Golfing Eighteen Blog

Surprisingly (and unfortunately) golfers end up suffering quite a few injuries. Some of the ones they deal with the most include the following:

1. Lower Back Pain: This back pain in golfers is often disc-related, mechanically related, or caused by a fracture or other problems. It is often caused by a golfer’s swing. It is recognized by the symptoms of pain, stiffness, muscle spasms, and nerve irritation (numbness, pain, or weakness in the legs). One solution is to slow down on the top of the golf swing, and always lift any heavy objects, such as a bag of golf clubs, with your legs. Treatment for this pain includes rest, medication, therapy, bracing, cortisone, or surgery.

2. Golfer’s Elbow (a.k.a. Tennis Elbow): This is an inflammation, soreness, or pain that occurs on the inside of the upper arm near the elbow. More commonly, however, the pain ends up occurring on the outside of the upper arm. The pain is the greatest at the top of the swing and upon impact. One solution would be to switch to graphite shafts and low compression golf balls.

This will help decrease elbow strain. Also, when possible you want to practice on real turf instead of rubber mats. Additionally, you will want to ease up on grip pressure and loosen up on the elbows while you swing. Also, you can slow down the backswing, and smooth the transition between the backswing and the downswing. Likewise, try to avoid contact of the ball with trees, rocks, sprinklers and other obstructions, and tee-up the ball on fairway shots. Don’t release your hands too soon at the top of the backswing, and do not decelerate the club before impact. You can also obtain medication for the pain of golfer’s elbow (or Tennis elbow) and get plenty of rest, or if necessary you can get surgery.

3. Shoulder Pain: Usually this pain includes Rotator cuff tendonitis, tear, impingement, A-C joint arthritis, instability, and scapular lag. The symptoms include pain in shoulder or upper arm at various phases of the golf swing, and night pain. One solution to combat this is slow down the backswing to reduce stress on the shoulders. If you need treatment for this condition you can find medication for it and you may need some extra rest to let this situation heal, if it becomes serious.

4. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: The symptoms of this condition include numbness of the fingers, hand weakness, and clumsiness. The possible treatments for this are rest, medication, splinting, and surgery. Some solutions to combat this are to make sure that club handle grips are replaced and to consider either larger or softer grips. In addition, you need to reduce the pressure on the club handle.

5. De Quervain’s Tendonitis: This ailment is characterized by pain, swelling, and tenderness of the wrist near the base of the thumb. This pain usually occurs at the left wrist. To combat this problem in the future you will want to avoid extreme cocking of the left wrist when you reach the top of the backswing. You do not want to loosen your grip too soon. Another ailment similar to this would be arthritis at the base of the thumb. In order to know for sure you can have your thumb x-rayed. In addition, you can receive a careful exam.

6. Knee Pain: Symptoms of this include pain, clicking, or swelling of the knee, which is also aggravated by squatting, and walking. Treatments for these symptoms include rest, medication, arthroscopic surgery (if it is a meniscus tear), total joint replacement surgery (if the cause is arthritis, injection treatments, bracing, and therapy. One solution you can use to combat this at home along with other treatment includes switching to a spike-less shoe to decrease stresses from twisting of the knee. You would want to practice and play with short irons while recovering from a knee surgery or injury. This will minimize stress to the knees. In addition, you are advised to be careful not to return to full swinging too soon after knee injury, especially after surgery.

7. Wrist Impaction Syndrome: This is usually characterized by pain and tenderness on the top of the wrist, usually on the right side at the top of the backswing. The possible treatments for this condition include rest, splinting, cortisone, or sometimes surgery. A solution to this problem would be to slow down the backswing to minimize right wrist extension, at the top of the backswing.

The above situations are not very pleasant for golfers but these situations can fortunately be corrected. In most cases, golfers are able to return to their normal game.

 

You may have been scolded as a child for puttering. However, when it comes to golf, puttering is okay, as because you need the right putter to make those shots into the next hole in the green.

In order to know which putter to use, it is important for you to know what putting is. Putting is the art of being able to gently guide your ball into a hole, which is usually quite close to where your last ball was shot.

