Common Golf Grip Mistakes

Your golf grip is extremely important because it is where you make contact with the club. When your hands are on the correct position of your club it encourages you to gain control right where the face of the club hits your golf ball. It is not ordinary for a player to acquire a bad habit that leads them to make an error in their golf grip. Fixing these mistakes can allow you to have better control of the ball.

A solid grip will create force and power that can follow through to the swing in golf. I have seen many players that suffer from a weak lead hand, especially beginners. Another common mistake I have seen is the use of a too much in the palm grip. For many golfers this grip causes a slice. The same too much in the palm grip that causes a slice also causes a golfer to lose power in their swing.

Players lose wrist action that causes the loss of power when you utilize a too much in the palm grip. Wrist action is where the power in your swing comes from. No wrist action equals no power in golf! The good news is that this golf error can be fixed quickly. Simply hold your golf club in your fingers and see the improvement.

Manatee Golf Superstore in Sarasota, Florida has an indoor golf simulator that can help you with these issues. Problems with grip, swing, or whatever else you might encounter can be worked out in our golf simulator before you get to the course! We have a wide variety of golf shoes, men and women's apparel, golf bags, and so much more! Come check us out at 8527 State Road 70 East in Bradenton, Florida. If you have any questions please call one of our friendly experienced staff at (941) 752-6168!

Things Every Beginner of Golf Should Know

Playing golf offers benefits to the player and is an escape for many people. The game of golf will bring great enjoyment, exercise, and new friends into your life. Beautiful golf courses will be where you will be able to get away from the world. The scenery alone should be enough to get anyone out to the golf course since there are so many stunning courses in the Bradenton and Sarasota area! Although it provides exercise and makes you sweat, many consider playing golf quite relaxing.

First, it is essential that before you play that you learn the rules of safety. Believe it or not, a golf course can become dangerous if there are those who throw caution to the wind, and play hazardously. There is great risk to the other players when someone does not follow simple rules and use good common sense when it comes to what is safe and what is not. Also try to learn the basic rules of golf before you play, this will probably protect you from embarrassing yourself on the course.
Golf etiquette and common golf terms are also vital to learn. In fact, many consider golf etiquette the most important principal in the whole game of golf. The reason golf etiquette is so essential is because many believe that it is what sets golf apart from other sports. Learning proper golf etiquette will definitely save you from an argument with another player! Educate yourself on the meanings of common golf terms so that you will not get left behind and they will help you to be aware of what is going on in the game. Case in point, if a person says to you "you're away," they are telling you that it is your turn to hit.

Manatee Golf Superstore in the Bradenton-Sarasota area has all the latest apparel and golf gear for men and women both! Located at 8527 State Road 70 East, Bradenton, Florida 34202. Don't know what to buy for dad for the holidays? Try a gift certificate from Manatee Golf Superstore and see his face light up with joy on Christmas morning! Our friendly and experienced staff is here to help, for any questions please call (941)752-6168 today!

How To Fix That Slice Golf Swing

It happens to the best and worse golf players, and has ruined many a game. This game killer is widespread through all the ranks from beginners to experts and is known as a slice. In fact, the slice is one of the most commonplace swing errors in the game of golf. Mainly, the slice golf swing is attributed to an open face impact which will most likely curve your shot out to the right. The good news is with a few adjustments and quick tips it is possible to eliminate that dreaded slice out of your golf game.

The precision of your downswing has a big effect on whether you will nail that perfect shot, or end up with a miserable slice. When you slice the ball, it usually occurs when your right shoulder moves forward as you downswing and this causes the shaft of the club beyond the target line. This movement forces it to cut across your ball which propels it into that right curve. Try to drop your arms before or as you progress through your downswing. If you are successful, than your right shoulder will be in its correct position allowing it to go down and under, instead of being over or moving forward. I have found it helpful that as I begin my downswing, I focus on my club, hands, and arms dropping right away. Another quick fix is to examine your grip. Many people have found that the root problem of slices are originating from their left hand being in a weak position. Simply strengthen your grip and start seeing results!

Manatee Golf Superstore is located in beautiful Bradenton, Florida at 8527 State Road 70 East. We carry a wide selection of men and women's golf, clubs, golf shoes, golf equipment, and much more! Looking for area courses to try out or play? Visit our website home webpage at www.manateegolfsuperstore.com  and at the bottom of the page under Golf Course Info simply click on a city to check out the local golf course in that area! For any questions, please call (941) 752-6168 or come down to the store where we will be happy to help you with one on one personalized attention!

ProTip for the Weekend: Focus on your Footwork

Having improved footwork will most definitely help the player control where their swing bottoms out which is essential for making good contact with the ball.

Given how quickly a golf swing happens, it is incredibly difficult to know exactly what you're feet are up to when you hit the ball. But it's not about what's happening during the swing, it's what happens at the end of your swing that you should be most concerned with. The ideal position for a strong swing is for your back foot to be entirely on it's toes, with the bottom of the foot facing away from the direction of the swing. Focus on attaining this finishing position, and you are guaranteed to make a complete turn through the ball with your hips, this way all of weight will end up on your front foot.

