Another exercise that’s extremely effective for building your strength and enhancing the mechanics of your swing is to swing two golf clubs at once, in the same way that baseball players do when they are next in line to bat.

Here’s guidelines for swinging two Golf club drill to improve your strength:

1.    Take two golf clubs of approximately exactly the same length. Mid irons make good clubs for this exercise. Get a 5 and a 6 iron, or a 5 and a 7 iron if you don’t have every club.
2.    Hold the clubs in a baseball grip. Be sure your address position and posture are correct.

3.    Swing the clubs slowly back and forth. Easy does it. If you’ve watched baseball players do this, you will have noticed that the right way to do this drill is slow and smooth. Even highly conditioned professional athletes can strain a muscle, or worse, by overdoing it.

4.    Focus on your body rotation. Turn away from the ball; sweep the clubs slowly back and up to the top of the backswing; step into the transition with your lead knee; and follow through as you would with a normal golf shot.

5.    When you get to the end of your swing, hold your posture for a few seconds, trying to stay perfectly balanced. The heel of your right foot really should be lifted up, with only the toes touching the ground.

If you happen to have the opportunity to attend a professional tournament in person, you’ll discover that the advantages use this drill to relax before hitting their first tee shot.

A whole set of top-of-the-line golf clubs may cost approximately $2,200. The top drivers cost from $310 to $620. An excellent putter may cost up to $300. A set of the best irons could cost around $1,200.

The top balls cost as much as $53 to $60 a dozen. Sounds expensive, however when you think about the fact that many high-performance laptops have a price tag of $2,000 and up, it’s not a bad investment at all for equipment that you will enjoy throughout your life.

Fortunately for budget-conscious golfers is that it’s possible to start playing for only a fraction of the price tag on top-of-the-line equipment. You’ll find great deals on golf equipment today, on the Internet as well as at pro shops.

A golf beginner can purchase a good golf driver for about $35 to $40. A set of irons can be bought for as little as $100 to $200. Many good putters are available for $20 and under.

You will find dozens, if not hundreds, of websites on the internet that sell new balls for as little as $10 to $12 per dozen.

And don’t despise the bargains available on used clubs. Getting a feel for the several types of clubs involves a trial-and-error learning process that takes time. Beginners can never go wrong by starting off with a set of used clubs.

Don’t be worried to buy a set of used clubs at a garage sale. Whatever you start out with, you may find after a year or two that your game would benefit by switching to a different type of club.

Check out flea markets and classified ads as well as Internet sites. If you look around, you can find a complete set of used clubs for $100 or less.

The simple fact is this: You won’t feel a huge difference between the garage-sale bargain clubs and new top-of-the-line equipment until you gain experience and a certain degree of mastery over the golf swing.
If you are planning to play regularly enough to justify the investment in a new set of clubs, make sure you visit a pro shop before you spend a lot of money. Tell the pro about your goals, your level of experience, and how often you think you’ll be playing and practicing.

You can find competitive prices on all major brands by surfing the Web, but only a pro can evaluate your swing by watching you hit some balls. A pro’s suggestions on the best type of clubs for you will add tremendous value to any purchase you decide to make, and it may save you from making a costly mistake.
It’s also possible to spend less by ordering used golf balls. Practice balls have nicks, club marks, scratches, and discolorations. Name-brand used balls, such as Titleist and Callaway, cost no more than half the price of new balls.

Here’s a sampling of among the best bargains I came across by using a quick Google search:

•    A dozen used golf balls for $5.5

•    1 dozen Callaway used balls for $5.65

•    100 Dunlop used balls for $32

•    A complete set of new men’s or women’s clubs for $230

•    3 wood, 7 iron, wedge, putter, and carry bag for $90

•    3 wood, 6 iron, 8 iron, wedge, putter, and carry bag for $124

Municipal golf courses are wonderful places for newbies to train their game; it costs much less to play a round at a public course than to pay for a round at a club. A 9-hole course is an excellent option for budget and time-conscious golfers.

