face to stay open.

If you’ve been slicing the ball, make sure you turn your grip a little bit further to the right, and that will help the golf club close and bring the ball back to center instead of slicing so much.

Try that the next time out and see how it works.

Golf swing tips... golf stance info from Bobby Eldridge... Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory.

Senior Golf Instruction DVD

2011-03-06T16:11:00.000-05:00

Senior golfers... golf instruction dvd... play the best golf of your life!

Purepoint Golf has introduced a new golf instruction dvd. It’s a new senior golf dvd.

It’s especially designed to help golfers 55 and older play the kind of golf they thought was a thing of the past.

In fact... regardless of your age or physical condition... PurePoint Golf is saying... if you follow their instructions and get in a decent amount of practice, you just might find yourself... playing the best golf of your life.

Here is the secret to successful senior golf according to Bobby Eldridge, head teaching pro at PurePoint Golf

It’s compensation and here’s how it works.

Let’s say you’ve convinced yourself that your 300 yard drives are gone forever. Well, maybe they are.

I’ll teach you how to compensate for that loss in distance with better ball-striking ability...a superior short game...and precision putting that can have you winning skins from guys half your age.

But back to distance for a minute. I’ll bet everything I’ve got in my pocket right now that you’re selling yourself short in that department. I’m convinced and dead serious... about the possibility of your playing the best golf of your life.

After all, that’s what I’m doing after 40 years of playing and so are my senior golf students".

Here’s a little of what you’ll learn in the Senior Golf DVD.

Why your old irons may be weighing down your game.
Why going to graphite is the smart shaft move.
How a new grip can make playing with arthritis practically painless.
The difference a different kind of ball can make.
Why hybrids aren’t just for the highway.
How the wrong clubs can cost you distance.
The single most common mistake most senior golfers make in their posture and how to fix yours.
A simple, down-to-earth method for increasing your downswing speed.
The other thing to do before you leave home.
How to maximize impact and get back most of the distance you thought you lost.
Why the short game can be your new best friend.
How to get solid shots with real zip to them.

That should be enough for you to check out how this senior golf-new golf instruction dvd can help you.

Senior Golf DVD - New Golf Instruction DVD for those 55 and over

Seniors DVD Trailer...

Online Golf Lesson

2011-02-18T17:08:00.004-05:00

Here is a helpful online golf lesson from Dave Nevogt at "The Simple Golf Swing".This week's lesson is entitled, "How to Get out of a Bunker with a Buried Lie."

This lesson could really help you out in a situation where a buried lie could potentially add a few
unneeded strokes to your round.

This is one of the most feared shots in all of golf by the amateur.

Why? Because it looks so intimidating when you can barely see your ball, but it doesn't need to be that way. You will be hitting great shots and impressing your friends when you follow these steps!

Let's say that you just don't have a "fried egg" (where 50% of the ball is buried) but only the very top of the ball is visible. What do you do? Follow these steps and you'll be able to hit any lie that you have in a bunker.

Here's what you do:

1. Choke down on the golf club, about in the same position as a normal bunker shot (1-2 inches from the bottom of the grip).

2. Take your normal stance, however open it up a little bit.

3. The majority of your weight should be on your front foot .

4. Close your clubface and press your hands forward just a little (this will ensure you to drive the ball out of the sand).

5. Keep your lower body still! This is so important, especially
in this shot!

6. Just like a normal bunker shot take a steep backswing so that the butt of the club is pointed at the ball. *Remember that your left arm is going to lead this shot and will be completely parallel with the ground. Your right elbow is in the locked position.

7. When you start your downswing do not shift your weight - keep the majority of your weight on your front foot.

8. So once you've started your steep downswing hit about 2 inches behind the ball. This is very important because if you try and hit the ball first you'll just drive it back into the sand. By hitting 2 inches behind the sand will actually lift the ball out your clubface really doesn't even touch the golf ball. *Remember it's very important to keep your clubface closed so that is can drive the ball out!

9. Remember to swing through the sand and not stop once you've hit the sand.

10. Keep your angle steep throughout the shot.

Drill:

At the practice bunker stomp a few balls almost completely submerged (make sure you can only see a little of the ball.
This will give you so much confidence because this only happens in a small percentage of sand play. Focus on keeping your club face closed throughout your swing....I can't stress this enough! Putting it all together in the bunker:

Normal bunker shot: square to slightly open clubface, evenly balanced weight or weight on back foot, steep/vertical backswing (lead with your left arm and keep your right elbow "locked" to its side), keep your entire lower body still - no weight shifting until you hit the sand.

Buried lie in bunker: slightly closed clubface, forward press your hand a little, majority of your weight on your front foot, steep/vertical backswing (lead with your left arm and keep your right elbow "locked" to its side), keep your entire lower body still.

There`s the online golf lesson... "How to Get out of a Bunker
with a Buried Lie" from Dave Nevogt at "The Simple Golf Swing".

