No matter how well or poorly a golfer plays, one thing each and every
one will agree on is this – a bad day on the golf course is better than
the best day at work.
Let us take a look at this attitude. We shall start with golf being
something that is fun to do, no matter how frustrating the game may
become at times. All golfers know while every shot may not be a thing
of beauty, they are in a pristine setting and are not being bothered.
Besides, they all know the next shot will look exactly like the ones the
professional golfers make on television.
Then, there is work. Work is what all of us have to do to survive. We
get up in the morning, many of us dreading what the day holds, get
ready and head to our place of business, whether it is a factory or an
office, regardless if the job is blue collar or white collar. Work is an
ugly four-letter word.
Work is where problems are. The employees are expected to help
solve these problems, or they will be out of a job. While
unemployment would give a person more time to play golf, it would
not give them a way to pay their bills, and let’s face it, we all like to
eat.
Work is also where the boss is, and a lot of people have, for lack of a
better way to put it, lousy bosses. There are those bosses who are
pleasant to work for, who help the employee and understand the
needs of those who work for them. Some bosses even set up golf
tournaments for their employees. But, there are the other kind. Those
bosses seldom have anything good to say to any of their employees,
are always complaining that the company is not making enough
money, no matter what the profit and loss sheet says, and make going
to work a miserable experience for everyone around them.
This is where golf is much better than work. There are no bosses on
the golf course. A person’s social or employment ranking means
nothing on a golf course. The only thing anyone cares about is how
well he or she plays, and whether he or she has a good time while
playing.
And what is not fun about playing golf. First, it is a great way to get outside and get some exercise, especially if the golfer walks the
course. Next, golfing is a good way to socialize with others and meet
new people. Golf is also a good way for a person to work out his or her
frustrations. Whacking a golf ball not only feels good, but the better
the ball is hit, the more praise the golfer gets, even if he or she is
playing alone. After all, who hasn’t hit a ball well, stopped, watched it
in flight and thought, “Man that was a great shot.”
Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, a bad day on the golf course beats
the best day a person can have at work
Hitting the Ball - How Hard Can It Be?
A golf outsider watches the game. How hard can it be to hit a
stationary ball?. After all, major league baseball players hit balls
traveling high speeds all the time. With that in mind, the outsider
decides to take up the game of golf with the notion that the game is so
relaxing because it requires little effort.
Think again.
Most of those people give up on the game before they really
understand the dynamics of hitting that little ball. It makes sense that
an iron club could pelt a little ball hundreds of yards, yet when the new
golfer takes his first swing there is often little movement at all…
sometimes no movement (or worse, backward movement).
There is a lot more to hitting that little ball than meets the eye.
Human nature is to use the iron to cup it under the ball to hit the ball
up into the air. But look at the club. It is angled back, not at all
designed to cup beneath the ball. So, when a golfer tries to scoop up
the ball, he or she is really trapping it between the angled face of the
club and the ground. That’s why often times, the ball doesn’t move –
or worse, moves backwards just a little bit.
Instead of striving to hit up, it’s best to learn to hit downward. By
hitting down, the angled club will do the work for you, not the upswing
of your club. When you hit down, the angle will bump your golf ball
forward. It’s that simple.
But putting power behind that little punt takes some practice. You’ll be
tempted to swing big and hard. It takes as much practice to resist
that temptation as it does to learn to hit the ball! Once you have
trained yourself against swinging upward, you will see your hitting
start to improve.
Now you’ll begin to understand why there are various golf club options
and choices you have to make when making a shot. You’ll need to pick
your club based on the angle of the club face once you determine how
far you want the ball to go and how you need it to perform.
If you’ve been practicing but still don’t feel like you’ve got the hang of
it, ask for help. Your golf course should have an attendant on hand
who could give you some pointers. Maybe you could take some private
lessons. The course pro shop should have suggestions for area
teachers. Or, try the good, old buddy method. Ask another golfer
you’ve seen play how he or she does it and if they have any tips for
hitting the ball. You may think you sound silly, but when other golfers
start to regale you with their tales of learning to hit the ball, almost
everyone has had to address that challenge up front.
With those tips in mind and maybe even a few lessons behind you, go
back to practicing. Just as it takes a while to train your mind to think
about hitting downward instead of upward, it takes a while to train
your body to actually do it the way you have in mind. Don’t give up
and remember, the game is all about relaxing so don’t stress too much
over hitting the ball.
Instructional Golf Videos – Where to Get Them and What to