Featured Article Best Golf Clubs - Do You Really Need the Best Golf Clubs to Play Well? Or Is It All In Your
Author: Art Turner
The number of different golf club models available today is almost mind-boggling. The variety of designs and materials make finding the best golf clubs like searching for a needle in a stack of needles. Every golf club manufacturer promises that their clubs will turn you into the golfer that you dream of becoming. Are the best golf clubs really about exotic metals and leading-edge design? Or is the critical factor in performance on the course more about your belief in the clubs and what they can do? If you buy a starter set of clubs that you're not really happy with, you may translate that dissatisfaction into weak playing on the golf course. Instead of buying less-expensive new clubs, you might think about shopping for premium golf clubs on the second-hand market. Brands that many people consider to be among the best golf clubs can be found for sale at your local golf shop, through classified ads in your local newspaper, or through online sources like Craigslist and eBay. Diligent searching and an understanding of the value of good golf clubs could help you walk away with a great set of clubs for a fraction of their original cost. Is there a golf course nearby that might have a professional on staff? How about a golf coach at a local school? These individuals would be excellent sources of information and recommendations on the best golf clubs. Not only do they have personal knowledge about how different club designs perform, they also have the advantage of teaching students who probably have golf clubs from many different manufacturers. Leverage their experience to find out which clubs might be the best golf clubs for you. Plus, they may be able to give you some leads on good used clubs. Even with reviews and recommendations, there's really no way to discover the best golf clubs for yourself without trying them out. Clubs that work well for some people might not perform at all for others. Differences in your body size, your physical shape, even idiosyncrasies in your style of play will all determine which clubs are the best golf clubs for your game. You may be anxious to get started with the game, but don't buy clubs today that you'll regret later. To win the mental game of golf, you need to have total confidence in your clubs. So start out with the best golf clubs you can afford.
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Featured Article Best Golf Clubs - Do You Really Need the Best Golf Clubs to Play Well? Or Is It All In Your
Author: Art Turner
The number of different golf club models available today is almost mind-boggling. The variety of designs and materials make finding the best golf clubs like searching for a needle in a stack of needles. Every golf club manufacturer promises that their clubs will turn you into the golfer that you dream of becoming. Are the best golf clubs really about exotic metals and leading-edge design? Or is the critical factor in performance on the course more about your belief in the clubs and what they can do? If you buy a starter set of clubs that you're not really happy with, you may translate that dissatisfaction into weak playing on the golf course. Instead of buying less-expensive new clubs, you might think about shopping for premium golf clubs on the second-hand market. Brands that many people consider to be among the best golf clubs can be found for sale at your local golf shop, through classified ads in your local newspaper, or through online sources like Craigslist and eBay. Diligent searching and an understanding of the value of good golf clubs could help you walk away with a great set of clubs for a fraction of their original cost. Is there a golf course nearby that might have a professional on staff? How about a golf coach at a local school? These individuals would be excellent sources of information and recommendations on the best golf clubs. Not only do they have personal knowledge about how different club designs perform, they also have the advantage of teaching students who probably have golf clubs from many different manufacturers. Leverage their experience to find out which clubs might be the best golf clubs for you. Plus, they may be able to give you some leads on good used clubs. Even with reviews and recommendations, there's really no way to discover the best golf clubs for yourself without trying them out. Clubs that work well for some people might not perform at all for others. Differences in your body size, your physical shape, even idiosyncrasies in your style of play will all determine which clubs are the best golf clubs for your game. You may be anxious to get started with the game, but don't buy clubs today that you'll regret later. To win the mental game of golf, you need to have total confidence in your clubs. So start out with the best golf clubs you can afford.
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Featured Article Clubhead Speed Or Power, Which Comes First In The Golf Swing?
Author: Sean Cochran
A question for the ages in relation to the golf swing. Golfers around the world are familiar with the term clubhead speed. It is the rate at which the golf club is traveling at impact with the golf ball. Golfers are also familiar with the term power.
They know that power is directly related to clubhead speed. Knowing the connection between the two, which comes first?
Clubhead Speed and Power in the Golf Swing
Take a moment to answer the question; which comes first, clubhead speed or power?
Write down your answer and continue reading. Before we answer this question, let us do a quick review of both clubhead speed and power.
Clubhead Speed
Again, we understand that clubhead speed is the rate at which the clubhead is moving at impact with the golf ball. The development of clubhead speed is a resultant of your golf swing mechanics. It is essentially a summation of the entire process of the golf swing, beginning with address, moving through the backswing, into transition, onto the downswing, and completing with impact.
The paragraph above should answer the question of which comes first; clubhead speed or power? Clubhead speed is the resultant of power development with the mechanics of the golf swing.
The next question we want to ask is about power:
How is Power Developed in the Golf Swing?
Power is a combination of two entities:
1. Golf Swing Mechanics
2. Body
Your golf swing mechanics is the efficiency at which you perform the golf swing. Essentially, the golf swing can be broken down into the stages. These stages are;
Address, Backswing, Transition, Downswing, Impact, and Follow Through
Each of these stages within the golf swing can be performed efficiently or inefficiently. PGA Tour players tend to perform the mechanics of the golf swing very efficiently, where as the 30 handicapper performs them very inefficiently.
If the mechanics within each stage of the golf swing are efficient. The creation of power and transfer of this power into clubhead speed is at a greater percentage.
On the flip side, if each stage is performed inefficiently. The amount of power developed and transferred into clubhead speed becomes a low percentage.
