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Golf With Your Mind

Golf is the only game involving a ball that doesn’t use a fixed playing area; this sport (or game, like someone prefer to claim) is described in the Rules of Golf: "playing a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive strokes in accordance with the Rules”.

Golf is not typically thought like a exhausting or physically challenging sport, often compared with sports like football or basketball. Golf is supposed to be a mind-game more than anything, and this is probably the most interesting feature in the game, as in the “swing”, the personal stroke of each golf player, you can say that golf is “90 percent walking, 9 percent talking, and 1 percent swinging, the other half is mental”.

Golf Courses, environmental problems and extreme golf

The international need for more golf courses is regular, as this game continues to raise in its popularity in all countries; 2 years ago there were nearly 32,000 courses in all the world, about half of them only in USA. This request for travel, leisure and business travels, which is based around golf areas and golf courses has led to the growth of a great number of luxury resorts to be able to pamper golfers with integrated golf-courses. Modern 18-hole courses are wide as much as 150 acres of ground, but the standard older golf course is about an half, 75 acres.

Some organizations continue to be in opposition to golf courses for ecological reasons, as they obstruct passages for migrating animals and other wildlife; some players decided to play, for such a reason, “Extreme golf” – a golf typically played on environmentally sustainable golf courses alternatives to traditional ones.

Golf Swing – the real inside jewel of each golf player

The mechanism of nowadays swing, as you can see on TV employed by Tiger Woods and the great part of his colleagues, is something against the Greek ideals about sports, that body parts must act in unison to maintain grace and strength; but golf is someway asymmetric and unnatural.

Unnatural and pleasing: the best thing about golf is that you have to relax or you’ll compromise your sport movements. And you can relax immersed in beautiful nature landscapes.

About the Author - In Tuscany you can find a marvellous 18 hole course at Ugolino Golf Club, near this Florence hotel for golf

Golf Balance Exercises To Create A Rock-Solid Golf Swing

Golf balance exercises should be a must for every amateur golfer. One of the biggest issues with most amateurs is balance, stability and body control in their golf swing.

So often I see a golfer swinging outside their physical capabilities and losing their balance, resulting in a severe mishit that will end up being a double or triple bogey.

There is a physical requirement to maintaining your golf balance throughout your swing. The golf swing position commonly referred to as golf posture is a very unnatural position for the body to be in at address, let alone throughout the swing.

Having a forward tilt over the balls of your feet require a high level of both strength and flexibility in your hamstrings. Just get in your golf posture and reach back behind your upper leg to see how tight your hamstrings are.

If your hamstrings are tight and/or weak, you will have no chance at maintaining your golf posture and ultimately balance throughout your golf swing.

How about your quadriceps?

The play a critical role in keeping your golf swing stable. Rotating your upper body around a somewhat fixed lower body takes a tremendous amount of leg (quad) strength. Also your quads help maintain your knee flex that you had at address. If your quads are weak, your legs will straighten, causing you to come out of our swing.

As you can see, your golf balance requires muscular strength and flexibility. Without it, you’ll be falling all over your swing forever!

One great golf balance exercise (drill) is swinging and actually hitting balls on one leg. Give it a try! You’ll soon find out how difficult it is. But stick with it, and you’ll become a pro at it. If you can hit straight balls on one leg, using both legs will be a cinch.

In all of my advanced golf performance training programs, I have the golfer do a majority of their strength exercises on one leg. It is brutal! It takes so much focus and concentration, you’ll be sweating before you even grab the weight.

I have literally dozens of golf balance exercises in my dvds, books and websites that will dramatically improve your balance, stability and overall control. It’s amazing how many emails I get from golfers who thought these golf balance exercises were easy until they did a full set of just one exercise.

They thought differently after that!

This could be your missing link to a great game! Focus on those golf balance exercises!

About the Author - Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf performance experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide ultimategolffitnessguide.com

Golf Workouts Can Transform Your Game

I’m sure by now you’ve heard most of the professional players; both men and women actively participate in golf workouts. It’s no secret. But why then do most amateur golfers ignore this? Is it because it seems like work? Or, does the thought of actually breaking a sweat get you tired already?

Either way…the proof is in the bag. The number one player in the world, Vijay Singh, does his golf workouts all the way through Sunday of each tournament. Does it look like it’s hurting his game? I don’t think so. Back in 1997, a young, very athletic golfer came on the professional scene and blew everyone away. I think you know who I’m talking about.

