Tips From Golfing Greats

Hitting the Ball Longer

Tiger Woods, one of the best golfers in the world, only weighs 180 pounds but he hits the ball 20 yards longer off the tee than the average tour player. If you’re like most golfers, including those who have been playing for quite some time, you’d like to add yards to your tee shots, too. How does Tiger do it? Watch him and you’ll see the same small, dark grass area next to his hips when he is at the top of his swing and at impact. Many amateur golfers make the mistake of pushing their hips toward the ball when they make their downswing. Tiger rotates his hips in making his downswing but he doesn’t make the mistake of moving them toward the ball. There’s something else Tiger does that you might want to follow. When he begins his downswing, he starts rotating his left forearm. With that action he begins to square the face and gradually release the clubhead. His swing is already halfway down when the uncocking of his wrists begins.

Etiquette on the Green

There are certain rules you are expected to follow when your ball is on or near the green. Suppose one golfer in a Par-3 hole hits his ball into a sandtrap not far from the pin. Another player lands his ball on the green but it is several feet farther away from the pin than the first ball. Who shoots first? According to the U.S. Golf Association, the ball that’s farthest from the hole is always played first. So in this case the ball on the green would be played first. What about finishing out the hole? If the player in the trap gets lucky and places his ball near the cup, with only a tap-in left, can he finish it off before the other player tries his putt? It depends on whether they’re involved in stroke play or match play. In either competition there is no penalty for playing out of turn. However, in match play his opponent has the option to recall the stroke and make the player finish his shot in order.

How the Pros Like Their Balls

Some pros like the Titleist ProV1 golf ball for many reasons, the most important being that it was designed specifically with the pro in mind. It is the golf ball of choice for such pros as Mike Weir, Fred Funk, and David Toms. This ball is described by the manufacturer as a soft ball with a l.550. diameter core formulation. Other features include a speed-enhancing, spin controlling ionomer casing, with an 0.30. urethane cover, plus 392-count dimple coverage in an icosahedral or 20-faced design. The pros on the PGA circuit put tremendous energy into their explosive shots on tee and fairway for days at a time and need a ball like this to meet their standards. Golf balls designed for the pros, such as the Titleist Pro V1, which has a soft, thin cover and costs about $60 for a dozen balls. Contrast that price with what you would be paying for a lesser ball, but one that could certainly be a good ball for your game, such as the Srixon Hi-Spin, priced about $15 a dozen, or the MaxFli A3, at about $25 a dozen. If you’d like to know what the pros look for in a golf ball, keep in mind that the characteristics of all golf balls are strictly governed by the rules laid down by the U.S. Golf Association. It is these rules that determine maximum initial velocity, total distance, and all the other features advertised by manufacturers.

Related posts:

1. The Basics of Golfing
2. Going Golfing For The First Time
3. Golfing the Back Nine at Crooked Creek Near Lincoln, Nebraska