Author: Dan

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

Check Price on PGA Tour Superstore

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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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2023 Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball Review

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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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Golf Swing Plane Drills – How to Swing Better

March 12, 2023 Dan No Comments

There is one name you are most likely familiar with: Ben Hogan. The reason I am mentioning him is the swing plane. He held the importance of swinging on or under the plane very high. That way your ball hitting improves and makes the swing better. The golf swing plane drills below will help you to get there.

You might be wondering what the plane is. Hogan imagined it as a glass surface that goes parallel with your golf club shaft at the initial swing setup.

If you pay attention to professional golfers, all of them swing on the plane or under the plane. When you swing above the plane, the results are usually not the best.

The main benefit of swinging on or under the plane is better contact with the golf ball. It also means that you have shallowed your club on the downswing.

If you are swinging that way already, you are doing the right thing. In case you are not, some of these drills could help you to get there.

Swing Under the Alignment Stick Drill

When you are looking for swing plane drills there is no other one that shows up as often as this drill. It is a simple and efficient drill that will help you both shallow your club on the downswing and swing from the inside out. All you need is an alignment stick with or without a pool noodle on it. Another option can be placing one of your club headcovers on the stick.

Nonetheless, there is a downside to this drill. To do it properly you need to place the alignment stick in the ground. That means you have to be at a driving range where you hit the balls off the grass. No artificial turf will work in this case. Assuming that you do have access to such a practice facility, here is how you do the drill.

Put the stick into the ground at a 45 degrees angle, facing you
It should be placed parallel to the outside of your trail foot
The end of the stick (pool noodle or headcover) should be about your wrist high
When you make a swing your club should go under the stick
You will get instant feedback while doing the drill
If you hit the stick on the downswing, it means you have to adjust your swing

Two Golf Balls Drill

This drill can be done with another golf ball or any object that you can place outside of the golf ball you are hitting. Just make sure the object is light enough so it does not break your club or hurt you if you hit it. The main objective of this drill is for you to check if you are swinging from outside in so you can fix it.

If you are swinging on or under the plane you either have a neutral swing path or you are swinging from inside out. This way you can find that out and make the necessary adjustments. The drill can be done anywhere where you can swing a club. In case you are doing it at home make sure you are hitting foam or whiffle balls and have room to swing a club.

Place another golf ball about two inches outside of the ball you are hitting
Make sure you have enough room for the club to hit your ball without hitting the other one
Swing and hit the golf ball without touching the other one
In case you hit the other golf ball in the process, some adjustment is needed

Swing the Club Loosely Drill

Unlike the other drills, for this one, you do not need anything except your club. It is a very simple drill designed to give you a feeling for your club’s natural swing motion. That way you can see what the natural swing path looks like so you can transfer it into your full swing. You can do it anywhere you want.

Grip your club more loosely that you usually do
You can set up in your regular swing position
Start slowly swinging the club in one single motion
Do shorter swings with the club continuously swinging from your trail to your lead side
Repeat that more times to get the feel of the club path

Do the Same Groups of Drills at a Time

When it comes to golf practice the most efficient way is to do related drills at a single time. That way you are focusing only on one area you want to work on. It will help you to improve faster since you are not mixing different types of drills. Make a practice plan and stick to it in order to maximize the results.

Practicing with a purpose will always generate better results compared to just going to the range and hitting balls. Whenever you do go to the range choose one part of your swing you want to work on. No matter which types of drills you are doing, it will take some time to see proper results. Have some patience, be persistent, and your hard work will pay off.

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Categories: Drills Golf Swing Swing Drills

How to Improve My Golf Game – 5 Tips for Beginners

March 5, 2023 Dan No Comments

Having a consistent golf swing is the golfer’s holy grail. It is something golfers at all levels try to achieve. However, even at the highest level, getting it is not easy. What consistency at the recreational level means is making as few mistakes as possible. There are some tips that can give you an answer on how to get a consistent golf swing.

That will help you make your swing as reliable as possible so your game suffers less and you enjoy playing more.

Clearly, there will always be bad shots, but the goal is to reduce their amount. It will probably require some changes and that is normal.

Whenever you make some changes to your golf swing it takes time for them to work. It is all a process that requires time and effort. The good thing is, the sooner you start implementing changes, the sooner you will get there. Without further introduction, check below the tips that could help you reach your goal.

1. Nail Down the Basics

I can’t emphasize this enough. If you want to have a consistent swing you absolutely have to work on the basics. By that I mean you have to be really good with basics. When you start golfing and building your swing it is very easy to go off the path. There are so many things that you can start doing wrong.