Tiger took golf to another level. A real eye-opener for the veteran players who were hitting the 19th hole after every round…and the last thought on their mind was “exercise”. What a wake-up call to be totally dominated by a player who was only 20 years old at the time.

How about the year Annika Sorenstam shot a 59 and totally dominated the LPGA? Do you know what she attributes it to? Golf workouts! She hired a trainer and got serious about her fitness. And look what happened? She hasn’t looked back since. She just recently came out with an instruction book and devoted a chapter to golf workouts.

To my recollection, that’s the first women’s instruction book to include golf workouts. Working out to playing better golf isn’t just for the guys; Annika has proved that. Now more LPGA players are working out to try and catch her, just like the guys did with Tiger.

How about the senior tour? Now players are realizing they can still make good money, even after they’ve turned 50 and can’t really compete with the young guys anymore. With the money at stake, they too are all working out. This group of players both amateur and pro is the biggest demographic that needs it the most.

With age comes a decline in both flexibility and strength. When the body declines, the swing goes right along with it. The result is a big loss in yardage, more mishits, and ballooning scores. The end result…frustration! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve played with and received phone calls from older golfers who are just about ready to quit the game.

They are SO frustrated at this rapid decline, that golf’s not fun anymore. But there is hope. The answer? Get your body moving just a little better. How? By participating in golf workouts that focus on golf-specific strength AND flexibility. It’s amazing to see golfers in this age bracket dramatically improve their driving distance, accuracy and scores.

You don’t have to accept that with age, your body declines. No way! You’ve got to fight it all the way! I’m dead serious. The ones who do, are the ones who are enjoying the game again and taking all the money in their foursome.

What is a golf workout anyways? Is there such a thing? You bet there is. The golf swing is an awkward movement that puts a tremendous amount of stress on the body. To prevent injury and improve swing speed and distance requires your body to be both strong and flexible specific to the swing.

I could spend dozens of pages describing what this entails, but for the sake of this concise article, let’s keep it simple.

The golf swing is a rotational movement, with your body in golf posture. Slight flex of the knees and a bending forward at the hips. Since the golf swing is primarily rotational, wouldn’t it make sense to focus on rotational strength and flexibility? That is improving your turning ability related to range of motion and speed.

So anything involving twisting with resistance such as a medicine ball, a dumbbell, or even a weighted club would work. You need to have a resistance to take your body beyond where it normally goes.

For instance, if you took a club and placed it behind your neck, got in your golf posture and rotated back and forth; do you think that by itself would improve your range of motion or power?

No, you need to add resistance to accomplish this. Take a weighted club and make golf swings. Now you’ll be making a bigger turn AND improving your power. Same thing with a medicine ball. Make turns back and through holding a 4 to 6 pound ball and you’ll see a BIG improvement.

In fact, most of your abdominal work should be rotational. Doing straight crunches won’t improve your driving distance. Doing rotational movements with added weight will. This is where I could go on and on, but I won’t overload you.

I hope I’ve convinced you to take a real serious look at what all the other successful professional players are doing to stay at the top of their game. Doing golf workouts can and will dramatically change your game forever. Now get out there and get it started. No procrastinating. Do it right now!

Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Check out his new golf fitness site at http://www.performbettergolf.com

Golf Workouts Can Transform Your Game

I’m sure by now you’ve heard most of the professional players; both men and women actively participate in golf workouts. It’s no secret. But why then do most amateur golfers ignore this? Is it because it seems like work? Or, does the thought of actually breaking a sweat get you tired already?

Either way…the proof is in the bag. The number one player in the world, Vijay Singh, does his golf workouts all the way through Sunday of each tournament. Does it look like it’s hurting his game? I don’t think so. Back in 1997, a young, very athletic golfer came on the professional scene and blew everyone away. I think you know who I’m talking about.

Tiger took golf to another level. A real eye-opener for the veteran players who were hitting the 19th hole after every round…and the last thought on their mind was “exercise”. What a wake-up call to be totally dominated by a player who was only 20 years old at the time.

How about the year Annika Sorenstam shot a 59 and totally dominated the LPGA? Do you know what she attributes it to? Golf workouts! She hired a trainer and got serious about her fitness. And look what happened? She hasn’t looked back since. She just recently came out with an instruction book and devoted a chapter to golf workouts.

To my recollection, that’s the first women’s instruction book to include golf workouts. Working out to playing better golf isn’t just for the guys; Annika has proved that. Now more LPGA players are working out to try and catch her, just like the guys did with Tiger.

