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Home » Recreation And Sports Articles » The Three Requirements Of Good Golf Lesson 2

The Three Requirements of Good Golf - Lesson 2

Lesson 2

D.M. complained that his fingers were short, that his hands were thick and fat, and that it was impossible for him to take the club back as I suggested.

"D.M.," I pleaded, "I'm not asking you to perform a miracle. I'm only asking you to keep the club in position as you swing it up and down. This is something that you must do with your hands. Your number three motion, in­stead of being started with the left hand, which rolls the club away from the ball, should be actually started with the right hand; then your left hand instead of pronating * could do the reverse, supinate, and the club face would be kept closed or square through the swing.

"In fact," I urged, "if you will do this on the back-swing, when you reach the top of the swing you will have control of the club with your left hand as you ought to. Then and only then will you be able to come through with the left arm and the left side, and only then will you meet the ball squarely and drive it down the middle."

No amount of explanation seemed to break up D.M.'s faulty hand action until we were in our fourth lesson. At this point, having exhausted about all the suggestions I had, I suddenly came out with this statement:

• Pronation is defined in Chapter Six.

"D.M., why do you insist on playing with the back of the club, when it's so much easier to play with the front of it?"

It suddenly happened! D.M., instead of thinking of his hands, began thinking of the club—thinking of what he should do with the club—and very soon he learned the difference between what he should not be doing, opening the club on the backswing, and what he should do, close it on the backswing or at least keep it square.

Of course, every good golfer has that ability. Every good golfer learns that it is one thing to swing a golf club, but it is another thing to know what position the club is in while it is being swung.

Well, once D.M. learned the difference between letting his club fall open on the backswing and/or keeping it closed, square, or in position as he made his swing, D.M. began to play golf. His shots started to go straight, and he began to play golf as one ought to play it—he used each club for the shot or purpose for which it was de­signed.

Let me digress for a moment from the story about D.M., because this is a good time to tell you what an easy game golf is, and what an enjoyable game it can be with a correct understanding of the simple facts:

(a) A golf club will only do what the player makes it do.

(b) Each club is designed for a specific purpose, and only

when it is applied to the ball in its true, natural state

will it produce the effect for which it was designed.

(c) Basically, there are only three clubs in golf:

1. The driver, shaped so that it drives the ball on a low

trajectory and is therefore used for distance shots.

2. The iron, formerly called a lofter, does exactly what the name implies—it lofts or lifts the ball. This club is used to place the ball into position in certain spots on the fairway or on the green.

3. The putter, which would be better named a "roller," is so designed that it rolls the ball; therefore, it is the club used to accomplish the very purpose of the game—roll the ball into the cup.

But golfers are not limited or restricted to these three clubs. Golfers get themselves a set of two or three, more generally four, but sometimes even five, drivers. They carry a set of three or six, most generally a set of eight, irons. They usually add to this outfit a heavy weighted club to get the ball out of deep grass or sand traps. And, the above clubs, along with a putter, generally constitute the set of 14 clubs that a golfer is permitted to use in tournament play.

Now, having such an outfit is a perfect waste of ma­terial unless each and every club is swung in the same way so that the various differences in the shapes of the clubs can each perform their objectives. In other words, golf is an easy game to play, because the player has a specific club or tool for each shot or effect that is desired. All he has to do is to learn the one basic swing and apply it to each club.

By comparison, the game of tennis is difficult. In tennis, the player has only one club or one racquet, the ball is never in the same position—it is either high or low, in front of him or behind him—and to make his shots suc­cessfully the tennis player must learn and be able to play several different strokes. But not so the golfer. If he cor­rectly learns the one stroke, he can simply let the club do the work.

And here is another random article you might be interested in...

Tax Assessment/Appraisal: How Do I Know What My Home is Worth?

If you are in the home buying or selling market, it's important to understand the difference between tax assessment and appraisal value. Concentrate on the appraisal value because this determines your asking price.

Understanding Tax Assessment

The tax assessment is a tool local governments use to exact a property tax rate on residents. The local government determines your home's worth by reassessing the homes in the area you live in periodically. Some areas reassess every 2-3 years. But with today's booming real estate market, the National Association of Realtors estimates 60-70% of U.S. tax assessments do not reflect the escalating market value on home sales. This is why the tax assessment is not always an accurate gauge of true home worth.

Tax assessment offers a general idea of home value. If you are curious about whether your tax assessment office is keeping up with the local market, telephone your local real estate board and local tax assessment office. Ask them about the local appreciation value on homes to determine if they are up-to-date.

Focus on the Appraisal Value

Home sellers should concentrate on the appraisal value, because a mortgage lender will write a loan on the home for this amount. Location is the prime factor in appraising a property. An appraiser will look at three homes that sold during the previous three-month period to determine what similar properties have sold for in the same neighborhood. If your home is in a rural area, or if the sales in your area have been sluggish, the appraiser can go within a five mile radius to locate similar homes for comparison. If there is home value inflation in the area, the appraiser will factor this in. A good appraiser will contact the realtor who sold the homes he or she is using as a comparison.

What Do Appraisers Look For?

An important rule of thumb of real estate is: location, location, location. Appraisers are mainly focused on the following to determine home worth:

• square footage
• condition and age of the home
• location
• lot size
• number of bedrooms
• number of bathrooms
• total number of rooms
• garage(s)
• decks
• screened porches
• fireplaces

Secondary Enhancements Help a Home Sell

There are other bells and whistles the appraisers may factor in, but their impact on home value is marginal. Although these improvements do help the home sell, they do not impact the appraisal significantly.

Here are some examples:

• ceramic tile
• hardwood floors
• crown molding
• chair railing
• specialty counter tops, cabinetry
• sprinkler system
• wainscoting
• upgrades in light fixtures
• upgrades in faucets, sinks, tubs and showers
• swimming pool

Sell Your Home Quickly

Do not be mistaken -- upgrades are worthwhile because they will help sell your home quickly. For example, eye-catching landscaping will lure people in to look at the home, because 80% of homebuyers decide if they like a house when they first drive up to the property.

When do I Need an Appraisal?

Home sellers may want to pay for a professional appraisal so they know the true value of their home, but they are not required to have an appraisal. Your realtor will determine an asking price with you. To determine a fair and marketable price for your home, expect your realtor to research comparable home sales on Multiple Listing Services (MLS). Homebuyers are required by the lender to have an appraisal done and they must pay an average of $300-500 for it. Payment is due at the time of the appraisal. The buyer does not have the right to choose the appraiser -- the lender does this. Loan officers keep an approved list of appraisers on hand.

Research on Home Value

While conducting research on home value consider this: Is the neighborhood you live in completely built out, or are you competing with new homes still being built? If you are putting your home on the market and would like to conduct some of your own research, you can do one of three things. Visit the courthouse in your county and see what has sold in your area that is similar to your home. Call your local realtor and ask for a comparative market analysis. Or, visit open houses in your neighborhood which are similar to your own, to see what they are selling for. All of these activities are a good education for homeowners interested in learning the value of their home before placing it on the market or refinancing.