Once you start doing certain things wrong, it gets harder to fix them. That is why basics are so important. If you start doing things properly from the beginning, it is easier later. When you have solid foundations it is easier to build on. It will depend on how much time you have for how fast you can improve.

The bottom line is, it does not matter how much time it takes as long it is done right. It is the end goal that is important and that is building a consistent swing. That is exactly what you are going to get with solid basics. There are a lot of resources available out there that can help you, embrace them and get going.

2. Have the Right Clubs

There are many golfers that do not pay much attention to the golf clubs they play with. That is fine as long as they do not care about consistency and better result. In case you fall into the category of golfers who care, you should give this a thought. Even if your swing is consistent, the wrong clubs might not show the best results on the course.

In other words, wrong clubs could make your swing look more inconsistent than it actually is. Numbers are possibly the most reliable way that can show you what your clubs are doing for your swing. If you have access to a launch monitor then you can have a look yourself. In case you don’t, you could consider custom fitting.

Golf club fitters can see what is happening when you swing and suggest you different club options. They go through the process with you and at the end make a suggestion for which clubs work the best. The right clubs will definitely contribute to consistency and help you to get your game where you want it to be.

3. Focus on Technique

I know this seems obvious, but there is a reason why this is important. Let’s say you are just focusing to hit the ball as far as you can. While doing that, you completely neglect how you are hitting the ball. There is a good chance that your ball is not going to go a long distance no matter how hard you try to hit it.

The simple reason is you are most likely hitting it wrong. That has all to do with your swing technique. When you focus more on how you swing instead of how you hit the ball the results are better. Once your technique is better you will discover you don’t even have to hit it so hard in order for it to fly further.

Having a solid swing technique will help you become a better golfer faster. Even if you are hitting it shorter than you want in the beginning, as long as the technique is good the distance will come. On top of that, you will be able to hit all kinds of different shots when needed. Work on your swing technique and golfing will be more fun than ever.

4. Play to Your Strengths

There is a good chance you have a tendency when you are swinging your club, just like the majority of golfers who are natural drawers or faders of the ball. Granted, there are probably way more natural faders out there compared to drawers. No matter which category you fall in, you should use it as your strength.

You can notice that easily by paying attention when hitting the ball. If you are slicing it more, then you are a natural fader. In case you are hooking it more, you are a drawer. When you embrace that and adjust your swing to your preference, it will be easier for you to get a more consistent golf swing.

5. Practice With Purpose

This is extremely important if you want to obtain the best results possible. There are way too many recreational golfers that hit the ball without any purpose when practicing. Just have a look next time you go to the driving range. They just hit ball after ball executing the same shot time after time.

That is one of the reasons you might feel you are hitting it way better on the range than on the course. The reality is every shot in your round of golf is going to be a different one. Therefore, you should hit different shots with different clubs each time you practice. Mix it up, hit different length shots with each club, and try different ball flights or different shot shapes.

Make a plan for when you are going to practice. Have different targets on the range to hit. When it comes to drills, do drills for the same area you are working on at once. Don’t mix different drills in the same practice session. Doing the same types of drills will help you improve what you are working on faster. When you finish one area, move on to the next one.

Enjoy Golfing More Than Ever

The process of getting better at golf is awesome. That is especially the case in the very beginning when you can see big improvements on a regular basis. The better you get, the longer it takes to get to the next level. Nonetheless, it is not impossible. Everyone wants to get better, even professional golfers at the highest level.

One of the key things when it comes to improvement is a consistent golf swing. But it is not all in just grinding to become a better golfer. A lot of it is in enjoying each and every moment on the golf course. The fact is, the better you get, the more you will enjoy playing. Get working on your golf swing to have more fun while playing.

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2023 Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball Review

February 26, 2023 Dan No Comments

This golf ball is one of the most popular among recreational golfers. In the very competitive two-piece ball market, it is possibly the most popular one. Despite its popularity, this is the first time I have tried it myself. I had a general idea of what to expect, but this 2023 Callaway Supersoft golf ball review will let you know how it all actually unfolded.

Like every time there is a new generation of golf balls on the market, the companies claim everything is better and improved. That is the case this time as well.

The HyperElastic SoftFast core helps with ball speed and a soft feel around the green. When it comes to distance, a very soft feel, and durability, Callaway attributes it all to the Hybrid Cover.

2023 Callaway Supersoft box by golfballsworld.com — 2023 Callaway Supersoft Box by golfballsworld.com

According to industry experts, the new Supersoft compression rating is around 40. That places it among the softest golf balls on the market. It has a lot of fans which makes it the most popular Callaway golf ball next to the premium Chrome Soft. Without further introduction, check below how the ball did on the golf course.