How about the senior tour? Now players are realizing they can still make good money, even after they’ve turned 50 and can’t really compete with the young guys anymore. With the money at stake, they too are all working out. This group of players both amateur and pro is the biggest demographic that needs it the most.

With age comes a decline in both flexibility and strength. When the body declines, the swing goes right along with it. The result is a big loss in yardage, more mishits, and ballooning scores. The end result…frustration! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve played with and received phone calls from older golfers who are just about ready to quit the game.

They are SO frustrated at this rapid decline, that golf’s not fun anymore. But there is hope. The answer? Get your body moving just a little better. How? By participating in golf workouts that focus on golf-specific strength AND flexibility. It’s amazing to see golfers in this age bracket dramatically improve their driving distance, accuracy and scores.

You don’t have to accept that with age, your body declines. No way! You’ve got to fight it all the way! I’m dead serious. The ones who do, are the ones who are enjoying the game again and taking all the money in their foursome.

What is a golf workout anyways? Is there such a thing? You bet there is. The golf swing is an awkward movement that puts a tremendous amount of stress on the body. To prevent injury and improve swing speed and distance requires your body to be both strong and flexible specific to the swing.

I could spend dozens of pages describing what this entails, but for the sake of this concise article, let’s keep it simple.

The golf swing is a rotational movement, with your body in golf posture. Slight flex of the knees and a bending forward at the hips. Since the golf swing is primarily rotational, wouldn’t it make sense to focus on rotational strength and flexibility? That is improving your turning ability related to range of motion and speed.

So anything involving twisting with resistance such as a medicine ball, a dumbbell, or even a weighted club would work. You need to have a resistance to take your body beyond where it normally goes.

For instance, if you took a club and placed it behind your neck, got in your golf posture and rotated back and forth; do you think that by itself would improve your range of motion or power?

No, you need to add resistance to accomplish this. Take a weighted club and make golf swings. Now you’ll be making a bigger turn AND improving your power. Same thing with a medicine ball. Make turns back and through holding a 4 to 6 pound ball and you’ll see a BIG improvement.

In fact, most of your abdominal work should be rotational. Doing straight crunches won’t improve your driving distance. Doing rotational movements with added weight will. This is where I could go on and on, but I won’t overload you.

I hope I’ve convinced you to take a real serious look at what all the other successful professional players are doing to stay at the top of their game. Doing golf workouts can and will dramatically change your game forever. Now get out there and get it started. No procrastinating. Do it right now!

Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Check out his new golf fitness site at http://www.performbettergolf.com

A Golf Exercise Program Will Leave Your Playing Partners In Envy

It's no secret that a golf exercise program can put you heads and tails above your playing partners and competitors. Why do you think all the Pro's are doing it?

Golf is no longer just the leisure game it used to be. It is now recognized as an athletic sport. As with all other athletic sports, your body's strength plays a crucial part in how well you play the game.

FACT: A stronger body plays better golf. Most strength-building workouts can be beneficial to some degree, but a golf exercise program will enable you to hit longer -- and straighter -- drives with less effort and hit more accurate shots, which will consequently lower your scores.

GOLF TIP: Strengthen Your Back and Prevent Low Back Pain -- so that you can play 18 holes without fatigue

Did you know that doing even just one exercise will greatly improve the strength of your back so that you will be able to play 18 holes, or hit balls all day without any pain?

I call this powerful little exercise the "Lying Superman." You won't believe the amazing difference this exercise can make in your strength until you actually do it -- so go for it! All you have to do is lie on your stomach on the floor with your hands at your sides. Raise both your upper body (chest), arms and legs as high as you can. Hold it for a count of 10. And that's it! Just do this simple exercise for 2 sets every day and you can say goodbye to low back pain!

Playing golf at an optimum level requires muscular strength, power, and endurance. Contrary to what most people think, long practice sessions and hitting hundreds of balls will not improve these components. In fact, they will only result in physical injuries (from overuse) and a great deal of frustration.

Participating in a golf exercise program is the answer!

Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Check out his new golf fitness site at http://www.performbettergolf.com

Avoiding "Golf Overload" - Your Guide To Finding The Right Golf Instruction Tutorials

I'm sure you've been made familiar with the popular golf instruction aids & tutorials that you've seen in the pro shops, online at bookstores like Amazon and on specialty sites all over the web. You might even be suffering from golf overload! While your first inclination might be to give that new product a try, you need to keep certain things in mind before making an impulse purchase.

