The TOMI Professional Putting Aid

I am a golf instructor in New York. I have been researching and hearing about the TOMI Putting System. The TOMI Professional unit seems to be very good however I have not been able to see one in real life yet. Have you had an experience with the TOMI Professional and can you tell me your version of how it works?

I have had the opportunity to use and be on the TOMI Professional Putting System personally. Once set up properly, it was awesome to use for my putting stroke as well as what I was able to do with the few students that I have had on the unit. It is a lot of info and some students (lawyers, engineers, etc.) could be a challenge as the TOMI Professional unit gives you A LOT of information.

The TOMI, a putting stroke training aid, records the most parameters of your putting stroke in real-time. Tomi shows you what you're doing right as well as what you're doing wrong. Then tells you how to fix your problem by giving you the putting drills that you will need to become a great putter.

The Tomi putting training aid allows you to use your own putter and will capture the following measurements: Alignment of the putter face at the point of impact The speed of the putter head The direction that the path of your stroke will take during the motion The amount of rotation of the putter face on the backswing as well as the amount of rotation of the putter face on the forward swing. The Tomi Putting Training Aid captures, records and will give you real time feedback on your putting stroke on multiple strokes.

So how does the TOMI Professional putting training aid work? The Tomi's transmitter clip moves in perfect unison with the putter. The clip signals putter motions to the Tomi base unit. In turn, the base unit performs a sequence of algorithms and transmits results to the system pc. Then the Tomi's stroke analysis software converts the data into easy-to-understand and easy-to-explain charts and graphs right on your computer screen.

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Keeping A Golf Scorecard

I am learning how to play golf through the local Linkup2Golf Program. I really enjoy it and currently cannot learn enough about it. My question for you is: how do you read a scorecard? There seems to be a lot of information on the card that I do not understand.

Thanks for your question and we are going to refer you to an article that VGS wrote on this very subject. Here is part of the article and you can click on the link at the bottom to read the entire article:

Sometimes as you are beginning to play the game of golf, keeping score for a round may seem daunting at first. After reading this article, you should find scoring for golf can be easy. Many players do not keep score when they first start because they are already nervous and frustrated by their golf swing. Remember no matter what skill level you are at, having fun is the real name of the game.

We will begin with explaining the scorecard. Obviously, not all scorecards are alike. However, they all have some basic components. To start with, every scorecard has a wide column for the names of the players. This is purely for your reference. The order the names (or nicknames) appear on the card does not matter. Although golf is typically played in foursomes, you may find more than four spaces available for names. Sometimes, a scorecard will have par (we will discuss later) as a colored bar running across the card and this will allow for you to show teams more easily if needed.

Next, par on the scorecard refers to the expected amount of strokes that it may take to complete the hole for a scratch golfer. With exceptions to the rule, par is determined by distance.

The Rest Of The Article

VGS Golf has customers in Nashville, Tennessee, Denver, Colorado, Las Vegas, Nevada, Louisville, Kentucky, Portland, Oregon, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Tucson, Arizona.

Swami 1500 Golf GPS Unit

Izzo Golf has introduced the Swami 1500 Golf GPS Yardage Finder. The Swami 1500 is a hand held sized unit that will give you yardages to the front of the green, the middle of the green as well as the back of the green using SiRFstarill Technology. The INSTA-LOK Technology gives you instant distance readings.

The cool part of the Swami 1500 Golf GPS Yardage Finder is that it fits into a custom designed space on all of the 2009 Izzo GPS Golf Bags. This allows you to easily access the unit while it is still attached to your golf stand carry bag or golf cart bag. Simply walk up or pull the golf cart up to your golf ball and you will instantly have the numbers given to you to the front, center and back of the green.

The cost of the unit is very reasonable and currently has access to 12,000 courses all over the world. You can store up to ten courses in the Swami 1500 Golf GPS Yardage Finder at one time and can automatically recognize the golf course that you are playing that day as the unit is powering up. Easy to use buttons and a large display will allow you to quickly cycle from hole to hole for a faster pace of play. The rechargeable Lithium Ion battery holds a charge for up to 12 hours at a time for extended play.

The Swami 1500 Golf GPS Yardage Finder comes with a large display that is easy to read as well as easy to use buttons. A USB charger is included so you can plug the unit into a computer and download different courses as well as a set up disc. The Swami additionally comes with a wall charger that will recharge the unit to give you up to 12 hours of operation while in use.

virtualgolfswing.com has customers in Phoenix, AZ, Miami, FL, Orlando, Florida, Tucson, AZ, Dallas, TX, Los Angeles, CA, San Deigo, California, Long Beach, CA, Atlanta, Georgia, New York, NY, Chicago, Illinois and Washington DC. Read free golf instruction articles at VGS Golf.

Training Aids To Create Lag

Last week we talked about lag in the golf swing. This has generated a lot of interest in our community. Many of our readers have been asking about golf training aids that will help you create lag in the golf swing. We are including a short list of training aids that will help you create lag that are at different price points. Have Fun!

Golf Lag Training Aids – GolfGym Club 38
On of the most useful golf training aids to create lag is the GolfGym Club 38. The GolfGym Club 38 is a weighted golf club, also called a weighted practice club, the extra weight of the training aid will allow you to feel how the golf club should drop from the top of your golf swing as opposed to gripping the golf club and moving your shoulder towards the golf ball. This move is commonly known as coming over the top. Regardless, with this move you will not be able to create lag in your golf swing.

Golf Lag Training Aids – Swing Mirror By Izzo Golf
The Golf Swing Mirror will allow you to improve your golf swing almost anywhere. With the size of the Swing Mirror you can take it with you wherever you go. You can use the swing mirror to check your address position as well as your impact position on the driving range, at home, in your office or when you travel.

Golf Lag Training Aids – Callaway Golf Impact Bag
The Callaway Golf impact bag helps you to create lag in the golf swing and trains you to have a flat left wrist and develops correct muscle memory as well as better precision, swing rhythm and endurance. Practicing your golf swing for fifteen minutes daily using the Impact Bag you will improve you impact position which will lead to better iron shots and longer drives.

Virtualgolfswing.com has customers in San Diego, California, Long Beach CA, Memphis, Tennessee, Kansas City, Missouri, San Antonio, Texas, Raleigh, North Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina and Ft. Wayne, Indiana.

Off-season Golf Fitness Equipment

As it is already becoming cooler in the northeast US where I live and I am wondering which golf fitness equipment that will help me keep in golf shape this winter. Do you have any suggestions?

Even when it is off-season for golf, there is no excuse not to be working on your game. Golf fitness equipment lets you strengthen your entire body to prepare you for optimum performance on the course. Balance balls, balance discs, and medicine balls help strengthen your core muscles, which improve the strength and accuracy of your swing. Meanwhile, resistance cords and other upper body workouts increase the power and control of your shoulders, back, rotator cuffs, and hips. No matter where you choose to exercise, spending time with golf fitness equipment can have a great impact on your game once you get back on the course.

Of course, one of the best ways to achieve fitness and improve your game through golf fitness equipment is to exercise with a program specifically designed to improve the muscles and coordination through golf-specific exercises. GolfGym Powerswing Trainer is an exercise program that comes with a complete training kit and exercise guidelines specifically geared toward golf. Because which hand you use is also very important, this kit even comes in left handed or right handed versions. The guide DVD and manual offer twenty five different golf exercises that utilize all the equipment and work everything from your rotator cuffs and shoulders to your stomach, back, and hip muscles.

The core muscles are some of the most essential muscles to the game of golf, which is why so many golf fitness equipment sets focus on balance training. Balance training strengthens your core muscles all together because it requires you to use your stomach and back to maintain proper alignment. Balance balls and discs offer a variety of positions and exercises that strengthen your balance and, therefore, your core muscles, which can greatly improve the accuracy and distance your swing can achieve.

