Category: Sports

Face it, this is crisis time, as an employee you may have spent months trying to impress the boss, and suddenly you are on the threshold of complete embarrassment. But you can survive playing with the boss by following these essential tips for the novice golfer.

Be Prepared – Make Sure you Have the Correct Equipment

The last thing a novice golfer should do is borrow from playing partners. These items might seem small and irrelevant but without them you will look incompetent.

Go to the Pros shop and buy a pencil, tees, an extra dozen balls, a towel, and a cap.

You will be out playing on the course for about five hours and without a hat you might be sitting in the clubhouse later with a face as red as a beetroot.

Buy a ball marker and pitch fork repairer. When the ball lands on the green it makes a small dent – golfers are expected to repair these.

Make sure you have a comfortable pair of golf shoes.

Buy a golf glove – if you are a novice golfer your hands could blister even though you are playing only one round.

If it looks like rain buy an umbrella.

Hire a trolley rather than carry your bag. Generally novice golfers look ungainly carrying a bag, don’t draw extra attention to yourself. You will also preserve energy.

Golf Etiquette to Impress the Boss

As a novice golfer you will struggle to play well, but you can survive playing golf with the boss, even impress him or her, by showing you can cope in times of crisis.

Make sure you know what make and number of ball you are using so you may identify it. If you’re looking in the rough and someone asks which ball you are playing you need to know!

If your first shot ends deep in the rough or trees, allow the boss to help look for a moment, but then explain you’ve bought plenty of balls and you don’t want to disturb his game by making him look for your ball on every hole. Tell him to carry on and you’ll catch up in a minute.

Do not wheel your trolley onto a green or tee. If you are driving a buggy make sure you know if you are allowed to drive on the grass or whether you have to stick to the paths.

If your boss hits a good shot compliment him. If you’re not sure where the ball has gone, don’t say anything. Golfers can get seriously wound up if their ball has sailed into the trees and someone says ‘great shot’!

If the boss asks whether you intend playing again tell him you are going to take lessons.

When on the green and everyone has finished putting, if the flag is lying on the ground near you, make sure you pick it up and replace it in the hole. Don’t leave it to the others all the time.

Take your hat off when you shake hands at the end of the round. Even Tiger Woods does that!

Above All Else Don’t Make Excuses

The last thing any golfer wants to hear is excuses. Hold your head up, smile, and look the day in the eye. Your playing partners will form an opinion of you – but you will survive playing golf with your boss if you show him you can deal with a tough challenge and can manage a crisis.

The punch shot is never a happy prospect for golfers. When you’re hitting a punch shot, it generally means that you hit a bad drive into the trees, that you muffed your approach behind some branches or that you missed a spot and have to run it up to the green on a couple bounces. A punch shot is intended as a low shot that bounces off of the club, and usually up to the green.

What is a Punch Shot?

The punch shot never goes much higher than 20 feet in the air, and often bounces and bounds down the fairway. Punches shots are used to keep the ball low, and can often be hit as far as 150 yards. An important “rescue” shot, the punch shot can be an essential tool in saving a par or stealing a birdie in the best of situations.

Club Selection For a Punch Shot Swing

During the punch shot, the lower the loft of the club, the better the chances of your success. The 4 iron and 5 iron are among the most popular choices for punch shots because they often will not produce a very high shot and because they are long enough clubs to hit the ball solidly. For a 150 yard punch shot, a three quarters punch swing with a 5 iron could travel all the way to the green when done correctly. For shorter punch shots around 40 yards, a 5 iron can be used with a quarter swing, or a club such as a seven iron can be used with a half swing, if you have a little bit of room to pop the ball a bit higher in the air.

Stance When Hitting a Punch Shot

On a punch shot, set up your stance as normal and grip your club as normal. You may choke up on the club to ensure extra control of your shot, but this is a matter of comfort. Place the ball during your punch shot in the back of your stance. Putting the ball at your back foot will allow you to miss the sloping part of the swing that increases the chances of putting the ball very high into the air. Keeping the ball back will keep it as low as possible.

Swing When Hitting From Under a Tree

The punch shot swing is a unique animal in golf. When you are punching it, it can be better to keep your wrists as firm as possible, and try not to break them. This shot may be tougher, because it is unnatural, but keeping your wrists unbroken will ensure that you keep the ball low. On your back swing, determine your length by judging the distance of the shot and take a normal swing at the ball. There are two keys to the punch shot, and these are: 1) make sure you are not hitting under the ball or the punch will die far short and 2) stop your follow through as quickly as possible. Stopping your follow through will kill the momentum of your swing and allow you to keep the ball as low as possible.

