Why Are Golf Rangefinders Overlooked?

Given the considerable amount of advertising dollars that are spent to encourage golfers to put new clubs into their bags every year, I always wonder why more corporate dollars are not spent to encourage golfers to actually buy the one device that will actually help them post lower scores: golf range finders. Golf rangefinders are typically priced between $200 and $400, about the same price range as new drivers made by Titleist, Cleveland, and TaylorMade. Is there less revenue to be made by merchandisers for selling one Bushnell Rangefinder versus one TaylorMade Driver? Probably. But good marketing campaigns can effectively change what we as consumers feel is and isn’t important. Avid golfers are always competing with their friends to stay ahead of the curve by purchasing the latest golf equipment. How many times have members of regular foursomes used another member’s new driver and then after just three or four swings went out and bought the same exact club? It happens all the time. The entire Golf industry counts on this kind of viral marketing to sell more and more clubs. However, why don’t rangefinder manufacturers like Bushnell and Leupold employ a similar philosophy or strategy? This article compares the golf rangefinders’ impact on a golfer’s scoring average (USGA handi-cap) to the scoring impact that more popular golfing equipment has. It also suggests some marketing angles and hooks that manufacturers could employ to make them more mainstream.

1. Rangefinders versus the latest Driver. First of all, the driver is the most important club in the bag. I am not suggesting that it isn’t. Finding a driver that you are comfortable with is vital because hitting fairways consistently sets up scoring opportunities. However, golfers don’t necessarily buy new drivers because they are unhappy with the one they have; or because they broke the one they had. They buy them because club manufactures do such a good job convincing them that without this years’ model, you’ll be a competitive disadvantage and will not hit it as far. They infer that you shouldn’t be on the golf course in the first place without the latest technology. They make you believe that a bigger sweet spot somehow will mean less bad drives. First of all, drivers do not swing by themselves; and no matter what driver you have in your hands, only a good balanced swing will enable you to make solid contact and hit the ball straight and / or far. What good is a driver anyway if you hit it far AND straight, but it goes through a dog leg or into a hazard? For the same cost (or less) as a new driver, a Range finder will tell you how far you are from hazards; or even how far you are from a tree that borders the left side of the fairway that could be in play should you pull your drive, etc. I think people associate rangefinders with measuring the distance to the flag only. Rangefinders can help you on every shot by providing you distances to land marks and places you want to avoid. As someone who’s played over 500 rounds of golf in the past ten years, I am absolutely certain that avoiding aiding trouble spots and hazards off the tee will help lower your scores far more than getting more length off the tee. Bushnell and Leupold should emphasize in its’ marketing campaigns how useful rangefinders can be when used from the tee boxes of par 4’s and 5’s, and not just for flag placement on the par 3’s.

2. Rangefinders versus the latest Fad clubs: Did belly putters actually help anyone putt better? Did Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson ever win a major championship while using one? How about the ‘Alien’ Wedge from about ten years back? Did anyone ever win a championship with the ‘Alien Wedge’? ‘No’ is the answer to all of these questions, and there must be a reason for that. These guys win major championships because they are great, talented players who employ prudent golf strategy and execute great golf shots. However, belly putters, ‘Alien’ wedges, and other gimmicky clubs were hot sellers at one time. When watching tour players on TV, the focus by observers is the clubs and the clothes. Professionals are not allowed to use rangefinders, and therefore couldn’t promote them while playing a round of PGA Tour golf. But they don’t need rangefinders because their caddies know exact distances to flags, hazards, and other landmarks from everywhere on the course. And if they don’t know these distances, they pace them off during the round. If Bushnell Rangefinders paid Tiger Woods to talk about the advantages of having a caddy and that Bushnell Rangefinders are a viable alternative to caddies for distance measurement, wouldn’t Bushnell be selling more rangefinders? I think so. And back to my point, rangefinders actually help you with distance measurements and club selection, two of the biggest problems that golfers with handicaps of ten or higher struggle with.

3. Rangefinders versus clothes and apparel. Please. I realize you need waterproof shoes with good grips, wind/rain gear to keep you dry, and some decent golf polos so that you adhere to your local golf club’s dress code. But again, do how much do these clothing items actually help you with your scoring? Well, I do suppose that wearing sneakers as opposed to wearing golf shoes could hurt your game on a wet day. However, golfers are spending $150 for Footjoys, $100 on golf rain/wind pullovers, and $100 on Greg Norman polos every day. Why? Because, again, these brands effectively market these products versus cheaper but equally viable alternatives that can be purchased at Dick’s or Sports Authority. Why doesn’t Bushnell or Leupold leverage from this phenomenon somehow? Why not sell the rangefinders as an alternative to overpriced and un-necessary apparel that can actually help lower scores? Isn’t that what a real golfer wants any way? If a golfer was asked which they would prefer-lowering his / her handicap by 1 stroke or having the coolest looking and most expensive Greg Norman polo; they would chose a lower handicap every time. And between golfing apparel and digital golf rangefinders, rangefinders would be the purchase that potentially will produce lower scores.

