tisdag 10 juni 2008

Golf warming up tips

Whether you are playing in a tournament or not, you need to allow yourself plenty of time to warm-up before you start your round. A good warm-up gets you off to a great start for the rest of the day. You probably have seen athletes such as football player, baseball players, etc. warming up before every game. Golfers are not any different. Professional golfers have done their warm-up and ready to start the round with a great opening swing by the time they are standing at the tee.

Many amateur golfers have a tendency to warm-up when they leave their car in the parking lot to run into the golf shop to get signed up. For the rest of the day they will feel rushed and frazzled. Their first 5 shots will be bad which will ultimately ruin the rest of the round.

It is best to get to the course early, at least one hour before tee time. You can take care of business at the golf shop, change shoes, etc without being rushed and in a hurry. This schedule will allow you plenty of time to warm-up at a leisurely pace.

You will want to start your warm-up by putting some shots. This will give you an idea of the speed on the green. Use a tee or a coin as your target when doing these putting shots. Putt to your target from twenty feet away and also from thirty and forty. Then you will want to do some short putts from three feet away and work up to 10 feet away. Do not putt to the hole. After putting to such a small target, the hole will look huge which will be good for your confidence. Next putt from six inches away from your target placing the target up hill from where you are putting.

Then you will want to hit some chip shots around the green. This will help you determine the firmness of the green. A ball will roll more on a firm green than it will on a soft green. The ball will also react differently on different types of rough. This will help you read the green. It will help you make choices during the round such as where to make the ball land on the putting green, and the best greenside shots to make

After warm-up with your putting shots, you will want to do some stretching exercise to warm up for the full swing. The stretching will limber you and loosen your muscles enough to give them a broader range of movement. They will also help you avoid injuries and chronic joint pain. Warm-up with stretching exercises for about fifteen minutes

Next you will go to the practice tee to begin your full swing warm-up. You will want to start with short wedge shots, using a short tee for all your shots on the range. You want to decisively connect with the ball, which will help you with your confidence. Using smooth and unhurried movements, make your wedge shots.

Once you have hit several wedge shots, continue on with your short irons progressing up to the long irons and woods. Using a rhythmic swing with absolute balance control on all your practice swings, make your last few using the club you will be using to tee off with. This is usually a 3- or 5-wood.

Time your warm-up so when you are finished you can walk to the first tee and arrive for your group’s assigned time. It is best not to have long to stand around after warming up. If you are a little early or someone is running late, stand out of the way where you can make some swings and stretch, you want to stay loose.

Taking the time to do a good warm-up will give you a good start for your round. You will be able to perform at your highest level and improve your scores.

Senior golf lessons

If you are new to the game of golf or even if you are a seasoned golfer, there will come a time when you might need a lesson. Whether it is to learn the game from the beginning or to find out how to correct a particular problem you are having with your game it is important for you to find the right type of golf lessons. Not choosing the right type of golf lesson for you’re style of play and level of learning you may never learn what you need to know.

Before you set out on your venture, you will want to decide how much you want to pay for these lessons. Next you will need to decide where you game needs improvement before you start looking. Another factor you will want to consider is how you want to be instructed. Would you like to learn in a group setting or one-on-one with an instructor? Maybe you would rather watch an instructional DVD. No matter which one you choose there will be positive and negative aspects to each of them.

First let’s consider private one-on-one instruction. This method of instruction is usually the most expensive. The instructors are usually experienced and have high-end facilities at their disposal. This is a good reason for deciding on the amount you will be spending for these instructions. If private instruction is likely to be too costly, you can mark them off your list. However, if private instruction is your preference and cost is not an issue, you will want to meet with some of the professionals giving the lessons to interview them for you to determine the quality of their knowledge and to get an idea of their teaching style.

If you are considering a golf school for group instruction, ask the number of students per instructor. As in any school the fewer number of students per teacher, the most closely the teacher can work with the students. Golf schools work best for beginning golfers and intermediate golfers who have not had any type of instruction before. In the school you will receive an overview of the full swing, and probably some insight to the game.

If you are a beginner, some of the instructional videos on the market would be a smart choice to make. The video will help you understand the basic of the swing mechanics and the regularity. If you are an intermediate or an experienced amateur golfer, watching a video may not be the answer to your needs. If you are an advanced player, looking for tips on specific aspects of their game, you might better off spending the money on one or two private lessons. However, for the beginners the videos would be a practical introduction or instruction method for you to learn from home. If you need someone to reassure you are following the instructions correctly, you may want to consider a weekend golf school instead.