The first key in power development and the generation of clubhead speed is golf mechanics.
Efficient Golf Swing Mechanics = Greater Power Development and Clubhead Speed
Once we understand that efficient golf swing mechanics equals more power and clubhead speed. We can turn our attention to the "support structure" of your golf swing.
The Body
The body is what drives the golf swing. It is your skeleton, muscles, and nerves performing the mechanics of the golf swing. As a result, your body has a direct affect on how much power you generate in your golf swing.
The mechanics of golf swing requires certain levels of:
Flexibility
Balance
Strength
Endurance
Power
Optimal levels within these body categories allow for the possibility of performing the mechanics of the golf swing at their most efficient levels.
For example, a full shoulder in the backswing is necessary for optimal power development. In order to perform a full shoulder turn, you must have a high level of flexibility.
If you are lacking the flexibility to perform a shoulder turn it will affect the amount of power you can generate.
Bottom line the body is the foundation on which the golf swing is developed.
If you have a weak foundation, you will have a weak golf swing.
Efficient Golf Swing Mechanics + A Strong, Flexible, and Powerful Body = Clubhead Speed
We now know clubhead speed is a product of power development in the golf swing. Power development within your golf swing is contingent upon two entities. The first entity is your golf swing mechanics. Performing the mechanics of the golf swing efficiently elicits more power. Secondly, it is the body. Optimal power development requires certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power within the body. Put these two entities together and you have the ability to generate high levels of clubhead speed within your golf swing.
Sean Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on the website www.bioforcegolf.com . To contact Sean, you can email him at support@bioforcegolf.com. ...
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Featured Article Choosing the Right Golf Clubs
Author: Donald Saunders
Planning on becoming the next Tiger Woods? If so, the first thing you might consider is getting some new golf clubs. Choosing the right golf clubs can make the difference between spending your time on the fairways and greens and spending your time in the rough. Although famed golfer Ben Hogan once said, "The only thing a golfer needs is more daylight", for my money, having the right set of golf clubs runs this a close second. First, I'll assume you aren't a pro. Otherwise, you probably wouldn't be here; you'd be out perfecting that already outstanding golf swing. For the amateur golfer, choosing the right golf clubs hinges on two factors - distance and accuracy - and, of these, accuracy is the more important. The ability to hit the ball half-way across town may sound great, but if you can't keep it on the fairway, out of the bunkers, and heading for the flag, then all the distance in the world isn't going to help your game. So, the starting point for all of us needs to be accuracy. Once the ball starts going just where we want it to go with reasonable consistency we can start working on building distance. Of course, cost can be a big issue when choosing a new set of clubs, but since that's a personal conversation between you your wallet – and maybe your spouse – we won't cover it here. Don't forget though that you don't need to buy tailor-made golf clubs and that a good starting point may well be one of the many outlets for discount golf equipment. Another good starting point is to look at pre-owned golf clubs. Begin by analyzing what's going to best fit your needs. The primary set of clubs in every golfer's bag is the irons, so that's what I'm going to concentrate on here. Irons have several characteristics to consider when you're choosing golf clubs. The first thing to look at is the method of manufacture. Irons are normally made either by casting or forging. For the novice golfer cast irons are generally better because they have a bigger sweet spot on the club face. The sweet spot is the area on the club face that you want to contact the ball and, as a general rule, the larger the sweet spot the greater the room for error in your swing. In other words, with a large sweet spot you can miss hitting the ball directly on the center of the club face and still end up with a decent shot. Forged irons are better for more advanced golfers because they allow for better control of trajectory, allowing you to hit the ball at a desired angle to get the height necessary for the result you want. The next thing to consider is the size of the head. As a novice golfer, you'll find a definite trade-off here. A bigger head equals a bigger sweet spot and more tolerance of miss-hits. However, at the same time, a bigger head is also a little harder to control. You'll probably want to start with a set of irons with medium-sized heads. They're easier to control than the oversized-heads, but they still have a bigger sweet spot than the traditional, smaller heads. Bet you didn't know there were this many factors to choosing the right set of golf clubs! Well, I'm not quite done yet. Another factor to think about when choosing golf clubs is what the head is made of - cast iron, stainless steel, or titanium. Titanium heads are best for novice golfers as this light material allows for a bigger head, without making the club too heavy. Bigger head equals bigger sweet spot! If the cost of titanium heads is beyond your wallet's reach, then consider cast iron rather than steel. They're durable and the harder material can help improve both accuracy and consistency. Swing speed is also important in deciding upon the right golf clubs. Golfers with lower swing speeds can benefit from more flexible graphite shafts that are a bit longer and lighter. With a higher swing speed, it's more likely you want to focus on accuracy, so stiffer and heavier steel shafts can help you develop that accurate ball placement that gets your name on the leader board. Obviously, there are many factors to consider when choosing the right golf clubs. But consider what the comedian Henny Youngman once said, "The other day I broke 70. That's a lot of clubs." Choosing the right golf clubs for your game and level of play can reduce both your handicap and the number of clubs you get the urge to break! Copyright 2005 Donald Saunders About The Author: If you're relatively new to the world of golf then choosing a suitable set of golf clubs can be a daunting task. Check out the local http://golf-unlimited.info/golf-equipment/discount-golf-equipment.html " target=_blank>golf clubs suppliers in your area and start improving your http://golf-unlimited.info/golf-swing/golf-swing.html " target=_blank>golf swing today. ...
