Check out this slide-show of the top 5 golf courses…

FindTheBest has numerous other valuable rankings in sports, from best ski resorts and best alpine skis, to best treadmills and even the best skydiving. They even have a feature on blogs!

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com. We thank Leslie Wright for sharing this information with us. Ladies on the Tee does not endorse nor is connected with this service. We are simply passing along information that we feel might be helpful to our golf followers.

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Are you planning to take golf as your profession? Then you must follow the games of greats like Tiger Woods, Jones or Hogan. Their brilliant golf swing skills fascinate all budding golfers. The perfect golf swing of those great players is a sum of natural talent, hard work, and golf lessons obtained from the most eminent swing coaches of the world. All these players have different golf swing techniques suiting their own style, but there are some basic elements that they all have to follow. Let us look into those common traits that every golfer should possess.

Perfection in Club-head Speed

When the experts discuss the about the methods of acquiring a perfect golf swing, you must get to hear the term ‘club-head speed’ over and over again. Different golfers have different ways of generating power. For instance a player like Tiger Woods gets it from his incredible physical strength and exceptional shoulder rotation. On the other hand some players get the entire strength from their hips. Any of these ways may suit you, but your game must include a flawless club-head speed. You will never be successful in generating enough power on your stroke without a perfect club-speed.

Balancing the Golf Swing

Balance is another significant feature of a perfect golf swing. Perfection and balance are almost synonymous in the game of golf. If you don’t have the right balance, you will never be successful in striking the golf-ball straight. Lack of balance will also stop you from covering large distances. The balanced players always get the opportunity of repeating their swing motion every time they strike the ball. This is not the case for the golfers with bad balance. They always have a certain level of irregularity in their game. If you want to improve your golf swing skills you must maintain your balance from the starting point till the end of the swing.

Developing a Perfect Follow Through

You will never manage to achieve perfection in your golf swing, if you don’t have a nice follow through. The great golfers manage to have identical follow through for every single swing they attempt and mostly have high finishes. However, there are exceptions also. You must have seen Tiger Woods cutting off the follow through while trying to hit the ball on low planes. PGA Championship Other than this, he is also known for his high finishes and steady follow through actions. Such actions help the golfers to generate spin and acquire a perfect golf swing.

The great players often make the game of golf look very easy, but the truth is a lot different. Most aspects related to golf are extremely challenging. A player aspiring to become a professional golfer requires constant practice. New Jersey tee times It is probably the only way of achieving a perfect golf swing. Accuracy is always tough to get, but an ideal golf lesson can help you in becoming consistently accurate. So, for learning the golf swing basics, you should start practicing under the supervision of a professional instructor without wasting any more of your precious time.

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.ladiesonthetee.com.  We hope you enjoy our postings.  If you have any topics you would like to see here, please click on Contact Us above.

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For the ultimate ‘mental toughness‘ you need to have a mental conditioning coach develop a drill that works for you specifically to condition you for your state management on the golf course. The ideal session necessary to develop results conditioning is 90 minutes. Mental conditioning, mental toughness, peak performance, physical performance, resilience to negative effects on the golf course is a life time investment in yourself as a person and as a golfer.

We all experience states we don’t like – denying they exist, don’t make them go away.
How do you change your state when you’re on the golf course? It requires keen awareness on your part. It’s not what happens to you – it is what you do with what happens to you that counts. States are also contagious, so watch out. How is your state affecting others, and how is their state affecting you? All great questions to have for a round-routine – solid answers to dial into your nervous system.

Your ability to focus on the golf course can be your heaven or hell when you competing. The prime rule in this reality is we must become in our lives what we choose to experience in the world. Have no doubt, reality changes in the present as a direct result of our focus.  The more we focus, the greater the change.

