Month: April 2023

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

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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