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I read today that Tiger Woods is out for the remainder of the 2008 due to a stress fracture in his left leg. It seems that this condition has existed for at least a year. What a shame. After Tiger's heroics in this year's USGA Open Championship, I for one........was ready for more.
If Tiger could play 91 holes of golf, under US Open conditions, on a recently scoped knee, I have not doubts that he could have won several other tournaments before the end of the 2008 season. I was hoping to see him play the British Open and the PGA Championship. Oh well, I guess I will have to wait until next year.
Get well soon Tiger and enjoy your time off!
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Featured Article Choosing the Right Golf Balls
Author: Donald Saunders
You've watched Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson on television – you know the brand of golf balls they use. And they're good, right? You should be able to use the same brand of golf balls and be good too, right? Wrong! Maybe using the same type golf balls as the PGA golf pros will improve your game...and maybe it won't. You need to choose the golf ball that's right for your own game. Choosing the wrong kind of golf ball can be a bigger handicap to your game than starting at the 19th hole. Choosing the right kind of golf ball can have you feeling like a Tiger, even if you don't quite have his handicap. Golf balls come in three styles: 2-piece, 3-piece, and high performance. 2-piece golf balls are designed for improving your distance, while 3-piece and high performance golf balls can typically help with accuracy. The 2-piece golf balls are especially good if you're just starting out or if you've played just enough to know you really want to give this sport a try. They're also terrific for high handicap golfers who have been around a while. Hey, we can't all be pros! These are the most common type on the market and usually less expensive than 3-piece balls. Best of all, the large rubber core provides faster speed off the tee for those of you with a slow swing. In turn, that gives you greater distance. It could happen that the first time you played, everyone was astounded at the way you slammed that little white ball with the power of a major league batter aiming for a grand slam. But that's doubtful. Distance is usually developed over time as you develop your swing and find the groove. When you are just beginning, chances are you need to improve your accuracy more than your distance. Once you've developed your accuracy, then is the time to choose a golf ball and clubs that will help improve your distance. If you haven't developed consistent accuracy – that is, having the ball consistently land in the same "general" area each time – then the 3-piece golf ball probably isn't right for you. It's just not as forgiving of miss-hits as the 2-piece golf ball. The same goes for high performance balls. They're pretty much designed for advanced golfers...and their price bears this out! One factor to always be considered is cost. Simple, standard 2-piece golf balls usually come in 18-packs and are relatively inexpensive. The cost of golf balls may seem small in comparison to the overall cost of pursuing the sport but the inexperienced golfer can go through a lot of golf balls in a very short space of time! The key, as with most golf equipment, is to choose the right kind of golf ball for your level of play. Consider your swing and your game, and then choose the ball that will help eliminate your weaknesses and build upon your strengths. If you don't choose the right golf ball for your level of play, your golf round might just become what Mark Twain once called it: "...a pleasant walk, spoiled". Copyright 2005 Donald Saunders About The Author: Newcomers to the world of golf may find choosing the right golf balls a difficult task. Check out the local suppliers in your area and don't be too tempted by those http://golf-unlimited.info/golf/personalized-golf-balls.html " target=_blank>personalized golf balls or http://golf-unlimited.info/golf/logo-golf-balls.html " target=_blank>logo golf balls that are all the rage today. ...
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Featured Article Change Your Life With Some Great New Golf Tips
Author: Tony Brings -
Good golfing means good golf tips and to find them there are some definite things you need to do. The best golf tips may not grow on trees but there are tons out there for you and all you have to do is look for them, and not that hard either. They are literally everywhere! Some of the best golf tips will be a little harder to find than some of the others but you will have no problem finding hundreds of golf tips that will change the way that you play golf forever. Of course the more time you spend looking for your golf tips the more of them you are bound to come across and keep in mind that the more you learn the better your golf game is going to be.
SO golf tips can make a big difference, but where can you start your search for them? One of the first places that you should look for golf tips is online. There is a plethora of knowledge on the internet and it can all be yours if you type in a few simple keywords. After that all you need to do is a little light reading. There is no easier way for you to find out all of the top ways to play golf and win. You will be able to get answers to some of the golf questions that have been stumping you for years and years when you do the looking online. There is virtually nothing that you cannot find and learn from online in just a few minutes flat. That kinds of speed and efficiency is priceless, just think of all the time you will have left out there on the links!
Another fantastic place to get some great golf advice is at the local public library. You will find a billion books filled with golf tips and advice at the library and you will never have to pay for any of it. You can take out all of the books you want and they will all be totally free of charge! Not all libraries have the same books either, so be sure to look at more than one library to see all of the selection available to you free. You may be able to look at the books the library has available online too so ask at the library if they have online access. This way you will be able to save all kinds of time and energy. You can even get the books put on hold online often, this will allow you to make sure you get the books you want when you need them the most.
Remember that you can use library books for golf advice and tips even if you don't have an actual library card. You will not be able to take them out of the building but they can be read inside as much as you want. You can even photocopy pages to take home if you want to. Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com Tony Brings is the editor of The Golf Champ . Find free golf tips, club and equipment reviews, FAQs, news, and info for beginners. ...
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Featured Article Can Well-Maintained Greens Lower Your Scores?
Author: Jack Moorehouse -
I don't often mention green maintenance in my golf lessons. Nor do I often discuss it in my golf tips. That's because golfers want to talk about hitting the ball instead. But the care and feeding of a club's greens—how they are mowed, watered, fertilized— can have a major impact on a player's golf handicap, especially if he or she plays the same course a lot.
