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What is a golf ball?

By Peter Cunningham

Many years ago golf was played in Scotland, they obviously did not have all the equipment that we enjoy nowadays and certainly did not play the game in the structured manner that we do. Back then they had to utilise both golf balls and clubs which were both manufactured from wood.

It as back in the 17th century that the feather golf ball was designed and introduced, another word for this type of ball was the featherie. The feather golf ball was made from goose feathers which were compressed into a sphere which was normally cow hide. The feathers were compressed into the cow hide whilst the cow hide was still wet. When all the feathers were in the hide was left to dry and as it dried it shrank creating a hard golf ball.

These balls, however due to the nature of creation and build time were very very expensive and quite often cost much more than the golf club itself. Due to the cost of purchase only the more financially privileged golfers could afford to purchase such a ball.

After the feather ball came the creation of the guttie golf ball. This type of ball was made from the sap of a gutta tree, the gutta tree is predominantly found in the tropics, These balls were created whilst the sap was hot where the ball was shaped, when it dried it formed a hard rubbery golf ball. Due to the ease of manufacture these golf balls were a lot cheaper to both manufacture and purchase.

There was a huge difference between the featherie and the guttie though. The guttie did not fly as far or as true as the featherie. This was identified as being due to the completely smooth surface of the gutterie which limited the golf ball in the air.

Designers of golf balls eventually came up with a solution - the creation of the golf ball dimple - and these are still utilised on golf balls nowadays.

The dimples on a golf ball are created to reduce resistance to air whilst the ball is in flight. When a ball without dimples is in the air a huge pocket of dead air is created behind the ball which creates drag, therefore slowing the ball down. The dimples on a golf ball reduces this dead air behind the ball, therefore reducing drag and allowing the golf ball to travel. It does this by the dimples creating turbulence in the air around the golf ball which in turn ensures that a spiral like trail of air is left behind the ball rather than a huge amount of dead air. This spiral of air allows other air particles to flow around the ball rather than just past it.

The dimples of the golf ball dependant upon the type of center in the ball can allow for an amount of spin to be imparted onto the ball at impact, this can either create backspin upon impact with the ground or allow the golfer to control the ball better in the air - ie to draw a ball.

Dimples have been on golf balls now for many many years, however it is believed that they were created after the introduction of a one piece golf ball with a rubber core. This golf ball had a smooth outer on it and golfers found that they were able to hit a better shot as the ball started to wear - ie the outer edge started to become rough. It was around 1905 when the dimpled golf ball was officially introduced and from this time dimples have been used on all golf balls, in 1921 the golf ball was modified so that all balls were a standard size and they were all the same weight.

Nowadays, there is an absolutely staggering amount of variety when it comes to the selection of a golf ball. There are golf balls which are designed to go a long way, other which are designed to be very soft so that more control can be achieved. Even the dimples vary slightly between balls, there are some balls which have more than others and some balls have slightly different shaped dimples. No matter which golf ball you decide to play you can be sure that you are playing with an item which has evolved through evolution and is at present at or very near its optimum.

About The Author

Peter Cunningham manages the Golf Review Center web-site. On this site you will be able to read and submit reviews in relation to all different types of .

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Clubfittings can range from free to around $100, with the midpoint more typical. If you plan to purchase your new clubs from the pro who does your fitting, ask them if they'll fit you free of charge (never hurts to ask!). And make sure that the clubfitting involves hitting balls from a fitting mat and is not simply a series of measurements.
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Are you a low handicap looking for ultimate spin and control? If so, choose a balata. This is essentially just a softer ball, which has a softer cover and allows for more spin. This is what Tiger and a lot of the big boys play (They are also quite a bit more expensive). If you are a higher handicap, you will be looking more for distance and durability. This is where a good two-piece ball will be best. This ball has a harder cover, and hence creates less backspin, which allows for you to hit it farther.
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Golf Putting Aids Can Shave Strokes Off Your Score

By: Trent

Practicing your putting can get monotonous and boring; and a training aid specific to your putting problem can make all the difference in the world. In fact, by keeping you interested in practicing your putting, these aids can hone your putting leaps and bounds ahead of your playing partners and competitors.

What is your putting deficiency?

There can be many issues/problems in your putting. You can have excess head and body movement. Poor putter path back and through; inconsistent contact with ball and putter face; erratic tempo throughout stroke, and many others. The list can go on and on, but I think you get the idea.

Figuring out what your issue is will give you direction on what putting aid to look in to. These training aids can get very expensive, so you do not want to be hasty and premature in your purchase decision. In fact, sometimes you can make your own golf putting aid if need be.

Try it before you buy it!

Many of these training aids for putting can be demoed right in the store. Why not try it before you buy it? What a novel idea eh? If you give it a go first, you will have a better idea of whether it can help your putting or not.