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Putting Aids

What exactly are putting aids? Putting aids are devices that are designed to help you improve your golf game. The inevitable question though is do they work? They most certainly do. These practice aids will help you become a more precise and better-rounded golfer. Putting aids come in all different forms and support many different putting theories such as the Stan Utley putting theory and the Dave Pelz putting theory. If you do not belong to a country club, you may wish to purchase a putting aid such as an indoor putting green that resembles a golf hole. These can vary from in-ground putting greens to simple strips on artificial turf. This way you can get as much practice as you want to or need to. The more elaborate indoor putting greens offer multiple holes and undulation for practicing breaking putts.

If you wish to improve your putting stroke, there are putting practice aids for you too. Some putting aids are designed to help you keep you with proper ball position your putting alignment as well.

In addition, Putting mirrors are available to help you improve your stroke. This idea may sound simple but it can really help you get your stance and your putting stroke perfected. Another putting aid is the laser guide. This can attach to your putter or golf bag. What the practice aid does is point where the putter face is pointing throughout your stroke. This will bring consistency to your putting stroke and help you lower your scores.

If you are looking for a lot of putting aids in one spot, there are now many packages that feature several different putting practice aids. Most golf stores, sporting good stores or web sites devoted to golf will carry these packages that you can buy as a gift for your favorite golfer or buy to improve your own game.

How To Hit A Flop Shot

I love watching the PGA tour and these guys that can hit a flop shot. How do they do that?

To properly set up for the flop shot also know as a lob shot, aim the clubface directly at the target. Take your full swing setup with your feet, hips and shoulders will be "open" or pointed to the left of your target for a right handed golfer. If you are a left handed golfer, your feet, hips and shoulders will be pointed to the right of the target.

To execute a proper flop shot, you should position the golf ball off of the heal of your front foot. It is imperative to keep the loft on the club face of your wedge. What does that mean? You want the ball to "get up" in the air very quickly which means the golf shaft can not lean towards the target as this de-lofts or takes loft off of the clubface of your wedge. To keep this from happening, keep the end of your grip pointing towards the center of your body at address. This avoids setting the hands ahead of the ball.

To execute a good flop shot, your core and torso will rotate just like your regular full swing. The difference is the rate of your turn is decreased. Your wrists will cock early in your swing. If you are right handed, your left arm and the shaft of the club should take the shape of the letter L. As your lower body remains still, your torso will turn as in your full swing. As you make your backswing, your arms will not swing back form the target but in-line with your feet, hips and shoulders. This would be known as starting your swing to the outside.

On your forward swing, turn back to your target and allow your arms to swing in-line with your feet, hips and shoulders. Keeping your clubface pointed at the target during the forward swing, the heel will return to the golf ball before the toe. Said another way, while the swing of your forward swing moves down your body line the clubface of your wedge will be open at impact.

The finish to the flop shot will resemble the look of your full swing. You will have rotated your torso to the point that you will have pulled up onto the toe of your back foot. As your wedge's shaft is parallel to the turf past impact, your right forearm should not cross over your left forearm to keep the clubface open. Hold this position until the golf ball has hit the putting green.

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The Pendulum Putting Rod

If you are looking for a putting aid, The Pendulum Putting Rod allows you to become a better putter and lower your scores. It will allow you to improve your putting plane, your putting setup, your putting impact position as well as your balance while you putt.

PERFECT PUTTING PLANE: The Pendulum Putting Rod also keeps your stroke on plane. If you make the mistake of taking the putter back outside of the target line, the Pendulum Putting Rod will fall off of your chest.

PERFECT PUTTING SETUP: If the putter shaft is behind the ball at address, it adds loft to the putter. The Result: The putt bounces. It tends to go to the right of target comes up short of the cup. The Pendulum Putting Rod creates a perfect shaft angle – On target, in the cup.

PERFECT PUTTING IMPACT: Many amateurs allow their putter head to pass their hands before impact. This results in hitting putts on the bottom of the putter face and no consistency in their direction or distance. If the hands “flip” through the impact zone, there is no control of the putter face. This putting aid keeps you in the proper hand position at impact which will result in you hitting consistent, solid putts which will result in better distance control.

PERFECT PUTTING BALANCE: If you lift your head and eyes during the stroke, you will incorrectly strike the putt. In turn, you will have difficulty controlling your distance that you stroke your putts and end up with really long or short second putts. The Pendulum Putting Rod putting aid keeps you in the perfect balanced posture and lets you hit every putt solid.

As I said before, I have never met a golfer that did not want to improve his or her golf game and this is a tool that will give you instant feedback whether it is good or bad. See you on the putting green!

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Weighted Golf Club

I am looking to improve my golf swing this winter and am interested in learning more about a weighted golf club and what the benefits would be for me.

Here are three benefits:

1. It is important that when are purchasing your weighted golf club that the golf practice aid has the same proportional weight as a regular golf club. Having the weight in proportion to a real golf club will allow the weighted golf club to react more like your real golf club. We are not talking about placing a weighted doughnut around the hosel of the club as this makes the club head end of the club extraordinarily heavy. It is fine to warm up and take a dozen swings to stretch yourself out like this however, I do not recommend using this setup as a full swing practice aid 100% of the time as using this method will not help your golf swing if used for a long period of time due to the improper weighting of the club.

2. As you might expect, a properly weighted golf club will improve your golf game by making you stronger. The extra weight of the weighted practice club will make you use more of your golf muscles than you do in your "regular swing" therefore, building your golf muscles such as your core muscles. I suggest swinging a heavy golf club both right-handed and left-handed in order to keep yourself balanced.

3. The extra weight of a weighted golf club will also stretch you more than you are used to doing in your regular golf swing. The stretching of these muscles will build a larger "range of motion." Fancy term, huh? All it means is that you will be able to turn farther back and turn farther through during your golf swing. However, the farther through that you can turn through on the forward swing the farther you will be able to hit the golf ball!

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Linda Hartough

The painting talent of Linda Hartough has taken Golf Art to new places over the past few decades. Beginning her career as a landscape painter, she has recreated some of the world’s most beautiful holes. What sets a Linda Hartough painting apart from any other artist is the attention to detail that is found in every piece of her work.

Linda Hartough fell in love with art at the age of six and went on to receive a degree from the Art Institute of Chicago. She then made her living by selling her paintings in the Chicago area. In 1980, Hartough moved near Hilton Head South Carolina where she was able to paint landscapes, portraits and horses.

Linda Hartough’s “big break” to paint golf landscapes came in 1984 as Augusta National commissioned her to paint the 13th hole. By 1988 and a great response at the PGA Show, Linda made the decision that solely painting golf courses would be her focus.

Since making the decision to turn her work towards painting golf landscapes, her status in the golf world has shot up like a rocket. She is the only artist ever commissioned by the United States Golf Association and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews to do the annual, official paintings and prints for the U.S. Open and British Open Championships. Hartough has also been the recipient of the “Lifetime Achievement Award” given by Golf Digest and is a Founding Trustee of the Academy of Golf Art. The Academy of Golf Art is a professional society of golf artists that was established in 2004. The golf of the group is to create an awareness and appreciation of golf art as a segment of fine art.

Linda's approach to capturing a great golf hole is by spending a week or more at each course, taking photographs at different times of the day to capture all possible lights. She then figures out what is important or memorable in each view of a hole and makes sure this is included in the painting. Her memory serves as a less objective image of the hole. The combination of the two provides the unique view found in each of her paintings.

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Putting Aids As A Christmas Gift

I am starting to look for Christmas gifts for my husband and he told me that he would like a putting aid. Can you suggest a few putting aid or two to me that will not break the bank?

Here are a few ideas at different price points that should not break your bank:

Putting Arc Deluxe
The Putting Arc Deluxe is a beautifully finished solid piece of wood that can be used indoor or outdoors as a putting aid. The Putting Arc is a revolutionary new golf training aid, which will guide you to a simple, repeatable, and understandable approach to putting. With The Putting Arc Deluxe you will develop a confidence when standing over your putter felt by only a small percentage of golfers. A confidence in your ability to direct the golf ball exactly where you intend is priceless. The Putting Arc works because it teaches you to take the putter head in pure planar rotation about an axis which passes through the golfer's spine between the shoulders. This means that the hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders all stay connected throughout the putting stroke. The Putting Arc Deluxe is used regularly used by PGA Tour Professionals.