Speed is the key factor when considering green maintenance. Usually, players want a superintendent to increase green speed. It's probably the most frequent request about greens. Occasionally, players want a superintendent to decrease green speed, but these requests are few and far between. Misjudging the speed of a putt can add strokes to a score, as I've mentioned in my golf tips.
The term "green speed" is technically inaccurate. The device measuring "speed" —the USGA Stimpmeter —gauges the distance a ball rolls when released at a controlled speed on a putting surface, not the ball's velocity. To talk about green speed then is a bit of a misnomer. Nevertheless, we continue to use the term when talking about greens. (I even use it when giving golf lessons.) A green with a relatively long ball roll is considered "fast." A green with a relatively short ball roll is said to be "slow."
Ball roll relates to relationship between the initial energy when a putter strikes the ball and the resistance between the ball and the turf's surface, or friction. As the ball rolls across the green, its surface slows it down thanks to friction. A green with high resistance slows a ball down more than a green with low resistance. Moderating friction changes a green's speed.
Environmental factors, such as humidity, can moderate friction and change a green's speed. For example, high humidity increases green speed, a consideration when playing on a hot day. Soil type also influences green speed. Greens made predominately of clay are faster in spring than their sandier counterparts. While superintendents have little or no control over these factors, they have minimal impact on your game.
Management practices, on the other hand, like mowing or irrigation, can make a profound impact on a green, both short-term and long-term. Below is a summary of how some popular management practices affect green speed.
Mowing:
An effective way of increasing ball roll in the short-term, mowing has a significant impact on green speed. Decreasing mowing height by only 1/16 inch can increase ball roll from 6 to 10 inches. A similar response occurs when you "double cut" a green (mowing it a second time, perpendicular to the first cut) which can increase ball roll 6 to 12 inches. Mower type also influences green speed. Greens cut with a walk-behind mower are generally 6 to 8 inches fast than greens cut with triplex mowers.
Irrigation
Dry greens are faster than moist or wet greens. Withholding irrigation or decreasing it before an event requiring faster greens will increase ball roll 4 to 8 inches, depending on soil type.
Rolling
Rolling golf greens isn't new, but it's growing in popularity thanks to new research and better equipment. Depending on the type of roller you use, you can increase green speed from 4 to 10 inches, with minimal compaction problems on sand-based greens
Topdressing
Light frequent topdressing with or without vertical mowing or core aerating is common. Topdressing decreases speed for up to 1 week after application, followed by an increase of from 4 to 8 inches (above the speed before topdressing.) Vertical mowing has a similar effect. Core aeration reduces speed initially, and if you don't topdress to fill in the holes, decrease it long term.
Fertility
Decreasing nitrogen fertility will gradually increase ball-roll distance. A decrease in nitrogen fertility of only 10 percent can increase ball roll 8 to 12 percent. The effects may take up to a year to see, however, depending on previous fertility practices. Plant growth regulators can increase ball roll from 4 to 8 inches, depending on product, rate, and frequency of application.
Keep in mind that these factors do not operate independently. Modifying one may require compensation by modifying another.
Next time you play your favorite course be aware of these factors and how they affect a green. Take them into account when putting. Doing so might just help you improve your round and your golf handicap. Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book "How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros ." He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. ...
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Featured Article Callaway ERC Fusion Driver - Long and Straight
Author: Ernie Horning
The ERC Fusion Driver is an ultra forgiving and accurate driver. This golf club is available through the "Callaway Golf Pre-Owned" website (www.callawaygolfpreowned.com ).
The ERC Fusion Driver is available in lofts from 7.5 to 12.0, and is great if you are looking to drive the ball "Long and Straight". The 360CC carbon composite head, with a forged titanium face, is actually 75% lighter. The ERC Fusion's 45" shaft is standard, with either a "Regular D-2" or "Strong D-3" swingweight. This enables both the male and female golfer to swing the club with ease, without experiencing a loss in power.
The ERC Fusion Driver looks and feels great! How many times has your foursome stood on the tee box waiting to hit, and you start comparing each others drivers? You compare grips, weight, feel, take a few practice swings, trying to get an overall feel for one anothers clubs. Put the ERC Fusion in your bag for your next round, and you will be the envy of your foursome.
I started playing with the Callaway ERC Fusion driver in the spring of 2004. I had previously played the Callaway C4, the Biggest Big Bertha, the Great Big Bertha, and the Big Bertha Warbird. Although I liked my previous drivers, and hit them fairly well, none compare to the success I am having with the ERC Fusion. I have become much more accurate off the tee, hitting more fairways, and driving much longer than my regular opponents. As you probably know, when you are longer and straighter off the tee, you score better. It is much easier to hit the green from 150 yds. out, from a good lie on the fairway, than it is from 170 yds. out, from the rough, or even the trees. The larger sweetspot provides me the accuracy and distance needed for tight par 4's and long par 5's. The ERC Fusion enables me to reach some of those par 5's in 2, cutting even more strokes off my game. It's great putting for an eagle every now then. The lighter feel allows me to slow down my swing producing much better contact. It is simply the best Callaway Driver I have ever played. And yes, although they might not want to admit it, my regular playing partners do envy me, especially as I am looking back at them from the fairway, waiting for them to hit first to the green.
The "Callaway Golf Pre-Owned" website offers these beautiful, powerful, slightly used golf clubs from $139.00 to $239.00. With a MSRP of $449.00, this is quite a Golf Bargain. Whoever thought driving a golf ball "Long and Straight" could be so fun, yet so easy.
