Choosing the best golf driver - Manor Golf

Choosing the Best Golf Driver for Your Game

Of the 14 clubs that you have in your golf bag, none are as sexy or more discussed than the driver. Hitting your driver long and straight while splitting fairways Is the most satisfying feeling you can get on a golf course.

Why is it that most golfers have a love-hate relationship when it comes to the driver? If you are slicing or hooking off the tee, it can quickly turn a bad day into a miserable one.

Because the driver is the longest Club in your bag with the lowest Loft, it is more difficult to hit consistently and accurately. Today we want to give you a few tips on what to look for when you buy your next driver.

This is not a review of the best drivers currently being advertised online, instead, it is a simple guide on what you should look for before you purchase one.

What to Consider When Buying a New Golf Driver

The first thing to do when choosing a driver is to decide what you want out of it. Do you want to be able to drive the ball further than ever before? Or would you rather play a more controlled game where you don’t have to worry about hitting the ball too far?

Choosing the best golf driver - Manor Golf

There are two types of drivers – those designed to fly farther and those designed to control distance. You will need to consider these factors when you are looking at the various models available.

Golf clubs can be pretty easy to buy online, but the driver can be challenging because there are so many options, styles, and makes from very reputable brands.

Let’s say you are a solid 10 handicap and trying to up your driving game a bit. You must first determine what you actually want to get out of the driver. Distance or control?

If you ask 100 golfers if they would give up distance for accuracy, I would venture to guess at least 90% would say they would give up that distance. But, after a few rounds of hitting a longer club into the green, many would get frustrated. You have to manage your expectations and your round.

If you are hitting the ball 10 yards shorter but are hitting double the amount of fairways that you did in the past, you will see lower scores in the near future, as long as you can still get to the green and chip and putt.

If the driver puts you back 20 yards, and you are no longer able to hit the green in two on a par 4, then you will want to find a driver that is forgiving but will still give you that distance.

There is a good chance that one of the components of the driver is not perfect for you, and you may need another fitting or to tweak your club.

What Factors Should You Be Aware of?

With so many options, colors, and styles to choose from, how do you know what to look for.  According to the experts at AEC Info, the best driver for golf is the one that gives you the most confidence to stand on a tee box, swing freely, and expect to hit the fairway every time.

How Good are You?

To start, you have to seriously look at your skill level. Are you a beginner that has a hard time breaking 100? Or are you a mid-handicap golfer looking to drop your handicap closer to a 5?  Be realistic about your game and find a driver that is suited for you.

Higher handicap golfers can choose offset drivers that can correct a slice or a hook, while others like an adjustable driver gives you options to change your setup as your game improves.

The Shaft Is Critical to Your Performance

The faster your swing speed, the stiffer the shaft should be in your driver. If you have a slow swing speed in the 70’s or 80’s, you would want to consider a senior shaft flex.

If you are in the 90’s, you will want a regular shaft.

If you are in the 100 mph range, you will likely be using a stiff flex shaft.

Finally, if you are 107 mph or higher, an extra-stiff flex is going to be best for you.

However, there are other factors that go into the shaft like the kick-point, the weight, as well as the manufacturer.  If you already hit a lower ball off the tee, you don’t need a low-trajectory shaft in your driver.

A driver fitting from a reputable company is definitely something to consider. Professional club fitters see so much data from your swing, the launch monitors they use, and the sounds they hear as the ball flies off the driver face.

If you are going to spend $500 plus on the new Callaway Rogue driver or the Ping G425 Max, it would make sense you also spend a few hundred bucks making sure that the club is going to improve your game and not drain your wallet.

Adjustable Drivers

The great thing about purchasing an adjustable driver is you have so many options with modern drivers with slight adjustments.

Many of the forgiving drivers being sold have weights in the back to make your club more draw friendly or fade friendly. If you are an average golfer with a slice, you will want to set up your club with a strong draw bias in order to hit more fairways and avoid hitting a slice.

Many of the newer driver models have multiple adjustments as well so you can alter the adjustable weights and setting to help you with center hits, achieving maximum distance, and a faster swing speed and faster ball speed.

The sole weight is something you can adjust on many drivers for a more penetrating ball flight on tee shots.

Loft

The loft is critical when buying a driver to give you the maximum carry distance on tee shots. If you hit the ball high already, and then choose to get yourself a new driver with 12 degrees of loft, you will likely lose distance because you will be hitting the ball too high in the air, and not getting the roll in the fairway like you would with a 9 degree driver.

