Use the Hybrid to Cut Your Golf Handicap

While playing in my Friday foursome the other day, one member of the group pulled out his hybrid and said, I still don’t know what to use this club for. If you’re one of those players that has a hybrid but never uses it, you may want to rethink think that strategy. The hybrid is the most versatile club that can help chop strokes off your golf handicap, once you learn how and when to hit it.

In addition to being versatile, the hybrid expands your bag. It lets you additional clubs to your bag you didn’t have room for before. When you can only have a limited number of clubs, you need all the flexibility you can get. More importantly, adding extra clubs can dramatically change course strategy and cut strokes from your scores. This change in strategy is often the difference between conquering a course or it conquering you.

The hybrid has a loft from 16 degrees to 25 degrees, a low center-of-gravity, a slightly smaller head, and a lower profile. You don’t need to take golf lessons or read a lot of golf tips to learn to hit it, either. It’s fairly straightforward. You should be able to learn to hit it with a couple of trips to the practice range.

Use a normal posture and stance. Since the hybrid’s shaft is somewhat shorter, position the ball closer to the center of your stance. Use a smooth tempo and a full follow-through on most shots. In addition:

* Tee it up low off the tee. Ideally, you want the clubface covering most of the ball. Maybe a quarter of the ball rides above the clubface, but that’s it. Swing as if you’re hitting a fairway wood. Use a sweeping approach to the ball.

* Hit ball first and then take a small divot from the fairway. Also, stand closer to the ball. Hybrids have the look of a fairway wood, but the shaft of an iron (about 39 inches). You need to get closer to the ball than with a wood.

* Let your wrist do the work with a bump and run. The swing motion is a cross between a chip and a putt. Hinge your wrists a little. The farther the shot, the more wrist hinge you need. The ball jumps off the face of the club, so be careful.

Getting Out Of Trouble

The hybrid is also great for getting out of trouble. If you’re hitting from the rough, use a three-quarter backswing, hit down on the ball, and accelerate through it. Don’t try to kill the ball. Take an extra practice swing to gauge how the club cuts through the rough. You’ll be surprised how easy it does, much easier than other clubs.

If you need to punch out from somewhere, the hybrid is your club. The leading edge doesn’t get caught in the underbrush like an iron will. Grip down on the club an inch or two for more stability and play the ball off your back foot. Then make a three-quarter swing with your arms and shoulders, keeping your lower body quiet throughout.

The key to hitting from a fairway bunker is the angle of attack. You want to shallow out your swing. Assuming a good lie-the ball is sitting up on the sand-position the ball in the center of your stance. Dig your feet into the sand. Use a shorter swing and complete the follow-through. Again, don’t try to do too much. You just want to get back on the fairway and in position to make your next shot.

Adding the hybrid to your bag can dramatically change course strategy. One student added a hybrid to her bag to replace her long irons (2,3,4,) and then added a gap wedge (GW) and a loft wedge (LW). A gap wedge, with about 52 degrees of loft, sits in between a pitching wedge (PW) and a sand wedge (SW). A loft wedge has about 60 degrees of loft, while a flop wedge (FW), about 64 degrees.

Using the three-wedge system-PW, GW, SW- and varying swing lengths enabled this student to cover most, if not all of the shots, she faced from 100 yards in with more precision than the two-wedge system. It also was simpler and easier to learn than a four-or five-wedge system.

Thanks to this strategic change, the student chopped four strokes off her average score. She also cut her golf handicap from 16 to 14, without taking extra golf lessons. Other strategic changes are possible with the hybrid. You just have to be creative.

The hybrid is as close to a universal club as there is. You can almost use it to play an entire round, except perhaps for putting and getting out of sand traps. The hybrid also expands your bag. If you don’t have one, think about getting one. If you have one and don’t use it, you may want to start using it more. It could do wonders for your golf handicap.

3 Important Factors for Playing Better Golf

Golf is a rare game that can be as fun as it is frustrating and is completely addictive at the same time. It’s all wonderful once you master the game but getting there is a slow process that can be extremely frustrating. But, there’s no need to give up just yet, do these things to improve your game instead.

If you have never played golf before but are excited to start, you might be tempted to rush out and buy the most expensive and snazzy-looking golf clubs you can. However, this is the wrong thing to do if you have not played the game previously. In fact, your first few games of golf should be played with rental clubs until you determine whether or not you like the game. Why throw money out of the window before you are really sure that you like the game and want to continue playing it. If you have gotten hooked and have played a few games, then you might consider getting a set of customized golf clubs. Even though they are a bit pricey, they are well worth it because of the thickness of the grip to the length and the rigidity of the shaft.