Finally, good golf rangefinders really do work. They accurately range flags, trees, and other targets from up to 1,000 yards away; and to within +/- 1 yard of your targeted objects. They are also easy to use and are small enough to be kept in your pocket. I recommend trying the Bushnell Golf Medalist or the Bushnell Tour V2. Leupold’s Gx-1 and Gx-2 models have also received very good reviews by golfers. For a step up in price and performance, the Bushnell 1500 Pinseeker with up and down slope measurement is a great instrument. And if you and your friends can live with the USGA rule infraction, I recommend it; especially for courses being played for the first time.

What�s In A Club Pro's Golf Bag.

I have been playing golf as a professional for over 30 years and have used a lot of different companies during this time when choosing the right golf bag, golf glove, golf clubs, golf shoes etc etc. for my game.

I am not one of the tour pros who get paid vast amounts to endorse their products; I have to pay for mine albeit at a discount on the trade price. So this is not an advertisement for the company, it is my honest opinion as a Golf Professional on the quality of the golf gear I use.

The Titleist PROV-1 is without doubt the best golf ball I have ever used and has been in my golf bag for many years; in fact I think I have used a titleist golf ball for the past 20 years. When I first started playing it was a Dunlop 65 fresh out of the wrapper, for those of you too young to remember golf balls used to be packaged in a wrapper back in the 1970's and before. My oh my doesn’t time fly by. Anyway where was I? Oh yeah, why the PROV-1? - Simple really, it goes a long way, flies high, stops on a sixpence and has a lovely soft feel for those shots around the green. Enough said.

I use a Titleist Players golf glove or a Footjoy Sta-Sof golf glove, both are made from high quality cabretta leather giving you a superb feel and they are very comfortable to wear. A lot of amateur golfers use the All-Weather glove or synthetic versions, but I have never liked the feel of them and although the leather golf glove costs a little bit more they are worth it. I know a few of you guy’s use the all-weather glove because it has an extra pad on the heel of the palm to help with wear and tear. Nearly every golf glove wears out there first, some quicker than others. But that is a fault of either your hold on the golf club, usually gripping the club too tightly at address and loosening your grip at impact, causing excessive wear and tear on your glove. But that’s another story, see your local pro and he will help with this.

My golf irons of choice are the Titleist Z-Blend Forged with a dynamic gold S shaft and tour velvet grip. They are a blended cavity to muscle back forged iron, which means that the long irons are cavity backed, the mid irons are a partial cavity and the short irons muscle back blade. This is a great idea and has been around for a few years now, help where needed in the longer irons gradually blending to a blade type short iron for that classic look and playability. I love these irons, they are great to look at and have a lovely feel off the club head. In my humble opinion you cannot beat a forged golf club head for exceptional feel and playability.

So there you have it, just a few of the things you will find in my golf bag. The best golf ball, the best glove, the best irons and the best golfer of all time using them. OK scrap that last comment, we can all dream.

Enjoy your golf, look after your golf equipment and if you are struggling with your game find a golf pro you like and respect and seek out some golf lessons from him. If you work at any changes in your game then you will benefit from them in the long run, if you don't, then it will be just like all the other golf tips you have discarded as being useless.

The Pros and Cons of Gas Powered Golf Carts

The gas-powered golf cart has been used for decades by golfers and drivers alike. Their convenience and speed are more than that of an electric cart and they hold their value much longer as well. The pros and cons for each type of cart are endless, but in the end it all depends on your particular intentions for their use. After all, while gas powered carts of highly convenient, they don't work for everyone. To get you started and help you make an educated decision, we've compiled this list of pros and cons of gas-powered golf carts.

Pro 1: Won't Get Stranded
Gasoline is easily transportable, so as long as you have a gas can on your cart (which you always should) you'll never be stuck without gas. For farmers or anyone who wants to have their cart to travel far distances on acres of land, gas is the only way to go. While electric cars are indeed more environmentally friendly, for long distances they're simply not sensible.

Con 1: Hazards
There's always the chance of a gas explosion during a collision in a golf cart. While collisions aren't extremely common in this type of vehicle, if you're buying the cart for off-course driving, you may want to look into the safety features.

Pro 2: Price
Gas Golf carts are often less expensive than electric golf carts. However, do not forget that you'll still need to fill your golf cart with gasoline regularly, which we all know is not as cheap as it used to be.

