Friday, August 10, 2007

How To Find The Best Golf Gifts For The Women Golfers In Your Life

By Gregg Hall

When you wonder about golf gifts for women, you may be thinking what kind of things just a women golfer might need that she doesn’t already have. It may be a surprise to some, but the best golf gifts that you can give are the ones they can use on the course. There are many golf gifts for women that are made just for women, to be used on the course.

Some of the most useful types of gifts for women to use on the course could be as simple as tees, balls, golfing gloves and other small items that are useful that you can stuff into a smaller bag. You can look at these types of gifts as a golf basket instead of a gift basket. Items like these placed in a small bag are items that a women can use on the course so she doesn’t have to worry about looking for them when she needs them.

Although the most of women want to wear visors and caps, almost every woman wears a cap at some time on the course. Which makes a cap a good idea for a golf gift? The best type of cap to get is one with a soft bill, so that it can better fit women around the face area and so she can keep the sun out of her face while she is playing.

Also another great golf gift for women is a feminine time watch. As you may have already known if you are a golfer yourself, is that women don’t wear watches on the course because it can tend to throw off their swing while playing, which is why time pieces make very good gifts for women on the course.

More great golf gifts for women can be light clothing so they can be less sweaty on the course and can swing better. There are many custom cut and light clothing products just for women to wear on the course. There are even matching pairs of clothing for men and women which would make a great gift for a couple who loves to golf.

Like the sport of golf, there is a wide market for golf gifts for women. All these gifts are wide in variety and all can be a gift for a women golfer. Even if you may think she already has it get something like it and make sure she can use it on the course. Remember all gifts that she can use on the course are the best golf gifts of all. If you don’t try then you don’t succeed so just try and make it special for her when you try and buy something that will help here. Anything that will help her on the course she will most greatly appreciate.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Beach, Florida. Find more about golf as well as golf gifts at http://www.everythingforgolfgame.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gregg_Hall

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Famous Professional Golfers

By Sarah Freeland

If you’d like to become more knowledgeable about famous golfers, but just don’t have the time or desire to sit and read a book or even full page article on each one, this is the place for you. This article will offer you a condensed version of each of the most famous golfers. Best of all, it’s only 5 paragraphs! And you’re done with the first one already!

Our first famous golfer is Tiger Woods. Eldrick “Tiger” Woods was born December 30, 1975 in Cypress California. Tiger began playing golf when we was only two years old. He even appeared on television as a toddler because of his unbelievable golf skills. After turning pro in August of 1996, he became the youngest Masters winner ever in 1997. Do date, he has won three Masters titles, two U.S. Open Championships, and three PGA Championships.

Our second famous golfer is Michelle Wie. Wie was born October 11, 1989 in Honolulu, Hawaii. She began playing golf at the age of four and was winning nearly every junior even by the age of 11. Two years later at the age of 13, Wie became the youngest player ever to make the cut in a LPGA event. She turned pro on October, 5 2005 and has since competed alongside some of the best male and female golfers of our time.

Our third famous golfer is Phil Mickelson. Mickelson was born in San Diego, California on June 16, 1970. He began playing golf at age three. He attended Arizona State after high school and quickly became the face of amateur golf. Although it took him a little longer than others, Phil won his first Masters in 2004 and won it again in 2006.

Our final famous golfer is Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus was born in Columbus Ohio on January 21, 1940. He began playing golf at age 10 and won five straight Ohio State Junior events when he was only 12. He began his professional career in 1962 and defeated the heavily favored Arnold Palmer at the 1962 U.S. Open. Jack Nicklaus then went on to break all the records. In 1978 he achieved a triple career slam, winning all four professional golf majors three times. He’s the only golfer to have ever done this.

Women's golf apparel is essential to the overall atmosphere of the game. From sweaters to golf polo shirts to shorts, skirts and pants as well as shoes and golf gloves, all apparel choices become important to secure the comfort one needs which golfing. Women's golf clothing is offered in a variety of styles at Fore Her Golf. Fore Her Golf is the leading supplier of stylish, yet functional, golf clothing, equipment and accessories specifically designed to fit a woman's unique needs. We carry name brand apparel, footwear, clubs, golf bags, balls and a wide selection of golf themed gifts perfect for the lady golfer on your list.

