Knowing Your Golf Balls - The Dimples Count
August 15, 2008
Knowing Your Golf Balls - The Dimples Count
Knowing Your Golf Balls - The Dimples Count
By Nathalie Fiset
Although they may appear like ordinary game equipment, golf balls are actually the products of physics and years of golfing tradition.
According to the standard international rules of golf, a single golf ball should not weigh over 45.93 grams, or close to two ounces. Its diameter should always exceed 1.68 inches, or 42.67 mm. A golf ball, moreover, should be in the shape of a symmetrical sphere. Golf balls, moreover, are scrutinized by two main accrediting bodies: the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews and the United States Golf Association. If golf balls do not pass the tests and standards set by these two associations, these balls cannot be used in a golfing competition.
Such is the strictness associated with golf, but despite its seemingly misplaced austerity, the rules are not without their merits. Golf, after all, has been around for centuries, and the game as we know it today can be traced back to the Scots. Golf balls, moreover, can spell the success of a game: hit it right and swing it in the right direction, and you can land a hole in one. That, of course, discounts the effect of the wind, the sun in your eyes, the humidity in the air, and the overall setup of the golf course, but the importance of golf balls and their design can still not be discounted.
To understand how golf balls move and impact a game, it is important to look at how basic physics can affect the game of golf. The impact between the edge of a golf club and the golf ball lasts no more than a millisecond, but it is this impact that can ultimately judge how fast the ball can travel, at what angle it is launched, and the rate at which it spins - all of which will determine its final location. There are two main aerodynamic forces that act on the ball: lift, which buoys it through its trajectory; and drag, which forces it back and keeps it from moving.
In any sport, decreasing the drag on equipment will ultimately increase one’s control over the equipment itself. The same is true in golf: if the overall drag on the golf ball is released, it can fly faster and follow one’s intended direction better. This is why golf balls have dimples. These dimples can decrease drag by reducing the wake turbulence caused by the ball traveling through the air. Wake turbulence can be especially high in non-dimpled balls.
Dimples, moreover, can increase the backspin on a ball. In general, a backspin can increase a ball’s lift by altering the shape of the air as it flows and forms around the ball. With more back spinning, a ball can fly much higher, and even longer in the air. However, dimples can also accumulate dust and grime, so golfers need to wash their equipment frequently, balls included. A clean golf ball translates into a balanced ball, cleared out dimples, and a game where the golfer is in better, greater control.
A golf ball will have, on average, anywhere from three hundred to nearly five hundred dimples. All balls have an even number of dimples, although there is only one kind of ball with odd numbers available on the market. This 333-dimpled ball is acceptable in golf games. A golf ball, moreover, has to be symmetrical, since a non-symmetrical golf ball can sometimes adjust its axis during mid-flight, and can wobble, causing direction changes that may or may not favor a golfer.
Aside from the position of the club, a golf ball can determine the merit of a shot. It may be surprising to outsiders, but a golfer can usually make more bad than good shots. This is because there are many possible factors that can allow the game to go wrong, such as sudden changes in wind speed and direction, differences in humidity at varying elevations of the golf course, and even the slightest noise from the crowd or the golfer’s companions just before the golfer makes his swing. Such golfing mistakes can be described by a variety of terms, such as a slice, where the ball curves sharply in the direction of the player’s playing hand; or a worm burner, where the ball bounces vigorously on the ground.
If you are interested in purchasing golf balls, then inquire at your local golf equipment store. Because there are many different brands available on the market, you will need to consult with an expert on what brands of balls are best for your game, and which are approved by international golfing committees. Before you tee off, clean your balls and make sure that they are free of dust and grime. With clean equipment and good working knowledge of golf, you can play a fulfilling and more enjoyable game.
For more complete information on golf please go to:
http://www.bestgolfer.net/golf-balls.html
http://www.bestgolfer.net
http://www.drnathaliefiset.com
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How to Drive a Golf Ball Farther by Swinging Through the Ball
August 15, 2008
How to Drive a Golf Ball Farther by Swinging Through the Ball
How to Drive a Golf Ball Farther by Swinging Through the Ball
By Matt Menden
To have a successful golf game, you need to swing through the ball rather than at the ball. If you focus on the ball instead of the target, you’ll likely hit the ball but fail to swing through. While you can look at the ball while swinging, it is important that you keep the target in your minds eye at all time. Swinging through the ball will help you to drive the golf ball farther.