There is always a subtle yet powerful difference between working toward a result and thinking and feeling from it. In our minds we are always “on our way” to a accomplishment.
We also tend to experience what we identify with in our beliefs.  The quality of our beliefs and expectations has a direct and powerful effect on what happens to us on the golf course. My research has shown the more intense the “watching” – focus, the greater the watchers influence is on how the ball behaves. Your ability to focus, stay focused and stay in state is the mind-set of a champion. State management is a must for competitive, consistent and fun for a golfer while out playing on the course.
–
By Ida Centoni  – www.PerformanceMomentum.com

Our thanks to Ida Centoni, Mental Conditioning Coach for her invaluable insights to help each of us become better golfers…and people!  Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee, the Voice of Women’s Golf at www.sherrytabb.com.  We invite you to leave your comments below.

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How many of these do you receive in a golf season?  And how do you decipher which ones are the best?

With cash in hand, you could play in some outing somewhere at public or private clubs every day of the week.   It might be fun but it could also get expensive and disappointing if you don’t know what you’re about to receive.

Many of the higher end outings charge more than $1000 per foursome – try $5000 for chumming with the highest profile professional sports stars – but does that mean you will have a great time?   Not necessarily.  Some of these darlings are not that much fun to play with.  Check out the ‘Boys Behaving Badly’ chapter in former Charlie’s Angel and celebrity golfer Cheryl Ladd’s book, “Token Chick”.  We have all had similar nightmares.

Exactly how DO you read between the lines of a charity outing invitation so that you can make the most out of your ‘donation’?

First, check out the number of years the event has survived:  the 20^th Annual anything should have all of the kinks out and will operate pretty smoothly.  Events that have been around for over 5 years are usually run by a committee infused with new blood every year and innovative ideas will abound.  But don’t shy away from ‘Golf Classics’ that are First Annuals or in their 2^nd or 3^rd years – the committees always try harder to make the outings memorable.  There may be some glitches but often the folks running the tournament will bend over backwards to make sure you are happy and will return the following year.

Second, see who benefits from the outing.  Some jaded folks will wisecrack about a ‘disease of the week’ but it is no laughing matter for those who truly wish to eradicate cancer, heart disease, cerebral palsy, autism, multiple sclerosis, and arthritis or who have soft spots in their hearts for children with learning disabilities, autism, or those who are deprived in other ways.  I have served on all of these types of committees and can assure you that we who volunteer do so knowing there are no perks to speak of, and that most of the money collected does indeed go to the charity.  You can always ask for the expense reports from previous years.   And FYI, the committee members pay too.

Third, look at the location.  Better outings are held at private or upscale public courses.  Perhaps there is a private club you have always wanted to play but don’t know how to get invited?  For example, in September, the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) conducts its annual golf outing at Plum Hollow Country Club in Southfield, MI to fund programs that will enrich the lives of over 30,000 kids in metro Detroit.   Plum Hollow has a storied past and is a legendary, well conditioned, classic club.  Pro-Ams at major tournaments in Michigan are always first class.  The Buick Open, Ford Senior Players, Futures Tour, and the Detroit Newspapers PGA events were all at quality venues.  Of course you’ll pay more but you may find it worth the price to experience great courses in this manner.  And, if you look at what you’ll pay anyway at a regular public course for a no frills outing, you’d be hard pressed to find an entry fee under $65 or $75, for which you receive…not very much.   But that’s OK too if camaraderie with your friends and compadres is all you seek.

Fourth, search out the bennies.  One clue is easily seen in the invitation itself:  is it a flyer or is it printed on stationery or hard stock?  Is everything spelled correctly?  Fly by night outings or those that promote some obscure cause (like the host’s pocketbook) will not allocate too much moolah for glitzy invitations, prizes, or awards.  When multiple sponsors are listed on the invite, you can bet their wares will be there in the form of prizes or goodie bag gifts.  If an RSVP card asks for your shirt, jacket, or shoe size, or all of the aforementioned, it is a good sign you are in for some treats.  If you see a liquor sponsor, be prepared for on course or après-round spirits, gratis……..my fave is the Margarita stand…or is it the Hummers?

