Learning how to hit long irons takes time, practice, and patience. Of all the clubs in the standard golf bag, the 1 through 4 are widely considered the most difficult to master. Here are some tips to help you learn how to hit long irons with confidence and precision.

The Key Elements:

While there are hundreds of tips concerning iron-play, four key elements must be a incorporated in each shot: good balance, smooth tempo, club head acceleration, and careful targeting. If any of these are lacking or absent, the shot will be less than successful.

The Key Goal:

When you are first learning how to hit long irons, your main goal is to strike the ball crisply and cleanly on the sweet spot of the club face. Here is how you can accomplish this goal.

1. Make sure you have a good solid stance when you taking your address. A slight flex in your knees will help steady you as you go through your swing.

2. It is imperative that you bring your club back smoothly and continue this smooth swing throughout, especially as you move from backswing to downswing. A smooth swing does two things for you: it helps keep your club face aligned correctly, and helps you accelerate the club, which is crucial for distance.

3. As you learn how to hit long irons, remember to unwind from your hips and feet  once you get to the top of your backswing. Do not let your hands take control of the swing, which is a common mistake. By uncoiling your lower body, you’ll get the power needed to move the ball down the range.

4. Anyone who has ever been taught a golf lesson has received the instructions to keep the head down. This is important with all shots, but especially when learning how to hit long irons. There is little room for error with these clubs, and you must keep your head still.

If your head moves too much or comes up, the club head will most likely bottom out before it strikes the ball, ruining your shot.

5. Your left arm needs to remain straight (for right handed golfers). When you bend your forward arm during the swing, you change the distance between the club head and the ball, and this has to be brought back to hit the ball cleanly. Keep that forward arm straight and you will not have to worry about making that adjustment.

6. Many golfers who are learning how to hit long irons believe they have to hit the ground first to scoop the ball off the fairway. In reality, this is the exact opposite of what you should do.

Of all the tips presented here, hitting the ball first, ground second is the most important. This means that you must hit the ball with a descending arc. Ignore the fact that these clubs have very little loft. Let the club do what it is designed to do, and do your part to make sure that happens.

7. The last tip is to make sure you complete the swing with your follow through. The club should follow a path right to the target as you finish up.

Use these tips when you are learning how to hit long irons and you will soon see dramatic improvements. You can also try betting golf with 888sport! It is fun and easy!

Learning how to properly hit fairway woods can give your game a big boost. While it’s true that these are some of the least used clubs in the bag, there are scenarios when you need them in the worst way—either to have a chance at an eagle or to save par from wayward drive. Mechanics and practice are the keys to learning how to hit fairway woods.

If you are just learning how to hit fairway woods, here are some helpful tips to get you started.

Tip 1: Do not confuse these clubs with your irons. While the distance is often comparable, the swing mechanics are not. When you play your long irons, you often want to take a big divot. That is not the case with these fairway woods.

Tip 2: Unless you are planning to play a fade or a draw, always line your feet up with the target, about shoulder-width apart. Play the ball a little forward, just about in line with your left foot (for right handed golfers). Keep your arms extended and your spine straight, allowing a little bit of knee flex.

Tip 3: If you are playing out of the rough, tap the club head behind the ball  (without touching the ball) to tamp down some of the grass between the head and the ball. This is legal as long as you do not make contact with the ball itself.

Tip 4: When learning how to hit fairway woods, remember to keep your forward arm as straight as possible during your swing. Turn your hips as you go through the backswing and downswing to generate power. Keep your head down and your eyes on the ball.

Tip 5: Resist the temptation to scoop the ball off the ground. Your job is to hit the ball cleanly, and the loft of the club will do the rest. Also, resist the common urge to hit the ball too hard. Many golfers, especially those just learning how to hit fairway woods, are inclined to smack the ball with maximum force, but this can be a big mistake.

The better option is to make a smooth, controlled movement that stays on the right swing path. This is the best way to get the ball up, off, and on target.

Tip 6: There are times when you may think the fairway wood is the right club to use, but stop and consider the situation before you grab one out of your bag.

If you are in the trees and a long way from the green, consider using an iron to get back into play, rather than trying to make the green. One of the keys to learning how to hit fairway woods is knowing when to use them. Using one of these specialty clubs when you should be using something else can cause more trouble than you might think.