Those who haven’t played golf before may scoff at the idea that one would need to be in shape for such a low impact game, however not only can you not expect to play your best game if you’re not in good physical condition, but you might actually injure yourself. If you’re not where you would like to be on the fitness spectrum, golf is a fun way to get into shape. Just be sure to pass on every opportunity to ride in the golf cart and walk instead.

Depending on where and when you play golf, you’re likely to encounter soaring temperatures on the golf course and when you do, you’ll thank yourself for getting and staying in shape. People who are in poor physical shape don’t do well in the heat and you’re certainly not going to play your best game when you’re sweating bullets and panting from the heat.

Golfers walk four to five hours during a normal round. Jack Nicklaus lost 20 pounds in 1969, which increased his stamina and helped him move faster through the ball. Taking off the weight made Nicklaus feel better about himself, both physically and mentally.

Within two months of making a commitment to a more active lifestyle, you’ll start to feel and look like a new person. Then your friends may realize that it’s time for them to get out of the cart, too. By that time, you’ll be in such good condition that carrying your bag will be a breeze.

Whether or not you’ve worked out for a while, it would be wise to incorporate a well-balanced workout into your conditioning routine. Even if you’re in good shape when you begin playing golf, you’ll need stamina, flexibility, and upper body conditioning to play your best game. You’ll also want to warm up your muscles before you start swinging to prevent injury and stiffness.

If you’re able to start out with a coach, he or she will likely put you through a series of drills that will not only dramatically improve your swing and your game, but will help to get your body conditioned for the type of movements you’ll make when playing golf. Remember, everything that happens in golf is a chain reaction and your game will reflect what you are – or are not putting your body through.

There is no one to blame if you  shoot a poor game of golf but  yourself, you have no team members  to help tap in a missed shot.

No pitches that should have been  perfect that gets knocked out of  the park.  No pass; no matter how long is  ever dropped and no opponents or  teammates to reprieve you.  You  stand alone when you play golf,  are you ready?

All you need to play golf are  courage and money, courage to come  to terms with your failings and  money to pay green fees, buy  clubs, buy clothing, and to pay  memberships in clubs.

Golf is a game where you face  individual failure and  achievements alone, the challenge  of the course is faced alone  holding close your individual  belief that you can beat it.  You either play well or you don’t,  your score leaves no doubt about  your abilities at the end of the  day.

Remember that golf is not  just a game of manners, but one of  morals.  The first commandment of golf is  to “play it where it lies”, you  cant change it or move it accept  it and move on.  Golf is a game of the ego, it  allows you to beat the one person  you have not been able to beat  before, yourself.

People are different on the golf  course, they wear clothes they  would never wear anywhere else,  take the entrepreneur who dresses  in suits and ties every day, he  would no more consider wearing a  t-shirt than he would consider  wearing tennis shoes.  But he will show up on the golf  course wearing plaids that will  blind you with a fluorescent golf  shirt and blue shoes!  Next to the clothing the excuse is  probably the most developed part  of a golf game.

All golfers have a well rounded  supply of excuses available for  immediate use in any instance and  situation.

A point that is frequently made in golf instruction is that the swing is all about flow and the movement of energy and you want to allow this flow to happen smoothly and naturally. Most of the time, this point is made in reference to the flow of physical movement. Much less frequently, however, is there a reference made to the flow of mental energy, yet this flow is of fundamental importance to the swing as well. The smooth flow of productive mental golf thoughts is essential to set the stage for a smooth swing. For many, many players, however, the smooth flow of thoughts is frequently inhibited by fear, frustration, judgement of performance, and other mental “stuff.” This disruption of the flow of mental golf thoughts is a common source of physical swing problems that many players don’t realize. Many potential positive golf experiences are blocked due to the interference of positive mental thinking.

I was reminded of this flow principle recently when watching my two year old daughter playing with a plastic golf club. She was swinging away at the golf ball (and many other things as well) and my initial reaction was, “She’s swinging away without a care in the world.” It dawned on me that this was a great reminder of the value of being free and clear in your mind when practicing and playing, without the interference of thoughts and emotions that get in the way of the flow of positive, productive, “golf enhancing” thoughts. As I watched, I thought of this fundamental golf question: “What are you thinking and feeling that is interfering with the free flow of positive golf thoughts and ultimately the smooth flow of an effortless swing?” In essence, what is keeping you from being free and clear in golf? The answer to this question gets to the heart of golf improvement. It’s a question I ask those I work with and I periodically ask myself as well. I encourage every aspiring golfer to do the same. Think about it: What are you thinking and feeling that is holding back the flow in your game?