Putting takes more concentration than does the longer shots. There are so many ways that a ball can travel if you hit it too hard, so when you are close to putting your ball into the hole, you need to carefully swing at the ball. What can help is choosing the right putter.

Picking the right putter to use can help your short-distance shots immensely, especially when your ball is close to the hole in the green. There is no set rule as to which putter you should use, but the next few paragraphs can help you make an educated choice.

The best choices of putters to use, according to golf pros, are the short ones. These are usually called the conventional putter. This type of putter has its advantages and disadvantages.

The conventional putter helps you take the classic putter stance, but it also requires quite a bit of control. You cannot move your wrist much, and that is a hard concept for some. However, if you can manage it, using a conventional putter is recommended for you. If you cannot stop from moving your wrist too much, you have other options.

Another type of putter that is used is the belly putter. This putter has a longer shaft, so that it reaches your abdomen, serves as an anchor while you putt. Wrist action is easier to control with the belly putter but the overall feel is reduced, and distance control is harder to maintain. It is harder to freely swing your club this way. Another choice is recommended in some cases.

The long putter is used for greater putting distances, and it is great for people who have weak or aching backs, because it helps combat excess stroke pressure. In addition, it helps take the wrist action out of play; and distances are easier to control. That is why it is meant for longer putting use in most cases. It is recommended in many cases over the belly putter.

It is entirely up to you which putter you use to perfect your long putt. It really can be done with any putter if you learn the feel of the club against the resistance of your body or of the putting action.

Any one of the three mentioned putters are great for using when you need to give that ball just enough push to make it go where you want it to go-towards the next hole target. Also, you can find other varieties of putters that could possibly suit you as well.

If you have chosen a putter and are still frustrated and unable to perfect putting shots on the green then you may need to ask for help. There is no shame in having a fellow golf associate show you the ropes, especially if they are willing to put in the time with you. You can also participate in quite a few other learning activities that can help you.

One very common opportunity for people is to take golf lessons. In addition, many people will band together and form non-competitive golf outings, where the focus is less on winning and more on perfecting their golf play.

Some people even go on golf retreats, which are usually considered a dream vacation for many golfing enthusiasts. This is something you may want to consider if you love to golf. Just think of your favorite islands that you would like to visit, that have clear waters and sandy beaches. Many vacations take place here that include golfing and golf instruction. You can golf and relax all in one vacation.

Another way to help improve your puttering skills is to search reputable sites, which offer tips of the golf pros. In addition, you can join forums or discussions and you can even chat about golf live in Internet chat rooms. The online community is a great source of help, especially when you have limited time and monetary resources.

 

College recruiting services can help you when you are applying for college golf scholarships. Although you and others might think that you’re an amazing golfer, there are still steps that you will need to take in order to qualify for a golf scholarship.

For starters, you will need to make yourself known to golf coaches. The golf coaches will want to know who you are, and why it is that you deserve to be recruited. It is your responsibility to let these coaches know about you and your game.

Unlike football or basketball for example, golf is classified as an equivalency sport. So, although the scholarship you are offered might not be a full ride, some may only be partial, there is an upside. This allows the coaches to share their allotment between a bigger number of players

For men, there are 289 division 1 and 186 division 2 colleges that offer golf scholarships and for women there are 217 division 1 and 90 division 2 colleges that offer scholarships. That makes for a total of 1,970.1 men’s golf scholarships obtainable in just the NCAA. The total number of scholarships available for women in the NCAA is 1,788. You may need to look around for a school, as some colleges do not have men’s golf teams due to a large amount of players in other sports.

The procedure you need to go through consists of finding and contacting coaches and dealing with the rules and regulations imposed by the NCAA and NAIA. This can be overwhelming for both the athletes and parents.  If an athlete is serious about playing golf at the college level, it is very important to utilize a golf scholarship recruiting service. These services provide valuable help and information both for the golfer and their families.

Every year, there are numerous athletes who are disregarded for a golf scholarship. This often happens because the athlete did not send their athletic profile to the appropriate college or important information was left off of their application. There are also a number of colleges that just do not assign all of their golf recruiting funds because the appropriate athletes did not approach them.

