The Gym Sports Site

1. Get Each Putt to the Hole. In team formats, it’s good to get your ball to the hole, if only to provide your partners a good read. Many putts come up short because the player decelerates on the through-stroke. As an alternative, make sure your through-stroke is as long as or a little longer than your backstroke.

2. Minimize Your Swing Thoughts. Keep your game plan simple. Put it on a piece of paper on the golf cart steering wheel and consult it just before every full shot.

a. Preshot: Visualize what you want the ball to do.
b. Address: Position the clubface where you want the ball to go.
c. Swing thought: Freely swing the club head.

3. Endure the First-tee Jitters. Nervousness makes you accelerate your tempo, which affects consistency and accuracy. Take several deep breaths as you get prepared to hit, breathing in through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Swing your driver smoothly, like you want to hit it only 100 yards.

4. Try to Make A Lot More Tough Short Putts. Playing a format that requires you to putt everything out? Set your putterface square to the desired line, and then square your feet and shoulders to that line. Make a smooth stroke while looking at the goal, not at the ball.

5. Take More Club on Par 3′s. Few amateurs hit the ball over or through the green on par 3′s; most come up short. Select a club that will get you to the yardage at the back of the green. If you hit it flush, you’re on; if you hit it less than solidly, you still might make it to the putting surface.

6. Score Lower on Par 5′s. Take a “do the math” approach. Almost all par 5′s are 500 yards or more. Make the final shot your preferred yardage into the green. Deduct that yardage, and then divide the difference by two. With this strategy, you’re striking lofted clubs that are easier to strike and more accurate.

7. Escape the Sand in One Try. Effective greenside bunker golfers accelerate the club head through the shot, letting the sand “splash” the ball out. Set up with the face of your sand wedge somewhat open, the ball slightly forward in your stance. Hit the sand behind the ball, and finish your golf swing just like you are hitting a full 5-iron.

8. Chip with Your Putting Stroke. To avoid chunking or skulling your chip shots, take a lofted club like a 7-, 8- or 9-iron and grip it like your putter. Lean the shaft and your body toward the target for a slightly descending blow. Make your putting stroke, allowing the loft of the club to carry the ball over the unpredictable turf onto the green.

9. Get Your Irons Airborne. Most topped shots occur when you try to help the ball into the air with a scooping motion. To hit down on the ball, set up with more weight on your left foot than your right. Take the club back more vertically and return it on a downward angle of attack.

If you want more tips about golfing visit our website about golf where you will discover more resources that will benefit you.

Golf swing plane, yours is as individual as your swing. It depends on the size and shape of your body, your height, the length of your arms, torso and legs in relation to angle of the golf club shaft, alignment of the club head and placement of the ball. It also comes down to your persistence and commitment to play consistently.

The golf swing plane is determined by the distance from your shoulder to the ball and the circular axis of rotation with the golf club back through your backswing and then through your downswing and follow through.

Consider that there are 5 stages in a golf swing. Starting with your address to the ball, takeaway into your backswing, the top or transition, into the downswing, ball impact and follow through to the target.

Several factors will determine whether you are playing a two-plane or one-plane swing. Firstly, the distance you stand from the ball. The closer you are to the ball the more upright you will become. A lot of golfers stand too close to the ball and have a more upright swing plane.

A steep golf swing plane creates a two swing golf plane and the unfortunate potential for lateral and horizontal movement. Put simply it is all in the set up. If it is not set up right then the unfolding of a golf swing sequence will be out of order.

You will lose control as you get to the top of your backswing by over extending your arms above your head and shoulder and consequently will need to adjust to a different downswing plane to get impact through the ball. The danger here is instead of hitting straight you will hit a lot more inconsistently to the left and right.

A golf swing plane that is too upright or steep will create the dreaded slice or hook shots. If you stand too close to the ball in your address, causing a steep swing as you move through your downswing you will need to adjust your body into a different downswing plane. Back injury is a strong possibility from over extension in the golf swing. A steep swing will lead you to rotating off balance, this generally moves the center of gravity higher up the spine. Hence more pressure on the middle of your back. Back injury is the number injury in golfers.

A flatter swing where the golfer tends to swing around the body is referred as the one-plane swing taught by Jim Hardy, or the single plane swing used by Moe Norman from Canada. The further away from the ball you are the flatter your swing.

The greatest advantage of a flatter rotation around the body is there are less moving parts. There is less that can go wrong. Swinging from shoulder to shoulder tends to suit the average golfer with physical and muscular limitations. You will certainly hit with more accuracy, much more consistently. You might lose a little distance but it will be straight and in play.

Most amateur golfers lose control with their hands going over head. You not only lose control it is the leading cause of wrist injury. Not to mention missing the sweet spot as you hit the ball.

Moe Norman knew what he was talking about and had the credentials to back it up. He was a genius when it came to consistently hitting straight and long. With the many golfers I have worked with on the course the more you reduce the variables the better.

Whatever your golf swing plane find one that suits you and build as much accuracy and consistency into your game as possible.

Want to find out more about golf swing basics, then visit Roderick Fraser’s site on finding the right golf swing plane to play your best golf.

While not specifically a gym sport, tennis and golf are what I would call “country club” sports.  You’ll be hard pressed to find a gym that offers full tennis courts and golf greens.  While not something you can incorporate into your workout at the gym, these can be considered great hobbies that keep you in good shape.

Golf is an incredibly focused sport.  In essence, you are trying to do the same consistent swing over and over again while changing the weight and shape of your club to hit further distances.  In the little golf that I have played, I was surprised by how sore my upper body was.  Particularly my shoulders and arms.   And from trying to keep your form for the entire swing, your core and abdominal muscles get quite the workout.

In addition, you could even go to a driving range and hit balls over and over again.  It doesn’t have the satisfaction of getting a ball in a hole, it does feel more like a gym sport because you are working your body without a long pause between swings to move to the location of the ball.  If you do end up playing a game of golf, skip the caddies and the golf carts to get more of an exercise.

You would be much more likely to find tennis courts at a gym than a golf course.  Larger gyms may have indoor courts for year round playing, though they won’t be as frequent as racquetball courts.  Tennis makes a great gym sport whether you are playing doubles with a group of friends, singles with one other friend or even by yourself hitting balls off of a wall.  Obviously, tennis works your upper body, but it is also a great workout for your legs as well, which is why it makes a great gym sport.

In addition to finding tennis courts and golf courses at gyms and country clubs, you should also research what community locations are nearby.  Most high schools have tennis courts nearby that aren’t used all the time.  Take advantage and incorporate this gym sport into your repertoire.

Golf supplies like clubs can be quite expensive, but driving ranges will usually have clubs you can rent.  Luckily, tennis requires little besides balls and a racket.   Click here to see some great tennis supplies that can get you on your way.   Good luck and have fun!