Fitness Exercises Before Golfing in Tristate Area

Exercising for golf brings a lot of benefits to golf players and enthusiasts. Aside from getting more stronger and flexible, many other benefits can be obtained. So while you are still an amateur golfer, it is better to start on the exercises as well as striving for improvements to be the best player for golfing in tristate area.

The golf swing is a vital aspect with golf. This is the most important thing that determines your points and success with the game of golf. This is defined as the athletic movement that will need the cooperation of the entire body literally from the fingertips to your toes to complete a successful swing. A golf swing isnt about the club but along with other important elements such as the grip and where your head is directed. This is an athletic movement that will need the entire body to move through sequence of movements along with correct timing. The movement is initiated at address and then moving on through actual phase follows and then completed with a follow through this movement should be within the physical parameters. The parameters include the physical categories that the body should achieve at a specific level. These parameters are actually platforms from which the body will be able to perform athletic movement of an efficient golf swing. Flexibility, endurance, strength, balance and power should be achieved by the body at certain levels. When anything of what is mentioned is lacking, poor golf swings often result thus poor mechanics, poor scores and bad shots.

Know the exercises good for for golf swings and those that are actually bad for golf swings. Let’s start with flexibility. Do proper flexibility exercises that work well with muscles utilized in golf swings. Another important exercise regime type you should have is exercise that improves balance. Since it is vital to remain balanced through the swing, you should then assess on how you balance. Balance is described as the ability to control your body with a movement pattern. That movement pattern should be the golf swing. Enhancing how you balance trains both your nervous system and muscular system to coordinate with each other efficiently.

Golfing in tristate area may make you nervous. But having yourself and your body prepared for golfing will give you confidence in your swings. Just practice since as you already know, practice does really make perfection.

Enjoyable Golf Club in Tristate

Golf is one of the most enjoyed sports and the one of the most popular sports in the world. It is a recreational activity that needs dedication and focus. Golf is commonly played by the rich and would only be played if you have the right experience and have the right skill for the said sport. Golf club in tristate is one of the clubs where you can precisely train your skills for golf. Golf is a very difficult sport which needs a lot of determination and hardwork for you to succeed in the said sport. That is why you need to find a place where you can practice and have lots of fun with your friends and family. Golf require a steady hand and a sharp eye to play. 

At tri state golf club, it is not a problem if you are a beginner, an amatuer or a professional at the sport. There are different kinds of place where you can practice that fits right for the kind of rank you are in. If you are looking for the best kind of places where you can get high on your performance level in golf you should go to the tri state golf course area. There are different kinds of terrains that fits different kinds of players. In fact, players should adjust to the terran, not the other way around. The posture too is an important factor to be a professional in this kind of sport. The correct position of the golfer can determine the ball and where it is heading to. The real key to the proper and right posture is depends in the body where the eyes can see the goal in every picture. This way, the golfer can adjust on what he would do to get a substantial place. 

When you are a beginner of this kind of sport, the grip proves a very important fundamental in playing golf. You must know the consequence when you tighten the grip too much or you lessen the grip. When you tighten the grip too much, it might not the hit the ball at all or might not get the targeted destination but if you lessen the grip of the bat, the bat might be taken away on your hands and will have a lousy performance. All in all practicing in the best Golf Club in Tristate can be great way for you to improve your golfing abilities.

Happy Holidays !!!

Improve your Golf Swings at the Tristate Golf Course Area

 

Most would regard the golf swing as one of the most difficult actions in the sports world to perform. The golf swing, though it may look easy and simple to look at, needs exact timing and proper technique through long ranges of motion. Any error made on the swing plane as well as on the sequence of timing can create bad effects on the golf swing. This therefore results to errant shots, low golf scores and not enjoyment but more frustrations happen. Avoid having these frustrations and gain good social and athletic life thru constant golfing at the tristate golf course area.