Tip 7: The only way to understand these clubs is to take them to the practice range and put them into use. You need to know what distance you can get from each one, and become proficient in striking the ball cleanly. Practice is the only way to achieve this. And don’t forget to practice hitting out of sand traps whenever you have the opportunity.

One thing is certain: if you learn how to hit fairway woods properly, your game will improve and your scores will be lower. These clubs can be powerful tools when you need them.

Learning to fix a hook golf shot is not as complicated as you might think. The trick to overcoming this wacky shot is to first determine the cause. There are several reasons a ball may travel wildly to the left. Here are some tips for those who want to learn how to fix a hook once and for all.

1. This particular shot is caused by the ball spinning in a counter-clockwise direction as it takes flight. The faster the ball is spinning, the more severe the left curve will be.

This counter-clockwise spin is created when the ball is hit with a closed club face. For right-handed golfers, a closed face points to the left; for left-handed golfers, the face points to the right. The ideal position for the club face is square and neutral, pointing neither to the left nor to the right at impact.

2. Most experts agree that for those who want to know how to fix a hook, the best place to start is the grip. Here is an easy way to check your golf grip.

Take your driver and set up as you normally would. Now, look down at your hands. If you are right-handed, you should see at least two knuckles on your left hand. This is considered a neutral grip—not too weak and not too strong. If you see three or more knuckles, you are not gripping the club properly.

Now, here is the tricky part. Let your gaze travel down the shaft of the club and look at the face. Is it square? Chances are it is. But even if you think you are square and lined up, you may not be when you bring the club down toward impact with the ball. As the club moves toward the ball, your hands will assume a neutral grip, which means the club face has no choice but to close at impact.

Anyone who wants to learn how to fix a hook should start with a close inspection and honest assessment of his or her grip on the club. Many golfers will simply refuse to modify their grip or will not spend the necessary time to get used to the new grip, eventually falling back into their old habits.

3. If your grip is fine, the next step to learning how to fix a hook is to check your balance. Your weight should be on the balls of your feet, not on the heels. This will allow your hips to turn smoothly and stay balanced. Being off-balance at impact is another main reason players see the ball flying off to the left.

4. Your left arm (for right-handed golfers) must be straight as the club impacts the ball. Ask a friend to watch you hit a few balls and let you know if your arm is bending. Remember, anything that causes the club face to close will result in a hooked golf ball.

One of the above tips will most likely solve your problem. Go through them, one at a time, hitting several practice balls as you go. Make minor adjustments until you are able to hit the ball straight. This will take some time and effort on your part, but learning how to fix a hook is a process is essentially a process of elimination.

Have you been wondering how to break 80? Experienced, dedicated golfers often get to a point where this becomes the magic—and elusive—number. Ask 20 expert golfers how to break 80, and you will probably get 20 different answers. Below, we’ll explore just one of those solutions.

During a typical round of golf, a player will make a variety of shots, from driving to putting and everything in between. To learn how to break 80, you must master your tee shots. For the purposes of this article, tee shots are taken off the tee area with any club, from the driver to the pitching wedge.

One of the main reasons many golfers fail to reach this magic number is that they lose too many strokes off the tee.

Consider this: It only takes a few wayward tee shots to ruin your overall score. A hard slice into the deep woods only sets you up for a likely bogey at the end of that hole. If you want to learn to break 80, you have to become very proficient with all of your tee shots.

Another aspect of mastering your tee shots is achieving controlled distance. This is what sets you up for possible eagles on par 5 holes, and for birdies on all other holes, giving you the scores you need to play consistently in the mid- to high-70′s.

Here are a few tips for maximizing your tee shots:

Dedicate some quality time to practicing your tee shots. Experiment to discover exactly what works for you, keeping in mind that you may end up with a small arsenal of new tee shots.

Spend time using various tee heights. Start with the tee set high, then medium, and finally low. A low tee will help you get some added control.

Another tip for breaking 80 is to experiment with the various grip levels on the club. Lowering your hands on the shaft is a good way to gain some added control and allows for faster adjustments during the swing.

Begin a practice routine with all of your tee clubs, including those you would use on a short par-3. It is important that you are able to hit off the tee with any club that is suitable for the distance ahead of you, including your pitching wedge.

Many golfers who are learning how to break 80 will move up to the bigger 460 cc drivers. This is fine, but keep in mind that mastering these heavier clubs requires time on the practice range.

Remember, the key here is not just added distance off the tee, but also consistent control. When trying to learn how to break 80, a long hit off the tee means nothing if the ball ends up in a trouble spot that costs you strokes. It is better to sacrifice distance than control.

