Golf Beginner Basics: Putting

Greetings golf beginner! Today we will talk about putting.

"Drive for show, putt for dough" is the lesson we’ve
all seen and learned from watching professional
golfers in every tournament and championship.

The masters of golf can drive a ball from here to
eternity, but it all boils down to how many strikes of
the ball it takes to put the ball in the hole. The
long accurate drives don’t amount to anything if
you’re unable to putt accurately.

Choosing a putter is important, but using whatever
putter you have consistently is more so. I’ve had the
same putter for fifteen years; I know what it feels
like in my hand, I know its weight and how that plays
into my putts.

Putting takes lots of practice. Typically, we drive
the ball eighteen times in a game, but putt at least
double that number. Doesn’t it stand that we should
practice our putting at least twice as much as
driving? If you can’t get to the practice green
regularly, practice on your carpet at home.

Keep in mind that no ball can make it into the hole if
it doesn’t have enough power behind the ball to get
there. Take the time to get down and look at the path
from your ball to the hole; does it slant one way or
the other? Is it uphill or downhill?

Stand with your feet spread for balance and line up
the putt. Keep you hands, arms and shoulders
completely still; imagine that you are a "bobble head"
but you move from just below your chest. Keep your
head directly over the ball. Pull your club back; keep
your hands, wrists, arms and shoulders steady-the
movement comes from your chest. Hit the ball,
following it with your club.

Learn from each putt and remember the lesson.
And whether your a grizzled veteran or a golf beginner -
Practice, practice, practice!

Golf Beginner's Inbtroduction to the Short Game

Even if you are a complete golf beginner, Im sure you have seen
the long accurate drives of Tiger
Woods. The ball flies through the air and lands in the
middle of the fairway, 300 yards away.

The green-eyed monster of envy consumes us as we
wonder if we could ever hope to drive like that.
Fortunately, long drives are not the be-all-end-all
game of golf.

Enter the short game. Without good short game skills,
all the long drives are for naught.

The short game is those shots that get us onto the
green from about one hundred feet out, be it from the
fairway, a bunker, the rough or a drop zone and
includes chips, sand shots and pitches.

This is where your higher numbered clubs would be
used, as well as your pitching iron, sand wedge or lob
wedge.

Most golf courses have practice areas as well as a
driving range. Spend some time working on hitting your
ball onto the green from different distances. Aim for
a ten-foot circle in the center of the green at first.
Experiment using your wedges; what works for someone
else, might not work for you and your particular
swing.

After you get accustomed to doing this drill
consistently, it’s time to spend some time in a sand
trap. Knowing how to get the ball out of a trap will
cut your score.

Plant your feet firmly into the sand, with your left
foot turned toward the hole. Imagine a 4-inch circle
around the ball and try to hit the edge of the circle
that is away from the ball.

Take lots of sand with your ball and swing completely.
Don’t decelerate at all when or after you hit the
ball. It should pop up onto the green and stop. This
doesn’t work unless the sand is very soft and powdery.
On hard surfaces, you might need to avoid actually
hitting the sand.

As in all aspects of the game, only practice will help
you to improve as a golf beginner.

Golf Beginner Guide: Learning the Long Game

Just in case you are a golf beginner and don't know the terms yet -
the long game refers to your drives (shots off the
tee) and fairway shots; everything short of the shots
you make to get onto the green.

Each hole has a different difficulty level, different
par and distinctive hazards, so instructing you to use
your Driver on every tee would be blatantly wrong.

This is something you will learn over time as you
learn the various shots you make according to the
club, the placement of the ball and your personal
swing.

Generally speaking, the lower the club number, the
longer and lower your ball will go. A 4-iron shot will
travel long and low and will most likely roll, whereas
a 9-iron shot will have much more loft and go less
distance both in the air and on the ground.

The professionals on television make it look so easy;
they consistently hit the ball long and straight and
never miss-hit the ball making it dribble ten feet, or
completely miss the ball.

Driving is very important to the game, and many hours
spent at the driving range will help improve your
distance. Experiment with the same club to see what
works for you if you move the ball forward or backward
in your stance. Take a lesson, if possible, and learn
the proper swing from the beginning.

So remember as a golf beginner that mastering the
long game helps you get to the green in
fewer strokes, keeping your score and frustration
level down. Remember that it takes a long time to
learn consistency and remember to have fun!