(Copyright 2005-ehbvi-www.golfgodz.com)
About the AuthorErnie Horning is a Business owner and avid golfer, and writes articles for www.golfgodz.com ...
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Featured Article Buying the Best Clubs for Beginners
Author: Jimmy Bonner
A new set of clubs for beginners is really not necessary; in fact the higher end clubs can be a hindrance on your game. Golf is unique in the fact that the sport requires a group of instruments, and equipment to play in full. Many sports like baseball or basketball just require a few items that are used by an entire team. Golf being an individual sport this aspect changes into a need for the right set of clubs.
Golf clubs are broken down into sets of complete or incomplete, as well as irons, woods, drivers, putters, wedges, and hybrids. Golf clubs can be purchased in any combination of the above, but typically for beginners it is good to start with the entire set. Also women's clubs are sold as sets, but typically differ from men's clubs in size. Golf clubs in sets typically come with a bag that has stands on it, so it can rest on itself while you are taking your shots. Also golf sets occasionally will come with tops for the heads, as well as towels, umbrellas, and even balls.
Golf club sets can be purchased at a number of places. In order of price, most expensive to least, you can buy clubs at a pro shop; this will be your most expensive option. You can also buy clubs at sporting good stores, or golf specialty stores. For those bargain shoppers you can purchase a full set of clubs at Wal Mart, or even your local thrift store. For the internet shopper's eBay offers a great selection of new and used golf club sets.
The cost for a set of clubs can vary from less than $100 for an entire set, to over $10,000 for the high end clubs. Typically golfers can buy a decent set of clubs for $400 depending on where they are shopping. High end clubs are often bought in singles, thus making it more costly to purchase a set. One driver can cost over $1,000 at a local pro shop.
The term you get what you pay for isn't true in the world of golf clubs. Unlike cars, or computers, typically golf clubs can be beneficial at a low cost. Further, many prefer cheaper clubs, or used clubs, because they offer a more standard weight and grip. Golf clubs are uniquely made out of several different materials, and can vary depending on a user's preference. The cheaper clubs have a level feel to them, and don't offer too much of any one element. If a beginner spends a large amount of money on an ultra light driver, it could be too light for them to learn the basics of their swing, this actually prohibiting them from learning the basics.
Overall it's important to start off with a modest set of clubs until your game advances to levels that call for new clubs. Plus with all the money you save you can buy your significant other a set, and make a date at the course. Article Source : http://www.articledashboard.com Jimmy Bonner is the author of the best-selling golf ebooks. He can walk you through every single step to cut your handcap, hit ball farther and stop slicing at Advanced Golf Skill www.advancedgolfskills.com . ...
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Featured Article Business Gift Giving a Headache? Here's some aspirin!
Author: Meredith Gossland
Corporate gifting is a big headache for most business owners; how much to spend, who to spend the money on, where to get the gifts, what to get and how to gauge the effect of that giving in terms of benefits for the company are all important questions. When a company decides to give gifts it needs to be planned out as part of doing business, not just a last minute impulse. The cost of gifting should be built in to the cost of your product and used when evaluating your break even point.
With a plan for gifting as part of the cost of the product you will never come up short in November or offend someone by getting a gift for one employee but not another. Gifting in terms of employees can even be figured as a part of income, like a benefit. You can even state that to your employees if it traslates into giving bonuses or extra days off with pay. But the bottom line is that gifting needs to be planned, budgeted, and scheduled. When handled this way gift giving stress evaporates.
1. Why are you going to give gifts?
a.) to ensure customer loyalty
b.) to build relationships
c.) to create an image
d.) to reward important customers
e.) as a marketing strategy
f.) to reduce employee turnover
g.) to reward employee performance
h.) to say thank you
i.) insure good service by vendors
j.) congratulations
k.) to create goodwill
Establish what each of these areas might mean in terms of frequency. How often would you reward employees, how often would you give a gift to a vendor?
Do not confuse discounts with gifting. They are not the same thing! Unless you have a product that you know the recipient really wants, don't give your products as gifts. It is seen as advertising not as a gift!
Never use promotional products as gifts! These are viewed on an even lower scale! People see them as left overs from a trade show...that is NOT a good thing!
3 solid rules for gifts!
1. Do not give perishables! Apples and popcorn will be gone and forgotten in a matter of days! A beautiful picture frame will be on someones desk for years to come, Reminding them of your thoughtfulness!
2. Think before you give... who are you giving to and what is their lifestyle. A bookstore gift card may wind up being sold at a discount on the internet or regifted if the person never reads.
3. Always think quality rather than quantity. A single $25 classic pen is much better than a cheap $25 stationary set with a cheap diary, poor quality paper, pencil, eraser, and poorly printed folder and a pen if the pen never works and the paper is so cheap the person would be embarassed to use it.
Gift baskets are great, but once again remember that food is gone in a week...you want to gift gifts that keep on giving for months or even years. There are a few places such as Lasting Impressions 2 that provide custom gift baskets that include non perishable products selected especially for the recipent. For instance if you have a client that loves golf, has 3 kids, drinks Starbuck's coffee, and wears glasses a custom basket might include golf balls, a gift certificate for a family portrait from a local photo studio, a starbucks commuter cup, and a trendy glasses case. That kind of gift will be remembered for years to come. Instead of $150.00 of chocolates and coffee you have given a very special gift that says you are an important client.
Customize your gift giving but maintain a standard cost for gifting.
