Golf travel cases are the answer. Cases come hard sided or soft and there’s a design to suit every traveler looking to take his golf clubs on the road. Golf travel cases can be the difference between a great golf vacation…and one lost to damaged clubs. Over the last several years, as golf vacation destinations have grown in popularity, more and more people are traveling with their golf clubs.

There are a number of different types of golf travel cases. Each has their own benefits and draw backs, so shop around – nothing is worse than getting off the plane for a long-awaited golf vacation only to find your new Nike Sumo2 5900 didn’t survive the trip.

Hard Sided Golf Travel Cases: For years these cases were impossibly heavy and offered protection, but almost no convenience. But the latest models use lighter high-impact plastics for the case exterior and newly developed metals for the frame. They also take advantage of smooth rolling dual “roller blade” wheels make it easy to roll through airports. Plus there’s room in the case for the longest drivers.

These hard cases also include plenty of room for shoes, an umbrella extra balls and even a change of clothes if you’re headed straight to the golf course.

Soft Golf Travel Cases – Travel Covers: Cheaper, lighter, more convenient…but more risky, soft sided covers are generally made of nylon or heavy polyester offering waterproof protection. The interiors are padded offering limited protections after you zip your golf clubs for your trip.

For airline travel, soft golf cases subject your clubs to a bit more wear. Especially if you use an ultra light bag without much structure. Soft cases can also leave your extra long driver exposed to more risk from a jealous baggage handler!

The idea is that when you’re traveling, you move your clubs over and use this hard cover as your golf bag for the trip.

Make Your Putting Routine And Watch Your Scores Drop

The use of preshot routines by professional athletes is not new. Look at a tennis player before he/she serves. They do they same routine every time and the reason for this is that it becomes a habit. We are creatures of habit and a good habitual putting routine helps us in two ways. The first is the physical side – holding the grip, taking your stance, making your practice swing etc. The second, and most important component is the mental side – reading the green, deciding on the line, clearing your mind, putting to hole the putt and to accept the outcome come what may.

Short Game Tips And Advice From Golf Geeks

Whether you are playing a bunker shot or trying to hold a vital putt in your monthly medal, we all need some short- game tips and advice when the pressure is on.

Here are a few to remember.

When you hit a flop shot over a bunker, focus your aim on the top of the pin to ensure that you avoid the sand.

Two great drills that give you feel both for your stroke and distance is 1. Putt with your eyes closed and 2. Putt with your eyes fixed on the hole not the ball.

Lastly, if you have been missing putts because you have pushed or pulled them, try and make sure that you are not strangling the club. Make sure that you keep a very light grip pressure. Imagine holding your knife and fork!

The biggest mistake most golfers make when chipping is to spread their weight out 50/50 on each foot… unfortunately this encourages a sweeping swing path which then leads to thinning your shots or even worse miss-hitting the ball.
You must have your weight on your front foot 60/40 to encourage a descending blow into the ball.

This with a mid to back ball position will help impart more backspin and limit the amount of grass between your club and the ball – which will improve your scoring, up and downs and help you make more putts because you are hitting the ball closer to the flag.

Keep looking at our tips section for help with your chipping.

Getting the correct junior golf equipment for your child is the key to enabling your child to perform to its best capabilities as well as to preventing injury.

There are various manufacturers which produce junior golf clubs and I would advise purchasing a few junior clubs rather than cutting down a full set of irons. Although the cut down clubs may be at the correct length for the child there is a good chance that the golf club will still be too heavy.

There are different types of competition a junior golfer can play in.

Stroke play:

This is the most commonly played competition where only the gross and net scores count. The number of strokes taken by a player at each hole is entered on the card. The winner is determined by the lowest score for each round. The gross score is the total before the handicap is deducted, and the net score after the handicap is deducted.

Match play

This competition is where each hole is separate and the winner is determined by the number of holes won rather than the total score. When the number of holes run out the match finishes.

Stableford

This game is based on a points system where the points are determined by the score on each hole – eagle 4 points, birdie 3 points, par 2 points, bogie 1 point.

For junior golfers there are many advantages to joining a golf club. It not only enables them to learn the etiquite of the game but it teaches them respect for rules and for others – regardless of age. It also gives them the chance to socialise with other youngsters.

