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For The Beginner - Cast Iron Golf Clubs Or Forged?

By: Lee MacRae

With a larger variety of golf clubs coming onto the scene every week, it can become more and more difficult to determine just exactly what you should be looking for when buying new clubs.

We will go through a few basic tips to help you determine which golf clubs are right for you.

How tall are you? Standard clubs are made for anyone between 5 to 6 feet tall and should work out fine. That principle applies to both men and women. Shorter or taller golfers may need to look to the custom club for proper equipment.

Cast or Forged Clubs?

The answer normally is "cast iron".

Why do we say that? Because most standard cast iron golf clubs have a larger "sweet spot". That refers to the area right smack dab in the middel of the club face where you are supposed to hit the ball. The larger "sweet spot" you have, the less likely it is that you will hit a bad shot It makes it a little easier to hit the "bulls eye" every time on your shots. Beginners especially benefit from that standard cast iron feature. Without a steady consistant swing, a larger striking area will produce better shots overall. That is why clubs like "Big Bertha" came on the market. The large oversized head obviously gives a much larger sweet spot than a normal driver. Average golfers get longer and straighter drives on a more consistant basis.

With forged iron clubs you have the exact opposite. A smaller sweet spot that makes your drives that much harder to hit well.

So why are forged clubs even sold?

For a very simple reason. Cast iron is a softer metal that offers a better "feel" on a shot. The more seasoned player, especially the pros on the circuit, don't need that larger sweet spot. They have a more consistant swing plane and strike the ball with far more accuracy. They use the "feel" of the the forged iron clubs to influence the flight of the ball in a way that a beginner or average player can't.

The shaft of the club is your next thing to look at. Specifically the material it will be made from. Basically, you have steel or composite shafts

The crucial touchstone here is club head speed. An ordinary duffer on the links will have a club head speed in the range of 80-94 mph. Generating lower speeds typically implies you should use a shaft of composite material . Slower swing speeds mean less distance on your shots. Not a good thing. And that is where the composite shaft material comes in. The composite shaft will give you longer drives than you will normally get with your low swing speed and steel shafted golf clubs.

By contrast, those with good distances on their shots, will fare much better by using a steel shaft that will give them some touch and control on their shots.

You can find out your own swing speed by looking for a golf store that has a velocity speed gun or a radar gun package. It won't cost you much and you will know very quickly which type of shaft is best for you. You can even find some battery operated doppler radar devices on the market that you can set up and use to determine your club velocity by yourself.

With just these few starting tips, it is usually best if you rent a few different sets of clubs as you play and take note of how each club helps or hinders your game. You are looking to determine your personal strengths and weaknesses. Try the various types and kinds of clubs available to you and, in time, you will be able to narrow in on what will work best for you and which clubs offer the best advantages to improve your golf score.

Work on these tips and make sure you tee off with a positive mindset. The more you practice and implement what you learn, the more confidence you will gain in your ability to hit it straight and long. And watch your scores begin to plummet!

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Thoughts On Golf

Putting
Very few top golfers break their wrists when they putt. Instead they let their arms hang loosely and hold the putter lightly so both hang like a pendulum from the shoulders.
...BBC golf

Some things to know and practice: First, and most important search and ask around about a respected golf instructor in your area, and get them to give you information on their program prior to starting an instructional series. You don't want someone giving you advice who is not qualified, and can impart poor information that can create bad habits.
...PGA professional golf

Long Arms
Soft arms are fast arms, and you don't want them moving independently of the body. Instead, the arms must be thrown out and extended by a proper pivot.
...Golf Tips magazine

WHEN YOU PLAY A LOT BUT CAN'T IMPROVE
It's time to back go back to fundamentals and see a pro. Keep a record of where you are losing strokes and concentrate on improving those parts of your game. Start with a review of your grip and stance. That's where most problems begin. Also, try to swing with the proper tempo and with 80% of your power.
...Tom's golf tips

Golf is played in many different types of weather. The type of weather affects how far the ball travels and its amount of spin. Knowing how the weather conditions affect your ball, therefore, is necessary to making correct club selections.
...The Golf Channel

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Why I Like Golf Equipment

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The Advantages of Attending Golf Schools

By: http://www.birdgolf.com/

Golf schools are becoming more popular for many reasons, the first being that they offer participants a distinct advantage over people who are determined to teach themselves. People who begin learning the wrong way have great difficulty correcting these bad habits later, but beginners who enroll in golf schools have the opportunity to experience proper guidance, direction, and training from the very beginning. Students are also provided with important golfing principles and insights into the sport and the right kind of expert guidance, direction, and training necessary to take their game to the next level.

