Golf Stretching
December 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Stretching is a valuable exercise for anyone, especially, golfers. Some golfers can continue to play all year long; whereas some golfers must put their golf games “on hold” until the temperature warms up. Stretching should be done daily to keep your body limber. Always check with your doctor to make sure you are fit to stretch.
This exercise is from Scott Fedisin, golf fitness specialist at the Sea Island Golf Learning Center in Georgia; article taken from linksmagazine.com, fall, 2011: “Hip and Glute Stretch. To improve your glute strength and flexibility, lie on your back and pull your right knee across your left leg with your left hand. It’s okay to bend the left knee, but keep your right arm, elbow, and shoulder on the ground; reverse and repeat.
Turn Your Right Foot Out from Golf Tips Magazine
November 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Right Foot Out
When standing and getting ready to swing the golf club, there are several things the golfer needs to remember. For me, thinking about what to do and the steps to take can be overwhelming to some. My main objective is to “keep my head down.” Not an easy command for me. For some reason, my head just wants to pop up and do something. Actually, I don’t even know that I am lifting my head.
“Arms away from the body” is another command that I just can’t seem to handle. My arms just want to come close to my body and hit the ball that way. That does not work and I have to keep telling myself, “arms away from the body”, over and over again.
“Take the club back slowly and accelerate down.” I am ready to hit and run, so forgetting to go back slowly is a real problem with me. Someone told me that I hesitate when I am coming down with the club.
I found this “Right Foot Out” tip from Golf Tips Magazine. This is interesting and I can’t wait to try it out the next time I am out on the course. Please click on the picture for the article that, I hope, will help you.
Golf Etiquette is about More than Just Manners from about.com/golf
November 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
By Brent Kelley, About.com Guide
•Do not swing your club until you know that others in your group are at a safe distance. Likewise, keep your distance when others are swinging. Be aware to steer clear of trouble.
• When practicing your swing, never swing in the direction of another player. There may be pebbles or twigs or other matter in the grass that could fly up and injure a playing partner.
• Do not hit the ball until you are certain that the group ahead of you is out of range.
• If your ball appears headed toward another player or another group, give them a warning by yelling out, “Fore!” (an internationally recognized alert)
• Observe the safety suggestions posted in golf carts and drive carefully. Golf etiquette requires keeping your cart off the grass as much as possible.
• Never throw clubs in anger. In addition to being rude and childish, it could also be dangerous.
My Friend’s Husband’s Golf Joke
October 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment
A husband reluctantly agreed to play in the couples’ alternate shot
Tournament at his club.
He teed off on the first hole, a par four, and blistered a drive 300 yards down
the middle of the fairway. Upon reaching the ball, the husband said
to his wife, “Just hit it toward the green, anywhere around there will
be fine.”
The wife proceeded to shank the ball deep into the woods. Undaunted,
the husband said “That’s OK, Sweetheart” and spent the full five
minutes looking for the ball. He found it just in time, but in a horrible
position. He played the shot of his life to get the ball within two feet
of the hole. He told his wife to knock the ball in.
His wife then proceeded to knock the ball off the green and into a bunker.
Still maintaining composure, the husband summoned all of his skill and
holed the shot from the bunker.
He took the ball out of the hole and, while walking off the green, put his arm
around his wife and calmly said, “Honey, that was a bogey five and that’s
OK, but I think we can do better on the next hole”.
To which she replied, “What are you talking about, only 2 of those shots were mine.”
The Championship Tournament
October 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
My Niner golf group had our Championship Tournament last Thursday. The first day of the tournament was a week ago. We weren’t able to have the second day of the tournament the next day, due to inclement weather. Luckily, Thursday was a nice day.
It is fun playing with friends and enjoying each other’s great shots. We have 3 different 9 hole courses. The courses have “nice holes” and “not so nice holes.” There is one hole that looks like it is 10 miles long. It is one of those golf holes that you think you will never finish. My friend said, “do you think we will ever get to the green?” We laughed. It did not look like we would, but finally we did. We pick up after we get to 10 with normal play, but with the Championship Tournament, you play until you sink your putt. I got an 11 on that long hole. I was glad to move to the next one.
The next hole is number 5 and is a dog leg and not a bad hole, unless you go in the dreaded woods, which is easy to do. The next hole, number 6, is also one of those, “not so nice holes.” It is full of sand and a creek, that has been known to house snakes. If you can get to the 3rd shot, you have to hit in between the creek and the woods. You kind of want to just close your eyes and hope the ball goes straight.
We finished the round and had a winner and a medalist. They will receive their prizes at our Holiday Party in December. The prizes are golf throws with the Niners Champion Winner monogrammed on it. It looks great and they will love it. I would love to hear about your golf group and see any pictures. I look forward to golf each week, playing with my wonderful friends.
