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February 8, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:50 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

What if you become a cable guy?

 

If your course has cables or telephone wires cutting across the area of play, you might get a break if you hit them.  Most such courses have a local rule that will allow you to play your shot over if your ball hits the wires.  You may re-tee or take a free drop.  Many golfers are unaware of this local rule and will play their ball after hitting the wires and just think it was the "rub of the green."  Ask the pro or starter if a local rule is in effect if you know that there are areas where cables or wires might come into play.  It might save you a few strokes.

 

 

 

 

February 7, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:46 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Be careful making bets.

 

Most golfers will play a Nassau or some other betting game to put a little extra significance to a friendly match.  Be careful of getting into a group that likes to play for higher stakes than you would like.  The amount of money bet may put extra pressure on yourself to play well, and you will be nervously grinding on every hole.  Sometimes, this kind of betting will take the fun out of the game rather than enhancing it.  Know what your are comfortable with and avoid the players who like to gamble to the point where it would affect your game.  Remember that you want to enjoy your time on the golf course and not make it seem like work.

 

 

 

February 6, 2012  (Naples, FL) 8:53 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

What is back there?

 

Many times, gofers will play a course and never know what is over the green.  Even on your home course, you may be very familiar with the hole from the tee to the green, but have only seen what is over the green a few times.  Make it a point to look at what is behind each green, or ask someone who knows the course if there are any holes that are trouble if you are long.  You might find that some holes have hidden bunkers, water hazards, or thick vegetation just over the green.  This is important to you for your club selection.  When the flagstick is on the back of the green, you might play less aggressively if you know something punishing awaits you if your ball goes long.

 

 

 

February 4, 2012  (Naples, FL) 4:50 PM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Keep a course notebook.

 

Get a small notebook that will fit into your back pocket.  Allow about three pages for every hole of your home course.  As you play the course, make little notes such as, "Keep the ball on the left side of the fairway," or, "Ball runs off the front of the green."  You can note distances to bunkers and water, and what is the best way for you to play the hole well.  As you come to the hole, take a quick glance at your notes to refresh your memory and, more importantly, to help you focus on what the task is for this particular hole.  If you lose concentration, this notebook will be a great little tool to get you tuned into your game.

 

 

 

February 3, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:25 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Wind is important from where you are standing.

 

Finding the direction of the wind can be tricky.  Sometimes hill, trees and valleys can shift the wind in different directions from what you know as the prevailing wind.  On a par three hole, be careful of the wind when the green is well-elevated or well below you.  The wind where you are standing is not as important as the wind that is near the green.  The ball will move on the wind more as it loses speed and starts to come down.  Look at the flagstick, trees near the green, and any leaves or twigs blowing along the ground near the hole.  If there are any bodies of water near, note the direction of the waves.  By looking at the wind, you will get a better idea of how to play your shot.

 

 

 

 

February 3, 2012  (Naples, FL) 6:49 AM

 

 THE RITZ-CARLTON RESORTS NAMED TOP HOTELS BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

 

The Ritz-Carlton, Naples and The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples have earned recognition as two of the 2012 Best Hotels in the U.S. by U.S. News & World Report. The two Naples resorts were among 1,548 luxury hotels analyzed by U.S. News; the list then was whittled to 154 of the top-ranking properties that were named to a selective list of the best hotels in the America. Respectively, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples and The Ritz-Carlton, Naples beach resort were ranked as the 1st and 2nd best hotels in Naples, as well as the 2nd and 4th best hotels in Florida. The best hotel list can be found in the 2012 edition of the annually updated U.S. News hotel rankings.

 

 

 

February 2, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:46 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

A rubber-band approach to putting.

 

Find the sweet spot on your putter by lightly holding it up in the air.  Use a tee and make little taps on the putter face, starting at the toe and working inward.  The putter will open at first but when you start tapping toward the center of the face and tap the sweet spot, the putter head will go straight back.  Take a pencil and make a small mark on the top line of your putter to note the sweet spot.  Place rubber bands about a half-inch each way on your putter.  Hit three-foot putts with the rubber bands in place.  If you hit the sweet spot, the ball will go in the hole.  If you hit the rubber bands, the ball will wobble off.  This is great practice to make sure you hit the ball in the center of your putter every time.

 

 

February 1, 2012  (Naples, FL) 8:03 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Here is a great pre-round meditation.

 

One of the most important aspects of playing well is to have confidence in your game Before you head to the course to play, lie down for about ten minutes with your eyes closed. Go over each hole on your course and try to remember the best score that you made on each hole where it was a birdie or par. Relive each of these holes and see yourself playing the hole to perfection. Feel the satisfaction and remember the feeling that you had as you played the hole at your very best. After going through this meditation, you should feel confident in your ability to do well once you begin to play your round. Commit to every shot and bring back the thoughts of your best score as you come to each hole.

 

 

January 30, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:31 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Watch your back foot.

 

Good foot action is important for making good contact with the ball.  On the backswing, you should transfer weight to your back foot but never let your weight get to the outside of the foot so that you sway.  Place three tees in to the ground next to your back foot and swing back on to your front foot to come into impact, your right heel should stay close to the ground and move forward - never up and out, as this will knock your swing plane off line.  Finish your swing so that the toe of your back foot is the only part of the foot touching the ground at the finish.  If you can finish with your toe on the ground, then you have made a good weight transfer and a good golf swing.

 

 

 

January 29, 2012  (Naples, FL)  7:50 AM

 

Stock reports home sales soar in 2011

 

Stock Development had a banner year in 2011, topping 300 new home sales and generating more than $200 million in sales company wide.

 

According to Brian Stock, CEO, new home sales were up 30 percent overall with a sales volume exceeding $124 million, representing a 42 percent increase over 2010. Lely Resort registered 154 sales, and Secoya Reserve and Black Bear Ridge had another 34 sales.

 

Expanding its luxury home operations, Stock became a preferred builder at Mediterra and closed on 11 homesites in the Buonasera neighborhood of estate-sized single-family homes.

 

Expansion plans for 2012 include the launch of the final neighborhood at Olde Cypress and sales of new custombuilt homes at Quail West. Stock is also preparing to release details of a new Build-On-Your-Lot program that will allow homebuyers to choose from dozens of award-winning Stock floor plans and have them built on their home sites throughout Southwest Florida.

 

At Lely Resort, a total of nine neighborhoods of flats, townhomes, coach homes, twin villas, single-family homes and estate homes are offered with prices beginning in the $180,000s.

 

Search properties at: http://www.naplesgolfguy.idxco.com/idx/5438/advancedSearch.php.

 

For more details, homebuyers should contact Matt Klinowski at 239-370-0892.

 

 

 

January 29, 2012  (Naples, FL) 6:53 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Don't lose power.

 

Many golfers do not hit the ball very far from the tee and just accept it as being the best that they can do.  On the contrary, many golfers simply lack power because they create power leaks by making some movement that robs them of distance.  If you want more distance, let your backswing become wide and extend your arms back fully.  If you break your arms down so that they fold into your body on the backswing, you will have a restricted and short through swing to impact.  Go wide and then tuck your arms toward your body as you come down.  Release the arms so that they extend to the ball at impact and let the club fire down the line.  You should find that your drives are longer without any extra effort.

 

 

 

 

January 28, 2012  (Naples, FL) 10:11 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Your pre-shot routine is very important.

 

The pre-shot routine is something that you can control 100 percent.  It is the part of hitting a golf shot that gathers information, plans the shot, and helps you to properly aim your ball to your target.  Stand about ten feet behind the ball and breathe deeply, aware of your lie, the wind, and the target.  Look at the target for a few moments and then bring your eyes back to your ball.  Visualize your swing and then the ball flying to the target.  Look at a spot on that line that is about two feet in front of the ball.  Walk directly toward your ball and along your intended line while connecting to the target.  Step to the left and then set up to the ball by lining the club face to the spot that you have selected.  Take your setup and you are ready to play the shot.  Stay with the same routine every time and do not rush or omit it to hurry the round.  It will only take about ten seconds, but it will translate to better scores.

 

 

 

January 27, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:39 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Play the course as it is.

 

Sometimes golfers will hit a few bad shots and begin to blame the course.  It is a natural tendency to place blame elsewhere, but in golf, you need to play the course as it is and accept the conditions for what they are.  Sometimes, you will hear golfers say the course is too long, too short, too wet, too dry, or the greens are too fast to too slow.  Make up your mind that you are going to enjoy the day of golf and accept the conditions.  Remember that if you are competing in a tournament, everyone will have to deal with the same conditions as you do.  If you make up your mind to enjoy the round and the challenge, rather than complaining, you probably will play a lot better.

 

 

 

January 26, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:38 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Long and wrong.

 

Some golfers who can hit the ball a long way make the mistake of trying to bomb every tee shot without giving a thought to accuracy.  This kind of player will hit a tremendous drive that lands in the fairway a few times each round.  Most of the time, this player will be in another fairway or deep into trouble from swinging for the fences.  This is what is called long and wrong.  Scoring low is the main goal in golf.  Hitting fairways and greens and then putting well are the best ways to get low scores.  You get no style points for blasting a drive 300 years while your scores soar because of wildness.  Know your game and keep the ball in play.

 

 

 

January 25, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:23 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Look for hidden danger.

 

If you are playing an approach shot to a green that is well below where you are, you should be careful and note what is directly in front of the green.  Many times, greens that are severely downhill from you will have a slope in front that severely angles away from you as well.  If your ball lands short, it will strike the down slope and send your ball scurrying across the green.  It is always an advantage to know the slopes in front of, in back of, and on the sides of the green.  This way you can avoid bounces that will put you in trouble.  If you are not sure what is in front of the green, hit a high shot and try to land the ball on the green, but do not aim for the pin.

 

 

 

January 24, 2012  (Naples, FL)  8:32 PM

 

COLLIER COUNTY 2011 ANNUAL VISITATION SHOWS GROWTH

 

The Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB)  released calendar-year visitation numbers for Collier showing a 7.7 percent increase for 2011 over 2010. The CVB’s research partner, Research Data Services, calculates that nearly 1.5 million people stayed in hotels or short-term vacation lodging in 2011. Direct visitor expenditures for 2011 were $865,184,700, an increase of 10.6 percent, and the annual total economic impact from tourism was more than $1.2 billion, also an increase of 10.6 percent. In comparison with 2010, the 2011 year showed a 15.3 percent increase in visitors and a 19.7 percent increase in direct spending for the month of December.

 

Search properties at: http://www.naplesgolfguy.idxco.com/idx/5438/advancedSearch.php.

 

For more details, homebuyers should contact Matt Klinowski at 239-370-0892.

 

 

 

 

January 24, 2012  (Naples, FL)  7:42 PM

 

2011 HOUSING INVENTORY ENDS AT 5-YEAR LOW

 

Naples real estate activity in 2011 has led to a five-year low in inventory, according to a report released by the Naples Area Board of Realtors (NABOR), which tracks home listings and sales within Collier County (excluding Marco Island). Statistics compiled by NABOR show an increase in overall sales with inventory diminishing in Collier County, which is an encouraging sign that the favorable market conditions are moving buyers. The available inventory declined 17 percent in 2011 with 7,581 available properties compared with 9,145 available properties in 2010. In the under-$300,000 market category, the available inventory declined 21 percent to 3,771 properties in 2011 compared with 4,763 properties in 2010. Every market category showed sale increases in both pending and closed sales with the largest increase in the $1 million and above categories.

 

Search properties at: http://www.naplesgolfguy.idxco.com/idx/5438/advancedSearch.php.

 

For more details, homebuyers should contact Matt Klinowski at 239-370-0892.

 

 

 

 

January 24, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:33 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

See if you are able to use a rangefinder.

 

The USGA has authorized the use of rangefinders if they are approved by a local rule at the course or tournament in which you are playing.  Always ask if the local rule is in effect, as a rangefinder is a wonderful aid.  The rangefinder can be of particularly great assistance when you are playing a new course and do not have a good idea of your distances.  Some have such features as giving you the distance to hazards or land features and can even measure how far you have hit your drive.  Not only are these gadgets very helpful with the information that they provide, they can offer you more enjoyment on the course as well.  Check with your course's professional and see if you can use one.

 

 

January 20, 2012  (Naples, FL) 6:20 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Have your partner help you.

 

If you have difficulty lining up your shots or putts, ask for help.  Your partner may get behind you to check to see if you and your club face are aligned properly to the target.  He or she may give you directions on which way to move your shoulders, feet, or club face.  They may even move your club face so that it is square.  They may not stand behind you on your line while you play your shot, so they should move several steps to one side or the other.  When playing with a partner, always take advantage of an extra pair of eyes to help you get square to your target.

 

 

 

January 19, 2012  (Naples, FL)  8:22 PM

 

Single-family home prices increase in Fort Myers area

 

Home prices are rising in the Fort Myers area.

 

The overall median sales price for single-family homes sold with the help of a Realtor in December increased to $116,950, up 32 percent from $88,000 a year ago, according to the Realtor Association of Greater Fort Myers and the Beach Inc.

 

The median is the price at which half the homes sell for more and half for less.

 

There has been a shift in the types of homes selling in the market and prices for foreclosed homes have been rising.

 

They're are more "conventional" sales, meaning they are fewer foreclosure sales and short sales. Short sales are sales made for less than what's owed on the mortgage to avoid a foreclosure.

 

The median price for conventional homes was $137,250 in December, up 1.70 percent from the same month a year ago. Conventional sales represented a little more than 50 percent of all sales in the market last month.

 

The median price for short sales in December was $87,500, up 2.9 percent from a year ago. Meanwhile, the median price for foreclosure sales rose more than 27 percent to $82,750. Search properties at: http://www.naplesgolfguy.idxco.com/idx/5438/advancedSearch.php.

 

For more details, homebuyers should contact Matt Klinowski at 239-370-0892.

 

 

 

January 19, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:59 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Use a hockey shot to get it out of trouble.

 

If your ball lies under a bush or low-hanging branch of a tree, try this shot to get it out.  Place one hand on top of the handle and the other one on the shaft of the club.  Lean over and use a short, crisp swing that has a backswing and a forward swing that only travels a short distance in either direction.  As long as you make a swinging action and do not attempt to scoop or simply lift the ball up without a backswing, you may play this shot to help you get out of a tough situation.  If you think you may miss the ball or you cannot see the ball when you take your stance, you are better off taking an unplayable lie with a one-stroke penalty.

 

 

 

 

January 18, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:05 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

An easy cure for your slice.

 

If you slice the ball badly and are at your wit's end trying to fix it, try this drill.  Grip your club as you would normally hold it with your left or top hand.  Place your right or bottom hand on the bottom of your grip near where the shaft meets the handle.  Make a few practice swings and then hit five balls with this grip.  You will notice that the club turns over and you will probably make little hooks with your shots.  Next, move your hands a few inches up on the handle and then hit five more shots.  Again note how the face closes and the ball draws.  Finally, take your normal grip and try to keep the same feeling of your hands rolling over with the right hand on top as you come through impact.  This way, you will never hit the ball with an open face again.

 

 

 

January 17, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:56 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Playing a steep uphill lie for a pitch shot.

 

If you need to hit a pitch shot from a very steep lie, you need to make some adjustments to hit the ball correctly.  First of all, do not automatically reach for your wedge.  A wedge will have a lot of loft and will tend to pop the ball into the air so that it lands short of your target.  Use an eight or nine iron instead; this will get the ball to the target much better.  When you set up, tilt your shoulders to match the incline and play the ball a little forward of center.  Brace yourself with your back foot so that you do not fall backward as you swing.  Bring the club back so that it traces the slope of the incline rather than picking it up and slamming it into the hill.  On the forward stroke, let the club come in at a low angle and sweep the ball from the turf rather than taking a divot.  The ball should fly nicely and land near your target.

 

 

 

January 16, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:32 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Maybe you can buy your way out of a slice.

 

If you continually slice the ball badly with your driver and you cannot seem to make the swing changes to correct it, maybe you can find equipment that will help your drives fly straighter.  Golfers who slice from the tee may benefit from a driver that is offset or where the club face is set back from where the shaft enters the club head.  The offset allows you to square the club up better so that you do not come in to the ball with an open face.  Also, you may try a higher-lofted driver.  These drivers will make your drives fly high and high shots will not curve as much as low shots.  Finally, look for a soft shaft, such as an "A" flex or senior shaft.  This , too will help close the face of the driver as you come into contact.

 

 

 

January 15, 2012  (Naples, FL) 11:32 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Build your balance.