If there are some golf improvement goals you have been working on this summer where you haven’t seen results, this question can offer you some helpful insight for changing your mindset and ultimately your game. Remember to “let it flow” in mind and body! As always, I welcome comments on your insight and experiences.

Here’s to great golf!

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
TheHeartofGolf.com

Credits: Positive Golf

I recently read a book that I am enthusiastically recommending to my fellow Positive Golfers titled Straight Down the Middle, by Josh Karp. Having the complete title of Straight Down the Middle: Shivas Irons, Bagger Vance, and How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love My Golf Swing, the book is a first-hand account of a real-life golfer’s quest to gain a greater understanding of positive mental principles and practices and then put them to use in order to transform his mindset, his game, and his life. The author, Karp, is a journalist and, at the beginning, an 18 handicap golfer who realizes there is great potential in the mental realm, and having a great desire to enrich his game and his life he is inspired to explore various mental philosophies and approaches. Karp becomes a mental golf guinea pig, in essence, and immerses himself in learning from various gurus and masters and applying their wisdom on (and off) the course. He shares his experiences in great detail so the reader gets a very clear picture of what is taking place. Along with the details, Karp is open and forthcoming about his thoughts and feelings throughout, so the reader can follow his deepening understanding and development (and sometimes drawbacks). Karp also has a keen sense of humor which makes the reading enjoyable as well as enlightening.

All in all, Straight Down the Middle is a memoir of a noteworthy quest to understand, evolve, and improve. Karp delivers great insight into lessons learned about golf, patience, letting go, and much more. He presents the scientific aspect of positive mental practices as well as the practical side. And he illustrates how to put it all into real-life practice out on the course, with his own mental and physical game as a proving ground. By the end of the book and the odyssey of discovery, Karp has indeed discovered the effortless swing and lowered his handicap. He has achieved a deeper understanding of the game and himself as well, all of which have enriched his golf experiences and his life. In his final comments he says, “Most importantly, my swing became a source of pleasure, which more often than not brought my scores closer to par.”

Straight Down the Middle leaves the reader with plenty of ideas to think about and act upon in one’s own quest for golf improvement. You will gain a greater awareness and understanding of the mental realm and likely be inspired to begin or expand your own efforts in that arena. As a Positive Golfer who believes in the value of the mental game and who continually strives to strengthen my own mental golf mindset, I gained some new understanding and useful tools myself, as well as some inspiration from Karp. I also enjoyed the book as an all-around good read. It was especially engaging because it was written by a “real-life golfer.” On the book jacket, it refers to “a journey of a common man in search of an uncommon kingdom.” I recommend Karp’s book to anyone who wants to enjoy a more relaxed, fluid swing, a lower handicap, and more positive experiences in golf (and in life!). If you feel positive mental practices are too advanced or impractical, then this book is really for you! You’ll see the mental game from a whole new perspective in Straight Down the Middle. Check it out this summer! You can find it at Amazon.com.

Here’s to great golf!

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
Co-founder, TheHeartofGolf.com
http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com

Credits: Positive Golf

Did you know that hanging on to bad shots, bad golf moments, and general negativity is one of the most prevalent mental practices that weighs golfers down, holds them back, and leads to less-than-positive golf experiences? It permeates the entire mental golf psyche and distracts from focus, visualization, and awareness. In fact, all of those “could haves,” “should haves,” and “if onlys” take away from mental energy that could otherwise be put to good use on constructive thoughts that will help your game.

So what exactly is “hanging on?” It is a mental habit of actively keeping thoughts and memories of past negative actions and experiences in mind by dwelling on them, frequently recalling or “replaying” them, and allowing them to linger and fester and take the place of otherwise helpful thoughts and memories.

