by mas wee
Play Better Golf and Lower Your Handicap
Want to play better golf? Here are 5 very easy tips you can do now to play better golf -
1. Although training aids can be tremendously helpful in working out the kinks in your game, the importance of good equipment can?t be underestimated. A good set of golf clubs will help you play your best, but if you can?t afford a new set, you can always opt for brand name pre-owned golf clubs. Used golf clubs often come with a certification and warranty, so you can be assured of their quality.
2. Eat right for fat loss and mental energy. You won?t get tired on the course. For energy try snacking on healthy foods at various points in the day - heck even Tiger Woods snack (but not on junk food).
3. Practice long putts - This is one of the best drills to improve your putting touch, putt balls to the edge of the putting green. Get about 5 balls and start about 30 feet away from the fringe and try to putt the balls as close to the fringe as possible. During this drill don?t worry about direction, only speed. Keep doing this and vary the distance from the fringe.
4. Your Stance - The important point to remember with the stance is to keep your weight balanced and your feet position getting wider up to shoulder width as the club you are using gets longer. So for the driver you will want the most stability thus a wider stance with your legs shoulder width apart is ideal. Also the ball position should start at the center of your stance for a wedge and move up to the heel of your left foot for the driver.
5. Warm up and gently stretch your muscles before starting a round, and it is equally important to cool down properly after your game. Just a few stretches after a round of golf can help reduce the risk of any injuries, particularly to the back and hamstrings. Walking can tighten your hamstrings and that makes them more susceptible to tearing and injury. A good golf swing also requires a lot of back movement and if you haven?t warmed up properly before your first swing, you could do some severe damage.
The tips above are simple but are often overlooked - because there are so simple. If you keep it simple - your game will be much more effectie and consistent. At the end of the day, consistent practice is the key.
If You Had The Chance - Right Now, Today - Would You Trade In One Medium Cheese Pizza For 60 Videos on The (http://www.squidoo.com/howtoimprove-yourgolfswing) Proper Way to Swing a Golf Club Instructions and Get Much Needed (http://www.squidoo.com/howtoimprove-yourgolfswing) Golf Swing Help To Lower Your Handicap By The Next Round?
Article Source: Play Better Golf and Lower Your Handicap
Friday, July 25, 2008
PasturePool iPhone Software Update - 7/25/08
Just a quick update that we’ve successfully submitted and uploaded the PasturePool Software App to the iTunes Store, and the status message of “In Review” indicates that Apple is conducting their final testing procedures. We have not received an approve date — so it could get approved at any time. Stay tuned....
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Charting Bug Fixed - 7/20/08
We recently fixed a sorting issue with our charts. Prior to the fix, the chart sort order did not take into account users who have scored rounds across multiple years so the order appeared random. This issue is now resolved and displays the order properly.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
The 4 Stages of Learning a New Skill - 7/13/08
By Joey Bushnell
Its true what they say, practice really does make perfect. Here's why....
When we initially learn, we input the fresh information into our brain via the conscious mind. We must be consciously aware of the new information in order to understand it and try and make sense of it.
But to get really good at something, you need to bypass conscious thought and be able to perform well an action, without really thinking about it. Introducing the subconscious mind!
Consider driving on approach to a roundabout at speed, without the subconscious mind it would be a very difficult task. You would have to consciously think about applying pressure on the brake pedal with your right foot, putting the clutch down with the left foot, changing gear with your left hand whilst steering with your right, turn your head right to look for oncoming traffic, look with your eyes, listen to the radio in the background and talk to the person in the passenger seat, the whole time constantly breathe and maintain a heartbeat, all in a matter of seconds. If you had to consciously think about all those things at once i'm sure it would end it up in a crash. Yet we do this with relative ease?
This wonderful mechanism, the subconscious mind can multi-task and execute better judgement than when conscious thought is involved. When a footballer scores a wonder goal during a match, in the post match interview, the interviewer may ask 'So what went through your mind when you stuck that ball?' and the footballers response is ' I don't know really, I just struck it sweetly and it ended up in the back of the net!'. The best results are achieved when little conscious effort is made and instinct takes over. It is this automatic function which enables us to attain expert ability. So how do we become great at something we are poor at now, but wish to be better? This transformation is broken down into four stages....
1. Unconscious incompetence - This is when we are still unaware of what we aren't good at yet.
2. Conscious incompetence - At this stage we are aware of what would like to be good at, but still know that we aren't any good at it yet. In comparison with others we feel like we are rubbish at this particular activity.