 

Good balance is essential to a good golf swing.  It is the one component that all good players have and the one thing that the average golfer struggles with as they swing.  Think in terms of creating balance so that your feet, knees, and hips make a foundation and support system for your upper body as it turns.  The upper body must turn back and through the ball, rather than sliding away and back during the swing, since the lower body has to make moves to support all of this lateral movement.  Set your feet so that your point of balance is just behind the balls of your feet or along your arches.  If you favor your heels or toes at setup, your body will tend to drift either backward or forward in the swing.  Let your knees flex and act like shock absorbers during the swing so that they hold steady the upper body.  Get the feeling that you are swinging or rotating around your spine.

 

 

 

January 14, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:47 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Want to hit a shot with backspin?

 

To create a shot that lands, bounces, and then spins back toward the hole, you must have several factors to pull this shot off properly.  First of all, you need a golf ball that creates high spin, not distance.  The grooves of your wedge should be crisp clean.  You may have the face of your wedge re-grooved by a professional club maker or send it back to the manufacturer.  If you play a lot of golf, you may need to get new wedges every season.  To hit the shot, play the ball a little back of center in your stance and lift the club at a steep angle.  Come down with an aggressive move so that you generate a good impact with the ball.  Make sure that you strike the ball first and then take a shallow divot in front of where the ball had been.  Make sure that you turn through the shot with your shoulders and hold your finish about shoulder high.  The ball should fly a little lower and have a lot spin on it so you can back it up.

 

 

 

January 13, 2012  (Naples, FL)  7:20 AM

 

CHARLOTTE STUMBLES AT YEAR END FORECLOSURE; LEE AND COLLIER DOWN

 

Foreclosure activity in Charlotte County rose 40 percent in December over November, ranking second in the state, according to a report released today by RealtyTrac.  The analysis showed that 461 Charlotte housing units were in foreclosure last month (one in every 220), up from 396 units, or 16 percent, from December 2010. Lee and Collier counties showed improvement. Lee’s December foreclosure activity dipped more than 15 percent to 1,116 housing units (one in every 327) from 1,326 in November, nearly mirroring the improvement from December 2010 (down 15 percent from 1,322). Collier County’s December foreclosures dropped to 358 housing units (one in every 543), down 32 percent from 530 in November, and down 18 percent from 437 units in December 2010.  Search for properties http://www.naplesgolfguy.idxco.com/idx/5438/advancedSearch.php.

 

For more details, homebuyers should contact Matt Klinowski at 239-370-0892.

 

 

 

January 13, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:07 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Are you pulling your wedge shots?

 

A common fault that can be easily corrected is pulling or hitting wedge shots to the left of the target.  Most players will sight down to their target for this shot and then open their stance to accommodate the short shaft of a wedge.  While this is exactly what you should do with your stance, you must be careful where your shoulders are pointing.  Too often a player will open his or her shoulder and stance and hit the ball way to the left of their intended target.  You may think that you have pulled the shot when actually you are misaligned and are not hitting a pull.  When you set up for a wedge shot, open your stance but make sure that your shoulders are aimed at your target.

 

 

 

January 12, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:35 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Make sure that you have a clear shot.

 

When you set up for your drive, be careful and study your intended path for your ball flight and not just focus on your target area.  There may be trees that protrude out near the tee and also to the sides of the fairway that could catch your ball and ruin your shot if you are not careful.  When you find your target, draw your eyes back from that target on your intended line of ball flight.  If you slice, fade, or hook, or draw the ball, you may be vulnerable to trees that are o the side of the hole on which you will start your drive.  Get the big picture before you hit your drive so that you will not be taken by surprise from a tree branch that snares your ball close to the tee or near your target area.

 

 

 

January 11, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:12 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Don’t make deals.

 

If you are playing in a tournament, do not make a deal with your opponent to bend the rules.  For example, you cannot agree to winter rules or preferred lies while the rest of the field is playing the ball as it lies.  Even in match play, you cannot make any deals, such as playing from different tee markers, ignoring out-of-bounds and hazard lines, and offering mulligans.  Even though the deals impact only you and your opponent, they are in conflict with the rules that the tournament committee has put forth.  The penalty for making such deals is disqualification for all players who are in violation.  If you are offered a deal for your match to make the round easier or faster, don’t take it.

 

 

 

January 10, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:15 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Have the pin tended.

 

While most players have the flagstick removed before they putt, professional players will always have the flagstick attended for long putts.  Having someone stand near the hole will actually assist you in depth perception and will help you gauge your distance.  Although you cannot have someone assist you in giving you an aiming point, you may use the feet of the player who is holding the flagstick as a guide to where you want to start your putt.  Finally, look at the attendant's feet to see if one foot is higher than the other.  This may be a clue to a subtle break near the hole.

 

 

 

January 9, 2012 (Naples, FL) 7:32 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

"I'll take the break out."

 

Many times you will hear golfers say that they will take the break out of the putt by hitting the putt so firmly that it goes into the hole on a straight line instead of breaking into the hole because of a little slope in the green.  However, banging your putt is not a good idea, and it is particularly bad on fast greens.  Hitting a putt so that it travels fast to the cup will only have a chance of going into the hole if it is dead center.  If you are off to the side of the cup, the ball will spin out as result of the force that you put on the putt and may leave you with a long putt again.  If there is a break to the putt, set your pace on the putt so that the hole will take your ball from the sides as well as the center.  A putt that has enough speed to get to the hole and then drop over the edge as is slows down is the best pace for making more putts within ten feet.

 

 

 

 

January 8, 2012  (Naples, FL) 6:40 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Plan your chips and pitches carefully.

 

Most players will read their putts carefully, but when it comes to chipping and pitching they look directly to the hole as a target.  When you have a chip or a pitch shot, you should walk up to the green before it is your time play and feel the texture of the green with your feet.  You need to know if it is hard or soft, and how the ball will react upon landing.  Next, take a good look at the slopes on the green and in particular, look for breaks near the hole.  This way, you can land the ball on the green and play the breaks correctly.  Just throwing the ball toward the hole may leave you with a long putt.  Think in terms of where youw ant to leave yourself for the putt after your shot.

 

 

 

January 7, 2012  (Naples, FL) 8:03 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Here's how to hit powerful drives.

 

Take your posture and stand a little taller than normal, accommodating the long shaft of the driver.  Your head should be behind the ball that is teed up opposite your front foot.  Take a stance that has your feed under or slightly outside of your shoulders and place about 60 percent of your weight on your back foot.  Your spine should be tilted toward your back just a little.  Make a little forward press by kicking your right knee inward just a bit to break the tension and let it serve as a trigger to start your backswing.  Make a good weight shift so that you load up on your back instep as you get to the top of your swing.  Most importantly, make a smooth transition for your downswing so that you do not jump at the ball, but rather feel as if the club is whipping through impact as a result of a free and easy turn of your upper body.

 

 

 

January 4, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:29 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Trust your read.

 

The best way to get a read on your putt is to get information from three vantage points:  behind the ball, halfway on your line, and from behind the hole.  Try to find a spot that will allow you to get a view that is close to the level of the green.  If you can squat down or go down on the back of a bunker or water, you should take advantage to get a low-level angle to see the slope of the land.  Once you get over the ball, do not change your mind on the path that you selected.  Standing over the top of the ball may give you a distorted perspective.  Trust your read and commit to it.

 

 

 

January 4, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:29 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Trust your read.

 

The best way to get a read on your putt is to get information from three vantage points:  behind the ball, halfway on your line, and from behind the hole.  Try to find a spot that will allow you to get a view that is close to the level of the green.  If you can squat down or go down on the back of a bunker or water, you should take advantage to get a low-level angle to see the slope of the land.  Once you get over the ball, do not change your mind on the path that you selected.  Standing over the top of the ball may give you a distorted perspective.  Trust your read and commit to it.

 

 

 

January 3, 2012  (Naples, FL) 7:06 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Head up, eyes down.

 

If you hit a slice, and along the line your friends have told you to keep your head down, you may be restricting your swing with your head position.  Golfers who have been told to keep their heads down will often place their chins on their chest.  This position will not allow your shoulders to turn back and through and will usually lead to a slice of shots that simply do not go very far.  When you set up to the ball, lift your chin up a little and look down with your eyes.  This position will give you a straight back for good posture and allow you to turn around your spine much easier.  Practice this every time so that it feels comfortable to you, and soon it will be your normal posture.

 

 

 

 

January 2, 2012  (Naples, FL) 11:28 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

This drill will amaze you.

 

If you are having trouble putting, you might try this drill.  You will be amazed at how many putts that you make.  Get two bricks and use duct tape to have a string run about twelve feet from one brick to the other.  On a level lie on the practice green, place one brick standing up on end and have the string run back to the other brick so that it is taut and straight to the hole.  Place balls at one-foot increments directly under the string.  Set up to the ball and let your eyes come over the string so that it cuts across the center of the ball as you look down.  Stroke the putt from this position and hold your eyes in place.  Move back to the next ball and repeat the sequence.  Chances are you will make most of the putts, and after a while you may make all of the putts.  You will learn the importance of having your eyes over the ball and parallel to your target line.

 

 

 

January 1, 2012  (Naples, FL) 5:30 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

A few holes do not make a round.

 

If you get off to a bad start on the first few holes, do not think that you are going to have a bad day.  Many times, good golfers can shake off a poor start and turn the round into one of their better days if they do not dwell on the first few holes.  If you get off to a bad start, go off to the side and make a few practice swings, holding the club lightly and swinging freely.  Loosen your muscles through a few basic stretches to relieve tension and decide that the most important shot that you have is your next one.  You have no control over what happened in the past.  Make up your mind to put the wheels back on and make it a good day of golf.

 

 

 

December 30, 2011  (Naples, FL) 12:10 PM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

What are you thinking?

 

One of the major differences between the great players and the average golfer is the mental approach that is held.  The top players always think positively and concentrate on the target or where they want their ball to land.  They visualize the shot and do not have any mechanical thought about their swings as they hit the shot.  On the other hand, the high handicapper thinks in terms of what not to do, such as, "Don't hit in the water."  They also think of their grips, stance and how to manipulate the club during their swings.  Avoid thinking negative thoughts and put your mind in focus to play a great shot without worry.  Once you set up to the ball, have an image of the ball landing near your target.  This little mental change is important to playing well.

 

 

 

 

December 29, 2011  (Naples, FL) 9:23 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

When you must hit the fairway, get tunnel vision.

 

When you come to a hole in which you must get your drive into the fairway, you should narrow your focus and develop tunnel vision to a target.  Instead of aiming at an area of the fairway, you should pick out a certain spot or terrain feature to guide your focus.  From behind the ball, draw an imaginary line from the point on the fairway back to your ball.  Concentrate on this line as you walk up and take your setup.  Swivel your head a few times to make sure you have the target and the line fixed in your mind and then swing freely without trying to steer the ball onto the line.  If you just trust your swing and let it go, you will get good results, and more often than not you will be in the fairway.

 

 

 

December 28, 2011  (Naples, FL) 9:18 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Oh, no!  A shank.

 

The shanked shot, or one that has the hosel of the club contact the ball, is one of the most deflating bad shots in golf.  Instead of hitting a nice wedge shot to the green, the ball flies straight to your right and into trouble.  If shanked shots creep into your game, you might be able to get rid of them by correcting your takeaway.  Shanked shots can be caused by rolling your hands back at the takeaway so that the club head comes inside and then points left of the target when you get to the top of your swing.  From this position you must throw your hands outward and then come into the ball from an outside-to-in plane that strikes the ball with the heel of your club.  When you make your takeaway, keep your hands and wrists still so they go back as one piece instead of rolling over and getting you into a poor position at the top.  This should help you get rid of the shanks.

 

 

 

December 26, 2011  (Naples, FL) 6:52 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Are your wedge shots coming up short?

 

If you have wedge shots that fly high and short of the green, you may be making some fundamental mistakes.  Make sure that you do not have the ball too far forward in your stance.  You should have your hands ahead of the ball at your setup, with the shaft leaning back to the ball.  Make a three-quarter backswing and accelerate down and through the ball.  Never try to scoop or help the ball into the air.  Get the feeling of making a short, compact swing that delivers a solid strike on the ball, sending it up so that it carries to the green and then hits and stops.  Another great swing to try if you are coming up short is to make the top of the flagstick your target.  This will allow you to make a more aggressive swing to get the ball onto the green.

 

 

 

December 25, 2011  (Naples, FL) 6:58 AM

 

Merry Christmas

 

 

 

December 25, 2011  (Naples, FL) 6:52 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Do you have a big tournament coming up?

 

If you have an important tournament coming up at your course, you need to prepare properly for it.  First of all, do not make any swing changes or get new clubs.  You do not want to be trying out a new swing or unfamiliar equipment as you play in a tournament.  Make sure your grips are in good shape and that the grooves in your irons are clean.  Get plenty of rest, eat and arrive at the course in plenty of time so you do not have to rush to warm up and then run to the first tee.  Take a few minutes to be alone and calm yourself by being still or meditating, relieving any tension and nervousness.  Walk to the first tee with confidence and look forward to performing well.

 

 

 

 

December 23, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:51 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Never stop learning.

 

One of the great things about the game of golf is that it is difficult.  There are no perfect games in golf, and there are very few perfect shots.  The challenge of golf is part of the allure that it carries for us.  Trying to become better will help you enjoy the game more, and the learning process itself will also be fun.  Read articles and instruction books that interest you or that address some are you need to develop in your game.  Take lessons, play with good players, find online resources for golf, and watch television and videos of the top players to help you ingrain their swing into your mind.  If you keep learning and practicing, you are guaranteed to play better and enjoy the game more.

 

 

 

 

December 22, 2011  (Naples, FL) 8:10 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

A great stretch for your back.

 

The golf swing can put a lot of stress on the lower back, and many golfers complain about back pain.  A great pre-round stretch to prevent back pain and help you gain flexibility is to place a club behind your neck and grasp it with one hand on either side of the club.  Get into your normal golf stance and the slowly turn back about 90 percent and hold the stretch for 10 seconds.  Breathe during the stretch and do not force it beyond a point where you feel strained.  Turn the club forward as if you were making a finish and again, hold the stretch for ten seconds.  You should feel that you are gradually loosening and stretching the muscles in your lower back.  Go slowly and never do this stretch if you feel any pain.  This stretch should help you feel loose and free with your swing.

 

 

 

 

December 21, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:46 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Are you getting new irons?

 

If you intend to buy a new set of irons, you should pay attention to several features of the clubs.  First of all, select irons that look good to you when you stand up to a ball in your setup.  This is a primary consideration since it is important to feel confident about hitting a club in order to play well.  Make sure that the lie angle of the irons fits you; when you place the club on the ground behind the ball, it should lie flat, and neither the heel nor toe should be off of the ground.  If the lie is off, your pro may be able to bend the head to fit you with little problem.  The weight of the shaft should be comfortable to you and not be too heavy or too light.  You should be able to feel the club head swing.  By all means take a few clubs out to the range from a demo set to see how the irons perform for you.

 

 

 

 

December 19, 2011  (Naples, FL) 8:11 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

It doesn't seem fair.

 

If you hit a great drive down the middle of the fairway but find your ball in a divot, it may seem unfair.  This has happened to everyone who has played on a regular basis, so accept it and make the best of it.  To hit a ball out of a divot, you should remember that you must hit down on the ball to make it go up.  Do not try to scoop or help the ball out.  Make an upright backswing and come down on the ball so that you make your own divot in front of the ball.  One of the keys to hitting this shot will is to keep the ball at your center when you come into contact.  If you slide ahead or back with your upper body, you will not be able to make solid contact and get the ball up and out with good distance.

 

 

 

December 18, 2011  (Naples, FL) 6:11 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Take a hike.

 

A great way to prepare for an important round is to take a short, brisk walk before you head to the golf course.  Walk a good pace, breathe deeply, and try to relax and enjoy nature.  The walk will help warm your muscles and relieve any tension in your body.  You should feel loose and refreshed after the walk and ready to play well on the day.  Many top professionals will run or work out in a gym before playing.  They feel that this helps you play better.  On the way to the course, breathe deeply and listen to pleasant music.  It is worth a try, and it might become part of your routine before you play.

 

 

 

December 17, 2011  (Naples, FL) 8:21 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Why do the pros make it look easy?

 

If you watch the touring professionals, it will look like they are swinging easily but the ball travels a great distance.  They are in fact swinging easily.  This is a good learning point for most golfers.  You should swing at the same, smooth tempo with all of your clubs, from wedge to driver.  The distances will only change because as the shafts get longer, your swing should get wider and longer as well.  The added length of the swing and shaft will naturally produce more club head speed and longer distance.  You should not move your body intentionally faster to hit the ball longer.  Keep the same tempo and let the length of the club and shaft dictate how fast the club travels.  Set aside some practice time and simply go through your clubs and try to keep the same amount of effort in all of your swings.

