What should you look for in a set of golf clubs? How do I know which set is best for me and my current abilities? What about getting clubs custom made for my size and level of strength? These are just some of the questions you should be asking yourself before you decide to go out and buy a new set of golf clubs. After all this can mean the difference between seeing an improvement in your game or indeed a decline. Which one would you prefer?

Golf Clubs – Woods

How do you know which type of would you need for your game? Well if you are a beginner to the game of golf, you need to look for woods that have a more flat face. The reason for this is because a flat face will increase the likelihood of your ball going straighter down the fairway. This however will also mean that you will be sacrificing distance for overall accuracy. If you have been playing for quite some time now, a better option would be finding a wood that is more curved and therefore has a stronger “sweet spot”. This will increase the distance of your shots, but reduce the accuracy.

Golf Clubs – The Driver

Should I use the driver for all of my tee shots on par 4′s and par 5′s? For a beginner, having a type of golf club like the driver in your bag usually in more of a hindrance than a help. Why? Because when starting out in golf people should focus more on accuracy than overall distance. Just because you can drive 300 yards doesn’t mean you should do it all the time. Beginners should start by using the 5 or 3 wood initially for all their drives as they tend to be more accurate. Take this into consideration next time you head down for a round at your local golf club.

Golf Clubs – Irons

How can I tell the difference between a good iron and a bad one? There are two main things you should look for in an iron. One, the amount of grooves on the face and two, the size of the sweet spot on the back of the face. The amount of grooves on the face will determine the level of spin you are able to produce. Some golfers prefer to have less grooves because they feel they can get more distance, but I prefer to choose control above anything else. In actual fact you should not have to worry about distance so much so because if you find a set of golf clubs that contain a strong and central sweet spot, this will be an automatic thing.

Golf Clubs – The Putter

There are three different types of putters: the normal grip putter, the belly putter and the broomstick putter. Most people tend to go for the normal putter as this is the most easiest to learn initially. However many people who have learnt how to use the belly putter and the broomstick putter have had much success. The only thing that matters is “what works best for you”. Try testing them all out. You never know, it might be the missing ingredient in your game!



By: Dane Stanton

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Even the novice golf player understands that your swing can make or break your game. For the less advanced players, this means that if you do not know how to improve your golf swing, you will never be able to play like your favorite golfing super star.

However, mastering proper golf swing does not happen overnight, and it may take months or even years for you to get to where you would like to be. Some people may argue, as they believe a swing is nothing more than a simple body movement that allows you to hit the ball and let it fly onto the air and land onto the green. This is just how it appears to be. In reality, a proper golf swing entails the correct positioning of the hands on the golf club, the awareness of the swing plane and the spine angle, and the use of the correct golf club. Missing any one of these factors, you will not be able to send the ball to where you want it to.

To improve your golf swing, we will have to first discuss a difficult concept – swing plane. To put it simple, a swing plane is the area in which your golf club can swing in a circular arc and be able to move in that plane. So, if you can keep the head of your club within that plane, you will be able to make a good swing. However, this does not mean you have to force your club into the swing plane. Rather, you can use it as a means to test your swings and identify where you can improve on. Due to different body weight and height, no two players will have the same swing. Therefore, it makes no sense for one player to copy another one’s swing.

There are a number of ways golfers are using to improve their swing, and here is a partial list:

- Get your coach or trainer to watch you play and give you feedback. Correct your faults by following the advice and demonstration given by your instructor. This can be a very effective way to improve your skill.

- Make use of a swing analyzing software, and compare your swing with other players’. This way, you also get an immediate feedback on your performance and pinpoint the areas to be improved in your subsequent swings.

- Record your swings and study them later on, and consult an expert only if you are unable to identify what you did incorrectly.

Improper hand and body position, or body and ball distance, can all lead to a bad swing. You will only be able to master the correct swing techniques by constantly analyzing and improve upon your performance.

By: Terry Powell

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Mastering the art of the golf swing could be complicated and challenging, and you are most probably trying to improve yours. There are a couple of very simple errors in balance that most people make but can easily be avoided. Here are two simple tips on improving your balance and golf swing, as well as correct the basic slip-ups that you could be doing.