For instance, maybe employee birthdays should be limited to $10-$20 dollars and client gifts 5% of their annual value in sales. Only you can decide the dollar limits...every business is different. If you own a 99 cent store you will not be giving your stock boys trips to the Bahamas. By the same token, if you are a sucessful doctor in Beverly Hills a $5.00 birthday gift for your nurse might seem inappropriate and downright rude!
If all of this seems a little overwhelming remember that once the plan is laid out and you have a vendor for your gifts, year after year you can use the same plan or fine tune it depending on how your business is doing. But one thing is for cetain people will see you in a positive light and the marketing power of good gift giving will traslate into low turn over, and client loyalty and referrals.
About the AuthorMeredith Gossland is owner of Lasting Impressions 2 a small business marketing service specializing in relationship marketing. Lasting Impressions 2 offers marketing seminars on low/cost no cost marketing. Services include greeting card marketing and custom gifts for business. She can be reached at info@lastingimpressions2.com or at www.lastingimpressions2.com ...
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Featured Article Big Bertha Irons - A Brief History
Author: Jonathan Blaze
Big Bertha. In the world of golf, this is a name that is synonymous with forgiveness, feel, and performance. Introduced by Callaway Golf in 1994, the Big Bertha Irons began a revolution with an iron designed to push weight to the edge of the club. This unique design became the foundation upon which Callaway would continue to improve, amazing us with each and every new model. In 1996, Callaway released an updated version of the original Big Bertha Irons with a few modifications. In the new model, designers used the size of the club head and the volume of the cavity to push weight farther out to the edges of the club head. A Bore-through hosel which actually extends through the club shaft providing more stability and the feel that is expected of all Callaway products. The Sole was modified slightly model to allow for the club to pass through poor lies with even less friction than the before. Callaway also introduced the Big Bertha Gold Series Iron in 1996. Using the prototype of the original Big Bertha Iron, designers repositioned the sweet spot, added a new contoured sole and redistributed the weight in the head. The Big Bertha Gold Series has a RCH Series 96 shaft and are manufactured from an aluminum bronze alloy for a softer feel. The Gold Series Iron retained the original's 360-degree undercut channel and the consistently thin face. The Great Big Bertha Tungsten Titanium Iron hit the course in 1997. In this design, Callaway used Titanium with a Tungsten insert to create a club head that was perfect for use in just about all conditions. The Insert represents only 15 percent of the club head volume but accounts for 40 percent of the weight, keeping the size perfect and the center of gravity exactly where it should be. The Big Bertha X-12 Irons and X-12 Pro Series Irons followed in 1998. Featuring a lower center of gravity than the original Big Bertha Irons, the X-12 was designed to help golfers get the ball airborne. The X-12's retained the 360-degree undercut channel, Callaway's patented S2H2 and Tru-Bore Technologies. The Pro-Series was designed for lower handicap golfers and featured the Less-Offset design which enables the more experienced golfer the ability to work the ball more easily. Also featured are the 360-degree undercut channel, the S2H2 and Tru-Bore Technologies. The X-12 Irons were the first Stainless Steel Irons introduced by Callaway and many believe it was this iron that set the standard for high performance irons to follow. The Steelhead X-14 Irons followed the X-12 in 2000 and quickly became the best-selling Iron in Callaway history. Also offered in a Pro-Series, the X-14 featured stainless steel construction and Callaway's Variable Face Thickness (VFT) Technology that ensured a perfectly located center of gravity (COG). Optimized in the long, mid and the short iron, the Face Thickness tapered from top to bottom and heel to toe. The Pro-Series designed for the advanced golfer was designed with Less-Offset than the regular X-14 Callaway's original Big Bertha Irons were upgraded once more in 2002. In this iron set, Callaway added all of it's latest technologies which retaining the original and very popular appearance and shape the Big Bertha Irons were known for. These technologies took the game of the golfer using them to a whole new level with increased forgiveness and maximum performance. Also introduced in 2002 was the Hawk Eye VFT Irons. Quite simply, in this set, Callaway simply used all of their design knowledge and added the titanium package. The most popular addition to the Hawk Eye VFT irons, however, was the internal weight pocket that allowed designers to position the mass deep and low across the clubface. This design provides for unequaled trajectory without sacrificing forgiveness or feel. The following year, Callaway went back to the drawing board to create the new Steelhead X-16 and the Steelhead X-16 Pro-Series. Changes included a shorter blade length and wider topline plus the addition of Callaway's latest technology, Notch Weighting. The X-16 features included a low center of gravity, a cambered sole, and a satin finish. The Pro-Series were given a more blade-like design, Less-Offset, a thinner topline, narrower sole, and a straighter leading edge. In 2004 and 2006, Callaway added two more models to the original Big Bertha Irons as and in 2005, introduced the X-18, the X-18 Pro-Series, the X-Tour Irons and the Big Bertha Fusion Irons. Proving once more than theirs is not a company to rest on it's laurels. Known today as the leader and trendsetter in game improvement, Callaway Golf continues to do it's best to make us better on the course.