It is imperative that the high school golfer who wants to apply for a golf scholarship bears in mind a few details. The athlete will need to remember that a college golf coach does not have to evaluate your ability or guess at your score. What you have accomplished is on the board; your handicap and national ranking are there for everyone to see.

There are a number of universities and colleges who offer golf scholarships or bursaries allowing you to train and participate in golf to the utmost level, while still continuing your education. Some of the scholarships are available for golf-related courses; however, most are available even when you study for degrees not related to golf.

It is very true that your golf scores will be strongly taken into account. However, at the same time, a proper resume is essential to making you stand out and be noticed by the appropriate people at the school your wanting a scholarship from. A good resume will give your potential college coaches a clear understanding of your golf skills and accomplishments.

When putting your resume together, there are some items you may wish to include. Approach your coach and teachers ask them if they would mind writing you a letter of recommendation most will be happy to do so. Attach these letters to your resume, along with a photo of yourself. You should also take the time to add an original cover letter in your recruiting package addressed to each individual coach conveying your desire to continue your golf career at the college level. You might even wish to add a video of yourself golfing, so the coaches can see you in action.

Keep all of your information neat, organized and to the point. This will allow the coaches to easily learn about you at a glance. Golf highlights from your game up to now can be important as well. You should include a sample of your golf scores from tournaments you have been in through the years. This lets the coaches see how you have improved over time.

Make sure you research the school your applying to and the scholarship rules they may have. For example, some schools insist that you have a golfing handicap of five or better to be considered. Your academic scores can also be an important factor in your being considered for a scholarship. You want to make sure that you meet all requirements.

 

You can visit many major retailers and find discount golf clubs and for many weekend warriors this is the ideal way to get new equipment. In many cases for a price that is less than the cost of one nationally-known club, you can own a complete set of discount golf clubs and be on the course looking like you know what your are doing. Most times buying from a discount retailer the set is complete with all the clubs you will need as well as a bag in which to carry them.

When out on the course it is sometimes difficult to tell who is using expensive clubs and who has a bag of discount golf clubs as many times those with the expensive set hit the ball out of play as often, if not more so, than those with the set of discount golf clubs. For a few with the name brand clubs it is a status symbol but for others they hope that the extra engineering efforts that go into designing some of the clubs provides a little forgiveness for off-center hitters and produces less-errant hits off the fairway.

Weekend golfers usually go for the discount golf clubs, as they understand that unless they play more often their game is not going to improve simply by spending more money on their golf clubs. The goal for many is just to have fun with a small group of friends and they can accomplish that with a set of discount golf clubs.

It Is Not The Club It Is The Swing

In the game of golf, very few become masters of the game, but it is the few great shots a person can make that keeps them coming back for more. Two or three excellent drives in one day is usually not enough to get them to give up their discount golf clubs in exchange for a more expensive set, although they may be willing to spend a little more on a new putter.

There may be a few of the discount golf clubs that make hitting a ball straight nearly impossible and they twist while being swung towards the ball, they will go out of play more often. Also, if the shafts are too limp they can cause the golfer to hit the ball too soon or late, ruining what could have been a good swing. However, for the most part blaming the club on the direction of the ball is like blaming the steering wheel on your car for going off the road.

Men and women’s golf clubs are not created equal.  The different sexes have different skills and different needs when it comes to golf clubs.  The main difference between men’s and women’s clubs are the length. Traditionally in our society women are a bit shorter than men, so women’s clubs tend to be about one inch to one and a half inches shorter than the clubs used by men.  Some golf pros also claim that women’s clubs have more flexibility built into them, have a large “sweet spot” and sometimes they may have a lower center of gravity with one school of thought being that it will help female players to get the ball into the air.

Cosmetically men’s clubs usually have black or brown grips and women’s clubs may have powder blue grips or another color that is considered feminine.  Of course, anyone can have golf clubs custom made to almost any specification, so many of these rules of thumb are simply that and do not apply in every case.  Still it is obvious from increased sales of women’s golf clubs that the sport is becoming more and more popular with women.  Also, more women are active in business now and it has often been fashionable for business people to discuss business and make deals on the golf course.  With women becoming more important in business, many becoming CEO’s or major company officers, it is natural to see more and more women participating.