Newbies and amateurs often suffer golf swing problems with errant shots and countless hours wasted in huge attempts for golf swing improvements. Unfortunately hundreds and even thousands of dollars are used up on golfing lessons every year along with the costs of buying new golfing equipment, however despite all the lessons, there are still golfers who never improved with the basic golf swings and the scores suffer the same fate too. This still leads to problematic frustrations instead of supposedly enjoying from the game. To fail with golf swing improvement means all about body swinging at the golf club. The key here is to utilize your body well and the mechanics of the golf swing. The bottom line here that the body is the main tool that greatly affects mood swing mechanics. but golf swinging will require the body to encompass specific physical qualities for proper and correct execution of the golf swing mechanics.The physical qualities include strength, flexibility, power and balance. If you are lacking even at minimal levels on any aspect of these physical qualities, compensations are sure to happen with your golf swing performance.

For example when looking at flexibility the golf swing will need you to draw the golf club with proper ranges of motion that should be huge. Back Swinging would need you to implement a full shoulder swing for setting the club into the correct slot for downstring, with a finish position that mirrors the back swing image. The tristate golf course area is the perfect place for you to improve your swings and get better scores. They have wide open golfing spaces with greeneries and amazing views to enjoy. They also have many privileges for the Tristate Golfclub members. 

Tristate Golfer Magazine: The best source for Golfing Articles

Golf is a famous precision ball sport game in which the players who are competing or golfers utilize different kinds of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on an area called the golf course utilizing the least amount of strokes as possible. As the “Rules of Golf” defines Golf, this is playing ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive strokes in accordance with the rules. Generally the number of holes in a golf series range from nine to eighteen and each hole should have a tee box to start from as well as a putting green that contains the hole. There are different standard forms of terrain with golf sports which includes hazards, rough and fairway. Know more about Golf through tristate golfer magazine.

The history of golf is actually unclear and still argued on until today. Some have claimed that the earliest forms of golf can be traced for as early as 100 BC. The Roman game of Paganica in which the players utilize a bent stick for hitting a stuffed leather ball. It is a generally accepted fact that the golf originally originated in Scotland at the time of the Middle Ages. But it did not find international popularity until the late 19th century in which this sport has started spreading to the rest of the United kingdom and then the British areas as well as the United States. A game named Apocryphally, in which it is played like golf was enjoyed by a dutch using a stick and a leather ball. In 1261 it was later named Colf however in 1360 it was banned by the council of Brussels. But in 1389, the Regent Albrecht of of Bavaria offered the Haarlem citizens a field named “De Baen” described as an area exclusively used for playing games, with colf included. Golf has then evolved into a more appealing game that it has become very popular especially around well off individuals.

The 2005 edition of the Golf Digest has actually calculated the countries with the most golf courses ranking from Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, Ireland, Canada, Wales, United States, Sweden, and England. In United States, more players get involved with golfing which had reached 4.6 million in 2005. To know more about interesting facts and golfing tips, take interest on Tristate Golfer Magazine.

Have Fun in Golf Club in Tristate

 

A great way to make your golfing memories to be a memorable one is to have a great and the best course. Though the beginners might say that a course is easy because of the looks but any experienced golfers will say that looks can be deceiving. Golf is one of the best sports in the world, it is also a very convenient sports that only the rich can do. Golf requires a steady hand to aim at your target for the ball to travel to the designed target. In order to improve your skills such as your speed agility and career is to have the best golf course. The best golf course is found in Seattle. This is the golf club in tristate that will allow you to learn these skills with precision.

The position and the posture of your body is a way to have better looks and better swings on the ball to fly the ball to the designated target. The real key to a proper posture is to place the body where it moves with every picture. The legs should be wide apart and the shoulders must be parallel for your shoulders to give your body the stability it needs. Maintain your knees bent a little bit as well as your back to be straight. When you finished in mastering the posture of your body the next to master is your grip in the bat. For beginners, the most effective grip is the natural position wherein the biceps and triceps are loosen in front of your system and their dominating hand holds the club’s handle. This grip enables a near perfect accuracy.When holding the club, make sure that your thumb encloses your index finger to ensure that the bat will not give away when you strike. Also, you have to support the club strongly until you see the knuckles in your index and your midsection fingers.