Putting Laser Line Putter
A golfer can easily lower their scores with The EyeLine Putting Laser Line. Easily attach The Putting Laser Line to your putter shaft. Immediately you will be able to see a line square to the putter face and on the target line. This will insure that you are setup squarely to every putt. The Putting Laser Line is delivered with an instructional DVD. With the Putting Laser Line, a golfer can track your stroke perfectly during your backswing and follow-through.

Bullseye Cup
Whether you are stroking straight or breaking putts, The Bullseye Cup will make a real putting cup look like a basketball net and allow you to feel like you can make everything! The Bullseye Cup is a circular device with a two inch opening that reduces the hole by 30%. This two inch opening will help you visualize where the ball should enter the hole on a breaking or straight putts.

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What Is A Swiss Exercise Ball

I have heard about a Swiss exercise ball. What exactly is a Swiss exercise ball and how will one help me?

If you have been to a gym you have seen a Swiss exercise ball as it is also known as a stability ball or a golf exercise ball. It is the inflatable ball used during workouts as an alternative piece of exercise equipment. No matter what your personal golf fitness goals may be at the gym, you can achieve them quickly and more efficiently substituting the Swiss exercise ball for the conventional exercise bench. Using this inflatable piece of equipment will help you get in-tune with what your body needs and can even optimize your body’s overall health.

Proper Back Alignment - The Swiss exercise ball was primarily used in physical therapy centers to promote proper back alignment. This piece of fitness equipment is used in conjunction with physical rehabilitation programs to relieve back pain by strengthening and developing core body muscles. While in use, the Swiss exercise ball creates balance instability. As a result, your back will constantly maneuver itself to seek stability which will strengthen back muscles and properly align your spine.

Ultimate Abs - Getting the perfect beach body equipped with six-pack abs is finally an achievable goal with the Swiss exercise ball. Because the ball requires your back muscles and abdominal muscles to work together, the exercises you would normally perform on the floor or work bench double in efficiency. Being that there is an element of fun while using this equipment, precise exercise moves that have been created to target this problem area become easier to complete.

Stretching - Exercise styles such as Yoga and Pilates, focus on stretching your muscles which will, in turn, both tone and define them. Using an exercise ball in conjunction with these styles will ease the muscle stretching process because utilizing the ball allows your body to move in and out of stretching positions fluidly. Additionally, stretching your muscles will keep joints from tightening which can limit mobility at a later stage in life.

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Lag In The Golf Swing

I have a question about creating lag in the golf swing. What is lag in the golf swing and are there any golf training aids to help you achieve it?

Lag in the golf swing is created in the golf swing when the golf club is being pulled through the impact area as opposed to being pushed through impact. Without tension in your wrists, elbows and shoulders, the pulling action of the golf club will place your grip ahead of the club head through impact. If you use muscles in your hands and arms to push the golf club at the golf ball then the arc will bottom out earlier and in turn your club head will be coming up at the ball as opposed to trapping the golf ball into the ground and creating a divot. In order to trap the golf ball against the ground, your hands must be ahead of the club head at impact creating the pulling action. If not, then you are pushing the golf club.

The Callaway Golf impact bag is a training aid that helps you to create lag in the golf swing and promotes a flat left wrist, develops correct muscle memory and increases upper body strength. For better precision, swing rhythm, endurance and consistency practice your swing for fifteen minutes daily using the Impact Bag. Callaway Impact Bag Practice Aid features: Water resistant vinyl and overstitched seams for years of use indoors and out Optimum contact points are clearly marked Folds for easy storage and travel Soft design lets you practice anywhere, anytime Develops correct muscle memory for a repeatable swing Encourages a flat left wrist for on-target hits Promotes a square clubface at impact Reduces sky shots, hooks, slices, pulls, pushes, topping, duffing, and shanks Develops upper body strength Increases ball distance Relieves stress Lets you practice anywhere, anytime.

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Indoor Practice Nets

I want to buy an indoor practice net so I can practice in the garage this winter. Do you have any suggestions that will allow me to do this and not break the bank at the same time?

The Big Mouth by Izzo
Utilizing a fiberglass hoop frame, the Big Mouth golf practice net from Izzo eliminates the hassle of setting up frame poles and clipping net hangers. Simply toss The big Mouth golf practice net where you want it and the net will automatically spring to life. From there, it is up to you on how fast you can place a tee in the ground and start practicing.
Closed, the Big Mouth is a thirty-six inch flat disk that only weighs about fifteen pounds and stores practically anywhere. The Big Mouth expands from a three-foot disk to a seven by nine foot golf net what will feel faster than you can get away the first few times.

Another feature of the Big Mouth is the introduction of woven netting. This "knotless" technology allows the mesh to stretch and absorb the ball's force resulting in a net that is thirty percent stronger. In addition you will have an adjustable chipping net that hangs in the middle of the Big Mouth's frame. The chipping net is suspended on four sides by adjustable chords which allow you to set the position of the chipping net to work on high lob shots or low bump and run shots.

The Super Cage Mouth Net
The Super Cage Mouth Net is a premium practice net and will allow you to improve your golf game at home or take it to your in-laws to give you something to do while you are there! The Super Cage Mouth Net has a patented pop-up design from Izzo and is a premium practice net made of high durability nylon. It easily folds flat to 46-inches and can be used indoors or outside. Folding flat, The Super Cage Mouth Net can be stored easily when you are not using it as it. The Super Cage Mouth Net has a 10' x 12' Hitting Area.

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Junior Golf Clubs For Christmas

I am excited because I have decided to buy a set of junior golf clubs for my son for Christmas this year. What do I need to know in order to purchase a set that he can have fun with and will not do him more harm than good?

Great Question! It seems like you realize that this set will be outgrown just as he will outgrow a pair of shoes. With this being said, if your son is younger than twelve years old, do not be afraid to purchase something that might be a “little” too long for him now. This will give him some room to grow and help your pocket book especially if he is really young.

The most important thing which needs remembering when you are out shopping for junior golf clubs is for you to consider height issues. The sort of golf clubs which you end up selecting should match with the child’s current height and factor in some growth as well. You really don’t want to keep buying new golf clubs every year. Choosing golf clubs which allow for growth should keep your children safe for a number of years. A seemingly long club might have to be choked a little bit but this is still more or less okay for a junior golfer who will grow into it.

If a young golfer has difficulty hitting the ball later on in the life of their golf clubs, this may mean that their golf clubs have become too short and that it is time to purchase a new set of junior golf clubs. If you don’t mind the option, you can always buy a used set of junior golf clubs at tack houses or other such locations where they have such golf clubs for sale.

Weight issues of the golf club are also of concern when selecting a set of golf clubs because when you select a golf club in order to match the needs of a smaller person such as a younger player, it involves the thicker section of the golf club and this may cause issues centered around the proper hold that a junior player has on the golf club. Junior golf clubs that are designed by professional manufacturers are often best suited for young golfers that show some promise in the game.

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Alignment Golf Training Aids

I am looking for a golf training aid that will help me with my alignment. With so many golf training aids on the market I do not know what is good or bad. Can you give me some suggestions?

We would be happy to do that. Since you did not clarify it you needed help with yoru full swing alignment or your putting alignment, we will include both.

Golf Training Aid #1: Putting Laser
The EyeLine Putting Laser Line makes lowering golfers scores much easier. The Putting Laser Line quickly attaches to the putter shaft and immediately allows you to see a line square to the putter face and on the target line and will insure that you are setup squarely to every putt. The Putting Laser Line is delivered with an instructional DVD. With the Putting Laser Line, a golfer can track your stroke perfectly during your backswing and follow-through.

