2013年9月15日星期日

Achieving Consistent Iron Play

Someone once said that consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds. While that might be true in life; it's not true in golf. In golf, consistency is the name of the game-the holy grail of anyone who's serious about improving his or her game. Consistency also is the reason why some golfers have low golf handicaps and others don't. But achieving consistency is hard. In fact, it's probably one of the hardest things to do in golf. Taking golf lessons helps. So does practicing faithfully. But those aren't always enough. Sometimes you need something extra to take yourself to the next level of iron play and hit crisp irons every time.

1. Maintain Level Shoulders

Maintaining good posture is the subject of many a golf instruction session. Whether your hitting ghost spider putter or a wood, good posture is a must. When hitting the driver, your front shoulder is usually higher than your back shoulder. With irons, however, your shoulders need to be fairly level at address. An easy way to achieve this is to stand your club up in front of you and push downward with both palms on the butt end. Now stay that way as you assume your address position.

2. Shorten Your Backswing

Your backswing is usually at its longest when hitting your taylormade ghost spider putter. That's mostly because of the club's length. But with an iron you want to compact your swing. The more compact your swing, the easier it is to hit solid irons. To eliminate wasted motion, practice pre-setting your wrist hinge and then turning toward the top. Work on this until the feeling is ingrained. Then try to achieve this feeling when on the course.

3. Maintain Your Spine Angle

Maintaining a consistent spine angle throughout the swing is critical to hitting crisp irons. The correct spine angle enables you to hit down on the ball and make good impact, creating a divot in front of the ball with taylormade atv wedge. That's where it should be. Unfortunately, some recreational golfers rise up just before making impact in an effort to help the ball in the air. Lifting leads to poor contact, which in turn leads to fat or thin shots.

4. Achieve A Good Wrist Hinge

The reason professional golfers can hit a 7-iron 180 yards and you can only hit yours 140 yards is because they assume a powerful position just before impact. It's also because the pros de-loft the clubface to a certain degree, enabling them to achieve a more penetrating ball flight than you do.

5. Achieving Good Pinching Action

To hit solid iron shots, you need to pinch the ball between the clubface of taylormade atv wedge review and the ground, just as you're taught in golf instruction sessions. To achieve the correct pinching action, rehearse an exaggerated impact position at address. Lean the shaft forward with your hands well ahead of the clubhead. Then make your normal swing and try to re-create the feeling of the exaggerated swing when you strike the ball.

Achieving consistent iron play is all about controlling distance, spin, and trajectory. By working on the keys to consistent iron play, you'll learn to handle these three factors and boost your iron play to the next level. More importantly, you'll take a major step toward reducing your golf handicap to single digits.

Carpet Cleaning Companies: Pick The One For You

When you walk into your home, what do you notice first? If you said your carpets, you likely have a problem. The best carpets are ones that people are likely to notice. If carpets are the first thing you see, you probably need a carpet cleaning from an expert. The following tips can give you some assistance.

Before hiring a potential company to clean your carpets, it's wise to research the reputation of this business. There are plenty of companies, and there are some more reputable and knowledgeable than others. Ask for references from trusted individuals and check online as well. This will give you the best chance of getting a legitimate company.

Check your carpet warranties prior to arranging to have any professional carpet cleaning firm provide stain treatment. You can void your warranty if your carpet came pre-treated and then you apply a different stain resister to it. This can cost you more money later on.

Test any cleaning solution on a corner of carpet not easily viewed. This will prevent you from damaging your carpet if the solution contains an acid that reacts badly. You can save a lot of money, time and stress with a simple test that only requires a few moments.

Make sure you're not doing anything to cancel your warranty when cleaning your carpet. You can void your warranty if your carpet came pre-treated and then you apply a different stain resister to it. You could be responsible for replacement costs, and you could also have big troubles if the two chemical treatments are incompatible.