The best way to think of the whole thing is to think of the tip of your foot as a balancing point for the entire swing, and this purpose is the only one this stance should serve you. It is very difficult to impersonate good footwork, so if a person can achieve a good footwork by using this practice, you can move the bottom of your swing arc forward to hit a more consistent spot on the ball. As soon as you can start compressing the ball better at impact, you will definitely be able to hit the ball longer, more accurately and be able to do it more often.

At the Manatee Golf Superstore, we can help you improve your swing and learn this ProTip with our in-house golf simulator and professionally trained staff. We proudly serve the Sarasota and Bradenton area(s) and offer a complimentary golf club fitting in our state of the art in-house golf simulator. We also offer a wide variety of Men's and Women's golf equipment and apparel and even offer re-gripping services while you shop!

Change of Golf Rules Welcomed By Players

On October 24, 2011 the Royal and Ancient Golf Club introduced rule changes that would effect players everywhere, even in Sarasota, FL. The organization that made the changes determines the rules in combination with the United States Golf Association, or the USGA. The new rules will be implemented on Jan 1st, 2012 and last until 2015 when they will be evaluated.

One of the major rule changes relates to eliminating the one stroke penalty given to players if the ball moves after it has been addressed. For those unfamiliar with the term, addressing the ball describes the player getting ready to take a stance and are prepared to strike the ball. Previously, golfers were punished with a one stroke loss even if the wind had accidently moved their ball. The actual definition of addressing was also modified this year.

Players everywhere will rejoice over these changes. Royal and Ancient Golf Club ambassador Padraig Harrington was quoted as saying "Every time the wind blows, I am worried that my ball is going to move and I am worried about grounding my putter, distracting me from trying to hole my putt." There were other important changes made to the rules by the R&A. Follow up and read my blog in the next week to read about the rule modifications.

Manatee Golf Superstore proudly serves the Sarasota and Bradenton area and are located at 8527 State Road 70 East. Come in to check out our huge selection of golf equipment and apparel for both men and women! Call (941) 752-6168 for any questions or to speak with one of our friendly staff.

The Top-Rated Cities for Golf in Florida

Golf Digest magazine puts out a lot of rankings on many different areas. Golf courses, clubs, equipment, and more have made the lists over the years. Finally, they have released a ranking that focuses strictly on the cities. On their website they offered a shortened version of the article showcasing the top 20 cities to play golf in. The article is highlighted in October's issue and will feature fifty cities.

How many of Florida's cities made it on the list? Two cities, with both of them residing in the top 6!  The first city to make its mark was the beautiful bay area city Tampa.  Tampa made it to the top five and was recorded as being number 4 on the list. Los Angeles tied with Tampa, which means they will share the number 4 spot mutually. Climate and the amount of public golf courses got the two highest scores for Tampa.

The second Florida city to attain a slot is Orlando.  Orlando's best scores were in two categories.  The highest score for Orlando was captured by the climate category.  For all of us that live and love to play golf in Florida this is no surprise. The maximum score is a one, and it got a two which is the next best thing. The quality of public golf was the second category that received the next best score.

Manatee Golf Store in Bradenton, Florida has friendly, professional staff that will be happy to assist you with your golfing needs. We have an in house golf simulator that will help you become an expert. We also offer a complimentary club fitting and re-gripping services while you shop!  Call (941)-752-6168 today!

The Top-Rated 100 Best Golf Courses in USA-Guess what FL courses made it on the list!

Every year the magazine Golf Digest releases its rankings on golf courses around America.  This year, two of Florida's courses made it on the list.  One of the golf courses actually made it into the coveted top 20! Seminole Golf Course in Juno Beach was at the top of the list at rank 13.  From Sarasota, FL the drive to play this top-rated course is under 4 hours!  The Calusa Pines Golf Course located in Naples, FL is an even shorter trip!  In about two hours, you can drive to the Naples course from the Sarasota, Florida area.  Calusa Pines Golf Course is located on Florida's west coast and Seminole Golf Course is on the east coast of Florida. Before heading out, stock up on great merchandise such as clubs, shoes, golfing apparel and much more from the Manatee Golf Superstore.  If the drive is too far for you, check out our recommendations for golf courses around Sarasota/Bradenton area.

The evaluations of the competing courses were done by over 1,000 people who volunteered.   The collection of volunteers included both men and women who played a round of golf, and then rated the course.  The assessment and grading of the different courses were based on inputs from seven categories.  The overall value of the course was based on shot values, memorability, ambiance, design variety, conditioning, aesthetics, and resistance to scoring.  For the course to be eligible to make the list, it has to have had a minimum of 45 evaluations in 8 years.

For questions please contact us or call Manatee Golf Superstore at (941)752-6168 located in Bradenton, FL. We offer a wide variety of golf equipment, apparel, and other golf related services!  Our friendly staff and assistance will make you want to keep coming back for more!