In the early days of golf we are unsure as to whether or not there were any differences between men and women’s clubs.  Of course, when golf was new, the clubs were not as sophisticated as they are now.  Today’s golf clubs can have shafts made of steel, graphite, titanium, wood, polymers, or a composite material using several of the above.  Centuries ago golf club shafts were always made of wood.  You often think of golf as being a Scottish sports and that is probably where it was invented, which means that the shafts originally were made of woods common in Scotland. However, the origin of golf is often debated.  The French, Dutch and Chinese as well as the Scots claim to have invented it, meaning that in the early days clubs would be manufactured locally and whatever wood was common there would have been used.  In Loenen aan de Vecht in Holland in the year 1297 golf was played and then a stick was used with a leather ball.  Interestingly however, while most scholars believe the Scots invented golf they attribute much early play to the Dutch and belief that the name of the game came from a German word for ball.

Mary Queen of Scots played golf at the famous Musselburgh Links in the year 1567.  This famous Scottish queen was probably not the first woman to play the game, but what types of clubs she used is a mystery to us today.  Still it is quite obvious that golf is almost as popular with women as it is with men.  Some see the game as a great equalizer since great height and great speed are not important to the game. Neither is muscle mass.  However, golf players are athletes and need to be in good condition. Serious golfers watch their diets and exercise accordingly in order to be healthy and improve their games.  They practice often.

Still when it comes to the question of golf clubs, a woman who is unusually tall for a woman, let’s say six feet in height, will probably use golf clubs that are designed for a man.  A shorter man on the other hand, provided they are not pink or powder blue, may well choose to use a woman’s set of clubs.  And youngsters learning the game will use shorter clubs, of course, until they grow and put on some height.  But golf is one of those games where the important thing is enjoying the game itself, practicing to develop skills and practicing good sportsmanship and the rules of etiquette of the game.  That is much more important than the length or type of club that a player chooses to use.

 

Most golfers do not realize how important the club shaft is. According to one expert it is the driving force of your game. You need a good driving shaft as much as you need a good set of golf heads.

In order to achieve the ball flight, ball dispersion, feel, or distance, you need to know how to find the shaft that is right for you. If you are a beginning golfer you may want to spend some time practicing with different sets of golf clubs. This will help you find the right feel for your swing.

Expert golfers suggest that less experienced golfers start out with a more flexible shaft. Then, if that is not the right one for you, you may want to consider one that is a little stiffer. You will not necessarily have to buy golf clubs in order to try them out. Instead, you may be able to attend demo days located on the green.

Beginner golfers are not the only ones who will need to acquire new shafts. Intermediate players who want to troubleshoot ways to improve their golf play may consider checking into purchasing new shafts. Quite a few amateur golfers who have been around for a while have used a launch monitor. This is a system by which a golfer’s entire swing is analyzed.

The aspects of a golf swing that are analyzed include that of club head speed, ball speed, launch angle, and backswing rate. These are the key points which will help you know if you are using not only the right golf shaft, but also the right golf head and right golf ball. All of these three items must be correctly synchronized with your ability level and your overall playing style.

The Flex (the swing) can be monitored without the use of the launch monitor as well as with it. If you are on the green and you know exactly how far you can hit your driver, this can be used to determine your flex.

Players who have the ability to hit the ball more than 260 yards off the tree, should be advised to use a stiffer flex. Other players should use as soft of a shaft that they can comfortably control. In addition, players who are not sure what their flex is they may be better off starting with a softer flex.

The above is recommended advice, but everyone is different when it comes to golf. As far as the weight of a shaft, it is a matter of personal preference. What matters the most is that you know what to expect in as many scenarios as possible. For instance, lighter shafts will help you swing the ball faster. However, a lighter shaft can often cost you some consistency and accuracy.

Another scenario regarding the use of shafts is one you will need to know about as well. A longer driver will produce a longer drive but the extra length makes it more difficult for you to make contact with the sweet spot. A shorter drive has the opposite effect-greater consistency and accuracy with less distance. A different shaft is used for each case.