Not all carpets can be cleaned by carpet cleaning machines and harsh chemicals. This can be done by testing a small portion of the carpet first. The cleaning process can damage silk or wool rugs. Leave carpet cleaning to the professionals in order to make sure the job gets done right.

If no one you know has carpets, ask a co-worker for advice to hire a cleaning company. Do not rule out anyone whom you interact with, like your doctor, the librarian, and even a friendly store clerk whom you see everyday. Obviously, their input isn't quite as reliable as someone you are close to.

Ask around for recommendations for a professional carpet cleaning company. You may even talk to your physician or a cashier where you shop. Of course, one of your closest friends or family members will offer even more reliable advice.

Keep a stain remover close by to remove some of the nastiest stains like red wine and sauces in between professional cleanings. Sometimes it can be helpful to pre-treat stains before a professional carpet cleaning company can come. Spray in a clockwise pattern if you want the best results.

If you have a pet then you're going to need to clean your carpet more often. If possible, attempt to minimize your pet's contact with certain carpets. Twice weekly vacuuming and a steady stockpile of cleaning products always help.

If you have carpeting in your home, you always want to have carpet stain removers just in case a bad stain happens and you are not scheduled for a professional cleaning any time soon. Let it stand for five minutes after simply applying it to the surface without rubbing. Spray with a clockwise motion.

Perhaps your pets and kids are really messy and your carpet is unfortunately white or tan. You may need to hire a professional carpet cleaner. Keep the above advice in mind to locate a company that can fix any flaws in your carpet.

2013年9月13日星期五

How Hill Sprinting Can Improve Your Golf Game

Watching Tiger Woods this past week (pre knee surgery)reminded me that golf season is about to start for many people out there.

This is the time of year that I often get questions about how to best train to improve your golf game. Questions like this one:

"Sorry if this is a stupid question, but I am going to ask it anyway. I am a 45 year old male, and I live in the Northeast. I am currently amassing information for me to devise my off season fitness program for the glorious sport of...(please sit down before continuing)...GOLF!

Currently, my winter program is going to be extremely eclectic, with a combination of weights, kettlebells, bodyweight exercises, stretching/yoga/pilates, and, up till now jogging.

Enough background...my question is this... will hill sprinting help with my golf game? Intuitively, I would say anything that burns (the blubber) off my body is going to be beneficial to all aspects of my game and life, and further, the strength built in my leg muscles through your program must help as well, but I want to hear what you think.

I hope I haven't wasted too much of your time, and again, if this is a stupid question, feel free to say so.

Cheers,

Brian

No question is stupid Brian. Although I admit I had to do some research to match hill sprint training with the game of golf. Here goes.

Yes, hill sprints will help your golf game - and here's 7 ways they'll do it:

1. Dynamic and static stretches done on the hill can increase your flexibility. This can lead to longer backswings which will generate more club head speed - in other words, you'll hit the ball farther and straighter.

2. Hill sprints will strengthen your abs - this will help prevent lower back injuries which are common in golf.

3. Hill sprints will strengthen your upper leg muscles which can improve your balance during your swing.

4. Hill sprints will strengthen your hips - more power and speed in your swing.

5. Hill sprints will strengthen the muscles in your lower legs... perfect for push-off power in your down swing.

6. Sprinting up hills will strengthen your core and trunk. These muscles are essential for the twisting motion of your golf swing.

7. Hill sprints will increase your stamina and endurance. Most golfers see a major decline around hole 13 due to a lack of endurance. Better stamina will improve your consistency on that back 9. Increased stamina will also help you stay consistent in your putting - fatigue can lead to the loss of fundamentals.

Hey, I found even more links between hill sprinting and golf than I originally thought of... again, goes to show you that working out using the right kinds of exercises will transfer to almost any activity that you want to improve in.

Why You Need Custom Fit Golf Clubs

Custom fit golf clubs give you a distinct advantage in your golf game, at the same time lowering your handicap. Most PGA professional golfers have their golf clubs custom fitted, because they know that an extra length or kilogram of weight can make a difference in the way a club moves before and after the moment of contact with ball.