 

 

 

December 15, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:45 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Putt a marble.

 

One of the keys for great putting is to make a stroke so that the putter head travels low to the ground on both back and forward.  If you pick the putter head up on the backswing, you will hit down on the bal so that it will start out bouncing quite a bit before it settles down into a roll.  You want your putts to get rolling on the grass as soon as possible after impact to keep the putt on line.  A great drill is to use marbles on the putting green and stroke putts that are about three feet long but not to a hole.  This type of practice will help you get the feel of drawing the club back low to the ground and then accelerating through so that the putter is low and pointing down the target line as you finish the stroke.  If you pick the putter up on the backswing, it will be difficult to roll the marble along the green.

 

 

 

 

December 14, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:56 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

There are things you can move in a bunker and things you can't.

 

If your ball lands in a bunker, you are in a hazard and you should know what you can move and what you must not touch while you set up to play your shot.  You can remove cigarettes, cigars, wrappers, or anything else that is not part of nature.  The red stakes that mark the margin of the hazard may be removed while you play your shot.  You may move a rake, and if your ball moves, you should replace it without any penalty.  You may not remove twigs, leaves, or branches in the bunker.  Local rules may allow you to remove a pebble or small rock near your ball as a safety precaution, so check on the first tee to see if this condition is in effect.

 

 

 

December 12, 2011  (Naples, FL) 8:10 PM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Do you want more distance?

 

Every golfer would like to add more distance to their drives.  Not only is it a fun part of the game, but hitting the ball longer will make your approach shots shorter and easier to get close to the hole.  A great way to gain distance is to have this swing thought when you hit your driver:  back to the target and chest to the target.  On the backswing, make a full turn so that your back faces the target.  On your finish, you should be fully balanced on your front foot with chest facing the target.  If you use this swing thought as you practice with your driver, you will notice that you will be making a bigger shoulder turn both back and through, which in turn will give you more club head speed and longer drives.  Try it to see if it will help you get longer off the tee.

 

 

 

 

December 12, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:00 AM

 

Golf memberships at Wyndemere Country Club available to Firano at Naples residents 

 

Residents at Firano at Naples , a Toll Brothers single-family community on Davis Boulevard, can enjoy all of the benefits of country club activities through a special partnership with Wyndemere Country Club.

 

Residents of Firano at Naples may purchase a non-equity membership, paying only annual dues of $9,000 per year. Facilities at Wyndemere include a 27-hole Arthur Hills-designed golf course, 12 lighted Har-Tru tennis courts, a 44,000-square foot clubhouse, a fitness center, an Olympic-sized pool, hot tub and three restaurants.

 

Social memberships are also available for seasonal residents.

 

For more details, homebuyers should contact Matt Klinowski at 239-370-0892.

 

 

 

December 11, 2011  (Naples, FL) 11:47 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

A great training aid: a shoe box.

 

A shoe box can be a great way to help you to improve your game in practice.  Place it so that it is a few inches outside of your ball and pointing down your target line.  Hit balls so that your club never touches the box on your back and forward swings.  This will help you develop a good swing plane.  Hit sand shots holding the box between your knees.  Place it on the green and hit pitch shots that land just over the box and the roll to the hole.  Place the box one foot behind the hole when you putt and have all of your missed putts finish between the hold and the box without hitting it.  Use your imagination, and a little box might be the best training aid that you ever had.

 

 

 

December 10, 2011  (Naples, FL) 9:07 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

"I can't putt!"

 

How many times have you heard someone say this in the locker room or during drinks after a round?  Most golfers sell themselves short and have a negative image as to how they putt.  The touring professionals will only make 70% of their putts from six feet.  They are the best in the world and practice all the time, so you must realize that you are really not that bad as a putter.  On TV, we tend to see the players who are leading and having days when they make a lot of the putts that they attempt.  If you have sound fundamentals and practice with a plan, you should feel confident that you can putt well.  A positive and confident feeling about putting will go a long way to allowing you to make more putts on the green.  Try to build yourself up rather than knock yourself down about putting.

 

 

 

 

December 9, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:52 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Beat the first tee jitters.

 

Sometimes hitting your first drive of the day can cause some anxiety.  There may be other golfers watching you , and you may feel pressure to get off to a good start.  A good way to help beat the first tee jitters is to rehearse what you will do on the tee.  People who fear public speaking usually perform better when they rehearse their speech before presenting it.  In the same way on the range, you should visualize your shot on the first tee, pick out a target that you will aim toward on the first hole, and rehearse the shot until you feel comfortable and confident.  On the first tee, do not rush your pre-shot routine.  Set up so that you see your target.  Swing away and trust that the rehearsal on the range will produce a great drive.  This should help you get off to a great start for your round.

 

 

 

 

December 8, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:40 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Hold your horses when playing downwind.

 

When you step on to a tee and have a strong wind blowing from behind you, there is always a great temptation to launch your driver high and far to take advantage of having the wind carry your ball.  If the fairway is open wide and there is no trouble, then let it fly.  However, look at the area where your normal drives would never reach.  If there are fairway bunkers or water, or if the fairway runs out, you might be better off hitting a fairway wood or hybrid club to get the ball into the fairway and away from trouble.  This may not be as much fun as launching a long bomb, but your score for the day might reflect on the kind of decisions you made for strategy.

 

 

 

December 7, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:46 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Be careful playing in the heat.

 

If you must play on a very hot day, you need to take precautions to help you play well and avoid problems that the heat may cause.  Drink plenty of fluids throughout the round, even if you do not feel thirsty.  Wet a towel and place it on your neck to cool your body as you walk to your ball.  Change gloves often and wipe your grips so that they are dry.  If the sun is beating down, use your umbrella to provide shade for yourself.  Always wear a hat to protect your head and slow your pace so that you do not overheat.  If you notice that you have stopped seating, you should get off the course and seek medical help.

 

 

 

 

December 6, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:22 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

If you don't have a backswing, don't play it.

 

If your ball comes to rest near a tree or bush that your backswing would strike, than you need to make an alternate plan.  If you hit something on your backswing, chances are you will miss or whiff the ball when you try to hit it.  You could make a high score on the hole if you try a shot with a limited or no backswing.  You are better off taking an unplayable lie and either drop the ball two club lengths from where it lies or go back as far as you want, keeping the point where that ball was and where the hole is  in a straight line.  You also may go back to where you originally had hit on this shot.  It is better to take a small penalty rather than wasting many shot trying to extricate yourself from a terrible spot.

 

 

 

 

December 5, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:49 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

It's higher than you think.

 

One of the major putting differences between professionals and amateurs is that amateurs usually do not play enough break on their putts.  A key principal for you to remember is that you always want your ball moving toward the hole and not away from it.  If you miss on the low side of a breaking putt, the ball will roll down the hill away from the hole.  Always allow a little more break than you think there is in your putt and think in terms that the ball will either go into the hole or just miss it on the high side.  A putt that is on the low side has zero chance of going in, while a putt on the high side puts the odds in your favor.  Once you select the amount of break, concentrate on the pace that you will need to keep the ball on its correct path to the hole.

 

 

December 2, 2011  (Naples, FL)  9:53 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

No degrees of separation-for your thumbs.

 

There are certain rules that you should adhere to when holding the club.  Grip with your fingers and not your palms.  When you place your thumbs on the club, you should pinch them in so there is not gap or separation from your thumb to your hand.  If you separate your thumbs from your hands, you will tend to lose control of the club, especially at the top of the swing.  You do not have to squeeze them tightly against your hand, but let your thumbs nestle against your hands to give you good support of the club throughout the swing.

 

December 1, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:49 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Aim away from trouble.

 

Many golfers simply walk onto a tee and tee up their ball in the middle of the box.  If there is trouble (woods, high rough, bunkers, or water) along the right side of the hole, for example, you should make your ball go away from that side.  In this case, tee your ball up on the right side of the tee and aim for the left side of the fairway.  If you have a natural hook or slice, aim for a spot that will get you safely onto the left side of the hole so you do not flirt with danger.  Never try to carry a ball over trouble when it would take a great shot to pull it off.  Always have an aiming point for every tee shot and make double certain about your aim when trouble lurks.

 

 

 

November 30, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:19 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Why are you so tense?

 

Tension in your golf swing will cause you to swing more slowly and make poor contact with the ball.  There may be a few causes of added tension during the swing that you should take into consideration.  If you grip the club very lightly as you set up, you might be re-gripping and tensing up your hands and arms as you make your backswing.  Hold the club a little more firmly if this is your problem.  Another reason for adding tension is that you have poor balance and you will tense your muscles to correct the imbalance.  Work carefully on setting up with good balance and swing at a slower pace so that you have better control of your movements during the golf swing.

 

 

 

November 29, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:50 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Don't shortchange yourself.

 

The most common fault in hitting a long (thirty to forty yards) bunker shot is using your sand wedge and coming up short of your target.  When you have a long bunker shot, do not automatically reach for your sand wedge.  A sand wedge works well for shots that are near the green, but it has too much loft to carry longer distances from a bunker.  Try using a pitching wedge, or all the way down to your eight iron, to get the proper distance that you need.  Set up a you would in a greenside bunker and hit just behind the ball.  The less lofted the club will allow you to hit the ball farther and get it on the green so you can be putting, instead of pitching or chipping on your next shot.

 

 

 

 

November 28, 2011  (Naples, FL) 8:08 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Learn this shot and you will love it.

 

One of the most common lies that golfers fear is when the ball rests up against he rough on the fringe of a green.  A putter or a lofted club will not work if you try a conventional way to play the shot.  The rough behind the ball will grab your putter or wedge and make it stop before getting to the ball.  A great shot to learn is the belly bump.  Take a sand wedge and use your normal putting stance and grip.  Line up the lead edge of your wedge to the middle, or belly, of the ball and keep your head still.  Make a stroke that skims on top of the grass and strikes the ball at its equator.  The ball will roll just like a putt.  Practice this and make it yours.  You will save strokes with it.

 

 

 

November 26, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:33 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

It's hard ground not a hard shot.

 

If your ball comes to rest in a lie that has little or not grass and the ground is hard and packed down, do not make it any harder than it is.  If you try to hit your normal shot from this lie, your club might bounce off the ground and you will hit the ball very thin or in the belly.  A better way to play this shot is to lift the club up sharply on your backswing and then come down in a sharp angle to strike the ball first and then hit the ground after impact is made.  Play the ball a little back of center in order to make sure that you make solid contact.  This will get the ball up and out of this lie with a lot of spin.

 

 

 

November 25, 2011  (Naples, FL) 10:58 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Ball position is very important on the tee.

 

Since a driver has a shallow loft and a long shaft, you need to be careful where the ball is in your stance.  Ball position is important because a small change one way or the other in your stance will be magnified by the driver.  Try to play the ball up in your stance with the driver.  The ball should be opposite your left heel or left instep.  If you get the ball too far back in your stance, you will not be able to square up the club face in time, and the ball will shoot off to the right.  Be careful that you do not allow the ball position to creep back in your stance unknowingly.  Place your feet together opposite the ball and then move your back foot back to your normal stance width.  This should ensure that you are keeping the ball in the proper position every time.

 

 

 

November 24, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:18 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

In practice, mark your ball and leave it.

 

A great way to make sure that you keep your head still is to practice with a ball marker on the green.  Place a ball marker right behind your ball on the putting green.  Get your head over the marker so that you are over your intended line.  Stroke your putt and keep your eyes on the marker while the ball tracks toward the hole.  Chances are, you will notice yourself making solid contact on your putts and your ball rolling smoothly over the green.  With this kind of practice, you will be able to keep the same technique on the course, and you will discover that more of your putts drop into the hole than ever before.

 

 

 

November 23, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:52 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Look for the tilt on the greens.

 

Most greens are tilted from back to front so that they can receive shots and also drain water.  Keep this in mind when you are trying to determine the break of a putt where there is not any pronounced slope.  The tilt from back to front is not in every green but it is a good rule of thumb to keep in mind.  A good way to get a feel for how the green slopes is to imagine a huge rainstorm on the green and trying to picture which direction that water would drain toward.  This is a visualization tool that will help you read the greens better.  You can get this picture as you walk up to the green from a distance.

 

 

 

November 22, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:48 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

All of a sudden you can't put it in the ocean.

 

Many times golfers will experience a round where their putting is simply awful.  The putts are well off line and your distances are wrong as well.  Stop for a minute to make sure that your putting stroke is indeed in order.  Usually a bad day of putting is caused by becoming too "wristy" or letting your wrists break down so that you flip the putter at contact instead of stroking it.  Keep you left wrist firm and keep your hands moving through impact.  Make some practice strokes off to the side until you feel that your hands move back and through as if they were one piece.  This will help you keep the putter square to your line and be able to get better distance control.

 

 

 

 

November 21, 2011  (Naples, FL) 8:16 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Don't reach for that wedge too quickly.

 

If you are near the green but your ball is sitting up in the rough, a wedge might not be the best club for this shot.  When the ball is sitting on top of the grass, it is easy to have your wedge go under the ball so that impact is made high on the club face.  The result is a shot that has the ball come up well short of where you had intended .  A better way is to use a putting grip with a hybrid club and play the ball from the center of your stance.  Place the club directly behind the ball and make your putting stroke.  The hybrid will glide on the grass, lift the ball up and over the rough, and then roll a good distance.  This is a great shot to learn when you are faced with a worrisome lie near the green.

 

 

 

November 20, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:35 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Is a fried egg on your menu?

 

If you hit a high shot on your approach to a green and it lands in a bunker, chances are you will have a fried egg lie.  This lie will have the ball in the middle of a depression of sand with a crater ring around it.  Your normal sand shot will not work, as you would have to displace a lot of sand from beneath the ball, and most likely you will leave the ball in the bunker.  A good way to handle this shot is to take an open stance, open the club face a bit, and then make an upright backswing and slam the club into the sand about an inch behind the ball.  Let the club stick into the sand and do not make a follow-through.  The ball should pop out and then roll onto the green.

 

 

 

November 19, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:00 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Have someone check your putting posture from behind.

 

Many times, golfers will take their putting stance and have their back or right arm straight so that their arms and shoulders point to the left of the hole.  For golfers who putt left-hand low, the opposite can be true, where  the front arm hangs straight and the golfer is pointed to the right.  Have a friend stand behind you as you set up tot putt on the practice green.  Have your friend move up and place a club across the line created by your elbows.  Step away while your friend holds the club in place.  Step back and see where the shaft is pointing.  If you are pointed left or right, you need to soften your arms and get them closer to your body so that you are aligned properly to your target.

 

 

 

 

November 17, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:25 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Be careful in buying a driver off the rack.

 

You should always have clubs that fit your size and swing.  Drivers these days do not fit all sizes.  Many companies make drivers that have shafts that are forty-five or forty-five and a half inches long.  This is a very long shaft and a big jump from the standard length driver, which was forty-three inches long.  Have your pro fit you to your driver with a shaft that is comfortable for you to swing and is not so long that you cannot control it.  Simply cutting down the shaft is not always a good idea with drivers, as this will tend to stiffen the shaft and make it harder to get the ball into the air.  Find the proper length by getting a good fit and experimenting with shafts of different lengths until you find your perfect match.

 

 

 

 

November 16, 2011  (Naples, FL) 6:56 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

A dirty problem.

 

If your ball comes to rest near the green on dirt, or what is called hardpan in golf, you should not try to hit a normal pitch or chip shot.  The problem with this lie is that your club will tend to bounce into the ball or stick into the ground behind it.  A better way to play this shot is to put the ball back in your stance and take a short backswing and bump the ball so it goes along the ground and onto the green.  Use a five or six iron or even a hybrid club to hit the bump shot.  Keep your wrists firm and hold your finish so the club face looks down your intended line.  You will find that you will have much better results than trying to hit a wedge from this lie.

 

 

 

 

November 15, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:30 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Stop the tops.

 

A topped shot occurs when you strike the ball with the lead edge of your club and send the ball dribbling along the ground.  This is a very frustrating shot, and almost always someone will say, "You lifted your head."  Lifting your head is not the usual cause of a topped shot.  The most common cause of a topped shot is that your club has already bottomed out and is on the way up when it reaches the ball.  To help you to hit down and through on the ball and avoid tops, look at the front of the ball.  By focusing on the front of the ball, you will find that you naturally make a downward swing that hits the ball and pinches it so that the ball flies into the air.