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When one commits mistake in his shots. Then he must control his temper. Golfers who are very hotheaded tends to lose more than those who have cool heads. Golfers who control their tempers tend to progress more than those who do not, instead they do not progress at all. By keeping yourself calm and concentrated you can recover your focus and have a better shot next time you do it. Learn more about golfing real time at golf club in tristate.

Enjoy Quality Golf Club in Tristate

Golf is one of the major sports in the world and one of the most difficult ones i must say. Golf requires a steady hand and a sharp eye to play it But the question is.. Where can you find a club where you can practice your skills in golf? The answer is simple. The golf club in tristate is one of the perfect place where you can practice your precision skills.

The posture is a great skill that one of a golfer must obtain. The correct posture can determine the whether the shot you are going to take is going to hit an on-goal hit or a very frustrating miss. Proper golf posture is the wherever you put yourself you would easily the goal that you are going to take. Make sure that your legs are are wide apart for you to maneuver your body sideways, The widening of the legs are also important for the stability of your entire body. Next is to maintain your knees a bit bent and your back must be straight for you to shift the weight forward as the club makes contact with the ball resulting in an accurate hit.

The grip of your club must be tight for you to strike forcefully for you to get your standards. So that the ball would fly high up for it to go to your plan. This position allows near perfect accuracy while allowing them also to build their strength for additional challenging tourneys. When you grip your club securely let your dominant hands and make sure that it follows club in every single shot.

Keeping your cool is a very good thing for golfers to be. Golfers which are hotheads have the more tendency to fail at their shots because they might lose their concentration. Keep yourself calm in everything that you do. That way you can make a clear shot and have much better results. If you miss a shot. dont lose your temper and control it because it may lose your focus in the game. Always have it in your mind that to be a good golfer in support. you must have the time and training. Dont get discouraged when committing a mistake instead make it a lesson for you so that when  you try the next time you could have a better outcome. Try these tips and become a good golfer at golf club in Tristate.

Gaining Better Performance in a Tristate Golf Course Area

Though it looks pretty easy, any experienced golf player will tell you that looks can be deceiving. Golf requires a steady hand and a keen eyes, golf is best knowledgeable whenever you allow the ball travel to its designed target at all times. The question is: how could you improve on your speed and agility in this career, and where is the perfect TristateGolf Course Area that will allow you to learn the skill with precision?

It’s All About Your Position

The correct posture can determine whether the shot you are going to take will be an on-goal hit or a very frustrating miss. The real key to a proper posture depends on putting the body in a place where it moves with every photo. Make sure that your legs are wide apart and parallel for your shoulders to give your entire body the stability it needs. Next, maintain your knees a bit bent as well as your back straight. This will help our bodies shift the weight forward as the club makes contact with the ball, resulting in an accurate picture.

Tightening Up on the Grip

When you practiced on your own stance, the next action to focus on is the way you maintain your team. For beginners, the most effective grip is definitely a natural position wherein the biceps and triceps hang loose in front of your system and their dominating hand holding the club’s handle. This position enables near-perfect accuracy while also allowing them to build on their strength for additional challenging tourneys.

When holding the club, make sure that your thumb firmly shuts on the index finger as well as its tip reaching half of the middle finger. Also, you should support the club strongly until you a bit see the knuckles in your index and midsection fingers. When you have gripped the club securely, let your non-dominant hand rest on the dominant hands and make sure which it follows the club in every single shot.

Control that Temper

The key to a successful time in any golfing course in Tristate is based on your ability to controlling your temper. As such, golfers with very hot heads have a tendency to get progressively worse in each and every shot they miss due to the buildup of rage and frustration. By keeping yourself calm and funky, it is possible to retain your focus and recover.

Always remember that mastering your golfing performance will require time and training. By controlling how you will react to any mistake on the Tristate Golf Course Area, you may optimize your training and become a dependable golfer as soon as possible.

Training with EyeLoc

OK, another training aid to look at. One of many that I am asked to evaluate and frankly at first I doubted it would be of any help in my seemingly never ending quest towards a perfect game.

But from the first time I put EyeLoc on I saw I was wrong.