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Featured Article Golf Club - Which Golf Clubs Can Improve Your Game Overnight
Author: Michael Kohler
The game of golf requires that you use a variety of different clubs. These clubs are known as woods, irons, and punters. Each one of them is used for driving the ball down the fairway, and inevitably into the hole on the green. The use of each one is actually an art in itself. Knowing more about each one of the clubs is key to understanding how to play the game at either a basic level or a professional level. Here are a few tips on using each one of the different clubs and how to use each one effectively as you play the game of golf. These tips are for professionals or knitters alike because they apply across the board for all kinds of different players. Not too long ago, there were only a few kinds of clubs available. With all the amazing golf club technology available on the market now, perhaps it is time you invested in a new club to help you take the next step in your game. No matter what your budget, there are golf clubs to suit your needs. If you are looking for a new golf club, there here are some examples of the best around to help you improve your game. While there is no replacement for raw talent and experience, a new golf club can help you gain the edge you need to win. Whether you want improved control or increased distance, today's modern clubs can give you the performance you want. The first club to consider is called the wood. It is called this for obvious reasons due to the fact that the end of the club is made of wood. Woods are the clubs you use for long distance shots and driving off the tee. Finding a good wood or driver is one of the most important aspects of the game of golf. If you don't have a good club for hitting your tee shots then you will be behind before you have even started. The most popular material for club heads these days is titanium. Although quite expensive, a driver like this will help you to make the most of your tee shots. You will probably need a number of wood clubs, including a driver and a fairway wood for long shots away from the tee. Look for clubs with a good combination of distance and accuracy. The next kind of club is called an iron. Irons are your main clubs, and are what you use for virtually all shots between tee shot and putting, apart from long fairway shots and bunker shots. With irons giving players great distance than ever before, many professionals are now using irons even more regularly, as they can get more control with an iron than with a wood club for even fairly long shots. Your best bet with irons is to buy a set of irons in one go from the same make. This will give you a nice consistent set of golf clubs that you can use to make all the shots in the game. Let's move on to the very last kind of club that you will use in order to finally get your ball into the hole on the green. The putter is one of the most basic clubs but is also the most essential club for finally getting your ball into the hole. You need a putter that you feel comfortable with and will allow you to get consistent shots in on the green. Perhaps the one golf club that really makes a difference to your game is your putter. Without the right putter, all your work in other shots will be wasted. If you have any doubts about a club, then leave it and come back to look at it another time. You want your golf club set to be perfect for you, so only buy those items that you feel totally comfortable with. The only way to pick the right putter, or any club for that matter, is to have some swings with it and see if it is really right for you. Make sure that you have the feel you want and that the grip and weight of the club is comfortable. The best solution for improving your game is of course to practice on a regular basis. Unfortunately, if you begin practicing with inferior clubs, it may have a terrible effect on your level of improvement in the game of golf. Having the best wood, iron, and putter golf clubs that money can buy may not make you a pro, but it will surely help you improve your game to a level of proficiency that you can be happy with. The best recommendation is to save money for at least a medium value golf club set that will ensure that your golf game will begin to develop at a very rapid pace through consistent practice. After time, and if you have the ability, you may improve your game with just a few weeks of practice with a quality wood, iron, and putter golf set.
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Featured Article Golf Club - Which Golf Clubs Can Improve Your Game Overnight
Author: Michael Kohler
The game of golf requires that you use a variety of different clubs. These clubs are known as woods, irons, and punters. Each one of them is used for driving the ball down the fairway, and inevitably into the hole on the green. The use of each one is actually an art in itself. Knowing more about each one of the clubs is key to understanding how to play the game at either a basic level or a professional level. Here are a few tips on using each one of the different clubs and how to use each one effectively as you play the game of golf. These tips are for professionals or knitters alike because they apply across the board for all kinds of different players. Not too long ago, there were only a few kinds of clubs available. With all the amazing golf club technology available on the market now, perhaps it is time you invested in a new club to help you take the next step in your game. No matter what your budget, there are golf clubs to suit your needs. If you are looking for a new golf club, there here are some examples of the best around to help you improve your game. While there is no replacement for raw talent and experience, a new golf club can help you gain the edge you need to win. Whether you want improved control or increased distance, today's modern clubs can give you the performance you want. The first club to consider is called the wood. It is called this for obvious reasons due to the fact that the end of the club is made of wood. Woods are the clubs you use for long distance shots and driving off the tee. Finding a good wood or driver is one of the most important aspects of the game of golf. If you don't have a good club for hitting your tee shots then you will be behind before you have even started. The most popular material for club heads these days is titanium. Although quite expensive, a driver like this will help you to make the most of your tee shots. You will probably need a number of wood clubs, including a driver and a fairway wood for long shots away from the tee. Look for clubs with a good combination of distance and accuracy. The next kind of club is called an iron. Irons are your main clubs, and are what you use for virtually all shots between tee shot and putting, apart from long fairway shots and bunker shots. With irons giving players great distance than ever before, many professionals are now using irons even more regularly, as they can get more control with an iron than with a wood club for even fairly long shots. Your best bet with irons is to buy a set of irons in one go from the same make. This will give you a nice consistent set of golf clubs that you can use to make all the shots in the game. Let's move on to the very last kind of club that you will use in order to finally get your ball into the hole on the green. The putter is one of the most basic clubs but is also the most essential club for finally getting your ball into the hole. You need a putter that you feel comfortable with and will allow you to get consistent shots in on the green. Perhaps the one golf club that really makes a difference to your game is your putter. Without the right putter, all your work in other shots will be wasted. If you have any doubts about a club, then leave it and come back to look at it another time. You want your golf club set to be perfect for you, so only buy those items that you feel totally comfortable with. The only way to pick the right putter, or any club for that matter, is to have some swings with it and see if it is really right for you. Make sure that you have the feel you want and that the grip and weight of the club is comfortable. The best solution for improving your game is of course to practice on a regular basis. Unfortunately, if you begin practicing with inferior clubs, it may have a terrible effect on your level of improvement in the game of golf. Having the best wood, iron, and putter golf clubs that money can buy may not make you a pro, but it will surely help you improve your game to a level of proficiency that you can be happy with. The best recommendation is to save money for at least a medium value golf club set that will ensure that your golf game will begin to develop at a very rapid pace through consistent practice. After time, and if you have the ability, you may improve your game with just a few weeks of practice with a quality wood, iron, and putter golf set.
