Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

Golf Warmup Stretches

Shoulder StretchesIllustrations by Moki Kokoris; Reprinted with Permission from Doctor Divot Publishing, Inc. Posterior Shoulder Stretch
Pretend you have an itch between your shoulder blades. Hold your left arm across your body and grab the back of your left elbow with your right hand. Pull the left elbow in as far as you can so that your left fingertips can reach your upper back. Repeat for the right shoulder.

Anterior Shoulder and Chest Stretch
Hold a club with both hands behind your back, elbows extended. Now stick out your chest while you raise the club back away from your body and hold.


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Golf Handicap FAQ: What is ...

Equitable Stroke Control (ESC) is the system put in place by the USGA to eliminate the effect of "distaster holes." You know, that one hole per round where you put three balls in the water and then 5-putt. It's also a way to combat those pernicious sandbaggers who intentionally blow up on a hole in order to raise their handicaps.

Equitable Stroke Control puts a limit on the number of strokes you can write down on the scorecard for any one hole, based on your course handicap. For example, on that one disaster hole you might have taken 14 strokes (get to the practice range, buddy!) to get the ball in the cup. But based on your course handicap, ESC might require you to post only a "7" on the scorecard you turn in.

Taking the "14" might throw your handicap index out of whack. And remember, the handicap index is not meant to reflect your average score, it's meant to reflect your best potential.

To determine the Equitable Stroke Control limits for your round, you must first know your course handicap. Once you've determined your course handicap, you can check the chart down below (which should also be available at golf courses) to determine the ESC limits.

Of course, if you have not yet established a handicap index, then you can't determine a course handicap. And without a course handicap, you can't determine ESC. But in order to established a handicap index, you must turn in adjusted gross scores, which requires knowing a course handicap. What gives?

Don't worry, the USGA knows what to do. If you do not yet have a handicap index, then use the maximum allowable handicaps to determine course handicap and ESC. For men, that means using 36.4 as a handicap index, and for women, 40.4.

Here is the chart that shows Equitable Stroke Control limits:


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Sunday, February 27, 2011

Golfing Secrets - The Original & Still The Best!

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How To Golf Really Well

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Saturday, February 26, 2011

Hip Muscles - Weight Shift

Hip Rotation and Weight ShiftLeft photo: Incorrect hip slide causes upper body tilt; Right photo: Good hip rotation allows body to shift weight correctly.Courtesy of Golf Fitness Magazine; used with permission Ever wondered why some of the smaller pros, both on the LPGA and PGA tours, can crush the ball even with their small builds? One reason is that they maximize their hip rotation in the golf swing and shift their weight correctly.

Hip rotation in a golf swing is one of the most important parts of developing an efficient golf swing. In a study presented by the American College of Sports Medicine, researchers looked at the difference between hip strength and level of golf ability and the difference between hip strength and self-reported driving distance. Researchers studied the strength of the hip muscles that move the legs toward and away from the center of the body (hip adduction and abduction strength, respectively).

The study showed hip abduction strength was significantly higher in better golfers. In addition, all the hip movements tended to be stronger in the best golfers who had the lowest handicaps and longest driving distances.

The hip abductor muscles are a group of four muscles located in the buttocks region on both sides of the body. The abductors' main function is to abduct, or separate, your legs away from the midline of the body. This occurs in the golf swing when you shift your weight on the backswing and downswing.

If your hips are tight and weak, the tendency is to slide the hips to the side on the backswing instead of turning them, which causes the dreaded reverse upper body tilt (left photo).

This is a very weak position in the golf swing and will cause numerous faults in your swing. Ideally, you want to rotate your hips on the backswing in order to load your weight correctly. Think of winding your upper body over your lower body, so that your left shoulder (if you are right-handed) ends up over your right knee. You will now have your upper body stacked correctly over your rotated hip (right photo).


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TaylorMade TPMB Irons, TPMC Irons, TPCB Irons

TaylorMade Golf has announced three new iron sets under the TP banner, all three sets forged, for release in March 2011: the TPMB (Tour Preferred Muscleback), TPMC (Tour Preferred Muscle Cavity) and TPCB (Tour Preferred Cavityback).

The TPMB and TPMC irons are constructed through a 6-step forging process; the TPCB has a multi-material construction with a forged face and cast body. A few details about each: TPMB (Tour Preferred Muscleback): A muscleback blade designed for better players who desire a traditional forged iron - thin topline, thin sole, straight leading edge, minimal offset. The new groove design creates more spin from rough, TM says, but conforms to the new groove rules. The TPMB irons come standard with True Temper Dynamic Gold shafts and Tour Velvet grips. TPMC (Tour Preferred Muscle Cavity): The shallow cavity, TM says, allows for a bit more forgiveness while maintaining the workability of forged. Designed for better players with a thin topline, straighter leading edge and less-cambered sole, and a sole width TM calls "moderate to narrow." Also includes the new groove design. The TPMC irons come standard with True Temper Dynamic Gold shafts and Tour Velvet grips. TPCB (Tour Preferred Cavityback): A forged clubface is melded onto a cast body in these irons, producing forged feel with a body that still incorporates a deep undercut cavity for added forgiveness. This is the most forgiving of the three models, and the only one of the three that utilizes TaylorMade's Inverted Cone Technology (designed to increase ball speed on offcenter strikes). Also includes the new groove design. The TPCB irons are the only of the three models with a steel/graphite shaft option; the standard steel shaft is a 110-gram Tru Temper Dynamid Gold XP; the graphite shafts are by Fujikura. All three models have a "precision weighting port" on the backs of the clubheads to ensure consistent swingweight through the set but without moving the center of gravity closer or farther from the heel.

The TPMB and TPMC irons come in 2-iron through PW and, as noted, with steel shafts only. The TPCB irons will come in 3-iron through attack wedge. The street price of each will be $899 (or $1,099 for the TPCB with graphite shafts). taylormadegolf.com

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Friday, February 25, 2011

Proper Golf Swing Instruction Ebook

Learn the proper golf swing with instruction from world renown instructor Bobby Eldridge. 7 Step Golf Swing is the simple way to repeat a near perfect golf swing.


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Thursday, February 24, 2011

Master Your Putt - Learn To Putt Like The Golf Pros

The #1 Golf Putting Program Online - Highly Effective & Cutting Edge Golf Putting Program Has Been Conversion Tested With An Astonishing 11%+. Earn High Commissions @ 75% Of Each Total Sale. Affiliates: Http://www.masteryourputt.com/aff.html.


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Non-Conforming Drivers

According to Appendix II, section 4c of the Rules of Golf, "The design, material and/or construction of, or any treatment to, the clubhead (which includes the club face) must not: (i) have the effect of a spring which exceeds the limit set forth in the Pendulum Test Protocol on file with the USGA, or (ii) incorporate features or technology, including, but not limited to separate springs or spring features, that have the intent of, or the effect of, unduly influencing the clubhead's spring effect, or (iii) unduly influence the movement of the ball."

This is the part of the rulebook that caused so much controversy when new rules were being developed and applied in the mid-2000s: the spring-like effect. High-COR drivers, low-COR drivers, legal drivers, illegal drivers. And COR ... what exactly is "coefficient of restitution" anyway?

What you need to know is that just as there are non-conforming golf balls, there are non-conforming drivers. And the USGA and R&A maintain lists of non-conforming drivers.

If your driver is on that list, it means that the driver exceeds the limit of COR put in place by golf's governing bodies. According to the USGA and R&A, the COR of a driver may not exceed a measurement of .830 (above that, they say, and the driver begins to act as a spring) in any competitions played under the Rules of Golf, including handicap rounds.

Ready to view the lists of non-conforming drivers? These links take you to the lists on the USGA and R&A websites, respectively:

USGA List of Non-Conforming Drivers
R&A List of Non-Conforming Drivers

Both governing bodies also publish lists of drivers that do conform to the rules on springlike effect.


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Rules of Golf - Rules 26

The Official Rules of Golf appear on the About.com Golf site courtesy of the USGA, are used with permission, and may not be reprinted without the permission of the USGA.

26-1. Relief for Ball in Water Hazard
It is a question of fact whether a ball that has not been found after having been struck toward a water hazard is in the hazard. In order to apply this Rule, it must be known or virtually certain that the ball is in the hazard. In the absence of such knowledge or certainty, the player must proceed under Rule 27-1.

If a ball is in a water hazard or if it is known or virtually certain that a ball that has not been found is in a water hazard (whether the ball lies in water or not), the player may under penalty of one stroke:

a. Play a ball as nearly as possible at the spot from which the original ball was last played (see Rule 20-5), or
b. Drop a ball behind the water hazard, keeping the point at which the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard directly between the hole and the spot on which the ball is dropped, with no limit to how far behind the water hazard the ball may be dropped; or
c. As additional options available only if the ball last crossed the margin of a lateral water hazard, drop a ball outside the water hazard within two club-lengths of and not nearer the hole than (i) the point where the original ball last crossed the margin of the water hazard or (ii) a point on the opposite margin of the water hazard equidistant from the hole.

When proceeding under this Rule, the player may lift and clean his ball or substitute a ball.

(Prohibited actions when ball is in hazard — see Rule 13-4.)

(Ball moving in water in a water hazard — see Rule 14-6.)

Continued on Next Page ...


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Tiger Woods House

Tiger Woods House in Jupiter Island, FloridaAn overhead view of Tiger Woods' house and 12-acre estate in Jupiter Island, Florida.© JeffRealty.com; used with permission Tiger Woods' house on Jupiter Island, Fla., makes his previous house in Windermere, Fla., seem small and cheap.

Tiger Woods, and his then-wife Elin Nordegren, purchased the Jupiter Island property near the end of 2005, paying a reported $40 million for the 12-acre grounds and the 9,000-square-foot-plus beachfront home that stood on the property.

And then they tore the existing house down. While remaining in their Isleworth house in Windermere, the Woodses tore down the Jupiter Island house in order to build a new home and reshape the property.

The Woods' relationship ended in divorce in 2010, which happened to be the same year that the remaking of the Jupiter Island house was finally complete. The result can be seen in the photo: The house sits back a bit from Intracoastal Waterway, with much of the "yard" given over to a golf practice area, and the Atlantic Ocean on the other side.