Golf Mental Preparation

2011-01-22T10:37:00.007-05:00

Golf mental preparation... use your head for lower scores

by Jack Moorehouse...

Think Your Way To A Lower Golf Handicap

Personal records drive golfers to succeed. Setting a goal of breaking 90 for the first time or chopping two strokes from your golf handicap compels us to work hard, practice smart, and stay focused. It also compels use to think differently when facing difficult shots. We continually find ourselves asking the question:

What’s the best shot in this situation? When it’s all over, you want to know if you’re playing the right shot at critical times in the round.
One way to do that is to develop “go-to” shots for difficult situations, like hitting from behind a tree. We’ve talked about how go-to shots can help golfers in my golf tips newsletter. Using them in key situations harnesses your ability and takes advantage of your on the course strengths.

More important, it lets you control the situation rather than letting the situation control you. To capitalize on this approach, you must develop an arsenal of shots you can use in the clutch. Below we discuss go-to shots in three key situations.

On A Tight Fairway

Hitting a good drive to a tight fairway, as I’ve said in my golf tips newsletter, is a great way to a comeback. A good drive here is at least 200 yards in the fairway. Candidates for a go-to shot are the full swing driver, the 3-wood, and the hybrid fade. You must be able to hit the fairway with this shot about 80 percent of the time.

Pulling off the full swing driver leaves a short iron to the green, but the average golfer misses this shot 50 percent of the time. The 3-wood offers less distance but finds the fairway 15 percent more often than the driver. The hybrid fade finds the fairway more than the 3-wood, but requires a longer second shot to the green. Choose wisely.

Short Shots To The Green

Another critical situation where you need a go-to shot is about 100 yards out. Having a go-to shot is here key if “disaster” areas guard the green. You need a go-to shot that avoids all the trouble around the green. Candidates are the one-third 5-iron swing, otherwise known as the bump-and-run, and the full swing wedge. The full wedge shot puts your close to the hole, but if you miss it, you’re toast. The bump-and run won’t get your as close as the wedge, but, it’s easier to hit than the full wedge, With good contact, this shot will give you 60 yards of carry and 30 yards of roll.

Pitches To The Green Over Water

You need this shot when you’re about 30 yards to the green and there’s water (or another obstacle) between you and the pin. You need to be ale to hit the shot successfully 90 percent of the time for it to be considered a go-to shot. The idea is to land the shot on the green and leave it within 2-putt range nine out of 10 times you hit the shot, as I tell students in golf instruction sessions.

Candidates are the lob wedge pitch, the standard pitch, and the chip with a putter. A well-executed lob wedge pitch leaves you with a tap-in, but mis-hitting it lands you in the water. The standard pitch to either side takes the water out of play. It’s easier to hit, but probably won’t leave you close to the hole. The chip with a putter is just what the name says: a chip shot using your putter. This shot isn’t taught in golf lessons much, but it’s safe and can put you within two-putt range.

Continue this approach for all the critical areas of your game. Then, work on developing go-to shots for the areas. Determine the shot candidates, see which one you hit best, and work on perfecting it. Once you’ve done that for the critical areas of your game, you can attack courses with aggressiveness and confidence. Remember, your go-to shot is always your safest. It’s the shot you hit best in a given situation, so it could be the riskiest. You’ll be surprised at the impact on your golf handicap.

Golf mental preparation... 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

Golf Downswing Technique

2011-01-22T10:37:00.005-05:00

Golf Downswing Technique... learn to use loft in your pitching... hit down to go up.

PurePoint Golf Instruction - Pitching with Loft – Golf Technique and Instruction

I’m going to get you back on track with your pitching with golf technique and instruction that you’re just going to love. It’s the reason why you need loft, and here’s why.

A lot of you hit a lot of pitch shots that, after it’s in the air, it maybe has 2, 3, 4 feet of loft to it, and when it hits the ground, it takes off running and runs over the green.

A couple of reasons why you struggle with not getting the ball up in the air: Number one, you have to start using your pitching wedge or your sand wedge and your lob wedge, not your 9 iron to chip with. You need a loftier golf club.

Number two, check the ball position. Make sure it’s in the middle of your stance and your weight’s on your left leg.

And lastly, make sure that you start hitting down on the golf ball so it’ll go up.

Some golf technique and instruction advice I have to give you is don’t get all hung up on backspin. Backspin’s great, but would you rather have a golf ball drop straight out of the sky, or a golf ball that had a lot of revolutions going backwards?

I’d like the one that drops straight out of the sky. That will slow down quicker than one with backspin.

So, don’t forget, for more loft put the ball in the middle of your stance with a little weight left. But make sure you use your sand wedge and your loftier club, maybe your loft wedge to pitch with, and not your 9 iron or your pitching wedge. Your pitching wedge is okay, but it’ll go off a little flatter.