3. Conscious competence - Now we have reached the level where we are good at the skill, but still have to think consciously about the actions involved to perform at a high standard. If a conscious lapse is made or in other words loss of concentration, mistakes can still be made.
4. Unconscious competence - Your there! It has become so easy and natural. Coordination is smooth and controlled and it all takes place with minimal conscious involvement. Congratulations you have a new talent.
So if these are the four stages, how do you rise from one level to the next? Easy. Practice.
Maybe you were hoping for some spectacular answer, but this is the only real answer there is.
It is both encouraging and disheartening at the same time. Disheartening because it means time and effort will be necessary, comfort zones will have to be stepped out of. Encouraging because anybody who is willing to pay the price, are guaranteed to succeed in the end. You see, the subconscious is a creature of habit. It feeds upon repetition. Your conscious mind acts as a gate keeper, whatever is frequently entering the conscious mind will be embraced by the subconscious mind. Both good and bad habits are formed this way. It is your job to keep vigilant watch that your conscious thoughts are constructive, that they are the only kind you would wish to allow entry into the realm of the subconscious, and in turn, reflected in your outer world and circumstances. If you want to become competent in something all you need do is learn how to do it right, and then repeat that over and over.
Get going! On my wish list is to learn the guitar and piano, several new languages, to speed read, become a better driver and typist, and better at the sports I enjoy. Maybe even one day i'll be able to dance without looking like my Dad at a wedding. I had best get practicing.
All the best, start writing your own wish list today, and follow through until you have many new skills.
Joey Bushnell
Joey Bushnell - http://knowers-ark.com/stagesoflearning.aspx
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joey_Bushnell
Its true what they say, practice really does make perfect. Here's why....
When we initially learn, we input the fresh information into our brain via the conscious mind. We must be consciously aware of the new information in order to understand it and try and make sense of it.
But to get really good at something, you need to bypass conscious thought and be able to perform well an action, without really thinking about it. Introducing the subconscious mind!
Consider driving on approach to a roundabout at speed, without the subconscious mind it would be a very difficult task. You would have to consciously think about applying pressure on the brake pedal with your right foot, putting the clutch down with the left foot, changing gear with your left hand whilst steering with your right, turn your head right to look for oncoming traffic, look with your eyes, listen to the radio in the background and talk to the person in the passenger seat, the whole time constantly breathe and maintain a heartbeat, all in a matter of seconds. If you had to consciously think about all those things at once i'm sure it would end it up in a crash. Yet we do this with relative ease?
This wonderful mechanism, the subconscious mind can multi-task and execute better judgement than when conscious thought is involved. When a footballer scores a wonder goal during a match, in the post match interview, the interviewer may ask 'So what went through your mind when you stuck that ball?' and the footballers response is ' I don't know really, I just struck it sweetly and it ended up in the back of the net!'. The best results are achieved when little conscious effort is made and instinct takes over. It is this automatic function which enables us to attain expert ability. So how do we become great at something we are poor at now, but wish to be better? This transformation is broken down into four stages....
1. Unconscious incompetence - This is when we are still unaware of what we aren't good at yet.
2. Conscious incompetence - At this stage we are aware of what would like to be good at, but still know that we aren't any good at it yet. In comparison with others we feel like we are rubbish at this particular activity.
3. Conscious competence - Now we have reached the level where we are good at the skill, but still have to think consciously about the actions involved to perform at a high standard. If a conscious lapse is made or in other words loss of concentration, mistakes can still be made.
4. Unconscious competence - Your there! It has become so easy and natural. Coordination is smooth and controlled and it all takes place with minimal conscious involvement. Congratulations you have a new talent.
So if these are the four stages, how do you rise from one level to the next? Easy. Practice.
Maybe you were hoping for some spectacular answer, but this is the only real answer there is.
It is both encouraging and disheartening at the same time. Disheartening because it means time and effort will be necessary, comfort zones will have to be stepped out of. Encouraging because anybody who is willing to pay the price, are guaranteed to succeed in the end. You see, the subconscious is a creature of habit. It feeds upon repetition. Your conscious mind acts as a gate keeper, whatever is frequently entering the conscious mind will be embraced by the subconscious mind. Both good and bad habits are formed this way. It is your job to keep vigilant watch that your conscious thoughts are constructive, that they are the only kind you would wish to allow entry into the realm of the subconscious, and in turn, reflected in your outer world and circumstances. If you want to become competent in something all you need do is learn how to do it right, and then repeat that over and over.
