General Article

Why Face-On Putting Will Work For You

In the January 2011 issue of Golf Digest, tour player and golf analyst Gary McCord endorses Face-On Putting as a superior way to putt. He even references Dave Pelz as having rated such putting very high.

Face-On(tm) Putting was introduced in 2006 by noted sports psychologist Dr. David Cook in his highly popular book, “Golf’s Sacred Journey”.

Thousands of golfers have already switched to Face-On(tm) putting and the number is growing every day.

Shooting was recently completed on a movie based on “Golf’s Sacred Journey”. The movie stars Robert Duval and includes cameo appearances by Stewart Cink, Lucas Glover, Rickie Fowler and K.J. Choi.

When the movie is released in the Spring of 2011, the exposure to Face-On(tm) putting is expected to spur explosive growth in this new putting technique.

Face-On(tm) putting offers golfers seven key advantages:1)The golfer stands to the side of the ball and faces the hole/target line. The golfer’s binocular vision provides better alignment and distance judgment than traditional side-on putting.2)The putting stroke is mechanically simple with few moving body parts. This allows for a repeating stroke that will stand up under competitive pressure.3)It uses a natural underhand stroke motion much like pitching horseshoes, pennies or a soft ball.4)It promotes a simple, repeating straight-back and straight-through stroke for accuracy.5)The long putter length used provides a smooth tempo which promotes consistency.6)The golfer quickly learns to control distance by varying the length of the putting stroke.7)The relatively upright posture used allows the golfer to spend extended practice time with out back strain.

A Putter that has been optimized for Face-On(tm) putting will have the following features.1)Length from 44-54 inches depending on golfer height.2)Lie angle as upright as allowed by the USGA, 10 degrees.3)Face Balanced with high MOI.4)Uncluttered sight lines that frame the golf ball; no balls or other distracting geometric shapes5)Zero loft to eliminate directional error caused holding the shaft vertical with a ten degree lie angle.6)Adjustable weight for varying playing conditions.7)Vertical face grooves for a soft feel and excellent roll.

The Face-On Putting style is helping golfers of all skill levels. It is especially helpful for golfers who struggle with those pesky 3,4 and 5 foot putts.…

Inspiring Students With Fun Lesson Plans and Projects

As an instructor, there are many different ways that you can teach a class. You can be very hands-on, or you can sit back and let the students think through the work for themselves. But it does not really matter what type of teacher you are, but more what you teach and if you have the necessary skills to teach. And for any instructor who may be a little worried about finding good art lesson plans, do not worry. There are many different ways that you can find clever ideas that will lift students’ attitudes and spirits while also giving them challenges so that they become better artists who are more confident in their work.

For example, if you are a college professor, you can teach your students about the different types of raku glazes that will be used for their projects. After all, students must learn how to bring out their best with firings and detailing, so learning more about this whole process will only improve the work that is produced. And once you have finished, then you can also make sure it is followed with hands-on projects.

But you may also just assign projects that require students to create different shapes and designs. This is a good way to test the imaginations of everyone in the classroom, as you may see many different results for the same topic. You may ask them to create some type of ceramic animal. This leaves it open to produce whatever animal they desire. So you can assign work that also lets them use their imagination and create themselves artistically. And after they have finished this assignment, then you can continue to push them throughout the school year. When they are done, they will have a better understanding of how to create certain shapes and objects. And while they may not be interested in creating animals, it still gives them something to fall back on when they are bringing their own ideas to life after school is over.

Once your students have learned how to use different shapes and have discovered the different glazes and stroke ‘n coat and under glazes and chalks, then they will be even more informed artists. And that means that they can create even more meaningful work, as they are aware of the way to better understand their own thoughts and ideas and get them out in their art. So do not fret about not having enough ideas, there are plenty of ways to stimulate your art class students.…

2 Stroke Petrol Leaf Blower Vacuum

Clearing leaves from a garden can be a labourous task without the aid of a Petrol Leaf Blower Vacuum . Trees can be an added source of enjoyment in the summer months and in the fall with their spectacular leaf colours however some trees known as deciduous “which comes from the Latin word, to fall” will lose their leaves in the autumn and can create an unsightly mess on lawns and drives.

Before the introduction of the petrol leaf blower vacuum machine people would have to rake the leaves and put them in a wheel barrow. Which would be full in no time because of the bulkiness of the product and hoped the day was calm so that when transporting them, they would not blow around the drive and garden again.

The Petrol leaf blower Vacuum is a welcome tool when tiding up the garden of leaves in the autumn months. These power full 2 stroke petrol engines are light weight easy to start and can blow leaves with an air speed of over 200 mph from a 25cc engine. Not only can you blow the leaves to one corner but you can vacuum them into a bag attached to the machine which usually has capacity of around 45 litres.

Another advantage which comes with some of these machines is the ability to mulch the leaves which means you will not be required to empty the bag so often compared to a standard machine. The petrol blower vacuum has big advantages over an electric model. The petrol model is much more power full, can be used in any corner of the garden no matter how far away from your house. It is not confined to cable length like the electric model and can be used in all weather conditions.

Care should be taken when mixing the petrol or gas with oil for your 2 stroke machine , check the manufactures guide for the correct ratio of oil and petrol. The small quantity of oil that is added to the petrol is the only lubrication for the engine piston and too little of this oil will cause overheating and do some serious costly damage.…

How to Swim Freestyle

Do you struggle with or do not even attempt freestyle swimming? Can you only manage a couple of lengths of the pool before you are out of breath? Does it seem that it is too much of a struggle to swim freestyle when you can swim comfortably up and down the pool using breaststroke?