When swinging, your goal should not be to hit the ball. Instead, swing as if the ball just happens to be there. Put yourself in the correct stance and practice swinging without a ball. You should be making the same motions when you have a ball in front of you.
Some golfers, when trying to swing through the ball, make the mistake of hitting the ball too hard. Swinging with all of your force is not the way to swing through the ball. You will not get the ball to your target. The only thing you’ll likely get is a hurt back. Keeping good form throughout your swing will give you better contact with the ball and this will help you drive the golf ball farther.
One thing that can prevent you from swinging through the ball is an incorrect stance. It is important to relax the body when you are playing golf. Tense shoulders commonly ruin golfers’ swings. It will prevent you from making a smooth and wide arc. It is perhaps easiest to perfect the tensionless stroke by doing practice swings without balls. When you don’t have to worry about the ball, you are able to focus more on your body. Once you understand how to swing with a relaxed form, you can carry that over to your actual driving practice and then golf game.
If you are still having trouble swinging through, slow down. Practice your swing in a slow and smooth fashion. Don’t pause at the top, but keep one steady motion. Doing this can help you focus more on your swing and less on hitting the ball. After you get the correct motion, try the correct speed and then try it at a driving range.
Once you stop seeing golf as a game where you hit a ball and instead see it as a way to swing towards a target, your golf game will improve and you’ll drive the golf ball farther and straighter.
Matt Menden is a golf enthusiast in constant pursuit of an improved golf game. For more information and free golfing tips, please visit: http://www.golfgazette.info
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Fix a Slice and Hit a Golf Ball Straight Every Time
August 15, 2008
Fix a Slice and Hit a Golf Ball Straight Every Time
If you are constantly hooking or slicing your shots, you will want to know how to hit a golf ball straight. Clearly, every golfer desires a straight shot because it gives you maximum yardage of the tee. In addition, if you can hit a golf ball straight down the fairway, it makes your approach shot to the green that much easier.
Why is it that many golfers find it difficult to hit a golf ball straight? First it is necessary to comprehend what causes the ball to move from left to right (a slice) or from right to left (a hook). If you know how to fix a slice or hook, you can then practice how to hit a draw or a fade which are useful skills to know so that you can shape your shots around hazards or dog-legs.
In order to keep this article short, I will describe what causes the slice and how to cure a slice; for the hook, the description and cure are the opposite of a slice. When the golf ball has a significant tilt of the spin axis to the right or in a clockwise direction, a slice will occur. With a slice, the ball ends up to the right of where you are aiming and the phrase is used when the flight of the ball is acute or inadvertent. The less severe version of the slice is called a “fade.”
When you understand the basics of the golf swing you will know that you have to return to the original place at impact if you want to hit the ball squarely and straight. When the club face is open at the point of impact, a slice will occur and the ball will spin in a clockwise direction. Generally, the swing path is correct but the golf ball is not hit squarely at impact; this is normally caused by a “weak grip.”
The first thing to check is your grip when you find that you can’t hit a ball straight. The one cause that can shape the path of the balls flight is the strength of the grip - it doesn’t matter if you use an interlocking grip, an overlapping grip, or a ten finger grip. To fix a slice, experiment with moving your hands around on the grip, over to the right, into a more strong grip position.
If you want to cure a slice, then try changing some of the following factors: Don’t grip the club too tightly so that your muscles tense up in your wrists and forearms. If you can work on increasing your golf swing speed then not only will you increase your distance, you should be able to reduce the amount of side spin and therefore cut down on the chance of slicing the ball. Check the flex of the shaft that you currently use; if you are a powerful hitter of the ball then use an extra stiff or stiff flex; if you are a medium hitter of the ball then use a regular or firm flex; and if you can’t drive the ball more than 200 yards, then use a ladies or a senior flex.
The setup position is also important if you want to hit a golf ball straight. Keep everything square and parallel to the target. Your feet, hips, and shoulders should all be parallel to the target line. With a driver, place the ball opposite the instep of the left foot and don’t stand too close or too far away from the ball - the sole of the club should be grounded and not tilting forwards or backwards.