EyeLoc is a pair of sunglasses but with a significant difference. A vertical slot cut in the center of each lens results in the wearer seeing two lines. The idea then is to take your address position and move the position of the two slots by turning the adjustment knobs on the frame until they align and you see just one line with the ball in the center.

Easy, simple and significant since when hitting the ball if you see the ball move from the line (it’s slightly wider than the ball) your head has moved rather than staying steady.

Realizing at once this would be a big help during putting practice I tried it out and was right. Any head movement was instantly obvious so time on the practice green with EyeLoc will train you to keep both eyes and head steady which of course is a major factor in making more putts.

Having seen the benefits on the putting green I went to the practice tee to find out what movement—if any—I had in my full swing and right away I found the answer was, “a lot.” So now I am using EyeLoc to train myself to make a better swing, more around instead of the old slide and glide. Admittedly it’s a work in progress but I can see results…much better ball contact, distance and trajectory.

At $80 EyeLoc is not inexpensive but with consistent practice the improvement to your ball striking should be more than recovered from winning wagers plus of course, this game is a lot more fun when you hit the ball solidly and make lower scores.

ED TRAVIS | Golf Opinion & Commentary

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Picking the Right Golf Clubs: What To Remember

For far too many times, many a golfer has not given a thought as to which golf club in Tristate they should use. The truth is that every golf club is designed for a specific purpose and skill level, and, when used correctly, will result in a very successful performance in the field. Before you head on to the nearest sporting store you need to know a few factors that will help you pick the right club.

Shaft Material

The first thing you have to consider is the material that the club is made of. As of now, clubs are either made with graphite or steel. Though more expensive, graphite is lighter which allows you to swing it at a greater speed, resulting in a larger distance covered. Steel, on the other hand, is slightly heavier, and allows for more control over the ball. For advanced players with a strong swing speed, these clubs are ideal for letting the ball travel accurately.

Flex

The flex of the club’s shaft will determine how much it will bend on each swing. Since the flex will play a part on how accurate the ball will travel in flight, it is best to pick a club that has the right shaft flex. For beginners, the ideal clubs are those with a high shaft flex as it allows the ball to fly off without wasting its energy. There are also no-flex shafts wherein the shaft remains stiff in every hit. This will allow for a great rate of accuracy while still maximizing its kinetic energy.

Club Head

Being the one that directly makes contact with the ball, the club’s head will play a role in determining how far the ball will travel and where it lands. To determine which one is best for you, take a look at what material the club is made of. Titanium club heads, for instance, are ideal for those looking to optimize their accuracy as they are lighter. Since they are of lesser weight than other metals, titanium club heads have a wider area which allows for greater ball control.

For golfers seeking to improve their play, it is suggested to look for a golf club in Tristate with a titanium head and a graphite shaft. This combination allows for the highest rate of accuracy and ball control, making the ball fly wherever the golfer wants it to go.

The Greenbrier Bunker

From 1958 to 1992 it was a well-kept secret but even now when guided tours pass visitors through the 25-ton blast proof doors there is an aura of mystery about the bunker underneath the Greenbrier hotel. During a recent trip to The Greenbrier, “America’s Resort” and premier golf destination in the West Virginia mountains, I had the opportunity to satisfy my curiosity and learn the background on the underground hide away.

The bunker is more than two football fields in size at over 110,000 square feet and was built beginning in December 1958. Finished three years later specifically with the purpose of providing a location for Congress to continue doing business if there was a “national emergency.”

This of course was a euphemism for a nuclear attack by the USSR and begs the question of how member of the House of Representatives and Senate would be able to get out of the nation’s capital if intercontinental ballistic missiles with nuclear warheads were on the way. But one has to understand it was a different time, it was the Cold War, when children were being taught in classrooms to “duck and cover” under their desks in the event of a missile attack and the U.S. kept thousands of nuclear warheads at the ready.

And there were at least three other secret bunker facilities around the country to house the Executive Branch and the Supreme Court plus military leaders.