The easiest approach to learning or improving your golf game is to hire a professional instructor. Since you are spending good money for his time, you really should take advantage of using your instructor.

This means that you need to check your shyness at the door and speak up. If something confuses you, then tell the instructor. You shouldn’t be afraid to tell them what your goals are and what problems you have been having. Also, try to stay relaxed. This is because if you are anxious, you will swing too fast and you can’t concentrate. You have to focus on the game and on the instructor, or you are wasting valuable time without learning anything.

You would be surprised how much you can improve your game if you visualize your shots. Just sit back and relax when you get the time. Think about the shot in your head from the time that you align the shot to the time the ball hits the green. If you apply this on a regular basis you will see that things are much better when you are playing the game. This is because you will have learned all that you have to know. You will get be able to instantly do it without thinking about it too much. Over thinking a shot is an error that a lot of newbies make. This prompts them to think twice about what they have done. As it turns out, they are so worried about making an error that it develops into a self-fulfilling prophecy. So in order to get around this, just think about your shots as much as you can. You will witness your game continue to get better.

It is obvious that there are many aspects in learning how to play golf and improve your game. Being persistent and dedicated are a good combination that will help you become a wonderful golf player. However, do not expect improvement overnight because even pros take years to become excellent. If you focus on the game, though, and remember to enjoy yourself and relax, you will find that your game will improve. This will happen consistently until you can be on the golf course and others are envious of you.

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Purchase NCAA Tennessee Volunteers Shaft Gripper Utility Headcover Best To Buy

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    Woods provide durability, flexibility

    New on the market: TaylorMade Golf’s RocketBallz metal woods.

    The scoop: Major challenges had to be surmounted to develop RocketBallz technology, including the need to create a durable yet flexible sole/face structure with a deep sole pocket. Additionally, engineers needed a deeper face design and low center of gravity to maintain excellent playability off turf. Lastly, the products needed a front-low CG without sacrificing playability and control.

    To achieve these qualities, the RocketBallz fairway woods and Rescues were developed with a high-strength 455 steel face plate welded to a cast body. They incorporate improved sole geometry and a “Speed Pocket” to improve overall head and face flexibility and a slightly deeper face with a further-forward CG location than traditional designs.

    RocketBallz fairway woods combine RocketBallz technology with increased face size, low CG location, advanced playability features and a lightweight shaft and grip.

    According to Taylormade, the combination of these elements promotes a remarkable increase in distance — better players will gain up to 17 yards. RocketBallz fairway heads are shaped more traditionally, compared to Burner Superfast fairways, yet are still extremely forgiving. The company lowered the CG and pulled it forward to promote a higher launch angle and lower spin-rate — launch conditions that promote greater distance.

    The incorporation of deeper face, low-and-forward CG and RocketBallz technology allowed TaylorMade to create the first steel fairway that reaches USGA/R&A speed limits.

    In addition, employing Pull-Face construction, and a high-strength 455 alloy steel face allowed us to combine high MOI with an exceptionally large face/hitting area, and more area for mis-hits above the center of the face. The flat, white crown color and black PVD face are designed to provide optimum contrast to make it easy to align the face accurately at address.

    What they cost: All of the RocketBallz fairway woods and RocketBallz Rescues are available on Feb. 3. They range in price from $179 to $329 depending on the club and shaft chosen.

    Aldila VS Proto – NV Shaft on Steroids

    Aldila has characterized the Aldila VS Proto shaft as a NV shaft on steroids. The NV which continues to enjoy immense popularity, is the predecessor of the VS Proto. And there is evidence that the popularity of the VS Proto seen today equals or even surpasses the NV, especially amongst the more accomplished player. Let’s look at what makes this shaft so popular.

    Aldila introduced the VS Proto in May of 2006′ and has been a reckoning force since. Many of the top tour players immediately gravitated toward and began winning with the VS Proto shortly after its introduction. Aldila laid claim that the new VS Proto was their best shaft to date. The comment from Aldila certainly raised some eyebrows since the shaft maker already had a major piece of the market with their successful NV, NVS and DVS lines.

    What are some of the characteristics of the VS Proto? The shaft features Aldila’s exclusive Next-Generation Micro Laminate Technology (MLT), Carbon Nano Tubes combined with a propriety A65 performance resin system. In addition, the straight tapered tooling of the VS Proto eliminates dead zones found in the majority of shafts today. The claim by Aldila, is that the patented features allow for an unparalleled performance and power. Because of the high modulus graphite fibers found in the shaft, the responsiveness and feel is unmatched.

