Treating Blisters

photo credit: Daniel Morris   Blister Treatment Tips:  1)  With a sterile needle, drain the blister but make sure you pierce the side of the blister and not the center.  The layer of dead skin in the middle should be left intact.  Dab an ointment on the entire area.  2)  A blister on a finger or between your fingers can be bandaged which will provide ample protection and comfort.  3)  “Moleskin” is a product that can be cut to fit any area and is ideal to use for blisters on the palm of the hand.  4)  Tincture of benzoin, which is an antiseptic liquid, can be applied to blisters on the palm or heel of the hand.  5)   Try padded bandages or a product called OpSite, to cover the raw area/s.

Painkillers for Golfers

photo credit: Rennett Stowe   IBUPROFEN (Advil):  Use for muscle soreness in backs, knees etc.  Bad for your kidneys if maximum daily dosage exceeds 3 weeks.  NAPROXEN (Aleve):  Use for joint pain and arthritis.  It makes the eyes more sensitive to bright light and increases the risk of sunburn.  ACETAMINOPHEN (Tylenol):  For headaches and hang-overs.  Bad for your liver if daily dosage of 4000 mgs. are exceeded.  ASPIRIN:  (Bayer):  Great for dull pain.  Helps prevent heart disease and strokes.  Bad for a sensitive stomach.  Do not take the recommended daily dosage for more than a day or two. 

Generally, it’s best to weather thru mild aches and pains and take medication only if absolutely necessary.  Inserting any chemical into your system can have detrimental effects on your immune function and general good health.

Protecting Your Skin

photo credit: dichohecho   Gels and sprays are best.  The non-greasy Coppertone Sport is ideal.  If you like lotions, consider Proderma, Blue Lizard, MenScience TiO2 and Sundurance MLT.  Sunblock lasts just two hours, re-apply every two hours.  Use generous amounts.  Focus on the ears, nose, scalp and lips which are highly susceptible to cancer.  Wear a hat to protect your scalp and lip-balm for lip protection. 

SPF 15 is the absolute minimum, the higher the better.  Prevent UVA and UVB rays.  Use blocks that protect against both types of ultraviolet rays.  Cloudy days can produce serious burns.  If you do get burned keep it moisturized to avoid rashes, scabbing and permanent scarring.  Wear UV protective clothing, which can be purchased at stores like Cabela’s.

The Ultimate Slice Cure

photo credit: mandj98   Unfortunately, there are no ultimate slice cures.

   The slice is just about the most common fault among amateur golfers.  To many, swinging from the outside to the inside, seems just as natural as walking.  The slice swing causes left to right spin which causes the ball to veer sharply to the right.  Correct the outside-in swing-path and the slice can be cured.  The right equipment will also go a long way.

An off-set clubhead and more flexible shaft are two good options.  Increasing the driver’s loft also reduces side-spin.  The best corrective measures are a shorter, heavier shaft.  A shaft of forty-four inches and a weight of at least fifteen to twenty grams will improve the clubhead’s ability to resist twisting on off-center hits. 

The “draw” clubhead is another helpful method to counteract the slice.

Replacing an Iron With a Hybrid

photo credit: Kevitivity   There are some definite do’s and don’ts when replacing an iron with a hybrid.  You wouldn’t replace a twenty-one degree three iron with a twenty-one degree hybrid.  Since the hybrid has more mass, it will produce a farther shot than a three iron. 

The ideal is to replace irons with hybrids  that have slightly higher lofts.  For instance:  the twenty-one degree three iron should be replaced with a twenty-three degree hybrid.  The hybrid, even though it has a higher loft, will fly just as far as the three iron and produce high shots with a lot of backspin. 

Since the hybrid has more mass than a three iron it is much easier to hit out of rough with the hybrid.  It’s just a great, all around, utility club.

Meeting Tom Watson

photo credit: Tillers1   It was in the early 80’s at the American Golf Classic in Akron, Ohio where I first met Tom Watson.  I had an “office call,” to make (if you get the drift), the line was too long at the men’s room, so I walked up the fire-escape in the building’s rear and entered the golfers locker room.  When I finished, I went over to wash my hands and Tom Watson, out of nowhere, appeared.

I couldn’t resist and said “Can I ask you a question,” he said “sure, go ahead.”  I said,” why do Pros hit it so far,  compared to amateur golfers?”  Tom asked me to squeeze his outstretched finger as in holding a golf club, which I did.  His reply was, “you need a much lighter touch, you’re way too tight.”  It was the best tip I ever got and I’ve never forgotten it.

Here’s to you Tom. . !

Buying a Putter

photo credit: idovermani   It seems like every week they’re coming out with a new putter design and if you’re in the market for one, your head is spinning.  Follow the tips below:

No. 1)  Get fitted.  You don’t wear clothes that are too small or large, so why use a putter that is too short or long?  The length of your putter should be no longer than the point at which your hands grip the club (while they are hanging down naturally).  No. 2)  Putt with both blade AND mallet-head putters.  Decide which one feels right and also looks right to you.  No. 3)  Try the belly putters and long putters also.  No. 4)  After you’ve made the purchase, have your alignment checked and the putter adjusted to it.  Good Luck !

Selecting the Right Golf Ball

photo credit: lrargerich   There are four different types of golf balls:  (1)  The two piece – distance ball.  (2)  The two piece – low compression ball.  (3)  The multilayer ball with the ionomer cover.  (3)  The Multilayer ball with a polyurethane cover (Tour Players favorite).  Each ball behaves differently for various shots.

One of the favorite balls on the PGA Tour is the Titleist Pro V1 which is a multilayer ball.  The Pro V1 will give a player maximum spin which is desirable for all approach shots.  For most amateurs with swing speeds of 95 mph. or under, this type of ball may not give the same results.  Pro’s trap the ball between the clubface and turf for maximum backspin.  Ask your local pro for advice on choosing a ball for your game.

Driving & Putting Similarities

photo credit: linein   There are only two shots in golf where you need to hit up on the ball, putting and driving.  It’s ironic that these two clubs are a world apart, the driver delivers the longest shots, while the putter is used for the shortest shots.

The ball is played off your lead foot with both clubs, hitting up on the ball is required .  The idea is to eliminate spin as much as possible.  With a driver, it is critical to avoid hitting across the ball which creates side-spin (slice or hook), that’s why there are no grooves on the sweet spot.

When putting, it is necessary to hit up on the ball to keep it from bouncing..  The idea is to get the ball rolling in a stable manner as soon as possible.

Buried Lie

photo credit: bradleypjohnson   A buried lie in the sand is scary, but with a little preparation this shouldn’t be such an intimidating golf shot.  When faced with this shot, don’t try to glide the clubhead under the ball as you would if the ball was sitting-up in the sand.  With  buried lies, the only way to get your ball on the green, is to explode it out. 

Close your clubface and keep your hands in front of the ball at address.  Maintain a weak grip with the right hand (for right handed players) by turning your hand counterclockwise towards the target.  Pick the club up steeply going back and hit the sand with a great deal of force and a steep angle of attack.  Practice this shot, it works !

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