The Top 3 Golf Stretches from stretchinginstitute.com
October 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The Top 3 Golf Stretches
Stretching is one of the most under-utilized techniques for improving athletic performance, preventing sports injury and properly rehabilitating sprain and strain injury. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that something as simple as stretching won’t be effective. Below are 3 very beneficial stretches for golf; obviously there are a lot more, but these are a great place to start. Please make special note of the instructions beside each stretch.
 |
Reaching Lateral Side Stretch: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, then slowly bend to the side and reach over the top of your head with your hand. Do not bend forward. |
 |
Reaching-down Triceps Stretch: Reach behind your head with both hands and your elbow pointing up. Then reach down your back with your hands. |
 |
Bent Arm Shoulder Stretch: Stand upright and place one arm across your body. Bend your arm at 90 degrees and pull your elbow towards your body. |
A Golf Poem
October 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Here is a golf poem that my husband found, and I am not sure who the author is:
In My Hand I Hold A Ball,
White And Dimpled, And Rather Small.
Oh, How Bland It Does Appear,
This Harmless Looking Little Sphere.
By Its Size I Could Not Guess
The Awesome Strength It Does Possess.
But Since I Fell Beneath Its Spell,
I’ve Wandered Through The Fires Of Hell.
My Life Has Not Been Quite The Same
Since I Chose To Play This Stupid Game.
It Rules My Mind For Hours On End;
A Fortune It Has Made Me Spend.
It Has Made Me Curse And Made Me Cry,
And Hate Myself And Want To Die.
It Promises Me A Thing Called Par,
If I Hit It Straight And Far.
To Master Such A Tiny Ball,
Should Not Be Very Hard At All.
But My Desires The Ball Refuses,
And Does Exactly As It Chooses.
It Hooks And Slices, Dribbles And Dies,
And Disappears Before My Eyes.
Often It Will Have A Whim,
To Hit A Tree Or Take A Swim.
With Miles Of Grass On Which To Land,
It Finds A Tiny Patch Of Sand.
Then Has Me Offering Up My Soul,
If Only It Would Find The Hole.
It’s Made Me Whimper Like A Pup,
And Swear That I Will Give It Up.
And Take To Drink To Ease My Sorrow,
But The Ball Knows … I’ll Be Back Tomorrow.
The Marshall
October 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The Marshalls at the club, where I play golf, are always driving around making sure everyone is keeping up and moving right along. If there are some gaps between holes, they ask everyone to speed up the play a bit. We always tell them that we are not the problem. We say that it is either the group in front of us or the group behind us, and could possibly be the men. He tells us he knows that, but pleads with us to move faster. We comply and move right along. Someone might lose their ball, and we look in the woods for it. We know we can’t take much time searching because the Marshall might think we are the slow culprits, which, of course, we aren’t.
The Marshalls do not have an easy job. It is not easy telling golfers to hurry up and move. They have to give wet towels to golfers when the hot summer is broiling everyone. They must go retrieve a golf cart that have decided to just sit there. They have to listen to endless stories and excuses as to why the golfer drove on the fairway, when it is “golf path only”. I don’t know how they survive golfers’ laments.
We might be talking, laughing and having such fun and the Marshall will be driving up and we say, “look out, here comes the Marshall.” We try to hurry and move on. Marshalls add fun and excitement to our rounds of golf. We are happy and are lucky that our club has such nice Marshalls; they are to be commended.
I would love to hear about yours, and if you have a picture, I will post it.
Joe’s Favorite Club
October 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I like to play golf with Joe and his friend. I learn a lot from the two of them. I try to keep up and watch what they are doing. I am lucky that Joe has been playing golf since he was 10 and seems to know a thing or two about golf.
The other day, I took this picture and he said, “please don’t tell me you took a picture of me and my favorite club…the golf retriever.” He was around some brush, weeds and a creek and looking for his golf ball. He is very good at finding the golf balls. It is like an Easter Egg Hunt for him. I usually tell him to come on, and I will throw out another golf ball, and he says, “No, I will find it,” and he continues to search with the retriever. He usually finds mine and other ones, too.
I hope to sell retrievers one day soon. Now for golf balls that go in the retriever; here are some blue ones that are surely to please: http://ladiesgolfaccessories.com/store/#ecwid:category=691577&mode=product&product=2790866
I would love to hear about your golf and see any pictures that you would like to share.