And what is it that golfers hang on to in their minds? The specifics vary from person to person, of course, but the common factors include:

Memories and thoughts of —
- bad shots
- bad rounds
- bad tendencies
- mistakes and “flaws”
- “ruts” you have been or are stuck in

Plus negative mental habits and tendencies such as —
- Fear
- Anger
- Frustration
- Worry
- Self-Doubt
- Self-Comparison
- Blame
- Dread
- Resentment/Envy
- Misconception that you need to try harder

“Hanging on” is a negative mental habit I have grappled with in the past, and it definitely affected my game. I would get so preoccupied with hanging on to the memory of a missed putt or errant drive that I would lose focus on my current shots and strategy, and then my game would suffer. I have known others who have hung on to bad shots for an entire round and even afterward, and they would keep talking about it. Thinking of your own game, you can probably recall some examples of “hanging on.” What is it that you tend to hang on to? Maybe it’s the memories of missed putts and poor shots like I did. You’ll be doing yourself a favor by taking notice of this tendency, then doing something to curb it or cut it short.

A helpful tip that helped me to reduce my tendency for “hanging on” and is something I continue to practice is:

Consciously focus you attention on remembering the positive and letting go of the negative. Practice filling your “memory bank” with memories of good shots and positive outcomes and not “storing” thoughts of mistakes, problems, and poor shots. Think of it like putting thoughts of the negative moments in the trash. Leave your past in the past!

We’ll have more practical tips on curbing this negative mental tendency for “hanging on” in our soon-to-be-released Positive Golf Handbook. Leave a comment on this blog about what you tend to hang on to on the course, and I’ll email you some more of these tips.

Here’s to great golf!

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
Co-Founder, TheHeartofGolf.com
http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com

Credits: Positive Golf

Recently, I posted an update and tips related to the Positive Golf Improvement Project I had chosen for this year (see May 12, 2008 posting). This post is for the purpose of giving an update and tips related to the projects chosen by my wife, which were first shared here in January 2008. As a refresher, here they are:

Positive Golf Improvement Project: To develop a smooth, repeatable chip shot and consistently chip the ball within ten feet of the hole.

Primary Positive Mental Habit for Improvement: Improve “Golf Self-Talk,” or that “inner dialogue” or “inner conversation” that goes on in your mind when you are playing, and may also be expressed out loud. The goal is to give particular attention and consistent practice to changing and improving this mental skill so it is more constructive and helps rather than hinders the Positive Golf mindset.

Christy is making progress in both projects, thanks to persistent mental and physical practice, including some technical tips she got at a recent “Short Swing” Clinic she participated in at our club. Here are some tips and reminders she has been practicing in her “blended” mental/physical approach to making positive improvements in her game this year:

Mental Practice #1: Practice positive reminders as part of “golf self-talk,” including the following: I AM making progress in my swing improvement, and I DO have the ability to chip the ball well.

Mental Practice #2: Practice putting less pressure on myself in my “golf self-talk.” For example, stop telling myself, “I should be playing as well or better than her,” or “I have to swing better than this, I have to swing better than this…” (an old, negative mantra I didn’t realize I was repeating so much!)

Mental Practice #3: Practice reminding myself, I don’t have to try so hard. (i.e. I don’t have to use so much effort!).

Physical Practice #1: Lighten the grip pressure.

Physical Practice #2: Slow down the swing. Don’t hit at the ball!

Physical Practice #3: Keep the hands forward in the follow through. Don’t “flick” the wrist in an effort to hit at the ball.

Physical Practice #4: Practice, practice, practice the short swing. This will help with all of my shots, including chipping.

These are the “small,” nuts-and-bolts mental and physical steps that really add up and make big differences in having Positive Golf experiences! Have you picked a Positive Golf Improvement Project and/or Primary Mental Habit for Improvement this year? If so, let us know what it is and what positive ideas and techniques have been helpful to your progress. We welcome your comments…

Here’s to great golf!

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
Co-Founder, TheHeartofGolf.com
http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com

Credits: Positive Golf

Two factors contributed greatly to Greg Norman’s magnificent showing at last month’s British Open. One of them he candidly stated when asked about leading after 54 holes. “Obviously I played well enough to put myself in this position,” said Norman. “That comes from a good, safe, happy mind in a lot of ways. I’m very content in my mind…”

Naturally one needs to have the ability (which Norman had), but how we perform with our ability, at any level, is determined by our state of mind, which in turn determines our flow of thoughts. Sometimes we can use a little “reminder” of just how powerful and influential our minds are in our golf game. Norman’s performance at Royal Birkdale was a shining example of this fact.