And lastly, the golf technique and instruction never to forget is, don’t forget to follow through low, so you can hit down so the ball will go up.

Thanks and have a great day.

Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory.

Golf Instruction DVD

2011-01-22T10:36:00.002-05:00

Golf Instruction DVD... learn to play golf the simple way

Bobby Eldridge and PurePoint Golf are introducing a new golf instruction dvd that they believe is a better way to teach the game of golf.

PurePoint Golf`s DVDs, #1 golf instruction system online, have taught over 55,000 golfers in 70 countries.

This isn't, technically, a new golf swing technique.

It's the same tried and true PurePoint Golf Swing that's become the most popular, most imitated swing in the golfing world.

What they have done is come up with ... a new way of teaching it.

Actually, this is more than just a new DVD. It's the first demonstration of a brand new way of teaching that they guarantee will ... have you hitting straighter, more solid shots with greater distance in just one hour or your money back.

This golf swing technique can solve the seven biggest swing problems (fades, hooks, fat shots, pushing, pulling, topping the ball, and lack of distance) in golf.

Check it out PurePoint`s golf instruction dvd... become your own instructor!

PurePoint Golf 2.0 : Full Swing Lessons DVD

Here`s a sample lesson from Bobby Eldridge...

Basics Of A Golf Swing

2010-04-15T12:22:00.002-04:00

Basics Of A Golf Swing... difference between pitch and full swing

PurePoint Golf Instruction... Pitching Shots vs. Full Swing

There is a big difference between the golf swing basics of pitching the golf ball in and around the edges of the green, over bunkers, over little trees, over a pond, 30 yards, 20 yards, 40 yards, and the golf swing basics of hitting your full pitch shot swing.

Whenever I’m talking about chipping and pitching, I’m talking about golf shots that are in and around the green. If I’m not talking about that, then I’m talking about your full swing.

The technique to hit to the green in front of you is ball in the middle, weight left, handle forward. And it’s an arm swing.

Now, if you want to hit a full wedge shot, it will go way over the green.

With the 90-yard swing, you can see a difference with your golf swing basics at address. Your body turns, your shoulders turn, which moves the weight a little bit over to the right side, and the arms swing up and down.

As you start to bring the golf club back, your shoulders start to turn and your weight moves backwards a little bit. That’s a full golf swing.

And the 40-yard pitch shot is a big difference in the two swings. One, the 100-yard wedge was just like the driver swing, but with a wedge in your hand. The pitch shot is a miniature little tiny golf swing that you don’t move any weight to your right side.

I hope that clears it up for you, and thanks.

Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory.

Play Smart Golf

2010-04-13T11:45:00.003-04:00

Play Smart Golf... Learn To Save Stokes

Playing Smart Saves Strokes

Even players who thrive on crushing the ball know that hitting it long isn’t always the best strategy. Sometimes, they need to hang back and save that muscle for another time. We call it playing smart. Jack Nicklaus was a great example of a player who plays smart. He knew when to take what the situation gives him. That’s one reason why he was one of the world’s best golfers. For weekend golfers, playing smart can save strokes and keep your golf handicap from ballooning.

But playing smart isn’t always the first thing on your mind when in trouble. Many golfers try “miracle shots” to salvage the situation when in trouble. Often, it’s a shot they’ve never hit before. Save miracle shots for when you must try one. The rest of the time, play smart. It may not seem like the best strategy, but it can save you strokes later on. In my golf lessons I emphasize three situations when playing smart works well. Below I describe these situations and provide golf tips on how to play them.

Ball In High Grass

When we say high grass, we mean high grass—the no man’s land of rough. You know the kind—where you could be standing over the ball and not know it. The problem with this rough is that it’s much thicker than regular rough. It’s so thick it can catch your club and turn the hosel before the clubface is even close to the ball. Thus, it may take multiple shots to get out. It’s that thick.

The only remedy for this lie is to take your wedge and attack the ball with a hard descending blow. But first you need to adjust your set up using these golf tips: Use an open stance but close the clubface a bit. Next, take a firm grip, aim just behind the ball, and swing down hard. These adjustments make it easier for the clubface to cut through the grass. Make sure, you also swing through—because if your club gets stuck, the ball will, too.

Ball In Bunker

While a ball buried deep in the sand requires a shot like the one described above, a regular lie in the sand—one where the ball is sitting on top of the sand—needs just the opposite approach. The goal here is to “shave” the ball out, not shovel it. Here, you need to take a smooth controlled swing with an open stance and clubface. Aim to make contact two inches behind the ball. It will fly out softly with minimal sand, saving you strokes and landing the ball close to the pin.