First of all, let's keep something in mind. My goal here isn't to bring you down to earth or to try and stifle your dream of playing exceptional golf. However, the odds of a certain golf instruction program suddenly transforming your game from part-time amateur to a full-time golf virtuoso is somewhere between slim and none.

There are many programs and aids available that can help you improve your game in one form or another, but nothing is a substitute for good old-fashioned practice, whether that be on the course, at the driving range, or simply in your backyard. Anywhere where you can be free to make mistakes and learn from them is a good place to practice, and eventually, your game will thank you for it.

I would liken it to learning to play a musical instrument. If you've ever learned how to play piano, guitar, violin or another instrument, you'd know that even though you might have had a stellar teacher, failure to practice on a consistent basis means the lessons you're being taught will be completely meaningless. The same can be said for golf instruction. You can spend hundreds of dollars on professional golf instruction or $47 for an e-book and DVD set, but without the proper amount of practice, you will not improve your game. Period. That said, here are some things to look at when researching the latest golf instruction products & tutorials:

1. What ails your game the most?

What is it about your game that you think is the most lacking? I'm sure you can think of one thing you're consistently doing wrong on the course, whether it be slicing the golf ball, or not getting enough power on your drives, etc. Jot down one or two of these problems that you'd like solved and look for specific products to help those elements of your game the most. And since many problems in golf tend to stem from one underlying issue, odds are you will correct a number of parts to your game just by implementing a strategy or unlearning a bad habit that you might have unknowingly picked up on.

2. What credentials does the author/manufacturer have?

Does the author of that book teach amateur golfers on a regular basis? How have his students done? Do a Google search for his or her name and try to track down some of the individuals that they've tutored. People are always willing to give out reviews & opinions, and the golf world is no different. If the instructor has experience or connections with some of the PGA professionals or has a successful track record teaching amateurs, then its likely that you've found someone you can trust.

3. If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask.

If their product is worth checking out, the author or instructor will always be readily available to answer any questions you might have about the product before you make a purchase. Never hesitate asking questions directly to the source up front before making your decision.

Taking the time to thoroughly research the web before purchasing a golf instruction tutorial or aid will save yourself a great deal of frustration and should help your golf game moving back in the right direction.

How To Swing a Golf Club Like Tiger Woods

If you want to know how to carry out a golf swing or are looking for ways to improve your golfing performance - this is for you. This video will prevent that 'hook' or 'slice' off the tee!

Beginning Golf Instruction tips: Getting a feel for the approach shot

After mastering the concept of the tee shot, the next step as a golf instruction beginner is to move on to the short game and what are known as approach shots.
For most people, these shots will be increasingly more difficult because they require more skill & patience than a simple tee shot.

There are a variety of approach shots, all of which are used in different situations depending on where your initial shot lands on the course. However, your intention with these shots is always to land on the green.

The pitch shot is an approach shot that is played from farther away than the other shots. Using a wedge, the ideal pitch shot is the perfect combination of enough swing momentum to carry your shot through, but not enough to send it sailing over the green. Trajectory will be low to average depending on how far you are from the cup and you want to make sure the ball doesn't roll too far.

You must start off with a slightly open stance, positioning your right foot directly across from the ball. When following through on a pitch shot, always make sure to keep your backswing as short as you possibly can. Failure to keep your backswing in check will usually cause you to instinctively put the brakes on your shot while accelerating, which is a definite no-no. You want to have enough confidence in your wedge to let the club do the work for you: don't think you have to assist the ball through the air.

Another approach shot is known as the chip shot. You'll need to use a chip shot once you're within about 30 yards from the green, usually after a fairway drive or tee shot. The idea is for this shot to have a much shorter trajectory, so you will need to use a less lofted club. Proper weight distribution is paramount to getting off a decent chip shot. If you're a right handed golfer, you want to put the majority of your weight on the left side and hold this position through the duration of your shot.

There are generally two kinds of chip shots that we want to concern ourselves with. The first one is what's known as the bump-and-run shot, and the second is a flop shot. The Bump And Run is usually taken with an 8, 7 or 6 iron club and with the clubface hooded. That way your shot will have have less loft. You also want to have just enough power in your backswing to follow through. The flop shot is used when you want to get over an obstacle like a rough patch or a sand trap, so you're going to want to have a much higher trajectory in order to push the ball over. Open up your stance and follow through as far under the ball as possible to try and pop it up, and you'll keep your ball away from the danger zones with a good position for a subsequent shot.