Who Is This Ball For?

There is one thing that immediately stands out when it comes to this golf ball. You guessed it, this ball is soft, very soft. It is not just in the name, it is a fact. What extreme softness means is that it is engineered with players swinging the clubs at slow to medium speeds in mind. That clearly doesn’t mean you should not play it even if you swing a touch harder.

Nevertheless, if you are a fast-swinging golfer, you might not get the same results as you would with a ball with higher compression. A softer ball usually means less short-game spin. In case you don’t care much about spin and like a nice feeling while hitting the ball, this could be an option. Another thing, the price is reasonable as well for golfers on a budget.

PROS

Distance
Durability
Price

CONS

Less Short Game Spin
Not for Fast Swing Speeds

Callaway Supersoft

Review by golfballsworld.com

Distance Control

Chipping and Pitching

Putting

Durability

Appearance

Price

4.7

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On the Green

As with every review, I will start from the green backward. My first impression when it comes to putting with this ball was positive. I probably do not have even to mention its softness upon contact with the putter. It produces a very mellow sound that is pleasant to the ear. Now on to the performance.

The things I noticed after a few putts were good pace control. It didn’t take me much time to adjust to the intensity I have to hit the ball on putts from various distances. On top of that, the ball was holding the line very well. This goes both for short and long putts. There were no bad points when it comes to putting.

Around the Green

Again, the first thing I noticed was how soft the ball fell off the clubface. With this ball that is a given any time you hit it. In general, chipping was on the positive side. That is probably due to the fact that the bump and run is my chipping style of choice. In that case, the lack of short-game spin does not come as too big of a challenge.

Once I adjusted to how hard I had to hit it for distance control, all was good. Less spin is more noticeable when it comes to higher trajectory chips and pitches. Those situations require a more precise landing in order for the ball to roll and stop at the right moment. It was still very manageable to obtain decent results around the green.

Approach Shots

Of all the shots, these are my favorite ones. It is mostly due to the fact I test golf balls on a par 3 course, meaning every tee shot is an approach shot. You can already guess it, this ball feels very soft off the clubface. No matter if you do a half-swing, three-quarter swing, or full swing, it just feels soft.

I was seeing pretty much the distances I usually reach. There was not much adjustment needed there. The flight trajectory was higher on average. That was helping the ball to stop on the green due to less spin. I did lose distance on a few mis-hits, which was more my error than anything else.

When it comes to shot manipulation, the ball performed well. I like to hit lower shots on some holes and that worked just fine. My misses were consistent with the regular ones. The flight direction was consistently on the straight side. I had a good experience hitting this golf ball.

2023 Callaway Supersoft alignment — 2023 Callaway Supersoft by golfballsworld.com

Appearance and Price

The new Callaway Supersoft golf ball has not seen major changes when it comes to the look. It looks the same as the previous generation with a minor tweak to the alignment arrow design. Instead of one small arrow at the end of each side of the big line, now there are two. The alignment is very visible and helps if you use it before putts. A clean and simple look gets the job done.

The price was always one of this ball’s strong suits. It is not the cheapest ball out there, but its features and performance put it into the good value category. There is a lot of competition in the two-piece soft golf balls category and Supersoft always finds itself among the leaders. That fact speaks for itself.

It is available in white and yellow as well as in matte green, orange, red, and pink.

Durability

Since I haven’t played this ball before, as I mentioned earlier, I had no idea how durable it is going to be. I will just say I was impressed. Of all the golf balls I have tested until now, this one was among the best-performing ones. After a round on a par 3 course, there were barely any marks visible.

It might have something to do with the new Hybrid Cover, the engineers have done a great job. This definitely adds to its great value for money. If you get these golf balls, they will last long.

Final Verdict

Callaway has done a great job with one of its most popular golf balls. The Supersoft new generation has all the ingredients to become one of the best sellers once again. If you were loyal to the previous generation, you will most likely not be disappointed. In case you haven’t played it, and like a soft feel durable golf ball, it might be for you.

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Categories: Callaway Golf Balls Golf Balls Golf Balls Reviews

Golf Swing Impact Drills – How to Hit It Pure

February 19, 2023 Dan No Comments

Here is a fact. No matter how you swing your club at the end of the day the most important part is contact. Don’t get me wrong, you should still pay attention to how you deliver the hit. Otherwise, even with good contact your ball can end up anywhere. Here we will focus on golf swing impact drills you can do to improve your ball striking.

How you hit your ball and where on the clubface you hit it can make a difference between a great shot and a bad one.

