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Golf Posture – Your Foundation for A Great Swing
As a kid, I heard it all the time. “Straighten up!”…I was told when they caught me slouching. Well, “straightening up” is not quite the tight thing in your golf but I’m sure you’re not surprised to discover that your posture is crucial in ensuring consistency and power in your strokes. What’s more when you embody, my “3 Tenets of Great Golf Posture” you’ll enjoy a more relaxed, easy comfort through 18 holes of play…
P for Posture – Your swing is a whole body phenomenon involving your feet, your legs, your hips, your trunk, your arms, your shoulders etc. You need good flexion, stability, strength, rotation in the hip, knees and torso in order to effectively result in perfect contact between the club and the ball. Proper posture is the framework that brings it all together and it’s crucial to executing a killer swing. Here are some pointers that will help you guarantee that posture is not the weak link in your game.
Start from a relaxed upright posture, with your ears over your shoulders and knees slightly bent. It is very important during your golf posture to maintain the space between your head and your chest so that you allow easy rotation of your shoulders. Now let’s talk a little “spine angle”.
Spine Angle is the angle that your torso makes with the ground. Bend at the waist while keeping your torso and spine straight. You’ll need an angle of about 30-45 degrees depending on your height and the length of your club. The taller you are and the shorter your club, the more spine angle you’ll need. To complete your posture, simply flex your knees so that your head comes over your feet. You will engage the most powerful muscles of your body – your leg muscles. You are now perfectly set to take a power shot with optimal comfort. And what’s more, because this posture is congruent with the natural bio-mechanics of your body, you can do it over and over through the course of 18 holes without the fatigue, the aches and the pains that come from improper use of your body.
Maintain a Consistent Spine Angle through the full range of your stroke and you will be delighted to produce a great shot. Keep your eye on the ball as you swing and notice how your posture changes. Be sure to keep your head up and maintain your viewing position by appropriate flexion of the hip and knee joints. Keep your spine straight at all costs. Bending the spine causes the chest to collapse and the neck and shoulders to rotate forwards and inwards. This not only distorts the natural arc of your swing but it makes it difficult to turn your head through the range of motion required to keep your eye on the ball. The accuracy of your shot goes to hell in a hand basket. So keep your back straight and you’ll maintain a solid base from which you can accurately aim those long drives.
Core Stability and Flexibility is the key, and a little practice on the core stability ball with some simple yoga or Pilates exercises can help you develop these much needed attributes for a great golf swing. Abdominal crunches are an excellent exercise for developing core strength and endurance. But that’s a subject for another article.
The 3 Tenets – So the next time you’re enjoying a gorgeous, sunny round on the fairway, be sure to practice the “3 Tenets of Great Golf Posture”, keep your back straight, adjust your spine angle by hinging at the hip and most important, keep it constant through the execution of your swing. You can look forward to hitting, longer, further and with more accuracy. What’s more you’ll feel great at the end of the day with far fewer aches and pains from improper posture.
Posted: October 26th, 2009
at 11:03pm by admin
Tagged with Foundation, Golf, golf Swing, GREAT, Posture
Categories: Driving range
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Organize your eyes to hit great golf shots
As complicated as golf has been made to appear it is really only an eye to hand game that involves using a stick( golf club) a ball and your creative genius. Having learned from some of the greatest players that ever lived ie. Ben Hogan, Jimmy Demaret, Jackie Burke and numerous others I can tell you that they kept it simple.
The Ben Hogan that everyone reads about is nothing like the man that I knew growing up at Champions golf club in Houston, Texas. Mr. Hogan used to come there often to see his mentor Jimmy Demaret and get advice on his game. During a few of these trips I had the opportunity to get to know Mr. Hogan and ask him questions about how to play my best.
He made it clear that you had to play golf by feel utilizing your own ability to control the golf club in your hands while using your eyes to guide the hands both into the setup and throughout the swing. Mr. Hogan told me that trying to imitate him or any other golfer was not only a waste of time but would doom me to failure.
Through watching some of his practice sessions I can tell you Hogan
Posted: October 25th, 2009
at 11:47pm by admin
Tagged with eyes, Golf, GREAT, Organize, Shots
Categories: Golf Tournament
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Great Golf Courses Across America
One of the most beautiful aspects of the game of golf is the variance between playing terrains. There are great courses, and there are terrible ones, but there’s a world of new playing experiences available to you. In this article, we’ll highlight some of the top places to play golf across America.