Every golfer would like more distance off the tee and with the correct downswing more club head speed can be generated at impact for extra yards. Follow these golf swing tips and learn how to hit the driver correctly to make golf much easier.

Hit the Driver Correctly for Extra Distance

Hitting a golf driver correctly should be relatively easy compared to hitting an iron. Not only is the ball on a tee but the sweet spot on a modern driver is much larger than on an iron, allowing the golfer a greater margin of error. However, when club golfers stand on the tee trying for a good drive, invariably poor swing technique inhibits them from striking the driver correctly. Following are the main faults when swinging a driver.

• Trying to hit too hard.
• Gripping too tight.
• Keeping the head too still.
• Not completing the shoulder turn on the backswing.
• These four points create tension in the swing which directly affects club head speed at impact.

How Tension Affects Distance off the Tee

If tension creeps into the swing it affects a golfer’s ability to create speed. Most golfers tense up even before they start the swing by gripping the club too tightly, which affects how the hands work during the backswing. Tense hands stop a golfer naturally swinging the club onto plane with a smooth wrist hinge. With tension in the hands and arms a golfer has to make an artificial cocking of the wrists half way back which is invariably incorrect.

Tension in the grip also makes the neck muscles tight which keeps the head locked in position which affects an full easy shoulder turn. To hit a driver well, with good swing technique, it is essential to keep tension out of the stance so a relaxed swing can be made. A relaxed swing creates the most club head speed at impact.

Use a Waggle to Keep Tension out of the Golf Stance

The main reason golfers tense up is because they become completely stationary before the swing starts. Nearly all good drivers of the ball keep a modicum of movement in the body right up until they sweep the club away. Many top golfers use a movement called a ‘waggle’ where the hands make a miniture swing and move the club back and forwards. This allows the hands to relax which keeps tension out of the arms and shoulder muscles.

Swing a Driver do not Hit at the Ball

If a golfer can remain relaxed in the golf stance, they have the best chance of a natural swing where the shoulders complete their turn. From a full backswing a golfer will be able to swing down in an unhurried way literally swishing the driver into impact with natural club head speed. It is when a golfer has a backswing full of tension that the shoulders do not turn fully and from a shorter tight backswing most golfers ‘hit at’ the ball in an attempt to create power.

Tips to Hit the Driver Longer

1. Keep the grip relaxed.
2. Feel the muscles in the neck are not bunched.
3. Keep moving before the swing starts – do not become completely stationary.
4. Remember to ‘swing’ the club and do not ‘hit at’ the ball.

Are you familiar with golf? Have you heard of a golf rangefinder?

If you are a beginner in golf or is playing on playing golf and haven’t heard of a rangefinder then you’ll need a lesson on what this device is and how it can help improve your game.

Let’s start with what is a rangefinder?

So how can rangefinder help you? Here are a few things on why you need a rangefinder. Since it’ll be easier to figure out the distance and takes less time to do so there will be less time wasted.

Instead of using markers you’ll just have to point your rangefinder and get the exact distance in a minute. You can also play more golf because everything can be done swiftly.

Most rangefinders nowadays have a slope compensation feature, a very helpful thing for golfer although professional tours don’t allow this. This feature takes into account the elevation and slopes when doing the measurement. Given that it’s almost impossible to figure out if you’re relying on yard markers alone a rangefinder will be a handy device. It also greatly boosts your confidence. When you have no doubts aboutthe distance making your shot is easier than not knowing or knowing just the estimate of the distance.

Aside from telling the distance from different points, a rangefinder is also a data collection tool. If you are gathering more and more data every game you play, you can monitor what areas you need improving thus you’ll get better at golf. Now that you’ve learned about rangefinders you might be considering your first golf finder purchase. Then this reviews will help you decide on which one to buy.

Nikon Coolshot 20 Golf Rangefinder

Features

A small tool packed with a powerful punch. Nikon Coolshot 20 Golf Rangefinder is designed to deliver world-class performance. It complies with USGA (United States Golf Association Sports) Local Rule 14-3 making it possible to use this rangefinder when playing in tournaments. The unprecedented size of this rangefinder leaves no room for any excuse not to use it on every shot; it can fit in any pocket or golf bags. While it is compact and lightweight it delivers big on precision.

