2023 Srixon Soft Feel Golf Ball Review

May 21, 2023 Dan No Comments

While looking into some info about this golf ball I found something interesting. The ball was first released in 2006, impressive. If something lasts that long, must be something to it. Nonetheless, the 2023 Srixon Soft Feel golf ball review was my reason to try this product for the very first time.

Let’s start with some essential info directly from Srixon. I was surprised to learn that the ball features Srixon’s FastLayer Core technology, the same one used in all of their premium golf balls.

That is unusual since this is a two-piece ionomer ball targeted to a different audience. In any case, good for them. They also state that the FastLayer Core gradually transitions from a soft inner core to a firm outer edge.

2023 Srixon Soft Feel Box by golfballsworld.com

The core’s softer inner layers help to reduce long-game spin, while the firmer outer layers contribute to more ball speed and greater distance. It also features a 338 Speed Dimple Pattern on a soft, thin cover that provides more greenside spin and a softer feel on pitches, chips, and putts. All that sounds very promising, now let’s see how it actually did on the course.

Who Is This Ball For?

Let’s start with the compression rating which is 60 for this ball. That places it in the low compression rating category targeting low to medium-swing speed golfers. Usually, balls in that category do not suit players with fast swing speeds. It is definitely suitable for anyone who prefers that soft feel when you hit it.

All that translates to the fact this ball is made for recreational golfers who want distance and feel before anything else. Two-piece ionomer balls are usually built for straighter flight trajectories. They are not really intended for shot shaping like the more expensive multi-piece premium ones.

The more than friendly price places it among the cheaper balls in the category. That also gives it an excellent value-for-money label. Srixon is doing a great job when it comes to its golf balls and this one is no exception. If you have recognized yourself anywhere above, you could try this ball.

PROS

Beginner Friendly
Distance
Durability
Price

CONS

Not Suited for Fast Swing Speeds

2023 Srixon Soft Feel

Review by golfballsworld.com

Distance Control

Chipping and Pitching

Putting

Durability

Appearance

Price

4.8

Check Price on PGA Tour Superstore

Check Price on Rock Bottom Golf

On the Green

Let’s say this ball made my putting look very decent. Since the get-go, I have found the right touch for it. That showed particularly on long putts. The pace control worked well immediately, helping me make some nice long ones or get the ball close to the hole. Short putts also worked fine with the ball holding the line very well.

As far as sound is concerned, it produced a mellow one. It didn’t feel as soft as the Callaway Supersoft, but it wasn’t far off. There is not much else to say about putting. The overall performance on the green was as solid as it gets.

Around the Green

I am usually quite skeptical in this area when trying two-piece low-compression golf balls. The main reason is their lack of greenside spin compared to premium balls. That being said, this one exceeded my expectations. I found that it had more greenside spin than most of the balls in the category I have previously tried.

Fair enough, I do not go for flop shots or chips with higher flight trajectories. However, I did notice the ball was stopping quicker on my go-to bump and run chip shots. Not just that, but I was able to control the distance most of the time. This ball is an example of decent greenside spin, good job for Srixon.

Approach Shots

I always mention that my ball testing is done on a par 3 course. That gives the approach shots additional importance since every tee shot is an approach shot. Let me start with the flight. On the box, Srixon states it is mid-high. I can confirm it was like that with more shots being on the higher side.

The average higher flight helped the ball to stop quickly on the greens. That is important in this case due to the lower spin compared to premium golf balls. The distances were consistent with my usual ones which was a good sign. It behaved decently even when I would misstrike it, like hitting it lower on the clubface.

The misses were in line with my typical ones, nothing was out of the ordinary there. Flight manipulation worked as well when I needed it. It did feel softer upon contact which is no surprise due to the lower compression rating. Hitting this ball felt good.

2023 Srixon Soft Feel Alignment — 2023 Srixon Soft Feel by golfballsworld.com

Durability

Despite the solid performance in all the areas, I wasn’t impressed with anything like I was with the durability. This ball showed, along with the Callaway Supersoft, arguably the best durability I have seen so far. I could barely find a couple of marks and scuffs on the ball after a round on a par 3 course.

The durability adds to its overall value making it a great option for golfers on a budget. No matter if you are a golfer on a budget or you just want your balls to last longer, you could look into this one.

Appearance and Price

The ball has the standard Srixon look with one exception. While the logo and the alignment arrow are in the traditional black ink, the number comes in a variation of green color. It actually looks nice. The alignment arrow is a standard black line with white letters inside that read Soft Feel. It is available in pure white and tour yellow colors.

There are not many balls in the category from major brands that can beat the Soft Feel price. When you add everything, its price makes it an exceptional value for money. That can be attractive, particularly for new golfers. In any case, the price is hard to beat for what you get.

Final Verdict

What to say in the end about this golf ball? It basically ticked all the boxes when it comes to expectations from a two-piece ball. There are many different reasons why golfers buy a specific golf ball. Some are subjective and some are objective. If you do decide to give it a try, you might like it. In case you don’t like it, there are plenty of other balls to look into.

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2023 Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball Review

2022 Titleist TruFeel Golf Ball Review

Categories: Golf Balls Golf Balls Reviews Srixon Golf Balls

Golf Impact Position Tips – How to Hit It Pure

May 15, 2023 Dan No Comments

Your golf swing can look amazing and generate a lot of clubhead speed, but there is still one key thing for all to work. You guessed it, it has to do with the impact. With a solid impact, everything falls into place for a consistent golf swing. If you want to hit balls purely, you might want to check the golf impact position tips in this article.

All golfers pursue that clean contact when the club hits the ball first and then the ground. That is precisely what professional golfers can do on a regular basis.