The Golf Cart
October 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment
The golf cart happens to be a huge advantage when playing golf. It certainly speeds up play. It also cuts down on the exercise that one receives while playing golf. 90 degrees means that you are to use the cart path and and go straight to the ball from the path, not down the middle of the fairway. The golf cart seats can get very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter. Here is a solution to that problem:
http://ladiesgolfaccessories.com/store/#ecwid:category=696419&mode=category&offset=0&sort=normal
A golfer should drive the golf cart the same way a car is driven on the road. I know someone who was riding with her friend in cart. They went around a corner and the passenger fell out, breaking her shoulder. Golfers need to remember that even though the cart seems to stop, it is wise to always put your foot on the break to lock it.
A golf cart does not need to be around the green and there are signs that point for the cart to go to the path. It is smart to heed this sign. Carts too close to the green can mark up the fringe and stop a golfer from making a good shot.
I would love to hear about your golf carts and how you like them. Do you like to walk or ride a cart. I have done both and actually, like to do both. If it is a busy day on the course, riding a golf cart is the more practical way to play.
Golf Clubs
October 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment
I have been playing golf for about 14 years. I liked my clubs and was not interested in buying any new ones.
Then one day, I received an email from a company called www.eastcoastgolfsales.com. I opened the email and clicked on the link to go to their website. I saw some golf clubs that I might like to try. I ordered a 5 Hybrid. I received it very soon after purchasing it. I loved it immediately.
Because of the wonderful experience with East Coast Sales, I bought a 6 Hybrid, a 9 wood and a 7 wood. These clubs have helped and improved my game immensely, and I look forward to purchasing more products from East Coast Golf Sales again soon. They have a great product, and I like the way the company conducts business; satisfying the customer. I love these clubs.
What To Think Before Hitting The Golf Ball
September 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Head down and arms away from your body
I try to remember a few things before I swing and hit that golf ball. My husband, Joe, has given me several golf lessons. I walk over to the tee box, put my tee in the ground and put my ball on the tee. Then I check out the location that I am hoping the ball will land, and remember what Joe has told me to do so many many times: “Keep your head down and look at the ball, keep your arms away from your body–like you are shaking hands with someone, take the club back slowly, accelerate, hit the ball, follow through, and don’t step out of it.” When I am on the first tee, I forget everything and usually hit the ball poorly. By the third hole, I am more relaxed and am hitting the ball with more confidence. I have such a problem keeping my arms away from my body. When I play golf with Joe, he says to me, “you did not keep your arms away from your body.” I say to him, “I thought I did.” I am really not conscious of my mistakes. When I have a good shot, I think, “now what did I do and how can I do that each time?”
When I have to hit over the water, Joe tells me to pretend it is not there. I try, but the ball doesn’t hear what Joe says. Invariably, most of the time, when I try to get over the water, the ball goes right in. So before I hit over the water, I think, “the water is not there, and I know I will get over this easily.” I am thinking all of the things that Joe has told me. So I hit the ball and the ball hits the water. So much for thinking. Then Joe tells me that I lifted up my head. I tell him I was thinking to keep my head down. He says, “you wanted to see the ball go over the water, and so you looked up before you hit the ball.” Sometimes he is right.
I would be interested in what you think before you hit the golf ball. Send any pictures, too.
Stretching for Golfers from about.com/sportsmedicine
September 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Golf Stretching
“There are several different exercises used to stretch the shoulders. This is a great stretch golfers can use to open up the shoulders and improve range of motion in the shoulder joint. It is a great stretch for any athlete whose sport focuses on the upper body, arms and shoulders, but golfers should consider this a core stretch before and after every tee shot.
Shoulder Stretch for Golfers
- Begin standing up straight with shoulders relaxed and back.
- Hold your golf club in front of you with one hand gripping each end of the club in an overhand grip.
- Lift the club forward and up over you head with elbows straight.
- Slowly stretch your shoulders and move your hands back as far as possible until you feel tension across the front of your shoulders.
- Hold for 10 to 20 seconds and release.
- Repeat 2 to 3 times.
- To increase the stretch you can grip the club with hands closer together or continue to move your hands farther and gain a larger range of motion.
- Be careful not to go beyond your limits. Increase your range of motion slowly.”
Keep Your Eye on the Ball
September 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment
When hitting a golf ball, it is very easy to lift your head to see where the balls goes. I do that all the time. My husband, Joe, always says, “Keep your head down and your eyes on the ball; I will watch where the ball goes.” “I thought I was keeping my head down”, I tell him. He insists that I was not.
Keep Your Head Down
Joe told me to mark my ball and look at that mark. I do mark my balls and put my initials on each one. I do that so that I don’t hit someone’s ball by mistake. So I look for my initials and stare at the mark. I have hit someone’s ball and that is not a fun time.
Marking your ball is a good habit that helps you keep your eye on the ball and also identifies yours from others. It is an easy drill and helps quite a lot.
