The Golf Slice

For a lot of people putting is the bane of their existence. With varied terrains and conditions no green is the same in regards to difficulty. There are a few obstacles you can look out for before making your putt that are the same no matter where you are.

Loose leaves and sticks resting in your line are always trouble. These are problems Mother Nature provides to golfers everywhere. It depends on the group you’re playing with but most people don’t care if you take the time to clear a path to your ball.

Uneven grass on the putting green is not only a sign of poor course maintenance. It’s also a sign that your putt is going to probably see a dramatic change in speed as it journeys to the hole. Try and plan your putt accordingly. Footprints from a previous group (or your playing partner) have similar effects on your ball’s travel.

Before you putt make sure you take into account these potential trouble spots on the green.

Some of us have bodies or swings that just aren’t normal. It’s the truth. There’s nothing wrong with being different, as they say, but it does make buying golf clubs off the rack at your local sports store a bit of a challenge.

I’m a bit taller than average with long arms so I know from personal experience the difficulties in getting the right set of clubs. If you have the money and have similar trouble you might want to look into getting custom golf clubs made to fit just for you.

If you’re going to get custom golf clubs make sure you find a good fitter who knows the right club length and flex for you’re body type and swing. The shaft length is probably the more important of the two but the right flex is needed to match your normal club speed. A good fitter will test your swing speed during the fitting process.

Once upon a time, I was the master of the approach shot. I used to be able to put the ball within yards of the flag with my wedge almost every time. Unfortunately, as I devoted more time and energy to improving other parts of my game my approach shot began to fall apart. My goal this summer is to get it back on track again.

One of the secrets to a good approach shot is to understand the condition of the green and aim accordingly.

A dried out green is your worst nightmare. If there hasn’t been much rain lately there’s a good chance your ball is going to bounce right off the green after making contact. Try to hit a “soft” shot that will trickle onto the putting surface if you think your ball has no chance of sticking.

On the other hand, a wet green is more likely to produce no bounce. If the grass is really wet your ball might crater and get stuck on impact. In conditions like this it’s important to be as accurate as possible and not rely on any roll or bounce to get you closer to the pin.

A good approach shot sets you up for an easy putt which will go far in keeping your scores low at the end of the day.

A lot of golfers feel like they have to play a full round of 18 holes each time they play. This is fine if you can devote 4-5 hours of your day to the lovely game of golf. For those of us who are sometimes a bit short on time, or just getting used to playing, it might be best to try our luck at a 9-Hole course instead.

A 9-Hole course can be played in under half the time it takes to play at a regular course. Most of the holes are typically of the Par 3 and Par 4 variety with short yardage. And on weekends they usually aren’t very busy which makes things move along even faster.

For newer golfers, playing a full round can lead to frustration and anger pretty easily. You can sometimes get more fun and enjoyment at a 9-Hole course instead. The longer you’re out on the course the greater chance you have of getting worn down by mistakes and mental errors. It’s easier to “get in and get out” at a 9-Hole course before that kind of fatigue sets in.

The most important factor in deciding how quickly and how far your ball travels is the club you use. That’s common sense for most golfers but a few beginners (and veterans alike) think it takes a big and powerful swing to get your ball to go far. Unfortunately for these heavy hitters, there is more to it than that.

You need to take two things into account when deciding how fast to swing: your choice of club and the force you put into the swing itself.

It’s key to remember that not all clubs are the same. A shorter club, like your pitching wedge, has a steep angle that limits how far the ball can travel regardless of how hard you swing. If you swing too hard or too fast you’re more likely to lose control and get a bad shot. If you swing with the right speed and force you’ll take full advantage of the club you’re using and get a much better result.