If you hit the ball high already, and then choose a new driver with 12 degrees of loft, you will likely lose distance because you will be hitting the ball too high in the air, and not getting the roll in the fairway like you would with a 9 degree driver.

Again, a professional golf fitting is going to help you understand how to get the most distance and forgiveness from your club head.

Brands

The big brands continue to innovate and create new drivers year after year. Cobra, Cleveland, Mizuno, Ping, TaylorMade, Callaway, and PXG are all big brands that continue to improve their products year after year.

While there are many other companies and brands in the golf club market, choosing a big stick from one of the major brands is going to give you the best opportunity to find a club to suit your game.…

Match play golf explained - Manor Golf

Match Play Golf Format

What Does Match Play Mean in Golf?

As one of the world’s oldest and most beloved sports, golf has evolved over the years and has quite a fan base. The elegance and skills needed for this sport are straightforward, which sets it apart from other mainstream sports.

There is a common assumption that golf has many rules and, thus, is a challenging sport to learn and play. This assumption could not be further from the truth because the facts are quite the opposite. We can further assert that all you need to learn are golf terminologies and some simple rules, and you are good to go.

One of the main terms you will hear in golf is match play. So what does match play mean in golf? We shall answer this question in detail below, other terms and rules related to this term.

Match play golf explained - Manor Golf

Match Play – Defined and Explained

Match play uses a scoring system where the golfers play one hole at a time to achieve the best score for each hole. Sounds simple enough, right? This is because it is. But let’s give some context to this that will deepen your understanding.

One thing that makes golf so enjoyable is a scoring system that defies the norm. The lowest score is the term a golfer wants to hear as they play. This is because, in golf, the player with the least score wins. Lowest score aside, here are some terms that will help you better understand how the scoring system works;

  • Par

Par is the set number of strokes a skilled player would use to hit the ball into the hole. The par acts as a yardstick for perfection in golfing. A par-5 hole means that an experienced player will hit the ball into the hole in five shots. Where the tee box is from the hole, pars range from 3 to 5. Pars are further classified in seven ways, namely;

  • Triple Bogey

This is a 3-over par on a hole. If a golfer scores six on a par-3 hole, this is referred to as a triple bogey.

  • Double Bogey

This score is 2-over par which is rare for professional players but is quite the norm with leisure golfers.

  • Bogey

A 1-over par is called a bogey meaning the golfer used one more stroke than the defined par.

  • Birdie

On the other side of par is a player who uses less than the outlined shots to get the ball in the hole. A birdie is the use of 1-under par.

  • Eagle

An eagle is the 2-under par score on an individual hole.

  • Albatross

This is a 3-under-par score which is the mark of a great player. This score is so rare that famous professional golfers like Tiger Woods have never hit one. It is estimated that less than ten percent of professional golfers of all time have hit an albatross. The ones who have an albatross include include Shaun Micheel and Bill Rogers.

What are the Rules in a Match Play?

Match Play Tournaments only come second to stroke play tournaments. The main difference between these two tournaments is how the scores are tallied. In a stroke play tournament, the winner is the player with the accumulative highest score compared to the par.

In a match play format, you will play your own ball throughout, and will not be playing any other types of formats including a best ball or scramble golf format.

Match play golf rules are simple because all you need to remember is that the match is over when one of the players is up by more scores than the other. The holes left cannot put his opponent in a scenario where he can make up for the difference. Match play golf rules are different in the following ways;

  • Gimmies

This is when one player gives a concession to the other player, and he does not have to make a putt.

  • Final Score

A golfer aims to win more holes rather than have the highest total strokes.

  • Etiquette

Match play golf rules are different because the player farthest from a particular hole is required to play first. This is not a requirement for stroke plays.

  • Match Completion

Match Play Tournaments do not necessarily have to end after all the holes are played. When one player is up by more points than the other player can make up for, they win, and the match ends.

These rules are far from what typically happens in stroke plays but serve as a point of appeal for the players.

Tips for Winning a Match Play Event

Match play golf rules apply to all players and should be adhered to at all times. However, there are ways you can use this knowledge to your advantage and secure a victory. This is how to increase your chances of winning a match play;

  1. Determine the best time to give gimmies based on your opponent’s prowess and putting skills.
  2. Remember that match plays are a mental game; you should use this to your advantage. This mental game against your opponent can be applying pressure or frustrating them by rolling in putts.

Match play golf rules make it all the more interesting to play, and with all the information above, we ensure that you will have a fantastic time at the course.