Almost every person who watched professional golfers play says the same thing. When they hit the ball, it just sounds different. Very different from what we are used to hearing.

Now, nobody is expecting you to hit ball after ball like a tour pro. That is unless you are aspiring to be a tour pro. However, you can get to a level where you hit the ball better.

Better contact will give you more control, and more distance, and ultimately help your game to get to the next level. Who wouldn’t want that? Have a look at the tips below and start improving your contact.

1. Weight on the Lead Side

Needless to say, when the weight at impact is more on your trail side, a lot of bad things happen. You lose power and distance, and you hit a lot of different poor shots. At that very moment when you make contact with the ball, you actually add loft to your club which makes the ball go a shorter distance. There is also a good chance you hit the ground behind the ball which also robs you of distance.

To avoid all of the above from happening, the weight has to be more on your lead side at impact. That is essential to put all the elements in the right place for the swing to work out. It will help you with better contact as well as with more power in your swing. The better contact means you can hit the ball first and make that nice divot past the golf ball.

2. Forward Shaft Lean

This is among the most important things you should do at impact if you are looking for more distance. What having your shaft forward at impact does is de-lofting your golf club. At that moment your club turns into one or two clubs up. Now, instead of hitting an 8 iron, you are hitting a 7 or 6 iron depending on how much you de-loft it.

That is possibly the biggest secret of how professional golfers can hit their clubs so far. Golf clubs are designed for the forward shaft lean at impact. I am talking here mostly of full swings. You can always manipulate the loft depending on your desired shot. It will help you hit the ball to distances you thought you can’t reach.

3. Square Clubface

Without any question, you have to have your clubface square at impact if you want to hit solid shots. There are different ways to achieve that. One is timing it and turning the face square only at impact. It is possible to do it this way, but it will make your work harder and your shots open for mis-hits.

The easier way to do it is to pre-set the clubface to be square before it gets to impact. This will limit the possible mistakes and help you hit more consistent shots. It involves less active wrists and it starts already from the takeaway. Next time you go to the range, pay attention to how you square your clubface. Maybe you will need to make some adjustments to make your life easier.

4. Turn Through Impact

Turning through impact can make a big difference in a few areas of your golf swing. It will help you control the clubface, add more power to your swing, and make it as effortless as possible. One of the things that tend to happen when you do not turn through impact is that your arms get too involved in the swing.

Involving your arms more in the swing can be good if you need to do things like adding some spin. However, when your arms are more passive through the impact it is easier for you to make good contact. It helps you to keep the same relationship with the golf ball and adds more distance to your shots.

5. Shoulder Tilt

If you have a look at any professional player at their impact position, you will notice one thing. All of them tilt their shoulders toward the trail side. That helps them to hit those solid shots time after time. It is paramount for having all the other swing parts in the right place when you strike the ball.

With no tilt, your striking will be less consistent. It would be hard to have the forward shaft lean without it or turn through the swing. Without it, you will be facing all kinds of potential mis-hits. In other words, shoulder tilt means that you are keeping your upper body in the right position for the impact.

Solid Impact Is the Road to Consistent Shots

Golfers know how hard it is to reach a point where you hit the ball consistently well. That being said, even the best golfers in the world hit bad shots. The key to better golfing is in limiting your bad shots. By that, I mean having fewer of them as well as making sure those bad ones are not too bad.

A solid impact will help your game to get to the next level. It will make your good shots great and it will make your bad shots manageable. That is something we all aspire to. Look up some impact drills, check what you need to work on, and get ready to enjoy golfing more than ever.

Golf Backswing Tips – How to Store Power in Your Swing

Golf Downswing Tips – How to Approach the Impact

Categories: Golf Swing Golf Tips

Golf Downswing Tips – How to Approach the Impact

May 7, 2023 Dan No Comments

Every component of the golf swing is as important as the next one. In the same way, a solid backswing can set you up for a solid downswing, a solid downswing does the same for impact. We all know that good impact leads to a good golf shot. Check the golf downswing tips below that can help you to approach the impact in a better way.

There are many things that can go wrong with a golf swing. The same goes for each and every part of it. A downswing that goes wrong can lead to a lot of mis-hits.

One of the essential things that a terrible downswing can lead to is a wrong club path. That usually translates to slices and hooks, which are not the best outcomes.

Luckily, it is never too late to fix things in your downswing. Yes, it might take some time to implement the changes. That is all good in the end when you can see some improvement.

The sooner you start with the changes, the sooner you will play better golf. Find out below what you can do to tweak your downswing and make it solid.

Start the Weight Shift Before the Downswing

This is something that might take time to perfect, but it is worth it. If you start your forward weight shift before the start of your downswing, you can gain extra power in your swing. Besides that, it will help you with solid contact in the form of hitting the ball first and then the ground. Who wouldn’t want that?

Ideally, the weight shift starts just before you finish your backswing and goes on through the downswing. That way you will get into the prime position to hit the ball better. The mis-hits might still happen but on a less frequent basis. Be patient until you get it going and once you do golf will become more fun.

Keep Your Trail Elbow Close to Your Body

When you keep your trail elbow close to your body it helps your swing in a few different ways. First, it helps you to keep your arms close to your body and to each other. Second, it helps to get your club in a good position for the impact. Third, because of both previous points, you will have more power to release in your swing.

It is not just important that you keep your elbow close to your body, but to have it positioned the right way. That means not having it on the side of your body but in front of it. A good checkpoint is to have your elbow pit pointing straight ahead of you and not toward the target.

Keep Your Lead Arm as Straight as You Can

If your lead arm bends on the downswing it causes a couple of things. For one, it is harder to hit the ball in the right spot which can cause thin shots. Additionally, you can lose power in your swing which will rob you of distance. Both situations are good reasons to keep your arm as straight as you can.