Fifth, does the invitation list the course games, prizes, and awards? If so, then you can assume the prizes will be top notch.  Do they mention separate prizes for men’s and women’s longest drive and closest to the pin?  Yes?  Well now, you have a committee that is on the ball and trying to be equitable.   Are there exciting extras like a ‘Putt for Cash’ or a ‘Million Dollar Hole in One Shootout’?  One charity event I played in had a putting contest: for every 8 foot putt holed out you received a ticket for a drawing at the awards dinner.  The prize?  A very visible and very large AFLACK Duck.   And to think he barely fit in the back seat of my car……..

Sixth, do the words ‘cash bar’ appear anywhere on the invitation?  If not, you can assume the cocktails are included with the price of admission.  However keep this in mind:  open bars demand a premium chunk of change from the Expense side of the ledger and less money will go to the charity.

Seventh, is the outing a breakfast/lunch deal or a lunch/cocktails/dinner ordeal?  Or is it something like the 50,000 watt mega-radio station WJR’s March of Dimes celebrity event at Indianwood Golf and Country Club in MI that offers breakfast, lunch on the course (more than once), cocktails, dinner, and dessert, with great prizes, gifts, and goodie bags?  Obviously, the early day will cost less than the later day affair, but who really wants to get up at 4am to beat the traffic for a 7:30 shotgun start?  You do? OK, you dew sweepers……count me out.  Did that more times than I care to count….in college.

Eighth, consider the purpose of your presence or participation at an outing.  Are you a sponsor, a donor, or are you hosting some business clients?  Do you hope to gain some business, new clients, or new friends from the experience?  If you are, you may want to check out an outing once before you invite folks the next time.  I once was at an event where the food ran out, the prizes had to be picked up at a later date, and expired gift certificates were given out.  This is not the kind of outing you want clients to remember you by.

Ninth, if you are invited as a guest to a golf outing, do not pay one whit of attention to numbers first through eighth.  Just go, have a good time, behave yourself, buy raffle tickets and auction items, and tip the bartenders and wait staff generously.   Don’t forget to thank your host profusely.

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com.  Special thanks to Janina Parrott-Jacobs for her article.  Find more of Janina’s work at http://janinajacobs.com.Your comments are always welcome.

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For some of you the golf season is already underway for this year.  For others, the temps are just starting to warm up.  Regardless the key issues are the same and they begin before ever heading out to golf course.  So let’s take some time to go over a short checklist of things that will help make the beginning of the season a bit easier and sustain your game throughout the season. That’s my story and I am sticking to it

1. Before you tee it up on the course, you should make sure you have been ‘tuning’ up your body off the course.  Does that mean you need to be a work-out fiend?  Not really but if that’s your thing, have at it.  Some simple stretching exercises to maintain flexibility, some good core work to keep those abs strong and some ‘road’ work to get the legs ready for the hills and dales of your favorite course are the basics to consider.  If you don’t belong to a club that’s no excuse as there are countless exercises and programs that fit right into what you have available at home.  Take a look at our Golf Fitness department here on Ladies on the Tee to get some suggestions.
2. Now onto your equipment…let’s start with the grips on your clubs.  Chances are you don’t clean them regularly after each round so a safe bet would be that they have lost their tackiness.  What does that mean?  Only that the club is more likely to slip in your hands during your swing OR it may require you to clamp down with the proverbial death grip to hang onto it.  That NEVER helps a golf swing.  Invest a few bucks in some new grips unless you are thinking about investing in a new set of clubs (a much more expensive option, don’t you know!)
3. The equipment check doesn’t stop there.  Let’s focus on your golf shoes, shall we?  If they are well worn chances are the support is shot.  Proper fitting shoes with good support helps prevent leg fatigue.  Believe it or not your legs are vital to your game.  Give them some help by taking care of your feet with some good shoes.
4. Now it’s time to work out the ‘bugs’ in your swing (or maybe your confidence).  I highly recommend spending some quality time with your favorite LPGA or PGA certified professional and book a lesson or two.  Sometimes it’s just a refresher course to get the cobwebs out and get back to basics.  Other times it might be something very specific you want or need to work on.  Nevertheless, to have some well-trained eyes providing feedback is priceless.
5. Heading to the range is always a good idea to get things working together and to get warmed up before your tee time.  If a range isn’t an option please consider doing some pre-round stretching to get your muscles loose and warmed up.  Pulling a muscle on the first swing of the day is never a pleasant experience.