1. A Good Setup, A Good Balance, A Good Swing

A good tip for improving your golf swing would be improving your setup. A lot of golfers do not have a good balance because they started off from a bad setup. If you have a good and solid setup, you would be able to keep balanced as you swing. Maintaining your balance would give you a solid swing plane as well as a good pivot. Make sure keep your whole body under control during your setup so you could improve your balance and swing.

2. Swinging Too Hard

Although having great distance is essential, having perfect control of your swing is equally important. What usually happens is since you want distance, you give your all you can when you swing. This causes you to wheel around and lose your balance, as you swing too hard. What you would need to do is trust your club. It is already designed to send the ball to great lengths so you would need to focus on making your swing as solid, as steady and as balanced as possible to stay in the fairway.



By: Golf Gift

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Learning how to golf can be a difficult experience. I remember the first time I went out onto a course, and attempted to play. “How do they make it look so easy on T.V.?” I thought. Just completing the first hole was a huge challenge for me!

Although it can be intimidating at first, stick with it! Golf is fun, if you can keep in mind that it’s just a game. Keep these few tips for beginners in mind when starting out.

Tip for Beginner Golfers 1: Equipment

I know it is tempting to think, “I’ve got to have the best of the best clubs in order to be good!” The truth is, when you are just beginning to golf, the clubs you buy will probably not matter much. I suggest finding a used set from a friend or a cheap set of clubs from K-mart. No need to waste one thousand dollars on a nice set, when you may decide later that you don’t like golf very much. I started out with a set of my friend’s old clubs that I got for free; and when I started becoming more consistent with those clubs, I moved up to a nicer set.

The same goes for balls too. A lot of golfers will spend 40 dollars on a dozen Pro-V1′s, but when you are just starting out that is not necessary. Cheap used balls will do just fine. After four years of golf, I still score the same with a used dirty ball as I do with Pro-V1′s.

Tip for Beginner Golfers 2: Where to Start

For people that are really serious about becoming good golfers; get a lesson from your local golf pro. Even if it is just one lesson, the pro will be able to show you the proper way to swing the club.

Watch golf videos, and try to study the swing as much as possible. Practice swinging in your front yard. I know a teenage boy that just started playing less than a year ago, and he has an amazing swing, and a good game. He started practicing in his front yard about a year before actually stepping out onto the golf course. Now you don’t have to wait a year to go on the course; but the more practice you get before stepping out onto the course, the better you will be.

Go to the driving range a few times a week and hit a bucket of balls. Then once you feel confident enough at the range, try out a par-3 course. They are great for beginner golfers.

Tip for Beginner Golfers 3: Out on the course

Once you make it out to a regular eighteen hole course, keep in mind golf course etiquette. People behind you are not going to want to wait. Don’t rush, but if you are taking more than 10 strokes to get the ball in the hole, and people are waiting behind you, pick the ball up and move on. Remember to fix your ball marks (the “dent” in the green that is made when you hit your ball onto the green). Also replace your divots (the grass that is torn from the ground by your club when it is swung.)

Remember, golf is just a game. It may take a bit of patience at first, but once you learn it, you’ll be addicted!

By: Savannah Durbin


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Golf instruction is vital if you are just starting out playing golf. You must know all the rules and codes of practice before you start. The last thing you would want is to upset someone else by not following the rules un-knowingly. So it is important to research before you begin.

Attending a golf school is a great way to improve your knowledge and in fact, many of them will teach you the same golf instruction that many players part of the Professional Golfers Association know.

Here is a brief golf instruction list to help you:

1. Did you know that as early as the 1300′s people used golf instruction in their game? It’s true, they let each golfer take their turn when playing each shot.

2. Learn From Golf Books

Golf books have been around since 1857 and can make a great way to learn the game. Pictures and tips can even make golf instruction fun and enjoyable. It doesn’t have to be all hard work you know!

3. Learn From Fellow Golfers

If you are just starting out, then why not just go down to your local golf course and get to know some of the golfers there. Many of them will be happy to give you any advice for free and some of them will share vital tips to you too. This can be a great short cut in your golf instruction.

Whatever your aim in playing golf, there are always people willing to help you for free. If you cannot find any help then you can always pay for it. You can buy books, videos, even golf DVD’s to help you.

And of course there are many golf coaches who will give you all the golf instruction you need. Yes, they will charge you a fee for it but what better way is there to learn from someone who knows the game inside out.

So the main thing is just start to research and go out and enjoy the game as often as you can. You won’t regret it.

By: Tony Newton

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