Now, you do not have to keep it straight to the point when it becomes too tight. Your swing will benefit the most if your arm is straight and a bit relaxed at the same time. Keep it straight to the point that it keeps your swing structure intact and helps your ball strike. Some professional golfers can make it work with a slightly bent arm, but straighter is better.

Don’t Release Your Club Early

Releasing your club early can lead to a few situations that can come together or separately. One of those is adding loft to your club which will make your shot shorter. Another one is hitting the ground before the ball which will lead to poor contact. The last one is releasing less energy which will contribute to less power in the shot.

Most of the time releasing the club too early is caused by improper weight shifting through the swing. If you notice you are releasing the club too early, start by looking into your weight shift. One way to check at what point you release your club is to listen to the swoosh sound your club makes.

If you are releasing your club at the right time, you will hear the swoosh sound just after the club makes contact with the ball. Do a test without the ball and listen to at what point you hear the swoosh sound. It is easier to hear it when you are not hitting the ball.

Stay Tilted With Your Trail Shoulder Lower

You can notice how your shoulders are positioned in your downswing closer you get to the impact position. As you are starting your downswing, your trail shoulder should start dropping lower than your lead shoulder. That means you are keeping the tilted position which will help you with ball striking.

If your shoulders stay flat through the downswing your ball striking will not be consistent and there will be a lot of mis-hits. When you are not tilted through the downswing it is impossible to execute all the parts of the swing correctly. Your relationship with the ball will not be the same as on impact which will lead to all sorts of issues.

A Solid Downswing Leads to a Solid Contact

Every part of the swing sets up the next one. In the end, they all form what looks like one seamless motion. In order for every piece of the swing to be solid, the previous one has to be solid. That is why for a solid contact you have to have a solid downswing. Without a solid downswing, you will most likely not achieve the outcome you want.

If you are not sure what is not working in your downswing you can make a video of your swing and check it out. Alternatively, you can ask someone to have a look while you are swinging. Once you know what needs to be improved start working on it. Find the proper drills, work on one thing at a time, and be patient. As soon as you see the improvement you will enjoy golfing even more.

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Categories: Downswing Golf Tips

Golf Backswing Tips – How to Store Power in Your Swing

April 30, 2023 Dan No Comments

There is no part of the golf swing that is more or less important than the other. All of them play an important role in the flow and execution. The backswing has the role to store power which you will release when you hit the golf ball. Besides the power aspect, these golf backswing tips will help you to make a smoother transition into the downswing.

Many mistakes that happen in the golf swing are related to the backswing. Anything from slices, hooks, and thin or thick shots have roots in a bad backswing.

Think of your swing as a seamless motion. If any part of that motion doesn’t work, the outcome won’t be the best. Therefore, for a solid downswing, you have to have a solid backswing.

There are several moving parts during your backswing. That includes your legs, hips, upper body, arms, wrists, and your club. If you look at professional golfers, their backswing motions are consistent each time they hit the ball. They might all not do the exact same motions during execution, but overall it is all in place. Let’s see what you could do to improve your backswing.

Upper Body and Arms in Sync for More Rotation

The fact is that more rotation can give you a longer backswing and ultimately more distance. Now, not every golfer can rotate the same amount. There is no problem with that. The goal is to maximize the rotation according to your physical capabilities. That is something you can achieve if you move your upper body and arms in sync.

When your arms move quicker than your upper body during the backswing, you finish your rotation sooner than you could. That happens because your arms reach the highest point of your swing before you fully rotate your body. In other words, that makes your backswing shorter than it could be.

Moving your upper body and arms in sync allows your body to fully rotate which helps you to extend your swing more. It happens the way once your body stops rotating, the shoulders keep rotating which helps your arms to create a longer backswing. As an outcome, you can store more power that will be released with the downswing and impact.

Hinge Your Wrists After the Takeaway

In order to create lag and obtain more power through your swing, you have to hinge your wrists at some point during the backswing. However, it is important to start that process at the right time. If you start hinging too early it can lead to some motions that can hurt your swing. That can result in mis-hits in the form of slices, thin shots, and thick shots.

Ideally, you start hinging your wrists right after the takeaway, around the time when your club reaches parallel to the ground position. From there, your club should naturally get to the position of forming an angle around 90 degrees with your arms at the top of your backswing. That will help you to create lag in the downswing and help you to release more energy through impact.

Try Not To Slide Toward Your Trail Side

I will say try not to slide towards your trail side because even some professional golfers do slide a touch. But they are professionals and know how to work with that. If you do slide, there is a chance your could move your entire upper body as well. That can cause your weight to get stuck on your trail side which can result in all sorts of mis-hits.

It basically makes the whole process of weight transfer and shifting toward the lead side more challenging. A more efficient way would be to keep your body in place and rotate around your axis. One thing that can help you with that is your lower body. Use your legs to help you rotate and clear your hips instead of sliding.

Keep Your Arms Close to Your Body

This part is extremely important if you want to keep your backswing structure and have better results. Moving your arms away from your body can cause several issues. The biggest one is the club path. When your arms get away from your body in the upper arms area they will most likely move faster than your upper body.

By moving faster than your upper body your arms can take the club behind you early in the backswing which will change its path. That will result in the out-to-in club path and lead to slices. Keeping your arms close to your body during the backswing will help to move them in sync with your upper body. Besides that, it will help with getting the club to the inside to out path and to gain more power in your swing.

Shorten Your Backswing If Needed

Believe it or not, you might actually gain more swing speed and distance if you shorten your backswing. The main reason for that is your lead arm. If your backswing is too long, there is a good chance your lead arm bends when you reach the top of your backswing. Now, there are exemptions among professional golfers who can work with that.