So if you take care of your body, your clubs, your shoes and your warm-up routine, they will take care of you allowing you to get the full enjoyment out of the game and play much longer overall.

The temps are rising where I am, the sun is finally starting to shine and I am ready to get started.  What was point #1 again???  Oh yeah, tuning up the body…this may take some time……see you on the links!

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com .  Feel free to leave your comments below.

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How do you convince yourself that going to the driving range is a good thing when all you want to do is go out to the course and PLAY?? It’s the age-old battle of practicing versus playing your favorite sport.

It goes without saying that practicing is needed to hone your skills, develop muscle memory and instill a sense of confidence that should translate to the golf course when you go to play.  Of course, practicing for practice sake isn’t the end-all here.  What I mean is if you are just on the range to put in time but not plan the best use of that time you are simply wasting your time!

There are many methods offered up by golf gurus that are worth trying.  Making sure you hit every club in your bag at some point during your practice time can be beneficial.  If all you want to hit are 7-irons you could ‘master’ the 7-iron on the range but find you only need to use that club 3 or 4 times on the golf course.  What about the rest of the clubs?  Unless you plan on playing an entire round with just one club make sure you work on getting the feel and the average distance of each club in your bag.

Another technique suggests that you play an imaginary round while on the range.  To do this you take a score card from a course you normally play or one you plan to play.   You look at the yardage from hole to hole and the par score.  Pull out the club you would use on the tee box for the first hole, figure or guesstimate the distance it traveled and then choose your next club based on the yardage remaining.  Do this all the way to the green and ‘move’ to the next hole.  Putting practice will take place later in your practice session over at the putting green.  This gives you an ‘on-course’ experience at the range.

Of course, there are specialty practice sessions where you are only working on one aspect of your game.  For instance if you are struggling with a certain shot or with a specific club it does make sense to spend more time on that particular element.  Of course, it is always advisable to have a golf professional point out areas for you to work on and provide you with targeted drills designed to improve your performance.  Let’s face it!  As amateurs we typically have tons of things to work on.  Don’t overload

your brain or your body.  Make a plan and track your progress before adding more thoughts or drills to any one practice routine.

Something to avoid is standing in the same spot and hit ball after ball like a machine without taking a break and stepping away for a few moments. Repetitive motion over a prolonged period of time can do more damage than good.  The range is a good place to work on your pre-shot routine, your alignment and your balance.  Back-off, pick a target and line yourself up are ways to give you a break from continual swings and possible injury.

The common sight at most driving range is seeing golfer after golfer pounding ball after ball with their driver until they have exhausted their bucket of balls.  Occasionally they may switch off to a 3-wood or even pull out a hybrid but you rarely see them spend time with their irons or wedges.  Granted some driving ranges do have ‘set-aside areas’ designed to practice the short game complete with bunkers and rough-height grass along with a green.  But even on the driving range it is a good idea to include hitting short irons and wedge shots aimed at intermediate targets.   What’s that old saying “Drive for show and putt for dough”??  You’ll never get your scores lowered if you don’t work on your short game.

My one word of caution is to make sure you don’t become a driving range golfer.  That is someone who can hit great shots there but can’t seem to take it to the course.  The whole purpose of the range is to improve your confidence and help you to enjoy the game by reducing tension, frustration and mechanical swings.  Keep your expectations in check.  If you are not earning your living playing golf, cut yourself some slack.  After all, it’s just golf!!

There are many other approaches to making the most of your time on the range.  You just need to find out what works best for you.  If you are just beginning this is a great way to ‘get your groove on’ under guidance of your favorite golf professional.  No matter what your level of play is the bottom line is to enjoy the game and don’t overlook some of these techniques to make the game even more fun.