- Pebble Beach Golf Links is one course that has received much critical acclaim. Located in Pebble Beach, California, the course has brought class and elegance to the game of golf since its inception in 1919. It was ranked the number one public golf course in America in Golf Digest’s 2005 list. The terrain is a thing of beauty, with holes cutting across ragged coastline and the great Pacific Ocean being incorporated into most holes. Spanning 6,737 yards, this 72-par course has been host to numerous golfing events throughout the years, with the 2000 U.S. Open Championships being held the most recently at the course.
- Located in Pinehurst, North Carolina is the Pinehurst Resort and Country Club. This historic golfing locale has been around since 1895, and features 8 separate golf courses, allowing for much diversity in play. Spanning over 2,000 acres, you can spend weeks just getting used to the different courses. A wonderful place to vacation, Pinehurst also features much in the way of accommodations and recreation.
- Shadow Creek is a golf course located in North Las Vegas. Designed by an architect of much critical acclaim named Tom Brizio, the course is featured in an extravagant package that you can purchase at one of Vegas’s MGM Mirage properties. Upon setting your tee time, a private limousine will pick you up at the hotel and transport you to the course. The landscape of the course is highlighted by beautiful scenes, with waterfalls, creeks and mountains dotting the landscape. Be sure to check out the 18th hole at Shadow Creek; it is a trademark of the beauty and careful thought that went into creating the course.
These are merely a few of the best public courses throughout America. There are hundreds of wonderful courses out there, and as a golfer, you’re encouraged to make at least a few pilgrimages to the beautiful courses our land has to offer.
Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including Golf, Recreation, and Games
Posted: October 25th, 2009
at 7:06pm by admin
Tagged with Across, America, Courses, Golf, GREAT
Categories: golf course
Comments: No comments
2009 Is A Great Year For Golf – And The Perfect Time To Take A Golf Break
2009 Is A Great Year For Golf – And The Perfect Time To Take a Golf Break
If you are a golf fan, then you are likely to know 2009 has been a much anticipated year, with the comeback of Tiger Woods to the circuit and an exciting US open championship forecast. If you are enjoying this exciting and golden year for golf, why not capture your enthusiasm by taking a relaxing golf break?
We all get swept along in sport fever – whether it’s an increase in people taking to the courts during Wimbledon, or children racing to the local swimming pool following the olympics. The great thing about a golf break is you can combine a couple of days on the green, with a relaxing stay at a luxury hotel – it’s time to get excited about this year of golf highlights.
Get Swept Along And Enjoy A Golf Break
Following a knee injury, Tiger Woods took some time out to rest and recover and has made a return to the professional circuit in 2009. Failing to win the Masters in April has meant all eyes are now on him for the US Open as the defending champion aims to win his 15th major title – will he perform under the pressure?
New players Anthony Kim, Camillo Villegas and big character John Daly are all set to play more on the European circuit, as America struggles with the recession and European prize funds increase. There is alot of buzz surrounding Kim and Villegas, and they are both ones to watch for the future.
New to 2009, the end of season tournament played in the desert of Dubai will earn the winner a whopping $3,666,660, which makes it the world’s most lucrative tournament. It remains to be seen whether it will prove popular with viewers and players – so far Woods and Mickelson have failed to sign up.
If you are English, you will be waiting with baited breath for an English major winner – it is 13 years since an Englishman won a major tournament (Nick Faldo at the 1996 masters). There are many players who are good enough to compete with the best, however they are all earning a very decent living without winning anything perhaps not giving them the impetus they need – Justin Rose, Luke Donald and Paul Casey to name a few. 2009 could be the year they step up and start making an impression.
Don’t just watch, play!
There are certainly some exciting events to look forward to in the golf world, and if you are a fan you will be following your favourite players and tuning into all of the big tournaments. If you are inspired to play more, book a golf break at a luxury hotel to get into the spirit of things, improve your swing and look forward to the next season.
Harvey is passionate about getting you the best travel deals possible.
Posted: October 23rd, 2009
at 12:10am by admin
Tagged with 2009, Break, Golf, GREAT, Perfect, Take, Time, Year
Categories: Driving range
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