Another thing that will improve with solid impact is distance. More distance usually means better chances for lower scores.

I am sure you know exactly when you hit a good shot. There is no feeling like the one when you know you have hit that ball purely.

That gets even better when that ball does exactly what you wanted it to and goes the distance you have envisioned.

Granted, even professionals do not do it every single time. However, the drills below can help you do it more often.

Impact Bag Drill

This is one of the most popular impact drills you can do. To perform it as intended you will need an impact bag. If you do not have an impact bag you can use something that will serve the purpose. That could be a regular duffel bag or even a backpack you can fill up with something like towels to make it firmer.

Place the bag just ahead of where you would place the golf ball
Start with shorter swings at first then work your way to longer ones
Every time you hit the bag make sure you move it forward
Keep your position at impact for a few moments so you get the feel for it
It is important that you keep the wrists quiet through impact without flicking the club

The drill will help you to get the sensation of your body motion at impact. More importantly, the way the impact bag is designed will show you the golf club position once you strike the ball. It might be different from what you are used to so it might be weird at first. There is a reason this drill is so popular among golf instructors.

Tee Peg Behind Golf Ball Drill

All you need for this simple drill is a tee peg. It will help you make better contact with the ball by forcing you to shift your weight forward. Besides that, it will help you strike the ball while you lean the club shaft forward. You can do it at the driving range, at home, or anywhere else where there is enough room to swing a club.

Place the tee peg about one clubhead length behind the golf ball at the setup
Start with shorter swings and gradually work toward a full swing
The goal is to miss the tee peg in order to hit the ball first then the ground
It will give you instant feedback depending if you miss or hit the tee peg

Tee Peg Behind Golf Ball by golfballsworld.com

Press Clubface Against Object Drill

The main purpose of this drill is to get you used to the impact position. It will help you get the feel of the moment when you strike the golf ball. You can do it anywhere as long as there is a firm object you can use to press your clubface against. It is a drill you can easily do at home or anywhere else.

Find a firm object like a wall, a desk, a bookshelf, or even a sofa
Place your golf clubface against the object and assume the impact position
Now press your clubface against the object to get the feel of your body in that position
Make sure you are in the right position in order to get the right sensation

This might feel different from what you are used to. It might feel a bit odd, but the objective is for you to feel the right impact position. You will see which muscles activate during the impact and how your body has to be positioned.

Short Swing Drill

This is a drill that is straightforward and self-explanatory. The goal is to feel the proper impact position while actually hitting the ball. It is a good way to get used to the feeling of delivering the club in a solid manner. Because it is a shorter swing it will help you slowly build up your impact sequence in your swing.

Set up for your regular swing
Bring your club until parallel to the ground in your backswing
Pause briefly before swinging
Swing until your club is parallel to the ground in the downswing
Make some dry swings until introducing the golf ball

Clubface Against Object by golfballsworld.com

Don’t Forget to Play

Drills are a great way to improve or sharpen your golf skills. I would always recommend them even as occasional reminders when it comes to technique. They can help you with straightening your game and take you to the next level. This is especially the case with basics which should always be learned thoroughly.

On the other side, sometimes you could get caught up in too many drills and too much time spent practicing. You have to remember that golfing on a course is something entirely different from practicing. Go out and golf as much as you can because that is the only true way of experiencing different situations.

While you might enjoy going to the driving range, nothing compares to playing. It will put you in all sorts of scenarios that are hard to replicate in a controlled environment. You will only truly improve by golfing more. Do drills and practice, but try to golf more in order to see real improvement.

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Categories: Drills Golf Swing Swing Drills

How to Golf on a Budget – 5 Tips to Save Money

February 12, 2023 Dan No Comments

Once upon a time golf was a relatively expensive hobby. Nowadays it is more accessible, although a lot of people still see it as a sport reserved for the elites. I am not saying it is cheap or anything like that. However, the increased accessibility and recently increased number of participants help. There are answers to the question of how to golf on a budget.

Now, it is true that you can spend unlimited amounts of money on golf equipment and accessories.

At the same time, due to the growth of the game golfing has become more user-friendly to put it in simple words.

That means you do not have to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to enjoy this beautiful game. If you have the right information, you can easily get yourself a nice set of clubs and all the additional accessories and apparel. On top of that golf courses are popping out everywhere and the learning material is ever-present. Let’s dive into the tips below.

1. Old Clubs Do the Job

The golf clubs’ prices are a big reason why golfing can be very expensive. To be more precise, I am talking about new golf clubs. The big brands are releasing new shiny clubs every year, with a couple of exceptions. They are almost always promising better performance with new technology. It always sounds promising.