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Featured Article Golf Clubs - Finding the Best Set of Golf Clubs
Author: Martin Haworth
Having the right set of golf clubs can be critical to your personal performance on the golf course. The right set of golf clubs can give you the confidence and the capability to perform at the top of your game. New golfers who are looking for a starter set of golf clubs should consider purchasing good-quality clubs on the resale market rather than settling for cheap new clubs. It would also be a good idea to get suggestions from a golf coach or golf professional. But even after you've gotten advice and considered all the golf club reviews, there are several personal factors to think about. Your own size, shape, strength and style of play should be taken into account when choosing golf clubs. A standard set of golf clubs includes irons, woods and a putter. Irons are numbered from two through nine. The faces of the irons are set at an angle to provide lift. A number two iron has a lift angle of 18°, and the angle increases four degrees for every successive iron. The golf club shaft also gets shorter as the numbers go up; that is, the shaft of a two iron is longer than the shaft of a nine iron. Woods are numbered from one through five. The general rule is that lower numbered clubs hit the ball farther, but not as high. In addition to extra lift, higher numbered clubs also give the ball more backspin. Irons Let's talk about the irons. Traditional irons have the club's weight concentrated behind the middle of the head. This design creates what is known as the sweet spot, the perfect place on the club to make contact with the ball. Traditional irons are preferred by many golf pros because of their great precision and control. However, if you don't make contact with the golf ball precisely on the sweet spot, these golf clubs are simply unforgiving. It's now also possible to get irons with a peripheral weight design. These are also known as cavity-backed or game improvement golf clubs. The weight is more evenly distributed around the edges, which is like expanding the sweet spot of the golf club. Cavity-backed golf clubs are much friendlier to new players. They are mainly intended for beginners or inconsistent players. However, cavity-backed clubs can also be found on the pro golf circuits as well. So if this design really works well for you, don't let the name "game improvement" club scare you away. Woods Woods are so named because they were traditionally constructed of wood. Teeing off and long fairway shots are both situations that call for woods. Traditional wooden drivers are still favored by many golf pros. Alas, much like traditional irons, these woods are merciless if your contact with the ball isn't perfect. For this reason, woods made of metal now rule the amateur game. Today's woods are constructed with hollow shells that offer greater distribution of weight. The only drawback of these new designs is that it may be more complicated to shape or control the ball. Graphite heads offer the best performance, but also have the highest price. The shafts of golf clubs come in different degrees of flex: soft, regular and stiff. In general, stronger players who are more proficient at the sport should opt for stiffer shafts. Most golf club shafts are constructed of steel or graphite. Putters Putters are, for many players, the most personal item in the bag of golf clubs. Putters range from very basic to exotic designs. If you purchase a complete set of golf clubs, it will probably include a basic putter. Eventually, you should probably change a standard putter with a design that's more compatible with your playing style. This is something that may take some trial and error. But after playing a few rounds and spending time in practice, you should be able to find one that works for you. You could take a lifetime deciding on the optimum set of golf clubs to give you the best performance. It's far better to stop dwelling on how much better you might be and get out there developing your skills with a 'best effort' in choosing your golf clubs.
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Featured Article Custom Fitted Golf Clubs --The Secret of Golf Success
Author: Eric Stone
One of the secrets to playing your best game of golf is to have the right set of golf clubs. And one of the best ways to have the best golf clubs is to have them custom fitted, so that you feel most comfortable when you're playing with your clubs. Many companies offer this service, and it doesn't take long at all to do. When you're searching for custom fitted golf clubs, there are a few things you'll want to look for. Even when you're at a store that sells generic clubs, it's important to make sure that the club is the right height for you—getting a club that is custom fitted will ensure that you can swing the club with just enough force to play effectively. Your shoulder height is another factor that is taken into consideration when you're being fitted for golf clubs. The length of your fist to the floor will help to determine how long the club needs to be as well.
Along with these things, you'll want to make sure that your drivers and fairway woods are custom made as well. The height of the actual club is factored in with your shoulder width and your leg height, but the drivers and fairway woods you'll use can help you to improve your swing, and they are available for both right and left-handed golfers.
If you want to be fitted for your golf clubs as soon as possible, you may want to visit your local sporting goods store and have an employee take your measurements; you may be able to choose from the selection of golf clubs in the store that match your height and width, or you may be able to use store-bought clubs temporarily while your custom clubs are being sent to you. If you'd rather take a little more time deciding on the specifics of your golf clubs, you may want to check online for some of the best quality custom golf club sites. You can enter your information online (i.e. height, weight, glove size) and receive a list of clubs that may be right for you, as well as the ideal choice for you.
You can also receive information on custom drivers, such as the Double Wall Titanium driver and the Alpha Version 2 driver. These products are of great quality, and you'll even get to read customer reviews on the products you choose, so that you can see how players of every skill level have improved their game by using custom golf equipment.
For more information on Custom Golf Clubs, drivers, and fairway woods, visit:
http://www.300yards.com | | | | | | |