    Why is the VS Proto popular? Well, there are probably a number of reasons that make the VS Proto popular. In addition to the obvious performance improvements which culminated from 2 years of research. Continued improvements were made to the already successful Micro-Laminate Technology. Lastly, Aldila cleverly marketed the VS Proto adding By You to the name. The marketing seemed to work — the VS Proto made a big splash onto the scene, one that it continues to enjoy today.

    What type of player will benefit from the VS Proto? The shaft is designed for the higher skilled player that can generate adequate club head speed. The VS Proto will have a slightly higher launch angle than the NV and is designed for the larger club heads.

    Aldila certainly pulled out a win with the VS Proto. It is a permanent fixture on the PGA and Nationwide Tours. It continues to grow in popularity with the recreational player as well. If you haven’t checked out the Aldila VS Proto, you owe it to yourself before your next shaft upgrade.

    Golf Putting Tip – How To Choose The Best Putter For You

    Of all the golf putting tips out there, this is probably the best

    You must choose a putter that is perfect for you.

    But how do choose the perfect putter? Firstly remember that what might be the best putter for you might not be the best putter for someone else. You need to make sure you’ve got the best putter for you.

    So, how should you choose a putter?

    GOLF PUTTING TIP #1 – FIND YOUR LOCAL PGA QUALIFIED GOLF PRO

    PGA golf pros are by far the most qualified guys to help you find your perfect putter. You’ll find a PGA pro at your local golf course.

    GOLF PUTTING TIP #2 – MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TYPE OF PUTTER

    There are primarily three main types of putter and it’s crucial that you choose the right type.

    2. ’45 Degree Balanced’ Putters

    Both of these types are designed for people that ‘open’ the club face slightly on the backswing and close the face when they swing the putter through to the target.

    3. ‘Face Balanced’ Putter

    These are designed for people that don’t change the angle of the club face as they take it back and swing through the ball.

    GOLF PUTTING TIP #3 – CHOOSE THE CORRECT ‘OFFSET’

    After the type of putter, this is the next most important factor. When you are holding an offset putter and looking down ready to putt, it will appear that the shaft of the putter is slightly in front of the club head. This promotes the golfer to have their hands just in front of the ball at impact, and this is ideal for good putting.

    Not all putters are offset, and again by looking at your putting stroke the golf pro will be able to see if you need an offset putter.

    GOLF PUTTING TIP #4 – CHECK HOW THE PUTTER FEELS

    Feel is made up from a combination of factors including the style, the colour, the type of materials used, weight and the grip.

    Although many of them are emotional factors, they are still incredibly important. What does the putter feel like when you strike the putt. Does it feel hard or soft?

    GOLF PUTTING TIP #5 – DOES IT MAKE YOU CONFIDENT

    When you are holding the putter does it give you confidence?

    GOLF PUTTING TIP #6 – TECHNOLOGY AND ALIGNMENT AIDS

    Putters these days come in all shapes and sizes, and are made from many different materials. Many putters have an insert in the face made of metal, rubber, ceramics or even glass Many putters have alignment aids on them to help you ensure you are lined up correctly, and we would recommend that your putter has these.

    GOLF PUTTING TIP #7 – REPUTATION

    We recommend you choose a putter from a company with a good reputation.

    Lastly for most people PRICE is a factor.

    It’s unlikely that a $300 putter will be twice as good as a $150 putter, and how would you measure this? Will you hole twice as many putts with the $300 putter? I doubt it.

    If you follow these golf putting tips and don’t get side-tracked by a pushy sales guy, you will ensure you walk out of the shop with the best putter for your game.

    Buying a New Golf Driver

    The world of today’s golf drivers out there is crazy. With brands such as TaylorMade, Callaway, Ping, Titleist, Mizuno, Srixon, Adams, Cleveland and Nike providing an endless option of drivers to choose from, we tend to get lost. I would like to make it a little bit easier for you to make your selection by understanding what to look for when buying or selecting a driver. You have 3 major factors (there are more factors but for 95% of today’s golfers this is irrelevant), driver club head, Shaft and the Loft of the club head.

    First you need to find a driver club head that fits your look and feel, as most of the drivers of today are sold with separate club head and shaft. Most of the driver club heads do have a characteristics which fit good for some people and bad for other people. This you need to try out in order to find the perfect match. Most of the time I would suggest to use a driver that looks similar to your old one so it will not be too much of a difference when getting a new driver. Some might want to have a complete change and in this case you should not look at your old driver as it will be easy to fall back to the same look and feel as you are used to it and your swing has adapted it self to your old driver. Most famous brands (Taylormade, Callaway, Mizuno, Ping, Titleist, Adams, Cleveland, Cobra and Nike) provide a selection of driver club heads to choose from that might fit your needs.