Con 2: Pollution
A lot of people think because golf carts are so small and less fast, they don't pollute like cars do. They do, however, contribute to pollution and you aren't really doing the planet a favor by purchasing one.

Pro 3: Durability
Gas powered golf carts tend to last much longer than electric carts. They may not come in as many colors and varieties, but they are made of more durable materials and have longer-lasting engines and easily affordable parts. They also tend to handle hills and rough terrain more easily.

Con 3: Noise
Gas golf carts are, indeed, loud. The motors made for them make a noisy rumbling sound when they're running, and they may even be a bit "bouncy" while idling. Carts may also get a bit messy when they drip gas or oil, so it's recommended you keep a tarp underneath them in the garage.

Looking for a new or used golf cart? Search no further. Points West Argo is your Northern California source for golf cart sales, rentals, and accessories. Or if you are looking for ARGO Amphibious ATV or all terrain vehicle check out 8x8Argo.com.

Alpha Golf Clubs Define Quality

Alpha golf equipment covers the gamut from drivers to putters and everything in between. All the Alpha golf clubs are made with quality in manufacture and design. Each Alpha golf club has something to offer players.

The Alpha Golf C830.2 Plasma Welded 460cc Titanium driver is just one example of the many fine clubs in the Alpha brand. The club head has a high center of gravity for that perfect swing. The nearly smooth face lends itself to low spin for a more accurate drive. The highest energy transfer ratio allowed by the USGA is attained by this excellent club-face.

Everything about the engineering of the Alpha Golf C830.2 Plasma Welded 460cc Titanium driver is done with care and precision. It all works together for a well-planned effect of feel, distance, and accuracy. The large sweet spot makes hitting with the club a breeze.

The Alpha Golf C830.2 Plasma Fairway Woods combine with the driver to make an exciting combination of clubs. The fairway woods have the same technologies as the C830.2 driver. The fairway woods have a maraging steel insert that sends the ball flying faster. They have low backspin and yield straight, long shots.

The Alpha Golf Series C1 Pro Irons look like traditional irons, yet they incorporate new technology in their design. They are made from 1020 carbon steel. The head size is large and has a thinner top-line. This series of clubs is all about forgiveness. High launch angles are possible with these clubs.

The Alpha Golf Series C1 Pro Irons vary in loft from 22 for the 3 iron to 48 for the pitching wedge. The head weight goes from 244 grams to 293 grams. The 3 iron has a 2 degree bounce all the way up to the pitching wedge, which has a 7 degree bounce.

The Alpha Golf Series PF-2 Wedges are made for high loft of 52 for the GW, 56 for the SW and 60 for the LW. These are heavy clubs, weighing from 302 grams to 310 grams. They are made in such a way as to create better spin control. They have a soft feel.

The Alpha Golf Series Pro Forged Wedges are designed to last through game after game. They range in loft from 48 for the PW to 60 for the LW. They work for the fairway or in the sand. They are made from 8620 Low Carbon Steel. Players can choose their shaft, shaft flex, shaft length with a +3 or -3 variation from standard, and their grip.

The Alpha Golf Zeta Putter makes the perfect finish to a hole with its low carbon steel club head. The club is resistant to skidding and makes shots easier and quicker. The head weight for both the 34 inch and the 35 inch putters are 340 grams.

The important thing to remember about Alpha Golf equipment is that its quality is apparent in each of its clubs. Choosing a bag full of clubs has never been easier than after finding the treasure trove of golf equipment at Alpha Golf.

A Few Golf Driving Tips To Improve Your Game

Are you having issues with regards to driving in golf? Frequently, one of the issues golf players have is how to generate power with their drives. This article targets this specific area of difficulty. Read the following advice featured as a way to tackle such a dilemma. These golf driving tips may help you in attempting to improve your performance.

Here are some of the most frequent problems and golf driving tips to preven them. The following Golf driving tips are specific to the specific targeted problems.

Too low. The ball is teed up really low, which produces more force as the driver head has increased.

Tip: To make sure the top half of the ball is above the clubface, tee the ball up when the club is resting on the ground in the starting position. This way ensures that you are striking the ball using the center of the head of the club.

Hands too close to body during setup. This encourages more of an up-and-down, vertical, follow-through and back swing.

Tip: Remember that more power is generated on your drives when the club head is farther from the body. Try to reach a little bit when beginning your drives. The swing arc will travel quicker towards the center of the circle.

Front foot lifting during backswing. This results to a reverse weight shift and can bring about a hook or shank shot.

Tip: During your backswing, keep foot firmly planted on the ground. This promotes proper shoulder and hip turn, which adds up to increased driving power.

Driving equates to personal power, and it is an important factor in the development of your game. Golf driving tips definitely help in the pursuit to prepare yourself and improving your previously learned golfing skill.