Do Amateurs Need Custom Fit Golf Clubs?

If you are a high handicapper who likes to play 18 holes on the weekend, you are probably thinking if it is worth spending the money on getting custom fit golf clubs is worth it as far as improving your game. Most high handicappers will benefit from the modifications, because they have the greatest room for improvement.

A professional club fitter will customize your golf clubs to your particular height, strength, clubhead speed, and the dynamics of your individual swing. Golf clubs come in standard lengths and specifications to fit an individual who is about five-nine in height, who with a 6-iron, hits approximately 150 yards. If you are that golfer, then off the shelf clubs will fir your game. If not, then go ahead and look into getting a custom fitting for your golf clubs.

When you go for your golf club custom fitting, you may be surprised to find out that the fitting mostly consists of you hitting the ball with the new set of clubs. The club fitting pro will mark you club ( the club face) with special tape that is marked every time you hit the ball.

By watching where the marks end up on the clubface, the club pro can see what adjustments need to be made. The shaft, loft, and club head can be modified, to make your clubs perfectly suited to your body physique and swing. If you buy high priced golf clubs, your fitting may be included in the cost. If it is not, you can expect to be charged maybe $50 or more for the club-fitting fee.

Other Equipment

Besides the custom fit golf clubs, every golfer needs some other basic equipment to assist him with his game. After all, the game is intended to be enjoyable. Use a golf bag that allows you to slide clubs easily in and out. Whether you use a powered golf cart, a pull cart, or decide to carry your clubs, you should buy a bag that fits your style of play.

A golfer who uses a power cart will want easy access exterior zippers and small compartments that face outwards when the bag is on the back of a golf cart. A golfer who uses a pull cart will want the same pockets to be accessible when he or she plays with a non-powered cart.

Every golfer also needs a tight-fitting golf glove to hold the club firmly. If you are right-handed, buy a glove for your left hand; if you are left handed, buy a glove for your right hand.

In conclusion, custom fitted golf clubs and helpful accessories will extend the enjoyment of the game for you, whether you a professional or a weekend warrior, looking to escape on the green for a while.

Golf Club Irons What You Need To Know

Golf is a great way to get outside for a few hours a day and if you walk the course and carry your bag it is a great way to get some exercise as well. Before you can get out on the course you need to be sure you get the right equipment and one of the most important sets you will buy is your golf club irons.

There are many things to look for when buying golf club irons and it is always a good idea to buy your first set of golf club irons from a store that has a knowledgeable sales representative available. You may even want to consider buying your first set of golf club irons from a PGA certified professional at a pro shop at your local golf course. PGA stands for the Professional Golfer's Association and a certified PGA Golf Pro will know exactly how to fit you with your first set of golf club irons and then give you the tips you need to know to buy your own golf club irons in the future.

There are two approaches to buying golf club irons. You can buy a complete set or you can buy each club one at a time. The advantage to buying the complete set is that you pay a lot less money for them. The disadvantage is that even though you may like the way a couple of the golf clubs feel the complete set may not be as comfortable for you and you may not get all the clubs you really want.

The advantage to buying clubs one at a time is you get only the clubs you want and you know that each individual club has the right feel for you. The disadvantage is that you will wind up paying a lot more for individual clubs than you would for a set. So figure out if your wallet is more important to you or if you need the best results and then set out to buy your golf club irons.

Knowing the Proper Stance

It is a good idea to take some lessons before buying your first real set of golf club irons. A teacher will show you the proper golf stance and then teach you where the golf club irons fit in that stance. If you don't know this up front then you could wind up buying clubs that do not fit into your game and you could find yourself not enjoying the game of golf very much. So take some golf lessons and make sure you pay close attention to the way your instructor tells you to fit the golf club irons into your stance and you will get the maximum results.

After all of that the main thing about buying any golf club is comfort. Make sure the place you are buying your clubs from allows you to swing them to see if they are comfortable or not. Nothing is more important to a golf swing than comfortable clubs.