Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned golfer, you know that Golf is all about balance.

In order to play golf consistently you must have balance in your golf game.

• You need to get the right balance on your feet.
• In the movement of your body.
• In the swing of the clubs and so on.

However, balance goes further than just the body.

In order to play consistently, you need to have balance not only in your body, but in your mindset too.

Too often, players are thinking of the missed shot or putt. You need to focus on the shot that you are playing. There is nothing that you can do about the shots already taken, so let them go and focus on your current situation.

When you take lessons, one of the first things that you are taught is about proper weight distribution on our feet and weight distribution during the swing.

Much of this may seem foreign to the beginner, but this training helps the player to find balance in their game so the actions are effortless and natural.

Balance should flow through the entire swing in one fluid action. From the time you start your backswing to the time you complete your follow through, you should always be in balance.

It is a natural feeling that will become second nature with practice.

Once you find balance both in your mind and body, you will start striking the ball more consistently. Until you find your balance it will be very difficult to find any consistency in your game.

When you have your upper body positioned correctly behind the ball, you will find that you are naturally distributing your weight more evenly across your feet.

Stand balanced on your feet with no more pressure on the front of the foot than the back.

A good way to know if you have your weight evenly distributed is to address the ball as you normally would. Have a playing partner push your shoulders slightly. If you remain in position then your weight is evenly distributed.

Give this a try the next time you are out practicing or on the golf course.

Position yourself behind the ball and gently swing through without making any effort to concentrate on the distribution of the weight on your feet.

You will find that this will come naturally with no effort at all and that is precisely how you should feel when you are striking the ball.

Improving your golf game is simple when you have a balanced approach.

For more help with improving your golf game, check out: Full Swing Fundamentals

© 2010, David Wakeman. All rights reserved. On republishing this post you must provide link to original post.

What is the right club shaft for you game? This is a very important question that often times is neglected.

The type of golf club shaft that is best suited to your style of play will depend on your swing speed. The faster you swing the stiffer the shaft should be.

Shaft flex is determined by the ability of the shaft to bend during your swing. A stiff shaft will not bend as easily as a regular shaft in steel or graphite. Some people prefer graphite shafts because of their lighter weight.

Shaft flexes will vary from one manufacturer to another so this is an important element that needs to be taken into consideration as a regular shaft from one manufacturer won’t necessarily give you the same flex as a regular shaft of another manufacturer.

To get the correct shaft for your game you should really get your swing speed tested, as this will determine what clubs to get.

The reason you need to understand how much flex you need is because the flex determines whether your club head will impact squarely on the ball at the point of impact.

If there is too much flex in the shaft the club head will impact in a closed or more lofted position.
The opposite is the case where the shaft is too stiff with the club head hitting in an open and less lofted position.

It can get difficult when your swing speed is on the borderline between club shaft selections and you might even need to get different shafts for the various clubs you use to optimize your game.

Club shafts have various ratings and they are as follows.

L Shaft is for a swing speed less than 70 mph.
A Shaft is between 70 and 80 mph
R Shaft is between 80 and 90 mph
S Shaft is between 90 and 105 mph
X Shaft is over 105 mph

This is a guideline but it will help in your selection.

Of course we all like to think that we are in the over 105 group but you will get better results from buying the correct shaft for your game.

Check out our Men’s and Women’s Pro Shops for great deals on golf equipment.

© 2010, David Wakeman. All rights reserved. On republishing this post you must provide link to original post.

One of the most difficult short shots in golf is playing out of the deep rough around the greens. Some golfers try to play this shot like any other chip shot. Playing these shots like any other chip shot will usually lead to disaster.

When you are dealing with heavy rough, the clubhead tends to get caught in the grass and will twist as your swing cuts through. This makes controlling your shot difficult.

With shots like this you need to have more control or it will cost you strokes.

Here are five tips to hitting a shot from thick rough around the greens:

1. Use a more lofted club like a sand wedge
2. Open your stance like playing from a green side bunker
3. Play the ball back in your stance
4. Pick a landing spot
5. Take a Steep Aggressive Swing

Seasoned golfers understand the need to be creative around the green. You can’t rely on just one shot approach to your short game shots. It is important to have different shots you feel comfortable playing around the green. You will be better prepared to allow the lie to determine what shot is best. These short chip shots from the greenside rough are one good reason to have practiced different shots around the green.

The best way to approach this shot is to select a more-lofted club than normal. You would want to either use a sand wedge or possibly a lob wedge if you carry one. The idea is to play this shot with a club that has a lot of “bounce” on the clubface’s bottom. This will allow the club to cut through the grass without getting tangled.

Play the ball back in your stance and open your stance slightly to allow your hands to clear.

Go through your normal pre-shot routine and pick an area to land the ball on the green.

Be sure to take a steep aggressive swing. The ball will pop out of the grass, bounce a couple of times on the green and then roll towards the hole.

Playing chip shots from deep green side rough can be a challenge. By taking the time to add this shot into your repertoire you will save strokes and lower your scores. Try these 5 tips to improve your chipping from the deep rough around the greens the next time you play and see if you don’t save a stroke or two.

For more tips on playing difficult shots, check out: The Ultimate Short Game System

© 2010, David Wakeman. All rights reserved. On republishing this post you must provide link to original post.