Golf Tips | Golfsmith

What are the Advantages of Graphite Golf Shafts?

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:38:44 +0800

Steel or graphite? This question makes many golfers scratch their heads as to which is best for them. Picking the proper shaft is the most critical step in deciding which clubs to buy. The shaft is the "engine" of the golf club. It transfers the energy from your hands into the club head. Graphite shafts offer a wider variety of choices of weight, kick-point and torque. The greater selection allows golfers to be more accurately fit for custom clubs. If the shaft is not suited for your swing, it doesn't matter if you have the best club on the market, you will not play your best. Deciding on whether to play steel or graphite needs more consideration than price (graphite is more expensive).

How to Take Off a Golf Club Grip

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:38:34 +0800

Removing a grip from a golf club is simple but can be messy. Grips should be changed every six to 18 months, depending on how often clubs are used and the weather in which they are used. Grips should be removed and changed when they become shiny or bald.

Short Golf Game Tips

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:39:00 +0800

It is common for average golfers to inflate their scores with a bad short game. It can be relatively simple to smash the ball off the tee and then use a long iron or two to get the ball within a few yards of the green. But once the green is in sight, many golfers find it difficult to get the ball up and down for par.

How Do I Learn to Hit a Golf Ball?

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:39:32 +0800

When you set out to learn to play golf, make sure you learn from a certified PGA teaching professional. Find out how to make a correct golf swing, practice what you learn, and eventually you will hit the ball with the distance and accuracy you want. Hitting a golf ball properly is not easy, but the enjoyment you will get from playing the game outdoors with friends makes the effort worthwhile.

Golf Swing Tips & Instructions

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:40:43 +0800

The golf swing is not a natural motion. To execute it properly, you must have a certain amount of core strength and balance. As you practice the correct setup, stance, posture, swing and follow-through, you will groove your swing and create "muscle memory." Remember to get instruction and tips from a PGA teaching professional.

What Is a Handicap Hole on a Golf Course?

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:30:22 +0800

The United States Golf Association's handicap system is designed to create equitable playing conditions among players of different playing abilities. The system is applicable on any golf course once players have a legitimate handicap.

Core Lower Back Exercises

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:38:52 +0800

The core lower back forms the axis for a golfer’s swing, so keeping it flexible and strong is paramount to golfers. Golfers will benefit greatly from these easy exercises.

What Are Golf Cards?

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:40:38 +0800

Golf scorecards are provided, along with a pencil, to all players on a course at the start of a round. While cards can simply be used for their base task of recording each player's score on each hole, the cards feature additional information which can prove useful during, or sometimes after, a round is completed.

How to Hit a Golf Chip

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:40:17 +0800

As good as the pros are, even they miss the green quite often. If you look on the stats page at PGATOUR.com and check out the Tour average for “greens in regulation percentage” (also called GIR), you will rarely find an average higher than 67 percent. That means the average Tour player misses a full third of his greens. If Tour players miss that many greens, you know that you probably will, too. That is why you should learn how to chip properly--a good chip can eliminate an extra putt.

Golf Swing: How to Avoid Flipping the Club

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:40:43 +0800

Golf can be a frustrating game. One day, you go out and everything seems to work. The next, the ball is flying all over the course. A common symptom that plagues beginner to intermediate golfers is the tendency to flip the wrists at, or before, impact with the ball. This causes the club head to be offline at impact and results in inconsistent hits. The key to breaking this habit is to get the wrists to break at, or beyond, the point of impact, resulting in solid, square-faced contact.

What Is Happening When I Hit the Golf Ball Way Up With a Driver?

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:41:09 +0800

Of the many problems that can afflict novice golfers, one of the worst is skied tee shots. The ball flies high in the air, costing golfers valuable yards off the tee, leaving long approach shots into the green and ballooning scores. The key to fixing skied shots is understanding what happens during the swing and correcting the flaws.

What Is Torque in a Golf Shaft?

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:38:26 +0800

Golf shafts have many technical specifications that you, as an average golfer, likely never consider. You are indirectly aware of them because they affect how your clubs feel when you swing them. But those specs affect how your club performs, and club fitters take them into account when they fit you for new clubs. Torque is one of those "invisible" specs, and it has a bigger effect on club performance than you might expect.

How to Overcome Emotion in Your Golf Game

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:38:27 +0800

The emotional and mental aspects of golf cannot be overstated, especially if you are a beginning player and find yourself in one frustrating spot after another out on the course. But by learning how to harness your emotions during a round, you will be able to both score better during play and enjoy the sport much more.

How to Be a Better Putter

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:39:48 +0800

Casual golfers might neglect their short game, instead focusing on the sexier aspects of the game, such as taking out the driver and hitting for distance at the driving range. By taking the time to work on your putting game, you can cut valuable strokes off your round. Being able to control your first putts will put you in position for an easy two-putt and keep you from squandering a solid approach.

Golf Tips: Left Arm

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:40:10 +0800

For right-handed golfers, the left arm is one of the most important aspects of the golf swing. The left arm determines the swing arc for a shot and helps release and rotate the wrists and club on the downswing. Understanding the purpose of the left arm in the golf swing and how to properly utilize it are critical factors in shooting low scores.

What Are Golf Simulators?

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:40:38 +0800

Golf is a popular recreational activity. However, in order to play, a golfer is bound to the weather, with no amount of advanced planning capable of preventing a thunderstorm from rolling in and canceling a day's round. One option for play on a rainy day is to turn to golf simulation, which comes in many forms.

How to Measure Golf Swing Speed

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:39:17 +0800

There only truly accurate way to find out your swing speed is to measure it on a launch monitor as you hit balls out onto a range. Male tour professionals swing in the 115-120 mph range while average amateurs fall closer to the 80-85mph range. Fortunately, there are many ways to get access to a launch monitor, plus several other ways to estimate your swing speed closely enough to find the right clubs.

How to Install Ferrules

Mon, 09 Apr 2012 21:30:24 +0800

A ferrule is a mainly cosmetic addition to a golf club that fits over the club’s shaft, forming a cosmetic transition between the hosel and shaft. Standard iron ferrules are from 1/8 to 1 1/4 inches long with an internal diameter of .368 inch, while standard wood ferrules measure from 1/8 to 3/4 inch long with an inside diameter of .334 inch. If you’re building your own club, or you’re replacing a shaft or a clubhead, you’ll have to install a ferrule before putting the head onto the shaft.

What Are Some Tips for Being a Golf Caddy?

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:38:33 +0800

The overall responsibility of golf caddies is to make the game of golf more enjoyable for the golfers for whom they are caddying. The most basic job of caddies is to carry the golf bags and hand golfers clubs when they request them. But there are a number of other duties caddies have, such as tending the pin, replacing divots and determining yardages between the ball and the green.

Golf Club-Making Components

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:39:17 +0800

If you ever wanted to make your own golf club, all you need to do is gather the right components and put them together. Building customized golf clubs is not as difficult as it sounds, and with a little experimentation you may be able to create clubs that are perfect for your game.