Florida luxury realtor and golf property expert Cary Lichtenstein, in the blog on JeffRealty.com, wrote of Tiger's practice area:

"It appears he has one tee box in the southeast east corner to hit drivers. The entire area just west of the lap pool can be used to hit long, medium and short irons into any of the 4 greens. Each green is guarded by a single trap, except the green in the northwest corner which appears to have 3 pot bunkers.

"Tiger has enough open space to practice his short game from any angle, any wind condition, which really appears what this practice area is all about."

Continue to Page 2


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Proper Trailing-Hand Grip

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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

How to Install a New Shaft

From Dennis Mack
Class A Clubmaker

Once you have chosen a new shaft, you can have a club repair shop install it or you can install it yourself. If you're the do-it-yourself type, follow these steps to prepare the clubhead for a new shaft:

Step 1 - Removing the Old Shaft
The old shaft - or whatever is left of it - must be removed from the head. To do this, you must apply enough heat to the clubhead to break down the epoxy bond between the shaft and the head. A heat gun or torch can be used.

If there is enough shaft left in the head to do so, place the shaft in a vise (if replacing a shaft that is not broken or a shaft you plan on saving, purchase a rubber shaft holder to prevent damage to the shaft). Apply the heat evenly to the hosel (where the shaft is attached). After a minute or so the epoxy will break down and you can twist the head off the shaft.

Wear protective work gloves to prevent burning your hands - the part of the hosel that is heated can reach temperatures of more than 1,000 degrees!

Step 2 - Cleaning Out the Hosel
Once the shaft is removed, the epoxy residue that is left in the hosel must be cleaned out. You can purchase hosel cleaners or use a round file. When the hosel is relatively clean, squeeze some Acetone (or equivalent) into the hosel to remove any grease or similar materials that might be present.

Step 3 - Preparing Shaft for Installation
First, follow the manufacturer's recommended tip trimming. Next, measure the depth of the hosel and mark this dimension on the shaft. If the shaft is graphite, be sure not to splinter the graphite during cutting as this will weaken the shaft. I suggest that you place several wraps of masking tape around the area to be cut.

On a graphite shaft, remove all the paint from the tip - I suggest using a razor knife to do this - and again, be careful not to damage the graphite fibers.

For a steel shaft, use a heavy-grit sandpaper to take the plating off the tip.

Step 4 - Installing the Shaft
Once the hosel and shaft have been prepared you are ready to install the shaft.

Mix your epoxy and apply it to the inside of the hosel, making sure to coat the entire surface. Then apply the epoxy to the end of the shaft. Slowly push the shaft into the hosel, being sure to turn the shaft at the same time.

If the shaft requires a ferrule (the small plastic piece that goes over the shaft and butts against the hosel), place a small amount of epoxy on the shaft tip and twist and push the ferrule on until a small part of the shaft shows. Then place the clubhead over the shaft and, holding the head in your hand, tap the end of the shaft on the floor until the shaft is seated at the bottom of the hosel.

Use a soft rag and some Acetone to clean any epoxy residue from the hosel area. If installing a graphite shaft, line up the shaft graphics.

Carefully place the shaft against the wall and in about 12 hours the epoxy will be fully cured and you can proceed to the next step.

Step 5 - Trimming and Adding Grip
Once the epoxy has completely cured, decide how long the finished club is to be. Cut the shaft and install your grip. To properly choose and install a grip, see my article on grip installation.

Everything necessary for this process - ferrules, epoxy, etc. - can be purchased from any component company. Good luck and have fun!

About Dennis Mack
Dennis Mack is the owner of DenMak Golf and Certified Class A clubmaker. He served as the golf pro at Como Golf Club in Hudson, Quebec, from 1993-97, and has been in the retail golf business since 1997. Email Dennis.


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Masters Tickets

So you want to buy Masters tickets and attend the tournament in Augusta, Ga.? Good luck with that.

Masters tickets aren't impossible to find, but they are among the toughest tickets in all of sports to get. And if you are able to find Masters tickets, it will require a lot of money - perhaps even thousands of dollars - to purchase one.

Tickets to tournament days (rounds one through four) have not been available from the Masters Tournament directly to the general public since 1972. That year, Augusta National Golf Club opened a waiting list, but due to demand the waiting list itself had to be closed in 1978.

Twenty-two years later, in the year 2000, a new waiting list was opened. But it is now also closed. There simply is no way to get badges for tournament days directly from the tournament.

There are options, however; some of them relying on luck and all of them requiring a good bankroll. The options are much more limited for tournament days, but open up a bit for passes to Masters practice days.

Masters badges are "among the most coveted tickets for any event, sporting or otherwise," according to Brian Talbot. Talbot should know - he works for a ticket broker, TickCo Premium Seating.

"From my experience, it's safe to say these are probably the toughest tickets to get in the world," Talbot said, "with Super Bowl tickets running a close second, depending on which teams make it and where the Super Bowl is hosted."

So what options exist for golf fans desperate to attend The Masters during tournament play? Ticket brokers are the easiest route, since many ticket brokers have been buying tickets from Masters patrons for years. But those tickets are hugely expensive. Talbot said tournament badges at ticket brokers might begin around $1,500, and he's seen prices as high as $12,000 ... for one ticket!

As with any major purchase, shop around among different ticket brokers to see if you can find a good deal (comparitively speaking of course). Talbot says to buy early if you're going the ticket broker route, since brokers have a limited supply (the larger, most established brokers might have 100 tickets available, Talbot said, while smaller brokers may have only one or two).

The auction giant eBay is another option, although you're more likely to find practice tickets than tournament tickets that way.

And you can always simply show up outside the Augusta National gates and hope to get lucky with a scalper.

"Ticket scalping was legalized in 2001 by the Georgia Legislature so long as the sale occurs at least 1,500 feet away from the event site (be aware that this provision is rigidly enforced)," said Dr. Melissa Stöppler, an Augusta, Ga., resident and formerly About.com's Stress Management Guide. "The law does not restrict the prices of scalped tickets as long as they are sold by a licensed ticket broker. In years past, fraudulent tickets have been discovered, so be careful when buying."

Tickets to Masters practice days are much easier to come by than tournament badges, although you'll still need a little luck and a lot of cash.

Augusta resident Stöppler said that practice tickets usually run in the mid-$200-range per ticket. And practice tickets are more readily available through brokers and on eBay.

However, Masters practice tickets are actually still available for purchase by the general public from The Masters itself. A limited number of practice tickets are sold in advance by The Masters, by application only. Whether you get tickets - and how many you get - is the result of a random allocation among all applicants.

Applications for the next year's Masters are usually mailed around mid-year (in June for the following April's tournament, for example) to those who applied the previous year. But if you haven't applied previously, you can get yourself onto the list by mailing a request.

Send your request, including your name, address, daytime telephone number and last four digits of your Social Security Number, to:

Masters Tournament
Practice Rounds
PO Box 2047
Augusta, GA 30903-2047

Return to The Masters on About.com


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PGA Tour Records

Tiger Woods - PGA Tour Records


Guess who shows up in some of these PGA Tour records categories? Tiger Woods, naturally.Scott Halleran / Getty Images Looking for PGA Tour records? Here is a stroll through the PGA Tour recordbook, with highs and lows, bests and worsts in various categories.
• Other golf records


PGA Tour Records: Scoring

PGA Tour Records: Wins and Winning

PGA Tour Records: Top 10s

PGA Tour Records: Cuts

PGA Tour Records: Money

PGA Tour Records: Major Championships

PGA Tour Records: Playoffs
PGA Tour Records: Putting

PGA Tour Records: Youngest and Oldest







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Golf Betting Games / Side Bets

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Sand Shots - Three Keys to Successful Sand Play

From Marty Fleckman
Director of Instruction, BlackHorse Golf Club

Being successful out of the sand depends on three things: correct setup, proper technique and consistent point of entry.

You should use a sand wedge when playing short sand shots around the green. A sand wedge may vary from 55 to 58 degrees of loft with 8 to 12 degrees of bounce. I personally prefer a 58-degree sand wedge with 8 degrees of bounce.

For the correct setup, I like to draw or visualize three lines in the sand, as shown in the photos above. Each line has a specific purpose. The line going from the target to the ball and then extending beyond the ball is called the target line. The line that is about 10 degrees open to the target line is the angle of our feet or toes. Then I draw a line perpendicular to the target line originating at the ball. This represents ball position, which should be off the left heel for righthanded golfers (photo below).

sand shot basicsOnce you have the correct setup with the same amount of weight on each foot, the face of the club should be slightly open (photo at right). This puts loft on the ball and allows the back portion of the bottom of the club to bounce off the sand, as opposed to having the leading edge dig into the sand.

The start of the backswing (see Swing Sequence photos below) should be straight back or slightly outside the target line. There is an immediate breaking of the hands as you start this motion, producing a more vertical swing which encourages the club to enter the sand about two inches behind the ball (this is the point of entry).

What you are actually trying to do is to take as little sand as possible without contacting the ball. Allow the sand to lift the ball from the bunker. (You can work on getting a consistent point of entry with the Point of Entry Drill described here.)

As you make contact with the sand there should be a cupping of the left wrist. Let me explain "cupping." Assume you are wearing a watch on your left wrist and the face, as usual, is pointing outward. When contacting the sand on the forward swing, you should try to take the back of your left hand and move it towards your watch face, thereby creating wrinkles underneath your left wrist. This action is called "cupping of the wrist" and it is very necessary in producing quality sand shots. Since this motion prevents the club from closing, the ball is lifted in the air with backspin.

These are the three most important things regarding sand play around the greens. You don't have to be perfect to get out of a sand bunker, but you have enough of the basic principles to get started.

These photos illustrate the swing sequence on greenside sand shots, incorporating a correct setup, proper technique and consistent point of entry.

About the Author
Marty Fleckman is Director of Instruction at BlackHorse Golf Club in Cypress, Texas, in the Houston metropolitan area. Marty credits Byron Nelson, Carl Lohren and Jim Hardy for contributing to his success in golf. In 1964 Marty won the Texas State Amateur Championship, and followed that up in 1965 with the NCAA individual championship while playing for the University of Houston. He was a member of the United States Walker Cup team in 1967. Marty is one of only four players in the history of the PGA Tour to win in his first professional start. In 1986 he was inducted into the Texas Golf Hall of Fame. Marty is also a member of the PGA of America and the PGA Tour. Visit Marty's website for more info.