Remember all the basics of the golf swing; keep your eyes on the ball, feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly flexed, spine straight and chin up. I won’t go into detail about the golf swing here, just take your club back straight and bring it down again on the same plane. Maintain the same swing speed throughout the backswing and the downswing - don’t try to over hit the ball.
There are two more swing faults that can stop you to hit a golf ball straight down the fairway - the push shot and the pull shot. Not like the slice, the push shot is when the ball flies of the club face to the right and the pull shot to the left. The push shot is a direct action of the golf swing that is caused by an in-to-out swing path and the pull shot is caused by an out-to-in swing path. Both the push and the pull are effects of an improper golf swing and not remembering the basics of the golf swing.
Mick Euan Tait has more free golf swing tips including how to hit a golf ball straight and fix a slice
Also, if you sign up for his newsletter you will receive a free Mini-Series taken from his book “The Ultimate Guide To Golf.”
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The Secret to Hitting a Golf Ball Straight
August 15, 2008
The Secret to Hitting a Golf Ball Straight
By Brad Jeffreys
The most common type of problem almost all golfers face at one point in time is a slice or hook. There are really only two reasons why a golf ball will curve in mid-air, and the secret to curing that slice is to find out which one is plaguing you specifically and fix it.
Who cares about distance off the tee? No golfer should even think about increasing their distance if they don’t have any idea how to hit the ball straight as an arrow. I’ve heard many asking to get more distance, when more distance on their drive will just drive them further into the woods.
The average score improvement for people who fix their slice is between 3 and 7 strokes per round. So how do you fix this awful affliction?
First, you have to understand why a golf ball will fly left or right instead of straight. It’s due to the side spin placed on the ball when you hit it. There are two types of spins: backspin and sidespin. When sidespin overcomes backspin, your ball will curve in midflight.
There are really only two reasons why your ball will receive a significant amount of sidespin, and they both have to do with your swing. The first one is because your clubface is facing to the right instead of straight ahead when it hits the ball. This is commonly referred to as having an open clubface.
The second reason is because your clubfaces comes across the ball when it strikes it. This is strictly due to an “outside-in” swing.
If you eliminate either of these two problems, your slice or hook will be dramatically reduced. Eliminate both and it’ll be eliminated.
To find more useful tips on how to increase distance and improve accuracy, Click Here.
Are you a victim of the most common golf mistakes among golfers worldwide? Visit http://www.SuperProGolf.com to find out 4 of the most closely held professional golf secrets, and start playing better today, all for free!
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Corporate Logo Golf Balls As Business Promotional Items
August 15, 2008
Corporate Logo Golf Balls As Business Promotional Items
By R McCormick
Image and promotions are key aspects of any successful corporation or business, and one of the unique ways these aspects are being brought together is through the use of corporate logo golf balls. Business and golf have always gone hand in hand, and a good marketer will use this fact to their advantage. By placing your corporate logo on a golf ball, you have brought your corporate image into the already existing business / golf relationship. Through the use of corporate logo golf balls, you are able to provide clients with an item that they will want to use, and in addition, you have made sure that your corporate logo will have a presence at all times on the golf course.
Unfortunately, we’ve all been to events or trade shows where people are given cheap items that never last or quickly find their way to the trashcan. This is an instance where you can stand out from the crowd with your corporate logo golf balls by offering an item that people will want. By providing such an item, you are assuring that your company image does not go in the trashcan with the others, but instead will be kept by the recipient who will have your corporate logo with them at their next golf outing.
One of the great options you have when putting your corporate logo on a golf ball is the ability to select the brand of ball you want to use. Serious golfers know that Titleist, Callaway, Maxfli, etc. make quality golf balls, and by selecting one of these brands to place your corporate image on, you are associating your business with quality. Take advantage of the great reputation of a company like Titleist and use that to your advantage when selecting your corporate logo golf balls.
There are many scenarios where you can provide your corporate logo golf balls to clients, including seminars, trade shows, sales meetings, or the holidays. Another ideal and fitting place to provide these golf balls is at a local golf tournament. Most tournaments offer a wide array of sponsorship packages, and by getting one of these spots, you are able to provide your corporate logo golf balls directly to your target audience.
The next time you are looking to promote your business, consider giving away high quality corporate logo golf balls to stand out from the crowd.
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