Once your lead arm bends it becomes more challenging to straighten it again in the downswing to make solid contact. Ideally, your backswing ends just before your lead arm starts bending. Even if that means shortening your backswing it will help you to load your swing with more power and bring more consistency into your ball striking.

Solid Backswing for More Consistency

As I mentioned above, all golf swing parts are equally important. The golf swing is a sequel of motions that form one seamless flow. It all starts from the first motion leading to the final one. For that reason is very important to master the initial parts of the swing. When you do that it pre-sets the next parts for a solid outcome.

One of the most important things to remember is the basics. Even professional golf players often go back to swing basics. It is the constant reminder of the basics that help them to be so successful. Mastering the backswing basics will help you improve your game and bring more fun into every round of golf you play.

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Categories: Backswing Golf Tips

2023 Callaway ERC Soft Golf Ball Review

April 23, 2023 Dan No Comments

If a golf ball makes it to the third generation, something must be working well. In the 2023 Callaway ERC Soft golf ball review I will let you know how its third generation turned out. Let’s start with Callaway’s main marketing message for this ball. They say it is their longest ball with a soft feel and greenside control. Sounds promising already.

One of the industry leaders made some innovations regarding the material used in production. They introduced the all-new GRIP Urethane Coating System that provides more greenside spin.

On top of that, the cover is paired with an all-new HyperElastic SoftFast core that increases ball speed. The ERC Soft is built with a versatile, multi-material construction cover. That helps with distance, a soft feel, and durability.

2023 Callaway ERC Soft Box by golfballsworld.com

When it comes to the compression rating, there are various sources that have it from around 60 to above 70. The exact number often varies from ball to ball, but it is in that range. That places this ball somewhere between low and medium compressed balls, but still with a softer feel.

Who Is This Ball For?

This golf ball is in the, as I like to call it, middle golf balls category. That means it is a three-piece construction ball, but it is not a premium one used on tour. There are several balls in this category and all of them perform a bit better than the two-piece ones, but not quite like premium ones.

I would say there are two types of golfers who could play this ball. First, it could suit players who have been playing two-piece balls and their game is ready for the next step. Meaning, they now have more shots in the bag they can use and are looking for a ball that can help them do that.

Second, golfers who do not want to pay top dollar for premium balls, but are looking for some workability in the ball. The ERC Soft will give you a soft feel and more spin than two-piece balls. It will mostly benefit golfers with slower to medium swing speeds who are looking for a reliable golf ball at a middle-of-the-pack price.

PROS

Decent Amount of Spin
Distance
High Flight Trajectory
Soft Feel

CONS

Not Suitable for Faster Swing Speeds
Price

2023 Callaway ERC Soft

Review by golfballsworld.com

Distance Control

Chipping and Pitching

Putting

Durability

Appearance

Price

4.5

Check Price on PGA Tour Superstore

Check Price on Rock Bottom Golf

On the Green

Putting was the area where the ball performed marginally better than in the other segments. That is not necessarily because of my personal display, but actually because of how the ball did itself. To start with, the sound was not as mellow as the Supersoft or the Supersoft MAX, but still on the mellow side.

It felt soft upon contact which was nice. Performance-wise, I found the pace control was very good with this ball. I didn’t need any adjustment, it worked from the get-go. No matter if the putt was long or short, it just held the line very well. The same goes for uphill and downhill putts. Only positive things when it comes to putting.

Around the Green

There is one important thing to know when it comes to shots around the green. My preferred shot is the bump and run. I will even not shy away from pulling the putter out of the bag, as soon as there is a chance. That being said, I did mostly bump and runs with this ball. It worked very well, even with short-sided delicate chips.

The ball had more greenside spin than the Supersoft or the Supersoft MAX. That is still less than the premium balls, but it gets the job done. Needless to say, the ball felt soft for both chips and pitches from shorter distances. Don’t expect it to check like premium balls, but expect it to do a solid job around the green.

Approach Shots

I always mention the importance of approach shots in my reviews, since I review the balls on a par 3 course. The first thing I will mention here is the feel. You have guessed it, this ball felt soft upon contact. That is when the contact was good, but even on mis-hits did not feel bad at all.

On average, the flight trajectory was higher. Along with a decent amount of spin, that helped with the ball holding the greens well. I felt there were no issues whatsoever when it comes to distance control. Overall distance was fine as well. Finally, I like to manipulate the flight trajectory and shot shape on occasion. The ball did well in both segments.

2023 Callaway ERC Soft Alignment — 2023 Callaway ERC Soft by golfballsworld.com

Durability

If I had to describe the durability, it would be average. There were no massive marks or scuffs, but there still were a few. I would perhaps attribute that to the hybrid cover which does contain some form of urethane. It was definitely playable for more rounds after this one. Durability gets a passing grade.

Appearance and Price

The ERC Soft is specific for one thing. It is the only ball in the Callaway lineup that comes only with the Triple Track Dagger alignment technology. That is perfectly fine especially if you are using one of the Odyssey Triple Track putters. It looks a bit busy around the logo area, but nothing too bad.

Price-wise it falls in the middle among direct competitors. It is less expensive than the Titleist Tour Speed or the TaylorMade Tour Response, but it is more expensive than the Bridgestone e12 Contact or the Srixon Q-Star Tour. For that reason, the price is just ok.

Final Verdict

After playing this new edition of the Callaway ERC Soft, I can just say it is an all-around solid performance golf ball. Besides that, the only thing is the price. Again, it is not too steep, but it is not low either. In the end, Callaway released a very good product that lives up to its standard. If the price is not an obstacle, I would recommend trying this ball.