Are new clubs always better? That is a tricky question. In general, if you have clubs that are older than 5 years, there is a good chance the technology has improved. Nonetheless, that does not mean older clubs are not good anymore. There are still older club models out there that can do as well as new ones on the course.

You might lose a couple of yards if you’re using an older model, but they can still perform just fine. If you just want to play and enjoy, you do not have to have the most expensive ones in the bag. You can also have a look at lower-priced sets that can start you off when you just begin to golf. The secondhand golf equipment market is big, you could take advantage of that as well.

2. Take Advantage of The Growing DTC Market

In the last few years, a new golf equipment market emerged. That is the direct-to-consumer market or as you may often see DTC. You can buy literally anything from golf clubs, golf bags, golf balls, and golf apparel straight from the brand. I am not talking here about just buying online, I am talking about brands that have only an online presence.

For that reason whatever you buy will usually come at a lower price since there is no middleman. However, there is one potential issue here. That is not being able to try the product before buying it. Golfers prefer to get a feel for clubs and balls before they purchase them. With this method that is out of the picture.

Surely most of the brands have the option to return the product if something is not right. There is also the option of online fitting where you put in some info they ask you and they give you the best options for you. It can’t be compared to in-person fitting, but it can do the trick to a certain extent.

3. Use the Equipment for Your Skill Level

One of the areas where you could be wasting money is if you have equipment that is not for your level. This is most often the case with golf clubs and golf balls. I am not saying that you won’t have use of better equipment, but it might not be time yet. That can leave quite an impact on your budget. Better equipment tends to be more expensive.

There are so many different types of clubs on the market. Some are more appropriate for beginners, some for intermediate players, and some for advanced golfers. Similar is whit golf balls, except you could still play more expensive ones and it would not make as big of a difference as with wrong clubs.

It is simply the question of what you need your equipment for. If your skill level is at a point when you can’t really execute different types of shots, there is no real use of clubs or balls meant for that level. The time will come when you are going to be able to shape shots and add/take off spin among other things. Until that moment, save yourself some money and have fun.

4. Use the Tee Time Booking Apps

As technology advances, there are more solutions that make our life easier. Some of those are tee time booking apps or websites. If you have already started using them, good for you. In case you are not so familiar with them, I would highly recommend you look them up. There are many out there to choose from.

Why I am suggesting this, besides the convenience, you can find good deals. First of all, you can find a lot of golf courses to choose from in one place. On top of that, the apps tend to offer discounts on tee times. It would be a shame not to take advantage of discounted tee time rates. Have the same good time, just for a lower price.

5. Learning Is a Click Away

This is the key thing when it comes to golf. You can have all the perfect equipment, but without learning how to golf the right way it is hard to fully enjoy it. Golf lessons don’t come cheap, even though it might be the fastest and most efficient way to learn how to golf. There is also the time element required to go for a lesson.

Luckily, we live in a day and age where technology allows us to absorb a lot of knowledge from home. There is so much content out there in form of tutorials whether in written or video format. You can take advantage of free education more than ever. If you still want to work with an instructor, you can do that from home as well.

There is something for everyone and that is great. However, if you are going to learn something on your own it requires self-discipline. Make sure you do everything you learn thoroughly. Work on a single thing at a time and do not move on to the next things until you perfect what you are currently working on.

Stay on Budget to Enjoy More

To paraphrase a saying I once heard; if you are lucky to golf, you are lucky enough. Golfing is even more fun when it does not leave a hole in your pocket. The good news is that it is achievable. Take advantage of all the opportunities to stay on budget. Dive into the second-hand equipment market or embrace the technology.

There are always ways to spend less and still enjoy this wonderful game. At the end of the day, it is going to be entirely up to you what you make of it. The days when golf was reserved for wealthy people are past us. There is not much that stands between you and a nice round with your golf buddies. Go out and enjoy it.

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Categories: Golf Equipment Golf General Info

Golf Swing Basics for Beginners – How to Learn It Right

February 5, 2023 Dan No Comments

When you start learning something new there is always a lot of excitement. That is especially the case with golf where you can see the progress week after week. Nevertheless, getting solid golf swing basics for beginners can be tricky. It is common to want to move on as quickly as possible and neglect the fundamentals for building a solid golf swing.

I do not want to say you will not learn how to swing the club. You have to do that in order to golf to start with.

What I mean is you might move too fast trying to do things before you master the basics. At that point, it will be harder to fix potential swing issues.