 

 

 

November 14, 2011  (Naples, FL) 8:00 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Let golf be a respite for you.

 

One reason golfers have bad rounds is that they let personal issues stay on their mind while playing golf.  Everyone has some worries during their life, whether it is finances, health, or relationships.  Try to make playing golf a time when you can relax and enjoy yourself.  You will have plenty of time to attend to the issues in your personal life, so they should not rob you of playing the game of golf for enjoyment and relaxation.  Once you step onto the practice area or the first tee, take a deep breath, relax, and set your mind on golf and interacting with your friends.  Enjoy the weather, nature, and being outdoors and you will find that you will play better and also make the day much more enjoyable for yourself.

 

 

November 13, 2011  (Naples, FL) 8:00 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Try a new putting grip.

 

One of the fundamentals of a good putting stroke is to have your hands opposite each other on the handle and working together as one unit.  The most common putting grip is the reverse overlap that has the forefinger of your left or top hand run across the fingers on your right or bottom hand.  Many touring professionals have started to modify this grip to help promote having their hands be one piece on the grip.  The modification is to take the normal reverse overlap grip but then lift the little finger of your right hand off of the grip and place it in the notch created by the two middle fingers of your left hand.  Try this little change and see if it works for you.

 

 

 

 

November 12, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:13 AM

 

LOCAL RESORTS SHINE ON COND� NAST TOP LIST

 

Florida?s ?Paradise Coast? region that includes Naples, Marco Island and the Gulf Coast portion of the Everglades earned five spots on the annual ?Best In the World? list of Top 150 U.S. Mainland Resorts compiled by Cond� Nast Traveler, with four resorts in the top fifty. La Playa Beach & Golf Resort in Naples ranked the highest on the Top 150 list at 12th. The Ritz-Carlton, Naples ranked 30th, The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples ranked 31st, the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort ranked 41st and the Marco Beach Ocean Resort ranked 130th. The list comes from Cond� Nast Traveler?s annual Readers? Choice Awards survey, where this year more than 8 million votes were cast rating the cities, islands, resorts and hotels readers visited in the past year, as well as the airlines and cruise ships on which they traveled. The complete list of winners is the November issue of Cond� Nast Traveler.

 

 

 

November 12, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:54 AM

 

D.R. Horton buys home sites at Fiddler's Creek

 

Fiddler's Creek, a private, master-planned, residential community offering complete resort lifestyle amenities, has sold 91 single-family homesites to D.R. Horton's South Florida division.

 

D.R. Horton plans to initiate construction on the sites soon in the Veneta section of Fiddler's Creek. The purchase represents the company's entrance into the community.

 

"We are delighted to welcome such a well-known and well-respected national homebuilder to Fiddler's Creek," said Aubrey J. Ferrao, president and CEO of Fiddler's Creek LLC.  "The homes to be constructed by D.R. Horton will complement the residential offerings currently available and will provide buyers with a high-quality product in a distinctive neighborhood."

 

Veneta is one of the newer sections in Fiddler?s Creek. The entrance to Veneta is showcased by a fountain which serves as an introduction to the Mediterranean-style neighborhood.

 

Amenities offered at Fiddler's Creek include a 54,000-square-foot club and spa, fitness center, resort-style multi-pool swimming complex, tennis courts and restaurants. Residents also have the opportunity to join The Golf Club ranked in Golfweek's 100 Best Residential Golf Courses in the country for the seventh consecutive year and The Tarpon Club offering Fiddler's Creek homeowners the opportunity to enjoy a beach and boating lifestyle.

 

For more information, call Matt Klinowski at 239-370-0892.

 

 

 

 

November 12, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:00 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Drive with less spin.

 

If your drives fly high and then land and stop, you are probably hitting the ball with too much spin.  All golf shots will cause the ball to spin backwards to get the ball into the air.  However, if you are generating too much spin, your power will cause the ball to go high and short and have little or no roll.  To hit the ball with less spin, tee the ball up and play it forward so that it is opposite the front instep of your foot.  Hover the club a little off of the ground and make sure that you do not try to stop the club near impact.  Let your hands and arms fire through at impact and you should see your ball fly lower and longer and then roll out a good ways.

 

 

 

November 11, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:49 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Be careful who you listen to.

 

When you are playing a round and hit a poor shot, often a player partner will offer you advice on your swing.  You should not listen to this advice and make a correction until you have talked with your professional.  When someone offers you advice that is unsolicited, simply say that you are working on your game with a pro or making swing changes based on professional advice.  Once on your own, review your mistakes after the round and either schedule a lesson or find instruction in a book or online that is given by a trusted professional to correct your problem.

 

 

 

November 10, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:43 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Make hitting fairway woods easier.

 

For many players, hitting a good fairway wood is a difficult take.  The longer shaft along with the shallow loft can cause anxiety and lead to wild or poor shots when you need to advance the ball straight and at a good distance.  A great way to make fairway woods easier to hit is to simply pretend that you are hitting your seven iron.  Make the same swing that you would use to hit your seven iron shot and you will find that the compact and controlled swing will help you hit fairway woods easily.  The longer shaft and shallow loft will help you hit the ball a good distance without trying to make a big, powerful swing.

 

 

 

 

November 9, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:11 AM

 

Local home list prices rising

 

The National Association of Realtors said the median home list price is $369,000 for the Naples area, making it third on the association?s Top 10 cities that have seen the largest percentage increases at 23.41 percent. In fourth place is Sarasota-Bradenton, with a median list price of $233,000, a rise of 16.53 percent.

 

 

 

 

November 9, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:07 AM

 

Stock offers 'preview membership'

 

Olde Cypress announces a new preview membership program that includes unlimited golf for 15 months for $5,000.

 

According to Brian Stock, CEO of Stock Development, which owns and operates Olde Cypress, "It usually costs tens of thousands of dollars or more to have access to country club amenities of this caliber."

 

The special preview membership, which is available December 2012, includes unlimited use of Olde Cypress' P.B. Dye Championship golf course for only the cost of the cart fees, plus full access to practice facilities that include a driving range, putting greens and chipping areas. Tee times will be available to preview members five days in advance and they will have access to member-organized golf such as men's, ladies' and couples' events. Lessons are also available.

 

In addition, members have unlimited use of Olde Cypress' four har-rru tennis courts and the clubhouse and swimming pool. There are full member charging privileges, access to member-only dining and social events and May-October reciprocal privileges with many of the area's other elite country clubs.

 

 

 

November 8, 2011  (Naples, FL) 6:40 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Drop your hands.

 

One of the reasons why many golfers hit behind the ball and leave it in a greenside bunker is that they have a poor setup for hitting this shot.  You should set up so that your knees are flexed to lower your center of gravity.  Lower your hands so that you will make a shallow swing that skims across the sand behind the ball and does not dig down and stick the club into the sand.  Lowering your hands prevents you from becoming too steep and making an up-and-down swing.  Open the face a little and hit a few inches behind the ball by concentrating on where the club should enter the sand.  Using this setup will make it easy to always get the ball up and onto the green.

 

 

 

November 7, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:47 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

A better way to play fairway bunkers.

 

If you land your drive in a fairway bunker that does not have a high lip and you have a good distance to go, use a hybrid club instead of a fairway wood or lone iron.  The hybrid club will offer you the control that you need for this shot and will give you lift and distance.  The  hybrid club is great for fairway bunkers.  The sole of the club will glide through the top of the sand without digging in or bouncing off of it.  Play the shot as you would hit a long iron and you should be able to hit great shots.  You can choke down to help you hit the ball the correct distance.

 

 

 

November 7, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:42 AM

 

Stock joins list of Mediterra preferred builders

 

Mediterra, announces Stock Construction has been named a preferred builder for the community's Buonasera, Cellini and Felicita neighborhoods.

 

Stock Construction recently acquired the remaining 11 home sites in Buonasera neighborhood in Mediterra. The company was named Builder of the Year in 2009 by the Collier Building Industry Association.

 

"Mediterra is quickly establishing itself as the region's premier luxury golf and beach community, and the addition of Stock Construction to our preferred builder list further enhances the community's reputation," says Mark Wilson, a representative of Mediterra.

 

The 1,700-acre community in North Naples will have a maximum of 950 homes at build out, with more than 1,000 acres dedicated to golf, parks and nature preserves.

 

 

 

 

November 5, 2011  (Naples, FL) 6:56 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Don't give up.

 

When you are playing a match, never give up, whether you are well behind or ahead.  In the course of golf, there have been many times when one player is far ahead on holes or well down in the match, only to have a complete reversal to win or lose the match at the end.  The lesson here is that when you are down, stay in the present and play your best to hit each shot without thinking that you have no chance of coming back in the match.  If you are well up on your opponent, do not get careless or overconfident, as one lost hole may start the ball rolling for your opponent.  Good and bad breaks are part of the game, so accept them and keep going.  Play the course and not your opponent, unless your opponent hits a ball out of bounds or into the woods.

 

 

 

November 4, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:40 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

What is ground under repair?

 

One of the things that you should know about is "ground under repair."  This is usually an area on the course that has been disturbed or has something on it that is not supposed to be in play.  Ground under repair is usually marked with a white line around the designated area.  You are allowed to pick up your ball and drop it outside of the line at one club length no nearer the hole.  Sometimes ground under repair is not lined out, but if you land in a pile of grass clippings or dead tree branches that are stacked for removal, you are entitled to take a free drop.  This is a good rule to know as it may help you out of a tough lie.

 

 

 

November 3, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:49 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Does one hole have your number?

 

How many times have you heard someone step up to a tee and say, "I hate this hole"?  Many golfers have one hole on their regular course that always seems to lead to a high score.  If you have one of these holes, you need to rethink how you play it.  Maybe you should try a different club from the tee or aim at a different part of the fairway or green.  If you do the same thing over and over, you will probably get the same results.   A good way to conquer this hole is to ask your pro for a playing lesson and simply ask him or her to show you how to play it correctly.  Your pro will be able to pick out what you are doing wrong with your swing type or strategy o the hole, and you will finally be able to play it well.

 

 

 

November 2, 2011  (Naples, FL) 7:33 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Don't allow it to happen.

 

Many golfers who slice the ball will aim well to the left and then try to curve the ball back to the target.  By allowing for the slice, you are actually causing the slice to happen in the first place.  By aiming left, most golfers will open their stance and then swing from outside to in and cut across the ball to create a severe sidespin.  To correct this, simply set up so that your knees, hips, and shoulders point parallel to your target line or point a little to the right of where you want the ball to go.  This way, you will hit the ball squarely and most of your shots should go straight or have a little draw on them.  Work on this in practice and you will do away with the slice.

 

 

 

 

November 1, 2011  (Naples, FL) 6:52 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

No more three-putt greens.

 

Most golfers add strokes to their score unnecessarily by taking three putts on a green.  Three-putt greens are almost always caused by hitting the first putt too hard or too soft.  This results in having to make a fairly lengthy second putt to make your par.  The poor distance control on the first putt is often caused by having a backstroke that is very long.  Golfers with a long backstroke will come into the ball with a big swing of the putter and send the ball well past the hole.  On the other hand, many times golfers will make a long backstroke and subconsciously slow down or decelerate the forward stroke, resulting in a putt coming up well short.  Practice long putts by limiting your backstroke and then lengthening your forward stroke so that you gain a feel for how far you will hit the putt.  This type of stroke will help you get the ball close to the hole more often.

 

 

 

October 31, 2011  (Naples, FL) 6:56 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Are you inconsistent?

 

One of the most common complaints among golfers is that they are inconsistent from round to round, or even from hole to hole.  Every golfer experiences good an bad shots, but you should have a fairly regular ratio of good to bad shots and not have major swings in your game.  The major culprits to being inconsistent are poor setup and poor alignment.  Make sure that you set up to the ball carefully so that your posture is correct and you are well-balanced during the swing.  Set up outside of the ball and use your practice swing to rehearse a good setup and balanced swing.  Next, make sure your club face, shoulders, and hips are pointed down your target line.  You may be aiming poorly and not know.  Be careful and focused on where you aim for every shot and you will eliminate inconsistency.

 

 

 

October 30, 2011  (Naples, FL) 11:24 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Plant the tees for a good weight shift.

 

A good weight shift is essential to hitting a golf ball with both distance and accuracy.  A great drill for feeling a weight shift is to place two tees in the ground so that they are just slightly above the ground.  Take your stance so that the tees are directly in line with the front portion of your front foot.  Swing back to the top of your swing, and then as you begin to start down, push or plant the tees into the ground with your left foot.  This should give you the feeling of getting your weight onto your from foot so that it balances and leads your right side through impact.  Simply reach down and reset the tees and continue with this drill and see if it helps you make better contact with the ball.

 

 

 

October 29, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:42 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Dial in your wedge distances.

 

Good players know exactly how far they can hit their wedge shots when they get within one hundred yards of the green.  In practice, experiment with using your pitching wedge and start choking down in one inch increments, making a three-quarter swing and gauging how far each ball travels in the air.  Move down an inch at a time on the handle and the ball should fly shorter with the same amount of force in your swing.  Aim for targets within one hundred yards and set distance by setting your hands at a certain place on your grip handle.  This way, you can remove any doubt as to how far you have to carry the ball, and it will help you stop trying to swing harder or easier to get the ball to a certain distance with your wedge shots.

 

 

 

October 28, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:50 AM

 

THIRD QUARTER SALES STRONG

 

Real estate sales activity continues to increase with single-family home sales and the Naples Beach area is leading the way according to a report released by the Naples Area Board of REALTORS� (NABOR), which tracks home listings and sales within Collier County (excluding Marco Island).

 

Single-family pending sales in the $500,000 to $1 million price category increased 30 percent in the third quarter, and the average days a property was on the market decreased 11 percent. The sales activity is shifting from the low end market to higher priced properties..

 

For the 12 months ending September 2011, all Naples geographic areas showed an increase in pending sales compared to the same 12 months in 2010. Properties in the Naples Beach area remain in the highest demand with 1,776 contracts for the 12 months ending September 2011 compared to 1,471 contracts for the 12 months ending September 2010.

 

 

 

October 28, 2010  (Naples, FL) 7:45 AM

 

Just Listed! 

 

NAPLES LAKES COACH HOME -

$265,000 - 3 BED  2 BATHS, 1,975 SQ. FT.

 

Brilliant second floor coach home in Naples Lakes Country Club! Wide open floor plan with views of the 11th fairway and green on the Arnold Palmer Signature golf course. Some of the upgrades include Tray Ceilings, Diagonal Tile in living areas and baths, Custom Mirrors, Window Treatments, Tile and Glass Master Bath Shower and Corian Counters. This is a very well thought out floor plan with plenty of natural light. Naples Lakes CC is one of the premier 'bundled' courses in Naples with full practice facilities, award winning club house, tennis courts, community pool, fitness facilities and much more. Located minutes from Olde Naples and a hop skip and jump from I-75, this community is definitely worth a look! 

 

MLS ID # 211514798

 

 

 

October 28, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:30 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

For great putting, try a game of "drop back."

 

A great putting drill to build a confident stroke is to play a game with yourself called "drop back."  Get a measuring tape, find some level ground on the putting green, and place a tee at increments of one foot out from the hole, up to six feet.  Start at the one-foot tee and make three putts go in the hole.  Once you get three putts made, move back to the next tee and sink three putts.  You cannot move back until you have made all three putts.  You may play this game against a friend to add some pressure and competition to help you learn how it will feel on the course.  You will be pleasantly surprised at how much this drill will help you to become a better putter and lower your scores.  Practice this drill as much as possible and the results will come.

 

 

 

October 27, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:52 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Try an open stance for putting.

 

If you are having trouble hitting putts toward your intended line, an open stance might help you to see the line better and send the ball rolling on it.  Open your stance a little by bringing your front foot back from a square stance.  The important thing is that you must have your shoulders pointing down your target line so that your arms and hands will be moving on the intended line.  By opening your stance, you will get a nice view of your path to the hole by simply swiveling your head (no lifting it up).  Take a few looks at the hole and then send the ball down the line with a good mental picture of the path to the hole.

 

 

 

October 26, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:00 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Get smart.

 

You can save yourself several strokes if you just manage yourself through the round in a smart way.  Avoid shots that are penalizing, such as hitting the ball over trouble, trying to hit to a pin that is tucked near bunkers or water, and in general, attempting shots that you have little chance of pulling off successfully.  Such risky shots include hitting a driver off of the ground, trying a high flop shot over a bunker or hill to a close pin, or trying to hit over trees to cut off the distance to a green.  Think conservatively and play the game by managing your strategy in playing a hole, as well as keeping your mind calm and focused on the present.