Learn Proper Golf Etiquette

Golf is one of the most popular sports in the world and is certainly one of the preferred sports of business people, email marketers, and gentlemen. However, when it comes to playing golf, you should follow certain rules and etiquette. Below, we will be looking at a few of these.

However, before improving your etiquette, you must improve your swing. Check out the best golf training aid before practicing your etiquette on the course.

 The first tip is that you should strive never to be the slowest player. Many people unknowingly commit this faux pas in an attempt to make their best play. However, this is poor etiquette, and you should always strive to evaluate your pace, especially in comparison to your colleagues or fellow players. Some things to remember are that you should focus on playing ready golf.

You should hit the ball when ready, even when you’re not away. That is until you hit the green, and then you should always be prepared to play when your turn is up. Also, when it is your turn to search for the golf ball, keeping your searching time under 5 minutes is best.

 Next, you should always aim to keep your temper or anger in check. Golf can sometimes be frustrating, and you might be tempted to express your anger by throwing your club or hitting something. However, it is essential that you avoid doing so because it will make everyone around you uncomfortable and is not appropriate.

Instead, you should channel your anger or frustration into the game and allow it to steady your focus and determination to win.

 The next tip when playing golf is to always be quiet and respectful of other players, especially when they are up. When it is another player’s turn to play, you should always be as quiet and motionless as possible. This should be from the moment the player sets himself up until after the ball has left the club.

It is essential that you don’t walk in anyone’s line of play or especially anywhere near the hole. You should keep a mental note of where everyone’s ball is located and avoid those locations as much as possible.

Next, we will look at golf cart etiquette. You and your fellow players must use your golf carts when playing golf. However, when doing so, you should always strive to ensure that your cart is almost invisible and doesn’t leave much or any traces of its existence. This means that you should avoid driving it in wet spots or areas that are obviously high traffic.

You should also avoid driving your cart behind other carts in a follow-the-leader style, but scatter so that everyone takes a different route. This will allow the cart traffic to be more spread out, which is much better than being congested in one area.

 We’ve just looked at some of the most important rules for good golf etiquette. Once you follow these rules, I am certain that you will have a much more enjoyable game of golf for you and your fellow golfers.…

Ten Tips to Lower Your Golf Handicap

If you love golf, then you have undoubtedly spent the entire summer attempting to lower your handicap. The following are some wonderful tips for lowering your golf handicap.

1. Mindset

 Golf is mainly a mental sport. Imagining the shot before taking it and approaching each successive shot with a positive mindset will help you drive the ball well, and you will definitely hole that putt.

2. Practicing At Home

 Everyone knows that golf requires space and time to practice. However, have you ever thought about practicing your short game right from the comfort of your home? You can do both chipping and putting in your yard, so cut that grass and get that golf ball rolling.

3. Visiting The Driving Range

 The key to success is practice. As the winter months approach, playing as much won’t be possible. Visit the range for about an hour so that you still play regularly. You can also use golf training aids.

4. Watching The Professionals

 Golf is always on TV today so ensure that you watch. It is easy to pick up tips and hints with professional demonstrations and analysis on TV.

5. Mind Your Gear

 If you look good, the chances are that you will feel good too. Even when your course does not enforce a dress code, you still need to wear the proper gear to get yourself in the proper mindset.

6. Upgrading Your Clubs

 Professionals can hit the ball further because they use highly tuned clubs. If you wish to play the sport correctly, then you need to consider upgrading your own. They do not have to be top of the range, but any improvement will go a long way.

7. Investing In Quality Golf Balls

 If you cannot afford the better quality clubs, then you can consider upgrading your accessories. Good quality golf balls are rather cheap and can add control and distance to your round. You can check places such as ‘my golf locker’ to see what you can buy in the sale.

8. Playing Regularly

 Practice makes perfect. The more you play, the more consistent you will become. Try to play more regularly. You can even consider taking an afternoon off work to play a round.

9. Visiting Better Quality Courses

 Even though regular play is important, the quality of the course you play also matters and can affect your round. Since putting on poor-quality golf courses is almost impossible, you can treat yourself to a round at a top-quality course.

10. Tuition

 The best way to identify your faults is to get a professional to point them out to you. You can try getting lessons from a PGA Tour professional and see how much it will improve your game.

 In conclusion, this article discusses the top 10 tips for lowering your golf handicap. The tips come from experienced and professional golfers and golf trainers. Use the tips in this article, and you will see just how your game will improve…