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Ping G15 / i15 Driver Reviews

The G15 driver provides maximum forgiveness with improved distance and accuracy. Golfers of all skill levels can play the G15. Additional weight helps launch trajectory. It is a worthy successor to the popular G10 driver. The i15 is aimed at the better golfer. Its sleek all-black scheme features a lower, piercing trajectory with ability to work the ball.Are you a G-Man or an i-guy? Ping offers two drivers - the G15 and i15 - for different preferences and skill levels. The G15 is an easy-to-hit, high-launch, lower-spin version of 2008's successful G10 driver. What's improved is the rearward weighting that helps get the ball airborne very easily. The i15 has an internal fade bias as well as lower spin and a hosel that is farther from the face. That means greater workability for lower-handicap golfers.

The Ping G15 was as easy a driver to get off the tee as I recall ever hitting. An elongated face provides a sweet spot that covers the mishits of most golfers. Heel and toe hits were not greatly penalized and most of my tee shots ended up in the short grass with only a small loss of distance on mishits. If you have a tendancy to be inconsistent off the tee, the G15 should be just the ticket. I found the stock shaft to be well-balanced and matched up well with additional weight Ping has put into the head of the G15. The only concern might be that the ball could launch too high. However, Ping has lowered the spin rate of the head, which provided some extra roll, I found.

While it was easy being the G-Man, I wondered if I had what it takes to be the "i-guy." As a mid-handicapper, I was a bit concerned that the imposing look of the titanium-carbon head would prove to be for accomplished golfers only. The result? Wow! The sound was a solid, pleasing "thwack." The trajectory was a well-behaved bomb. I recruited a low-handicap golfer in my foursome who was easily able to work the ball both directions. He also commented positively about the pleasing launch trajectory as well as the solid sound - something that can't be overlooked.

All in all, both of these driver offerings from Ping are solid improvements from one of the most reliable names in the golf game-improvement business. If you're looking to pick up accuracy, yards, feel or all three - you can't go wrong with either of these clubs.

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Golf Handicap FAQ

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TaylorMade Burner SuperFast 2.0 Driver

Everyone wants more distance, and some of the ways club manufacturers try to help golfers hit it farther are to lighten the weight of the club and to improve the aerodynamics of the club. A lighter club that creates less resistance through the swing can increase a golfer's swing speed.

The TaylorMade Burner SuperFast 2.0 driver (and its TP version) build on those elements of the original Burner SuperFast.

The Burner SuperFast 2.0 weighs in at 279 grams, the lightest driver ever from TaylorMade, with clubhead design adjustments for aerodynamics and a lower center of gravity. The shaft is longer and the clubface is one of the largest in golf, and TaylorMade says it adds up to an additional five yards compared to the original Burner SuperFast driver.

The 2.0 also has, as you can see in the right photo above, a white crown on the clubhead and black clubface. The contract between the white crown and darker turfs helps improve aiming, the company says, and also reduces glare.

The stock shaft is the ultralight, tip-soft Matrix Ozik XCon 4.8. The 25-gram Winn Lite is the stock grip.

The Burner SuperFast 2.0 TP model isn't as light as the standard model, with a 65-gram Matrix Ozik HD 6 shaft and 43-gram Tour Velvet Light grip; it also has a slightly smaller footprint and neutral bias.

The TaylorMade Burner SuperFast 2.0 drivers become available at retail on Feb. 4, 2011, the standard in lofts of 9.5, 10.5 and 12.5, the TP in lofts of 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5. MSRP is $299 for the standard model, $399 for the TP model. taylormadegolf.com

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Compare prices for TaylorMade Burner drivers


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Free Online Golf Games

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Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Golf Drivers - Reviews / News

Looking for the latest info about golf drivers? Bookmark this page, our index of guide reviews and articles about the newest golf drivers to hit the market.

Golf Drivers - News & Reviews
• Boccieri Heavy Driver
• Williams FW32
• Cleveland Launcher Ultralite driver series
• Callaway RAZR Hawk driver
• PowerBilt Air Foil 2
Review: Cobra S3 and S3 Max drivers
• TaylorMade R11 driver
• TaylorMade Burner SuperFast 2.0 driver
• Adams Speedline F11
• Nike VR Pro driver
• Tour Edge Exotics XCG-4
Review: Callaway Diablo Octane driver
• Cobra Limited Edition all-white ZL driver
• Titleist 910D2 and 910D3 drivers
• Callaway Diablo Octane
• Nike SQ Machspeed Black drivers
• Adams Speedline 9064LS and 4G Ultra-Lite
• Ping K15 driver
• KZG PTI driver
• Fourteen Golf ST-110
• Callaway FT-iz Driver
• TaylorMade R9 SuperTri Driver
• Cobra S2 driver
• TaylorMade Burner SuperFast Driver
• Tour Edge Exotics CB3 Tour driver
• Adams Speedline Fast 10 driver
Review: Srixon Z-TX driver
• Cobra ZL driver
• Srixon Z-TX driver
Review: Krank Rage
Review: Ping G15 and i15 drivers
• Ping G15
• Ping i15
• Adams Speedline 9032LS
Review: Nike SQ Dymo STR8-Fit
• TaylorMade R9 460
• Cleveland Launcher Ultralite Edition
• Wilson Staff Smooth
Review: Cleveland HiBore XLS Monster
• Cobra S9-1
• Cobra S9-1 Pro
• TaylorMade R9 and R9 TP
• Cleveland HiBore Monster XLS
• Adams Speedline
Review: Bob Burns No Bananas 460cc
• Tour Edge Exotics XCG-V
Review: Cleveland Launcher
• PowerBilt Air Force One
Review: Ping Rapture V2 driver
• Titleist 909 series drivers
• Cobra L5V driver
• Adams Insight Tech a4 and a4OS drivers
• New Cleveland Launcher
• Callaway FT-iQ driver
• TaylorMade 2009 Burner and Burner TP drivers
• Ping Rapture V2 driver
• TaylorMade Patriot Golf Day driver
• TaylorMade r7 Limited
• Alpha C830.4 Plasma driver
• KZG Q
• Hippo Hex TX
• Bob Burns No Bananas DAT
• Nicklaus Dual Point FastBack driver
• Nicklaus Dual Point DrawBack driver
• TaylorMade Tour Burner
• 2008 Cobra Speed LD
• Nike SQ Sumo2 5900 and SQ Sumo 5000
• Adams Insight XTD
• King Cobra L4V
• TaylorMade r7 CGB Max driver
• PowerBilt Citation FZ1 driver
• Nicklaus Premium Dual Point 460cc driver
• Nickent's 2007 drivers
• TaylorMade Burner Draw
• KZG SPX
• Ping G10 driver
• Versus SX.1
• Nickent 3DX Square
• KZG GF 460
• G.R.I.P. Beta Titanium 460
• Titleist 907D1 and 907D2 drivers
• Cobra Speed LD, Speed Pro drivers
• TaylorMade r7 SuperQuad
• Adams Insight BUL, BTY and Belle
• Hippo Hex2
• Callaway FT-i
• Tour Edge Bazooka GeoMax
• KZG Gemini II
• Nike Sasquatch Sumo and Sumo2
• Exotics Tour Proto from Tour Edge
• Ping Rapture series
• Cobra HS9 incorporates "speed tuning"
• KZG GF 4
• Alpha Version 5
• Titleist Pro Titanium 905R
• Adams RPM 460 Ti
• Cleveland Hi-Bore offers new geometry
• Callaway X460
• Nanotechnology employed in Yonex Cyberstar Nanospeed driver
• Vulcan Caldera 460 ready for launch
Review: Infiniti Propulsion 460
Review: Innovex CfD
• Vulcan Powerball V14 takes new approach to adjustable weights
• Maruman Metabio driver
• TaylorMade unleashes r7 425, r7 425 TP drivers
• King Cobra Speed Series drivers
• Exotics Driver latest from Tour Edge
• Latest from Mizuno: MX-500
• Srixon's latest is the W-506
• Big Bertha Fusion FT-3 drivers latest from Callaway
• New from Ping: G5 Drivers
Review: Adams Redline RPM Dual 460
• Bridgestone expands offerings in J33 lineup
Review: Nickent Genex 3DX Driver and Fairway Woods
Review: Alpha C830.2
• Adams Redline RPM 460 Dual uses moveable weights at 460cc
• TaylorMade adds r7, r5 woods
• Bazooka JMAX Carbon 460 latest from Tour Edge
• Titleist unveils 905 Series drivers
• King Cobra 460 SZ latest from Cobra
• Bridgestone J33 Driver aimed at better players
• MacGregor touts technology behind MacTec NVG driver
Review: Adams Ovation 460cc Driver
• Adams melds technologies in Redline RPM 430Q
• Hippo adds composite driver, fairway woods
Review: La Jolla Club 12-Degree Titanium Driver
• Adams expanding Ovation, Redline series
• La Jolla Club adds 12-degree, 450cc Titanium Driver
• Clevelands adds Launcher 460 Comp to driver lineup
Review: Macgregor M42 V-Foil Eye-O-Matic
• DeLaCruz Mag Cruzer is first mass-produced magnesium driver
• Adams ramps up Redline RPM
• Nike thinks accessibility with NDS clubs
• Precept fires up EC Fuel woods
Review: Nakashima NP-1
Review: KZG Gemini
• Srixon W-403AD features "Impact Power Body"
• Ping's newest driver is the G2
• KZG expands line of Gemini drivers
• Nakashima launches NP-1 driver line
• Cleveland adds to driver, fairway wood lines with Sport Series
Review: SMT 455 Deep Bore and Spectrum component clubheads
• COMPlements of Cobra, new King Cobra composite drivers
• TaylorMade's r7 quad allows golfers to change launch conditions
Review: Nickent Genex Cross
Review: Nickent Genex Trimax 460
Review: Pinemeadow Doublewall
• Divnick switches to "family friendly" name for drivers
• Nike Ignite ready for takeoff
Review: Nike Ignite
• Cobra adds to SZ drivers, fairway woods lines
• Dunlop extends LoCo brand
• Feel Golf's TiCn driver reduces spin, increases hang time
Review: Photon Golf Titanium Pro
• Company introduces high-lofted drivers with ... interesting name
Review: MAC Powersphere by Burrows Golf
• Callaway's Great Big Bertha II 415 is company's largest driver yet
• Tour Edge's Bazooka Hot Launch driver helps those who slice
Review: Kasco KF103
Review: Tour Edge Bazooka JMAX
• Mizuno calls MP-001 a "crowning achievement"
Review: Feel Golf "Dr. Feel" Titanium Series
Review: Dunlop LoCo
• Adams adds Offset and Women's models to Redline Drivers
Review: Merit Tour Trajectory
• Callaway introduces new Big Bertha driver, fairway woods
• Cobra launches King Cobra SZ line
Review: King Cobra SS 427 Beta Ti
• Callaway introduces ERC Fusion driver
• Srixon adds W-302 driver to lineup
Review: TaylorMade R580
Review: Sonartec Super CV Pro


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Golf Instruction Videos

Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.