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com. Don’t forget to subscribe to our site in the upper right hand corner.  We’ll even give you a FREE gift just for becoming one of our regulars.  Until our next tee time………

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What to do when the warm sunny days of summer start to morph into the cool (sometimes cold) rainy days of fall and beyond? For die-hard golfers this is nothing more than a nuisance but for those of us that are more concerned about our physical comforts while on the course, this is a very serious issue.

Here are 5 things to do to take the sting out of the colder weather:

1. Pay attention to the weather forecast

…or better yet, walk outside the morning of your tee time and check things out as they really are. Is there frost on the ground? If so, plan for a delayed tee time. Course management will not let you play while there is frost on the ground to avoid damaging the turf, especially the greens. Check with your course to see if they are under a frost delay.

2. Be prepared!

Do the weather gurus predict a major temperature swing during the day? If so, dress in layers that are lightweight, loose-fitting and comfortable. You can’t swing well if you are encumbered by too much clothing. On the other hand, make sure you have enough warmth in your layering to keep you from freezing. It is very hard to swing when your body is stiff from the cold. Adding a pair of cold weather golf gloves to your bag is also a good idea. This gives a degree of warmth and gripping power for both hands while swinging. Storing a rain suit in your bag is also recommended. It’s one thing to be wet when it’s 90 degrees in the shade. When it’s in the 60’s or below, that rain might as well be snow if you don’t keep yourself dry.  You might consider changing to a ball with a softer feel to avoid feeling like you are hitting rocks all day long. Just a thought!

3. Warm-up and stretch…

before teeing off. This is true for all kinds of weather but an absolute must for those cooler days. Even with a frost delay you can still plan on arriving at your regular time and spend more time warming up and stretching. The worst thing to do is

to step up to the first tee box stiff and cold and swing away. Many a golfer has torn a muscle or at the bare minimum, strained a muscle due to an improper warm-up causing them to either quit before the round is over or play hampered by their injury. ‘No pain, no gain’ is not what we are going for here!! Give your body a break!! Ease into that first swing.

4. Keep a close eye on the flight of your ball.

In areas where the leaves start to fall as the temperatures drop, it is so easy to lose a golf ball in the piles of leaves on the course. It is amazing how a white golf ball can become virtually invisible when it is covered by or lying in the middle of hundreds of beautiful yellow, orange, red and brown leaves. Fall golf can become very costly if you don’t pay attention to where your ball comes to rest. By the way, be sure to look for some sort of ‘key’ identifier for the area where your ball stopped. All of a sudden the trees and piles of leaves you spotted from the point of your last swing all look the same as you travel towards them. Eagle Eye is the prescription for this challenge. Also keep in mind that when the air cools the ball does not travel as far as when it is hot and dry so don’t forget to adjust your ‘distance factor’ when looking for a stray ball.

5. Last but not least, enjoy the absolute beauty of nature.

You will be playing, in most areas of the country, amidst a kaleidoscope of colors that make the greens of the course stand out against the paintbrush of nature. The crispness in the air is invigorating (unless you are like me and really enjoy the hot, humid days of summer). The days are shorter so maximize the time spent outdoors chasing that little white ball around the countryside.

If you don’t buy into that load of BS, keep in mind that when all else fails just break out the hot chocolate (with peppermint schnapps, of course) and warm your hands, your body and your soul while you keep asking yourself, “Why didn’t I move south?”.

Here’s to enjoying golf in all seasons! Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com. Come back soon and ‘sit around the fire’ with us and swap some stories.

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Let’s take a look at the equipment. Do you have to have the latest and greatest to play well? Not really. Of course, having good equipment is a key essential to playing well. There are resources online and in your neighborhood where you can find top quality clubs and other accessories. eBay is certainly one of the most popular websites for all kinds of discounts. There are golf specific websites such as GolfSmith and TGW (The Golf Warehouse) to name a couple of others that offer lower priced products. Some of the larger companies like Ping and Calloway have used equipment available on their websites and even offer trade-ins. So the resources are available to get you what you need about without breaking the bank.