Playing The Punch Shot

The punch shot is a third play smart situation. The object of the punch shot is to keep the ball low, straight, and precise. It makes for a great approach shot in the wind. But it also makes for a great shot to salvage par from the trees. Many players use a longer iron to make this shot, but a hybrid works just as well, as I’ve mentioned in my golf tips newsletter. Here’s how to make a punch shot work for you:

Play the ball just back of the middle of your stance, which takes some loft off your club and enables the ball to fly lower with backspin. Take a three-quarter swing, mostly with your arms, and keep your wrists firm and hands quiet on the downswing. Make a smooth controlled swing, with out decelerating or hurrying through the shot, and keep your follow through short and low. The punch shot is a great weapon to have when in trouble or when playing in a stiff wind.

These three common “play smart” situations are often discussed in golf instruction session and golf articles. There are more not so common play smart shots. Look for them and then store them in your mind so you’ll remember them. In these situations, forget the “miracle shot” you’ve never hit before unless you’ve no other choice. Playing smart helps keep a lid on scores and stops golf handicaps from ballooning.

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.

Golf Swing Tempo

2010-04-12T11:41:00.003-04:00

Golf Swing Tempo... learn to add distance with increased swing speed

PurePoint Golf Instruction – Proper Golf Follow Through – Golf Swing Tempo

How many times have you stood in the middle of the fifth fairway at your local golf course and you always hit 9 iron from that little bush?

Or you always hit 7 wood from that little tiny tree on the side of the fairway, but today there’s just a little breeze in your face, or maybe the pin is in the back of the green? And you really don’t want to hit 8 iron and you really don’t want to hit 5 wood, but you’d like to hit the club you’re trying to hit a little bit further?

I want to give you a little tip, or a little pearl on how to hit it further by increasing your golf swing tempo, but I don’t want you to get hung up on the fact that it’s just for the driver. This can be for any club.

The next time you’re out, try this. Take a couple of practice swings. Warm up before you hit the ball, and then raise the club up in the air like you would a baseball bat.

If you can swing it in the air and increase your golf swing tempo, that’s 20% harder than I usually swing a golf club. Then put it down on the ground and do the same thing twice. Step up to the ball and give it a whack.

Now, if the truth were known and we went out and measured that 9 iron, I guarantee you that 9 iron went 10% further than my average 9 iron.

So, here it is. Make sure that just before you get ready to hit that you raise it in the air and increase your golf swing tempo a little bit faster than you normally would. Then put it on the ground and give it some swish. And then put it up to the ball and give it a whack.

Don’t forget, the further you hit it the more offline you might be.

So, if you’re looking to hit it a little bit further, try that practice session.

Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory.

How To Hit Fairway Woods

2010-04-11T13:23:00.003-04:00

How To Hit Fairway Woods... reap the benefits of mastering the three wood

Mastering The Three Wood

By: Jack Moorehouse... How To Break 80

The shorter your approach shot to the green, the better your chances of hitting it in regulation (GIR) and making par. The number of greens hit in regulation is a telling statistic – as I’ve explained in my golf tips newsletter. Why...because players who hit a lot of greens in regulation tend to have lower golf handicaps. Those who don’t tend to have higher golf handicaps.

The 3-wood is a great club for aggressive players. It’s also a great club for senior players who may have lost some flexibility and power over the years, but can still play well. The 3-wood is the second longest club in your bag, so it can be hard to hit for some. Hitting a crisp 3-wood from a tight lie is especially challenging, as I tell students attending my golf instruction sessions, no matter how good you are.

Used In A Variety of Situations

You can use the 3-wood in man situations. Since it’s shorter than the driver, it’s easier to control, so you can use it off the tee on tight fairways. Using the 3-wood ton the tee may cost you some distance, but it increases your chances of hitting the fairway. In fact, some players who can’t hit a driver hit a 3-wood off the tee instead. Players also use the 3-wood to chip with when on the fringe, in a fairway bunker if the bunker’s lip is low, and on long par-3s when there’s a head wind.

But the 3-wood is used mostly off the deck on par 5s, when you need a good second shot. Another common use of the 3-wood is on long par 4s, where you need a long second shot to reach the green. Hitting a good 3-wood there can put you on the green in two, something neither a long iron nor a hybrid can do. If you can master the 3-wood off the deck, you can save a lot of strokes.

Sweep The Ball From The Fairway

Unlike irons, which require a downward blow, the 3-wood (and other fairway woods) need a sweeping motion that strikes the ball as the clubhead moves parallel to the ground. Below are five keys to hitting the 3-wood:

1. Keep your weight balanced
2. Position the ball opposite your front heel
3. Keep you head and body behind the ball
4. Pull the club through with your lead hand
5. Extend your arms on the follow-through

To hit the 3-wood off the deck, you must take a wide stance similar to that used for a driver. Position the ball opposite your front heel or in some cases, slightly back from this position, and your weight balanced comfortably on the balls of your feet.

Start your swing on a low path that almost skims the grass to replicate the shallow path you want to take on your downswing. Keep your back shoulder level and pull your right hand (left for left-handers) through with your other hand. Above all, stay behind the ball after impact. Brush through the ball and extend your arms toward the target on the follow-through – something a lot of players I find in my golf lessons must work on.

