I decided to begin this series of free online golf tips & instructions with the lessons and methods my grandfather taught. My grandfather was a Golf Professional for nearly 50 years and his career highlights include qualifying for two U.S. Opens and being invited to play in the British Open. Although golf instruction has come a long way since my grandfather's time, these golf lessons still provide very important fundamentals to be learned and remembered. Sometimes the best golf lessons come in the simplest form and are made easier to understand and execute. The following instructions have been taken from my grandfather's notes entitled, "Improve Your Golf". I am happy to share these with anyone wanting to learn how to play golf, or revisit the basic fundamentals of the game.
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Golf Tips Free Online For Better Golf
Golf Tips Free: Improve Your Golf - Introduction
Golf is a sport that is played for a lifetime. It is played in the countryside and sometimes they call it "cow pasture pool", but what other game can you be out in the fresh air and the sun enjoying the beauty of nature.
Golf is enjoyable, competitive and brings out the character in a human being. Anyone can learn to play golf with a little patience and practice.
Golfer's have more excuses than Carters has liver pills why they don't practice, so here is the easiest, most simplest formula to good golf and lower scores.
The basics of the golf swing i.e. grip, stance, ball position, distance you stand from the ball at address, setup at ball, swing (back & down) and follow through are the most important to understand and develop if you want a sound game and shoot a good game.
Golf Tips Free: Improve Your Golf - Grip
There are three grips; Vardon Over-lapping, Interlocking and the Finger Grip.
The Vardon Over-Lapping Grip is:
The left hand is the same for any grip, that is with the heel of the left hand is on top of the grip on the shaft with firm pressure on the little finger. This will help keep left arm firm. Right hand is gripped lightly with club laying in fingers and thumb favoring the left side with a "V" between thumb and first finger pointing towards the right ear. Both hands must work as one having more pressure and control with the left hand. A little waggle of the club back and forth will help develop feel before the swing.
The Interlocking Grip:
Is the same as the Over-Lapping Grip except you interlock your little finger of your right hand with the first finger of your left hand. This grip is good for short fingers.
The Finger Grip:
Is done with all your fingers wrapped around the grip with no over-lap or interlock. This grip is not recommended unless your have troubles with the Vardon and Interlocking Grips.
Note: The grip and waggle can always be practiced at home and this will help you keep a feel for gripping the club correctly.
Golf Tips Free: Improve Your Golf - Setup & Address At Ball For Proper Swing
Your setup at address will be an important part of starting your swing with proper stance, ball position and distance from the ball.
Stance: will vary with clubs as you move from short irons to long irons, but ball is consistently played inside your left heel (right heel if you're a lefty). What should happen with your stance is you should start with your feet approximately 12" apart with your 9-iron and gradually widen your stance with each club until you get to about a shoulder-width stance with your driver. Also, you need to have a slightly open stance with your shorter irons (7-p.w.) and a square stance with your long irons and woods (3-6 irons, fairway woods, driver). A slightly open stance is when you pull your left foot and side back just a bit from the ball to slightly turn the front of your body towards your target. A square stance is when you can draw a line across the tips of your feet and the line will lead straight to your target. After you are properly aligned at address with your feet, it is good to turn your left foot slightly pointed out. This will help stabilize your weight when you finish your swing.
Direction: for a shot is an important factor of your address to the ball. Your shoulders should be parallel to the line of flight you are swinging for. It is better to feel slightly aimed left of your target (body open to target) than aimed right of target (body closed to target).
Distance From The Ball: is key for consistency and is measured by standing straight up at address with your left arm hanging straight down in front of your left leg, fingers on left hand are cupped slightly and the butt of the grip of the club is laying across your index and middle fingers only. If it is into your ring finger, you are too close; if it is only up to your index finger, you are too far away from the ball. This pattern will place you at the proper distance from the ball every time and allow for you to make a more consistent swing. This method should be used with every club. Only with chipping and of course putting will you stand closer to the ball.
After checking your distance, remain with your body straight up, grip the club and bend over at the waist only until the club head is placed behind the ball. Then, slightly bend the knees keeping 70% of your weight support towards the front of your feet and toes. Finally, make sure your head is positioned just behind the ball with a slight tilt towards the right. This is where you head should be at impact for maximum control and distance.