I�ve gone into the golf shop looking at these, tried one, and was blown away at how different it was to actually use it first. Never�I mean never buy it without trying to find it locally! You�re throwing your money out the window!

Use it consistently!

Once you�ve purchased your golf putting aid, use it consistently to see improvement. So many golfers buy something on a whim, only to use it once or twice and that�s it! Not a smart move if you want to see results.

Like anything�consistency is the key to success!

About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf performance experts in the country. He is the founder of 8 golf performance and information websites including http://www.golfswingtrainingaid.com/

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The clubhead should be descending at impact with the exception of the Driver and the Putter. What is meant by descending angle of approach?
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Your new driver will be easier to hit.
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If the shoulders are in a closed position (facing to the right of the target) the clubhead travel will be inside-to-outside of the target line. With the shoulders parallel to the target line at impact, the clubhead travel will be inside-to-direct. This shoulder motion allows the clubhead to travel to the target, not away from the target as in the other positions.Remember the shoulders must remain passive, and are a follower in your swing, not a leader.
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When you want to get some extra distance out of your drives, it�s natural to think that your right or dominant hand (for right-handed golfers) should supply the power. In reality, however, maximum power is a result of a left-hand lead.
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The Golf Beginner Guide is an eBook filled with info for the beginning golfer. Get it today!

Donegal Golf Club: Welcome to a Great Golfing Experience

Golf is a game of patience, smarts, dedication, discipline and a whole lot of fun. While many have shunned away from golf because they may think it�s a boring, slow-paced game, this view has changed quite a lot with so many people now playing the game.

Golf courses are now seen as a venue for relaxation and a way to relieve stress. That�s why so many overworked weekend golfers have set their sights to having a dream golf vacation. And one of the more popular countries that have emerged as a Mecca for golf vacations is Ireland.

With its mesmerizing natural beauty and the landscape that was seemingly created for the game of golf, many golf courses have been erected and patronized both by local and tourist golfers. It is no wonder that some of the golf courses in Ireland has been celebrated as among the top golf courses all around the world.

One of these is a golf course found in the northwest area of Ireland in a town called Donegal. The Donegal Golf Club was founded in 1959 and was erected in the edge of the town at Tullycullion. It stayed there for 14 years until it moved to the Murvagh Peninsula were it is situated until today. It has been the venue of prestigious championships such as the 1979 Irish ladies Close Championship and the 2003 Mens Irish Close Championship, a testament to its great design and world class amenities and facilities.

This full 18-hole championship par 73 golf course is measured at 7280 yards and is a classic links. The course is expansive and wide open and is mostly made up of low dunes. The play is hard and fast on this course but the scenic ambience allows a player to stop for a while and just soak in the view. The Atlantic Ocean gives out a stunning scenery as well as the mountains that are easily seen in the other side of the course.

Before you go out to challenge the course, you can hone your skills and warm up in what the Donegal Golf Club boasts as the best practice facilities in Northwest Ireland. There you can find facilities such as a driving net, a chipping green with bunkers, a putting green, a driving range with an automatic ball dispenser and there is even a par 3 Junior course.

The Donegal Golf Club's course Pro is also all too willing to provide lessons for beginners and novices.

Conquering the course is one thing, but at the end of the day, you can get the chance to enjoy the club's facilities and just relax and soak in the events of the day.

You can go directly to the locker room and freshen up with its state-of-the-art amenities and wonderful service. Visitors lockers are available and shower facilities are first rate.

After freshening up, you can go to the restaurant for a hearty meal of sumptuous Irish cuisine. Or if you want, you can take your golfing buddies with you are meet some of the locals at the bar for some drinks. Keep your memories alive of your golf vacation trip at Donegal with some logo embedded clothing at the club's shop.

When it is finally time to pack up your bags and head on to Ireland, the Donegal Golf Club should always be at the top of your vacation golf spots in Ireland list.

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The target is not always the center of the fairway or green. To setup the next shot the target could be to the left or right of the fairway. Ball flight differs between players. If a player fades his tee shot, the target would be to the left of center of the fairway. If he draws the ball, the target would be right of center.One good point here is to always aim away from trouble on the course whenever possible. If there is trouble on the right, tee on the right side of the teeing area. Do the opposite if the trouble is on the left. In other words,tee the ball on the side the trouble is.
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I can�t tell you how many people come to my lesson tee and say, �If I could just get rid of my baseball swing, then all my problems would be solved!� My initial thought is always: I wish you had a baseball swing, because it would help you play better golf.
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While all golfers continue to look for that secret that will perfect their swing,. it is wishful thinking that they will find it because their is no secret to swinging the golf club. Even with the best of players no two swings are alike. What works for one player doesn't necessarily work for another. There are no two swings alike - similar, but not alike.
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