Learning how to correctly swing, make shots, follow the proper rules and etiquette, and discovering individual specialization means that you will be able to avoid the most common stumbling block of beginning golfers, repeating the same mistakes multiple times. A Qualified instructor can help students to identify and correct mistakes and discover which areas of the game they need to work on the most and which ones they have already mastered or are currently excelling in. Since they are already well aware of the see strengths and weaknesses, it will be easy for them to track their progress and ask for valuable feedback from their instructors.

Golf schools organize programs and classes that have clear, structured objective sets designed to offer both motivation and direction, allowing learning to occur in a more natural, low pressure setting. The top golf schools know that players have high standards when it comes to their golf instruction, which is why these schools offer the most up to date facilities, equipment, and teaching methods to their students in order to provide them with the best possible advantage. Instructors and trainers work to identify areas of improvement for each individual student, and encourage them to strive toward improved performance and greater enjoyment and appreciation of the game and the skills required to really excel.

Golf schools require a large commitment in the form of both study and practice, which is why anyone who has never had a formal lesson should consider enrolling in a short course to prepare themselves for the intense practice and learning they will experience during their time at a golf school. Beginners, especially, should consider lessons and golf schools as essential steps in their goal of becoming more skilled, but the fact is that everyone can benefit from lessons and coaching, which is why golf schools really are advantageous for all truly serious and committed players, regardless of skill level.

For more information about local golf schools in your area please visit our site http://www.birdgolf.com/

Let's Talk About Golf

Be sure to check the location of the ball with clubs aligned on the ground. Step away to check that you are positioning the ball properly. Ask someone to double-check your positioning. It is hard, without alignment tape or clubs, to visually gauge the proper placement of the ball.
...Golf Help

Wear Wristbands
A must if you want to look cool.
...Golf Tips magazine

The Hands
The hands should completely reverse themselves from address to impact. Notice how the left wrist is flat while the right has moved from flat to bent back (Above right). This position is a must.
...Golf Tips magazine

To keep the clubface in the correct position throughout the swing, the left wrist must move in a flat position. What I mean by flat is in relation to the back of the left forearm, and the back of the left hand for right-handed players with the opposite for the left-handed players. To deviate from this position will roll the clubface out of position.
...Golf Week

Putting Tip
Wanna be a good putter? Here are some basic fundamentals you should be practicing.
--Get a putter with a very distinct line marked on it to indicate the target line and practice with a chalk line. You can get a chalk line at any hardware store for 5 or 6 bucks, and it's as valuable a training aid as there is anywhere. Find a putt on the practice green that is straight. Snap a chalk line down from about 5 or 6 feet to the middle of the cup. Make sure that the entire length of the line on your putter is exactly on the chalk line. Start making putts. This will train your eyes to "see square" precisely.
--Keep your the pressure in your hands soft and constant throughout the stroke. Sensitivity is obviously a huge part of putting. If your hands are tight on the grip you are diminishing your sensitivity - period. Also, if your grip pressure changes during the stroke, it's probably not "a stroke" but more likely a jab, flinch, spasm, push, hit ... well, you get the point -- good luck with that kind of technique.
--There is no independent action in the hands. Nothing could be more logical: If you do indeed have the putter face aligned precisely, as in the first point above, the last thing you'd want to do is to change the position of the face. Therefore, your hands should not be moving independently of your arms and shoulders. To see if your hands are moving, as a drill try watching your hands very carefully (instead of the ball) a few times. You'll see what your hands are doing quite easily.
There are many more (seemingly endless) details about putting, of course, but if you turn these fundamental concepts into habits it will take you a long way toward being a consistently good putter
...PGA professional golf

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