Golf Training Aid #2: The Practice T
Every golf swing must have a good foundation and The Practice T is the tool that will help you build the perfect foundation. By using golf tees, The Practice T can be secured into the ground. The setup of The Practice T is very simple and very easy to adjust while the player continues their practice session by sliding the cross-bar. This bar will monitor that the ball position is correct. The Practice T mirror allows the golfer to be certain their shoulders are aligned properly. This product also comes with the instructional DVD which gives the user tips on how to best use The Practice T.

Golf Training Aid #3: Putting Square System
This puting training aid is perfect for someone who believes the Dave Pelz straight back and straight through method of putting. The mirrored Putting Square System allows a golfer to monitor that their eyes are over the ball and monitor that their shoulders are lined up with the face of the putter square to the target line. The Putting Square System has changeable side rails that force the player to practice a perfect back and through stroke.

VGS Golf has customers in Jacksonville, Florida, Indianapolis, Indiana, San Francisco, California, Austin, TX, Charlotte, North Carolina, Baltimore, Maryland, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Boston, Massachusetts.

Advantages To Using A Swiss Exercise Ball

As I am always struggling with my physical golf fitness can you give me a couple of advantages to using a Swiss exercise ball?

As the abs or your core is very important to the golf swing, they also play a very important role in everyday life as well as your overall health. Whether sitting or standing, your core muscles play a large roll in your posture in everyday life. Strengthening these core muscles will take an amount of the work load off of your back which in turn will decrease the probability for a back injury.

Core Stability
Core stability exercises can enhance your body’s mobility and flexibility. A bridge between mind and body is created while working these particularly designed exercise moves. Being able to get in-tune with your body can only promote, not hinder, your overall health. Core stability involves all of the muscles of the mid-section and provides you with the support necessary to properly complete activities from minor daily activities to more advanced activities.

Lose Weight and Feel Great
An added bonus to incorporating the Swiss exercise ball to your workout program is the weight loss that accompanies targeting your body’s core. When you perform exercises that strengthen your muscles, body fat is burned in the process. The results are lean, well-defined muscles. Any exercise performed with the ball ensures efficiency which means your workouts will produce better results quickly.

The benefits to using the Swiss exercise ball are vast. The feeling of working out is replaced with a sense of play and the results are amazing. You don’t need to be an expert to perform the moves designed for the ball which allows beginners and advanced users to enjoy the ball equally. The Swiss exercise ball is versatile and valuable despite its inexpensive price tag.

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How To Buy The Right Golf Travel Bag

My wife and I are getting ready to go on our first golf vacation together. We both need to purchase a golf travel bag for our golf bags. Can you give us any info on what we need to be looking for in a golf travel bag? Is a golf travel bag unisex? Any help that you can give us is greatly appreciated.

First of all, go to the internet or a local golf store to learn more about golf travel bags. Now that you have some good information, make a list and jot down the features that would be "nice to have" and another list of features that are a "must have." The level of protection that you will need will be determined by the type of golf vacation you will be taking as well as the golf vacations you may take in the future. If your future golf vacations are only a drive away, then your needs will be more in the lines of lust a softer golf travel bags. If you will be traveling by bus, train or with an airline and you are not handling your own bag, it is highly suggested to go with more protection as typically the bag handlers do not care as much about your golf clubs as you do.

Most people who buy golf travel bags take road trips as well as fly. These golfers are regular golfers who like to take their clubs with them when they go on vacation and not rent a set while on their golf vacations from the respective golf course. You need a high degree of protection when flying, since your clubs have to be protected by the rough handling they can get on and off the aircraft. Again, the bag handlers do not care as much about your golf clubs as you do.

A golf travel bag is Unisex as far as how they operate. A golf travel bag can come in a variety of colors and so some woudl see this as a way to differientiate a golf travel bag in to a male or female category.

VGS Golf has customers in Chicago, IL, New York, NY, Los Angeles, CA, San Diego, CA, Indianapolis, IN, Dallas, TX, Atlanta, GA, Columbus, OH and Detroit, MI.

Golf Equipment Includes:
Golf Bags, Golf Carts, Golf Fitness Equipment, Yardage Finder, Launch Monitor, Golf Travel Bags, Practice Net, Golf Push Cart, Walking Golf Push Cart, Push Golf Cart, Golf Travel Bag, Golf Travel Bags, Travel Golf Bag, Hard Travel Case, Golf Cases

Utley And Pelz Putting Training Aids

I have some friends that are good players and they are always using different putting training aids. They have told me that different putting aids work with different putting methods. How do I know which golf putting aids will help me?

The first question that you need to ask yourself is: Do you putt in an arc? The second question being: Do I move the putter straight back and straight through during my stroke? The answers to these two simple questions will provide you with the information that you need to go and purchase the correct putting aids that will help improve your putting stroke and to lower your scores.

Putting Aids – Stan Utley Putting Method
Stan Utley is the author of the book The Art of Putting. In it, he concludes that the putter, as every other club during a golf swing, moves around one central point being your spine. With this thinking the putter head would naturally move in an arc around your spine, this it has become known as the arc putting method. With this putting theory, it is thought that the putter head is not manipulated during the putting stroke which in turn leads to a smaller chance for error. Utley has worked with such tour players as Jay Haas, Peter Jacobson, Darren Clarke and Rocco Mediate.

Putting Aids – Dave Pelz Putting Method
Dave Pelz began his career as a NASA scientist and brought his analytical thought process to golf and specifically the short game. Pelz has taken statistics on all aspects of the short game for years. His first book Putt Like The Pros laid the ground work for the follow up The Putting Bible. It is Pelz belief that the putter head and putter face should stay on a direct line with your target or target line (for a breaking putt) throughout the entire stroke. Many critics think that it is impossible to consistently manipulate the putter head as needed to produce a putt that will roll on the desired line. Pelz currently focuses on his Phil Mickelson, two-time Masters Champion.

Putting Aids – TOMI Putting Sytem
The TOMI Putting System was invented by Marius Filmalter. The TOMI Putting System uses technology to give you information on your alignment at set-up and impact, the direction of your stroke path, the amount of rotation in your swing as well as the speed of your putter at impact. No matter which putting method that you use, this system really measures where you are when it counts the most and that is impact! The TOMI comes in a personal version as well as a professional version.

VGS Golf has customers in Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis, Indiana, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Detroit, Michigan, Orlando, Florida, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Rochester, New York, Bismark, North Dakota and St. Louis, Missouri.

How To Find A Golf Club Fitter

I have never been properly fit for a set of golf clubs. How do I find a qualified golf club fitter?

Although it may not seem polite, I would answer your question about a golf club fitter with a question. How do you find other professionals like doctors, dentists, etc.? Ask other fellow golfers, your friends and co-workers about experiences they had had good or bad. Also contact local golf shops and ask to speak to a qualified club fitter. Ask him or her how the process of the club fitting will go and make sure you are comfortable with the professional. Once you have found your golf club fitter, it is important that you armed with the proper questions to ask your golf club fitter. In addition, remember the golf club fitter is there to help you so do not be afraid to ask any question you might have.

The proper questions to ask prior to or during your golf club fitting are as follows:
· Is the professional certified by a major manufacturer to fit their clubs?
· How experienced is the PGA Professional?
· Will I be fit outdoors to see the entire ball flight?
· Does the PGA Professional have a fitting cart or multiple fitting carts with what you are looking for (Mens, Ladies, steel, graphite, right-handed, left-handed clubs) available?
· What will the session cost?
· If I purchase the clubs from you, will the cost of the golf club fitting be put towards the purchase?
· Will a launch monitor be used during the session?
· How did the professional came to the conclusion of your specs or measurements? Make sure you understand how the conclusion is achieved and make sure you understand the logic.

Having a properly fit set of golf clubs is an easy way to improve your golf game. With the information in this article, you are well armed to find the correct certified golf club fitter, how to become comfortable with your fitter and what questions to ask to insure you receive a proper golf club fitting. You will be shooting lower scores with your new clubs very soon.