In considering a golf school, you will have your own requirements differing from those of others looking for the same instruction. Some will be considering the quality of the teaching skills of the instructor, while others will be more concerned with the cost of the school, and others will want to delve into the social scene at the school. The ultimate results will be you are all going to golf school to learn to play golf. When you are looking into a golf school, you will choose on based on your own person preferences.

As you are searching for a golf school, it is imperative to check into its teaching principles. It will be important to know if the school accepts students of all ages and abilities. For beginners it is very helpful for them to have the opportunity to watch more experienced players. You may even want to look for a school specifically for your age group. Some schools will be specific about the age group of the students allowed to enroll.

You will want to inquire about the student to instructor ratio. One-on-one instruction can be extremely costly, but it is necessary for the student to instructor ratio be low enough to allow student to receive sufficient training in a group setting. With large groups, instructor will end up spending too much of your time managing the group.

Many school offer training aids and gadgets to help the student imitate the perfect swing as well as to scrutinize their own efforts. Even though these gadgets and training aids are very exciting, and they serve their purpose in teaching the novice, it does not compare to quality instruction from a professional instructor who knows the game well and has a deep love for the game

Before deciding on a golf school, do not be afraid of asking pertinent question regarding the instructor you will be working with. You will want to ask about the instructor’s qualifications, the instructor’s experience and PGA status. It is best to learn from someone who know how to play and plays very well. Classroom theory is useful, but putting the theory into practice is where you will learn the most.

Cost may be a factor in choosing your golf school. If it is, the cheapest is not usually your best choice. Look instead for the value for your dollar there is a difference. If need be you could take for lessons for your money, and get quality instruction. Rather than spending the same amount of money, attending faithfully and receive mediocre instruction.

As with learning any new skill, you must be willing to practice to improve. It won’t matter how good the instructor or the school is if you do not take the time to practice. People will learn more by actual doing than they will from listening to someone talk about it. Tips and pointers are helpful, but putting it into action on the green is where it should all fall into place

Senior Golfers and nutritious food

The game of golf requires surges of energy for the high-power action of the game followed by lengthy periods of standing, walking, and possibly even sitting in a cart. The long periods of physical and mental alertness requires the body and the brain to be operating a peak capacity. The right foods and liquids will fuel the
body and the brain to their optimum performance level.

You will want to balance your blood sugar and keep it balanced with the foods you eat. Your brain consumes the most blood sugar than any other organ in your body. If your blood sugars supply is low, you will become sluggish, you will experience concentration, plus slow and distorted communication with the body. The end results will be a poor golf game.

Most of the time poor shots such as bogies or wayward shots made late in the round could be caused by low-energy and dehydration. Golf is a tough enough game for you to find yourself running out of energy before the end of the game. Here are some suggestions to keep you at the top of your game towards the end of the round

For breakfast the day of your golf match, you will need to eat 45 minutes to 1 hour before you play. Have a balanced meal consisting of 35 – 45% carbohydrates, 25 –30% protein, and 20 – 30% fats. The follow is a list of some foods to choose from. It will give you an idea of the type of food you need to eat.

Complex carbohydrates – fresh vegetables and fruits, not fruit juices and a small amount of whole grains.


Protein/Fats – fish, fowl, fresh lean meats, or boiled eggs, hard or soft.


Dairy products - Only small amounts of dairy products should be consumed. Dairy products can be difficult for most people to digest. You might try goat dairy products such as yogurt. Use butter. No margarine.


Protein/ Carbohydrate shakes.


Vitamins – 2 Daily vitamins and Omega 3’s.


Eat 4 to 5 small meals or snacks every day. Fresh fruit, such as an apple along with peanut butter or raw nuts are a good choice. Peanut butter and celery sticks are another good choice. You don’t want sugary or fried foods. Low sugar protein bars can be good especially the ones made with nuts and seeds. Sugar substitutes are not good either.

Use these ideas when preparing the snacks you will take with you on game day to help keep your blood sugar in balance. You will want to make a habit of preparing your snacks the night before and have them already in your bag. It doesn’t work well if you try to prepare them the morning of game day. It is important for you to keep your brain and body fueled so you can last all day.

You will want to take along plenty of spring water. You will want to stay hydrated the whole day. Use the rule of thumb and drink 8 – 8oz. Glasses of spring water. Tap water has too much chlorine and toxic metals which has been added to the water. You will want to drink water every other hole, more if it is hot. Do not drink caffeine, alcohol, fruit drinks or sodas.

Last but not least, you will need to get plenty of sleep the night before. If you go to bed around 10 or 10:30 so as to wake up on your own with out the assistance of an alarm clock, you will have a better chance of a good performance