Good Nutrition Is Very Important In Golf
September 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Playing golf on an empty stomach is not a good idea. Golfers may sometimes be rushed to get to the course to tee off, forgetting something very important; eating healthy food. To have the energy, concentration and stamina that golf demands, a healthy snack or meal is very important.
Always have a great breakfast before hitting the links.
A good breakfast before teeing off could be bananas, apples, grain cereal, honey, peanut butter, wheat germ, bagel and plenty of liquids, preferably water. Leaving out the sugar is a benefit to keep the energy up, as sugar will make you feel weak eventually.
I would love to hear what you enjoy eating before your round.
Do You Use Your Putter Or Wedge When You Are Near The Green?
September 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment
There is a lot of contemplating a golfer must do when the golf ball is not on the green, but is close to it. Do you chip with your wedge or putt with your putter? It is a decision that is hard to make.
Putting or Chipping
If you are not on the green and you decide to putt, you might strike the putter hard and go past the hole. You might strike the putter to soft and not even make it to the green. If you decide to use your wedge, you might hit the ball too hard and go over the green. You might hit it too gently and not make it to the green.
My husband, Joe, told me to use a 6 or 7 iron and pretend to be putting. He figures the ball will go faster using one of the irons. I have tried it, and it worked for me. I sometimes listen to him. I am interested in hearing what club you use when you are not on the green, but are very near.
How To Stay Married After 18 Holes
September 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
My husband, Joe, taught me to play golf and it was a little rough at first. I don’t think that we understood each other, initially, on the golf course. He would constantly tell me to keep my head down. “I am keeping my head down”, I would tell him. He would say, “You think you are keeping your head down, but, in fact, you are not.” How does he know that I am not keeping my head down; it feels like my head is down.
Golf Buddies
This picture of Joe and me was taken after we had played one hole; I know it was one hole because we are smiling. In the beginning Joe would start instructing me, and his lists of things, I was supposed to be doing/thinking, would go on and on. I would tell him that I did not want him to tell me another thing. The next time I hit the ball, I hit it all wrong, and I looked at him and said, “why didn’t you tell me what to do?” He said, ” you told me not to tell you anything.” He does not understand me.
Joe and I have been playing golf together for about 14 years. I like playing with him now. Each day, I say, “Can we go play golf today?” His reply is, “I have got to find an older woman, who is happy cooking and cleaning.”
I would love to hear about your golf experiences.
PurePoint Golf Video Lessons – “Timing” in the Golf Swing
September 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
“This tip from PurePoint Golf explains common misconceptions about the word “timing” as it pertains to the Golf Swing.” Click on the picture for the lesson video.
PurePoint Golf Video Lessons – Check the Club Head is Square at Impact
September 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment
“Here’s a great little check from PurePoint Golf to check if your club head is going to be square when you bring the club head down in your swing.”
Etiquette – Behavior on the Course from about.com/golf
September 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment
“This section provides guidelines on the manner in which the game of golf should be played. If they are followed, all players will gain maximum enjoyment from the game. The overriding principle is that consideration should be shown to others on the course at all times. “
PurePoint Golf Video Lessons – Lofted Pitch Shot
September 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment
“PurePoint Golf gives you some easy to follow tips on how to hit a lofted pitch shot”
Putting Tips to Improve Stroke Rhythm from about.com/golf
September 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment
“These putting tips to improve stroke rhythm on the golf course will help you putt consistently and smoothly. Here are some putting tips to improve stroke rhythm that are easy to learn and implement.”
Purple Potatoes Lower Blood Pressure from WebMD
August 31, 2011 By Leave a Comment
“A daily dose of purple potatoes served plain may help your heart. That is, if you steer clear of the deep fryer and fatty toppings.” Read more by clicking on the picture.
Weight-Bearing Exercise: 8 Workouts for Strong Bones from WebMD
August 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment
What are the best ways to exercise and improve your bone health when you have osteoporosis? Click on the picture for the interesting article.
PurePoint Golf Video Lessons – Posture for the Full Swing Shot – Too Tall or Too Bent
August 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment
“Posture is of great importance when you set up to the golf ball. Use this easy tip from PurePoint Golf to check if you’re too Tall or too Bent when you address the golf ball.” Click on the picture for the video.
Fairway Woods from golfimpacttraining.com
August 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment
“When it comes time to work your way along those long pars, or out of a difficult lie, having a few trusted fairway woods in your golf bag can be an invaluable asset.” Click on the picture for the complete article.
PurePoint Golf Video Lessons – Adjust Tee Height to Correct a Hook or Slice
August 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment
“PurePointGolf.com shows you how to correct a hook or a slice off the tee just by adjusting your tee height.” Click on the picture for the video.
How to Repair Ball Marks from about.com/golf
August 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
“Why It’s Important to Repair Your Ball Marks on the Green” read the article by clicking on the picture.