Not Designed For High Shots

The 3-wood is designed to hit a line drive type of shot. But you don’t need to feel that you have to help it get the ball in the air. The 3-woord has more than enough loft to drive the ball forward for distance. If you need to hit something with more loft, use the 5-wood. It provides less distance but more height than the 3-wood. In the right circumstances, the 5-wood can be just as effective as the 3-wood.

The 3-wood is a great club in the right hands. It’s not as versatile as a hybrid, but it’s more versatile than the driver. Don’t be afraid to hit it. Used wisely, it can set you up for short shots into the green on par 5s or serve as the club of choice off the tee. If you’re serious about improving your game, master the 3-wood. It will shave strokes from your scores and your golf handicap.

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.

How To Hit Good Wedge Shots

2010-04-10T12:18:00.002-04:00

How To Hit Good Wedge Shots... tips to make more birdies

Dial In Your Short Irons Now

By Jack Moorehouse

When you’re within 20 yards of the goal in American football—the Red Zone—you must score. If you don’t, your team’s offense failed. When you’re within 40 yards of the green—8-iron, 9-iron, and wedge distance—the Scoring Zone—you also must “score.” Put another way, you must drop the shot as close to the hole as possible, leaving you an easy putt. If you don’t, you’ve cost yourself a birdie.

Obviously, the more birdies you make, the better your score and your golf handicap. But before hitting from this distance, you must answer six critical questions. Answering them improves your chances of dropping it close significantly. In this article we’ll discuss these six critical questions and provide golf tips on how to hit them better, improving your chances of collecting more birdies.

1. How Far Do You Hit Each Club?

Dialing in your short irons is mostly about distance control. In other words, you must know exactly how far you carry each club on the course, if you want to hit it close. Distance control is what teachers focus on in golf instruction sessions. If you don’t know how far you hit each short iron, go to the range. Practice making normal and hard swings. Get a feel for just how far you hit each club using each swing.

2. How Do You Hit Each Club?

Direction control is also vital when hitting short irons. So in addition to getting a feel for distance when practicing at the range, track your tendencies with each club. Do you draw or fade the shot? When you swing harder, do you pull or push the ball? Find the answers to these questions on the range first, so you’re not educating yourself on the course. Keep them in mind when playing a shot within the scoring zone.

3. What Kind Of Swing Do I Make?

Some weekend golfers shorten their swings when hitting short irons. Or, they ease up. This leads to bad shots. Take your normal swing and hit through the ball in the scoring zone. Hit them just like they teach in golf lessons. If you need more distance, don’t swing harder. Take an extra club. And don’t try to hit the ball really high. You may lose control of the shot. If you don’t hit these clubs well, take some golf lessons and practice at the range. Also consult golf tips on hitting them.

4. Where Do I Want To Hit This Shot?

Directional accuracy demands that you aim correctly. When you’re practicing with these clubs on the range, work on alignment, too. Begin every shot by standing behind the ball. Then follow your routine. In addition, picture an imaginary line from your long distance target to an immediate one a few feet in front of the ball to the ball. Align your club to the target line and the ball. Then, align your body parallel to the imaginary line.

5. What Are Your Conditions?

The best short iron players monitor their conditions—their sate of mind and their physical condition—on every hole. Your conditions really matter. If you’re angry or pumped up, you’ll hit the ball longer than you normal. If you’re tense or tight, you may hit it shorter. compensate for your condition. Also, track how you hit the ball under the various conditions.

6. What Are the Playing Conditions?

Like your personal conditions, playing conditions matter as well. What type of lie do you have on the course? How firm is the green? What is the wind doing? Is the green above or below you? The answers to these questions have a major bearing on the shot. Run through them before you hit any shot.

The last thing you must do before hitting a shot in the scoring zone is remind yourself to never short-side yourself. Never miss a shot to a spot that gives you no green to work with coming back. You want to be aggressive in the scoring zone, but be smart about it. Follow this cardinal rule and you’ll be glad you did.

Answer the questions listed above before hitting a short iron and you’ll make more birdies. Make more birdies and you’ll not only trim your scores, you’ll also cut your golf handicap by several strokes. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

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.

Mental Side Of Golf

2010-04-09T11:11:00.004-04:00

Mental Side Of Golf... Stay In The Present And Lower Your Scores

A frequently heard commentators comment is that of a player needing "only to stay in the present", possibly an obvious observation, but, certainly one of the most difficult states to achieve. The brain is such a fast operating super-computer that unconscious thoughts seem to fly unbidden from the right side of the brain to the left with alarming speed and clarity. Among the most useful tools that the sports psychologist or mind coach can give to a player are those that help clear the mind and allow them to stay in the present.