Office Decorating With A Golf Theme

I want to decorate my home office. I am a huge golfer and fan of Tour Players as well as different golf courses across the US. Can you give me some office decorating ideas that would help me put together a plan that would make my wife happy as well as myself?

Not knowing your wife, we will not promise you anything with her. Here are some office decorating ideas that you can ponder to come up with your golf themed office:

1. Whether you are ready to start the office decorating at home or at work, use color. I am not saying that you need to go crazy with wild colors but the last thing you want is to be surrounded by boring white walls. Many studies have been done that prove that the color of a room can change your attitude. Casinos and retail stores use this tactic every single day to get you into a mood hat will benefit them. Choose colors that make you happy. If they are a little "wild" for some other people, you can always re-paint later. It is good to use two colors that compliment each other and then you can base the other décor in the room around those colors.
2. Place plants in various places around the room to give you the feeling of green as if you are on the golf course. There are many plants available that do not need much attention and will live through many things. If you are anything like me, this is very important as not everyone has a green thumb. With office decorating, you can pick a plant theme by plant or by color. There is nothing wrong with going with a theme of something you like.
3. Depending on how much freedom that you have with your wife while decorating your home office, you can still have an office with a view, literally any view. With a wall mural painted on a wall you can look at your favorite skyline, your favorite beach or even your favorite stadium. Then you can have your favorite view right from your office chair.
4. If decorating your home office, create your own art gallery by adding an art collection to your walls. This way of office decorating may allow you to collect different art that your spouse may not care to place in main living areas of the house. If you are a golfer you could include golf prints by artists such as Linda Hartough. You could either collect her work at Augusta National or collect all of her work done on the US Open golf courses. Maybe you are a race fan and want to collect some work of Sam Bass. You can always carry the decorating theme of your house into your home office.
5. Many people are office decorating with a theme to resemble a favorite resort or spa that that they have visited. Do you have a favorite resort or spa? Decorate your office like the resort you went to in Miami or Los Angeles. You can use any place that gives you great memories. This can make you more relaxed and more productive and relieve a lot of stress.

Good Luck with your office decorating and your wife!

How To Find A Golf Exercise Book

I am looking to really improve my golf fitness this winter and would like to know if you could recommend how to go about finding a golf exercise book that would help me reach my goals. Is there anything specific that I should look for or avoid in my search? I am middle-aged male and admittedly I am currently not in the best physical shape so I cannot start with a rigorous golf workout program. I would like to attack this project this winter to improve my golf game and my overall health. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Golf exercise books are written to give you ready-made golf fitness programs, exercises, step-by-step instructions and illustrations can quickly transform your body and your golf game. So then the questions become: what are the components of a complete golf fitness book and what areas should a golf fitness book should cover? Basically, golf exercise books should cover the following four topics:

1. Golf strength specific exercises
2. Golf flexibility
3. Aerobic conditioning or endurance training for golf
4. Golf nutrition

Keep in mind that all four of these topics should be golf specific and designed for a golfer and not for a person looking to just improve their overall physical fitness. The golf exercise book that you choose to improve your golf and fitness should offer multiple plans for different physical fitness levels. In addition, the book should have a golf fitness evaluation in the book to determine your current golf fitness level and ultimately decide on the starting point for your golf exercise program. Using this type of book, you are sure that the golf fitness program or golf exercises you are using are right for you and the program will help your game not hurt it.

VGS Golf has customers in Carlsbad, CA, Ames, IA, Ft. Wayne, IN, Dayton, OH, New York, NY, The Villages, FL, Orlando, FL and El Paso, TX.

Golf Fitness - Why Is It OK To Workout Now?

As I am watching the PGA Tour players get stronger and stronger and what seems bigger and bigger through golf fitness, I thought that golfers did not need strength training. I as started the game it was ridiculous to think about using golf fitness techniques or more specifically lifting weights to improve your golf game. You would literally be made fun of if anyone knew what you were attempting to improve your golf game through golf fitness. What has changed to make the "experts" change their minds?

To answer your question of what has changed is simple. I can answer that in just one word, technology. With the science that can now be applied to golf fitness and the golf swing, PGA Professionals as well as golf fitness experts have much more information at their disposal. You also see this happening in all major sports such as football, basketball and tennis.

Flexibility, balance, stability, strength, endurance, and power are all required skills that are needed to perform an efficient golf swing. Your body is the support of your golf swing. You can imagine each as a beam in a foundation for a building. Some beams may bear more weight than others however, they all combine to come up with one of two outcomes, the building will stay up or the building will fall. You are limiting your potential if you do not have the golf strength but do have flexibility, balance and the other factors. You can see it while walking up and down any practice facility. Golfers are struggling to make "the perfect move" because they are limited by their body and hard as they try they just can not make it happen. A weighted practice club can help you with your strength, flexibility, balance and stability and get you closer to performing the correct golf swing mechanics.

VGS has customers in Knoxville, TN, Colorado Springs, CO, Tampa, FL, Dallas, Texas, Kansas City, MO, Chicago, Illinois and NYC, NY.

Golf Exercises - What Should I Do?

As we are getting ready to turn colder in the northern part of the country, I am basically regulated to doing golf exercises to stay in touch with my golf for a few months. What are the golf exercises that I should be doing?

Golf exercises such as balance exercises are beneficial to the golf swing. Knowing the importance of balance in the golf swing, how can we train our body for better balance during our golf swing? A discussion with any top teaching professional will eventually lead to a discussion of balance. You must be balanced at address, the top of your golf swing, through impact and during your finish position. What is balance? Balance is the ability to control your body through a specific movement pattern or your golf swing. In relation to your body, balance has to do with the connection between your nerves and muscles. As a result of messages sent from your brain, your nervous system tells your muscles how to move to maintain the body's balance. The more efficient your nerves and muscles are to these messages, the greater balance abilities the body develops. Balance exercises train both the nervous system and muscular system to create a more efficient golf swing. There are many golf swing aids that will help you with your balance during your golf swing.

Of course, the muscles of your body move through a very specific range of motion and are utilized to keep your balance during your golf swing. Your body needs certain levels of strength and endurance to perform these actions. A good working definition of strength for us to use is the ability of the muscles to exert force for the given athletic action. Endurance is the ability of your muscles to do the same activity over and over again for a specific amount of time. A weighted club such as The Golfgym Club 38 or The Golfgym Club 28 will help you build muscle as well as a repeatable swing.

VGS Golf has customers in Burbank, CA, Tampa, FL, Albany, NY, Chicago, IL, San Antonio, TX, Jackson, MS, Orlando, FL, Nashville, TN and Charolette, NC.

Keeping Junior Golf Fun For The Young Ones

Do you have any ideas to keep golf fun for our kids and to keep them playing golf? They are both really young (eight and six) and I would like for them to enjoy the game as much as I do as well as selfishly I could spend more time with them.

Here are some suggestions for you by Brad Myers, South Texas PGA 2005 Eastern Chapter Junior Golf Award winner, gives you some hints on how to keep the game of golf fun.
1. Go out with your junior golfer in "non-peak" hours. At some courses this is easier to do than others.
2. Depending on their age allow them to tee it up from the 100 or 150 yard marker on all the par fours and par fives to begin the hole. This is not as daunting for them and will help keep the group moving around the golf course.
3. Before you start, agree with the junior golfer on what the "max score" per hole will be. This can also make each golf hole fun by making it a game. It is very important not to make a big deal if the max is hit and making the junior feel inadequate. Both the adult and the junior needs to remember "it is just a game."
4. Before you start to play, determine what their "personal par" will be for every hole you will be playing. As the junior golfer improves obviously the "personal par" will go down.
5. Make the putting green the goal. This is a good way for the younger junior golfers to get started and as it reads only count the shots that it takes to get to the green to determine a score.
6. The hole does not need to be the end of the hole. What does this mean? Some smaller juniors find it more fun to hit it into a sand bunker than onto a green. This may seem counter-intuitive to many golf purists however, once you think about it, typically the sand bunkers or sand traps are smaller than the putting greens. This can only make them better later. In addition, they LOVE to climb into the bunkers and this gives us a chance to teach bunker etiquette.
7. Keep the game fun at all costs!!! Keep a junior golf journal to continue the fun at home as well as build memories that can be looked upon forever. With so many activities available to our young people, their interest may come and go. However, by keeping it fun they will always come back to golf.