To us today it’s somewhat amazing something of this size could be built in secret in so public a place but that was the idea, hiding in plain sight. Press announcements by The Greenbrier described the project as an addition to the hotel, the so-called West Virginia Wing and the huge area being dug as part of the construction project adding additional rooms. In effect construction of the bunker and the hotel went on at the same time with many of the bunker features such as fuel and water storage tanks, massive electrical generators and miles of piping passed off simply as necessary for a modern guest facility.

The deception of course could not stop with completion since dozens of technicians were needed to keep the secure facility in readiness not to mention man the then state-of-the-art communications systems installed. Nothing says more about the mood of the country and particularly the way the media looked at the project than the cover story for these resident workers. They were said to be audio/visual support specialists for The Greenbrier, in effect, TV repairmen.

In addition to the rooms meant as substitutes for the House of Representatives and Senate chambers there was living space consisting of 18 dormitories behind the four massive entrance doors plus a cafeteria, medical clinic, decontamination chambers and everything else Congress would need for an extended stay.

The bunker was maintained as one of America’s frontline facilities in the event of catastrophe until 1995 though the secret of its existence was revealed in an article published by Washington Post in 1992 and the government began the process of decommissioning.

Today though open to tourists the majority of the space is used for secure records storage and not open to the public.

ED TRAVIS | Golf Opinion & Commentary

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Flex in Golfing: What This Is and How You Could Use It

Veterans in the game of golf will immediately tell any green horn that golfing is more than just whacking a ball till it flies to a hole. The Tristate Golfer Magazine understands that there are quite a lot of factors that will play a part in your performance in golf; one of them being shaft flex. To make most out of this phenomenon, it is imperative that you understand how it takes effect and what it brings to your game.

What is Flex?

Flex is the phenomenon in which the shaft seemingly bends itself as it bears down on a ball and then re-corrects itself once the swing is delivered. Depending on the way you swing a driver, the shaft may show no signs of bending or flex too much that it seems that something is bending it forcefully.

How does the flex exactly play in a game? It truly depends on the flexibility of a shaft. Shafts with little to no flex tend to make the ball fly lower than average. Depending on the player’s dominant hand, the ball might also fly right or fade sideward even if the trajectory begins straight. The shot might even feel like a miss even if you are certain that you have made contact with the ball.

For shafts with considerable flex, the ball might fly higher than intended and would always veer of left. High levels of flex will also make the shot feel solid or strong even though they are not. Golfers looking for accuracy and ball control might find flex to be problematic in their game.

Taking Advantage

Even if you cannot control the way a shaft flexes, there is way to make the full use of this phenomenon. If the target is 250 yards and more, it is best to look for a shaft that has little to no flex to ensure a straight trajectory. For shorter distances, you should for a flexible shaft. This will give you enough room to correct your shot if they tend to miss the target.

The next thing to consider is your swinging motion. A soft flex shaft is ideal for a swing that is smooth and flowing while a stiff shaft is best for erratic swings. Any Tristate golfer magazine also recommends using a flexible shaft for trajectories that go left and stiff shafts for trajectories that go right.

Improving Your Performance in Any Golfing Course in Tristate

 

Though it does look simple and easy on the outside, any experienced golfer will tell you golf is exactly the opposite of those. Requiring a steady hand and a keen eye, golf is best experienced whenever you let the ball fly to its intended target at all times. The question is: how can you improve on your performance in the fields? Below are a few tips to remember.

Body Position

The right posture can determine whether the shot you will take will be an on-target hit or a very frustrating miss. The key to a right posture lies in putting the body in a position where it moves with every shot. Make sure that your legs are wide apart and parallel to your shoulders to give your entire body the stability it needs. Next, keep your knees slightly bent and your back straight. This will help the body shift its weight forward as the club makes contact with the ball, resulting in an accurate shot.

Grip

Once you practiced on your stance, the next thing to focus on is the way you hold your club. For beginners, the best grip is always a neutral position wherein the arms hang loose in front of your body and their dominant hand holding the club’s handle. This position allows for near-perfect accuracy while also letting them build on their strength for more challenging tourneys.