In my opinion the advantages of joining a Golf Club for a junior golfer are:

• Private Lessons – joining a club opens up the options of private, one to one lessons. This will not only speed up the learning process but will also eliminate any bad habits as your child will start off on the very best foot possible. It also enables them to thoroughly develop each part of the game before moving to the next level – something that can’t be done in group lessons.
• Obtaining a handicap – this is a memorable experience. A handicap is the easiest way for the golf club to observe the improvement in juniors. It is not a difficult or lengthy process to gain a handicap as through the CONGU scheme a junior is able to play on the golf course and enter junior competitions once a handicap of 54 is obtained. By entering competitions based at the golf club juniors are able to work on reducing the handicap to make themselves eligible for local and National tournaments.
• Socialise – Golf is a sociable sport, with rules on the game but also rules teaching etiquette. Parents are able to watch their children develop in golf but also mature into a respectful person.

It’s understood that children between the ages 8 to 12 are at an optimal level for developing motor skills. By age 10 the nervous system which controls muscular movements is up to 90% complete and so the ideal age for children to take up sports such as golf.

Junior golf can contribute to personnel development of youngsters. They have fun, can be creative, use their imagination and improve their self esteem – while keeping them fit and healthy at the same time.

Children should be encouraged to practice on a regular basis. Some children may wish to spend their time down the driving range others on the golf course. Practice will help the children stay focused and keep enjoyment to an optimum. Driving ranges and pay and play courses are available in your local area and there will also be golf clubs where your child could join the junior golf section.

Sloping lies can be hard even for the more experienced player but in your golf swing try to swing with the slope, not into. Understanding some simple keys can help even the most severe hills become easier.

Up-Hill
If executed correctly then this shot will fly higher and will tend to be pulled left.    Take at least one more club and aim a little right. Set your body angle with the slope and as with your normal set up keep the butt end of the grip pointing just in front of the zipper and left hip. Try to avoid leaning into the slope with the shaft too far forward.

Down-Hill
As you would expect this lie will produce a low shot that tends to fade right. Take less club with more loft aim a little left (the less loft the more the curve). Swing down the slope trying not to help the ball in the air. Make sure you move your weight through enough to get the bottom of the swing to the ball.

Ball Above Feet
The angle of the slope tends to make the club too long so you should choke down an inch or so. The shaft will be more horizontal and this will cause the club to swing more around which should promote a right to left shot. So aim further right and allow for a lower ball flight with more roll.

Ball Below Feet
The ground sloping away from you tends to makes the club too short. Bend more over the ball from the hips (not the knees). The shaft will be more upright and the club   will swing up and down which will promote a left to right ball flight. Aim further left and a higher softer landing shot. Make an effort to maintain your posture as much possible.

A lot of golfers forget which way the ball curves on the final two shot so just remember it will curve in the direction of the slope.

In golf the quickest way to lower your score is to sharpen up your short game. There are three trajectories to get the golf ball onto the green; low, medium and high. When I am coaching my students I try to match their skill level to the flight, so the higher the handicap the lower the trajectory we start with.

We would start with a 7 iron and with the ball in the middle of the stance, weight a little forward and the shaft leaning just in front of the ball. Make a small backswing the pivot around with your body trying keep your hands quiet. Depending on the length of your swing, the ball should pop up then bounce and run. Master this, then move on to the medium flight.

To add more height, simply add more loft. Firstly make the same golf swing but try using your wedge.  Then nudge the ball a little forward and when you start your backswing, the wrists begin to hinge as you pivot. I also like to encourage the face of the club to open by letting the left forearm rotate slightly. The downswing should be a pivot. Your body has to move to maintain the correct forward lean of the shaft so pivot on your left leg as your chest turns. Let the club slide under the ball using the clubs loft to get the ball up. The secret to a good short game is to keep your hands stable and the club low through impact.  The wedge should give you medium flight and a little roll.

The high shot or lob is a higher risk and also higher skill shot. Try using more loft up to 64deg, set the face a little open make a bigger swing the longer and languid the swing the higher it will go, if you make good contact.