Kiwi Caddy » Golf Tips

Around the Green Guide

www.kiwicaddy.com — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 21:22:54 +0000

There’s nothing worse than an immaculate drive, fantastic approach followed by a 4-putt for double bogey. The green continues to be a problem for otherwise solid all-around golfers, leaving balls frustrating outside of the cup despite repeated attempts to read greens. Here are a few course-correction problems to help you straighten out your short game.Read around the green The trajectory of your ball after leaving your putter may be more susceptible to high rising hills on either side, even if the surface itself seems flat to the naked eye. As a rule of thumb, the ball may subtly break away from the hill than one might anticipate. Similarly, if there is a large hill behind or in front of the green, the putt may be slightly slower or faster than the initial read would indicate.Use Your Ball as a Tool Notice how the word “Titleist,” “Top Flite,” or whatever your brand choice, is conveniently printed across the ball in a straight line. In addition to labeling the ball in an easy to read fashion, this marking can also help you to line your ball up and maintain a straight forward and back stroke with the putter. Using “Titleist” as an example, point the uppercase “T” towards the hole (or wherever youre aiming depending on the break) and try to keep your putter face perpendicular to the word hitting it smoothly at the lowercase “t.”Use Your Putter on and off the Green if you have a relatively flat approach but find yourself in the fringe or rough, don’t be afraid to bring out the putter a stroke earlier than most golfer’s might consider. Obviously, you will have to put a little more gusto on the stroke but the putter allows you more control over where your ball winds up that subjecting your shot to less consistent chip shot.

Aging Well on the Golf Course

admin — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 21:39:47 +0000

“Shooting your age” is an almost mythical accomplishment on the links, arguably more impressive than even a hole in one. After all, the latter can be accomplished with one lucky swing of the club while shooting your age requires years of practice and 18 holes worth of well struck shots. To be clear, shooting your age occurs when a golfer’s 18 hole score total is equal to or lower than the cumulative sum of the years since one’s birth. Of course, the average golfer would need to stick around for several lifetimes to have realistic shot at the feat. Still, some well-conditioned older golfers manage to pull it off from time to time. While not everybody may not be able to record a round of 76 at age 76, it doesn’t mean your game necessarily has to fall of the deep end as you enter what would be your years on the Senior Tour. Here are a few tricks for the old dogs out there still willing to learn.

Shorten your swing Increased age leads to decreased flexibility. By intentionally shortening your swing you play within a controllable range of comfort. Shortened distance can be easily compensated through improved accuracy.
Use longer clubs To help offset slowing club speeds, a longer shaft will help to breed more power with less force. Not to mention, less bend in your knees and back will suit the aging body well. It may require some days at the range to adjust to your new clubs but in the long run it could prove worthwhile.
Stay hydrated As you get older, you might want to consider switching from beer to water or Gatorade, at least on the back nine. It’s increasingly important to stay hydrated with each passing year, to reduce any health risks if nothing else.

Other Sports and Hobbies that Affect Your Game for the Worse

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:02:24 +0000

Unless you have a PGA Tour card, golf is most likely not your livelihood. While you might play every week and win a couple bets with buddies here and there, golf is just an amusement, not the end all be all of your everyday life. For most golf enthusiasts, 18 holes are not the only hobby, or even golf-related hobby, with which the week is filled. Here are some various activities and variations of the game we recommend avoiding if you want to keep that smooth swing and low handicap.Par 3 Golf Courses A lot of golfers go into a Par 3 course with the purest of intentions. At first glance it might seem like a wise endeavor, offering a chance to work on your short game and condensing the time it takes to play a full round, lessening the inevitable headache caused by the significant other at home. The similarities of Par 3 courses to a standard golf outing can actually have a negative effect. Teeing off on such short holes places you in situations often uncommon to the typical golf course. The mental effects a shortened course can have on your game are further plagued by a propensity for misleading yardage markers.Putt Putt Unless your regular Sunday foursome includes Jack Sparrow, Long John Silver and Captain Hook, the stereotypical putt-putt course has absolutely no similarity to either the front or back nine, even at tropically located courses. When you consider the cheap plastic putters and unrealistic speeds resulting from a cement and Astroturf combination, they should really call it putt-putt-putt to prepare you for the 3-putts in your future.Baseball/Softball Don’t go out and quit your company team if it’s going to anger your boss, but for amateurs, trying to double your success in two sports is quite a feat. Swinging a baseball bat and golf club are just similar enough to cause confusion and inconsistency for casual golfers. Sure, Ken Griffey Jr. may be able to crank it off the tee and out of the park, but bear in mind, he is supremely coordinated professional athlete… you’re probably not.

Beginner Golf Tips

admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:01:28 +0000

Out on the links, whether you are just beginning or playing the final nine in your club championship, golf can be an intensely enjoyable or intensely frustrating experience. While Roy “Tin Cup” McAvoy famously noted golf is one of only two hobbies you don’t have to be good at to enjoy (the other might have earned the movie its R-rating), many golfers agree it’s a lot more fun be competitive on the golf course. Here are a few tips often forgotten or overlooked from time to time by even the most experienced golfers.

Swing within your control When there’s danger in front of the green and you need to carry it on a fly, don’t try to muscle up on the club you would normally hit for that distance. Trying to kill the ball will often cause you to role your wrists or jerk up your body, resulting in either a nasty hook or a sculled line drive. Instead, let the club do the work. Go back to your bag and grab a lower numbered club. It’s less difficult to maintain accuracy and swing consistency when easing up on a club than trying to swing harder.
Carry a ball mark Once you reach the putting surface, a ball mark enables you to easily pick up your ball, wipe it free of any clinging dirt or debris and replace it, allowing it to roll uninhibitedly towards the hole. This also allows you to align the brand of the ball (i.e. Titleist, conveniently printed in a straight line) with the spot you are aiming for, helping to better line up your put.
Arrive early Would you enter a race without stretching or send a pitcher to the mound before warming up in the bullpen? Of course not, so why would you expect your opening drive on the first tee to find the middle of the fairway when it’s your first swing in over a week? Take a few extra minutes at the driving range to make adjustments or else you’ll have to try to correct mid-round, marking each stroke on the scorecard.