One of the most effective methods is that of "squeezing the sponge". Squeezing the sponge is the title of a breathing exercise whereby the art of concentrated breathing will calm and relax a player. People generally believe deep breathing to have its emphasis on inhaling, squeezing the sponge is in fact the exact opposite, by fully breathing out, exhaling, to the point where the stomach can be felt moving backwards towards the spine eventually a point will be reached where a reflex action takes place and the body is filled with clean fresh oxygen as the player is forced to inhale, in scientific terms, an involuntary action. As a player breathes out they are also expelling any bad feelings, while the new breath provides new energy and centers the mind and body. By concentrating on breathing in this way a player has been forced to stay in the present.

The sensation caused in the abdomen during the full exhale in the breathing exercise is also the area of the body concerned with the concept of centering. Centering is a method used widely in the field of martial arts and is an excellent tool for helping players stay in the present. In his book "Chen-Hsin - The Principles of Effortless Power" Peter Ralston states.

"There are aspects of this field of study that are sometimes emphasized or made pivotal to the rest. Centering is one of those. Indeed, it would be possible to devise an ENTIRE art founded totally and solely upon this one point. Many warrior trainings, esoteric practices and metaphysical techniques revolve around this one principle of centering.

In my life, I have spent much time concentrating on that spot and have practiced a great deal moving from there. It is my experience that this produces TREMENDOUS results.

The center region is concentrated in a place within the abdomen. You should feel this place to be large enough to be powerful and yet not so large that you cannot maintain a feeling of its density.

Performing and functional activity while concentrating on that spot will automatically increase the POWER, SKILL and EFFECTIVENESS of that activity."

It is important that players practice the art of centering to the point where they can automatically find their center in the pressure situation of tournaments. To help this and reinforce the benefits of these tools try hitting a dozen balls on the range thinking of nothing but technique, to in effect be hitting balls with your head, but still with a specific target. Then hit a second dozen having first squeezed the sponge and then following the centering technique as they cross the play line, feel how different the experiences are. This exercise has a tremendous added benefit in that when a player is fully and correctly centered they will also be perfectly balanced

Another tried and tested method to help players stay in the present is that of "clear keys", clear keys are tools that can be used to distract the conscious mind and allow the subconscious to perform unhindered. An exercise to show how this works is to stand about 12-15 feet away from a partner, he holding one golf ball, you holding two. Initially using only one ball each start tossing the balls to each other simultaneously and continuously but the only thing either of you concentrate on is saying the word 'now' when you perceive that the ball approaching you has reached the apex of its flight. You will find that you are both effortlessly throwing and catching the balls in the manner of seasoned circus act. After a short period, introduce the third ball into the exercise, you will find that you continue to "juggle" the balls without difficulty. The word "now" is your clear key and you have quieted the conscious mind.

Clear keys whilst playing usually take the form of some sort of mantra, back-hit, being one of the most common, humming is another often used key but any distraction can produce the desired result.

Nick Madgett is a Sports Psychologist and qualified Mind Factor Coach, the Mind Factor system is used by some of the worlds greatest players such as Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, David Howell and Graeme McDowell. Nick is also the main contributor to http://www.golfpsychologyonline.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Madgett

Golf Swing Exercises

2010-04-08T11:31:00.003-04:00

Power Golf Swing Exercises Video With Dumbbells

Mike Pedersen, Perform Better Golf, shows us how we can use dumbbells at home to build a powerful golf swing.

Great golf training exercise... no gym necessary! Watch the video (2+ minutes)

Golf Tee Height

2010-04-06T18:14:00.003-04:00

Here`a a quick lesson from PurePoint Golf on golf tee height.

Instruction – Tee Height – Improve Swing

Two minutes from now I’m going to have an answer for all of you on how high you should be teeing your tee shots so you can improve your swing. The new drivers that have come out in the last 5, 10 years have what is referred to as a deep face.

From the bottom to the top it’s about two or more inches. Most players associate all of that space with teeing the golf ball high. We even have three-inch tees now.

So, that isn’t true. You don’t need that. Some of you might, but most of you don’t.

So, here’s my rule of thumb for how high should you tee the driver: If the mistake you make is that you constantly top the golf ball, that isn’t always the answer. You could fix your posture and bend over a little bit and that would fix topping the golf ball.

If you always hit underneath the golf ball, this isn’t always the answer, where you tee it down so low. Maybe you simply need to get your chin up.

So, a great rule of thumb is that the golf ball should be slightly higher than the center of the club face.

If the golf ball sits much higher than the center of the face, the swing tip to improve your golf would have you hitting the golf ball on the upswing. If it was teed down close to the ground, and you tried to hit the golf ball on the upswing, you might wind up hitting a little grass behind it. Instead, you would have to hit this one on a little bit of the downswing, which is defeating the purpose of the driver. The driver’s swing is a sweeping swing. And you want to catch the golf ball at the bottom of the arc.

At worst, you want to catch it on the way up but not too much on the way up.

Experiment with your tee shots. Play a whole round of golf where you tee it a lot lower than normal, then the next round a little bit lower than normal. And then play the third round where you tee it real high.