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Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x

March 14, 2003 - What do you say when the best gets better?

In this case, you say, "Titleist."

Titleist's two new versions of its Pro V1 golf ball will be on store shelves as of April, 2003. But they were on the world's pro tours for months prior to that, and your golf guide waslucky enough to get a sneak peek as well.

The New Pro V1 is an update of the Pro V1 that has led the marketplace the past couple years.

The Pro V1x is the ball you've been hearing about from Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson and others who have been hitting their drives 20 yards longer. The two versions of the Pro V1 utilize some of the same technology, but are tweaked to fit better with certain swing characteristics.

When they hit the market, both will sport an MSRP of $56 per dozen. That's one of the highest-priced balls on the market, and much more than any beginner, high-handicapper or once-in-a-blue-mooner should ever pay for golf balls.

High-handicappers can enjoy the Pro V1s, but ultimately, a weekend hacker will hit them into the woods or water just as easily as an X-Out - but pay far more. No, the Pro V1s are geared to the serious - and seriously good - golfer who wants the best ball for his or her swing.

Pro V1s are high-performance balls for high-performance golfers. For evidence, we cite some numbers from early results on 2003 professional tours: Seven of the first nine PGA Tour winners played one of the Pro V1s; so did the first three Champions Tour winners, the first Nationwide Tour winner and six of the first nine European Tour winners.

New Pro V1 Characteristics
The New Pro V1 features a large core that is soft and fast, with a urethane elastomer cover that enhances speed and spin and features 392 dimples. Its performance is longer than the original Pro V1, and the distance is more consistent from tee-to-green - but maintains what Titleist calls (and has trademarked) "Drop-and-Stop" performance into greens.

The New Pro V1 is designed for golfers with a wide range of launch conditions.

Pro V1x Characteristics
The Pro V1x is really meant for the best of the best. It's a version of the Pro V1 optimized for the highest swing speeds and high lift launch conditions. Or, as Titleist puts it, "The Pro V1x is the distance and performance solution for Pro V1 players who require less spin into the green, as well as for golfers currently playing competitive high-performance golf balls with low spin and firmer feel.

"

The Pro V1x has a high-compression dual core in a speed-enhancing and spin-controlling ionomer casing and a soft, thin Urethane Elastomer cover. It has 332 dimples (60 fewer than the Pro V1), designed to aid a more penetrating ball flight. The Pro V1x spins less on all shots than the Pro V1, but should still provide plenty of feel around greens.

While the New Pro V1 is longer than the old Pro V1, it's the Pro V1x that has really turned heads with its distance. Els and Mickelson, in particular, have been blasting away and crediting their prodigious length to the Pro V1x.

But you simply can't go wrong with either ball - as long as you're willing to spend to the money.


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Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

The PGA Tour AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am was originally founded by entertainer Bing Crosby in the late 1930s, and up until the mid-1980s had Crosby's name attached. It is the most popular pro-am involving celebrities in the tour's history. The tournament is played over three courses in Pebble Beach, Calif., with the final round always at Pebble Beach Golf Links. (p - playoff; w - weather shortened; a - amateur)

AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am
2011 - D.A. Points, 271
2010 - Dustin Johnson, 270
2009 - Dustin Johnson-w, 201
2008 - Steve Lowery, 278
2007 - Phil Mickelson, 268
2006 - Arron Oberholser, 271
2005 - Phil Mickelson, 269
2004 - Vijay Singh, 272
2003 - Davis Love III, 274
2002 - Matt Gogel, 274
2001 - Davis Love III, 272
2000 - Tiger Woods, 273
1999 - Payne Stewart-w, 206
1998 - Phil Mickelson-w, 202
1997 - Mark O'Meara, 268
1996 - No Tournament (canceled due to weather/course conditions)
1995 - Peter Jacobsen, 271
1994 - Johnny Miller, 281
1993 - Brett Ogle, 276
1992 - Mark O'Meara-p, 275
1991 - Paul Azinger, 274
1990 - Mark O'Meara, 281
1989 - Mark O’Meara, 277
1988 - Steve Jones-p, 280
1987 - Johnny Miller, 278
1986 - Fuzzy Zoeller-w, 205

Bing Crosby National Professional-Amateur
1985 - Mark O’Meara, 283
1984 - Hale Irwin-p, 278
1983 - Tom Kite, 276
1982 - Jim Simons, 274
1981 - John Cook-w-p, 209
1980 - George Burns, 280
1979 - Lon Hinkle-p, 284
1978 - Tom Watson-p, 280
1977 - Tom Watson, 273
1976 - Ben Crenshaw, 281
1975 - Gene Littler, 280
1974 - Johnny Miller-w, 208
1973 - Jack Nicklaus-p, 282
1972 - Jack Nicklaus-p, 284
1971 - Tom Shaw, 278
1970 - Bert Yancey, 278
1969 - George Archer, 283
1968 - Johnny Pott-p, 285
1967 - Jack Nicklaus, 284
1966 - Don Massengale, 283
1965 - Bruce Crampton, 284
1964 - Tony Lema, 284

Bing Crosby National
1963 - Billy Casper, 285
1962 - Doug Ford-p, 286
1961 - Bob Rosburg, 282
1960 - Ken Venturi, 286
1959 - Art Wall, 279

Bing Crosby National Professional-Amateur Golf Championship
1958 - Billy Casper, 277
1957 - Jay Hebert, 213
1956 - Cary Middlecoff, 202

The Bing Crosby Professional-Amateur Invitational
1955 - Cary Middlecoff, 209
1954 - Dutch Harrison, 210
1953 - Lloyd Mangrum, 204

Bing Crosby Professional-Amateur
1952 - Jimmy Demaret, 145
1951 - Byron Nelson, 209
1950 - (tie) Sam Snead, Jack Burke Jr., Smiley Quick, Dave Douglas, 214
1949 - Ben Hogan, 208
1948 - Lloyd Mangrum, 205
1947 - (tied) Ed Furgol, George Fazio, 213
1943-46 - No Tournament
1942 - John Dawson-a, 133
1941 - Sam Snead, 136
1940 - Ed Oliver, 135
1939 - Dutch Harrison, 138
1938 - Sam Snead, 139
1937 - Sam Snead, 68


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Meet the Woods

The woods in a typical golfer's bag will include a driver and one or two fairway woods, most commonly a 3-wood and/or 5-wood. Women and seniors might benefit from adding a 7-wood or 9-wood. The 4-wood is another common wood, and some golfers even carry an 11-wood.

Woods feature deep (from front to back) clubheads that are made of metal, usually steel or a titanium alloy. They are called "woods" because the clubheads used to be made of wood. Metals came into broad use in the 1980s, and "fairway woods" are now sometimes called "fairway metals."

For beginners, the driver (also called a 1-wood) will be one of the toughest clubs to master. It is the longest club in the bag - a typical length these days is 45 inches - which makes it the toughest to control in the swing.

Driver clubheads are usually made of titanium alloys or steel. Steel costs less, but titanium adds some "oomph" because it is a lighter material.

The same materials are used in the clubheads of fairway woods. Fairway woods, like irons, are progressive in nature; that is, a 3-wood has less loft than a 4-wood, which has less loft than a 5-wood, and so on. Because of that, a 3-wood will go farther than a 4-wood, which will go farther than a 5-wood, and so on.

A 3-wood is usually the second-longest club in a golfer's bag (there are 2-woods available, but they aren't very common). Fairway woods have smaller heads than drivers and get progressively shorter than drivers. That makes them easier to control in the swing than a driver, and for that reason beginners are often encouraged to use a fairway wood off the tee rather than trying to whack a driver right out of the gate.

Drivers can be hit from the fairway, but that's a shot most amateurs - much less beginners - will never pull off successfully. Fairway woods are good clubs off the tee or from the fairway; their smaller heads and greater lofts help get the ball up into the air.

Beginners might want to consider carrying some extra fairway woods (5-wood, 7-wood and 9-wood, for example) in place of the long irons (2-, 3-, 4- and even 5-irons). As a general rule, fairway woods are easier to hit than long irons for most beginners and recreational golfers.

Drivers and fairway woods are intended to strike the ball either on the upswing (in the case of the driver) or at the bottom of the swing (in the case of fairway woods). For that reason, the ball is placed forward in the stance when using a wood (see "Setup for Success" for photos demonstrating the proper ball position).

Distances with each club will vary from player to player; there is no "right" distance, there is only your distance, and you'll learn those distances as you start playing. Typically, a driver will go 20 yards or so farther than a 3-wood, which will go about 20 yards farther than a 5-wood. A 5-wood is roughly equivalent to a 2-iron in distance; a 7-wood to a 4-iron.

Beginners often overestimate how far they are "supposed" to hit each club because they watch the professionals blasting 300-yard drives. No matter what the commercial says, you are not Tiger Woods! Pro players are in a different universe; do not compare yourself to them. A "Golf Digest" study found that the average driver distance for recreational male golfers is "only" 195-200 yards.


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Fixing a Slice

Slice Ball FlightThe slice ball flight from the point of view of a right-handed golfer.Illustration by William Glessner

(Editor's Note: This is one in a series of articles by instructor Roger Gunn on diagnosing the causes of different types of ball flights or mishits. This article is written from the right-hander's perspective, so lefties should reverse any handedness or directional elements in the text below.)

