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A lot of golfers really battle to hit straight drives and getting off to a good start is such a confidence booster. There is nothing better than a good drive at the start of a round of golf. You will have a great day if you can hit straight drives off every tee.

The secret to straight driving is technique and confidence. If you have ever hit a straight drive then you can do it again. Its in there somewhere and all you have to do is find it and repeat it time and time again.

Many a bad tee shot is the result of tension especially on the first tee of an important round or when there is a crowd around. The result is the player gets tense and so the whole body, starting from the grip and going right through the arms, legs and torso, is overcome with tension. The result can be embarrassing and shake a players confidence.

Remember when playing that the woods are a little bit longer than the irons and therefore a slightly flatter swing plane is required (dont adjust for this because of this article!). In many cases pulling out the driver is a habit and is sometimes not even required. If you have a 350 meter/yard hole you can probably easy take two six irons to get there. Why make it more difficult by playing a driver?

A very good way of grooving the swing and getting confidence to hit straight drives regularly is to practice with a shortened back swing. When you go to the range shorten your back swing to 75%. Make sure you accelerate evenly through the ball and make a full follow through.

As you do this more and more at practice your big muscles will groove themselves to perform the same when you go back to a full swing. Try it youll be amazed at the results. You may even find that with a shortened back swing the loss in distance (if any) is so negligible that with the extra accuracy it is not worth worrying about.

Standing on the first tee knowing that you will be in play after your tee shot is a huge confidence booster. No-one ever worries about who plays the second shot first yet we all want to smack the longest drive. funny thing the ego (intended for the men out there ladies dont seem to worry about this too much).

Give it a try I guarantee you will hit straight drives more often than you do at the moment.

As a qualified EGTF golf professional teacher I get great pleasure in helping people improve their game. Why not head over to Better Golfing and take up my challenge to reduce your golf handicap by 25% within 6 weeks?

// posted by 99645 @ 11:36 PM 0 comments

Precision Strokes on The fairway Have you ever consistently hit great long range precision shots at the driving range only to find yourself disappointed with lack luster performance on the fairway? Your falloff in performance is most likely to do with your mental game. With the much less structured environment of the fairway, your brain has many more distractions to contend with. In much the same way as a race car driver recovers from a skid, it is crucial that you withdraw your focus from where you do not want the ball to go, like bunkers and such and focus instead on where you want it to go.

Focus, Focus, Focus - Your brain works to render the dominant image that you hold in your head. If your image is one of not hitting the bunker, the bunker is the most likely outcome you will create. Instead, concentrate on where you intend the ball to go at the exclusion of all else. Choose a narrow feature of your target area like a tree branch or a distinctive patch of grass. Visualize the ball landing exactly where you want it. With intent focus and only thoughts of where you want the ball to go, you will produce your desired result. Focus, focus, focus is your key to ensuring the ball goes precisely according to your intention. With this crucial mental factor addressed, lets take a look in the technique department.

The Chill Factor You know, if theres a common ingredient to superior performance in all sports, its the relaxation or chill factor. Paradoxically relaxation often overcomes brute force. Its a key a principal underlying martial arts like Aikido and its the essence of what football great and recent winner of Dancing with the Stars, Emmitt Smith calls being in the zone. If youre flexible and you have give in you body, you can more easily take effective, clear-headed, responsive action in any given situation. The same holds true for your golf. Cultivate the intention of relaxation over power in your game and focus on striking the golf ball in a relaxed, easy manner. Youll exert less effort in your swing and youll be surprised when the ball travels an equal if not greater distance, then when your intent is on power driving. So chill and enjoy.

Cultivate Your swing Plane To achieve repeatable accuracy, you must ensure that your club-head follows a consistent path in the same swing plane every time. Think of your swing plane as an inclined disc that envelops the trajectory of your club. swing planes are as unique as thumb prints. So youll need to experiment with your arm positioning to discover the right swing plane that works for you. Move slowly through your downswing and notice how individual adjustments of the different joint angles lead to consistency and comfort. Again, comfort is your key indicator. Remember if its not comfortable its not right for you.

Align Your Clubface It might seem obvious but the alignment of your clubface directly dictates the trajectory of your ball. You can maximize control over of your clubface angles by ensuring that your leading wrist is flat with respect to your forearm through your downswing to impact. Dont be tempted to snap your wrists at the bottom of your swing. Its a common misconception amongst amateur gofers that the wrist snap gives more power. It doesnt. According to Theodore Jorensen, expert on the physics of golf, this action reduces club head speed. Whats more it screws up your club head alignment. So keep those wrists flat and youll enjoy a great foundation for whacking the ball at the proper angle every time.

Laser Guided Precision Yes, practice these simple strategies and enjoy a wonderful improvement in your accuracy and your scoring. Remember to think David over Goliath and cultivate accuracy over power. Chill out, get in your zone and be relaxed in your swing action. Cultivate you unique swing plane for repeatability. Keep your wrist flat for refined control over your clubface alignment. And finally, whack those balls with laser-guided precision when you tie it all together with the simple mental strategy of Focus, Focus, Focus.

Aidan Sugrue is a Golf Enthusiast and creator of Hot Golf Secrets the Internet's hottest free resource for free golf tips.

If you would like to turbo-charge your game then go to Hot Golf Secrets now and Claim Your free golf tips and start having more fun on the fairway today!

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// posted by 99645 @ 10:56 AM 0 comments