I promise you that real high is not the answer. Try that the next time out.

Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory.

Timing In Golf Swing

2010-04-05T10:54:00.004-04:00

Here`s a quick golf tip on the timing in golf swing from Bobby Eldridge, head pro at Purepoint Golf.

PurePoint Golf – Timing – Golf Instruction Lesson

I want to review something with you that I consider to be one of the, I don’t know, I think it’s one of the most misunderstood verbiage’s or terminology’s in all of golf.

It’s called timing. And it’s used a lot on television and in all the magazines, but they don’t explain to you what timing is and what it means.

So, let me give you a little golf instruction lesson, and then, that way you’ll start to understand the value of the word timing. Okay, here it goes.

Whenever you watch a good player hit a golf ball and or when you hit a good shot, this is what timing means. It was your ability to swing the arms down as your left hip moved out of the way, and gets out of the way for you.

Now, there are a couple of mistakes you can make. First of all, some people swing the arms down, and this never moves and you stay still. If you do that, you would be one that would come down and the club face closes quickly at the bottom of the hit.

If your timing is off because you didn’t move the bottom out of the way, the arms will cross over real quick.

On the other hand, most of the golfing public, when they swing down, their body moves out of the way and leaves the club behind them and open.

So, a little golf instruction lesson, if your timing is off and your body’s too quick, you’ll go to the right. If your timing’s off and your body’s a little too slow, you might hook it.

If your timing is on, all that’s saying is that you have the combination of the body, the bottom part of the body moving out of the way, as the arms swing down.

Again, the body moves, arms swing down. It’s just a combination of getting the arms and the hands to match up with the bottom part of the golf swing.

Thanks, and have a great day. I hope that golf instruction lesson helped.

Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory.

Here`s a video explanation of "timing" from Bobby...

Golf Driver Swing Basics

2010-04-04T10:15:00.003-04:00

Bobby Eldridge, Purepoint Golf, reviews some golf driver swing basics... ball position and golf swing.

PurePoint Golf Instruction – Driver Ball Position – Driver Golf Swing

I often see a number of amateurs prepare for their driver golf swing by walking up, after they have teed the ball up, they just take a step back and they address it. They grip the golf club and they address it, and they sort of just plot their feet down wherever they land, but let me tell you the proper way.

This way you’ll be able to get the ball in the correct position more often than not. After you have the golf ball and you’ve gripped it and you have addressed it, then you’ll just look down, take a peek down, and if this golf ball is running towards the left heel, then this is correct.

If you look down and you see the golf ball is a little too far forward off your left, that’s too far forward and you’ll probably see that the shoulders are aimed too far to the left.

On the other hand, if you look back down and you think the ball is too far back in your stance when you put this shaft along you, you’ll be aiming way off to the right.

So, after you’ve addressed the golf ball, all you have to do to get ready for your driver golf swing is bring the shaft up and lay it along your shoulder line, and it should be going in the direction you want to go with it.

If you get it too far back in your stance at address, you’ll wind up aiming your shoulders too far off to the right.

And if you get it off the left heel, this should be proper for most people.

Give that a try the next time out.

Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory.

Here`s Bobby with a visual explanation...

Modern Golf Swing Technique

2010-04-03T14:53:00.004-04:00

How To Stay in the Shot – Modern Golf Swing Technique

Here`s help from Bobby Eldridge on staying in the shot:

There is a term that commentators on television will often say. He came, or she came, up and out of the shot. When you hear that, it usually means that the ball has gone to the right.

So, let me tell you an example of what ‘up and out of the shot’ means, and then I’ll give you a golf technique that you can use for your own golf game.

In the downswing, both knees stay bent during the bottom of the hit. And as the golf club passes you, the arms have to get out in front of you before you can turn through.

Now, here’s an example of a player that comes up and out of the shot. As they start down, they get out in front and their body unwinds. And they get tall in the hitting area and the spine comes up and you’ll see a push to the right.

So, here’s the golf technique. If you push to the right and you think there’s a chance that you may be coming up and out of your shot, you’ll hit it weak to the right.

A great little practice is for you to keep a little more weight on your right side and let the arms pass you before you turn through.

Thanks, and have a great day.

Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory.

Bobby explains how to stay in the shot in this video...

Correct Golf Stance And Golf Grip Tip

2010-04-03T11:55:00.003-04:00

Bobby Eldridge, "The Simple Golf Swing", talks about the correct golf stance and golf grip tip.

PurePoint Golf Instruction – Stance and Ball Flight – Golf Grip Instruction

I’m going to talk with you about how to draw the golf ball, hook the golf ball, or fade or slice the golf ball on purpose.

That way, the next time you go play, if you have a dogleg right or a dogleg left, or the wind’s blowing from the left or wind’s blowing from the right, you’ll be able to curve the golf ball that will be beneficial towards you.