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Categories: Callaway Golf Balls Golf Balls Golf Balls Reviews

Golf Swing Takeaway Tips – How to Start Your Swing

April 16, 2023 Dan No Comments

There is one thing that you will hear over and over again from a number of golf instructors and coaches. Ensure you start your swing correctly because that will affect its sequence and outcome. In other words, a solid start leads to reliable results. Check the golf swing takeaway tips below to start your swing better.

The takeaway is the very beginning of your swing which lasts until your club is almost parallel to the ground. You want to start it correctly in order for all the other pieces to fall into place. A bad takeaway often leads to a bad swing.

Every golfer is looking for a consistent golf swing and the takeaway can help. It will pre-set your body parts and golf club so your backswing, downswing, impact, and follow-through work in a better flow.

In a simple, yet complex motion, which the golf swing is, you want to make the first step right. If you don’t make that first step right there is a probability something else will go wrong after. That leads to inconsistent swings translating to inconsistent shots and frustrating outcomes. Luckily, there are ways to improve your takeaway and go toward consistency.

Move Your Upper Body and Arms in Sync

There are a lot of recreational golfers who at the takeaway move the club with their arms only. That automatically means your swing motions are already out of sequence. It leads to an exaggerated arms motion throughout the swing. The results are usually a lack of power in the swing, lost distance, and mis-hits.

What you should be feeling when you start the takeaway is that your upper body and arms are moving at the same time. It will give you more stability and prepare you for a better transition into the backswing. At the same time, it will make your swing feel effortless and help you hit it with more power.

Have the Clubface Slightly Pointing to the Ground

This is a move that a lot of professional golfers make in order to pre-set the clubface for impact. As weird as it sounds due to it happening at the very beginning of the swing, it makes sense. Think about it this way. If you have your clubface ready for impact earlier, you do not have to think about it or set it up later in the swing.

This way you eliminate all the possibilities of the clubface being too open or too closed at impact. The more moving pieces you add to your golf swing, the more chances are something is going to go wrong. Make your swing as simple as you possibly can and having the clubface point slightly down at the takeaway will help you with that.

Move Your Clubhead on a Straight Line

When I say a straight line, I do not actually mean a straight line. In fact, that would literally mean you moving the clubhead straight behind the golf ball which would have your arms completely out of position. What I mean is it should look from your point of view like you are moving the clubhead in a straight line behind the golf ball.

That will help keep your club slightly in front of your arms preventing it from going behind you too early. For instance, if your club goes behind you too early it can lead to the outside to in club path which can result in severe slices. By starting the club slightly in front of your arms you are pre-setting it for a more neutral or inside-to-out club path. That will help with the impact and get you more consistency.

Do Not Hinge Your Wrists Early

This happens often to a lot of recreational golfers. The wrists start hinging way too early in the takeaway which leads to a couple of things. To begin with, it can cause your club to go behind you which does not help the club’s path later on. That can end with mis-hits that often materialize in the form of slices or shanks.

Second, what early hinging leads to is the lack of stored energy in the swing. It will create less lag and that way you can potentially lose some distance. The wrist hinging should ideally start somewhere around your club being parallel to the ground. It is the last phase of the takeaway before the smooth transition into the full backswing.

Do Not Rush It

Now, this is one of the most important things when it comes to the swing in general. For some professional golfers, it goes so far that you have the feeling they are starting their swing in slow motion. Rushing the takeaway can lead to all sorts of trouble in the swing. It is harder to have control of the motion and can lead to different kinds of mis-hits, to name a couple.

Starting your swing at a moderate speed is going to allow you to follow the swing structure. Additionally, it will help you with the swing tempo which is one of the crucial swing components. Having a good swing tempo in general leads to better contact and consistent ball striking. Remember, that all starts with not rushing the takeaway.

A Solid Start Leads to a Solid Finish

You will notice that professional golfers do different things with their golf swings. However, there is one thing they all have in common. They all have a consistently solid takeaway. In spite of a lot of them having different swing tempos, their takeaways are structured. Therefore, their ball striking is exceptional.

To summarize, by mastering your takeaway you will open the door to a consistent golf swing. It is worth it to spend time practicing and perfecting it. A solid takeaway can help you to hit better any club in your golf bag, from driver to lob wedge. Now find some drills and get to work, it will be rewarding.

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Categories: Golf Swing Golf Tips

Golf Swing Tempo Drills – How to Improve Your Consistency

April 9, 2023 Dan No Comments

There is one thing I have noticed while I’m golfing that is related to my golf swing tempo. Every time I swing faster the results are not good. By faster I mean I try to “kill” the ball in order to get it further. That is when my worst shots happen. If you are experiencing bad shots, it could be related to the tempo. The golf swing tempo drills you can find in this article can help you with that.

If you watch professional golfers play, you can notice they always hit the same shots with the same intensity. The reason is their swing tempo is excellent.

There is a flow to the golf swing and a better tempo will bring a better flow. When the flow is good it results in a better strike and ultimately a better outcome.

A good tempo will help you execute all the swing elements properly. It will give your body time to connect everything from the takeaway to the follow-through in one seamless motion. That will produce a solid contact and help prevent slices, hooks, or shanks. The swing tempo is often overlooked at the recreational level, but it is very important if you want to bring your game to the next level.

One and Two Drill

This is the drill I like to use because it is simple and effective. It is a drill I encountered on the Chris Ryan Golf Youtube channel. The drill does not require you to have anything else besides your golf club and golf ball. All you have to focus on while doing the drill is counting out loud or in your head, whichever you prefer.