Golf Putting Tips To Help You Become A More Solid Putter

The game of golf can be very rewarding to learn and play. There are many aspects to the game and putting has often been said to be a separate game altogether. Learning how to putt can be quite a challenge. Some people pick it up quickly and become good but often they encounter difficulties down the road and develop the dreaded putting yips. Here some useful tips to help you become a good putter and stay that way.

Putt To Make It:

Many golfers on long putts try to just get the ball close to the hole. They often will aim for a 3 foot circle. The problem with this strategy is that you are just increasing your margin for error. A better approach would be to always putt to make it. This means that on every putt your goal is to make the putt.

This does not mean you have to hit the putt hard in order to make sure to get it to the hole. Instead think of making every putt by seeing the ball dying into the hole on the last rotation. This way your misses will be much closer.

Trust Your First Impression:

When you are reading greens it can be very easy to get overwhelmed and start doubting how the putt will break. When you first approach a green take a bit of time to look at the putt from a few different angles. After that simply come up with a good solid first impression and stick with that.

It is very important to be decisive on your putts. You must trust the read you make and believe the ball will go in the hole. This does not mean you will make every putt. Your goal is to give every putt the best chance of going in the hole and this way of thinking will allow you to do that. Remember that even the best professionals misread greens so when you do misread a few putts just forget about them and believe your next read will be accurate.

Focus On Your Successful Putts:

If you play a lot of golf then you will inevitably miss a lot of putts. It can become very easy to dwell on these misses. However there is no doubt that you have made a fair number of putts too and some of them have probably been quite spectacular. Be sure to celebrate all the great putts you have made. This will ingrain into your mind the good putts you have made and will help to build your putting confidence.

Be sure to remind yourself of some of the greatest putts you have ever made. One good thing to do is each day before you go to bed think about the top 3 putts you have ever made. Replay them in your mind as vividly as you can and really experience the joy and satisfaction that making those putts gave you. Never suppress your emotions on successful putts, of course do not brag too much either, instead celebrate internally so you do not appear rude to your playing partners.

Do Not Think Too Much:

It is easy when you are about to hit your putts to start thinking about all sorts of things. Make sure that when you are about to hit your putts you are focused on your target. So make sure to pick out a target like a blade of grass on the edge of the hole or somewhere to the right or left of the hole if you expect the putt to break. Also make sure your target is something small.

Do not think about putting mechanics or how you made the last putt or about how the putt will break as you are about to hit the putt. Just focus on the target and let your mind and body strike the putt in the most accurate manner that will allow the putt to go to the hole with the right direction and speed. Use some of these tips to help you make more putts.

PurePoint Golf Instruction Golf Swing Fundamentals � Driver Timing

Let’s spend a couple of minutes talking about one of the three most abused and misunderstood golf swing fundamentals, timing. It’s an important term but it’s misused a lot. So, let me explain to you what timing is, and then it’ll draw you a lot closer to understanding when you're struggling.

Timing is your ability to swing your arms and hands back to the golf ball as your hip turns out of the way. And the reason it has to turn out of the way is so the arms and hands can pass your body and wrap around you. That’s the definition, no more, no less.

Now, I have gone to the golf course many days where I’ve hit the ball beautifully, solid, straight right. So, my timing was off a bit because my body was turning out in front of my golf club and that was sending it off to the right.

Now, the correction would be to slow the bottom half down and speed up the top part. There have been days where my timing has been off because the arms and hands were quicker than the bottom.

How do you correct that? Speed up the bottom and it’ll catch up with the arms and hands, and that will help that.

Now, how do you fix your timing? That’s probably the most difficult question in the game of golf. How do you get your timing back? I believe that if you can’t hit your pitching wedge, you probably aren’t hitting your 5 iron and your 5 wood and your driver.

So, I love to send people out to the practice facility to hit thousands of pitching wedges and work on their golf swing fundamentals. That, to me, is the easiest way to find your timing.

Now, let’s say that your favorite club in your golf bag is your driver and you're driving the ball beautifully. Then go hit a thousand drivers. Or maybe it’s a 5 wood or a 5 iron. Whatever club you're struggling with, stay way away from that one.

Go to the club that you're doing well with. And if you're not doing well with any of them, then go to a pitching wedge.

Now, the next question most difficult after that: How do you know when your timing’s off? I believe that your timing is off when your miss/hit pattern is not consistent. One’s fat, one’s thin, one’s top, one’s good, one’s to the left, one’s to the right. That’s a great indication that your timing’s off.

Find your favorite club and go to the practice tee and hit ten thousand of them and remember when you hit the golf ball to think of the golf swing fundamentals.

Thanks and have a great day.

Copyright 2006 David Nevogt