Give yourself plenty of time to learn these new methods of hitting off the tee. It won’t happen overnight, but with patience and diligence, you will begin to bring your score down, round by round. Before too long, you won’t need to know how to break 80, because you’ll be doing it!

Hitting the ball fat is not as common as the slice, but it can be just as frustrating. As with all golf swing mechanics, once you know what you are doing wrong, you can begin working on correcting it.

When trying to correct this problem, it  is nearly impossible to see what you are doing wrong without someone else’s help. If possible, get a golfing buddy to watch your swing, and ask him or her to be on the lookout for the items discussed below.

If you find yourself hitting the ball fat, you are most likely dropping your rear shoulder. This is the one that is farthest away from the target: right shoulder for right-handed golfers, left shoulder for left-handed golfers.

When your rear shoulder drops, the club hits the ground before it should, resulting in a messy shot. More often than not, hitting the ball fat happens when a player tries to swing too hard, causing the downswing to start with a lot of hip motion.

As an example, try this simple exercise. Take a club and assume your normal address. Bring the club up to the very top of your backswing and stop. With the club at the top, slide your hips toward the target area, horizontally, and notice what happens to your rear shoulder. It naturally dips down too!

If your friend is around, do this exercise again, slowly, and ask him or her to watch your hips and shoulder and see if your shoulder drops. If so, you’ve likely found the cause of the problem.

To correct this issue, you have to learn how to use your lower body properly during the swing. Your hips need to twist, but don’t allow them to slide. A simple way to make this happen is to concentrate on starting the downswing with your arms, and your hips will naturally follow.

Another good technique is to concentrate on keeping your forward shoulder down. If you do this over several practice shots, your body will get the message and your shots will improve.

Remember to keep your forward arm straight as you go into your backswing. When you get to the top, think “down” for your forward shoulder, and then move into your downswing. Your hips will uncoil, but do not allow them to slide laterally.

The tips presented here are easy enough to apply, but they require some time spent practicing and experimenting. The best place to do this is at the practice range, which is also a good place to pick up a helper to watch your swing.

As you work on this fix, remember to go through all of your clubs, not just the driver. Hitting the ball fat can occur with any club, and you need to practice with each one to truly master a solid, crisp ball strike. Many players prefer to start with the short irons and work their way up when learning a new skill set.

Players of all skill levels are interested in golf tips for better driving. Hitting off the tee is one of the most important aspects of the game, and is also one of the most difficult. For many golfers, the tee area is a fifty-fifty area at best. Half of their shots may be fine, but the other half may suffer. We’ve compiled some useful golf tips for better driving that can help everyone, from novices to pros.

While there are thousands of available articles on this subject, not all of them present the same volume or quality of information. Of the many golf tips for better driving, one of the most important is also the most overlooked. Here it is:

Keep the ball in play. Many golfers are focused on hitting the ball as far as possible, but even the most impressive distance means little if it does not stay in play. If the ball hooks or slices into the woods and you lose strokes, what good was that long drive? Whenever possible, choose accuracy over distance.

When you take your address on the tee, focus on proper posture.  Although correct posture is different for everyone, there are some common factors to use as a starting point.

Keep your feet shoulder width apart, and play the ball off your left heel. Your head should be positioned behind the ball from start to finish.

Some golfers stand too straight or slump over too much as they address the ball. Ideally, you should have some flex in your knees. Think of a shortstop in baseball and try to assume a similar position.

Another essential golf tip for better driving that you should keep in mind, especially if you are new to the game, is that trying to hit the ball harder often results in a poor drive. To get more distance off the tee, you do not have to rip into the ball. Instead, maximize the speed in which the club head descends into the ball. In other words, faster club head speed equals longer distance.

When it comes to golf tips for better driving, we can’t leave out the bigger, 460 cc clubs. The extra weight of these clubs imparts more energy to the ball upon contact. While these clubs are very popular among today’s players, it requires considerable practice to master them. Many golfers are surprised to find that they cannot simply lay down the old-fashioned driver and pick up one of these new ones with the same level of skill.

With these 460 cc clubs, you’ll have to tee the ball up higher. Depending on the particular club you’re using, it could be considerably higher. In fact, you will need to buy some new, taller tees to get the ball high enough off the ground.