 

 

 

October 25, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:58 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Take the fear out of playing downhill lies.

 

Most golfers dread hitting a ball from a downhill lie, because it is easy to hit behind the ball or skull it by hitting it in the equator.  To take the anxiety out of downhill lies, remember to make some easy adjustments.  Stand a little wider than normal to help you keep your balance on the hill.  Play the ball just a little forward of center and most importantly, tilt your shoulders so that they match the incline of the hill.  By making these adjustments, you are simply turning a downhill lie into on that resembles a level lie.  You should make a smooth swing without a lot of leg action so that you keep your balance while you swing.  Find a place to practice these downhill lie techniques and you will never have to fear them again.

 

 

 

October 24, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:28 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Breathing techniques can help your golf game.

 

One area that is often overlooked in golf, unlike other sports, is proper breaking.  When you stand behind your ball in your pre-shot routine, breathe deeply so that yur stomach goes in on inhale and out on exhale.  This is diaphragmic breathing, which will give you proper oxygen and also release any tension in your body.  When swinging, try to breathe inward on the backswing and then exhale on the downswing.  This is the proper way for any type of athletic movement.  Try this type of breathing in practice until you can hit balls without consciously thinking about your breathing technique.  You may be surprised how these techniques will lead to longer drives and more focused concentration when you play.

 

 

 

October 23, 2011  (Naples, FL)  9:16 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Do you have thumb pain from golf?

 

If you have thumb pain in the hand that is on the top of your grip (left hand for right-handed players), then you may have some issues with how you grip the club.  If you have your thumb running straight down the shaft, this may cause extra stress on this digit when you get to the top of the swing, where your left thumb has to support the club on its own.  You may also be holding the club too firmly with your top hand, which can also lead to pain in the joints of the thumb.  Try moving your thumb a little to the right or back so that the "v" created by your thumb and forefinger points toward your back shoulder as you set up to the ball.  Let your thumb rest on the club without exerting undue pressure with it.  This little move will not only relieve your pain but it will help you to release the club better though impact.

 

 

 

October 22, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:14 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Get centered.

 

One of the most important fundamentals is that you swing the cub in a circle with your spine as the hub or center of that arc.  To get the feeling of swinging around the center of your body, try hitting some balls in practice with your feet together.  This will not only help your balance but it will give you a sense of how to swing around your spine while staying centered.  Try placing one foot back behind you and then alternating one, then the other, as you hit balls.  This is also a great way to start your practice or your pre-round warm-up.  It's also a great way to help you focus on making good contact with the ball while enhancing your sense of balance for the day.

 

 

 

October 20, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:38 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

You hit it solidly, but dead right.

 

It can be confusing when you seem to hit your driver solidly but the ball flies long and well right of the fairway.  This is often called a pushed shot because the club face moves from the inside to out and pushes or sends the ball straight to the right of your target.  This shot is often caused by bringing the club too far to the inside on the way back.  To correct this fault, lay a club down behind you that is parallel to your toe line.  Swing back to where the shaft is parallel to the ground.  Try to have the shaft line up directly over the club's shaft on the ground.  This will make sure that you are taking the club back on the proper plane.

 

 

 

 

October 19, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:48 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

A good player's mistake.

 

One mistake that good players make is a move called "coming over the top."  This happens when the club is thrown outward at the top of the swing and then comes through on an outside-to-in path that causes a pull to the left.  This problem is caused by swinging mostly with the upper body and not starting the downswing with your lower body.  If you shift your weight to your left side with a little move of your hips first, it will be impossible to come over the top with your swing.  A good drill for this move is to hold the club in your left hand and move it back and forth by simply shifting your weight on your feet to propel the club.  This will give you a good sense of how weight shift relates to swinging a golf club.

 

 

 

October 18, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:03 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Extend your left arm; do not stiffen it.

 

Golfers can be misled by the advice to keep the left arm straight.  This advice simply means to extend your right arm to create width and extension in your swing, which helps create a powerful arc.  Many times, golfers will stiffen and lock their left elbow to try to follow this maxim.  You should relax your left arm, leaving it tension-free as it swings back and through.  If your elbow has a small break in it as you swing to the top, it is natural and will not hurt your swing.  You should have the feeling of your arms stretching out rather than being rigid and stiff.

 

 

 

October 17, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:41 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Do you have the chip yips?

 

If you feel nervous over your chip shots and get into trouble by chunking the club behind the ball or scampering it so it scoots well over the green, you may have the chip yips.  To break out of this problem, go to a practice green and concentrate on one thing:  tempo.  Make a smooth and deliberate stroke in which you use a slow waltz tempo to time yourself and get a good rhythm.  Say, "one?two?three."  Use "one" to make a slight forward press and begin the backswing.  As you make a smooth backswing, stop on "two," and then make a free and flowing through swing on "three."  Practice chipping with this timing and then bring it with you when you get on the course.  You will be cured of the yips.

 

 

 

October 15, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:59 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Do not risk injury.

 

Every year many golfers are injured on the course.  If you are playing a friendly round or a match with just your friends, do not take chances of seriously injuring yourself to make a golf shot.  If your ball is on a tree root or large rock, you could damage your hands, wrists, or arms trying to hit the ball from this lie.  Do not try to make a full swing from behind a tree trunk, which may cause you to snap the shaft in half and send it flying back toward you   In tournament play, you may have to opt for an unplayable lie, but among friends, put safety first.  When practicing, do not keep hitting balls when you're tired, or you will stress your body.  Think quality, not quantity, in practice.

 

 

October 14, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:50 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

A false sense of power.

 

Many golfers take a very wide stance when they set up to hit their driver.  A wide stance feels like a powerful way to set up, but it actually can be a detriment to hitting good drives.  If your stance is too wide, you will be unable to make a good weight shift.  The result is that you will tend to get stuck on your back foot and never get your weight forward.  This leads to hitting blocked shots or ones that fly high and right of your target.  In practice, experiment with your stance and always keep your feet in the vicinity of directly under or just a little outside of your shoulders.  This way, you can make a good weight shift and also keep in good balance.

 

 

 

October 13, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:43 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Stop a bad day in it's tracks.

 

If you are playing a round of golf and find that you are hitting the ball poorly or that your shots are going in every direction but straight, take a timeout to gather yourself.  Take a minute to focus on yourself, calm down, and slow down your breathing.  Take a few practice swings by gripping the club lightly and swinging in slow motion, just allowing the club to make a swishing noise where impact would be.  When you hit your next shot, swing with 20 percent less force and feel your feet support your swing back and through without getting out of balance.  By making these little adjustments, you will be able to make better contact and will save the day from being a bad one.

 

 

 

October 12, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:57 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Throw sand on the green.

 

One of the best images ever given to a golf shot is to "throw sand on the green" when hitting out of a bunker.  If you make a swing from the sand that lifts sand out so that it lands on the green, then you will automatically know what a good sand shot feels like.  By throwing sand on the green with your swing, you will have to have your club enter the sand and pass under the ball with enough acceleration to execute the perfect sand shot.  The ability to throw sand onto the green will make you thump the sand the way you watch the professionals do, so that the ball comes up and out and then spins to a stop near the hole.  Find a place where you can practice sand shots and make swings to throw the sand without using a ball.  After you have mastered this, place a ball down and then use the same swing for good sand shots.

 

 

October 11, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:33 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Use the law of attraction.

 

If you want to be a good golfer, think of yourself as a good golfer.  If you trust your swing and think positively about how you perform instead of a negative image, you will be on your way to improving and playing better.  Avoid calling yourself names or saying to yourself thinks like, "I am hopeless."  Instead, remind yourself that you have hit many good shots, that you are working on getting better, and that everyone in the world will have difficult times at the game of golf.  On the course, use visualization, positive images of yourself and your shot-making, to help you gain confidence and swing freely.  Walk with your head up and always carry yourself with a strong sense of enjoyment of the moment.  Cherish your good shots and minimize any feeling about your poor ones.  You will find that eventually the good ones will outnumber the bad ones.

 

 

October 10, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:16 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Does golf hurt your back?

 

A common complaint among golfers is that they have pain and stiffness in their lower back.  While this is common, there are many things that you can do to alleviate and prevent back pain.  You should stretch your hamstring muscles, do bends to softly go down to touch your toes, and lie on your back and draw your knees up to your opposite shoulder to feel a stretch in your glute muscles.  Additionally, try to strengthen your abdominal muscles, as they support your back.  Finally, try making a more compact swing in which you do not make such a big turn back that torques and stresses your back muscles.  Swing back three quarters and you will still make good contact without sacrificing much distance.  If your back is pain-free, your game will improve naturally.

 

 

October 6, 2011  (Naples, FL)  10:30 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Know when to concede a putt.

In match play, you have the option of conceding or "giving" a putt to your opponent.  There are some rules of thumb that you may use to determine which putts to concede.  Concede short putts that are straight but make your opponent putt the ones that have a break to them, since these are more difficult.  If the putt si about three feet long, do not concede the first or last putt of a match.  Both of these putts will cause your opponent a little anxiety as they are just starting out or they need a putt to end the match.  Conceding very short putts is a matter of good etiquette.  You want to be competitive but not to the point where you are getting gamesmanship, as this is poor form in golf.

October 5, 2011  (Naples, FL)  10:22 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Learn how to that one club that gives you trouble.

 If you have on club in your bag that you do not have much success with hitting, you may look at a few options.  You could go to the range with just that one club, start slowly, work up to a fulls wing and then practice so that you begin to gain confidence and are able to this club well most of the time.  Often it is a fairway wood or hybrid that gives most players a problem.  If you simply cannot hit this club at all, take it out of your bag and replace it with on that can take its place.  If you cannot hit your three wood, for example, go to a five wood or seven wood as a replacement, as these clubs are easier to hit.  Do not be stubborn and continually try to hit a club that simply does not work for you.  If you have a club that you never use for this reason, do not let it take up space in your bag.

October 4, 2011  (Naples, FL)  10:06 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

How to hit a blind pitch shot.

 

If you are off of the green and need to hit a pitch shot to an elevated target that is out of sight, you can do several things to make your shot easier.  You may ask a fellow player or your partner to hold the flagstick up in the air so that you can see the hole location from where you are.  The same rules apply to tending the flagstick as they would for putting on the green, so be careful that your ball does not hit the flagstick or the player assisting you.  You may also take a walk up to the green and pick a target that is off in the skyline that will assist you in aligning properly.  It may be a tree, bush, or some building in the distance that can give you a good line.  If possible, never guess as to where the green or flagstick is located when you hit this shot.  Always have an aiming point, and this will greatly assist you in hitting a better shot.

October 3, 2011  (Naples, FL)  6:40 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Practice the down-hill chip.

 

One of the most difficult shots in golf is a chip shot to a fast, downhill green.  If you are faced with this delicate shot, think in terms of getting the ball onto the green so that it lands softly and simply lets gravity take it to the hole.  Use a lofted wedge and open the face a little.  Try to hit the ball so that it contacts the toe of the club instead of the middle.  Hold the club firmly and make a short back-and-through swing.  When you contact the ball on the toe, it should just pop into the air and land with very little force, sot that it will hit and begin rolling slowly down the hill.  As this is a difficult shot, it takes practice and feel to develop a great sense proficiency for executing it.  With practice, however, you will be able to add this shot to your repertoire and know how to handle it when you are faced with it on the golf course.

October 2, 2011  (Naples, FL)  6:32 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Become a short-putt wizard.

 

One of the most frustrating things in golf is to miss a very short putt for birdie or par.  This miss can be demoralizing and will shake your confidence.  To make sure that you make a majority of these short putts, you need to practice with a purpose.  Place six balls in a three foot circle around the hole on the putting green.  Line up and then set up over the ball and look at the hole and draw your eyes back to your ball.  Focus on the spot where your putter will contact the ball, make a short backswing and a long through swing that feels as if your putter were following the ball down the path to the hole.  Do not look up at all to watch your ball go into the hole but simply hold your head in place so you can see the grass that was under the ball and listen for the ball to drop into the cup.  Move up to the next ball and repeat this sequence.  Keep practicing until you can make 15 or 20 putts in a row.  Your confidence will soar, you will feel comfortable on these knee knockers on the course when you must make one for real.

October 1, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:25 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

The "ten" rule.

 

It may be difficult to judge how much elevation and wind will affect the distance that you can carry a shot.  In general, a good way to make a decision on what club to use is to try the "ten" rule.  Basically, you should factor elevation and wind by increments of ten.  For every ten yards of elevation to the green, add or subtract one club.  For example, if you are hitting to a green that is twenty yards above you, use two more clubs than you would normally use.  For wind, factor one club more or less for every ten miles an hour, either coming into you or helping you from behind.  This is a good basic start for selecting the right club to hit.  Factor these elements into your club selection and use your judgment to get your ball to the target at the right distance.

 

 

September 30, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:35 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Protect your driver.

If you have ever been to a professional tournament or watched the pros on television as they practice, you will notice a difference between how they select the balls for their iron shots and then with their driver shots.  With the irons the pros will rake a ball over from a pie of balls on the grass and then play the shot.  However, with the driver, you will notice that their caddies will toss them a ball and then the pro will tee it up.  The reason is that if you have any dirt or sand on the ball, you may cause pitting in your driver's face, as the grains of sand are smashed into the face at high speed.  Doing this over a short period of time will ruin the face of your driver so that it has tiny holes and scratches in the hitting area.  When you practice your drive, select the balls out of a bucket and not from the ground.  Make sure that th e balls and your club face are clean.

 

September 29, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:53 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Is your putter too long.

If you look at a group of golfers on the putting green, notice the length of their putters correspond to their height and arm length.  Most putters come in  a length of thirty-five inches.  This length is actually based on the height of golf bags and is not the ideal size for golfers.  If you see golfers that have the toe of the putter up into the air or are choked down so that a lot of the handle is above their hands, then they have putters that are too long.  If you putt with  the toe of your putter off the ground, your putts will tend to pull to the left.  If you strike the ball on the toe, the putt will wobble short of your target.  Take your putting stance and let your arms hand naturally from your shoulders.  Clasp your hands together and then have a friend measure from the ground to the top of your hands.  This is the perfect length for your putter.  Your pro can cut your putter to this length for you.

  

September 28, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:30 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Don't go it alone.

 

Selecting the right equipment can be a tough thing to do if you are not fully aware of what will best fit your game.  Going into a large golf retailer and relying on a salesperson who has never seen you play is not the best way to select the proper equipment for yourself.  You are better off asking a professional for his or her recommendation for clubs and balls that would best suit you and your swing.  If you go to a large retailer, try to bring a friend who knows the game and the technology of new equipment to assist you in getting the right fit.  This is an important step for golfers of all abilities, so make sure that you have good guidance before making an investment in golf equipment.

 

 

September 27, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:46 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Stay centered on pitch shots.

Of all the shots in golf, the pitch shot, or a shot from forty yards and into the green, is probably the one that causes the most swing faults.  Too often, golfers will play the ball too far forward in their stance, hoping for the ball to get into the air.  In addition, many golfers make long backswings and then decelerate into the ball, causing a flubbed shot.  The best way to hit a pitch shot is to open your stance slightly with your weight balanced on both feet.  Play the ball in the center of your stance and make a short backswing, then accelerate your forward swing through impact so tat the club face contacts the ball first, lifting into the air with a lot of spin.  If you master these fundamentals, you will save a lot strokes by pitching the ball close time after time.

  

September 26, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:28 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Dress for success.

 

If you dress neatly with proper golf attire, you will tend to play better by simply looking better.  This fact is often borne out in schools and other studies of human behavior and performance.  Besides looks, select clothes with a wicking property that will keep you dry and cool in warm weather as you play.  Make sure that your golf clothing allows freedom for your swing and in general is lightweight and soft.  Looking good and feeling comfortable are ways to improve your game without making any change to your swing.  Try an experiment when you dress nicely for a round and notice the difference it makes in your outlook and demeanor.  You will be pleasantly surprised.

 

 

September 21, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:25 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

If possible, avid hitting off mats.

If you are serious about your golf game, practicing on mats may not be too helpful and may lead to problems when you get on real turf.  When you hit irons from plastic grass mats, your club may be striking the surface behind the ball and bouncing so that it seems that you hit a good shot.  This will give you a false sense of your swing so that when you get onto the course, you may end up hitting fat shots or ones where you hit the ground behind the ball.  If you consistently hit off of mats, be sure to check your club's loft and lie, as this kind of practice can cause the clubface to bend.  If you must hit off of mats, look for ones that have soft texture and will allow a better sense of hitting from grass.

