Golfing Billboard

This morning’s WSJ has a round-up of golf training aids and gadgets designed to help you improve your game, especially your swing:

To separate the good from the not-so-good, we went on a golfer’s dream reporting assignment: find some new and innovative gadgets that will allow a golfer to get better. If only a little.

They’ve included several swing trainers, including the Gyro Swing and the Smart Stick, but interestingly they missed one of our favorites.

Our secret swing weapon is the series of hinged clubs made by the ReFiner Golf Company. If your swing deviates from the perfect movement the hinge opens, and by examining the position of the hinge you can diagnose the mistake. You learn to swing by feel, gradually developing to the point where the club remains straight … and you have the perfect swing.

1 Comment » Posted by Tuppy / Beginning Golfers and Golf Accessories and Golf Lessons

photo credit: Larry FerranteIf you are interested in improving your game or you are just contemplating starting to play the game of golf, the question at the back of your mind must be: Are golf lessons really necessary?

Taking golf lessons is a good opportunity for people to learn not just how to play the game but how to be very good at it. They provide you with an opportunity to learn without the frustration of stumbling through the necessary skills you need to be a good golfer. There are different options available for you if you are considering taking golf lessons. You can take private golf lessons, go for group lessons, or you could go to a golf school.

Private golf lessons are really good if you prefer one-on-one coaching, since you will receive lessons tailored for your individual needs. You won’t have to worry over other people seeing your mistakes, as it will be between your golf instructor and you. There will also be time to concentrate on you and your needs. The instructor will go out of his or her way to make sure you perfect your game, because success means you learning and mastering the game. The major downside to taking private lessons is the price; lessons are usually very expensive.

Group lessons help you get it right at an affordable rate. Learning with a group will help you master your game, as there will be some sort of competition in the group. It’s human – people will always try to outdo one another whenever they have something in common. This can be to your advantage as you will strive to be the best. The major problem with taking group golf lessons is that there is not enough time for the instructor to attend to everybody’s individual needs, so success to the instructor is measured based on the percentage on people making progress, not individual progress.

The decision to take golf lessons is up to you. But the truth is they will be of great help in mastering the game as you will have the opportunity to meet and interact with other golfers exchanging tips and advice on how to improve your game.

One thing that should really help you decide whether golf lessons are a necessity for you or not is identifying the reason why you want to play golf in the first case.

• A new hobby? You just want to be playing every now and then in your free time.
• Business reasons? You want to learn to be able to deal with your clients better. We all know that a lot of deals get sealed over golf games these days.
• Professional reasons? You want to be a professional golf player.

If you have very urgent reasons like that of business, taking golf lessons will help you master the basics easily and quickly so that you can begin to play with your clients. If it is just for recreation, you may want to learn it yourself but if it’s professional, you need all the help you can get. Golf lessons should really come in handy, but then it’s up to you!

Deciding whether you need golf lessons or not is a personal decision. It should be based on your reasons for playing the game in the first case and the benefits of taking golf lessons.

No Comments » Posted by Tuppy / Golf Lessons