Get a mid iron of your preference and set up as you usually do without the golf ball
You will start counting on your backswing and finish around the impact
When you start the swing, on takeaway you say “One”
At the top of your swing, you say “And”
The moment you hit the ball you say “Two”
Do not rush it, just count at moderate speed: one, and, two
When you are comfortable, introduce the ball and repeat the drill

This drill is easy to do and it will give you a better feel for your swing tempo. If you are interested, you can check Chris Ryan’s Golf Youtube channel to find more great content.

1, 2, 3, 1 Drill

We are moving forward with another numbers drill. This one is very popular and you can find it everywhere. It is as simple as the one before with the same purpose of giving a nice tempo to your swing without rushing it. The whole concept of the drill is based on the fact that the optimum swing tempo ratio is 3:1. That means that your backswing should last three times longer than your downswing.

Pick one of your mid irons and set up without the golf ball
When you start the backswing count from one to three until the top of your swing
From the top of your swing, you should only count one until the impact
Once you are comfortable, introduce the golf ball and repeat the drill

Both of these drills are also good to keep you from swing thoughts. You can do them actually when playing which will help make your swing smoother and prevent your mind from thinking about multiple things while swinging.

Swoosh Drill

This is an unorthodox drill in the way that a variation of it requires you to hold your club upside down. The main goal of the drill is to have you produce a swoosh sound while swinging the club. Another important part is when the swoosh is made and that should be just around the impact area, not before or after that.

Take one of your irons from your bag
Turn it upside down and grip it just below the clubhead
Make swings with the butt end of the club swinging above the ground
The swoosh sound should happen around the impact area where the golf club would be

This drill will help you add balance to your swing and help you hear at what point you should release your club. Alternatively, it can be done with a driver by you just holding it usually and swinging it above the ground.

Golf Swing Tempo App

As you can imagine there is a number of drills you can do to work on your swing tempo. Besides the conventional drills, there are also apps for phones you can use to work on your tempo. This includes apps made for the swing tempo only and apps that include a swing tempo segment or are complete golf swing analyzers.

Depending on how deep in analytics you want to go, there is an app for you out there. It is a good way for you to get audio or visual assistance while practicing your tempo. You can use apps as the only way of working on your tempo or as an additional way. Whichever option you use will help you improve.

Relax and Get Better Results

Too much tension in your swing can lead to bad outcomes. You should relax to a point where you can still execute the swing properly without losing speed or power. However, do not relax too much the way your club flies out of your hands or you lose your structure. A good tempo will help you to relax more and improve your swing.

Something that can help you relax while swinging is having fewer swing thoughts. I found that to be efficient in my case. If anything I just think about having a good tempo just before I swing the club. That could work for you as well, give it a try. At the end of the day always try to have fun on the golf course no matter what.

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Categories: Golf Swing Swing Drills

How to Play Golf in the Wind – Control Your Shots

April 2, 2023 Dan No Comments

Golfing is hard by default, add a bit of wind to it and it becomes next-level hard. Now, you are probably aware, like I am, that we’ll hardly get to the pro level of playing in windy conditions. That does not mean you can’t learn how to play golf in the wind to improve your skill set. It is challenging but doable.

Some have the fortune to golf in mild weather conditions which do not include too much wind. For the rest, there are things you will want to know.

Having different shots in your bag that can help you control what your ball does is beneficial in any case. The better you get, the fewer things will be able to surprise you on the course.

Weather affects golfing all the time. Every change in temperature, seasons, and current conditions, as slight as some dew on the grass, can make a big difference. The wind is one of the most extreme conditions because of its unpredictability. You won’t be able to entirely predict how your ball is going to act when it is windy, but you can do a lot to gain more control over your shots.

Keep It Low

This is probably the most important thing when it comes to playing in windy conditions. Whatever you do try to keep your ball flight low. When you think about it, it makes sense. The higher your ball flight, the more vulnerability your ball faces. It means you have to forget about your regular round when you can fly the ball high.

Your ball will be exposed to winds less if you keep it closer to the ground. That does not mean you should barely get it off the ground. It means the ball flight should be more penetrating at a height lower than the usual one. That usually translates to less spin which will help the ball hold the trajectory.

This is especially the case on shots from a longer distance. The wind will not affect ball flights from short distances as much. If you golf in extremely windy conditions, that might affect all shots including putts. Next time you go to the range try to hit some lower-flight shots, it will be worth it next time the wind decides to show up at the course.

Mind the Wind Direction

The wind direction is the most important thing to pay attention to when it comes to aiming. For example, if the wind is coming from the left side it will be pushing the ball to the right side. In other words, you will have to aim toward the left side of the fairway to land the ball in the middle of it.

How much you will have to shift your aim will depend on the wind strength. Sometimes the surroundings will shelter your ball if you keep it low. In other cases, if you are playing a links-type course with no trees around, your ball will be affected even if flying lower. At best you will have to adjust as the round goes on to see how much tweaking is needed.

Club Up and Club Down Accordingly

As much as you would think this comes automatically, a lot of recreational golfers on occasion choose the wrong clubs for shots. More often they go with a shorter club, especially when between distances. I don’t have to mention that can lead to extra strokes that could be avoided. If you’re asking yourself what that has to do with wind, I’ll tell you that next.

The wind is a force of nature that can make the ball go shorter or longer. It is as simple as that. You can see that particularly if you watch a tournament that is held by an ocean or sea. What you have to do in that situation is consider that wind for your club choice. If you don’t, your ball will go either too short or too long. Neither is great.

That is especially the case with approach shots and shots on par 3 holes. I know sometimes it is hard to predict at what point the wind will show up and there is nothing you can do there. Nonetheless, in other situations make sure you choose the appropriate club. For winds blowing toward you, chose one or more club numbers depending on wind strength. In the same way, make sure you choose a lesser club when you are hitting the ball down the wind because it will carry that ball further than you think.