The Impact
Let's start by making sure you're clear on the type of impact that causes the slice. When the ball is slicing to the right, that means it's curving in a left-right motion across the sky. For the ball to do this, it must be spinning in a clockwise direction.

Imagine that the ball is on a peg, and that all it can do is spin one way or another. To spin the ball clockwise, the club has to swing more to the left with the clubface pointing slightly to the right. In a golf shot, this is exactly what happens to make the ball curve across the sky as a slice. This can often be confirmed by looking at the divot. On the course, the divot produced by a slice swing is often pointing well left with the ball ending up well right of the divot's direction. This is a classic slice.

Our discussion of the grip, stance, and swing will revolve around the different elements that can cause this type of impact.

The Grip
The grip has little to do with the direction of the swing, but everything to do with where the clubface looks at impact (e.g., open, closed, square).

Grips can be very individualized. A grip that produces a perfectly straight shot for one player can cause a huge hook or a slice for another. That being said, you can make certain generalizations about the grip regarding slicing.

If your hands are turned too far to the left on the club, it's much more likely to return with the face looking to the right at impact.

Here's the guideline: In your stance, with the clubface square to the target, you should be able to look down and see at least two knuckles on your left hand. If you see three or even four, that's fine. Your grip is not contributing to your slice. Another guideline is to look at the "V's" formed between the knuckle and thumb on both hands. These should point up to somewhere near your right shoulder.

The Stance
It certainly seems logical that if a golfer is missing often to the right, then before too long he or she would aim more to the left to compensate. With slicers this is, in fact, the case. But aiming to the left will cause the swing's circle to be too far to the left, exacerbating the slicing motion.

Doublecheck that your aim is not too far to the left, especially with your shoulders. You can lay a club on the ground, parallel to your target line, to check your aim. Or you can have a friend check your alignment. Just make sure that your feet, knees, hips and shoulders are parallel to that club on the ground and to your target line.

Checking your stance and grip can often eradicate any slice without changing the hitting motion at all. Let the ball's flight be your guide. If it's curving less to the right, then you're on the right track. If it's flying straight or curving left, then your slice is cured.

Next Page: Checking the Backswing and Downswing


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Men's Majors - Most Victories

most major championship winsGary Player prepares to plant a kiss on the Claret Jug after winning the 1968 British Open, one of his nine major championship wins.Getty Images The record for most men's major championship wins is kept in two different ways. The most commonly quoted numbers are from the list of professional majors only. But numbers from the combined list of professional and amateur majors are also frequently quoted. We've provided below a lengthy list showing the golfers with the most men's professional major titles, and below that a shorter list that includes amateur championships, too.

Most Professional Majors
Jack Nicklaus - 18
Tiger Woods - 14
Walter Hagen - 11
Ben Hogan - 9
Gary Player - 9
Tom Watson - 8
Bobby Jones - 7
Arnold Palmer - 7
Gene Sarazen - 7
Sam Snead - 7
Harry Vardon - 7
Nick Faldo - 6
Lee Trevino - 6
Seve Ballesteros - 5
James Braid - 5
Byron Nelson - 5
J.H. Taylor - 5
Peter Thomson - 5
Willie Anderson Jr. - 4
Jim Barnes - 4
Raymond Floyd - 4
Bobby Locke - 4
Phil Mickelson - 4
Tom Morris Jr. - 4
Tom Morris Sr. - 4
Willie Park Sr. - 4
Jamie Anderson - 3
Tommy Armour - 3
Julius Boros - 3
Billy Casper - 3
Henry Cotton - 3
Jimmy Demaret - 3
Ernie Els - 3
Bob Ferguson - 3
Ralph Guldahl - 3
Padraig Harrington - 3
Hale Irwin - 3
Cary Middlecoff - 3
Larry Nelson - 3
Nick Price - 3
Denny Shute - 3
Vijay Singh - 3
Payne Stewart - 3

Most Majors - Amateur & Professional
Jack Nicklaus - 20
Tiger Woods - 17
Bobby Jones - 13
Walter Hagen - 11
John Ball - 9
Ben Hogan - 9
Gary Player - 9
Arnold Palmer - 8
Tom Watson - 8

Back to Golf Almanac


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Golf Shafts FAQ

Welcome to the Golf Shafts FAQ on About.com, where we answer some of the most-commonly asked questions about the technical aspects of golf shafts. Correction: Actually, Tom Wishon answers the questions, and that's a good thing. Tom, of Tom Wishon Golf Technology, is one of the most innovative club designers and respected members of the golf equipment industry working today. So check out these frequently asked questions, then read Tom's answers.
Poll: Do you prefer steel or graphite?

• How are steel shafts made?

• How are graphite shafts made?

• How do steel and graphite shafts compare, and how do I know which is right for me?

• What do the letters X, S, R, A and L on the shaft mean?

• What makes finding the right shaft flex for my swing so important?

• What are the elements that go into choosing the correct shaft flex for a golfer?

• Are there industry-wide standards for shaft flex - is one company's "regular" flex the same as another's?

• What is "kickpoint"?

• Does a shaft's bend profile influence trajectory, and if so, how much?

• What is "torque," and how important a consideration is it?

• What is "frequency matching"?

• What is "spining"?

• How important a factor is the weight of the shaft?

• What is the typical lifespan of a golf shaft?

• Will heat or cold damage my graphite shafts?

• When should I have my shafts replaced?

• Do golf shafts become more or less flexible over time, or "wear out" with longterm use?

• What effect does trimming the shaft have on flex?

• If I want to cut down my shafts, should I trim from the grip end or the head end?

• I've heard the expression, "the shaft is the engine of the club." What does that mean? Is it true?

• Does the type of shaft in my putter have any effect on my putting?

About Tom Wishon
Tom Wishon has been a member of the golf equipment industry for more than three decades, specializing in clubhead design, shaft analysis, and clubfitting research and development. He is the only designer from the component clubmaking side of the golf industry whose clubhead designs have been used to win on the PGA Tour and in the Ryder Cup, having designed clubs used by Scott Verplank, Bruce Lietzke, Ben Crenshaw and Payne Stewart. Tom has written five books on clubmaking technology, he is a longstanding member of the Golf Digest Technical Panel, and serves as the Technical Advisor to PGA.com, the website of the PGA of America. Tom currently heads his own company, Tom Wishon Golf Technology, which specializes in the design of original, high-end component golf equipment for independent custom clubmakers worldwide.


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Monday, February 21, 2011

Beginners: Meet the Golf Clubs

Are you a beginner at the great game of golf? Then allow us to introduce you to the golf clubs.

There are several different types of golf clubs in a typical golfer's bag. There are woods, irons, wedges and a putter, and sometimes utility clubs or hybrids.

What are these clubs? What are the qualities of each type of club, and its uses?

The following articles offer newbies to golf a general overview of the form and function of each type of golf club.

Meet the Golf Clubs
• Meet the Woods
• Meet the Irons
• Meet the Wedges
• Meet the Putters
• Meet the Utility Clubs/Hybrids


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Golf Club Distances - Golf Club Distance

Golf Club Distances

Golf Beginners FAQ: What are the Golf Club Distances?

This is one of the most-asked questions from newbies to golf: How far am I supposed to hit each club? What is the golf club distance? Unfortunately, the only completely honest answer is: It depends.

It depends on a lot of factors: the clubs you are using, the balls you are using, the conditions under which you play (hard fairway or soft fairway? windy or calm? humid or dry? etc.), your gender and age, your physical fitness, coordination and athleticism, your swing speed, how solidly you are connecting with the ball. You get the idea. It depends.

It depends, and it varies widely from golfer to golfer. One person's 5-iron distance is another person's 3-iron distance is another person's 7-iron distance. There is no wrong golf club distance, there is only your golf club distance. And knowing your distance is much more important than knowing how far each club is "supposed" to go. Here's an interesting fact: While PGA pros hit their drives anywhere from 280 yards to 320 yards on average, and LPGA pros hit their drives from 230 to 270 yards on average, most amateurs - according to Golf Digest - average somewhere around 195-205 yards with their drivers.

The moral of that story? Don't compare yourself with the world's best players. Although some recreational players do outhit the pros, they are rare and you probably aren't one of them.

You'll quickly get an idea of whether you are a "long" hitter or "short" hitter by simply playing golf and comparing yourself to those you play with. There's no shame in being a short hitter, and being a long hitter doesn't guarantee anything, and certainly not a lower score.

And of course, hitting the ball far doesn't matter at all if you can't also hit it straight.

But you didn't click on this topic to read all this, did you? You want those yardages, darn it! OK, we'll give you some yardages, but consider everything you've read to this point to be caveats on this subject.

The yardages listed in the chart below show a range for average amateurs, both male and female. As you'll see, the ranges are quite large, and represent short hitters, mid hitters and long hitters. (There are, of course, people who hit it longer, just as there are people who hit it shorter.)

There is a greater gap, percentage-wise, between the longer and shorter women than there is between the longer and shorter men because better women players tend to be significantly longer than weaker women players. Especially compared to men. A male player who shoots 110 might be just as long as a guy who shoots 80. That is extremely unlikely in female players, however.

A final caveat: You can find charts such as this one on other sites around the Web. And if you do, one thing you'll notice is that the numbers rarely, if ever, match up. Because golf club distance depends more on the player than on the clubs.

Back to Beginners FAQ

More for Beginners
• Golf Glossary
• Golf Rules at a Glance
• Golf Etiquette

Playing the Game
• 3 Common Grip Types
• Placing Your Hands on the Club
• The Proper Golf Setup
• Golf Instruction Videos


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Sunday, February 20, 2011

The Masters - Past Champions

Below is the list of winners of The Masters, one of the four men's majors, dating back to the tournament's inception in 1934. Click on the year to read a recap and view the scores from that year's tournament.