You can choose the best shot option depending on a player’s perspective. It is not only useful in displaying the precise distance to the flagstick but also in getting distances for hazards like mounds and trees in just a push of a button. There is also a first target priority mode which is particularly important when ranging a flagstick in front of a line of trees. Another great feature of this rangefinder is that it’s weather-proof. It works well even in poor weather, is rainproof, and has a wide temperature tolerance thus you can use itwhenever and wherever no matter what the weather’s condition is.

Nikon Coolshot 20 Golf Rangefinder backed with a 2-yearwarranty which means that if the customers found any defects in materials or workmanship upon getting the product, Nikon will either replace or repair it at no charge until 2 years after it was purchased

Pros

• Lightweight and compact
• First target priority
• 8-second continuous scanning
• Weather-proof
• 2-Year warranty

Cons

• Needs to hold it steady for a few seconds to get the reading thus it’s not that ideal for people with shaky hand
• Read full review

Precision Pro Golf Nexus Laser Rangefinder

Features

A small tool packed with a powerful punch. Nikon Coolshot 20 Golf Rangefinder is designed to deliver world-class performance. It complies with USGA (United States Golf Association Sports) Local Rule 14-3 making it possible to use this rangefinder when playing in tournaments. The unprecedented size of this rangefinder leaves no room for any excuse not to use it on every shot; it can fit in any pocket or golf bags. While it is compact and lightweight it delivers big on precision.

You can choose the best shot option depending on a player’s perspective. It is not only useful in displaying the precise distance to the flagstick but also in getting distances for hazards like mounds and trees in just a push of a button. There is also a first target priority mode which is particularly important when ranging a flagstick in front of a line of trees. Another great feature of this rangefinder is that it’s weather-proof. It works well even in poor weather, is rainproof, and has a wide temperature tolerance thus you can use itwhenever and wherever no matter what the weather’s condition is.

Nikon Coolshot 20 Golf Rangefinder backed with a 2-yearwarranty which means that if the customers found any defects in materials or workmanship upon getting the product, Nikon will either replace or repair it at no charge until 2 years after it was purchased

Pros

• Lightweight and compact
• First target priority
• 8-second continuous scanning
• Weather-proof
• 2-Year warranty

Cons

• Needs to hold it steady for a few seconds to get the reading thus it’s not that ideal for people with shaky hand
• Read full review

Bushnell Tour V4 JOLT Golf Laser Rangefinder

Features

Bushnell produced another amazing device for golfers, the next advancement of PinSeeker with Jolt Technology. Tour V4 laser rangefinder carries the unmatched accuracy of Bushnell’s sports optics. One of the features this device boasts is that it’s legal for tournament play. This rangefinder offers yardages to flags to as far as 400 yards out and one-yardaccuracy from 5 to 1,000 yards.

It also has the Bushnell jolt technology that delivers a short vibrating burst to reinforce the laser locking it on the flag. In addition to these amazing features is the magnification that players love having. Bushnell Tour V4 has a 5x magnification and a fast focus system thus seeing your shot clearly is no problem at all. It maynot be that significant to others but this rangefinder comes with a premium carry case and 3-Volt CR2 battery.

Pros

• Fast focus system
• Water resistant
• Pro certified and is legal for tournament play
• 2 year limited warranty

Cons

• Lacks consistent vibration when locking in on the flag
• Sometimes fails to turn on
• Read full review

Eyoyo 5-700 Yard Waterproof 6x Multifunction Golf Hunting RangeFinder

Features

This Eyoyorangefinder is packed with great features that make it easier for the golferto identify the flagstick. The flagpole lock, range, and scan modes enableit to recognize a partially hidden flagstick. It has a speed accuracy of ±5km/h and a range measurementaccuracy of ±1yard. With the 6x magnification, the fog and speed modes makethis rangefinder a suitable hunting device.

Designed as water and dust resistant with a durable body, it can also last longer than you might expect it to. This rangefinder package includes a built-in battery with a standby time of up to 2 months, a strap to put around your wrist securing the rangefinder from slipping, a cleaning cloth that made especially for the device, a user manual to help make figuring it out easier, and a premium carrying pouch to guard your golf rangefinder against poor weather and unwanted impacts.

Eyoyo5-700 Yard Waterproof 6x Multifunction Golf Hunting RangeFinder will surely bring you a good game experience.

The package includes:

1. Rangefinder
2. 3V CR2 battery
3. Strap
4. Cleaning cloth
5. User manual

Pros

• Lightweight and portable
• High precision
• Can measure up to 700 yards
• 18-month warranty

Cons

• Sometimes doesn’t range unless the target is clear