The Easiest Way to Swing a Golf Club

Part One: How to Stand

Some pros are good at teaching, others are not. The problem is that professional golfers are real athletes, and are usually 'naturals'. In other words, they know what to do, but not necessarily how they do it, let alone how to tell you what to do. Don't get me wrong: some pros are brilliant teachers, and these are usually people who are not winning a fortune on the Tour. They have learned to teach.

The thing is that to play golf well, when you have limited time to practice and play, you need a simple swing. We need to be able to repeat it easily, as we are not athletes. Just ordinary guys.

How you hold the club, how you stand

If you stand in the right position and hold the club the right way you are halfway there. If you don't get these things right you will not hit the ball well.

The first thing about the grip is that it is best for almost all of us to use an overlapping grip. If you are right-handed put the right hand on the grip, then overlap the little finger with the index finger - the one nearest the thumb - of your other hand.

This will feel odd if you are new to golf, but it works. Next, you lower the club to the ground. Look down at your left hand. You should be just able to see the third knuckle. If you can't you will swing too far out on the downswing, and have to pull the club back into the ball, resulting in a slicing action - the ball curves out to the right, losing lots of length.

Legs apart for a good foundation

How do you actually stand? Stand with your feet apart about as wide as your shoulders. The right foot should be at right angles to where you are hitting the ball - that is straight out in front of you - and the left foot should be turned about 10-15 degrees outward, toward the direction you are hitting.

Now stand up straight, lifting the club up, and make sure your shoulders are square. Then, lean forward, keeping your back straight till the club touches the ground just behind the ball. As you lean forward, so your knees will flex automatically to maintain balance. If they are straight up, then flex them a little. It is important that the knees are flexed and that your arms hang down more or less straight to the grip.

Now, make sure that the weight of your body is on the balls of your toes - not your heels. When you got that right, you are all set!

You need to practice getting in that position, with the grip right, and you are ready. In Part 2 of this article I will tell you the rest of the easiest way to swing a golf club.

Get good advice on golf plus the latest news at http://www.swingingagolfclub.com, run by John Hartley, who has been a student of golf and an avid golfer for many years, and has played amateur golf at a high level. Having had a lay-off for 20 years, he has been relearning the game, and so is the ideal person to pass on tips.

Golf Shoes - Get Spiked

The right golf shoe will save you strokes.

An army marches on its stomach so the saying goes. A golfer marches on his feet. You only have one pair of feet and they have to last a lifetime so look after them. A carefully chosen pair of golf shoes are a very wise investment on a par with a well chosen club.

A game of golf will involve walking around three and half miles and probably more once you take into account the trek from tee to green and the odd foray into the long stuff for a miss hit so it makes sense to select a shoe which will support your feet and cushion them on your round. Believe me you do not want to be nursing a sore heel or turned ankle for the last six holes, not only is it desperately uncomfortable but more importantly you will mess up your score card.

A good golf shoe will support your foot as you walk and also give you a firm foundation for your swing. A sliding foot whilst in the middle of your down swing is less than desirable and certainly can cause an injury, not only to your foot but to your knees, your groin or your back, which is a sore spot for a lot of golfers anyway

How to select a golf shoe

Shoes are made from a lot of different materials nowadays from textiles such as the trainer style to good old leather. The internals of the shoe are important too and this part known as the sock can play a large part in the overall comfort factor. Materials which incorporate breathability help to keep your foot cool in summer and warm in winter by wicking away the moisture that your foot produces

The shoe should fit without pinching straight away , don't think that you will "wear it in" you may do but if it is uncomfortable to start it is not the right shoe for your foot. It should support your instep and be firm in the sole whilst the heel must fit your heel and not be slack allowing your foot to slide around, this will be uncomfortable and indeed may lead to blisters. The front of the shoe is also very important, it should follow the contour of your foot .There should be room to wiggle your toes without feeling that your toe is pushed up to the top of the shoe.