Will My Golf Ball Choice Improve My Game?

Choosing the right type of golf balls can make the difference between a bad game and a great game. And if you think that all you need to do is use the same type of balls that Tiger Woods uses, you may be in for a surprise. When it comes to golf balls you need to choose the right types of balls for you. When you choose the wrong golf ball you may be adding a handicap to your game that you can avoid by playing with the right balls.

There are three different styles of golf balls that you can choose from:
- 2-piece ball
- 3-piece balls
- high performance balls

If you want to improve your distance shots you’ll want to use a 2-piece golf ball. If, on the other hand, you’re focusing on accuracy, you’ll want to use either a 3-piece or a high performance golf ball.

If you’re a beginner you’ll find that 2-piece golf balls are perfect since they’re less expensive than other golf balls. This is one way that you can save a bit of money while you learn all about the sport of golf and how to play the game. 2-piece golf balls are also a good choice if you’re slow a swinger since the rubber core of the inner ball is quite large, allowing for a faster speed.

For those golfers who have an accuracy that is inconsistent a 2-piece ball is the better choice. This is because a 3-piece ball won’t forgive all those inaccurate hits that you make in one game. And if you’re an inaccurate hitter you won’t want to use high performance balls since these golf balls are meant for professional golfers who have mastered their game of golf.

Golf balls are something that you’ll want to pay attention to as you learn the game of golf and become more proficient at your game. Having the right golf balls can improve your score and put you into the competitive playing field.

Improving Your Golf Balance

The need for balance for golf just sounds so simple and easy. As a golfer, you know that maintaining proper golf balance is a key to a good golf game. And it's more than just having the correct stance.

Optimum golf balance depends on three aspects: your visual perception, the signals from the inner ear, and signals from your muscles and joints. Sometimes these aspects get out of sync, causing a balance disorder. Most of which can be easily fixed with some simple ideas.

A lack of balance usually occurs when your head position changes, which is a good reason to keep your head still during your swing! How many times have you been told or noticed yourself that you looked up during your swing? Everybody wants to see where their ball is going and when you move your head and throw off your balance, the ball doesn't usually go anywhere. At least not where you wanted it to go. So, keep your head down and still and let your playing partners watch for your ball.

Migraines can attribute to a balance disorder. So if you have frequent migraines, seek medical attention. These headaches can affect your golf game in ways you may never have thought of. Not to mention being just plain painful and debilitating.

Also, don't go spending a fortune on new golf equipment hoping for better play before you check your medicine cabinet to see if any drugs you're taking affect your balance. The condition "ear poisoning" seriously affects your balance. Ear poisoning is usually caused by side effects of some medications. Always be aware of the possible side effects of any prescription drugs you may be taking. This is just good advice all the way around, let alone it having an effect on your golf game.

Diuretics can pose a problem as well. So if you're taking any of these and you start feeling dizzy, get medical help! Sometimes the dizziness can literally become a lifelong problem, so don't delay in seeking help.

If your golf balance is a little off in your game, you may want to do some simple exercises to improve it. Just kicking a ball around your backyard can help. You can also set up a little obstacle course and weave in and out of it to improve your balance. If you have kids, they will have fun with the course, too! Actually, they may even set up one for you!

You can also buy a balance board to help you with your center of gravity. You can easily make one yourself out of some scrap wood or you could find a nice one online or at a local fitness equipment store. These boards are challenging and fun to use. Once you can balance for an extended period on one, pick up a golf club. Then practice your backswing while balancing yourself. This will dramatically improve you golf balance.

In addition, working with flexibility exercises helps increase your golf balance by releasing muscle tension. Try some simple yoga stretches to help with loosening up tight muscles. Yoga or pilates can be a real benefit for the golfer. These types of exercises tend to create long lean muscles and promote flexibility. Just what the golfer needs for the right golf balance and a fluid swing.

Another useful item is a yoga ball or exercise ball. Even just sitting on one of these balls requires balance - so try using one for part of the day. Work up gradually until you can sit on the ball for 30 minutes at a time. These ball exercises can help you develop proper posture, increase the mobility of your lower back, and develop overall control of your body core. Improving your core strength and flexibility will help you develop the correct golf balance.

Since balance is fundamental to every aspect of your golf game, spend some time each day working on developing it. Who knows? You could find your swing and your score improving significantly, and who couldn't use that!