Get going! On my wish list is to learn the guitar and piano, several new languages, to speed read, become a better driver and typist, and better at the sports I enjoy. Maybe even one day i'll be able to dance without looking like my Dad at a wedding. I had best get practicing.
All the best, start writing your own wish list today, and follow through until you have many new skills.
Joey Bushnell
Joey Bushnell - http://knowers-ark.com/stagesoflearning.aspx
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joey_Bushnell
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Starting Golfing Fitness - 07/03/08
By K Lavinder
The basic groups of activities that a club golfer should be doing in order to get fit for golf better can be grouped into five categories:
- stretching for flexibility
- rotational training
- lower back strengthening
- leg strengthening
- hip strengthening
- shoulder strengthening
- stamina building
If you can't do anything else, for golfing fitness you need to work on the last one first. Golfers who have less overall stamina (aerobic fitness) will eventually compensate with adjustments to muscle operation or stance position, and the result will be a swing that reflects those changes. In addition to improving lots of other aspects of the golfer's life, stamina also makes the individual burn more calories, be more alert and have better mental acuity. That's quite a load of rewards for something that needs to be done just for a game of golf.
Before the reader starts getting images of aerobics classes, dancing and jumping around, uptempo music playing and a group of smiling 100 pound sprites gleefully romping while smiling broadly - stop! Building overall stamina can be an easy, painless and enjoyable time, as easy as taking a walk! To work this plan, you don't have to any more fit than the guys who ride the carts around the course and then cruise up after the round to the clubhouse for two or three cold ones! Golfing fitness builds up slowly, and can be done concurrently with the regular golfing outing.
Here's the plan:
WEEK ONE: On three separate days, give yourself a fifteen-minute period uninterrupted by anything else. Stroll for seven minutes. Then retrace your route to your starting point. The key here is to take this at an extremely light pace, just to get you used to the idea of giving yourself the time to make your golf game more enjoyable. While you will be walking and getting some blood circulation to your lungs and legs, it is far more important at this stage to get acclimated to the idea of scheduling time that belongs to you and your golf game. Remember, this is not an aerobic exercise now - it is a habit you are trying to develop.
WEEK TWO: This week, you are going to take your three days again, but this time you are going to be scheduling a twenty-minute period: ten minutes out and ten minutes back. This week, try to walk at least one time in a different route or a different location, so you don't get bored with what could end up seeming like repetition. Remember, you are still trying to get used to the idea of giving yourself some personal time to improve your game!
WEEK THREE: By now, you have spent two weeks doing your walks, and are wondering what all this has to do with making your golf game better. Why can't we get to this faster? I want to have it be better NOW! Well, too many times the average person starts to work on their fitness and jumps headlong into a "program" that works them really hard but does not make their mind start thinking "fitness" as an important part of the daily/weekly routine. We have tried to get you in the proper mental state to accept your fitness program as a part of your regular life, not as a big chore that you must "face" and defeat. Actually, by now you may already be appreciative of your "walk time" as a way of getting some air or removing some stressors from your daily life, and start to look forward to the relaxing feeling that comes from a regular "stroll" a few times a week.
This week, schedule 25 minutes: 12 minutes out and thirteen minutes back. Not much? It's a 25% increase! You're getting better! Don't forget to vary your walk to different routes. Think this isn't much? For most adults, you will have walked more than four holes by the end of your stroll! And your legs, lungs and back are getting good blood flow, which will certainly help keep up your game!
WEEK FOUR: Thirty minutes is your goal. (Those who are really starting to enjoy this may want to go forty, but don't force yourself into the place where this is a chore!) Walk out for fifteen minutes and return in fifteen. By now, you are probably picking up your walking pace without thinking about it, while still keeping the attitude of "just taking a stroll." This attitude is what makes those who make fitness a part of their regular life plan enjoy getting and staying in shape.(And in case you haven't started doing this yet, have your partner drive the cart and tote the clubs onboard while you walk an entire hole! You won't be lugging a heavy bag, and you may appreciate the time to take in the sights on the course! Next week - walk two holes!)