2010 - Phil Mickelson
2009 - Angel Cabrera
2008 - Trevor Immelman
2007 - Zach Johnson
2006 - Phil Mickelson
2005 - Tiger Woods
2004 - Phil Mickelson
2003 - Mike Weir
2002 - Tiger Woods
2001 - Tiger Woods
2000 - Vijay Singh
1999 - Jose Maria Olazabal
1998 - Mark O'Meara
1997 - Tiger Woods
1996 - Nick Faldo
1995 - Ben Crenshaw
1994 - Jose Maria Olazabal
1993 - Bernhard Langer
1992 - Fred Couples
1991 - Ian Woosnam
1990 - Nick Faldo
1989 - Nick Faldo
1988 - Sandy Lyle
1987 - Larry Mize
1986 - Jack Nicklaus
1985 - Bernhard Langer
1984 - Ben Crenshaw
1983 - Seve Ballesteros
1982 - Craig Stadler
1981 - Tom Watson
1980 - Seve Ballesteros
1979 - Fuzzy Zoeller
1978 - Gary Player
1977 - Tom Watson
1976 - Raymond Floyd
1975 - Jack Nicklaus
1974 - Gary Player
1973 - Tommy Aaron
1972 - Jack Nicklaus
1971 - Charles Coody
1970 - Billy Casper
1969 - George Archer
1968 - Bob Goalby
1967 - Gay Brewer
1966 - Jack Nicklaus
1965 - Jack Nicklaus
1964 - Arnold Palmer
1963 - Jack Nicklaus
1962 - Arnold Palmer
1961 - Gary Player
1960 - Arnold Palmer
1959 - Art Wall
1958 - Arnold Palmer
1957 - Doug Ford
1956 - Jack Burke Jr.
1955 - Cary Middlecoff
1954 - Sam Snead
1953 - Ben Hogan
1952 - Sam Snead
1951 - Ben Hogan
1950 - Jimmy Demaret
1949 - Sam Snead
1948 - Claude Harmon
1947 - Jimmy Demaret
1946 - Herman Keiser
1942 - Byron Nelson
1941 - Craig Wood
1940 - Jimmy Demaret
1939 - Ralph Guldahl
1938 - Henry Picard
1937 - Byron Nelson
1936 - Horton Smith
1935 - Gene Sarazen
1934 - Horton Smith

Back to The Masters Homepage


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How to Keep Score

Scoring in golf is sometimes a mystery to those unfamiliar with the sport because in golf - unlike most other sports and games - it's the person with the lowest score who wins.

But golf scoring is as simple as can be. Every time you take a whack at that little white ball, that's a stroke. Every time you make a stroke, count it. At the end of each hole, add up your strokes for that hole and write the number down. At the end of the round, add up the strokes for each hole and, there you have it, your golf score.

There are some other circumstances - for instance, every beginner (every golfer of every level) will have to take penalty strokes here and there. At least, if you're playing strictly by the rules.

But most simply put, a golf score is the number of times you whacked that little ball around the course.

Score in relation to par is also very easy to understand and compute. Each hole is given a number representing "par" - the number of strokes it should take a skilled golfer to finish that hole. If the par is 4 and you make a 5, then your score in relation to par is 1-over. If the par is 4 and you make a 3, then your score in relation to par is 1-under. (In addition to "1-under" or "1-over," there are other, more colorful terms used for relation to par -- see the FAQ, "Birdies, eagles, bogeys - what are those things?)

If par for the course is 72 and you finished with a 92, then your score in related to par is 20-over.

More in-depth explanatioms of related topics can be found in these articles:
How do I mark the scorecard?
Keeping score in match play
Keeping score in Stableford play

Here are some relevant definitions for beginners:
Par - Birdie - Eagle - Bogey
Par 3 - Par 4 - Par 5

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Golf Rules FAQ: What's the ...

Fourteen clubs are the maximum allowed in one player's bag. Any number below 14 is fine, but more than 14 is not.

Also, those 14 clubs cannot be changed during the course of one round. You must finish with the 14 you started with. (There are some exceptions in the case of a club breaking.)

However, if you begin with fewer than 14, you may add clubs during a round as long as no delay is caused and as long as the club(s) added are not borrowed from another player.

The penalty for exceeding the 14-club rule in match play is a loss of hole for each hole played in violation of the rule, up to two holes lost.

In stroke play the penalty is two strokes for each hole played in violation of the rules, with a maximum of four strokes.

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Meet the Irons

Irons are so-called because their clubheads are made of metal. Of course, "woods" are now also made of metal, but that's a relatively recent development. Irons have featured metal clubheads (steel, these days) for centuries.

Irons feature thin clubheads and grooved faces. Accomplished players might choose a "muscleback" or "blade" style of iron, whereas beginners and most recreational players will want a "cavity back" style.

The difference is that a blade-style features a full back on the rear of the clubhead, whereas a cavity back is exactly that: the rear of the clubhead is, to a certain degree, hollowed out. This creates an effect known as "perimeter weighting," which is helpful to less-accomplished players.

A typical, off-the-shelf set of irons will include a 3-iron through pitching wedge (advertised as "3-PW"), 8 clubs total. The clubs are identified by a number (or "PW") on the sole of each club.

Each club has a little less loft than the next and a little longer shaft length than the next, so each club goes a little farther than the next. That is, a 3-iron has less loft than a 4-iron, which has less loft than a 5-iron, and so on. Also, a 3-iron is a little longer than a 4-iron, which is a little longer than a 5-iron, and so on. Therefore, a 3-iron will go a little farther than a 4-iron, which will go a little farther than a 5-iron, on through the pitching wedge.

The yardage gap between irons is generally 10-15 yards. Your 3-iron, in other words, should produce shots that are 10-15 yards longer than your 4-iron.

Also, as you move through the set to the shorter, more lofted clubs, the resulting shots will have a steeper trajectory; shots will rise at a steeper angle and fall at a steeper angle.

Two other irons, the 1-iron and 2-iron, are often offered for separate purchase. As a beginner, you'll want to steer clear of both of these. With their thin clubheads, very little loft and longer shafts, 1- and 2-irons are difficult clubs for recreational players to master. (In fact, many experts will recommend that beginners and recreational players also stay away from 3-irons and 4-irons, replacing them with utility clubs or fairway woods.)

Irons are generally categorized as long irons, mid-irons and short irons. Long irons are the 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-irons; mid-irons, the 5-, 6- and 7-irons; short irons, the 8- and 9-irons and pitching wedge.

For most amateurs, the short irons are easier to hit than the mid-irons, which are easier to hit than the long irons. Without getting too technical, the reason is that as loft increases and shaft length decreases, a club becomes easier to master. A shorter shaft makes a club easier to control in the swing (think of baseball where a batter will "choke up" on the bat - essentially, shorten the bat - when he's simply trying to make contact rather than swing for the fences). More loft helps get the ball airborne and adds a little more control to the shot.

Learning your distances - how far you hit each club - is much more important than trying to hit each club to some predetermined "correct" yardage. There is no "right" distance for each club, there is only your distance. That said, a typical male recreational golfer might hit a 4-, 5- or 6- iron from 150 yards, while a typical female might use a 3-wood, 5-wood or 3-iron from that distance. (Beginners often overestimate how far they are "supposed" to hit each club because they watch the professionals blasting 220-yard 5-irons. No matter what the commercial says, you are not Tiger Woods! Pro players are in a different universe; do not compare yourself to them.)

Irons can be played from the teeing ground, using a tee, and it is often appropriate to do so. On a par-3, for example, you will probably use an iron on your tee shot. Or you might use an iron off any (or even every) tee in order to have better control over the shot.

But most of your iron shots will come from the fairway. Irons are designed with divots in mind. That's why they have a leading edge that is somewhat sharply rounded. If you take a shot with an iron and dig up a chunk of turf, don't feel bad. Maybe you dug up too much turf, but it is entirely appropriate to take a divot with an iron played from the fairway.

That is because iron shots are played with the ball positioned so that it is struck on the downswing. That is, the club is still descending when it makes contact with the ball (for the proper ball position, see the article "Setup for Success").

Knowing which iron to use in which situation is mostly a function of learning how far you hit each club. But trajectory also often comes into play. If you need to hit the ball high - to get over a tree, for example - you would choose one of the higher-lofted clubs. So learning the trajectory of each of your irons - how high the ball climbs, and how quickly it climbs, with each iron - is another important factor.


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Dubai Desert Classic

The Dubai Desert Classic is part of the European Tour's early season "Gulf Swing," a series of tournaments in the Persian Gulf region. This event is the oldest of those tournaments, first played in 1989.2011 Omega Dubai Desert Classic
Alvaro Quiros' shot a final-round 68 to win a wind-whipped Dubai Desert Classic. He finished one stroke ahead of James Kingston and Anders Hansen. Rory McIlroy, Lee Westwood and Tiger Woods were all in contention entering the final round, but none went lower than 72.

2010 Tournament
Lee Westwood birdied the 72nd hole to force a playoff with Miguel Angel Jimenez, but it was Jimenez who emerged the victor. Jimenez and Westwood finished at 11-under 277, and Jimenez won the playoff on the fourth extra hole.

Official Tournament Web site
European Tour tournament site

(p-won playoff)

Omega Dubai Desert Classic
2011 - Alvaro Quiros, 277
2010 - p-Miguel Angel Jimenez, 277

Dubai Desert Classic
2009 - Rory McIlroy, 269
2008 - Tiger Woods, 274
2007 - Henrik Stenson, 269
2006 - p-Tiger Woods, 269
2005 - Ernie Els, 269
2004 - Mark O'Meara, 271
2003 - Robert-Jan Derksen, 271
2002 - Ernie Els, 272
2001 - Thomas Bjorn, 266
2000 - Jose Coceres, 274
1999 - David Howell, 275
1998 - Jose Maria Olazabal, 269
1997 - p-Richard Green, 272
1996 - Colin Montgomerie, 270
1995 - Fred Couples, 268
1994 - Ernie Els, 268
1993 - Wayne Westner, 274
1992 - p-Seve Ballesteros, 272

Emirates Airlines Desert Classic
1990 - Eamonn Darcy, 276

Karl Litten Desert Classic
1989 - p-Mark James, 277


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Saturday, February 19, 2011

Choosing the Right Shaft Flex

If you want to avoid giving your game the shaft, you need to understand the effect that shaft flex has on your game.

"Flex" refers to the ability of a golf shaft to bend as forces are applied to it during the golf swing.