When holding the club, make sure that your thumb firmly closes on the index finger and its tip reaching half of the middle finger. Also, you should hold the club firmly until you slightly see the knuckles in your index and middle fingers. Once you have gripped the club firmly, let your non-dominant hand rest over the dominant hand and make sure that it follows the club in every shot.

Temper

The key to a successful day in any golfing course in Tristate lies in your ability to controlling your temper. As such, golfers with hot heads tend to get progressively worse in every shot they miss due to the buildup of rage and frustration. By keeping yourself calm and cool, you are able to retain your focus and recover. 

Always remember that perfecting your golfing performance will take time and practice. By controlling the way you react to any mistake at the field, you are able to optimize your training and become a dependable golfer as soon as possible.

Remember…The Haig’s First Open Win

A cocky young professional begged a few days off from his club job so he could play in the U.S. Open and though not a “name” player the 20-year old was full of confidence. He was playing well and even dressed-the-game in a pure silk striped shirt, white flannel pants with a red bandanna casually knotted around his neck and white buckskin shoes that set him back ten whole dollars.

The year was 1913 and the stylishly garbed pro was Walter Hagen in his first venture on to the national stage where he displayed his high self-opinion while introducing himself to defending champion, “You’re Johnny McDermott, aren’t you? Well, I’m glad to know you. I’m W.C. Hagen from Rochester and I’ve come over to help you boys take care of Vardon and Ray.”

Certainly quite a beginning for Hagen in championship competition, especially against a future member of the World Golf Hall of Fame, Ted Ray, but more impressively in the same field was Harry Vardon, inarguably the best golfer in the world.

Everyone knows the story of the 1913 Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. when unknown American amateur Francis Ouimet soundly beat the English superstars Vardon and Ray in an 18-hole playoff. Most people though don’t know the brash future superstar Hagen finished three strokes out of the playoff after a triple bogey on the 14th hole in the final round.

The next year the Haig, after declining a contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, made the trip to Chicago for the Open being staged at Midlothian Country Club. All was not to smooth sailing however as the night before play began Hagen and a friend decided to try lobster and oysters for the first time…a lot of lobster and oysters. Horribly sick (Hagen believed it was ptomaine poisoning) and with no sleep, he could barely walk. However he managed to tee off in the first round, posting a course record 68 that was followed closely Ouimet with a 69.

After four rounds and battling his gastronomic problems the entire time Hagen prevailed with a score of 290 which tied the lowest 72-hole Open score to that point and won him all of $300.

Hagen’s first U.S. Open triumph was life changing. It gave him the “name” and fame (he already had the personality!) to build a lucrative career playing exhibitions in addition to competing in the sparse schedule of tournaments that would eventually become the PGA Tour. By forsaking his club position at the exclusive Country Club of Rochester he became the first of the modern golf professionals, banking instead on his money making ability on the course.

Ultimately Hagen had 45 tour wins including two U.S. Opens (1914 and 1919), four British Opens, (1922, 1924, 1928, and 1929) and five PGA Championships with an amazing run of four in a row plus he played for America on the first five Ryder Cups teams and captained the sixth.

The Haig’s was a superb competitor perhaps best reflected in in one of his most famous quotes, “Nobody remembers who came in second.”

ED TRAVIS | Golf Opinion & Commentary

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“It’s So Easy Being Green”

Chrome, shiny, white, black, brass are just some of the finishes putter makers use on their flat sticks but they all have something in common, they are in contrast (sometimes vivid contrast) to the green grass of putting surfaces.

Mantis Golf however believes that’s the wrong approach.

They think the proper way is not high contrast with greens but to be green. First they introduced a mid-sized mallet model and this year have a ‘B’ Blade that like the mallet has a green finish because, as the company says, and along with the design, “…combine to instill greater putting confidence by increasing a golfer’s ability to watch the ball, not the putter.”

At 355 grams the ‘B’ Blade is right in the middle of modern putter weights and heel and tow weighting is engineered for a higher than average resistance to twisting which is a big help to those of us that don’t hit every putt dead in the center of the face. The face insert is white polyurethane and gives a soft feel at impact, a feel that is certainly confidence producing. There are two alignment aids, a white line perpendicular to the face on the top edge and a second on the head that standout nicely against the green of the head.