The best tip a scout master gave me many years ago was wear two pairs of socks. They should preferably be natural fiber cotton or wool although modern micro fiber materials are available now and the can incorporate an anti fungal and anti-odor element. The layers will help keep your foot cool and dry and will prevent most blisters.

Now we know what to look for in the shoe we should consider the externals. A golf shoe will have studs, metal or plastic which are removable and replaceable. In winter or even in summer after a lot of rain metal studs or spikes will give you the most grip whether when walking or when playing, as said before a slip at either time can cause you a lot of grief. Do you want to risk it?.In summer and indeed on a few courses ,especially those in the drier areas, and for me that means Spain and Portugal "soft" spikes ,i.e. the plastic ,flatter variety are the only ones allowed due to the lower risk of damage to the greens. Give the green keepers a thought ,without them you would be teeing off in a field

How To Choose Clubs For A Round Of Golf

Many, not all, but many golfers struggle to decide what clubs best fit their bag. The answer is that it depends on your ability and what kind of course you're playing that day. Here are some tips

1. Get fit for clubs- After getting fit for my golf clubs, I discovered my current clubs were 3 degree too flat! This means I had to make compensations in my swing to make the ball go straight consistently. Think of all the time you may waste 'correcting' a bad swing when it may be your clubs

2. Replace long irons (4, maybe even 5, and up) with hybrid clubs. Unless you have a low single digit handicap, your swing is probably not consistent enough to hit long irons very well. Hybrids have the added benefit of getting up in the air rather quickly (and thus, landing softly) and helping you to chop through rough or fairway fringe more efficiently.

3. Add a wedge. I am surprised at how few golfers carry enough wedges. Invariably, the better golfers carry 3-4 wedges. These wedges (probably a PW, GW, SW, and LW) give a golfer a multitude of options around the green and inside 100 yards. 70% of your results will happen within this range, so be wise and get another wedge. (If pressed to choose 1, get the 60 degree wedge with low bounce)

4. If possible, find out the type of sand at the course. Although I hope you avoid the sand, often it is impossible. The think sole of a sand wedge with a lot of bounce will cut through fine sand better. Fine sand will cause the ball to sit in a 'fried egg' lie and thus will be difficult to cut under like a normal sand shot.

5. Check your driver loft. Many golfers have drivers with loft that is too low. Studies show that a higher launch often yields more in the way of distance. Unless you have a low single digit handicap, avoid drivers with less than 9.5 degrees of loft. This will have the added benefit of carrying the ball farther on the off chance you miss hit into the rough. Better to be closer to the hole, right?

6. Choose a putter- many people have several different putters. I think putting is mostly mental, so I would go with the one that feels that best that day. It's as simple as that. You will have more confidence and putt better. My better putting days are invariably those where I just "feel" on.

For more tips, visit www.squidoo.com/shootpar or My Golf Blog,

Quickly Improve Your Golf Swing

Do you need some golf swing tips? If you could use a few golf swing tips you have come to the right place.

Golf swing tips will help you with confidence as well as improve your game in general.

Golf swing tips #1: Find a way to talk to yourself in a positive way while golfing. Negative self-talk will not help you or your game.

Golf swing tips #2: Develop a good mental attitude, be tough.

Golf swing tips #3: Practice, practice, practice!

Golf swing tips #4: Learn how to perform in tough situations

Golf swing tips #5: Find golf swing aids that may be helpful

Golf swing tips #6: Spend a few sessions with a golf pro

Golf swing tips #7: Read some good books that offer golf swing tips and then practice them.

Golf swing tips #8: Watch a golf video and learn from the pros

Golf swing tips #9: Work on a few golf swing tips each week until you have mastered each one or at least improved.

Golf swing tips #10: Take lessons that concentrate on golf swings.

Golf swing tips #11: Use the “hitchhiker” position when working on your backswing. Try looking back at your thumb and making sure it is pointing to the sky like you are hitchhiking.

Golf swing tips #12: When you are working on your backswing keep your weight on the inside of your right foot. Also be sure to keep a slight bend in your knee.

Look these golf swing tips over and choose a few to work on before your next golf game or tournament.