Those forces are generated by the type of swing that you have - fast or slow, smooth or jerky.

There are five generally used ratings for shaft flex: Extra Stiff, Stiff, Regular, Senior and Ladies, usually denoted by the letters X, S, R, A and L ("A" is used for Senior because this flex was originally called "amateur").

Having a flex that doesn't match the needs of your swing will result in the clubface being misaligned at impact, causing your shots to go off-target.

What Flex Impacts

Shaft flex impacts, either directly or indirectly, the accuracy, trajectory and distance of your shot. Three pretty important things, eh?

As the shaft flexes throughout the swing, the position of the clubhead changes. And the face of the club must be square (perfectly straight) at impact to get the most out of the shot. If you have the wrong flex for your swing, there is less chance that you'll make contact with the ball with a square clubface.

Some General Guidelines

The degree of flex in your club shafts is something you control. You can choose to buy stiffer shafts, or softer shafts, depending on your needs.

But how can you tell what you need? Here are some general guidelines:

• Take a look at the distance you hit your driver. This is a good, but very general, indicator. If you carry you driver 250 yards or more, go with Stiff; 230-250 yards, Regular; 200-230 yards, Senior; less than 200 yards, Ladies. Only the biggest of the big hitters is going to need Extra Stiff. For most of us, Extra Stiff isn't even in the picture.

• If you have a very smooth swing, you might benefit from a softer flex even if you swing fast. A swing that gets jerky at the top - when transitioning into the downswing - will probably need a stiffer shaft.

• If your drives go left, you might benefit from a stiffer flex; if your drives go right, you might benefit from a softer flex.

If Your Flex Is Too Stiff
What effect does a too-stiff shaft have on your golf game?

1. The ball will probably fly lower and shorter for any given loft, compared to a properly fit shaft.

2. The ball may tend to go to the right, or fade side, for right-handed golfers because with a too-stiff shaft the clubface is harder to square (the clubface is more likely to be open at impact, in other words).

3. The shot may feel less solid, more like a mis-hit even if you make contact on the center of the clubface.

If Your Flex Isn't Stiff Enough
And what will happen if your flex isn't stiff enough?

1. The ball might fly higher for any given loft, compared to a properly fit shaft.

2. The ball may tend to go left, or to the draw side, for a right-handed golfer (because with a too-flexible shaft, the clubhead may tend to come into the ball closed).

3. Shots may tend to feel more solid, even when they aren't.

Macho, Macho Men

Men like to hit Stiff shafts. It's a guy thing. Unfortunately, it's not always the smart thing.

No macho man wants to be seen hitting a wimpy little Regular flex club, or, Tiger Woods forbid, a Senior or Ladies flex.

But overswinging is a common problem among male high-handicappers. Choosing a softer flex often has the effect of forcing macho men to slow down their swings. And slowing down the swing often makes those macho men into better players.

And the fact is, the harm in hitting a shaft that is too flexible is much less than the harm in hitting a shaft that is too stiff. As equipment guru Tom Wishon has said, when unsure about flex, always err on the side of more flex (meaning, a softer shaft). If you can't decide between Regular and Stiff, go with Regular.

The Foolproof Way to Choose Flex

A clubfitting with a golf professional is the recommended way to choose the proper flex.

The pro will take a lot of measurements, watch your swing, measure your swing speed, watch your ball flight and be able to recommend the flex that is right for you.

Clubfittings are available at many pro shops and almost all golf schools and from teaching professionals.

If a club-fitting isn't in your future, the next best thing is a demo day. At demo days, you'll be able to hit many different types of clubs with different types of shafts.

The key, short of a club fitting, is hitting lots of different clubs and watching the effect that changing shaft flex has on your shots.

If you find a flex that feels good and produces a good ball flight, there's a good chance that's the right flex for you.

Golf Shafts FAQs
• How do steel and graphite shafts compare?
• What makes finding the right flex so important?
• What are the elements that go into choosing the correct shaft flex?
• Are there industry-wide standards for shaft flex?

For much more about golf shafts, see Tom Wishon's Golf Shafts FAQ, from which some information for this article was taken.


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Golf Rules FAQ

This Golf Rules FAQ covers golf rules codified by the USGA and the R&A. The Rules of Golf can be found on those governing bodies' Web sites, or by clicking over to our Golf Rules section. If you can't find an answer to a question you have, try posting your question in the "Rules Discussion" section of our Golf Forum.
Poll: How well do you follow the Rules of Golf?

• My ball hit an overhead power line - do I get to replay the shot?

• My ball is stuck in a tree - what are my options?

• Should rakes be left inside or outside of bunkers?

• Ball markers: Do the rules say what should - or shouldn't - be used?

• Do I get relief from aeration holes on the putting green?

• What do red, yellow and white stakes or lines mean on a golf course?

• Do golfers playing as singles have any standing on the course?

• What does "keeping that point between you and the hole" mean?

• What club do I use to determine the nearest point of relief, and when measuring club-lengths?

• I found the ball my opponent is searching for - do I have to tell him?

• I thought my ball was lost and put a second ball into play, then discovered my first ball in the hole. Which ball counts?

• Can I place a golf club on the ground to help line me up for a stroke?

• Must a ball be literally "unplayable" in order to be declared unplayable under Rule 28?

• Are X-Out golf balls "legal" for play?

• What are "winter rules" or "preferred lies"?

• How many clubs are allowed in my golf bag?

• Ball in motion strikes ball at rest

• When were the first golf rules written, and what were they?

• Do I get to move my ball if, when putting from just off the green, I would have to putt across a sprinkler head?

• What's the ruling if I accidentally hit the ball with a practice swing?

• Does a "whiff" count as a stroke?

• If the wind moves my ball after I'm at address, do I have to take a penalty?

• Is it OK to use a long putter to measure club lengths?

• If a club breaks during a round, can it be replaced?

• What is the penalty for playing out of order?

• What is the ruling if the ball gets pinned between the flagstick and the cup?

• How can I obtain a copy of the Rules of Golf?

• Can I repair spike marks that are in the line of my putt?

• Does it count as a stroke if I accidentally bump the ball off the tee?

• Is there a time limit for playing a shot or a round of golf?

• What is the penalty for playing the wrong ball?

• How long am I allowed to search for a wayward ball?

• Does a golfer off the green always play before those who are on the green?

• Is it legal to use a club other than the putter on the putting green?

• My ball is in a bunker completely filled with water - do I get to drop outside the bunker?

• Is practicing in-between holes allowed?

• I hit a great provisional shot, then found my first ball - can I keep playing my provisional?

• Are 'gimmies' allowed under the Rules of Golf?

• What is considered casual water?

• Is it OK to draw lines on the golf ball to help with alignment?

• I like to take the rake into bunkers with me for convenience - is this legal?

• Do the rules prohibit changing golf balls during a round? (One Ball Condition)

• I conceded a putt to my opponent, he putted anyway and missed - what's the score?

Is your golf rules question not yet included here? Post your question in the Golf Forum, where golfers of all skill levels may be able to help.


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Eagle

Definition: In golf, an "eagle" is a score of 2-under par on any individual hole.

Golf holes are designated a par 3, par 4 or par 5 (and rarely par 6), meaning that three strokes, four strokes or five strokes, respectively, is what an expert golfer is expected to need to complete play of that hole.

So an eagle is: Scoring a 1 on a par-3 hole (a k a, a hole in one) Scoring a 2 on a par-4 hole Scoring a 3 on a par-5 hole

Eagles are most commonly made on par-5s, holes on which some golfers who hit the ball far can reach the green in two strokes, then make the putt.

Eagles on par-4 holes are much rarer because they require either driving the green and 1-putting, or holing out an approach shot from the fairway. And, as noted, an eagle on a par-3 is a hole-in-one (nobody ever calls those eagles, however - why would you call it an eagle when you can call it a hole-in-one instead?).

See also: What are the origins of the terms "birdie" and "eagle"?


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How to Choose a New Shaft

Sooner or later you will break one of your shafts, and I'm sure it will be purely accidental! When this happens you have two choices. The first is to take your broken club to a clubmaker for repairs. The second is to replace the shaft yourself. Either way, there are a few things you should know about choosing a new shaft.

The first thing to decide is whether you require a steel or a graphite shaft. Then you need to decide on shaft flex and what bend point (or kickpoint) is required. You'll need to choose the right torque rating for the shaft, and finally, determine what length the club should be when it is finished.

All these things are important and must be decided before you order and install a shaft. I will discuss each point individually, which should help you decide what shaft to buy or to make sure the shaft someone else recommends is the right one for you.

Shaft Type
There are two basic types of shafts, steel and graphite. The choice is usually quite simple because your club will have been originally assembled with either of these types of shafts. However, if you decide to change the type of shaft, you should know a few things about each.

1. Steel shafts are heavier, their torque ratings are low, and when assembled at the same length as graphite they will result in a club that has a heavier feel. Steel is more durable and does not have painted surfaces to scratch.

2. Graphite shafts are lighter, and their torque ratings have a more extensive range, providing more choices for the golfer.

HOW TO CHOOSE: The easiest way is to just replace the broken shaft with the same type. However, you may want to experiment a little. Maybe you find the shafts in your clubs too stiff or too weak. If you hit a 7-iron about 150 yards, then a Regular Flex shaft would be recommended. Choose a shaft with a Swing Speed Rating of 70 to 80 mph in graphite or steel. If you use a 5-iron from 150 yards, you would want to use a shaft with a Swing Speed Rating of about 60 to 70 mph. Most component companies list the Swing Speed Rating of every shaft in their catalogues.

Shaft Flex and Bend Point
Every shaft has a Flex Rating (usually L, R, S, XS) and a bend point (Low, Mid and High). (Bend point, by the way, is also called kickpoint.) The unfortunate thing is that there is no industry standard for shaft flex - one manufacturer's Regular Flex shaft may be firmer or weaker than another manufacturer's. These differences will produce shafts that, even though they have the same Flex Rating, will play differently.

One difference will be in Swing Speed Ratings. One 'R' flex shaft might be rated for 65 to 75 mph while another is rated for 75-85 mph. Bend point determine the ball's trajectory so the golfer has to decide what type of ball flight he wants.