Golf Tips Free: Improve Your Golf - Swing Is The Thing
The swing begins with your setup at the ball with the proper grip, stance, ball position, proper distance from the ball, weight and head position as we discussed previously. When you are ready to swing the club, it is encouraged that you waggle the club first. This will help with rhythm and grip pressure as your grip should be secured, but not too firm. The majority of your grip pressure should be with the last 3 fingers of the left hand (middle, ring, small). These 3 fingers are where you should feel most of your control from when pushing the club back and pulling the club through the shot.
Your head is the hub of your swing and you must swing with your arms and body moving together under your head with a one piece motion back and through the shot; maintaining a easy, controlled rhythm & balance. This is done by turning your left shoulder down towards the ball with the club head's path going back inside slightly,
and with your hips coiling in unison with your shoulders as you turn and bring the club up to the top of your swing. Your wrists should feel firm at the top of your swing and your left arm should be fairly straight. Once you have completed your backswing, your first move should be with your legs and hips with your weight shifting towards your left side and pulling your arms back down though the downswing. Arms and body still moving together following the same inside-out path you began your swing with. As you continue to pull through your shot, you should feel your wrists release (roll back over) as you make contact with the ball, keeping your head still and feeling the clubhead continue out towards your target. As you finish your swing, your body continues to turn and face your target as you bring the club up at your target and then around the backside of your neck. As you are shifting your weight from your right to left side, your right foot continues to turn up up onto the toe as you finish. It is very important to finish up on your right toe, otherwise you cannot rotate your hips out of the way of your swing, causing you to lose proper form and power.
Golf Tips Free: Improve Your Golf - Pitching & Chipping
In pitching, you are using a higher lofted club like a pitching wedge, sand iron, or a 9-iron, because you need loft to get the ball higher in the air so it lands on the green and holds. The ball should be in the center of your stance and you should always execute a pitch shot with a "more club less swing" mentality. Determine the conditions and decide which shot will be best. If the greens are hard that day, you should be hitting bump and run shots. Bump and run is when you take a club with less loft, like a 7 iron, and hit a low and controlled shot to the front of the green so it will bounce and run up to the cup. If the greens are wet and slow, you need to get the ball closer to the hole in the air. Don't try and hit the ball on an upswing, take a higher lofted club, drive through the ball and let the loft do the work, this puts backspin on the ball. Hitting the ball with an upswing will put topspin on the ball and it will roll well past the hole after it hits the green.
Chipping is similar to putting as you must always hit through the ball with a controlled swing and keeping your head anchored. From just off the green, you should use a club with less loft than a sand wedge. Experiment using an 8, 7, 6, 5 iron. This will allow you to hit the chip more like a putt, landing it part way and allowing it to roll to the hole.
Golf Tips Free: Improve Your Golf - Putting
Putting requires a touch for speed and distance to the cup. There are many different styles of grips and you should experiment to find the right one for you. A basic putting grip is similar to a swing grip, but you should rotate your left hand under more to have the back of your left hand facing the cup.
For a basic putting address and stance, ball should be in the middle of your stance and your head should be directly over the ball. Elbows pointing out, left elbow at target. Shoulders should be parallel to the ground. You feet should be in line to your target(draw an imaginary line across the tips of your feet and the line should continue towards the target).
With putting, precision is key. The slightest movement with your head during your stroke can cause the putter face to open or close and redirect your putt. You must focus on the back of the ball through impact; keeping your head anchored.
Tips: Great putters know how to read greens for break and speed. They will be reading the green before they even walk onto it. As you are walking towards the green, study the contours and undulations it has. From a distance, it is much easier to see if the green is tilted a certain way, so take notice as you are walking up to it.
Keep in mind that putts will typically break away from sand traps and break towards water. This is because architects will purposely build the ground up around traps so they drain away from the green; and they will slope the green and surrounding area towards a body of water so any runoff will drain into it.
When reading your putt, take notice of the grain of the grass and what direction it is laying. If it is laying away from you, your speed will be a little faster than if it is laying towards you. Grain can also influence break because it acts as a guide for the ball when it is rolling, so if it is laying in the same direction of your break, count on the ball breaking faster and play it out from the hole a bit more. If the grain is against your break, you should aim for a little less break.