But let’s move on to the biggest issue an obstacle that most golfers face. That is “marketing hype” which is used specifically to make us think we will play better if we have the most expensive golf balls on the shelf, the highest priced and most luxurious golf shoes on our feet, the almost-tailored golf clothes on our backs and of course, the highest tech golf clubs known to man or woman. Baloney!

The most expensive golf ball is

not really going to make you play better. In fact, the average golfer cannot tell the difference between golf balls that sell for $25.00 a dozen to those that sell closer to $50.00 a dozen. But if you listen to the commercials you will hit the ball 50 yards further if you use their brand.

What about all these new hybrid golf clubs? Do you need to change out all of your irons for the most expensive hybrids on the market? Of course not! The reality is if you talk to most golfers they want the biggest best and most expensive. Why is that? Plain and simple — it’s marketing hype. There’s nothing wrong with spending money on products and tools that help you perform better. But let’s be smart about this.

Ultimately you’re the one who knows what works best for you. So even if Paula Creamer plays great using a pink Precept golf ball does that mean you will as well? Of course it doesn’t! Our societal mentality pushes us to believe that we will get the same results if we use the same products as someone else no matter the cost or our own inherent talent. Bottom line is that each one of us individually has our own unique style, challenges (both physical and mental) and personal goals. Be careful of the “pitches” out there. Take the time to test things for yourself and don’t be led down the path of “the more expensive, the better”.

The money you could save by being a savvy shopper can add up to a lot of extra rounds of golf. So keep this in mind when the next golf ad or commercial flashes in front of you. On a personal note, I find it to be much less ‘painful’ to lose a golf ball that only cost me two dollars versus four dollars or more. So happy golfing everyone. Be smart and play more!

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com . We invite you to leave your comments below

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Will Golf Lessons Really Help?

This is a tough topic to write about because there are so many things to take into consideration. So if I overlook a point or two please feel free to add them via the comments section at the bottom of this article.

The benefits of taking lessons to learn and improve your golf game are many. Regardless of where you are in your golf life, how long you’ve played or how good you THINK you are, there is ALWAYS room for improvement. Why do you think the pros on both the men’s and women’s tours have coaches??

Where to start?

For beginners to the game of golf, there is nothing better than to enlist the help of a qualified golf instructor. I highly recommend looking for Certified PGA and LPGA Teaching Pros. Well-meaning spouses and significant others should be AVOIDED at all costs for the sake of preserving your personal relationship. Don’t be afraid to ask friends, family or co-workers for input as to which golf pro to seek out but remember the ultimate goal is to find someone that YOU can relate to and that can relate to YOU and YOUR needs. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and go with your ‘gut’ as to how you feel about their approach to helping you get comfortable. Feel free to ‘shop around’ until you find the pro for you.

Almost every club and practice facility offers group and individual lessons. Pricing is determined by the facility and/or the golf professional. If your budget is tight (and whose isn’t in today’s world) group lessons are not only more affordable but they also allow you to learn with a friend or develop new friends and practice partners. Group lessons/golf clinics can be fun and keep you interested at a very comfortable pace and price.

Whether you go it alone or with a group or a combination of both getting the basics down is critical to getting off on the right foot, so to speak. Establishing practice times outside of the lessons are needed as well. This is better done at a practice range rather than a golf course, at least until you start to feel some level of confidence.  Otherwise you might feel pressure from golfers playing behind you and that can lead to a miserable experience. Take your time and work at your pace. This game can be enjoyed for a lifetime – no need to rush!!

After you’ve played for a while

Don’t think just because you have graduated to playing ‘real’ golf

on the various types of courses that your learning is over. If you are satisfied with where you are that is fine. Not everyone strives for the same level of performance or improvement.

For me, I needed to try to get some consistency in my swing (outside of my consistent ability to mishit my shots). I swear my clubs are defective. There are no sweet spots in my golf clubs! That has to be it. Certainly it can’t be MY fault .

I took my own advice and went ‘shopping’ for a Golf Pro. Joel Suggs, Master PGA Teaching Professional, was my choice. Not only does Joel have the demeanor that works well with my personality but he also has the latest in teaching equipment and works at a first-class teaching facility, Meadow Links & Golf Academy in Cincinnati, OH. It also didn’t hurt to learn that Joel’s golf bloodlines are strong. His aunt, Louise Suggs, is one of the founding members of the LPGA. Talk about a pedigree…it doesn’t get much better than that (at least, from my perspective).