 

September 20, 2011  (Naples, FL)  6:55 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

No weight shift in the sand.

If you are having trouble getting the ball up and out of sand bunkers, then you might be shifting your weight and moving your legs too much.  Remember that in the sand, your main goal is to keep your lower body still so that you do not slip and slide in the soft sand under your feet.  If you try to shift your weight to the back and then on to the front during the forward swing, you will cause your feet to sink and move in the sand to balance the moving weight.  Good sand players keep their legs relatively still during the swing and use their upper bodies to propel the club.  Wiggle your feet a little into the sand to build a base and then feel as if your feet are in cement as you make your swing.  This stability will prevent sand shots that hit well behind the ball or ones that send the ball screaming over the green.

 

September 19, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:40 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Give yourself a little freedom.

 

One of the essentials of hitting long, solid drives is letting your right side (hips, shoulders, arms) flow through freely at impact so that you finish with your weight balanced on your front foot and you end up facing down your target line.  Golfers often sabotage themselves by keeping their hips and shoulders pointing to the right of the target and then trying to swing their arms around from this position.  The result is usually a weak drive that lacks height and distance.  To set yourself up to let the right side fire through at impact, open your stance by pulling your right foot back just a little bit from a parallel toe line to your target.  This little opening will allow your hips to turn freely and get out of the way as you come through impact.  You will feel that you are able to swing more freely and your drives should be longer and straighter.  Do not overdo a good thing by opening your stance too much.  This may cause slices to appear.

 

September 18, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:58 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Where should my hands be?

 

One of the first questions that golfers will ask a professional during a lesson is where their hands should be when they hold the club.  Holding the club too close to your body will restrict your from being able to make a full swing with any freedom or power.  Reaching out to the ball will set you up for a flat swing that will either hook the ball or strike the ball with the toe of the club.  A good guide for most shots, except with the long clubs (driver, fairway woods, etc.), is to have your hands directly under your face at setup.  If you make a fist, you can measure the width form your body, placing your fist between the butt of the club and your body.  This should give you a good starting place for your hands.  You can make small adjustments for comfort and feel.

 

September 17, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:20 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Practice what you see.

If you look at golfers on a practice putting green, you will see many of them practicing forty- and fifty-foot putts.  While these putts might be fun to make on the practice green, they will not help you too much once you are on the course.  Most of your putts on the course will come from within twenty feet of the hole, and you will face many putts of five to seven feet to make a par.  The putts that you should practice are the ones you will see on the course.  You will not have very many long puts, so they should not take up your practice time.  Work hard on making a good stroke that keeps the ball on the line and reaches the hole for all putts less than ten feet.  Once on the course, you should have confidence in making your share of these putts.

 

September 16, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:01 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

The upper hand.

If you play right-handed, your bottom hand on the club will be your right hand.  While this is your dominant side, it does not mean that the right hand should have more influence during your swing.  On the contrary, your left hand should act as the primary means that you use to rotate the club back and through during the swing.  If you try to control the club with your bottom hand, you will cause either a big hook or a big slice most of the time.  When you take your grip, place your left thumb just right of the center of your grip and feel that you are holding the club with these fingers.  The lower or right hand should have the thumb on the left side of the handle and you should feel that the grip is light and tension-free in that hand.  Do not try to manipulate your hands consciously, but with a good grip on the club with your left hand, your hands will work properly.

 

September 15, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:27 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Don't stand up in your backswing.

A common fault that often causes poor shots is standing up or straightening the back leg when making a backswing.  This causes your body to rise up, preventing a good weight shift onto your back foot.  You will need a compensating move to get your body back in position to hit the ball.  Most players cannot make a correction mid-swing and end up with disastrous results.  Keep your right nee flexed throughout the backswing so that your upper body remains at the same level.  The flex also allows you to shift your weight onto your back foot to support your weight.  In practice, hit three-quarter wedge shots and concentrate on keeping a bend in your left knee on the backswing.  Keep moving up in clubs until you gain confidence with this position.

 

September 14, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:57 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Use the side door on fast greens.

When the greens are very fast, the ball will tend to break much more as it slows down near the hole.  If you have putts that break on way or the other, look to have the ball drop in from the side of the hole.  If you play your putt so that you go directly at the hole, you will often see your putt drift one way or the other and often it will spin out of the hole.  On fast greens, you want the ball to just drop over the edge rather than hitting the putt hard and fast.  In practice, find a breaking putt and place two tees to make a little gate on the edge of the hole.  Hit your putts so that your ball goes through the gate.  This is a great drill to help build your feel for fast greens.

 

September 13, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:43 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Stop the blocks.

A blocked shot is one that sends the ball flying high and well to the right.  The blocked shot is caused by getting the club stuck behind you and then throwing the club out toward the ball.  If you are having trouble with blocks, try this drill in practice.  When you swing back to the top of your swing, make a slight pause and say to yourself, "legs."  With this word as a trigger, make a move of bumping your hips and begin to shift your weight onto your front side.  Feel your body turn and do not stop.  Hit balls using this trigger until you get the feeling that your front side is clearing out of the way so that your arms and hands can swing through freely.  The result is no more blocks.

 

September 12, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:14 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Driving with a steep hill in front of you.

 

Sometimes you will encounter a hole that has a steep incline directly in front of you.  Many players will try to tee the ball up high, move it forward, and try to hit the ball on the upswing to get the ball flying high.  Making all these adjustments in your driver swing for one hole is difficult.  Hitting your normal driver may send the ball directly into the incline where it hits and then dies.  A great way to get distance and accuracy on this type of hole is to hit your three wood and take your normal swing.  The three wood will fly high and you will get good distance.

 

September 11, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:53 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

What if all of your shots fly low?

 

If you have a problem with hitting your irons so low that they land and roll, instead of stopping on the green, you need to make some simple adjustments.  First, stand a little closer to the ball, making your swing more upright.  Play the ball slightly more forward in your stance in order to use the full loft of your irons, rather than closing them down as you come into impact.  Finally, make a full turn and clear your hips out of the way as you come into the ball.  This move will allow your arms to swing freely and make solid contact and allow you to make a good follow-through.  These changes will give you good results in getting the ball into the air without scooping it.

 

September 10, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:08 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

What does your glove tell you about your grip?

 

Your golf glove can tell you much about your grip.  If you have a hole in your glove near the heel of your hand, you are holding the club too much with your palms.  You should move the handle more into your fingers.  If you wear holes in the thumb, you probably have a grip that is too tight.  Lighten your hands on the grip so that you do not feel any tension in the muscles of your hands an dforearms.  If your gloves do not wear out easily, you most likely have a good grip and your hands are not making any adjustments during your swing.

 

September 8, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:22 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Warm up with your driver in slow motion.

 

A great way to get your timing and rhythm for hitting your driver is to hit about ten drives while swinging at 50 percent of your power.  The ball should only fly about 150 yards.  This drill will help to loosen your muscles properly, as well as giving you a sense of making solid contact with your diver.  Once you finish the ten swings, gradually increase the speed of your swing until you find your perfect tempo.  This way, you will be ready to hit a solid, well-controlled drive when you get to the first tee.

 

September 7, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:22 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

See if you are aimed at the hole.

 

If you are missing your putts consistently on one side of the hole, you may be misaligned with your putter face.  In practice, set up to make a ten-foot putt and have a friend stand behind you.  Let your friend look at your shoulders and chest.  They should be parallel to your intended target line.  Hold your putter in place and have your friend come up to you, remove your ball, and place a pencil across the lead edge of your putter so it matches the direction that your putter is pointing.  Step back and see if the pencil is perpendicular to your intended line.  Chances are, you may be pointed too far left or right.  Use the pencil again to get a feel for what is square and practice assuming that position.

 

September 6, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:18 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Take care on the slopes.

 

If you have a putt that looks to have a lot of break, make sure that you see the whole picture.  Many times, putts will start to break right from the moment you strike the ball and will often miss low because you have under-read the putt.  Go off to the low side of the putt and look at the slope of the green.  If the green is tilted on the ground under your ball, you will need to play for much more break than you see near the hole.  You should be able to feel the slope in your feet as you walk next to your line or when you set up to take a practice stroke.

  

September 5, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:42 AM

 

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Get it back in play.

 

Too often, golfers make high scores on a hole because they will try risky shots after hitting a drive into trouble.  If your drive lands in the trees or heavy grass, your first thought should be to get the ball back into play.  Trying to hit a shot that threads through the trees or trying to reach the green from deep grass are not good moves.  The percentages are that you will compound your mistake off the tee and end up taking a high score on the hole.  When you get to your ball that is in trouble, look at the easiest way to get the ball back out so you can play toward the green on your next shot.  You may have to come out sideways or even backwards, but the important thing is to get your ball in a place that allows you to proceed cleanly to the hole.

 

 

September 4, 2011  (Naples, FL)  6:42 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Learn from the hole.

If you are looking for the direction that the grain flows o the green, look at the hole.  Look at the edges of the rim of the cup.  If one side is cropped closely, then that is the side from which the grain is pointing.  As they cut the green, the mower will nip off the grass at the root of the grass flowing in a direction.  Use this information to plan your putt.  The grain of the grass will affect your bell more as it slows down near the hole.  Make this part of your pre-putt routine to walk up to the hole, check your line, and get information from the hole itself.

September 3, 2011  (Naples, FL)  6:42 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Don't be afraid of your shadow.

Occasionally, your shadow will fall between you and the hole while you are putting.  The shadow can be distracting and many players lose a sense of the correct line because of the shadow.  A good way to overcome this is to select a spot about four inches in front of your ball.  Get a feel for the pace you will need to roll the ball and then concentrate on your four-inch target.  Strike your putt so that the ball rolls over the spot and keep your head still until the ball is past your shadow.

 

 

September 2, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:50 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Use the 5's drill for real improvement.

You can make great progress in your game if you practice with intent of trying to attain perfection.  No one will achieve perfection but this type of practice will yield some attainable progress for you.  The 5's drill is first hitting five drives in practice that would land on a normal fairway.  You must make five in a row before moving on to the next challenge.  Next, hit five seven irons to what would be a normal-sized green.  Then, make five chips in a row that stay in a three-foot circle around a hole on the practice green.  Finally, make five straight four-foot putts.  Once you can complete this drill successfully, you are well on your way to becoming a good golfer.

 

 

September 1, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:40 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Know your distances.

Many players do not have a good sense of how far they hit their normal shots.  Often, a player will select a club and base the distance on when he or she hit the iron perfectly so that it flew long and straight.  You should know exactly how far you can hit each club with your average distance.  If you have access to a rangefinder or GPS instrument, you should hit shots with each club and accurately measure how far you hit the ball.  You may be surprised to find that you do not hit the ball as far as you thought, but that is okay.  There are no points for what club that you use in golf.  The only measure in golf is what you score.

 

 

  

August 31, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:56 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

A one piece grip might work for you.

If you are inconsistent when you putt, you may be breaking your left wrist down so the club hinges back and forth, producing poor results.  You might try a one-piece grip in which your right hand is placed over your left to forma  solid, compact grip.  Your right hand should go over your left so that the fingers of your right hand fit into the notches created by the fingers of your left hand on the club.  Your thumbs should run down the middle of the handle and the right should be on top and lie just below your left.  Give it a try in practice to see if it helps.

 

August 30, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:55 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Use loft to your advantage.

If you have a ninety-yard shot left to the green, decide on what type of ball flight you want, depending on where the hole has been placed.  If the hole is in the back of the green, play the ball back in your stance and hold your follow-through low so the ball flies low, hops a few times, and then rolls a little to the hole.  On the other hand, if the hole is up front on the green, play the ball in the middle of your stance or slightly forward and make a high follow-through with your hands.  This will produce a high shot that lands softly with little bounce and roll.

 

 

August 29, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:50 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Golf should not be painful.

If you have pain in your elbows or hands, you may be aggravating some arthritis or tendonitis from repeated golf shots.  You might try some equipment changes to relieve these pains.  Try using graphite shafts in your irons.  They will decrease the shock of impact that you will feel in your hands and elbows.  Also, several manufacturers make arthritic grips that also soften the impact on your hands.  There are also plugs that can be inserted into your shafts.  See your doctor and then your pro to help find a way to play golf pain-free.

 

 

August 28, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:34 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Be Positive.

One of the biggest differences between good golfers and great golfers is their mental framework.  Great and very good players are positive and confident with their swings.  They trust the club that they have chosen to deliver the proper flight and distance.  They commit to the shot in front of them and plan it through visualization.  When they size up a hole, they pick their target areas and play to them without any fear or hesitation about any trouble on the hole.  If you can be positive, dismiss bad shots, and feel confident and trust your swing, you are well on the way to better golf.

 

 

August 27, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:10 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Pinch a tee.

If you top your irons or hit behind the ball, try this drill in practice.  Place a broken tee in the ground so that it is no more than a half-inch above the turf.  Swing so that you hit down and pinch the tee out of the ground by striking the tee first and then taking a divot in front of it.  Start with half swings first to get the feel of striking down and through as you hit the tee with a descending blow.  Gradually increase the length of your swing until you can clip the tee out with a full swing.  You will get rid of the tops and fat shots for good.

 

 

August 26, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:49 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Don't hit the wrong ball.

You will occasionally see players hit the wrong ball by mistake.  It may be a fellow player's ball or a ball that has been lost or comes from another nearby group.  The penalty would be two strokes and can be very costly if you are in a tournament.  Always mark your ball with a distinguishing mark using a permanent ink pen.  Be careful to identify your ball and let your partners know what kind of ball you are using and the mark that you have made on it.  You may touch the ball and move it a little to identify it as yours but you must place it back in the same lie, whether through the green or  in a hazard.  Let your playing partners know that you are touching the ball to identify it before you do it.

 

 

August 25, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:38 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Prepare properly for a lesson.

When you schedule a lesson with your pro, make sure that you prepare properly.  Get to the range early so you can stretch and warm up, so you will be ready to go at the start of your lesson and not waste any time.  Take a notebook along with you and write down what issues you are having, whether it's ball flight, contact, or whatever else is happening in your game that needs attention.  This will narrow the focus for your professional.  During and after the lesson take notes on what he or she is telling you to do so you can practice later.  Ask for a drill that you can do to help you learn your correction.  Give the pro feedback on your progress after a few weeks.

 

August 24, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:51 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Be a shallow person in a bunker.

You should remember that when you have a greenside bunker shot, you should make a shallow swing so that you skim a piece of sand from under the ball.  The displaced sand will lift the ball up and out from the force of the club sliding underneath it.  If you sing down steeply, will dig into the sand and either leave the ball in the bunker or send it flying over the green.  A good drill to try is to tee the ball up a little in a practice bunker and swing so that you clip the tee and lift it out of the ground every time.  If you can do this with your bunker shots, you will have little trouble hitting good shots on the course.

 

August 22, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:50 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Be natural when putting.

 

Too often, golfers will get in awkward positions with their hands and feet when they set up to putt.  A common fault of many poor putting setups is having your hands too high so that they are well out in front of you.  It may seem that you have the putter sitting square to your target but the stroke will become wobbly once it starts and your hands will try to get closer to your body.  A good putting setup will take advantage of how your body will naturally assume its posture over the ball.  Your arms should hang down from your shoulders and not reach out to the ball.  Your chest should be stacked over your feet and your eyes should be over the ball, or slightly behind the ball, so you can see and feel the line of your putt.  By setting up naturally, you will not make any correcting moves when you stroke the ball.

 

August 21, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:26 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

You can buy more distance.

 

Golf equipment is always changing, with new technology to help the golfer hit the ball longer and straighter.  You should take advantage of this technology and find what works for you.  In general, if you want to hit the ball farther and straighter with your driver, most players would benefit from using a 460 cc head, a higher loft of about twelve degrees, and a lighter, more flexible shaft.  You should try a shaft that has a weight of about fifty-five grams and a flex that is regular or senior to see if this gets the ball up into the air with a long, straight carry on your drives.  Experiment with this technology and you may be pleasantly surprised at the difference in your drives.

 

 

August 20, 2011  (Naples, FL)  2:40 PM

Golf Tip of the Day

Don't get too comfortable with your grip.

Often, you will get advice that you should use the grip that is most comfortable to you.  The trouble is that having your hands comfortable on the grip does not mean that you have a good grip.  A poor grip can cause many problems, since this is the only part of your body that actually touches the club.  A good grip is essential for hitting the ball well.  Always have your pro check your grip to see if it is proper for you.  Many times, golfers go through years and years playing with a poor grip and fail to improve despite practicing.  Get your fundamentals straight, starting with a good grip, and you will be on your way to better golf.