Let’s say I’m going to play a hole that has a big dogleg to the left, and I think that I can get it out and around the corner. I’m going to give you a couple of ideas on how to draw the golf ball.

After you go through your routine, make sure that you aim the golf ball further right than normal, than you’re used to.

The second thing is I’m going to give you some golf grip instruction. You should turn your grip a little bit to the right. This will encourage the face to curve over.

And lastly, make sure that you’re aiming with your shoulders, knees and hips to the right. And if you’d like to and you feel comfortable, you can put the right foot back a little bit.

This will encourage the golf club to swing a little bit more underneath you from the inside.

Now let me give you a little bit of information on how to make the golf ball fade.

After you’ve gone through your routine and you’ve aimed down the left side of the fairway, another golf trip instruction is to make sure that before you draw the golf club back that you turn your grip to the left a little bit. And this will delay the face from closing opposite of the draw, and the face will return more open than it will square or closed. And then swing away and that will help the golf ball fade.

Now let’s spend a minute correcting a hook. If you’ve been struggling, really hooking a lot of your tee shots, all you have to do is check your grip. The golf grip instruction is to make sure that it’s over to the left a little bit and that will encourage the face to stay open.

If you’ve been slicing the ball, make sure you turn your grip a little bit further to the right, and that will help the golf club close and bring the ball back to center instead of slicing so much.

Try that the next time out and see how it works.

Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory.

Tips For Driving a Golf Ball

2010-04-02T10:54:00.006-04:00

Tips For Driving a Golf Ball... learn to adjust to playing conditions and reduce your score.

Here are some good tips for driving a golf ball in tough conditions by Bobby Eldridge, head pro at PurePoint Golf.

Have you ever gone to play a round of golf and the first hole the wind is straight into you, the next two holes it’s blowing out of the right, the next two holes it’s from the left, then four holes in a row straight back into the wind, and then it gets worse?

The next three holes it’s blowing harder from the left. Then you get the shortest hole in the golf course downwind. And then, of course, you know the rest of the story, the next three holes, the longest holes in the golf course, dead into the teeth of it.

Well, those are tough driving days and you have to be prepared to react to it, because the wind isn’t going to stop just for you.

And when you’re playing well, I know you’re going to laugh, but it seems like every hole’s downwind. And when you’re playing difficult, it seems like every one of them is into a gale.

Remember this about tough driving days, this driver is not always the answer. How many times have you driven the golf ball 50 yards left of the fairway and only wished that you would have hit 6 iron off of the tee to get a better golf swing?

I’m not advocating that into the wind. However, the flatter the face on the golf club, the more the golf ball’s going to curve and the better your golf swing will be. And the windier it is, it exaggerates the curve if it’s going in the direction of the wind. So, this isn’t always the answer.

I have a 1 iron that I love, and I have driven with it many times on windy days, even into the wind, because it was important to find the golf ball in the fairway and not out of bounds.

So, don’t forget this is not the answer on rugged days. This is the answer when you’re driving the ball well.

When you’re not, it might be a 3 wood. Don’t give into the driver.

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Bobby Eldridge is the Head Instructor for the PurePoint Golf Academy where he teaches “The Simple Golf Swing” theory.

Fix Golf Slice

2009-12-22T16:28:00.008-05:00

This lesson is entitled, "The Quickest and Easiest Way to Draw the Ball" (fix golf slice), and it's sure to make a lot of people very happy.

I'll tell you right now... this is going to be painless, contrary to what you may think. I'll start with a single definition.

Level Shoulder turn - a turn that stays level with the ground (parallel to the ground) through the backswing.

So, now that we have that out of the way, let's continue on with this quick and easy tip to draw the ball. And if you've battled a slice for years upon years, just wait until you try this. The next time out to the range, your slice is going to be dramatically reduced.

Here it is. Instead of taking your normal shoulder turn (whatever that may be), focus on keeping your shoulder turn as level as possible (parallel to the ground). So as you are setting up to the ball, feel your feet on the ground to determine if there is an uphill or downhill lie. Then in your backswing, just focus on keeping your shoulders level to the ground.

Now, this may actually produce a HOOK of all things, so remember to adjust accordingly. And remember that you are attempting to wrap that club around your body. You want a horizontal swing plane, not vertical. That's what this level shoulder turn is really accomplishing. You'll find it so much easier to release through the ball correctly, and to square up the face of your club at impact.

Give that a try on your next trip to the range and you'll be amazed to see that dreaded slice going away, especially if you use this in conjunction with the rest of the "The Simple Golf Swing" system. I know this probably seems incredibly simple to anyone who has been battling a slice forever (fix golf slice), but just remember that simple solutions are usually the most effective.
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David Nevogt writes golf instruction material that helps golfers of all levels reach their full potential and lower their scores. David is the author of “The Simple Golf Swing” which guarantees to have you shooting 7 strokes lower in only 1 week from today.