Golf Tips Free: Improve Your Golf - Execute The "Trouble" Shot
Side Hill Lie: It is difficult to hit a straight shot from a side hill lie. The ball position will dictate the flight of the ball and you should play for either a slice (left to right) or a draw (right to left) depending on the lie.
Ball above feet - When the ball is higher than your feet, play a draw (right to left) shot. Stand a little further from the ball and aim right of your target. The ball should be in the middle of your stance. For a severe uphill lie use more club, grip further down on the club and make a shorter swing. Control is the key to this shot and you should be thinking of just getting the ball back in play, or if you are close enough to the green play a bump and run shot (land the ball short and let it run up on the green).
Ball below feet - When the ball is below the feet, play a slice (left to right). Stand closer to the ball and flex your knees more. You should take at least one more club because you will not have as much leg drive, and the club face will be open at impact which has more loft. With your stance, the ball should be right of middle.
Uphill Lie: When playing a uphill lie you want to try and level yourself as best as you can to drive through the shot. The ball should be left of center in your stance and your weight control, or anchor, is your right-side. Take more club as there will be more loft through impact with an uphill swing. Again, control is key so make a shorter, more precise swing.
Downhill Lie: When playing a downhill lie the key is to stay in position with your swing to make a solid contact with the ball. The ball should be back in your stance, right of center, and your left side will act as the anchor of your swing. You should use a club with more loft because you will be hitting the ball with downswing which closes the club face. Control yourself with a shorter swing and make sure to accelerate through impact.
Fairway Trap: When executing a fairway trap shot, it is important to maintain the same fundamentals as with a normal shot. The only difference is you cannot ground the club behind the ball and this is troublesome for beginner golfers because they don't have use of the ground to start and guide their backswing. This is where control with your left hand and shoulder really comes into play. To get your swing started back on the correct path, you need to feel your left hand start the swing back, (ideally, you will feel your small, ring and middle finger on your left hand in control), and feel your left shoulder push down towards the ball with no wrist break until you get close to the top of your backswing. You don't have the ground as a reference point, so you need to concentrate more on these mechanics to guide you back. Downswing is the same as with a normal shot, and you must really focus on hitting the ball first. When practicing this shot, and normal shots, try focusing on the top of the ball rather than behind it. This will assist you in learning to hit the ball first before the ground. A good divot starts after contact is made with the ball.
Golf Tips Free: Improve Your Golf - Rules Of Golf, Know Them
The rules of golf are maintained by the United States Golf Association (U.S.G.A.). These are the rules you yourself as a golfer govern. Golf is a unique sport where players honor the rules and penalize themselves. It is important to read and understand the rules of golf as knowing the rules and what to do will help you to play your best game.
Golf Tips Free: Improve Your Golf - Golf Etiquette
Golf etiquette is part of the game which you are personally responsible for. It is important for every golfer to learn and understand golf etiquette to make their golfing experience, as well as fellow player's experience, the most enjoyable it can be.
Golf Tips Free: Improve Your Golf - What Makes A great Golf Course
A great course should test the skills of every player and challenge them to play a variety of different shots in order to score well. A great course will reward well placed shots. The design should offer length, undulations and beauty.
Golf Tips Free: Improve Your Golf - Swing In A Capsule
Start your swing by moving your arms, hips and body together with your left shoulder turning down towards the ball. The club should be going back on an inside swing plane, with your weight favoring your right-side at the top of your swing.
Downswing starts by driving your legs and knees through the shot, pulling your arms down through the swing. Weight shifts to the left-side and arms swing the club down through impact and out towards your target. Your head remains consistently just behind the ball through impact, then releases with your body.
Finish your swing! Club comes up from impact, out towards your target and around to your back as your body releases and your body faces the target.
A good swing is done in a one-piece motion; arms, hips and body rotate fluently and with a feeling of your head anchoring the whole process.
Golf Tips Free: Improve Your Golf - What Golf Is
Golf is Fun, Enjoyable and sometimes Frustrating. Golfing is a great way to get out in the fresh air and exercise which is good for your mind and overall health.