Watch for Signs

By sings, I do not mean writings on the wall or any supernatural signs on the course. I simply mean you should observe the nature around the fairway or the green to read the wind strength and direction. Here you do not need any special skills, just some observation before you decide to hit your golf ball.

There are water hazards on a lot of courses out there. Use that water to your advantage. See if it is still or if it is moving and what direction the little waves are going toward. In the same way, you can have a look at the tops of the trees around the hole you are playing. Check which way the branches are bending and at what intensity.

Checking trees can be useful because you have to remember that your ball is traveling through the air. Once you develop that habit it will help you make shot decisions.

Steady Wind or Gusts

When it comes to golfing there is almost nothing as unpredictable as the wind. Nobody enjoys golfing in the wind, nobody. The reality is, a lot of golfers can’t avoid it if they want to golf at all. However, wind can sometimes be less bad. That is the case when it is blowing steadily. In that situation, you will be able to make better adjustments which you can apply to every shot.

It is when you are dealing with gusts of wind and changing wind directions that it becomes more challenging. When that happens you will have to pay attention to everything at every single hole. It is a constant readjustment. Before shots take a few moments to assess the situation, don’t rush it. Only when you take everything into account make your shot.

Practice and Play

It is very hard to practice golf in conditions that do not come often. The wind is one of those conditions. Unless you are in an area where your driving range is exposed to wind, it is hard to simulate those shots. Your best bet will be to go out and learn how to deal with it with experience. One step at a time.

The truth is, no practice will prepare you for all the situations you find yourself in on a golf course. For that reason golfing as often as possible can benefit your game more. In the end, no matter what the conditions are, always remember to enjoy your time on the course.

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Categories: Gameplay

2023 Callaway Supersoft MAX Golf Ball Review

March 26, 2023 Dan No Comments

One thing separates this golf ball from all the other balls made by major manufacturers that are available on the market. It is an oversized ball. Does that make it legal? Absolutely. A golf ball can be larger in diameter if its weight does not exceed the maximum of 1.620 oz (45.9 g). In the 2023 Callaway Supersoft Max golf ball review find out how this larger ball did on the course.

This is the second generation of the Supersoft MAX golf ball. Callaway markets it as a unique offering that’s engineered for max distance from max forgiveness.

They also say it is their longest ball for slow-speed players, built to create faster ball speeds from high launch and low spin. As always, it all sounds very promising.

2023 Callaway Supersoft MAX Box by golfballsworld.com

It is a 2-piece ionomer cover golf ball which means it is primarily built for distance. Its compression rating is around 40, which is consistent with the previous model. Along with its cousin, the Supersoft, that puts it among the softest golf balls on the market. Now, enough with the introduction, let’s move on to the review.

Who Is This Ball For?

A couple of answers seem natural for this golf ball, but we’ll come to them shortly. To start with, this is a soft, two-piece, ionomer cover ball. It is built mainly for players with slower to medium swing speeds. I agree with Callaway that is best for slow-swing speed golfers due to its low compression rating.

It will not give you a ton of spin and the possibility to work it like a premium ball. But that is fine, that is not its main purpose anyway. Its main purpose is to go a long distance while being easier to hit. The oversized nature of this ball is one of its selling points. It is also something that separates it from the other balls on the market.

Now we come to the answer to the main question. It is actually what you would think. As I have mentioned above it is definitely a good option for players with slower swing speeds. More importantly, this golf ball is an excellent choice for beginners. Due to its size, it is easier to make contact with it. When you start golfing, nothing is more important than just hitting that ball.

PROS

Beginner Friendly
Distance
Durability
Easier to Hit
Price

CONS

Lower Spin
Not Suited for Faster Swing Speeds

2023 Callaway Supersoft MAX Golf Ball Review

Review by golfballsworld.com

Distance Control

Chipping and Pitching

Putting

Durability

Appearance

Price

4.7

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On the Green

Since this is the slightly bigger version of the standard Callaway Supersoft, the putting experience was similar. On contact, it felt soft and made a very mellow sound. It didn’t take me a long time to adjust to it. This was a good thing since I regularly play balls that have a more than double compression rating and softer covers.

The ball was rolling well, particularly on long putts. There were no issues with holding the line and directing it where the putter was pointing. You would think that, due to its size, the hole gets smaller. But the size difference does not make any significant impact. Putting with this ball was definitely on the positive side.

Around the Green

This is a part of the game where you could potentially see the biggest difference compared to three-piece golf balls. That is mainly due to the lack of spin. You will notice it, especially if you are trying to go for a hop and stop play or if you are short-sided and need a flop shot. Luckily, I do not go for those shots too often.

In my case, it worked well enough since my go-to chip is the bump and run. It took some adjustment, but once I got the hang of it, it worked just fine. Lately, I have started to use the putter more often when closer to the green. When it comes to that situation, this ball did a decent job.

Approach Shots

On a par 3 course, where I test golf balls, every shot is an approach shot. That fact gives this category so much more importance. One of the things Callaway states for this ball is high launch. I did notice that this contributed to a higher average height trajectory. That is a good thing because it helps the ball to stop sooner on the green.

On lower trajectory shots that I sometimes use, the ball did ok. Because of the lower spin, I just had to hit it a bit shorter to give it time to stop. This is another area where the ball felt soft off the clubface. I have to say that the mis-hits were not so bad. My misses were consistent with my current performances on courses. Overall, it felt good hitting this golf ball.

2023 Callaway Supersoft MAX Alignment — 2023 Callaway Supersoft MAX by golfballsworld.com

Appearance and Price

As you could imagine, the Supersoft MAX is the carbon copy of the Supersoft just larger. The only little difference is that on the alignment arrow, it says “MAX” instead of “Supersoft”. By the way, that alignment is very helpful in case you do align your ball when putting. It looks as if you’ve done it with a sharpie.