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Play Golf Like A Professional

By Nigel Kerry

Golf is an interesting game but at times it can get very frustrating when everything you do goes wrong and nothing ever seems to work the way it should. There will be days when your drives are too short, too long, too low, too high, too much to the left or too much to the right. This is all part and parcel of the game and there are ways to improve your games so you have nothing to fear.

Swing mechanics is the most important aspect when it comes to driving the ball. Swinging requires a certain amount of flexibility, balance, strength and endurance. All this clubbed together is referred to as golf fitness.

Golf fitness is about having extremely good rotational flexibility and strength of the muscles and joints in the lower back, shoulders, hips and the abdominal area. Improved golf fitness equates to improve golf shots. There are some who have good golf fitness but still can not get their shots right. Here, golf players have to concentrate on body stance and ensure they have a good balance and stability. Golf players have to ensure that they improve their swing mechanics without injuring their muscles or joints.

Another important aspect involved in improving your golf game is the equipment. Using the right club the right way is the key. Golf has three basic clubs. The club that drives the ball on a low trajectory is used for long distance shots. Then the iron club lifts the ball and is used to place the golf ball in a certain position on the fairway or green. And finally, the putter is designed to roll the ball into the hole.

There is also a heavy club that is used to get the ball out of the sand traps or grass. Generally, professional golf players use a set of 14 clubs which includes 5 driver, 8 irons and a putter and a weighted club.

In order to start playing like a professional golf player, you first have to improve your swing mechanics, followed by golf fitness and the last on the list is the equipment. Once you have taken care of the first two, the equipment will fall into place.

About the writer: Nigel Kerry is an American free lance writer born in Los Angeles, California. Kerry writes Sportsbook reviews, sport book articles and articles with respect to Sports Betting.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nigel_Kerry

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Grooved Golf Swing Series - How To Deal With Dog-Legs And Other Golfing Tips

By Bill Maitland

Always hit your shots with and not against the dog leg.
On my course there is a dog leg to the right which has to be navigated. To hit a straight ball is to be assured of giving your ball a watery grave.
Yes, there is a pond well within hitting distance for even the not so long hitter, and if the ball does not fade around the corner or dog leg, this is where the ball finishes.

Do you have a hole like this?
Ok, you believe you can cut the corner by hitting your ball over the trees or what ever trouble makes the dog leg.
If your dog leg is from left to right, and you have to fade the ball round the corner, to go over the top, draw your ball.
Vice versa for a right to left dog leg. You can see that by doing this, you will avoid drawing or fading your ball into the trouble that constitutes the bend in the fairway.
When you tee off, have a look at the tee. Is it level, or are there some areas where the ground is not absolutely flat?

Make sure you tee your ball up on a totally flat area of the tee. Pay attention to the small details during a round of golf, and your score will improve as a consequence.
What about in a strong wind? What do you do if you are hitting your tee shot into this? Do you tee your ball lower so that it will fly lower and so under the wind?
Well, the most important thing is to hit your ball with the full club face of your driver. So make sure you tee your ball high enough to do this. A solid hit is much more important than a lower ball trajectory.

A low teed ball will have less run.
Also, if you are not a very experienced golfer, you will be aware that your ball is lower, and you may try to hit down onto it. More drastic is your concern about hitting the ball well and opening your club face at impact to try to do this and get it airborne, resulting in a bad slice.
So, even in a strong wind, don’t be in too much of a hurry to change things on the tee to make allowances for this. It is much better to play as usual and take what comes.
It really will be very good and you will not be inconvenienced by the wind nearly as much as you thought you would be.
Then there is the iron from the tee on a par three.
You will see people hitting off the turf. Sometimes they give it a bang to raise a small lump of ground to act like a tee.
Why do this when you can use a tee. The problem with hitting from the ground is that if you get a blade of grass between your club and the ball you may get a flyer.
The ball will go much too far and not stop on landing, but run and run. This is a bit like hitting out of light rough where the same might happen.
No, you are allowed to tee up and this is an advantage. So take this option.
For your short irons, tee up about ¼ inch above the ground and for a 6, 5, 4 iron tee up about ½ inch.
You will be assured of a good clean hit with your ball so placed.