On our list of golf tips for better driving, the last one is simply to practice. There really is no other way to improve your golf shots without consistent, steady effort, and this goes for your tee shots as well. Even if you have limited time to spend on the range, try dedicating just 30 minutes a week; during that time, work with just one or perhaps two clubs and your driver.

You can find hundreds of golf tips for better driving online. If one thing is for certain about this game, it’s that the more you know, the better you will play.

Golf driver tips are some of the most popular resources for golfers, and can be found both online and offline. This particular club can be very difficult to master, and its size and length can be intimidating for many players. Golf driver tips are aplenty, and here you’ll find some of the most effective.

Solid, reliable hitting off the tee is a key element to lowering your score. Anyone who has ever shagged a ball that hooked or sliced can attest to this. A few bad shots off the tee can ruin your score for the entire day.

On that same token, players who review golf driver tips and apply them to their game often see lower scores.

When you shoot well off the tee combining both distance and accuracy, your ball will naturally end up closer to the green. This allows you to take advantage of possible eagles and birdies. Adding a few of those to your card will lower your score significantly.

While there are many golf driver tips, one of the most important is to relax. Players who try to rip the ball down the fairway often end up with a hook or a slice. A good golf swing is relaxed, allowing the club head to do its work. If you try to muscle your way through a tee shot, you’ll most likely open or close the club face and wind up looking for your ball out in the woods somewhere.

Another effective golf driver tip is to leave the past behind you. If you had a poor showing on the last hole, do not take that baggage with you to the next tee. Anger, frustration, and hurry-up play inevitably lead to a bad tee shot. Before your next hole, take a moment to calm down, breathe, and go through your pre-shot routine.

For those using the 460 cc clubs off the tee, here are some words of advice. When it comes to golf driver tips for these bigger clubs, practice is the key element to success.

These bigger clubs can be difficult to square up at first. The heavier and larger head requires you to spend more time on the range learning the idiosyncrasies of the club before marching out onto the course. It takes practice to find the sweet spot with these big clubs

You will also need to learn the proper height for teeing up the ball. With these oversized clubs, the ball will need to be lifted much higher off the ground than with a traditional club. The best place to learn that is on the range, not on the first tee.

Finally, and this applies to all clubs, resist the urge to strangle the club when you take it into your hands. Holding the shaft too tightly leads to a slice for many players.

Put these golf driver tips to work for you and soon you will see better distance and accuracy with your tee shots. Remember: the only way to learn new skills is to get out there and practice.

Are you looking for some golf distance tips that really work? We’ve compiled some highly effective techniques to boost your yardage. As with all golf distance tips, it’s essential that you get out there and practice them.

One of the best golf distance tips is to never sacrifice accuracy for length. Hitting your ball a long way down the fairway means nothing if the shot is wild or ends up in the water hazard. For most recreational players, accuracy should trump distance.

To gain some added yards, try angling your left foot (if you are right-handed). The hips are your primary source of power—although your hands hold the club and your arms swing it, your hips generate the energy you need for long shots.

When you angle your left foot just a few degrees toward the outside, your hips have a better chance of completing their full turn. The boost in power will result in an increase in yardage.

Another of the more effective golf distance tips is to watch your posture as you take your stance. In order for your hips to generate as much energy as possible, you must flex your knees at address. This enables your weight to shift smoothly from the right to the left side as you hit the ball.

Up until now, your hands have played only a minor role in the golf swing. Now, as your hips move through the strike zone and the club head approaches the ball, you need to release with the right hand. Just as the club makes contact with the ball, your right hand should snap forward. This is one of the best golf distance tips, and also one of the most challenging. But once you do master this technique, you can gain a good ten to twenty yards. This works with tee shots as well as fairway shots.

When trying to get extra yards, many people make the mistake of hitting the ball with the arms, attempting to muscle their way through the swing.

The trick to adding yards to your shots lies in club head speed. It may be true that players with more muscular strength have a slight advantage, but when a player tries to use his or her arms as the source of power, they often fail. Nine times out of ten, they end up allowing the club face to close or open, resulting in a hook or a slice and decreasing their distance. Avoid the urge to rip the ball.

You’ll also want to add the draw shot to your arsenal. A draw is when the ball leaves the tee heading right and curves back to the left. This shot normally has a low trajectory and will roll a considerable distance once it lands on fairway. Many professionals consider  the draw to be their favorite shot.

