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Earlier this summer, my teaching pro showed me and told me something that no one else has really ever explained to me before. It has really changed my golf swing forever! And I think it will change yours too!

I have taken many golf lessons over the years, and it was not until I started working with my current instructor that I have been able to fix my very steep downswing, and lack of hip clearance through impact.

Within just one lesson with him, he gave me a tip that changed my swing forever. Then he had me watch some YouTube videos, some of the ones I have shared with my golf tip e-mail subscribers.

For years I have tried to study different swings by different pros like Tiger, Adam Scott, Ernie Els and many others I had developed the mindset that the downswing was a real prevalent “down” move from the top. My instructor quickly got me to swing AROUND my body and I had NEVER before hit the ball like I had hit it that day. I could not believe the difference it made.

The picture above is my teaching pro Bobby Eldridge of Pure Point Golf.

Bobby has developed a private Golf Apprentice Program that is the best golf swing improvement program I have ever seen.

I am so excited I found him because his knowledge of the golf swing is unmatched!

To learn more about the program and how it can improve your golf swing, check out…Golf Apprentice Program

I was reading an article the other day over at your-golf-tips.com.

The article talks about how we will all have our good days and bad days.  Hopefully, as you improve your golf swing you will have more good days.

The author of the article points out that there are so many things to think of when it comes to the starting the game of golf.

He also mentions “that a golf swing book is great because being lightweight you can take it to the driving range and practice that golf swing tip the author is explaining to you first hand. Video is a great medium in which to learn new technique, you really get to see and feel at the same time.”

If you are looking for a great golf swing e-book I highly recommend the new e-book by Bobby Eldridge, Full Swing Fundamentals.  At the time of writing this post, when you purchase the e-book for $47 you also get a copy of the Full Swing DVD which is a $72 value for free.  Yes, free!

To check out other great golf DVD’s go to… www.GolfSwingImprovements.com/GolfVideos.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think about the Full Swing Fundamentals e-book.

Most amatuer golfers are tight. They know it but aren’t doing anything about it. If you are like me you are short on time. Between family, work and golfing, there is very little time for “off the course” physical preparation.

For me the key was implementing stretching exercises specific for golf. These exercise are specifically designed for golfers with very little time on their hands.

For best results you should stretch daily. I do a daily stretching routine and I can tell you that it has improved my flexibility. I can get a wider swing because of my new found flexibility.

All you need is is just a few stretches, or if you choose, you can definitely do an entire routine. It’s up to you, and how much time you want to devote to your golf stretching.

I want you to be thinking about the immediate benefits of doing something everyday! Maybe one day might only be a couple of stretches at the office. The next might be a routine after you take a shower in the morning. Either way, just try to do something daily. You’ll be amazed at your results!

The improved flexibility will help you to hit longer shots and add consistency to your golf shots.

Find out more about how golf stretching techniques can improve your golf game!

By Marc Solomon

The question is often asked - ‘I have so much trouble coming back after a bad hole. What trick can you give me so that I can forget about that last hole and get back to playing good golf?’

First, stand-up straight making sure that you feel as if you’re elongating your spine. You want to feel as if the top of your head is reaching for the sky. Second, close your eyes to block out the world around you and take some deep cleansing breaths - breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Third, start to jump up and down as high as you can as you flap your arms furiously like a bird coming off the ground. Fourth, now start spinning in circles (continue jumping and flapping) as you chant over and over - ‘be gone blow-up hole demons, be gone - I rid myself of you’.

If you do this in the exact order and with meaning - once you open your eyes you’ll totally forget about your blow-up as you see the other Golfers around you gasping with open mouths (or possibly running away as fast as they can).

There’s no trick or tip or special thought that’ll automatically bring you back after a bad hole.

In order to come back after a bad hole - you most have a PLAN. Though, the problem for most Golfers is that you can’t just formulate your PLAN after the bad hole. That PLAN must be in action before that bad hole occurred.

You just can’t say - ‘Oh, that 7 on the last hole was terrible. I need to start making my PLAN or I’ll have another blow-up hole right now.’ Having a PLAN doesn’t work that way. You can’t be going along without a PLAN and then turn it on when you want it. It needs to be on before you even reach the golf course and it doesn’t end until you have a chance to sit down, look at your scorecard and relive each shot as you review the round.

Imagine if you got in your car to go to work and every time you got to a red light … you turned off the car. Then when the light turned green … you started up the car to go. Start, drive, stop, turn-off, start, drive, stop, turn-off, start, drive, stop, turn-off, start ……

Well, if you do that with your PLAN - it’ll be just as ineffective as if you did it with your car. They say that you’d use more gas each time you stopped and started your car at a red light than if you were to idle during the red light. The same can be said about every time you start up your PLAN after a bad hole.

To get yourself to regroup, settle your nerves down and make a PLAN after every Blow-up hole uses more gas than necessary for the Golfer that doesn’t have a PLAN in constant use. The Golfer that doesn’t have a PLAN that begins before they get to the golf course uses their PLAN only when needed. And thus, they get into the - Start, drive, stop, turn-off, start, drive, stop, turn-off mentality that actually helps you to accumulate Blow-up Holes.

Where does Tiger’s PLAN start? His PLAN starts months before the tournament. He goes to the golf course weeks before the tournament begins to play a practice round. During that practice round he’s determining what type of shots the golf course requires. He then goes back home to practice those shots. And all through the day, he’s imagining the golf course, how each hole plays, what each green is like - he’s playing the golf course in his mind withoug actually being there.