Bill Maitland is a thinking, inventive golf guru. He thought out and developed simple techniques and tips which enabled him to lower his handicap from 25 to 18, then from 18 to 15, and finally from 15 to 12. He is a passionate golfer, and delights in helping others with their game should they want his help. To receive a valuable weekly golf tip go to his web site http://www.onlinegolfershandbook.com and subscribe to his free Hole In One News Letter. You will be so glad that you did.
Author of On Line Golfers' Hand Book. An e-Book that takes you step by step to being the best golfer that you can possibly be. The basics in great detail. To learn about his tips and simple techniques and order his book, visit his web site
www.onlinegolfershandbook.com
Sign up for his free news letter and receive a wealth of great tips every time. He really tries to tell you everything and leaves nothing out as so often happens. When you sign up, receive his free chapter from his book on bunker play.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Maitland

Sunday, July 29, 2007

A Few Golf Tips From Tiger Woods

By Wade Robins

Tiger Woods is the undisputed king of professional golf. With a smooth technique you could set your watch by, he makes winning those championships look like a walk in the park.

Imagine if you could sit with Tiger for a few minutes and pick his brain to help improve your game. Here are some great golf tips from Tiger Woods.

It's All About Rhythm
Every player has their own natural rhythm. Some players are energetic and full of motion; others are stoic and deep in concentration.
Tiger says that when he's playing his best, everything he does is just second nature. He just goes with the flow, and there's little else involved. That's because he's found just the right groove that suits his natural rhythm.
If the rhythm's off, Tiger misses a swing or two. When things are flowing for him, he has to work a little to get it back into a natural rhythm.
So, how do you learn to keep your natural rhythm? There are a few ways Tiger suggests to help you find your groove and keep it.

Stick To Your Routine
Rhythm and consistency are important, so how you get ready both physically and mentally for the game is essential. Tiger has a practice routine that he does before every single game. He uses the same clubs, and the last club he uses for his pre-game warm-up is the one he plans to use for the first hole.
The point isn't to practice swinging, but to get into your groove.

The First Hole Is The Most Important
Long before he swings for that first hole, Tiger plans the whole game ahead. He prepares himself for the game mentally and emotionally. This involves relaxation, and deciding his game plan beforehand.
An awkward, uncertain first shot is a sure-fire rhythm-killer.

Keep Things Steady
To keep your rhythm going, you have to keep the tempo steady. When you get stressed, you start to speed things up. All that nervous energy makes you hurry to the next hole, and you end up making silly mistakes you wouldn't have made otherwise.
The next time you watch Tiger play, pay attention to the way he walks to the next hole. Even after a great shot, you'll never see him rush on to the next one. He'll pump his fist, smile, and stroll to the next hole with the same leisurely pace.
Tiger recommends a good pre-routine warm-up that helps you get into a relaxed frame of mind. This will get you started on the right foot.

Posture Means Perfect
When asked for practical golf tips, Tiger Woods always mentions posture. Tiger always stands straight and tall, a decent distance from the ball so that he can keep his chin up. Lots of golfers (including Tiger when he was a beginner) put their address position too close to the ball, and end up having to bow their head down too much. Tiger says to keep a good distance away so you don't have to lean over the ball.

Tiger Woods is not only one of the best players, he's also one of the most reflective. Perhaps the key to his success is his ability to look at his mistakes and shortcomings, and work to improve them, instead of getting frustrated. This is why his golf tips are so helpful to his fans. When you blow it, think about why you did it. Then, correct it next time, and you'll see improvement.

You can also find more info on golf swing instruction and golf driving distance. GetGoodAtGolf.com is a comprehensive resource golf enthusiast to improve their game through helpful tips and instructions.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wade_Robins

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Golf Training Videos - A Sociable And Great Value Way To Train

By Richard C Myers

So you’re having trouble with your golf swing and want to call in a pro. You could head over to a local golf course and literally call in the pro, for a hefty price. You could also order in an affordable video or DVD, shut the blinds and work on your swing in private.

For most people, the in-home training beats hiring a pricey golf pro hands down. Why? There are many reasons.

First, and maybe we’ve established this already, but there’s no expensive golf pro working on that swing for you. You might get his lesson in one session or you might have to pay that hefty fee more than once. Depending on the pro and the golf course, you could pay up to $100 for this service. That really eats into green fees.

