David Leadbetter
Equipment tips to help improve your golf game
(NAPSI)-While talent and skill play important roles, the success of a player’s golf game relies greatly on having the right equipment. If you’re looking to improve your golf game, here are a few pointers from world-renowned golf instructor David Leadbetter:
- Use Clubs That Fit. Clubs that are too heavy will be difficult to control. A club that’s too long or too short will throw off a golfer’s stance and swing. If the club is too long, the toe of the club will have a tendency to point further up, causing the ball to hook. Too short and the toe will point toward the ground. The best way to judge length is by holding at least three different lengths of clubs and checking to make sure a natural swing contacts the clubhead at the sweet spot.
- Get a Custom Fit. Custom club fitting can greatly improve performance. Clubs that are fitted to one’s body type and ability help promote great posture, straighter and longer drives and more accuracy with your irons. Visit www.PlayGolfAmerica.com and insert your zip code to find a PGA professional near you, to help ensure that the equipment you plan to purchase is the right fit for your game.
- Regrip Your Clubs. Fresh grips are proven to shave three to four strokes off a single round, so changing your grips annually will keep you playing your best. Worn grips can cost a golfer strokes in two ways. First is slipping and second is by creating tension. If a worn grip turns in your hand even one-sixteenth of an inch, a 200-yard shot will miss its target by 20 yards. A worn grip also causes a golfer to squeeze the club tighter, resulting in arm and wrist tension that can inhibit proper swing mechanics, leading to loss of distance and control. Log on to www.golfpride.com to find a grip that’s right for you.
- Go Hybrid-Clubs. The forgiveness of a hybrid club is awesome. Though the designs and lofts vary from make to make, they generally have a small, compact head, wide sole and low center of gravity. Most find these clubs easier to hit than either fairway woods or irons--even the mid to shorter irons. Their shorter lengths make them easier to make consistent solid contact, and these clubs yield higher trajectories.
Play the Right Ball. The surface of most golf balls consists of a pattern of 300-400 dimples, which are designed to improve the ball’s aerodynamics. Depending on method of construction and materials used, a golf ball’s characteristics can be greatly affected. If your game needs more distance, consider using a ball that reduces spin and carries farther. If you are looking for more feel around the greens, choose a softer ball that will generate more spin off the clubface.
David Leadbetter is considered the world’s No. 1 golf instructor. Coach to countless PGA Tour players, he is known throughout the world for his innovative and creative teaching techniques. Leadbetter is the author of seven books, has written and produced more than a dozen DVDs and is the designer of several golf-training aids.