The other interesting factor was the small change Norman made in his set up. Moving closer to the ball wasn’t something “new.” It was a return to the way he set up in his “heyday.” Another good lesson for the rest of us. With all the “swing information” floating around out there, we often tend (knowingly or unknowingly) to move away from things that have worked well in the past, in search of something better. A wiser choice, in many instances, is to return to the fundamentals and reunite with the ideas and feelings which inspired confidence and nice shot making on our “good days.”

With a bit of mental effort, almost all of us can recall that, When I drove it well, I used to do this, or During those great putting rounds, I felt a certain way. Well, what are we waiting for? These things used to work, and they still will!

Small changes, even so small as a couple of inches this way or that, can make a world of difference – in our mind. We change the way we feel, and the feeling is directly impressed on our golf game. Keep this in mind when you are starting to think you need to do a “major overhaul” to fix your swing. Remember – small changes can make a world of difference!

Here’s to great golf!

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
Co-Founder, TheHeartofGolf.com
http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com

Credits: Positive Golf

I often hear from people who have a golf outing or event coming up and they are feeling anxious because they haven’t played in a while. They want a quick mental golf tip or two that they can start using right away to help their game. If you are in a similar situation, or are just interested in starting to beef up your mental game in general, I have put together a list of some mental golf fundamentals that you can start doing right now, wherever you are. A key idea behind all of these tips is one of changing mental habits that clutter your mind and distract your attention away from really focusing on your strategy and the shot at hand. These are things that I continually remind myself to do, especially if I am feeling “scattered” and off-track in my mindset and my game is reflecting that same thing. By starting these new mental practices right now and persisting with them, you will be headed in the right direction for building a stronger mindset and setting the stage for more Positive Golf experiences. Keep in mind, these things can (and should) be done both on and off the course, whenever you are playing or thinking about the game. These skills get more natural and effective with practice.

1. Let go of those bad shots. I know. I know. Easier said than done. But believe me, it makes a difference. Dwelling on missed putts and errant drives demands a lot of mental energy that distracts you from productive thoughts and better focus.

2. Don’t dwell on fear. Here again, easier said than done. And here again, an enormous “consumer” of mental energy. Start by picking one thing you are really fearful about (i.e. missing short putts and looking bad in front of others) and consciously make an effort to “switch gears” to more productive thoughts (i.e. swing thoughts and your strategy) when this pops into your mind.

3. Let go of that blame. Like fear and holding on to bad shots, frequent blaming also consumes a lot of mental energy and distracts you. While blaming might help you justify things and help you feel better for a moment, it takes your thoughts away from the shot at hand and also from getting to the real cause of swing problems or other challenges. (Your clubs and the weather are not always at fault!) Make a concerted effort to tune in to your blaming tendencies and steer your thoughts in a more positive and productive direction.

4. Take the pressure off. It’s a common practice to continually put pressure on yourself to hit farther, make more putts, and score better. Self-motivation is one thing, but persistent pressure can distract your focus and be counter-productive. Seriously, give yourself a break. When you notice those pressure-filled thoughts filling your mind, switch gears to swing thoughts and some self-encouragement.

5. Stop dwelling on “hitting.” It’s a very common tendency these days to think about hitting at the ball harder with more effort in order to achieve more distance. A lot of people spend a lot of mental energy dwelling on trying to figure out how to “hit harder,” when the real solution is less effort and more allowing. Switch those hitting thoughts to more productive thoughts of feeling and allowing the smooth, natural swing. (For more insight and tips on this topic, check out my Goodbye Hit, Hello Swing e-book.)

Now, you’re on your way to a mental golf mindset that is stronger and more aligned with the flow of productive thoughts and a smooth, effortless swing.

Here’s to great golf!

Rick Semple
Positive Golfer
http://www.TheHeartofGolf.com

Credits: Positive Golf