Golf Balls Article Index

How to Drive a Golf Ball

For those who are looking to put their tee-shot in play, what follows are methods to improve the distance of your drive, learned through many rounds of golf and many hours on the range.

Steps

1. Have proper equipment. Today's equipment and balls are not necessarily tailored for 7 - 8 degree drivers. That is a thing of the past. Getting the ball up in the air on a good trajectory is the first step to driving the ball longer. Many touring pros regularly use 9 and 10 degree drivers and drive the ball 300 plus yards. Plus, you will get much more consistency with a more lofted driver.

2. Start with your front foot in line with the ball to give it more loft during the set up. When you go for your backswing, you should shift your weight backward. This will give your swing more power.

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How to Flop a Golf Ball

A flop shot is where the ball goes very high and lands softly with very little roll. This shot is suitable for playing over obstacles such as bunkers and where you have very little green to work with.

Steps:

1. Aim the clubface right at the hole and then open your stance. The clubface should now be wide open.

2. Take a stance which is marginally narrower than usual.

3. Position the ball inside your left heel (for right-handed players).

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How To Hit a Golf Ball Straight

The last few times I went to the driving range, my slicing was driving me crazy. About 80% of time, I would slice the ball. I could not consistently hit the golf ball straight. Was it my club, my stance, my grip??? My friend, Robert Dean, grabbed the driver that I was using, which was a MacGregor MacTec NVG2 and was able to hit it over 250 yards - as straight as could be. I ruled the club out as being the problem.

Then Robert said something to me that helped reduce my slice and hit the ball consistently. He told me to stare at the back of the golf ball before, during, and after my swing. After it became a habit I would be able to follow the ball after the swing, but until then, keep staring at that spot at the back of the ball.

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How to Hit a Golf Ball from an Uphill Lie

Golf often requires you to hit shots from sand traps, across water, downhill or uphill. While any shot that's not made from even ground can be difficult, hitting aon an uphill lie is one of the easiest shots in golf. Once you've mastered hitting the ball on an uphill lie, you'll be better prepared to make some of the more difficult shots in golf

1. Select a club that is one or two numbers below what you would normally use. Hitting a golf ball from an uphill lie will make the ball go higher and shorter.

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How to Put Spin on a Golf Ball

Getting a golf ball to stop quickly or even spin backward can be a real lifesaver, especially when you're hitting onto firm greens or when the pin is placed directly behind a bunker or water hazard. Follow these simple rules to ensure you master your backspin quickly and easily.

1. Stand with your feet closer together than when you normally swing.

2. Position yourself so that the ball is closer to your back foot.

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Used Golf Balls

What is the difference between used golf balls and refurbished golf balls? Should you avoid playing with one or the other?

Used golf balls are golf balls that have been played, and in most cases, lost in the depths of water hazards (ponds and lakes) on various golf courses. Paid divers go into the water and retrieve the balls. Sometimes they can use extending rakes and retrievers specifically designed to scoop balls out of the water.

Most places will clean the balls then give each one a Golf Ball Rating. Without these ratings, you will not know how much play the used golf ball received.