Second, and depending on your personality, this one can be important – privacy. You can close the blinds, move the furniture and really practice the moves as you see them performed for you on your TV. Even better, you can slow down or stop the tape or DVD. This gives you a chance also to really work on the things that are troubling you and speed past those that aren’t.

Third, repetitiveness. If you are having trouble with the same thing over and over again, a pro might get a little annoyed having to work with you on it over and over. But with a video or DVD, you can watch the same swing as many times as your patience will allow, but this redundancy is a little like teaching a child multiplication – drum it into their heads over and over until they “get” it. If you’re really having trouble with your golf swing this same principle can apply.

Fourth, you can share your videos. Unlike a pro, who likely wouldn’t appreciate you showing up with a few friends, you can share your golf video with others and really get more bang for your buck.

Richard C. Myers is a keen golfer and his web site http://www.thinkandreachpar.com and http://www.golfforleftys.com contains many free tips and great golfing advice to help you to improve your swing and lower your score as well as providing the opportunity to source some great training videos.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_C_Myers

Monday, July 9, 2007

5 Keys To Mental Toughness For Junior Golfers

If you have any interest in seeing first hand the impact that mental toughness has on sport performance, go no further than the PGA or LPGA Qualifying tournaments or "Q-School". Each year for the past several years, I have worked with players on site during this event. A great many of the conversations that the players have are a rehashing of their performance this past year on the PGA, LPGA, Nationwide, or mini-tour circuits. What I have heard frequently are things that could help the junior golfer get a head start in his or her career.

In attempting to describe why they hadn't reached their outcome goals for the season I hear these professional players repeatedly talk to one another about "trying too hard", "not letting it happen out there", "playing tentative" and many other frequently used mental game phrases. The challenge for many of these professionals is not only to sharpen their swings and putting strokes for this critical week, but to sharpen their mental games as well. The players who do well in Q-School are the ones that will follow some basic rules about the mental game. Each of these also has application for the junior golfer:

1. Keep each shot in perspective. This is especially true in a 108-hole tournament. Q-School, of all tournaments, is understood to be a marathon and not a sprint. There is no rational reason to be unnerved by a bad hole or two. Similarly, the junior golfer has years and years of opportunities ahead. There is no particular shot in any tournament that is "life or death".

2. Focus on the task rather than the outcome. This is probably the most difficult of the "basics" for players to follow. It is natural to think about the result and then the consequences of the result. This thinking will not help get the job done. Whenever these thoughts come to mind, replace them with thoughts of the immediate task at hand.

3. Breathe. Even the best in the world get tense in this type of situation. That tension can increase a player's tendency to hold his breath in anticipation of a shot or a putt. This then impacts muscle tension even more, and potentially affects his ability to swing the club smoothly. Deep breaths = slower heart rate and less physiological tension. Creating a habit of doing this as a junior player will be invaluable as your golf career progresses.

4. Remember that you cannot control things. Anyone who plays this game knows that something unexpected happens in nearly every round. A great tee shot lands in a divot, a club you've been hitting well all week suddenly starts getting shaky, or a two-foot putt is missed. The successful players in Q-School and elsewhere will recognize that they have control only over their preparation and reactions, and not over anything else. If they know they've prepared the best they could for each shot, and know that they are capable of controlling their reaction after each shot, they've done all they can possibly do to achieve their goals. Move on to the next one.

5. Play to succeed. Nearly every year there is a player or two held up at the end of Q-School as an example of a late tournament collapse. In nearly all of those instances, the player interviewed will speak of having thoughts of "trying to hold on" or "trying not to make a big number". Many players will have a tendency to play to avoid mistakes and/or prevent something bad from happening. The players who are successful are those who are confident in their abilities to go out and get the job done, and will be playing to succeed rather than to avert failure.

These mental game essentials will help you as a junior player ingrain habits that can help you reach the ultimate golf goals for which you strive!

Jeff Troesch, MA, LMHC is an internationally recognized expert in the mental side of golf. As the former Director of Sport Psychology for the David Leadbetter Golf Academies, Jeff has worked with thousands of golfers nationwide and brings a wealth of experience to seasoned golf professionals as well as the recreational golf lover. You may contact Jeff directly through his website, http://www.fitnessforgolf.com.