So there's your first step in getting fit for golf! It can be started anywhere, anytime. You can do it early, late or in the middle of the day. It's not the ultimate answer for complete golf fitness, but it is a way to get a good start. And, like any type of improvement program, failure to start and continue working at it is the sure way not to get better! And this hasn't cost you any money for a membership or equipment!
Want to move from being a hacker to a swinger?
Want to play stronger golf by just improving your golf fitness?
Visit Fitnez for Golf Blog
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=K_Lavinder
The basic groups of activities that a club golfer should be doing in order to get fit for golf better can be grouped into five categories:
- stretching for flexibility
- rotational training
- lower back strengthening
- leg strengthening
- hip strengthening
- shoulder strengthening
- stamina building
If you can't do anything else, for golfing fitness you need to work on the last one first. Golfers who have less overall stamina (aerobic fitness) will eventually compensate with adjustments to muscle operation or stance position, and the result will be a swing that reflects those changes. In addition to improving lots of other aspects of the golfer's life, stamina also makes the individual burn more calories, be more alert and have better mental acuity. That's quite a load of rewards for something that needs to be done just for a game of golf.
Before the reader starts getting images of aerobics classes, dancing and jumping around, uptempo music playing and a group of smiling 100 pound sprites gleefully romping while smiling broadly - stop! Building overall stamina can be an easy, painless and enjoyable time, as easy as taking a walk! To work this plan, you don't have to any more fit than the guys who ride the carts around the course and then cruise up after the round to the clubhouse for two or three cold ones! Golfing fitness builds up slowly, and can be done concurrently with the regular golfing outing.
Here's the plan:
WEEK ONE: On three separate days, give yourself a fifteen-minute period uninterrupted by anything else. Stroll for seven minutes. Then retrace your route to your starting point. The key here is to take this at an extremely light pace, just to get you used to the idea of giving yourself the time to make your golf game more enjoyable. While you will be walking and getting some blood circulation to your lungs and legs, it is far more important at this stage to get acclimated to the idea of scheduling time that belongs to you and your golf game. Remember, this is not an aerobic exercise now - it is a habit you are trying to develop.
WEEK TWO: This week, you are going to take your three days again, but this time you are going to be scheduling a twenty-minute period: ten minutes out and ten minutes back. This week, try to walk at least one time in a different route or a different location, so you don't get bored with what could end up seeming like repetition. Remember, you are still trying to get used to the idea of giving yourself some personal time to improve your game!
WEEK THREE: By now, you have spent two weeks doing your walks, and are wondering what all this has to do with making your golf game better. Why can't we get to this faster? I want to have it be better NOW! Well, too many times the average person starts to work on their fitness and jumps headlong into a "program" that works them really hard but does not make their mind start thinking "fitness" as an important part of the daily/weekly routine. We have tried to get you in the proper mental state to accept your fitness program as a part of your regular life, not as a big chore that you must "face" and defeat. Actually, by now you may already be appreciative of your "walk time" as a way of getting some air or removing some stressors from your daily life, and start to look forward to the relaxing feeling that comes from a regular "stroll" a few times a week.
This week, schedule 25 minutes: 12 minutes out and thirteen minutes back. Not much? It's a 25% increase! You're getting better! Don't forget to vary your walk to different routes. Think this isn't much? For most adults, you will have walked more than four holes by the end of your stroll! And your legs, lungs and back are getting good blood flow, which will certainly help keep up your game!
WEEK FOUR: Thirty minutes is your goal. (Those who are really starting to enjoy this may want to go forty, but don't force yourself into the place where this is a chore!) Walk out for fifteen minutes and return in fifteen. By now, you are probably picking up your walking pace without thinking about it, while still keeping the attitude of "just taking a stroll." This attitude is what makes those who make fitness a part of their regular life plan enjoy getting and staying in shape.(And in case you haven't started doing this yet, have your partner drive the cart and tote the clubs onboard while you walk an entire hole! You won't be lugging a heavy bag, and you may appreciate the time to take in the sights on the course! Next week - walk two holes!)
So there's your first step in getting fit for golf! It can be started anywhere, anytime. You can do it early, late or in the middle of the day. It's not the ultimate answer for complete golf fitness, but it is a way to get a good start. And, like any type of improvement program, failure to start and continue working at it is the sure way not to get better! And this hasn't cost you any money for a membership or equipment!
Want to move from being a hacker to a swinger?
Want to play stronger golf by just improving your golf fitness?
Visit Fitnez for Golf Blog
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=K_Lavinder
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