I tested the Mantis ‘B’ Blade thoroughly, for 10 rounds and found it very well suited to my shoulder-and-arm stroke plus there’s no question the weighting really helped when I happen to miss the sweet spot. The matte green color did seem to help my focus, more on the ball and less on the putter head though it took a little time to adjust to the different look.

Bottom line, if you are in the market for a new putter you should add the Mantis ‘B’ Blade to your short list of possibilities. The ‘B’ Blade is available on MantisGolfCo.com for $159.99 and there’s a 30-day money back guarantee.

ED TRAVIS | Golf Opinion & Commentary

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Nicklaus Golf Balls

Golf’s greatest champion Jack Nicklaus has many diverse business interests and earlier this year added golf balls to his lineup of products. And though not strictly a new idea, Nicklaus is pitching them for golfers to pick the ball that suits the set of tees they play.

The idea is golfers usually playing for example the most forward set or white tees don’t especially hit the ball a long distance and have driver swing speeds of less than 90 mph. According to Nicklaus they would enjoy playing the Nicklaus White ball. It has a soft Surlyn cover and gradient core with a mantle formulated for less spin…in other words just what someone needs who doesn’t hit his or her driver over 200-yards.

The other balls, Blue for blue tee players and Black for those on the tips, have different construction to reflect the higher swing speeds typical of golfers playing the longer tee sets. The Blue is of 3-piece construction similar to the White but made for swing speeds from 90 to 110 mph while the Black is a urethane cover 3-piece for driver swing speeds over 95 mph.

As part of their ongoing charitable effort the Nicklaus Companies will donate a $1 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation for every dozen Nicklaus Golf Balls sold. Plus if shipment is made using FedEx an additional $1 will be donated.

Nicklaus Golf Balls are available for sale on Nicklaus.com and more information about the partnership with St. Jude is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhxyTaxaGGU.

ED TRAVIS | Golf Opinion & Commentary

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“We Don’t Feel We’ve Found the Bottom”

Dick’s Sporting Goods CEO Ed Stack made the pessimistic assessment in the headline during a call on May 20 with financial analysts discussing the sharp drop in sales of golf equipment during the first quarter of the year at Dick’s and Golf Galaxy stores.

Stack’s full comment was, “The more concerning and unpredictable issue is the golf business. We anticipated softness, but instead we saw significant decline with Golf Galaxy down 10.4% and the Dick’s Sporting Goods golf business off by high single-digits. Our overall golf business missed our first quarter 2014 sales plan by approximately $34 million. We don’t feel we’ve found the bottom yet in the golf sales number.”

Now two months later, the company laid off more than 500 PGA Professionals marking a major retrenchment of the its efforts in the golf business. For the past several years a significant portion of every store’s floor space was devoted to the sport and almost every one of their approximately 560 stores had a PGA Professional on staff. The large merchandise display footprint (including hitting bays in many stores) and professional assistance were factors in Dick’s growth as an equipment seller, in many markets overwhelming small golf shops and on-course shops with aggressive advertising and service.

Stack also said in the call with analysts, "We are selling drivers in our stores this spring for $99 that were approximately $299 20 months ago,” and this was a big contributor to the financial results and there was no end in sight.

As an example, in comparison with first quarter 2013 Golf Galaxy and Dick's sold two percent fewer drivers, the most expensive club in a set. However in first quarter this year the price of drivers declined 16 percent and with golf accounting typically for 15 percent of company sales the impact was significant.

Overall sales for the first quarter of 2014 increased 7.9 percent to $1.4 billion and same store sales increased 1.5 percent, with Dick’s stores increasing 2.3 percent and Golf Galaxy decreasing 10.4 percent.