Joel uses videotape, the latest equipment and tools along with personal observation to see what is currently going on in my swing and addresses points of change in small doses. He uses analogies quite cleverly to enhance my visualization of what I am trying to do to make the change we are working on at the moment. I feel have a slight advantage due to my career as a tennis pro in that I can ‘feel’ a lot of what I am doing when I swing but that isn’t enough to affect a change. Seeing my swing as it is broken down via the videotaping serves to reinforce what I am feeling and to also point out what is working well. Focusing on only the negative is not conducive to feeling good and improving. Joel does a great job infusing the positives all the while pinpointing the ‘little’ things that need to be tweaked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LQgqvxXeao

JoelSuggs.com, Top 50 in America

Joel and I have much work to do yet but the improvements are already starting to translate to the course. He has helped me identify an ‘over the top’ shortened swing and has given me the tools to start swinging more ‘inside out’ and with more extension on the follow through. The real question is can this ‘old’ aching body handle all that extension?  For that issue I have turned to a couple of golf fitness instructors. I’ll write more about that experience in an upcoming article.

For now, please look seriously at the value that golf lessons can provide. If you are lucky enough to live in the Greater Cincinnati area, please consider chatting with Joel Suggs to see if he might be right for you.

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com. If you have other golf pros or facilities that you would recommend please add them via the comments area below.

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Sometimes, fear and anxiety can get the best of us in the game of golf. The key is to know how to manage that fear and anxiety. As a result, here is a brief list of techniques that a golfer can use to help manage their fears and every day anxieties.

Occasionally, you may become stressed when you have to play in an important round. When this happens, visualize yourself doing the task in your mind. For instance, you have to play in the championship golf game in front of a large group of people in the next few days. Before the big day comes, imagine yourself playing the game in your mind. Imagine that you are playing in front of a large audience. By playing the game in your mind, you will be better prepared to perform for real when the time comes. Self-Visualization is a great way to reduce the fear and stress of a coming situation.

Sometimes we get stressed out when everything happens all at once. When this happens, a person should take a deep breath and try to find something to do for a few minutes to get their mind off of the problem. A person could read the newspaper, listen to some music or do an activity that will give them a fresh perspective on things. This is a great technique to use right before your next golf game.

Another technique that is very helpful is to have a small notebook of positive statements that you can carry around with you. Whenever you come across an affirmation that makes you feel good, write it down in a small notebook that you can carry around with you during your golf round. Whenever you feel stressed, open up your small notebook and read those statements. This will help to manage your negative thinking.

Be smart in how you deal with your fears and anxieties. Do not try to tackle everything all at once. When facing a current or upcoming task that overwhelms you with a lot of anxiety, break the task into a series of smaller steps. Completing these smaller tasks one at a time will make the stress more manageable and increases your chances of success.

In every anxiety-related situation you experience, begin to learn what works, what doesn’t work, and what you need to improve on in managing your fears and anxieties. For instance, you have a lot of anxiety and you decide to take a small walk before your game to help you feel better. The next time you feel anxious you can remind yourself that you got through it the last time by taking a walk. This will give you the confidence to manage your anxiety the next time around.

Take advantage of the help that is available around you. If possible, talk to a professional who can help you manage your fears and anxieties. They will be able to provide you with additional advice and insights on how to deal with your current problem. By talking to a professional, a person will be helping themselves in the long run because they will become better able to deal with their problems in the future. Remember that it never hurts to ask for help.
Anyone who plays golf needs to remember that patience, persistence, and education will go a long way in preventing fear from becoming a factor in your game.

BIOGRAPHY:

Stan Popovich is the author of “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods” – an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com/

Ladies on the Tee Golf blog at www.sherrytabb.com thanks Stan Popovich for his article and thanks you for visiting.  Please post your comments below.

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