Price-wise, this ball is among the cheapest ones out there in the soft two-piece golf ball category. The price is the same as for the regular Supersoft. However, it is only available in the standard white color whereas the Supersoft comes in multiple color options. Nonetheless, it is a very good value for money.

Durability

Like its smaller cousin, this ball has shown great durability. After a full round on a par 3 course, there were only a few marks and scuffs visible. I would place it among the category leaders when it comes to withstanding hit after hit. This adds to its value and makes it a very attractive option for golfers who do not want to overspend.

Final Verdict

To summarize, there are not many bad things to say about this golf ball. It performs exactly how you would expect from a two-piece low compression ball. With this product, Callaway tapped into a niche market where it can help golfers make better contact and gain confidence. At the end of the day, those are things that can help you enjoy golf more.

If you play the Supersoft or prefer low-compression golf balls, and need to improve contact, this could be an option for you. It can help you through the improvement period with less frustration on the course. Eventually, you can go back to a smaller golf ball or just keep playing this one. I can see this ball helping a lot of golfers to make their first steps. Good job for Callaway.

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Categories: Callaway Golf Balls Golf Balls Golf Balls Reviews

How to Improve Your Golf Swing for Beginners – 5 Tips

March 19, 2023 Dan No Comments

We were all new to golf at some point. Nobody was born a great golfer, except maybe Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus. Jokes aside, it takes some time and dedication to become good at golf. Your golf swing is essential to learn when you get into the game. Here you can find 5 tips on how to improve your golf swing for beginners.

None of these tips will give you a magic formula that is going to solve all things you have been working on to improve.

What the tips will give you are some points on what areas of your swing you should pay attention to in order to improve it. That is going to be a starting point for you toward success.

In its essence, the golf swing is a complex set of motions that come together in one seamless move. The sole purpose of that move is to strike the ball exactly how you want it and direct it where you want it to go. Now, we often tend to overcomplicate our swing. The sooner you know what to focus on, the sooner you can master your swing to enjoy golfing even more.

1. Know Your Swing Path

Your swing path is vital for a few reasons. First, it might be the cause that your shots are going all over the place. Second, it could be causing that unpleasant slice you have been fighting. The third, and most important thing, if you can manipulate your swing path you are in a position to hit different types of shots.

You should in any case check what your swing path tendency is. The most common one which causes slicing for a lot of golfers is the outside-to-in path. Maybe you fall in the rare category of the inside-to-out path which could be causing pulls. The third option is the neutral path which is, I would dare to say, the least common one.

If you do want to be aware of how you are swinging the club, you could make a video of you swinging from behind. That will show you your tendency. Besides that, you will figure out why you are hitting certain shots more frequently. After you do that you can start working on controlling the path and improving your swing.

2. Shift Your Weight Forward

This is one of the key components for better contact with the ball at impact and hitting the ball further. Not shifting the weight forward can lead to all sorts of trouble with your swing. It can cause mis-hits in the form of fat or thin shots and even shanks. On top of that, your ball will end up much shorter than it actually could.

When you are just starting to golf, this is one of the harder things to do. It might take you some time to learn it, but it will be rewarding once you do. There are several drills you can find out there that can help you with it. The sooner you get a hold of it, the sooner your ball striking will become better.

3. Clear Your Hips

There is often a misconception about hip movement during the swing. A lot of recreational golfers slide too much or not enough toward the target without proper hip rotation. Lately, I have seen some good content from experienced golf coaches about hips in the swing. Instead of saying hip rotation they use the term hip clearance.

The main reason it is called clearing hips is that by doing that you make enough room for the downswing in order to shallow the club. Besides the better contact you get out of that, you generate more power in your swing as well. It will be well worth it if you look into it and start working on doing it properly.

4. Forward Club Shaft Lean at Impact

If you have a look at any professional golfer at impact you will notice the forward shaft lean. I bet you’ve heard this before. There is a simple reason you will keep hearing it from golf coaches and industry experts. That is the proper way to compress the golf ball at impact and get the maximum distance out of your club.

What forward shaft lean at impact does is de-loft your golf club. It basically turns your 9 iron into an 8 or even a 7. It is one of the reasons professional golfers can hit the ball so much further with all their irons and wedges. The key thing here is going to be your wrists’ position through the downswing which will help with the shaft lean.

5. Keep the Shoulder Tilt

This is the vital component for keeping the relation to your golf ball. By doing it properly you are helping all the other parts of your swing to fall into place. All that will lead to better contact with the ball for a solid golf shot. Not doing the shoulder tilt often leads to bad shots in the form of thick and thin ones.

What you have to pay attention to is for your lead side shoulder to stay below your trail side shoulder during the backswing. After you transition into the downswing the shoulders will reverse their roles. Your trail side shoulder will be below your lead side shoulder. It might feel a bit strange in the beginning if you are not used to it.

One Change at a Time

I always like to repeat this whenever I have a chance. When you start working on swing changes do one single thing at a time. The swing is complex enough even without us trying to change multiple things at a time. Working on one element will help your body to adjust to the changes better and in a shorter period of time.

Nevertheless, that does not mean you will be able to change something quickly. It will still require time and effort to do it. Always start small and slow before making it to full swing and speed. Another thing that is recommended is to do some reps without the golf ball before trying to hit it.

Even when you introduce the golf ball do not worry right away if you mis-hit it. It is part of the process. Your body has to adapt to the new move first, then you can start hitting the ball properly. All in all, diagnose what part of your swing you have to work on first, then take one step at a time. Swing it better for more fun on the golf course.

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Categories: Beginners Golf Swing Golf Tips