    Now that you have found your driver club head (hopefully), the next step should be to find your shaft. Most of the famous brands in golf (TaylorMade, Callaway, Mizuno, Ping, Titleist, Adams, Cleveland, Cobra and Nike) carry a huge selections of shafts that can be mounted on the club head of your choice. Using this custom fit model you will be able to find the shaft that suits your need best. There is a simple way to select a shaft and there is a hard way. I prefer the simple way. The standard flex of the shaft is categorised in x-stiff, stiff, regular and this should be the rule you should follow. Now what flex should you have?

    This is strongly dependent on you swing speed and in some cases the brand of the shaft. If you have a swing speed of 85 Mph or more you generally should have a stiff shaft and if you have less then 85 Mph you should go for regular shaft. This can vary from shaft maker as some makers do have harder stiff shafts then other makers stiff shaft and same goes for regular shaft. If you have a previous shaft that you preferred you should take a similar characteristics of the new shaft. Some custom fitter might tell you about torque, tip and kick point of the shaft. Those terms are related to how the shaft behaves when hitting the ball. The only thing you need to tell your fitter is how you hit the ball and what is your weakness when miss hitting the driver. As most brands in golf club making do not make their own shafts they have a cooperation with famous shaft brands. The most famous shaft brands are Mitsubishi Rayon, Fujikura, Aldila, UST Mamiya and Accra. Most golf club makers have all these shaft brands in their custom fit options.

    Now you have got a driver club head that you are happy with and a shaft that suits your swing speed. When you get fitted for a shaft you automatically will choose a loft, the reason for putting extra weight on the loft of the club is that it can really change your length and the way your ball fly. You need to take into account that more loft might give you a longer carry but not increase you total length of your driver. Is that what you want? You need to ask yourself what you need in order to be happy with your driver. The loft of the club head also have an impact on what shaft you have chosen. Some shafts make the ball fly lower while other shafts make the ball fly higher. Important is to choose the shaft that feels good and then adjust the loft accordingly.

    The price for the driver might be more then you expect with all the custom fit options you choose, however it might be the best golf club in your bag and might produce great rounds of golf. With this in mind the driver might be the most important club in your bag as it will give lots of confidence and this can help your other part of the game.

    Looking for Driver Shafts – Defying Conventional Wisdom

    If you read any of the popular golf magazines, you know that low handicappers are told to look for shafts that have low torque and a little more weight for stability. Ultra light shafts with higher torque are supposed to be aimed squarely at slow swing speed players.

    So it was surprising to read that Stuart Appleby was using a Fujikura Six in his driver. His clubs were profiled in one of Golf Digest’s What’s in My Bag features.

    The Fujikura Six is a 55 gram shaft with about 4.5* of torque. Not many club fitters would put a player like Appleby in that shaft. You might have even toyed with the idea of using a super light, but just couldn’t bring yourself to try one.

    Last year Appleby averaged a little over 300 yards per drive. And that gets your attention. I was already using fairly light driver shafts, so I started experimenting with super lights to see if there was something to it.

    Super light shafts do work. if you pick the right flex.

    Extremely light shafts play softer than advertised flex, so you need to go with stiffer flex readings to get them to perform.

    I didn’t use a Fujikura Six, but did try an MCC/Apache MFS 50+. After dialing in the flex I was able to add some distance instantly. Another benefit? I found no drop off in accuracy.

    So, exactly what do you have to do to make a super light work?

    Well, besides using a stiffer flex, boosting your driver’s swingweight so you can feel the clubhead is critical. You don’t need a very heavy shaft to maintain stability, but you do need to feel the clubhead during the swing if you want to stay in the short grass.

    The only downside? You won’t be playing these shafts at shorter lengths. They’re simply too light. If you struggle with accuracy, go with a heavier shaft at a shorter length for control. Otherwise, give one a whirl and see if you don’t pick up a few extra yards.

    Now, here’s another shaft type better players seem to avoid.

    .350 tip driver shafts – only for mid to high handicappers?

    Have you ever wondered what the differences are between the drivers tour pros use, as opposed to what you usually play?

    Aside from the fact that tour vans customize clubs for pros under contract, there is one thing many manufacturers do that separates the consumer product from the tour preferred kind.

    If you check out a lot of stock, off-the-rack drivers, and TaylorMade is a good example of this, you’ll notice that they use .350 tip shafts instead of the smaller .335 tip shafts.

    Look carefully at their different driver models, and you’ll discover that their Tour Issue, or Tour Preferred drivers, are designed to be used with .335 tip shafts.