VGS Golf has customers in Tampa Bay, FL, Newark, NJ, St. Louis, MO, Miami, Florida, Long Beach, CA, Denver, Colorado, Richmond, IN, Richmond, Virginia and Lansing, Michigan.

Golf Lag Training Aids

As I go through the internet for golf instruction information, I have been trying to learn how to create lag in the golf swing. I believe that I know have a good understanding but now would like to know if there are any golf training aids out there to help me with learning how to feel lag in the golf swing?

Golf Lag Training Aids – GolfGym Club 38
On of the most useful golf training aids to create lag is the GolfGym Club 38. The GolfGym Club 38 is a weighted golf club, also called a weighted practice club, the extra weight of the training aid will allow you to feel how the golf club should drop from the top of your golf swing as opposed to gripping the golf club and moving your shoulder towards the golf ball. This move is commonly known as coming over the top. Regardless, with this move you will not be able to create lag in your golf swing.

Golf Lag Training Aids – Swing Mirror By Izzo Golf
The Golf Swing Mirror will allow you to improve your golf swing almost anywhere. With the size of the Swing Mirror you can take it with you wherever you go. You can use the swing mirror to check your address position as well as your impact position on the driving range, at home, in your office or when you travel.

Golf Lag Training Aids – Callaway Golf Impact Bag
The Callaway Golf impact bag helps you to create lag in the golf swing and trains you to have a flat left wrist and develops correct muscle memory as well as better precision, swing rhythm and endurance. Practicing your golf swing for fifteen minutes daily using the Impact Bag you will improve you impact position which will lead to better iron shots and longer drives.

VGS Golf has customers in Denver, CO, Des Moines, IA, Miami, FL, Tampa, Florida, Augusta, GA, Huntsville, AL, Lexington, KY and Seattle, WA.

Golf Nutrition Question

Here is my question. I am in the process of losing quite a bit of weight. To do that obviously I have had to learn or re-learn what the proper fuel that my body needs to operate on a daily basis for my body. As far as golf nutrition goes, what are the golf nutrition recommendations that you have prior to a round of golf?

I would like to thank you your site for providing the information that you do on the website http://www.virtualgolfswing.com/, As I have not been playing golf for very long, the golf instruction that you provide on your site is easy to read and more importantly are easy to understand and to implement.

Thank you for your question and the kind words. We have strived to meet the goal of producing good information that will produce good results for our users.

To answer your golf nutrition question, most golfers don't give a second thought to what they put in their body prior to a round of golf. Players either do not eat at all before they leave home, or they down something at the course that is not going to give them the long-term energy they need. So whether it is lunch or breakfast before you leave you need to consume a complex carbohydrate and a good protein source.

This combination of protein and complex carbohydrates will provide the best use of your energy for the long haul for you to lower your golf scores.

An example of golf nutrition for breakfast would be a bowl of oatmeal and a couple of eggs with a piece of fruit or juice. For lunch, a turkey sandwich on whole wheat with a piece of fruit. Use a lot of lettuce on the sandwich and avoid mayonnaise or butter. If you need some flavor use some mustard or pickles.

VGS Golf has customers in Springfield, IL, Cleveland, OH, Baltimore, MD, Washington DC, Richmond, VA, Hoover, AL, Memphis, TN, Burbank, CA, Reno, NV and Dallas, TX .

Feet Together Drill

I have been playing golf for a long time and I used to take lessons from an old pro. He would make everyone do the feet together drill. I have not thought about doing this for a long time. However, I was reminded of him the other day and his memory brought back the thought of the feet together drill. Will this drill work with technology in today's equipment?

Without question this golf drill is still prevalent in today's teaching to fix many different golf swing ailments.

To do this golf instruction drill, address the golf ball for a full swing and simply put your feet together. Once in position, take a few "small" swings with a golf ball on a tee no matter what your handicap is or is not. The more comfortable you become swinging with your feet together the larger swing you can make and eventually place the golf ball on the ground. As you will quickly find with such a narrow balance point, this drill tests and promotes good balance and pace during your golf swing. Your goal is to hit a solid golf shot and not to hit it 300 yards. The feet together drill demands that you swing within your capabilities or you will find yourself literally falling down!

If you are not hitting solid golf shots, do the feet together drill whenever you start to lose confidence in your golf swing. If the golf ball keeps going to the right for a right handed golfer then drop your right foot behind you until the right toe is equal with your left heel and make some swings. This will promote the golf club releasing and in a perfect world, you should start to see the ball turning to the left while in the air.

VGS Golf has customers in San Antonio, TX, Philadelphia, PA, Greensboro, NC, The Woodlands, TX, Marietta, GA, Scottsdale, AZ and Albq, NM.

Golf Tournament Preparation

My question as a high handicapper is how should I go about golf tournament preparation? Without a lot of golf skill per se, what should I be focusing on to go about proper golf tournament preparation?

Golf Tournament Preparation – Remember, first of all this is supposed to be fun. You know, better than anyone, your own tendencies. Depending on how much time you have before your golf tournament, chances are you are going to have to find a way to play with what you got. This is fine. Most of these types of tournaments are flighted. This means players with similar handicaps are pitted against each other. What you can do is check your basics. Review your posture, grip, alignment, and ball position and insure they are in the best shape they can be for your game. Hitting balls is fine but do not go overboard on making changes. The most effective thing you can work on is your swing tempo and insuring that your golf swing is in balance. You can do this by simply counting to three once you finish your golf swing.

VGS Golf has customers in Denver, CO, Birmingham, AL, Seattle, WA, Los Angeles, CA, Jacksonville, FL, Las Cruces, NM and Park City, UT.

Golf Tournament Preparation – Since the average of greens hit in regulation on the PGA Tour is only twelve, you will miss some greens during your round. Set up a practice schedule for your short game up until the golf tournament. You can go out in the evenings when the course is quiet. Go from green to green hitting multiple pitch and chip shots from all around the green. In addition, choose a couple of "nasty" lies just in case you hit a good shot that ends up in a bad place. Although the ultimate goal is to hole the ball, sometime you may need to play away from the hole to be able to make the next shot easier.

Putting Fundamentals

I am a new golfer and want to know if you can give me the putting fundamentals so I can get a good start to the game.

We can help you with that. Here are the putting fundamentals that you should focus on to build a good putting stroke:

Putting Fundamentals - KEEP YOUR HEAD STILL
You should hold your head still to keep the putter on path throughout the stroke. There are many ways to do this. You can practice this at home or in a hotel room if your travel. Take your putting stance with your head touching the wall. As you take your stroke you should not be able to feel your head move off of the wall. If you do you have too much motion in your putting stroke. You also can incorporate a friend. While you swing your putter back and through freely have your friend hold your head still. This also provides instant feedback. After the ball is gone, look at the spot where the ball was and slowly count to three and listen for the ball to fall into the putting cup. Although counting to three will seem like an eternity, this is key to become a good putter under pressure.

Putting Fundamentals - EYES CLOSED
After you line up a short two to three foot putt, simply close your eyes. Closing your eyes will encourage you to really feel the movement of your arms. You will find that the slower your arms move, the more consistent you will putt. In addition, you will become much better at your distance control .

Putting Fundamentals - STABLE BASE
This drill will help you keep your lower body in place during the putting stroke. First, take your putting stance and then wedge a rubber ball between your knees. You will need to squeeze the ball slightly to create a solid foundation and not to let the ball drop. You will develop the feeling of stability which is a fundamental of a consistent stroke by rolling putts this way.

VGS Golf has customers in Louisville, KY,Knoxville, TN, Albany, NY, Chicago, IL, Des Moines, IA, Kansas City, MO, Tucson, AZ, Long Beach, CA and Las Vegas, NV.