You may find that you need more than one type of shaft during a game. This is the reason why people bring a whole bag of clubs to the course. Some people even have their heads and shafts custom designed. You will not have to worry about that if you are at the beginning and intermediate state. However, you may need to invest in some serious money if you plan to make it to the pros.

You may spend hundreds, or maybe even thousands, of dollars on golf clubs for a successful game. Whether or not it is worth it to you to spend that much money on clubs is up to you. It depends upon how dedicated to the game you are, or how seriously you take golf play. There is nothing wrong with being a casual golf player, though. It is just better if you know exactly how much time and effort you plan on putting into your game before you actually commit to purchasing higher quality golf clubs.

If you are looking for the right shaft and you are ready to buy new ones you can often find them at your local sporting goods store. They usually carry them in a variety of lengths, styles, and prices. They usually carry golf equipment for all purposes. In the event you live in a remote area where purchasing golf equipment is not an option, you can try shopping for them online.

 

One of the most common golfing injuries is wrist injury. You can exercise your wrists to help prevent them, whether they are serious or not.

Some of the most common serious golf injuries involving the wrist include De Quervin’s Tendonitis and Wrist Impactions Syndrome. De Quervin’s is characterized by pain, swelling, and tenderness near the base of the thumb. Wrist impaction is usually a pain and/or swelling that occur on the top of the wrist, especially on the right side, during the top of the backswing.

 These are characteristics that prevent a golf injury. You can find ways to prevent these more serious injuries, and this information is provided in the next paragraph.

In order to prevent De Quervin’s Tendonitis, you will want to reduce cocking of the wrist (jerky wrist action) on the top of the backswing. In addition, you will not want to loosen your grip too soon. In order to prevent Wrist Impactions syndrome you will want to slow down your swing when you reach atop the backswing.

One condition that is not as serious as the ones described above (in most cases) is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. This condition is usually characterized by numbness of fingers, tingling, and clumsiness of the hands. In order to prevent this injury you would need to decrease the pressure you have when gripping. Also, you may want to replace the grips on your golf club to fit the size of your hand.

You can also prevent less serious injury, such as general soreness and discomfort in your wrists. Some very simple exercises for your wrist include squeezing a tennis ball in the palm of you hands, and doing wrist curls. These exercises help build up your forearm muscles. You can also do wrist curls starting with the palm side of your hands down and then lifting curls up and down. This is called reverse wrist curls. 

You can also partake in a variety of other weight training and strength-training exercises that will shape all of your muscles during golf play. Some of these activities you can do at your home and others you can do in the gym. They include the use of exercise machines, handheld weights, and even your own body.

If you have just learned about these above exercises they can help you restore your wrists in the case of an injury as well. However, you need to be careful not to do them too soon- and especially not too soon right after a surgery.

In addition, if you have encountered an injury during golf play you may want to take a short break to see if it goes away. Then, if it persists for a while or worsens you will want to receive medial help and advice to take care of it. Either that, or if the injury does not show up until you start golfing again you may want to consider a home treatment plan or lifestyle change of some sort.

Usually the tips in this article will help, but you can find quite a bit more information on the Internet using your favorite web browser. You can conduct a site search as well. In addition to these tips, you can also take golf lessons and watch golf videos, and you can even sign up for golf school. In addition, you can take private lessons.

Of all these ways to learn golf techniques the private lessons are the most effective in most cases. You will have someone watching you while you practice each swing and that person will be able to teach you and give you feedback.

Some of this feedback will be about how to prevent golfing injuries by position your entire hand and body correctly before swinging your club. In addition, they will teach you how the weight of a ball will affect your swing, as well as other factors.

They can also help you determine measurements, such as swing weight, which will help you find the clubs that are the most appropriate for you. However, if you cannot attend private lessons, you can find useful tips within the online community that are offered by both peers and experts.

All these will help you improve your golf play and also will help you prevent injuries of any kind, including wrist injuries. It is important that you read as much information about injury prevention that you can.