Before he leaves his hotel to go to the course on the tournament day - he’s going through the whole check-in process at the golf course, the walking to the practice range, his stretching, his Warm-up PLAN, his Putting Warm-up, etc, etc, etc. - before he even leaves the hotel.

Contrast that to the Monkey who’s always at the Golf Shop desk checking in a few minutes before their starting time - ‘Do I have enough time to hit some balls on the range?”

You should be doing the same as Tiger. Maybe not in the detail that Tiger is, but you should be starting your PLAN before your left foot touches the parking lot at the golf course (or right foot in the UK).

Though, if that’s too much for you - you can always rely on the trick I listed above of jumping up and down in circles flapping your arms like a bird while chanting -’be gone blow-up hole demons, be gone - I rid myself of you’. I’ve seen it work and I might’ve even tried it once or twice myself.

The Monkey is looking for Tricks for improvement

The Player is focused on their PLAN.

You can lower your golf scores by learning to control the distances of your golf shots.

Do you actually know how far you can hot each of your golf clubs?  Most weekend golfers have no clue how far they hit each shot.  If you are one of them the keep reading so you too can learn to control the distances of your shots.

When selecting a the proper golf club for a given shot, professional golfers take into account the distance they want the ball to travel and the trajectory on which it will fly. The best way for you to learn is by hitting some full wedges to determine the average distance and the average ball flight.

When determining the distance you hit each club in the air, you should begin by hitting 10 - 20 full wedges to pinpoint your average distance. Then you should repeat this same process with the other clubs in your bag.

You’ll gain confidence by knowing exactly what club to hit for any given distance. The key to determining accurate distance for your clubs is to replicate the same trajectory for every shot. When practicing at the range, try to block out everything around you so that you can concentrate and focus.

Now get out there and learn how far you can hit each shot so you can lower your scores.

Why is the golf grip so important to a successful golf shot?

Every great shot starts with the golf grip.  Without the correct grip, a good golf shot is doomed from the beginning.

Having a poor grip will effect everything, such as your set-up, your takeaways, your downswing, and the ability to square your clubface at impact. You should never underestimate the way you grip your golf club and how it affects your swing.

There are three basic grips used in the wonderful world of golf, the overlapping grip, the interlocking grip and the baseball grip. The most common is the overlapping grip. In the overlapping grip, your little finger overlaps the forefinger of your left hand. Place your left hand on your golf club so that the back of your hand is facing the target. Place the shaft of your golf club under the muscular pad at the inside heel of your palm, your golf club shaft runs diagonally across to the top point of your forefinger. Hook your forefinger around the shaft of your golf club and close your hand with the rest of your fingers with your thumb down the top of the shaft. You should have a V formation between the thumb and forefinger, which will point towards the right side of your body. Remember, too tight of a grip will immobilize your wrist and create tension. To complete the overlapping golf grip, place your golf club in your right hand so that the shaft lies across the top joint of the four fingers and directly below the palm. Overlap the little finger of your right hand with the forefinger of your left hand. Bring your right thumb down, somewhat centered on the shaft. Work with your grip and find out what is comfortable for you. The proper golf grip will enable you to have the greatest amount of controlled clubhead speed. Keep your fingers together on the golf club shaft and deliver a square clubface to your golf ball at impact.

The second most popular grip is the interlocking grip.  In the interlocking grip, you interlock your little finger with your forefinger. There are a lot of Professional Golfers who use this golf grip.

The third grip is the baseball grip. I definitely would not recommend the third grip as it restricts the wrist from hinging properly.

Figure out which golf grip works best for you and practice, practice, practice.

Leave a comment below as to which grip method you prefer.

Lets look at the second hardest uneven lie to hit.  If you have a tendency to struggle with this shot, you usually top the golf ball.

Follow the steps below and you will see a positive change in your down hill shots.

1. Because the ball will fly lower, you can take a more lofted club to help the ball go a little higher.
2. The ball will have a tendency to curve to the right.  You will need to aim a little to the left.
3. To avoid topping the ball, check your shoulder alignment and make sure they are parallel to the ground you are standing on.  Your front shoulder should be a little lower than your back shoulder.  This will encourage the club to swing DOWN into the ball (correct) and not up in the down swing.
4. Play the ball in your stance according to the club you are using (a little forward for a longer club and a little back for shorter clubs).
5. You want to make sure you follow through LOW to the ground after impact.

Give this tip a try.  I know that it will work for you! Leave a comment below with all of your golf successes.

The uphill lie is the easiest uneven lie shot in golf.  If you struggle with this shot, you probably swing the golf club to vertical into the ground and hit a fat shot. There are a few things you should focus on and know before hitting your shot on an uphill lie.

1. Make sure you take a less lofted club. This will make the ball go HIGHER and SHORTER.
2. The ball will have a tendency to hook to the left, so you should aim a little to the right.
3. To avoid hitting the shot fat, check your shoulder alignment.  Your shoulders should be parallel to the ground you are standing on. For the uphill lie, your back shoulder should be a little lower that your leading shoulder.
4. The ball should be positioned according to what club you are using, as though you were on a level lie. (A bit forward for longer clubs and a bit back for shorter clubs.)
5. You want to make sure you have a HIGH follow through after impact.

I KNOW THIS TIP WILL HELP! Leave a comment below with all of your golf successes.