To sum up our golf distance tips, remember the importance of  practicing. To improve your yardage and your overall game, you simply have to get out to the range and put these techniques into use. There is no substitute for hands-on training when it comes to perfecting your swing.

Got a problem with your swing? Here are some ideas on how to fix golf slice problems once and for all.

Fix Golf Slice: Tip 1

While there are many possible causes of slicing the ball, one of the most common is improper set up. When you address the ball, make sure your body is aligned properly to the target line. Your left shoulder should be aimed directly at the target. If it is even slightly out of line, the ball will most likely end up slicing hard.

Fix Golf Slice: Tip 2

Before you swing any club, take a moment to look at your grip. If you cannot see two or three knuckles on your left hand—or if you cannot see any knuckles at all—your grip is not correct. Readjust your hands and see if that resolves the problem.

Also, make sure you are not holding the club too tightly, as this can restrict your ability to release upon impact. Holding the club too lightly, on the other hand, can cause the club head to wiggle as it connects, causing the ball to fly off course.

Fix Golf Slice: Tip 3

One of the most common reasons players hit to the far right is that they do not get a full hip turn as they come through the strike zone. In order for a ball to fly straight, the club face must strike it squarely. This is nearly impossible if the hips are not turning fully through impact. By training yourself to finish high, which causes the hips to turn completely, you will alleviate this problem.

Fix Golf Slice: Tip 4

Another key tip is to concentrate on slowing down your motions. All too often, a player may try to speed up the swing, hoping this will achieve more distance. Instead, the hands get well ahead of everything else, causing the club face to open at impact. It is the opened club face that causes the ball to veer to the right.

Fix Golf Slice: Tip 5

You’ve probably heard this a million times, but it is worth repeating. Keep your head down until you have completed the swing. Many players have the bad habit of lifting the head right at the point of ball impact, usually resulting in very poor shot quality.

Most players lift their head out of simple curiosity—they want to see their ball. Some players may not even realize they’re doing it. If you constantly hit the ball to the right and cannot find the cause, have someone watch your head as you take a few shots.

Another reason for lifting the head is that the right shoulder comes through at impact, coming into contact with the chin and causing an automatic response to lift the head out of the way. To prevent this, keep that right shoulder where it belongs.

I hope these golf slice tips have been of use to you. To achieve positive results, it’s essential that you get to the driving range and put them into action. Take your time and work through the problem, making minor adjustments as needed, and soon enough your ball will fly high and straight.

Although it’s easy to find golf tips for beginners on the Internet, many articles and books skip over a few  areas that are important for new golfers. Here a few of the lesser-known golf tips for beginners.

First and foremost, it’s essential that you select the right clubs. Children and juniors need clubs that are sized properly for their height. Many young players try to learn with their parents’ clubs, but this is not the best way to master the skills younger players need, and may even lead to bad swing habits.

Another overlooked golf tip for beginners is to learn and observe the basic rules and etiquette on the course. For example, many new players do not know how to enter and leave a sand trap. They may not know why the rake is sitting there, or that if they ground their club they are violating a rule. This is where more experienced golfers can help. As you play a round with a new player, explain what you can about the rules and traditional course etiquette.

Many new players will try to teach themselves the fundamentals of the swing. This can be a long, frustrating process. One of the best golf tips for beginners is to take a lesson or two from someone who knows the mechanics of a good swing. The course pro can help the player get set up properly, explain the swing process, and critique the swing on the spot.

Of particular importance to new players is the takeaway. Many new players will whip the club back with their hands. The proper takeaway for any golf shot is crucial to the rest of the swing. New players should understand that they do not have to bring the club back fast to make a good shot.

Body rotation is another problem area for many new players. The proper way to bring the club back is to allow the shoulders to turn while maintaining a square club face, followed by the hips. At the top of the backswing, the hips begin the process of the downswing, not the hands.

Another of the lesser-mentioned golf tips for beginners involves the importance of proper follow through. Some shots require a full follow-through, and others do not. Learning which type is best for each shot should be a top consideration for anyone learning this game.

A fairly common novice mistake is to try to stop short on the follow-through. This awkward motion can affect the overall performance of the shot. Most players do this because they want to lift their head to watch the ball. Avoid that urge and continue your follow-through until it is complete.

Above all, the most important golf tips for beginners is to practice. This is a game that demands hands-on training, not just with the driver but will all of the clubs, including the putter. You will never master the golf swing unless you invest the time and energy to learn each club and understand how it reacts to your swing.