HOW TO CHOOSE: My experience as a club builder is that most golfers play with clubs that are too stiff. As noted above, you should determine what your swing speed is and choose your new shaft flex accordingly. (Note: The effect of torque on shaft flex is discussed on the following page.)

If you find your ball flight is too low or too high, then choosing a shaft with the right bend point can help. If you want to hit the ball on a lower trajectory, choose a bend point of High. For a higher trajectory, choose a bend point of Low. For something in between, go with Mid rating for bend point.

Next Page: Determining Torque and Length


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Friday, February 18, 2011

Lunge with a Twist

Lunge with a Twist ExerciseMike Pedersen demonstrates the starting position for the Lunge With a Twist golf swing speed exercise.Courtesy of Perform Better Golf, Inc.; used with permission Most golfers are looking to improve their golf swing power, distance and golf swing speed in a search for longer drives. Unfortunately, many such golfers are looking in the wrong place. The senior golfer especially needs to look beyond the latest-greatest $500 driver and look at the engine to improving golf swing speed and power.

What is that engine? It's your body!

Your body dictates your golfing ability. There is no way around it. You have to realize you're an athlete. A golfing athlete. Have you ever heard of an athlete not working on his/her body to prepare for optimal performance?

Golf weight training exercises are some of the quickest ways to improving your golf swing speed and power off the tee. Combining the golf strength of your lower body, core and upper body is an approach that will give you results rapidly.

I have a golf exercise that I often recommend for improving swing speed, and that I find is very effective. It's called "Lunge With a Twist." This golf strength exercise combines the power in your lower body with the core rotational movement needed for maximum golf swing speed and distance.

Next Page: How to Do the Lunge with a Twist


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Golf Rules

Welcome to the Rules of Golf on About.com. The golf rules below are the Official Rules of Golf, and appear here courtesy of the United States Golf Association. These golf rules are used with permission of the USGA, and may not be duplicated or reprinted without the express permission of the USGA.
• Poll: Do you play by the rules?
• Questions? Ask in the Rules Forum

Maintaining the Official Rules of Golf is a joint effort by the USGA and the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. Now, on to the golf rules:

How to Use the Rule Book
Etiquette - Behavior on the Course
Official Definitions from the Rules of Golf

The Game
Rule 1: The Game
Rule 2: Match Play
Rule 3: Stroke Play

Clubs and the Ball
Rule 4: Clubs
Rule 5: The Ball

Players Responsibilities
Rule 6: The Player
Rule 7: Practice
Rule 8: Advice; Indicating Line of Play
Rule 9: Information as to Strokes Taken

Order of Play
Rule 10: Order of Play

Teeing Ground
Rule 11: Teeing Ground

Playing the Ball
Rule 12: Searching for and Identifying Ball
Rule 13: Ball Played as It Lies
Rule 14: Striking the Ball
Rule 15: Wrong Ball; Substituted Ball

The Putting Green
Rule 16: The Putting Green
Rule 17: The Flagstick

Ball Moved, Deflected or Stopped
Rule 18: Ball at Rest Moved
Rule 19: Ball in Motion, Deflected or Stopped

Relief Situations and Procedures
Rule 20: Lifting, Dropping and Placing; Playing from Wrong Place
Rule 21: Cleaning Ball
Rule 22: Ball Interfering with or Assisting Play
Rule 23: Loose Impediments
Rule 24: Obstructions
Rule 25: Abnormal Ground Conditions, Embedded Ball and Wrong Putting Green
Rule 26: Water Hazards (Including Lateral Water Hazards)
Rule 27: Ball Lost or Out of Bounds; Provisional Ball
Rule 28: Ball Unplayable

Other Forms of Play
Rule 29: Threesomes and Foursomes
Rule 30: Three-Ball, Best Ball and Four-Ball Match Play
Rule 31: Four-Ball Stroke Play
Rule 32: Bogey, Par and Stableford Competitions

Administration
Rule 33: The Committee
Rule 34: Disputes and Decisions

Rules of Amateur Status
USGA Policy on Gambling

Note: The golf rules reprinted here do not include the Appendices from the Official Rules of Golf. For the Appendices, please visit the USGA Web site and enter the Rules of Golf Section. The Rules of Golf may also be found on the R&A Web site.


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Meet the Wedges

Wedges are, of course, irons. But wedges are often talked about separately, placed in their own category, because they are specialized irons.

When talking about the category of wedges, most golfers mean the gap wedge, sand wedge and lob wedge. Although a pitching wedge has "wedge" in its name, it is usually grouped with the other irons. This is because a typical, off-the-shelf set of irons for sale will include a 3-iron through a pitching wedge.

The gap wedge, sand wedge and lob wedge are often sold separately, or as a 3-club subset.

Because the focus with wedges is on accuracy - trying to hit a short shot as close as possible to the flagstick - wedges are often referred to as the "scoring clubs."

As a beginner, you will not need to concern yourself too much with wedges other than the pitching wedge. Gap and lob wedges are common in the bags of better players, and sand wedges are fairly common for all players. But beginners should not feel obligated to pick up a sand wedge right off the bat. These are specialized clubs for specialized uses, remember, and you'll want to learn how to use the more basic clubs first.

Wedges feature the shortest shafts and highest lofts of any golf clubs. In fact, wedges are often identified by their loft rather than their name. A lob wedge might instead be called a "60-degree wedge," for example.

Sand wedges were invented (generally credited to Gene Sarazen) to make shots out of sand bunkers easier (although many amateurs find sand shots to be very diffult, a sand shot is among the easiest shots in golf for accomplished players). The typical sand wedge might have a loft around 56 degrees.

As lofts on irons have decreased over time (e.g., a 5-iron today might be lofted at 26 degrees, whereas 30 years ago a 5-iron would have been lofted at 32 degrees), it has become more popular to carry additional wedges.

A typical lob wedge might have a loft of 60 degrees (some pros also carry "X-wedges" with lofts even greater). As its name implies, a lob wedge allows a player to "lob" the ball high into the air, from where it will drop steeply down onto the green, with little or no roll.

With pitching wedges typically lofted from 45 to 48 degrees, the gap wedge is so-called because it closes the "gap" in loft between the pitching wedge and sand wedge. A typical gap wedge might might be lofted from 50-54 degrees.

All irons, including wedges, feature a design property known as "bounce." Bounce is a concept that even golfers who have been playing for decades may not understand, or may misunderstand. So no beginner should worry too much if he hears other golfers talking about "bounce" and doesn't have a clue what it means. You're not required to at this point. But if you'd like to know what "bounce" is, check the definition in our Glossary.

If you do not purchase a sand wedge right off the bat, you'll want to use your pitching wedge for sand shots around the green.

As for the appropriate time to use other wedges, that will, of course, be determined primarily by the yardage of your shot. On full shots from the fairway, a typical recreational male golfer might hit a sand wedge about 65-75 yards yards; women, 45-60. A lob wedge would be 40-50 yards for men, 25-40 for women. A gap wedge would fall in between your pitching wedge and sand wedge yardages.

And these clubs will, when properly struck, produce a very high, arching shot. So if you need to get over a tree, for example, a wedge comes in handy. Or if you're off the green with a big bunker right between you and the flagstick, a high, arching shot with a wedge is a good choice. Because wedge shots have such a high trajectory, they tend to roll very little once they hit the green. More accomplished players can produce a great deal of backspin with a wedge, causing the ball to back up (or "bite") once it hits the green.

Any wedge can also be used for chipping around the green.

As a beginner, consider the gap wedge and lob wedge specialty clubs to turn to later in your golf career. A sand wedge is optional for beginners, but will likely be one of the first "add-ons" you purchase if you become addicted to golf.

Using Wedges


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Golf Handicap FAQ: How is H...

A golf handicap calculation can be achieved most easily by using our nifty, free handicap index calculator.

But you want the nuts and bolts of the golf handicap calculation, don't you? You want to know the math of the golf handicap calculation. OK, you asked for it, you got it.

Golf Handicap Calculation - Step 1
A minimum of five scores and a maximum of 20 is required to get started. Remember, when posting scores for handicaps, you must your adjusted gross scores. For each score, the USGA Course Rating and Slope Rating for the courses played are also required. Using those figures, calculate the handicap differential for each round entered using this formula:

(Score - Course Rating) x 113 / Slope Rating

For example, let's say the score is 85, the course rating 72.2, the slope 131. The formula would be (85 - 72.2) x 113 / 131.

This differential is calculated for each round entered.

(Note: The number 113 represents the slope rating of a golf course of average difficulty, as set by the USGA.)

Golf Handicap Calculation - Step 2
Figure out how many differentials are being used. Not every differential that results from Step 1 will be used in the next step. If only five rounds are entered, only the lowest differential will be used. If 20 rounds are entered, only the 10 lowest differentials are used. A chart at the bottom of this page shows how many differentials are used based on the number of rounds entered.

Golf Handicap Calculation - Step 3
Get an average of the differentials used by adding them together and dividing by the number used (i.e., if five differentials are used, add them up and divide by five).

Multiply the result by .96 (96-percent). Drop all the digits after the tenths (do not round off) and the result is handicap index.

Thankfully, you don't have to do the golf handicap calculation on your own. Your golf club's handicap committee will handle it for you. You can also use our free handicap index calculator - give it a try!

And here's that chart we promised:


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Scramble

Definition: The Scramble is one of the primary forms of tournament play for golf associations, charity events and the like. A scramble is usually played with 4-person teams, but 2-person scrambles are popular, too. At a 2-person scramble, handicaps are usually applied; at a 4-person scramble, handicaps are usually not applied - unless it is an Ambrose-style scramble.

In a scramble, each player tees off on each hole. The best of the tee shots is selected and all players play their second shots from that spot. The best of the second shots is determined, then all play their third shots from that spot, and so on until the ball is holed.

When played as a foursome, teams are usually constructed with an A player, B player, C player and D player, with those players designated based on handicaps. The A player would the low-handicapper, the D player the high-handicapper.

A scramble might require A and B players to tee off from the back tees and C and D players from the middle tees; or A's from the back, B's and C's from the middle and D's from the front; or the tournament organizers might specify that all players play from the same set of tees.

There are many variations on the basic scramble golf tournament format. Some of those include:


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