What To Pack For Golf School

A golf school is a great place to learn how to play the game of golf or to begin the start of the improvement to reach your golfing goals. When you set your golf school expectations make sure to include the plan to sustain your strengths and improve your weaknesses after your time at the golf academy is over. This should be a comprehensive plan for all aspects of your game. Upon you return, you will have a good base or plan to go to work on with your local PGA professional.

So as you are preparing to go a golf school for the first time and are very excited. Since have not been to a golf academy before, what should you take with you so you can enjoy and get as much out of your time at your golf school whether it is one day golf school or a five day school?

Sun Glasses
Sun Block
Comfortable Hat
Band Aids or Athletic Tape
Notepad to Keep Notes
Insect Repellant
Full Rain Suit
Umbrella
Extra Pairs of Socks
An Open Mind

Many of these items on this list may seem pretty simple to you to pack for your trip. However, think back to other trips that you have taken. No mater how prepared you think that you are, there is always something that you leave behind and then you are struggling to find out where to purchase a replacement. Of course it usually happens on a business trip or when you need to be somewhere in a short period of time. By using a simple list like this one, you will be able to organize yourself as you pack for your golf school to make sure that you are prepared to learn and have a great time.

VGS Golf has customers in Huntsville, Alabama, Nashville, Tennessee, Miami, Florida, Orlando, Florida, Denver, Colorado, Long Beach, California, Cincinnati, Ohio, San Antonio, Texas, Las Cruces, New Mexico, Kansas City, Missouri, New York, New York, Orange County, California and Chicago, Illinois.

Ideas For Golf Gifts

I am already starting to think of some golf gifts to give my family and friends this year as a holiday gift or a Christmas gift. I am sure you have some ideas for some great golf gifts. What are they?

Well trying to find perfect golf gifts parallels the saying that "one man’s trash is another man’s treasure." With sooooo many possibilities for golf gifts, everyone wants and/or needs something different. This makes it very difficult to say that there is "one perfect golf gift."
With that being said, here are a few golf gift ideas for you to ponder:

If you are looking for golf gifts for a new player or beginner golfer, online golf instruction is a great new idea. The student may access the online golf instruction anywhere they have an internet connection (phone, PDA, computer). For example, a student can literally stand on the driving range or practice tee and with their web access phone or PDA in hand and have individualized online golf instruction in the palm of their hand.

Golfers always like new golf equipment. However, this has become so technical that it is difficult to know if you are purchasing the correct piece of golf equipment. You can save yourself (and them) a lot of hassle by purchasing a golf gift certificate. This way they can go and get the exact golf equipment that they want without the fuss of trying to return something. This is really as close as you can come to a "perfect golf gift." I used to think of gift certificates as informal or not personable but after receiving a few gift certificates myself the concept has grown on me. The person giving the gift knows that I am getting what I want or at least putting that amount of money toward something I do want.

VGS Golf has customers in Chicago, IL, Springfield, IL, Miami, FL, Ft. Myers, FL, Dallas, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Denver, CO and Baltimore, MD.

Where To Get A Holiday Golf Gift

As the holiday season approaches, many of us will be trying to find holiday golf gifts for those closest to us. For those who do not play golf at all, this can be a daunting task. How can they find a holiday golf gift that will fit into their budget as well as making their golfer very happy? If you are in this boat here are a couple of ideas that can help you accomplish all of your goals.

The Golf Professional
If your golfer already takes golf lessons, this is an easy stop at the club or even easier a phone call. Contact the professional that your golfer already takes lessons from and ask them what golf training aid or new golf club would be best to give your golfer as a holiday golf gift. You can give the golf professional a price range and they should be able to give you two or three different suggestions for a holiday golf gift that will not break your bank. Again, being familiar with their game, the golf professional should be able to make you and your holiday golf gift look great!

The Golf Buddies
This is another great place to get information on what holiday golf gift your golfer would enjoy. If you are having challenges with your game, your golf buddies would know it either through their wallets of by having to listen to all the moaning and groaning.

The Golfer Themselves
You can do this a couple of different ways. If you are also a golfer, you can do the "holiday" snoop. Look through their golf bag and see what looks like it may need to be replaced. Maybe it is their golf bag! This would also include their golf shoes, head covers and etc. In addition, you can find a way to discretely ask them what they would like as far as golf clubs or what they would like to work on in their game.

Putting Aids To Use With The Stan Utley Putting Method

I want to improve my putting and have been looking at various putting aids. I like to swing my putter head in an arc. Are there any putting aids on the market that specifically work with the Stan Utley Putting Method of swinging the putter head in an arc?

First, let’s talk about the Stan Utley Putting Method. Stan Utley is the author of the book The Art of Putting. In it, he concludes that the putter, as every other club during a golf swing, moves around one central point being your spine. With this thinking the putter head would naturally move in an arc around your spine, this it has become known as the arc putting method. With this putting theory, it is thought that the putter head is not manipulated during the putting stroke which in turn leads to a smaller chance for error. Stan Utley has worked with tour players such as Jay Haas, Peter Jacobson, Darren Clarke and Rocco Mediate to improve their putting.

Putting Aids – The Pendulum Putting Rod
Using the Pendulum Putting Rod helps you with critical putting fundamentals such as a perfect one-piece connection between the shoulders arms, and hands. This putting training aid will also help you stay in perfect posture throughout the stroke. For example, if you lift your head, the rod will fall from your chest. You automatically get the sensory feedback from this putting practice aid. The Pendulum Putting Rod gives you a consistent way to check your putter shaft angle at address which will determine the putting plane the putter loft and you in turn will improve your distance control. You will always know that the putting stroke is on the proper plane because if you take the putter back outside the line, the Pendulum Putting Rod will fall.

Putting Aids – Deluxe Model Putting Arc
The Putting Arc Deluxe is a beautifully finished solid wood for indoor or outdoor use. The Putting Arc putting trainer is a revolutionary new golf training aid, which will guide you to a simple, repeatable, and understandable approach to putting. The Putting Arc putting trainer will assist you in developing a confidence when standing over your putter felt by only a small percentage of golfers, a confidence in your ability to direct the golf ball exactly where you intend.
These putting aids will allow you to improve your putting stroke while subscribing to the arc method or also known as the Stan Utley Method.

VGS Golf has customers in Orlando, FL, Atlanta, GA, Dallas, TX, Phoenix, AZ, LA, CA, NYC, NY, San Diego, CA, Tampa, FL, Miami, FL and Birmingham, AL.

Your Putting Theory Will Tell You Which Putting Aids Are Best

Before you go and buy one of the newest putting aids you first need to answer two questions. The first question is: Do you putt in an arc? The second question being: Do I move the putter straight back and straight through during my stroke? The answers to these two simple questions will provide you with the information that you need to go and purchase the correct putting aids that will help improve your putting stroke and to lower your scores.

Putting Aids – Stan Utley Putting Method
Stan Utley is the author of the book The Art of Putting. In it, he concludes that the putter, as every other club during a golf swing, moves around one central point being your spine. With this thinking the putter head would naturally move in an arc around your spine, this it has become known as the arc putting method. With this putting theory, it is thought that the putter head is not manipulated during the putting stroke which in turn leads to a smaller chance for error. The putting aids that would work best for you are the Putting Arc Deluxe or the Learning Curve.

Putting Aids – Dave Pelz Putting Method
Dave Pelz began his career as a NASA scientist and brought his analytical thought process to golf and specifically the short game. Pelz has taken statistics on all aspects of the short game for years. His first book Putt Like The Pros laid the ground work for the follow up The Putting Bible. It is Pelz belief that the putter head and putter face should stay on a direct line with your target or target line (for a breaking putt) throughout the entire stroke. Many critics think that it is impossible to consistently manipulate the putter head as needed to produce a putt that will roll on the desired line. The putting aids that will work best for you include the Putting Square System, the Putting Pegs and the Putting Plane Alignment System.