The sooner you build solid foundations, the sooner you will be able to develop your game in the right direction. There are so many different shots you will be taking during rounds. In order to be able to execute all of them, you will have to learn everything the right way. Now, let’s see which areas of your golf swing you should pay extra attention to in order to have a reliable golf swing.

Setup

Every time I think about the golf swing, setup is the first thing that comes to mind. Why? Simply because there is no solid swing without a solid setup. This is where it all starts. It is the first thing you do before hitting every ball when you golf. For that reason, you have to nail down the setup if you want to get good at golf.

Now, your setup will be slightly different for every single club you use and for every different shot you are hitting. In essence, it has the same basics just a bit altered. For you to get to a higher playing level, you will have to learn all those little differences. Don’t worry, once you get the first one it will be easier to get the others.

To start with it would be best if you learned one setup position. Let’s say with a short or mid-iron. Learn it really well until you feel confident to move on. From there it is going to be easier to move to wedges, long irons, fairway woods, and hybrids. The driver setup is again slightly different from the others due to the side bend.

It should not take long to get a hold of all the different setups. Once you have mastered all of them your swing is going to have a great foundation to build on.

Don’t Rush It

Believe it or not, you will not necessarily hit the ball better and further if you swing faster. What you should be focusing on when working on your swing is the tempo. The key is to have solid contact and a good tempo will help you with that. When you strike the ball properly it will go far and in the direction you want it to go.

Rushing your swing will make it much harder to execute it right and can lead to all sorts of trouble. I noticed some time ago my swings turn out pretty bad when I try to rush my swing and hammer the ball. The important thing is to find that sweet spot on the clubface, you can always increase your swing speed gradually as you become more confident.

There are tempo training apps out there that can help you with it as well as numerous other sources available for free. Be patient and learn to swing with a nice tempo. It will help you improve your swing and become a solid ball striker.

Under the Plane

The first time I learned about the plane was in the book “Ben Hogan’s Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf”. Despite the book being published in 1957, all the lessons can be applied to today’s golf. One part of the book speaks about the plane. The plane can be described as the line your club shaft forms at your swing setup.

There are a couple of ways you can swing your club for better results. One way is to swing on the plane and the other way is to swing under the plane. What you should definitely avoid is swinging over the plane. Swinging over the plane usually leads to poor shots. This is when you can see slices that end up way off the target.

The easiest way to know if you are swinging over the plane is if you film your swing from behind. Once you have a look you will know what needs to be fixed. As for everything else, there are a lot of resources available to find the drills to help you work on it.

Keep the Relation to the Ball

It might not be the first thing you look at when you mess up a shot, but it tends to be one of the major reasons for poor outcomes. What I mean by keeping the relation to the ball is to keep the same distance from your upper body to the ball through your swing. If anything you can get a touch closer to the ball, but in no scenario, you should get further.

Losing the relation to the ball can lead to thick and thin shots. There is a good chance you have experienced that and you know the feeling is not so good. Early extension is among the reasons you lose the relation to the ball to name one. Basically, it is any time you stand up and distance your upper body from the ball before you hit it.

Work on keeping your upper body from moving up before you make contact with the ball. It is going to pay good dividends once you get used to it. There are dills you can find that can help you fix it if you are among golfers experiencing it.

Different Ball Positions

If you have ever read or watched anything about golf ball positions at setup you know there are different perspectives out there. There is a general theory that you move the ball from the center toward your lead foot as the club length increases. That is fine and it works when the ball position is the right one.

The thing is, it does not have to be exactly the same for everyone. The same ball position for a 7-iron does not have to be identical for you and your friend. Sometimes a slight tweak can produce better results. The ball can also be moved depending on what type of shot you are trying to hit.

What I am trying to say is that you can follow the general rule. However, don’t be afraid to play around with the ball position in order to find your sweet spot for each club. Go to the driving range and experiment a bit. See what results you get when you move the ball around. You may discover something that works better in the end.

It Is Ok to Make Mistakes

Achieving perfection in golf is next to impossible. There is always something you could have done better, always a shot that should have been better executed, and always a putt that had to go in. This is true for all golfers no matter if they are professionals or recreational golfers. That extends to the golf swing as well.

The only difference is professional golfers’ swings are a touch closer to perfection. Mistakes while swinging are always going to happen. The sooner you accept that the sooner you will be able to have a good time on the course. The goal is to make fewer of them, but they are inevitable. What you can do for your game is to learn from those mistakes in order to improve.

Relax and enjoy the great time you are having while golfing.

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Categories: Beginners Golf Swing

2021 Vice Tour Golf Ball Review

January 29, 2023 Dan No Comments

After the very solid performance coming from the two-piece Vice Drive golf ball, I believe the Vice Tour won’t disappoint. That being said, I am going into this review open-minded. I am still not too familiar with their golf balls enough to know what to expect. The 2021 Vice Tour golf ball review will show if this is another reliable option from the brand.