 

August 19, 2011  (Naples, FL)  12:10 PM

Golf Tip of the Day

Do not be a flipper.

Somehow there is a common misconception that the right way to release the club is to hold your wrist cocked as long as possible and then release the club just at impact.  Trying to do this will only lead to flipping your hands at the ball and hitting weak shots to the right.  It is almost impossible to time the release of your hands this way to gain speed at impact.  The best way to make a good release is to turn your hips out of the way and let your shoulders, arms, and then hands come through the impact zone.  Take a look at the top players on tour and you will see that their hips are open as they come into impact so that the club whips through to the ball and beyond to the follow-through.  You should be facing your target at the finish because of your hip turn.

August 18, 2011  (Naples, FL)  9:10 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Brush a ball away for a good putting stroke.

If your putts tend to bounce when starting out or shoot to the left or right at the start, the problem may be in your backstroke.  A drill that many good putters use is to place another ball about six inches behind the ball you are going to putt in practice.  When you make your backstroke, brush the ball that is behind away.  If you miss the ball by going over the top of it, you are making a backstroke that is too steep, which will cause you to make the ball bounce when you make impact on your putt.  If you miss the ball to the left or right, you need to correct the path of your backstroke, as you are too far inside or too far outside.

 

 

August 17, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:34 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Sit down for this.

If you shank your wedge shots, your posture may be the culprit.  A shanked shot occurs when the ball strikes the hosel or where the shaft turns into the club face.  The ball shoots off sharply to the right in an embarrassing miss.  If you fear hitting a shank, bend your knees a little more at address and stick out your butt a little so that your body does not move toward the ball when you swing.  Be careful not to lift the club too steeply, but let it come inside as you turn back so that you do not come at the ball from an outside-in path while your body moves toward the ball to support this poor swing path.

August 16, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:42 AM

REPORT: NAPLES REAL ESTATE ACTIVITY IMPROVES

The real estate industry in Collier County has shown signs of stabilizing in the last year, according to a report released by the Naples Area Board of Realtors (NABOR), which tracks home listings and sales within Collier County excluding Marco Island. The July report provides annual comparisons of single-family home and condo sales (via the SunshineMLS), price ranges, geographic segmentation and includes an overall market summary. Overall pending sales for the 12 months ending July 2011 increased 3 percent with 10,030 contracts compared with 9,785 contracts for the 12 months ending July 2010. The median closed price for properties over $300,000 increased 2 percent to $550,000 for the 12 months ending July 2011 compared with $540,000 for the same period ending July 2010. According to Brenda Fioretti, NABOR president, "Inventory continues to drop at a rate of 19 percent for this period and we currently have less than nine months of inventory, which is the lowest we have seen since tracking the available inventory in April 2007."

August 16, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:41 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Find your shadow on Bermuda greens.

Bermuda grass is common to warm weather climates, as it stands up well to hot weather.  It is a hearty strain of grass that has a strong grain and will have a strong effect on how your ball rolls on the green.  Bermuda grass tends to seek out the setting sun, so the grain will flow toward the sun.  If you are playing  in the afternoon, look for your shadow and know that the grain is going in the opposite direction.  When putting on Bermuda grass, you must realize that your ball will be affected by the grain more than any other type of grass that you have played on in the past.  Use the practice green to get a feel for Bermuda grass before playing.

 

 

August 15, 2011  (Naples, FL)  5:45 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Don't keep your head down.

After someone misses a golf shot, it seems that a playing partner will automatically say, "Keep your head down."  Actually, you need to keep your head up and eyes down at your setup position.  If you have your head down so that your chin is on or near your chest, you will restrict your shoulder turn on the backswing because your head will be in the way.  The most common result of having your head down at address is lifting up during the backswing so that you can turn your shoulders.  This lifting up can be disastrous for a good golf swing  Keep your head still but not down.

August 14, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:25 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Maybe a mallet.

If you have trouble with your putts straying right or left of the hole, maybe you should tray a mallet-style putter.  Ask your pro if you can take a mallet putter for a tryout to see if it helps you with accuracy.  The added weight and design will tend to promote a putting stroke that does not open and close the face as much as a blade-type putter.  You will find that it will be easier to make a stroke that is more straight back and straight through with a mallet putter.  There is a wide variety of mallet putters.  Look for one that fits your eye and give you confidence.  Give it a try and see if the mallet is a better fit for your putting stroke.

   

 

August 13, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:33 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Good footwork translates into good shot making.

One essential to a good golf swing is proper footwork.  When you take your setup, move your feet a little and tap your toes to find good balance points.  You should feel balance on both feet at setup and then load onto your instep of your back foot as you make your backswing.  On the downswing, you should feel your weight on the ball of your back foot as it helps you shift onto your front foot for balance, as the club comes through impact and into the follow-through.  Let your back knee drive toward your front knee.  Use your practice swing to rehearse a good weight shift beofre you make your actual swing at the ball.

August 12, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:59 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Be Careful putting in a strong wind.

If you are playing on a day when there is a very strong wind, you need to make adjustments when you putt.  To help you remain still over the ball, stand a little wider than normal and bend over more toward the ball to minimize the wind's effect on you.  Remember that when putting with the wind, your ball will tend to roll faster and not break very much.  When putting into the wind, the putt will be slower but the ball will break more since the wind will add to the gravity of the break.  Look at leaves, dust, nearby water, and grass to get an idea of how the wind is working near ground level.  If the wind is strong, do not ignore its influence on your putt.

August 12, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:55 AM

COLLIER'S JULY FORECLOSURES JUMP 83 PERCENT; LEE AND CHARLOTTE DOWN

Foreclosure activity in Collier County spiked more than 83 percent in July over June, the 15th highest rate in the country, according to a report released today by RealtyTrac . The analysis showed that 739 Collier housing units were in foreclosure last month (one in every 263), up from 403 in June, but down from 1,192, or 38 percent, from July 2010. Lee and Collier counties showed improvements, however. Lee?s July foreclosure activity dropped 25.6 percent to 1,350 housing units (one in every 263) from 1,815 in June and 65.9 percent from 2,144 in July of last year. Charlotte County?s July foreclosures totaled 322 housing units (one in every 315), down 20.9 percent from 407 in June and 69.8 percent from 596 units from July 2010.

August 10, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:45 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Ball above your feet calls for some restraint.

If you have a lie where the ball is above your feet on an upslope, do not try to hit it with full power.  This will tend to make you hit a nasty hook or fall backward and simply top it if you try a hard swing.  Use one more club than you would normally use for the distance and make a shorter and smoother swing.  By swinging easy you will be able to give you both the height and distance that you need without excessive effort.  Aim a little to the right of your target and expect a little draw on your ball.

 

 

 

August 8, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:55 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

The most common swing killer.

The one area that is faulty for most golfers and leads to poor shots occurs at the top of the swing and during the transition.  Making a smooth transition is key to good timing and getting all of your body parts in sync to hit the ball properly.  A common error is to jump or get too fast at the top of the swing as you start down.  The quick move in the transition actually will slow down your swing at impact and cause your body to get out of timing.  If you suffer from inconsistent shots and feel that you are out of sync, try swinging back to the top of your swing and making a very slight pause so you can make a weight shift and start the club down smoothly and gradually build speed as you come into contact.

 

August 7, 2011  (Naples, FL)  10:34 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Are you missing your putts to the left?

If you consistently miss putts to the left, you are pulling your putts or hitting them with a closed face.  The cause of this fault is usually holding the club too tightly with your bottom hand.  If you are a right-handed player and your right hand is below your left on the putter, you may be rolling the putter closed just a fraction so that the ball misses the hole to the left.  To correct this, try gripping the club lightly in both hands so that the same amount of grip pressure is present in both hands as you make your stroke.  Run your thumbs straight down the middle of your grip and let the light grip give you the feeling that your hands are working as a unit instead of moving in opposite directions.

August 6, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:03 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Make sure that you are aligned correctly.

Surprisingly, golf professionals have found that most golfers do not aim correctly at their targets.  You could hit a perfect shot but miss the green badly because of your alignment.  To line up properly, get behind your ball and sight down to your target and select a little spot in the ground in front of your ball as your interim target.  Walk to your left until you are parallel to your ball and just outside of where you will stand.  Step in with your back foot first and set the club facing the interim target.  Then, look down at your target and bring your front foot into your stance as you hold the target with your eyes.  You should be able to swivel your head without lifting up and feel that your body is pointing just slightly left of the target while your club face is pointing straight down the line.

August 5, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:53 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Make a putting station to strengthen your fundamentals.

When you practice putting, simply trying to get the ball into the hole might not be much help in refining your skills.  Many top players use training aids to make sure that their fundamentals are correct.  For example, you should create a putting station in which you lay two shafts along the ground.  One shaft should be at your toe line and the other just inside of your target line.  Place a tee at your best ball position and a tee at the tip of each toe.  You might make a gate about one foot down your line by placing two tees about a cup-length side to putt through toward your target.  By doing this drill over and over, you will instill good fundamentals into your putting game.

August 4, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:38 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Lay up on a par three?

If you come to a long par three with a green that has water or deep bunkers protecting a pin that is tucked in a difficult corner of the green, rethink your strategy.  Chances are that it is very unlikely that you can hit this green safely, and the penalty for missing it will mean a big number on the hole.  Look for an area that you can hit to that will allow you to hit a pitch or chip shot safely to the hole.  At the worst, you will probably just make a bogey, but sometimes you might walk away with a par.  Know your strengths and weaknesses and think your way around a golf course instead of just tryin gthe traditional way of making par on a hole.

 

 

August 3, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:27 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Hey, the ball moved!

A ball moving on the putting green often causes a lot of confusion as to what to do.  If you mark your ball and put it in front of your coin and the ball moves or rolls several seconds after it was at rest, you simply play the ball where it has come to a stop, no penalty.  If, however, you place your putter o the ground behind or in front of the ball when you are about to putt and the wind blows it or it simply rolls on its own, you must replace the ball to its original spot and take a one-shot penalty.  If another's ball strikes and moves your ball, simply replace it closest to where it originally was lying.

August 2, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:58 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Do you feel that you are swinging hard but the ball is not going very far?

A lot of golfers have powerful swings but they hit their woods and irons a relatively short distance.  If your shots fly high you may have too upright of a swing.  Lifting the club up in the backswing and dropping it down in a steep angle causes a great deal of spin and a glancing blow off the face of the club.  To correct this type of shot, try to flatten your swing and come into the ball on a shallow angle.  To flatten your swing, feel as if you are swinging the club over your back shoulder at the top of your swing.  To come into the ball with a shallow angle, flex your knees and feel your legs and hands lead the club into impact.  You might work with your pro on this move as it might take two sets of eyes to make these changes.

 

 

August 1, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:16 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Here is a drill to stop hitting behind the ball.

Golfers who hit behind the ball often do not shift their weight onto their front side in time to hit the ball cleanly.  The problem is often centered on getting too much weight stuck on the back foot, which can cause a sway to occur on the backswing.  During practice, get an old shaft and stick it into the ground next to your back foot and have it run straight up from there.  When you swing, avoid bumping your lower leg or hip into the shaft.  This way, you will learn to keep your weight balance on the instep of your back foot and be able to make a good weight transfer so you can get back over the ball for a solid impact.

July 31, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:32 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Slicers have more problems in the sand.

If you slice the ball, chances are that you have difficulty in getting the ball out of a bunker.  Most golfers set up with an open stance and then hold the face open while they cut across the sand under the ball.  For golfers who lice, this method is very difficult because of the natural tendency to overdo the outside-to-in swing plane.  The result is usually a ball that flops back into the bunker.  If you consistently hit a slice, play your sand shot with a square stance and open the club face only slightly.  Make your normal swing and the ball will come out nicely.

 

 

July 29, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:12 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Learn to punch it.

When it is windy, you will need to hit your irons low so the ball shoots through the wind.  You can use any of your irons, from a five iron to a pitching wedge, for a punch shot.  Choke down on the grip so that the shaft will become stiffer to prevent the ball from ballooning into the air.  Play the ball about three inches back from the center of your stand to de-loft your iron.  Place your weight on your front foot and keep it there.  Open your stance slightly, make a three-quarter backswing, and drive down and through the ball and then hold your follow-through about waist high.  The ball should travel like a line drive, hop once, and then come to a stop on the green.  Practice shit shot until you can make it a part of your game.

July 29, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:07 AM

MID-YEAR FORECLOSURE ACTIVITY: LEE NO. 1 IN STATE

The mid-year foreclosure report released today by RealtyTrack ranks the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metro area at No. 12, however Lee ranks No. 1 in Florida with 8,699 homes filing for foreclosure, or one in every 42 houses. This is a decrease of 44.35 percent compared with the second half of 2010 and a drop of 52.15 percent when compared with January to June of 2010. Collier County had 1,855 homes in foreclosure, or one in every 105 housing units. This is a decrease of 64.22 percent over the second half of last year and 70.32 percent compared with the same period of 2010. In Charlotte County, 2,049 properties were in foreclosure action, a rate of one in every 50 housing units, which ranks it No. 2 in Florida. It?s a decrease of 46.92 percent over the second half of 2010 and 48.52 percent compared with January to June of 2010.

 

July 28, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:17 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Know your sand.

In golf, the first consideration is always your lie.  The same holds true for a sand shot from a bunker.  As you settle your feet into the sand, note the texture of it under your feet.  If the sand is hard, thick, or wet, you will need to hit fairly close to the ball with a smooth accelerating swing that slides under the ball.  If the sand is soft and fluffy, you will need to make a forceful swing to get through this sand since your club head will travel further under it.  Once you realize the difference in sand, make the appropriate swing to match it.

 

July 27, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:55 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Good iron play comes from good impact.

Many golfers try to sweep their iron shots into the air or scoop them by breaking their wrist and arms in an attempt to lift the ball up.  Remember that your irons have loft that will take care of the ball getting up into the air, so forget trying to sweep or scoop.  Instead, set up with your hands slightly ahead of the golf ball.  Swing back and then let your hands lead down so that you strike the ball first and then take a divot in front of the ball.  The ball is actually pinched out of the ground and spins upward.  Hit down to make it go up.

July 27, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:52 AM

COLLIER TOURISM RISES IN JUNE

Tourist visits to Collier County?s Paradise Coast rose 9.9 percent in June 2011 over June 2010, the fifth consecutive month of year-over-year increases, according to a report released by the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau. Direct spending by 115,800 visitors in June totaled $60.3 million, an 11.1 percent increase compared with June of last year. The preliminary June report shows increased visitation from all of the area?s key feeder markets. Canada showed the most growth with a 27 percent increase, followed by the Northeast with a 15.5 percent increase and Europe with an increase of 14.8 percent.

 

July 26, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:18 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Build up your sense of touch.

Golfers who are very proficient around and on the greens all have a great sense of touch or feel.  You can learn and develop this skill through the right type of practice.  Find a part of your practice green that has a fairly steep slope.  Begin by stroking putts down the hill to a hole about thirty feet away.  You will notice that you have to be precise in the amount of force that you apply.  Go back and hit some chip or pitch shots down the slope and strive to get the ball close.  Finally, try putting twenty-foot putts with your eyes closed to see if you can feel the distance correctly with your mind.

 

 

 

 

July 25, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:10 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Don't let a great drive mess up your game.

In one of golf's opposite effects, sometimes a great drive can hurt your game.  You are playing a round and going along well when on one tee you unleash a tremendous drive that flies high and long, and your playing partners are impressed.  On the next tee and the tees that follow, you will subconsciously try to swing harder in order to replicate that great drive or hit it even further.  This often results in your timing getting thrown off kilter and your drives becoming wild.  After a great drive, grip the driver lightly and swing in balance.  On the practice range hit a driver, then switch to a nine iron as a way of breaking that tendency to let speed creep into your swing.

 

 

 

July 24, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:31 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Smooth out your chipping stroke.

Sometimes golfers get nervous or anxious when making a chip shot.  The result is usually a quick, jerky backstroke and a quick, stabbing forward stroke.  The results are usually poor.  For good chipping, grip the club lightly and have your thumbs run down the top of the grip to keep the club face square.  Take practice strokes where you feel that your wrists are still and that rocking your shoulders propels the club back and through on a smooth, accelerating motion.  Feel as if you have no tension in your arms and hands and let the club face "chase" the ball along your intended line.  Try to make your chips go in the hole every time and you will see a big improvement.

 

 

July 23, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:44 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

A new approach to putting.