VGS Golf & Country Club Supply have customers in Charlotte, North Carolina, El Paso, Texas, Boston, Massachusetts, Washington, District of Columbia, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Seattle, Washington, Denver, Colorado, Nashville-Davidson, Tennessee, Las Vegas, Nevada, Portland, Oregon, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Tucson, Arizona, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Atlanta, Georgia, Long Beach, California, Brookhaven, New York, Fresno, California, New Orleans, Louisiana, Sacramento, California and Cleveland, Ohio.

The Top Of The Backswing Is Not Always Parallel!

Although it shouldn't, it still amazes me how many people think that the top of the golf swing is parallel to the ground with every golf club in their bag! Do these people not read or watch any golf at all? Here is the low down on where the top of the golf swing should be:

The first question I would ask is: what club is being used? Swinging a driver to parallel at the top of the golf swing is a different ball game from swinging your nine iron to parallel. Think about it or go to the garage and grab both and try to do it. With the shaft of the nine iron being shorter, the club does not need to get to parallel to achieve maximum results.

The second question would be: are you getting properly coiled or loaded in your golf swing? ON YOUR BACKSWING, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT YOU NEED TO BE PROPERLY COILED OR LOADED. Coiled? Loaded? What does that mean? It simply means that you are stretching muscles away from the target so they will want to move in the opposite direction which should be at your target. Imagine stretching a rubber band. If you do not pull it tight enough, it could go anywhere and not very fast. If you pull it correctly, it moves where you are aiming it and fairly quickly. Finally, if you pull it too far, the rubber band can not handle the tension and breaks. OUCH!

The third question that gets asked is: where do you think the top of your swing is? Ninety plus percent of the time, the student will take the club to parallel. In order to do this, the student will over turn their hips or move their right knee to allow their body to turn far enough to get to parallel. Is this a powerful move? NO! Think about pushing something heavy like a golf cart. Stand away from the cart and attempt to push the cart with your arm(s) extended. Now get closer to the cart and put your weight into it. Is this not easier? It makes it easier to hit a golf ball as well.

VGS Golf & Country Club Supply has customers throughout the US such as in Birmingham, Alabama, Los Angeles, California, Indianapolis, Indiana, Bakersfield, California, Phoenix, Arizona, Clearwater, Florida, Macon, Georgia, Charlotte, North Carolina, Washington DC, Richmond, Virginia, Boston, MA, Stuart, Florida, Louisville, Kentucky, Nashville, Tennessee, Las Vegas, Nevada, Jacksonville, Florida, Huntsville, Alabama, Nashville, Tennessee, Miami, Florida, Orlando, Florida, Denver, Colorado, Long Beach, California, Cincinnati, Ohio, San Antonio, Texas, Kansas City, Missouri, New York, New York, Orange County, California and Chicago, Illinois.

Three Quick Golf Tips

All of us are becoming busier and busier. With businesses scaling back the workforce, we have even less time than before for ourselves and our families, let alone with our golf. With this being said, everyone is looking for a quick golf tip.

Quick Golf Tip - Balance is an underestimated part of the golf swing by most amateurs. In your setup, you will need to check your balance from side to side (left to right) as well as from front to back. You can do this by simply swaying side to side until you feel balanced and do the same from front to back. This will allow you to find your perfect balance. Now the key is once this is found you may need to move closer to the ball or farther away from the ball to stay in balance.

Quick Golf Tip - Grip pressure and arm tension is something that all golfers should monitor during every single swing. Your shoulders and your forearms should not feel like they have any tension in them at all. To give you an example, if you take your grip and hold the club out in front of you with the shaft parallel to the ground. If your shoulders and forearms are relaxed enough then the golf club should drop to the ground. This is the feeling of how relaxed your shoulders and forearms should be during your golf swing.

Quick Golf Tip - Once you start playing your round of golf, leave your ego at home and make and aggressive swing at a conservative target. What does this mean? Do not always go flag hunting on every hole. With not playing very often you are not going to hit every shot where you are looking. Increase your chances of playing better by aiming at the largest part of the green or the part of the green you are most comfortable with trying to hit a golf shot.

Free Putting Drills That will Put Money In Your Pocket

The touring professionals, male or female, spend the majority of their practice time on the putting green. Simply put, that is just how important putting the golf ball well is to them. To develop better feel and a more consistent putting stroke with a very simple putting drill. You will only need three tees while on your club's putting green.

This putting drill will measure the two most important things to make a putt, distance and direction. First, you will better be able to judge your distance if you are hitting solid putts. Dave Pelz has done extensive research on exactly where players stroke the golf ball on their putters is in direct relation to their golf handicap. Second, you will be able to monitor the initial direction of the golf ball as well.
To set up the first two golf tees for the putting drill, Find a three-foot flat putt. Place two tees just a little wider than your putter head. The tees will act as a gate for your putter head and you will stroke putts through these two golf tees. Again, the idea is that if you can hit solid putts then your distance control will improve. This will, in turn, lead you to make more putts. Also, if you can learn to putt with your eyes focused on a spot in front of the ball and never watch the ball leave the putter face or watch what the putter is doing during the motion, the better a putter you will become.

To set up the third tee, bury the third tee in the green an inch in front of the golf ball. This tee will be directly on the line you intend to roll the ball. The third tee should be pushed far enough into the ground so that you can see the top of the tee however, it won't stop your ball. As you practice hitting putts, stay focused on the tee buried in the green and not on the contact of the putter head and golf ball. Ideally, you can swing the putter through the gate without thinking or watching. If the tendency is to hit one tee or the other, get curious as to how to miss it. Not watching the ball may sound funny but, it works. It is only a putting drill you are doing on a practice putting green. It will not change your score on your scorecard or your payout for the day!

VGS Golf & Country Club Supply has customers in New York, New York, Los Angeles, California, Chicago, Illinois, Peoria, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, San Antonio, Texas, San Diego, California, Dallas, Texas, San Jose, California, Detroit, Michigan, Jacksonville, Florida, Indianapolis, Indiana, Hempstead, New York, San Francisco, California, Columbus, Ohio, Austin, Texas, Memphis, Tennessee, Baltimore, Maryland and Fort Worth, Texas.

Golf Lag Training Aids To Hit Solid Shots

Lag in the gofl swing is created when the golf club is being pulled through the impact area as opposed to being pushed through impact. Without tension in your wrists, elbows and shoulders, the pulling action of the golf club will place your grip ahead of the club head through impact. If you use muscles in your hands and arms to push the golf club at the golf ball then the arc will bottom out earlier and in turn your club head will be coming up at the ball as opposed to trapping the golf ball into the ground and creating a divot.

So now that you have a better understanding about how to achieve lag in the golf swing, what are some golf lag training aids that can help you accomplish obtaining lag and using it to better your golf swing?

Golf Lag Training Aids – Callaway Golf Impact Bag

The Callaway Golf impact bag helps you to create lag in the golf swing and trains you to have a flat left wrist and develops correct muscle memory as well as better precision, swing rhythm and endurance. Practicing your golf swing for fifteen minutes daily using the Impact Bag you will improve you impact position which will lead to better iron shots and longer drives.

Golf Lag Training Aids – GolfGym Club 38
On of the most useful golf training aids to create lag is the GolfGym Club 38. The GolfGym Club 38 is a weighted golf club, also called a weighted practice club, the extra weight of the training aid will allow you to feel how the golf club should drop from the top of your golf swing as opposed to gripping the golf club and moving your shoulder towards the golf ball. This move is commonly known as coming over the top. Regardless, with this move you will not be able to create lag in your golf swing.

VGS Golf has customers in New York, New York, Los Angeles, California, Chicago, Illinois, Peoria, Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, San Antonio, Texas, San Diego, California, Dallas, Texas, San Jose, California, Detroit, Michigan, Jacksonville, Florida, Indianapolis, Indiana, Hempstead, New York, San Francisco, California, Columbus, Ohio, Austin, Texas, Memphis, Tennessee, Baltimore, Maryland and Fort Worth, Texas.