This three-piece ball cover is made of ionomer, which is unusual for balls constructed with more than two pieces.

Because of that, I feel the durability will be similar to the Drive ball, which was excellent. We’ll discover that soon.

Inside it contains a new size-optimized Energy Speed Core built for extra distance. The mantle is constructed to minimize driver spin and increase ball flight stability. When it comes to dimples, that has also improved with the new durable 312 dimple design. By everything that you can find on the official Vice website, the ball is promising. Let’s find out how it did on the course.

Who Is This Ball For?

Let’s start with what says on the official Vice website. It simply states that this ball is designed and engineered for all swing speeds. That is a very interesting statement, to say the least. You could technically say that for a lot of golf balls out there. Nevertheless, it is a statement that does not put the ball in any swing speed category.

I have tried to look for a compression rating and got some mixed data. The medium compression rating seemed to be the general consensus. That would put the ball in the mid-swing speed category as the most suitable one. I can see that since I fall into that category and the ball had performed accordingly.

This ball could suit players who are looking for distance ahead of anything else. It is designed for a lower spin for that exact reason. That being said, do not expect a ton of short-game spin either. There is definite value to this ball and you can check why that is below.

PROS

Beginner Friendly
Distance
Durability
Price

CONS

Lower Short Game Spin
Only Available In White Color

2021 Vice Tour Golf Ball Review

Review by golfballsworld.com

Distance Control

Chipping and Pitching

Putting

Durability

Appearance

Price

4.7

On the Green

The thing that I noticed right away is that the sound it was making at impact was a bit louder. That is probably due to the ionomer cover which is harder than urethane ones. Don’t get me wrong, the level of noise was still in the mild category. That did not affect how the ball performed on the green whatsoever.

The only adjustment I had to do was on longer putts. Here I am talking from 10 feet and longer. It was the case more on the downhill putts versus the uphill ones. Shorter putts within the 5-foot range worked well since the beginning. Everything was fine regarding how the ball was holding the line while rolling. Overall, putting with this ball worked well.

Around the Green

As I have mentioned already, the only downside with chipping and pitching is the lack of spin. For me personally, that does not present a serious issue. My preference when close to the green is bump and run shots. When it comes to that, the ball worked very well. It worked well to that level that I managed to chip one in the hole.

I had a feeling it was easy enough to control where the ball is going to land and roll toward the hole. The higher trajectory chips and pitches seemed to lack a bit of spin. When I say lack of spin, I do not mean there is no spin whatsoever. It just has less greenside spin compared to some balls in the same category.

Approach Shots

I always like to mention I review these balls based on a performance on a par 3 course. The main reason is that I agree with a lot of industry experts who say you should test the ball from the green backward. Another important fact is, the majority of your golf shots are within 100 to 125 yards from the green.

Let’s get to the performance itself. One thing that worked like a charm was distance control. It pretty much fell right into my distance wheelhouse which made that easier. Another reason for that was the higher flight trajectory on average. It helped the ball stop fairly soon after it would land.

Hitting the ball felt good for the most with the exception of shots where the impact was lower on the face. Those shots produced a clicky sound which was still manageable. I found no issues whatsoever with manipulating the flight trajectory when needed. This category definitely gets a solid grade.

2021 Vice Tour Alignment — 2021 Vice Tour by golfballsworld.com

Appearance and Price

There is something about Vice golf balls that makes them look nice and appealing. It could be the simple logo and the minimalistic approach to designing the ball’s look. That gives them a modern and sophisticated vibe. This includes the new “keep in line” alignment line which adds to it. It is clean, simple, and does the job.

One of the benefits of the direct-to-consumer approach is the price. Because of no middleman involved in the process, the price is very competitive. In a lot of cases, this ball costs less than a two-piece ball from a lot of big brands. There is also an option to get up to 5 dozen balls which will lower the price even more. The only downside is the lack of color options. Still a great deal!

Durability

I have to say my predictions were not far off. Like with the two-piece Vice Drive model, durability was once again one of its strong suits. There were only a few marks and scuffs visible on the ball after a full round on a par 3 course. If you combine that with the price, you get a great value for your hard-earned money.

Final Verdict

Vice is proving that you do not need golf stars’ endorsements or endless commercials in order to show you have a quality product. Their approach is different and it is working. The Vice Tour ball is another example that they have products to compete with the big boys of the golf industry.