If you have trouble putting where your ball goes left or right, you may benefit from this new setup.  Take your normal putting stance with your fee just inside of your shoulders.  Play the ball about three inches opposite your back foot.  Do not lean the putter shaft back, but rather mover your hands and arms back so that the putter hands straight down.  Your head should be over the ball or over the line in front of the ball.  You will have to make a short backstroke and then a long follow-through.  This setup forces you to make a solid putting stroke.  It takes just a little while to get used to it but once you have it down, you will be making more putts.

 

 

 

July 22, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:12 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Pre-test sloping stances.

 

When your ball comes to rest on a slope so that you have the ball above or below your feet or an uphill or downhill lie, always test what gravity will do to you.  Take several practice swings to see how much the slope will affect your balance.  If you feel yourself fall in any direction during the practice swing, take note and make adjustments to keep your body still during the shot.  For example, if the ball is below your fee and your swing makes you move toward the ball, set your weight back toward your heels and keep your legs quiet.  This way you will pre-set yourself to stay in a balanced position despite the slope.

 

 

July 21, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:03 AM

Golf Tip of the Day 

 

When an opponent might be breaking the rules.

 

During a match your opponent might do subtle things either intentionally or unintentionally to gain an unfair advantage.  While the vast majority of golfers are honest and play by the rules, you need to be aware when someone tries to take liberties.  Watch for a player having his partner leave his or her ball in a position that will stop or help your opponent's shot.  Request them to mark the ball.  Do not allow your opponent's partner to stand behind him while he plays to help him align the shot or tend the pin while placing his feet in an unnatural stance to aid alignment.  Be alert and aware of t little tricks that go against fair play and you will help to keep the game honest.

 

 

July 20, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:15 AM

 

NAPLES REPORT SHOWS INCREASE IN HOME SALES, DROP IN SUPPLY

 

The housing supply in the Naples area has declined during the past 12 months, according to a report released by the Naples Area Board of Realtors (NABOR) which tracks home listings and sales within Collier County, excluding Marco Island. Available properties dropped to 7,208 at the end of the second quarter of 2011, an 18.5 percent decrease from the 8,845 available at the end of the second quarter of 2010. Overall, home sales show a steady increase, resulting in the continuing reduction of available inventory. Pending sales increased three percent in the second quarter of 2011 with 2,879 contracts compared with 2,807 contracts in the second quarter of 2010.

 

 

July 20, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:13 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Think carefully before you attempt this shot.

 

If your ball plugs badly into the side of a bunker so that only a little of the ball is showing, you may be better of taking an unplayable lie.  Chances are that you will not be able to extricate the ball from this buried lie, so you will be better of dropping the ball in the bunker in order to put your next shot on to the green.  You will only take a one-shot penalty rather than making a big number trying to hack the ball out of a deep hole in the sand.  Knowing your options will help you save strokes when the shot appears to be impossible.

 

 

July 19, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:22 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

Get a kick-start on a narrow hole.

 

If you come to a hole that looks as narrow as  a bowling alley, you might like to have this shot in your bag.  Use your heel and kick backward so that a little turf of the tee is propped upward.  Place your ball on top of the turf.  Take your driver, play the ball toward the middle of your stance, choke down a bit on the grip, and swing smoothly, using a three-quarter backswing and an abbreviated follow-through.  The ball will fly low, hard, and run quite a bit down the fairway.  This is a great shot to have when you have to get your drive in play on a tough hole.  Practice this first until you can repeat it over and over.  It will be a great shot to have in your arsenal.

 

 

July 18, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:59 AM

Golf Tip of the Day 

 

Sometimes it's better to let a lost ball stay lost.

 

If you hit a wild drive that goes deep into the woods or an extremely bad area with high grass or brush, hit a provisional.  If your provisional is in good shape in the fairway or light rough, forget about trying to find your original ball.  If you find your original you must play it, which means you likely will have to take an unplayable lie that might not offer you adequate relief, or you will have to go back to the tee and hit another shot and risk the chance of hitting one that goes into trouble again.  Declare the ball lost and play your provisional, saving you from making a very high score on the hole.

 

 

July 17, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:26 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Gather information as you go.

 

Between shots, try to gather as much information on other holes as you can as you walk to your ball.  Look for pin placements, wet or dry areas, and deep rough or hidden hazards that will come into play when you get to that hole.  Note which way the wind is blowing and how it will affect your tee shot and approach shots as well.  By noting these things, you will be better prepared and more confident when you reach the hole, having seen how the hole has been laid out.  Before you get to your ball, switch your mind back to the shot in front of you and pull out the stored information once you get to that other hole.

 

 

July 15, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:44 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Don't pin hunt on par three holes.

 

On par three holes that are longer than 150 yards, you should not go after the pin with your tee shot.  A par on these holes is a good score.  Take your three and go to the next hole.  Aim for the middle of the green and then two putts for your par.  If you go after a pin and leave it in a bunker, short side yourself, or end up in rough near the green, you are asking to make a bogey or worse.  Par three holes are set up to be tempting, but you will have a much better score if you make par on all these holes and let the par fours and par five holes be the ones where you attempt a birdie.

 

 

July 14, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:52 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Know when to hold them.

 

If you are playing with a  partner in a match, be careful not to fall into the trap of trying to make a par putt before  your pattern attempts a birdie putt.  While this seems to be conventional wisdom, it can actually work against your team.  Your partner may feel better about making a good stroke at his or her birdie instead of charging the putt because you are already in the hole with a par.  Also, if you miss, the pressure will build on your partner.  Talk it over with your partner, but it is often better strategy to hold your par putt and let your partner make the birdie putt the way they want to instead of slamming it away as expected.  Your partner may feel better knowing that you can make your putt should they miss, and they can stroke their putt with no pressure.

 

 

July 13, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:01 AM

Golf Tip of the Day 

 

Be careful of rainy-day divots.

 

If the ground is wet and soft, you need to take caution when hitting your iron shots.  The irons are made with some bounce, or a little angle on the bottom, to enter the ground and then bounce off and come up and out after impact.  However, on we and rainy days, your iron may enter the ground and keep digging into the soil so that you take a huge divot or leave the club in the ground.  This, of course, slows your club head down and results in having the ball come up short of your target.  Play the ball a little more forward in your stance and choke down a little on the grip.  You should try to sweep the ball off the turf or just take a shallow divot in these wet conditions.

 

 

July 12, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:49 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Take advantage of new technology in equipment.

 

Club makers now have several lines of clubs designated for players of different abilities, swing speeds, and ball flights.  Ask your pro to look at your equipment and see if there are new clubs that would better fit your game.  For example, if you slice your irons or hit them low, try a set of offset irons that will prevent the slice and get the ball up more easily.  Look for clubs that have a larger sweet spot, perimeter weighting, and wider flange on the bottom that will enable the average golfer to make much better contact than with conventional clubs.  You might consider an entire set of hybrids if you feel that you hit your hybrids better than your irons.  Be flexible in your thinking and try out different types of clubs as your pro fits you.  A set that matches your swing and abilities might go a long way to helping you become a better player and will make the game more enjoyable.

 

 

July 11, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:20 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Limit your pre-round practice.

 

Before playing a round, your goal is simply to warm up and get a sense of the greens for speed and texture.  Hit several clubs, with emphasis on the short irons, and finish by hitting only a few drives.  On the putting green, hit some twenty - to twenty-five-foot putts to get an idea of the speed of the greens and then a few ten-foot putts to help you focus on your putting stroke.  Do not keep trying to make putts on the practice green.  You can lose confidence if you miss a few.  Also, practicing putting for an extended period can tighten your back muscles and cause tension in your swing.  Stretch first, hit some balls to get loose and warm  your muscles, and then find out what the greens are like.  Those should be your only goals for a pre-round practice.

 

 

July 10, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:10 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Hold that finish.

 

One checkpoint for a good golf swing is to see how you look at the finish.  If you make a good golf swing, you should feel balanced with most of your weight on your front foot, your chest should be facing the target, and your knees should be close together.  Let your back foot come up so that you can tap your toe.  A good way to practice is to simply set up as you would at address and then swing up to your finish so that you make a perfect pose with all these parts in place.  Rehearse the finish position, and when you hit a ball, get to that position every time.  It is like working backwards, but you will not be able to get into a great finish position without making a great swing.

 

 

July 9, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:40 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Free your mind.

 

One sure way to make a bad swing is to think of swing mechanics during the actual swing.  You should use your pre-shot routine to select your club, sight toward your aiming point and then visualize the shot that you want to hit.  Once you step up to the ball and align  yourself to your target, let your mind relax, start a little song in your mind, or simply picture a white ball flying against a blue sky as you make your swing.  You will be surprised at how much better you will strike the ball, Hit shots around the green, and putt if you let your mind be free of restricting mechanical thoughts.  Practice this way and you will be pleasantly surprised at how much easier the swing will feel and how much better the results will be.

 

 

July 8, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:40 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Let's go to the film.

 

If you are in a golfing rut where your shots are wild in different directions, you probably have some fundamental flaws that need to be examined.  Take a lesson with your professional and ask him or her to videotape your swing.  When you sit down and look at your swing in slow motion with the pro, the two of you will be able to analyze your flaws during the setup and swing.  If you have no idea what you are doing wrong, this is the best way to help you get back on track.  Not only do you get the expert advice of a pro, but you are able to actually see what you are doing wrong.  This will help you make the necessary corrections to get back on track.

 

 

July 7, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:18 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

When you chip, let the left hand lead.

 

Good chipping comes from striking the ball solidly and crisply and then accelerating through as the club follows the ball down the line.  The key to hitting good chip shots is to let your left hand lead the club face so that the club face never gets ahead of your hands.  To help promote a good chipping stroke, grip the club fairly firmly with the last three fingers of your left hand.  Use only the thumb and forefinger on your right hand as a pressure point.  The firm left hand will allow you to control the club face, using this hand as the leader.  Keep a firm left wrist to prevent breaking down and flipping the club.  Take two practice strokes to feel the rocking motion of this stroke and then step up and execute the shot.

 

 

July 6, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:57 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Don't get out of tempo by being impatient.

 

When golfers get out of tempo or out of sequence in their golf swings, a whole host of bad shots can occur.  If you do not complete your backswing and start your forward swing too soon, you will throw all your tempo and rhythm off.  Make sure that when you swing back, you feel about 80 percent of your weight on your back foot and your front shoulder has come under your chin.  Once you reach this position, you are ready to begin your downswing, starting with a little weight shift toward your front foot.  Keep these points in sequence and you will be much more consistent.  It takes patience and a good sense of timing, but once you feel loaded on your backswing you can then turn it loose on the downswing.

 

 

July 5, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:38 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Give every birdie putt a chance.

 

Many times, you will see golfers who have birdie putts hit the ball weakly so that if alls below the hole or comes up short.  There is a natural tendency to guide the ball on these great opportunities instead of stroking with confidence.  Make up your mind that you will never miss a birdie putt short or allow it to fall to the low side of the hole because you did not hit well.  Keep your head still over the ball and listed nor it to go in as you stroke through the putt in a way that gets it to the hole, so that if you miss, it only runs by twelve to eighteen inches.  By having this mindset, you will make more birdie putts when these opportunities present themselves.  If you watch the best players, you will see that they become a little more aggressive on these putts.

 

 

July 1, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:44 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Are there clubs in your bag that you never use?

 

Many times, golfers have certain clubs in their bags that they never use because they feel that they are too difficult to hit.  If you have a three wood or long irons that you never use, reconfigure your bag with clubs that will help you.  You could take out the three wood and long irons and replace them with a high-lofted wedge, a chipper, hybrids, or even a second driver that has a high loft for tight holes.  Take inventory of your game and see how you can better equip yourself with clubs that meet your needs rather than ones that simply take up room.

 

 

June 30, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:32 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Stop coming up short on your putts.

 

If you consistently come up short on your putts, you are probably making a long backstroke and then decelerating into the ball.  To get some acceleration into your putts, place your putter about two inches behind the ball when you set up to putt.  Keep your focus on the back of the ball and not on your putter.  Make a backstroke that should feel shorter to you and then feel your putter accelerate into the ball without having a quick or jerky tempo.  By setting up this way, you reduce the amount of backswing that you need and will get a natural feeling of going back and then striking the ball solidly.  Practice this first to get the feel.  Chances are you will start to make more putts instead of leaving them just short of the hole.

 

 

June 29, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:21 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

You do not need to blast out of a flat bunker.

 

If your ball comes to rest in a bunker that dos not have a lip and is relatively flat, you do not need to blast the ball out as you would in a steep bunker.  Use a seven iron and play the ball back in your stance.  Chip the ball as you would from the grass, but make sure that you strike the ball first and then the sand.  The ball will come out low, check, and then roll a bit.  If you practice this shot, you will find that it is much easier than taking a full swing with your sand wedge, giving you a better sense of distance.  Learn this shot and it will save you a lot of strokes.

 

 

June 28, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:21 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Take care of your equipment.

 

Your equipment is very important for a good performance.  You should wash and dry your grips with a pine-based cleaner about once a week to keep them soft and tacky.  This will remove perspiration, oils, and dirt that build up and make your grips slippery and hard.  Before every round, use a brush and wet towel to clean your irons so that your grooves are clear of any dirt or debris.  Clean grooves will help you spin the ball and get the ball up out of the rough.  Carry a little wire brush that can attach to your bag so you can clean your irons after every shot.  Clean your ball when you reach the green and again before you tee off.

 

 

June 27, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:11 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Learn to be balanced when putting.

 

 

Too often, the average player will take a putting stance that is not fully balanced.  This excessive movement during the stroke causing myriad problems.  In practice, hit ten putts with one foot on the ground and the other foot with just the toe of your shoe touching the ground.  After ten with one foot, switch feet and repeat the drill.  Try to make each putt without moving anything but your arms and shoulders.  Then, place both feet on the ground in a balanced stance and you should have a more solid base as you putt.

 

 

June 24, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:54 AM

Golf Tip of the Day 

 

Add torque to really hit it far.

 

If you look at a stop action of a top player at the top of his or her backswing, you should note how their left side seems to be stretching as the shoulders turn back while their hips are only turned a little in the backswing.  This is the position that creates torque, or winding up the top to release it on the forward swing.  A good way to develop these muscles so you can create torque is to hold a medicine ball in front of you when you take a normal golf stance.  Simply turn back with the medicine ball as if you were passing it to someone beside and slightly behind you.  This will help you feel the stretch in your side and build the muscles necessary to torque your backswing for more power.

 

 

June 23, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:34 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Change your grip.

 

When playing on a very wind day, your main goal is to control your ball on every shot.  Do not try to change your swing; this usually results in missed shots because you are not used to the swing change.  A better way to adjust to the wind is to choke down on the handle so your grip ends just where the rubber meets the steel of the shaft.  Take more club than you would normally use, producing a shorter but lower ball flight into the wind.  The main advantage is that you will hit the ball squarely, so your hooks and slices are not turned into major misses that end up in trouble.

 

 

June 22, 2011  (Naples, FL)  7:44 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Practice how to score.

 

The biggest difference between touring professionals and the average golfer is not so much the length of the drives and greens hit in regulation but how many shots are taken on and around the green.  The very best players in the world get the ball up and down at a much higher percentage than the average golfer.  To close this gap, balance your practice in a manner that allows you to practice shipping, pitching, putting, and sand shots about twice as much as you do hitting full shots on the range.  The shots around the green count as much as any other shot in golf, and this is the area that will allow you to make better scores if you become more skilled.  Take short-game lessons from a  professional and watch your scores drop.

 

 

June 21, 2011  (Naples, FL)  8:03 AM

Golf Tip of the Day

 

Hit it down Broadway in practice.

 

A great way to gain a sense of freedom with your driver and to hit long straight drives is to imagine starting your drives out down a street.  Place two clubs or yardsticks ten feet apart and parallel to your target line.  Hit your drives with the thought of letting the ball fly down the middle of this little "street" that you have created.  This drill helps you to narrow your focus and at the same time gain a sense of freedom in letting the driver swing down the line toward your target instead of trying to steer the ball.  On the course, as you get behind your ball in your pre-shot routine, imagine the "street" right in front of you and then step up to the ball and swing with confidence.

 

 

June 20, 2011 (Naples, FL) 9:55 PM

 

Median price of Naples homes up 6 percent

 

NAPLES - Single-family homes are selling locally and their median price is rising.

 

The median closed price increased 6 percent, to $210,000 from $199,000, over the year ending May 2011, according to The Naples Area Board of Realtors press release. In 2011, there are 7,705 unsold properties on the market as opposed to 9,006 last year.