ED TRAVIS | Golf Opinion & Commentary

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Tom Watson Lessons of a Lifetime II

I reviewed Tom Watson’s original DVD Lessons of a Lifetime when it came out over four years ago and said in part:

“There are hundreds of golf instruction books, tapes and videos; some of doubtful value and a few, a very few really worth the purchase price. On that extremely short list of instructional classics are books such as Ben Hogan’s “Five Lessons” (1957) and Jack Nicklaus’ “Golf My Way” (book published in 1974 and VHS tape in 1983).”

Well, that’s still true. I went on to say Tom Watson’s Lessons of a Lifetime DVDs were excellent and I instantly added them to my “must-have” list.

Now the two original DVDs have been reissued with 22 additional lessons or if you already have the 2010 DVDs you can buy a DVD with just the new lessons covering three areas: Advanced Lessons to Lower Your Score, More on Chipping and Putting and Teaching Young and Old.

Watson’s presentation of the 22 new instruction segments is excellent and production values are as good as the first two DVDs.

To give you an idea of what Watson covers, the first of the new lessons builds on the information presented in the first set and is entitled “The Secret” #2 Keeping the Hip Crease. Whether it should be called a “secret” or is a secret on the same mythic level with “Hogan’s Secret” is open to debate but maintaining the angle between the hips and spine—the so called “crease”—is certainly of major importance to hit the ball powerfully and on line.

A second lesson that struck a chord with me was his clear way of explaining, if you want to use his method of putting (and who wouldn’t), the critical components of the proper pre-putt routine, set up, posture, grip and stroke. Watson’s explanation of the thinking behind what he does and the demonstration of how he puts it all together was a real light bulb moment for me. It has significantly helped my putting.

Watson makes the point that even after playing all these years and a World Golf Hall of Fame career, “I’ve been experiencing the game for half a century, and I promise you I’m still learning.”

Enough said…if he is still finding out new aspects of the swing and game, we can help our games by listening to what he has to say.

ED TRAVIS | Golf Opinion & Commentary

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4 Tips In Improving Your Golf Swing Quickly

Though it can look gentle and easy on the outside, golf is anything but. Whenever you are in a Tri State Golf Course Area, you are required to have a steady hand and a high level of accuracy in order to let the ball fly to its intended target. To make this possible, you need to improve on your golf swing. The question is: how does one exactly improve on their golf swing to have a rewarding day out in the field? Below are a few tips to keep in mind.

Get a Grip

The very first thing to do in improving your swing is to pay attention to how you hold the club. The best way to improve your swing to hold the club in neutral position as it increases your chances of hitting the ball accurately. To do this, you must let your arms hang loose from your shoulders and clench your hand in a manner that your entire index finger is covered by your thumb and the thumb’s tip covering part of the middle finger.

Now, gently bring the top of your lead hand (your dominant hand) to the club and hold it firmly. You should be able to see the knuckles in your index and middle fingers. Finally, place your trailing hand firmly below on your leading hand, making sure that it maintains its neutral position. This neutral grip will allow you to hit the ball at the center of the club head, allowing you more control as to how hard the ball flies and where it lands.

Mind Your Stance

You could be surprised at how you position your body during a swing will make difference between an on-target shot and an embarrassing miss. The first thing you have to do is to spread your legs in such a way that your feet are parallel to your shoulders. This will give you a wide base support which will improve your mark. Next, slightly bend your knees and keep your spine straight. Keep in mind that a slouching body can throw off your aim, leading to a poor performance.

Move with the Swing

Fortunately, the concept of swinging a club perfectly is simple. Whether a backswing or a downswing, the key to an accurate shot lies in the way you move your body in every shot. Make sure that you pivot your shoulders towards your spine and shift your weight to the back of your foot as the club is bearing down on the ball. Keep your motion smooth and flowing so as not to waste your body’s energy.

Relax

One of the most important tips in creating a perfect in developing your swing is to always keep your calm before and after every shot. Keep in mind that perfecting your swing will take a lot of time and practice which means you might get frustrated in the process. Experienced players know that too much frustration will make any golfer progressively worse in every shot. Thus, it is best that you do not blow your top off in every miss. By keeping a calm demeanor, you are bound to improve on your swing which will result in an impressive performance in any Tri State golf course area.