If you are someone who just started golfing or are looking for something reliable and cheaper, this could be your ball. Honestly, for that price, not much can go wrong even if you try it just out of curiosity. Sometimes you might find a product that suits you that you can’t find in your local golf shop. Just saying.

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Categories: Golf Balls Golf Balls Reviews Vice Golf Balls

How to Choose a Wedge – 5 Tips for Beginners

January 22, 2023 Dan No Comments

When a golfer gets to a lower handicap, there is a good chance his short game is solid. Of course, that is due mainly to the time they put into practice and playing. It is also because they most likely have the right wedges for their game. If you ever asked yourself how to choose a wedge, you might find some answers here.

You should not just walk into a golf store and choose the first wedge you like. There is more to consider for that process. Having the wrong wedge for your game can lead to inconsistency and eventually to bad results and/or frustration.

The last thing you want is to see bad shots when you put yourself in a good position in the fairway or around the green. Now, there are several things that have to come into the equation. The ultimate goal is for you to find a wedge that will suit your game so you do not have to adapt to it. The following tips will help you get to the wedge that will work the best for you.

Image by Stockholm Paris Studio on Unsplash

1. Know Your Gapping

One of the first steps when choosing a wedge is knowing your distances. In other words, which gap will the wedge I am buying fill? The rule of thumb is that the loft difference between your clubs should be around 4 degrees. Meaning, if your 9 iron is 41 degrees, your pitching wedge should be 45 degrees.

Now, that is a general rule which does not have to be followed. What should be followed is the distances you hit with your clubs. You should know what distance you would like to be reaching with your wedge. Again, on average the distance between clubs is anywhere between 10 and 15 yards.

Ideally, you have an idea of the gap which will narrow your choices already. From there on you can move on to the next steps in choosing your new wedge.

2. What Is the Wedge’s Main Purpose?

There is actually more to this than it seems. Not every golfer uses the wedges for the same purpose. Are you going to be hitting full shots? Is it going to be used for finesse shots only? Do you plan to chip with it just around the green or from longer distances too? Is your preference for a lower or higher ball flight trajectory?

Once you answer some of those questions, you will get closer to your wedge. Not all wedges are built the same. That goes even with wedges from the same brand with the same lofts. They will have different characteristics that are mostly related to the grind. Some wedges like the Titleist’s Vokey have different grinds for each wedge loft.

3. Your Typical Playing Conditions

This is something I did not think about at first. No matter how trivial it sounds, playing conditions make a difference when it comes to wedges. As I have mentioned above, there are different types of grinds for every kind of wedge. On top of that, there are also different bounce angles for each type of grind.

The major factor in choosing the right bounce angle is the firmness of the ground at the course you play most often. If you are in drier conditions with firmer fairways, your bounce angle should be lower. On the other hand for softer fairways, you should ideally have a higher bounce angle.

The simple explanation is when it is softer then the wedge will dig easily into the ground and a higher bounce angle will help with better contact. Regarding firmer fairways, the lower bounce angle will help the wedge glide helping with better contact.

4. Budget Size

Most of us have a certain budget when it comes to buying golf equipment. Luckily, there are a lot of options on the market when it comes to wedges. Tests done by industry experts do show differences in performance among brands. Nonetheless, that does not mean you have to buy the latest and most expensive wedge.

There are less expensive brands that are almost as good as the more expensive ones. The difference is usually in details that are not going to be crucial at the recreational level. Then there is the option of buying last year’s models which are often sold at a discounted price. The point is you can find a solid wedge for your budget.

5. Fitting Might Be an Option

Even when you have all the necessary info it could be overwhelming to go to a store and shop for a wedge. It is easy to get lost in all the numbers and different club settings. Sometimes you might not be able to identify what type of wedge would suit your swing the best. If you fall into this category, don’t worry, custom club fitting might be the solution.

Yes, custom club fitting comes with a price. Despite it costing money, it could pay off down the road. Fitters have all the data that will help them make suggestions for the best club for you. Technology came a long way and the numbers don’t lie. You don’t have to go by their suggestions, but you will have a better idea of where you’re at.

Scoring Clubs

Wedges are your scoring clubs, have that always on your mind. If you have a strong wedge game, you have a better chance of lowering your score. For that to work, you have to have the right clubs in your bag. Having clubs that suit your game can help you become a more consistent golfer. That is something we all aspire to.

Next time you are considering a new wedge, keep in mind all the suggestions above. Again, you can always ask for expert advice at your local golf store or golf course. When it comes to golf clubs, make sure you do your homework before getting new ones. Your game will be grateful and you will have much more fun while playing.

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Categories: Golf Equipment Wedges