    A lot of better players turn their noses up at .350 tip shafts and won’t play them. There are a couple of reasons they feel this way:

    First, few if any tour pros use them. The claim is that .335 tip shafts deliver better feel with more responsiveness.

    Second, manufacturers use them in their consumer products because they’re more rugged and cut down on breakage and returns. That is true. I’ve noticed they do hold up better with fast swing speed players.

    After working with these shafts for a while, I’ve found no evidence to support the claim that .335 tip shafts feel better.

    More importantly? I’ve noticed that low handicappers can’t distinguish between .350 tip versus .335 tip shafts in the same drivers. They feel virtually the same. The only negligible difference? The .350 tip shaft may play a hair stiffer.

    The take-away message? Don’t always wait for tour pros to start using a product before you try something new yourself. They’re notorious for being late adopters, and they’re slow to make changes in their set makeup.

    A little experimentation is a good thing. At the end of the day? You’re the only one who’s going to know what equipment works best for your game.

    Ladies Golf Club Covers Keep Fashion at the Forefront

    Increasingly, women are realizing the fun and challenge of playing a game of golf. Many manufacturers are beginning to cater to a woman’s particular needs for clothing, shoes, and accessories. It is only natural, then, that there are special ladies’ golf club covers offered by a variety of companies such as Nike and Adidas.

    The choice of color, style, and patterns in ladies’ golf club covers is nearly limitless. Female golfers can take their fashion sense out on the golf course by finding the perfect set of covers for their clubs.

    A Great Selection Online

    The internet is one of the best places to find the greatest selection of ladies’ golf club covers. Such websites as Hundreds of Ladies Covers For Fun offer a myriad of designs and even licensed characters such as Winnie the Pooh. Bella.com is another site offering ladies’ golf club covers which are a bit more subdued. They resembled the same covers made for men but in more feminine colors and fabrics.

    If you are a crafty type, you may want to make your own ladies’ covers for the ultimate in personalization. These are the basic instructions for sewing a set which will be uniquely your own.

    One cover will require about half a yard of cloth. The material can be anything you wish, but keep in mind its ability to withstand weather and sun. Heavier fabrics will hold up better. You will also need matching thread, a zipper and a sewing machine if you prefer not to sew by hand.

    Start by measuring the head of your golf club including the width and the length to the area on the shaft where you want the cover to end. For a more fitted look on this ladies’ cover, make additional measurements and draw a pattern on a piece of paper which follows the dimensions. Start at the widest part of the head of the golf club, down to the next widest section, and finally at the place where the head meets the shaft.

    Trace your pattern on the cloth and cut it out twice, so you have two pieces. Sew together the insides and add a zipper, if you desire. Stitch a quick hem then turn it right side out.

    Whether you choose to buy a set ready made or sew your own, finding ladies’ golf club covers which ideally suit your personality should be easy.

    Cheap Golf Club Set a Better Deal For Beginners

    Whether you are new to the game of golf or have just become interested in the sport, it may be financially more responsible if you look into buying yourself a cheap golf club set just in case you lose interest in the game. Many times a big brand name can break the budget of a new golfer only just to find they truly stick at the game. And thus, the bag containing metal sticks worth several hundreds of dollars sit in the far end of a garage collecting dust, with little hope of recovering their investment.

    It should not be too difficult to find yourself a cheap golf club set to start out with, at least until you find out that you are going to maintain interest in the game. There are many discount retailers who sell a cheap golf club set, especially for those getting started on the sport and often have sales at the end of the season. These types of sets can be especially appealing if a young player shows great interest in the sport, and can be used as a starter set.

    Many cheap golf club sets will include irons from three to nine, a putter, a drive and two fairway woods, typically a three and a five. While they don’t usually carry a brand name as seen on the professional golfer’s tour, they can be of a quality that will last through a couple of seasons at least.

    Things To Look For In A Cheap Set Of Clubs

    One of things to look for when buying a cheap golf club set is to see how the grips of the clubs feel in your hands. There are several different grades of grips, and tends to wear our throughout the season. The first season of play shouldn’t pose too much of a problem for you, but be sure you consider to replace the grips the following year if you end up using the same cheap golf clubs set. They should be soft to the touch yet sturdy enough to grip tightly.

    How the club heads are attached to the shaft is equally important, as you might end up with the head flying off the next time you take swing a from your cheap golf club set. Although unlikely, with some of the cheaper sets they have been known to fly down the fairway further than the ball itself. There should also be an indicator on the grip that points to the center of the club head, to help achieve proper alignment when addressing the ball.