Wouldn’t it be good to be able to swim freestyle like that person in the next lane? I think it is only when you learn freestyle that you truly appreciate the feeling as you glide through the water with a fast, smooth and powerful stroke. Also, your swimming times per length will reduce, and with it the number of strokes you take with each length. That’s right, when you develop a proper swimming stroke you go faster, for longer with less strokes, looking and feeling good in the water.

In order to develop a good freestyle technique the main areas I keep in mind for each swimming session are:

Body Position: I believe this is the most important basic to learn. I often see people swimming with their head out of the water and the rest of their stroke suffering as a result.

Breathing: To achieve the correct body position it is imperative to learn how to breathe correctly. A good breathing technique allows for a smooth stroke as you are no longer feeling breathless or struggling for air.

Correct Arm Entry: It is important to concentrate on the whole stroke, not just the arm entry, but faults in this area will lead to a poor stroke. I only keep two thoughts in mind, to enter the left/right hands at roughly 11 and 1 o’clock respectively and to think of pushing my arms into the sleeve of a shirt when they enter the water.

Body Rotation: Correct body rotation allows you to complete the whole stroke, giving you forwards momentum whilst enabling you to breathe more efficiently.

Kick: A good kick will again help with your forwards momentum, but it has to be controlled and to be in time with your stroke.

Also, some of the health benefits if you can learn how to swim freestyle:

* Low impact exercise reducing the risk of injury.

* Longer swimming sessions leading to an improved level of fitness.

* A more powerful and efficient swimming stroke that brings you confidence in the water.

* A complete upper body workout without those weights, watch those muscles grow.

* To be able to participate in open water swimming events or triathlon.

* Respect from others now that you have learnt how to swim freestyle.

All the above are perfectly achievable by swimming freestyle and to learn does not have to be a frustrating or difficult process. The key is to know the correct drills and to practice these in the correct order until a freestyle stroke becomes second nature to you.…

Learning What It Takes to Swim

Swimming is a sport anyone can practise, regardless of their age. You don’t need any special skills neither any sophisticated pieces of equipment, your safety and comfort being ensured by special accessories such as glasses, helmets, breathing tube and so on. If you have decided that you want to take up swimming, you first have to deal with the water.

If you are supervised by a professional, you have nothing to worry about, fear being the most dreadful enemy. If you are passed this problem, there are only a few basic movements you have to remember. If you plan on becoming a professional, your swimming lesson should include each of the four styles: breaststroke, freestyle, backstroke and butterfly stroke.

When it comes to breaststroke, you stay on your belly, you bend your legs and do round movements, just like frogs. When it comes to freestyle swimming, you stay on your belly once again, you keep your head underwater, your eyes open and you breathe underwater. The arm movements are alternative and you have to bend your legs from the knees up. As for the butterfly stroke, your face is down, you move both of your arms forward at the same time and backwards down to your hip. Your legs are straight, close to one another and you just bend your ankles up and down.

Of course, you can also adapt your movements and find new ways of swimming, depending on your needs and skills. Given the fact that swimming is a sport, it also means that you get healthier practising it, which is why you should definitely take it into consideration for the weekends and not only.…

3 Keys To Putting Like A Pro

Mastering your putting game is one of the quickest ways you can start shooting lower golf scores. Anyone can learn how to putt as good as a pro. It isn’t dependent on athletic ability. There are a few helpful keys you can integrate into your putting stroke which will allow you to make way more putts and lower your golf scores.

The first key to great putting is to have a proper setup which also includes a correct grip. Holding the putter properly and standing correctly will allow you to make a better putting stroke that swings on the correct path. You want to hold the putter in your palms as this will minimize excess wrist motion in the putting stroke. A medium grip pressure will promote swinging the putter with a good, smooth tempo. Holding the putter too tightly will restrict the naturally swinging motion that is necessary in a good stroke.

Your stance should be about shoulder width apart. You want to bend your knees but allow your back to be rounded so your eyes can get directly over the golf ball in your setup. This will allow your arms to hang down in your setup properly and you will also see your line more easily with your eyes over the golf ball. Depending on your height and the length of your putter, your elbows may be bent slightly in your setup. In your full golf swing, the arms should always be straight when they hang down. However, in putting it is okay if the arms are slightly bent. You still want the arms to hang down naturally and the elbows will be in close to your body.

Once you have setup correctly, it will now be easier for you to make a good putting stroke. The shoulders should be the main part of the body which initiates your stroke. The hands and arms simply hang on and stay connected so the back swing and through swing is a one piece motion with the putter. When the shoulders dominate the putting stroke, the putter head will tend to stay square and on a good line automatically. If the hands and wrists get too active, the putter face will tend to close or open and cause the ball to roll off the intended target line.

Keeping your lower body stable will also help you putter better. The body really doesn’t move at all in the putting stroke. Moving from side to side will move your putter off line and cause problems when you hit the ball. The lower body should remain stable while the torso stays centered. From there, the shoulders can simply make a proper motion and get your putting stroke on the right track.

The 3 main keys to a proper putting stroke were having a proper setup, swinging the putter with your shoulders, and keeping your body stable. Follow these keys and you’ll be making way more putts your …

How Important Is Your Golf Putting Tempo?

When someone mentions the importance of tempo in golf, most of us will automatically assume that they are referring to the full golf swing, and of course tempo is a crucial element in achieving an effective golf swing. However, it is also vitally important to work on your golf putting tempo if you want to become a successful and consistent putter.

Having a consistent golf putting tempo will dramatically increase your ability to control the speed and distances of your putts and works best with a pendulum type putting stroke. This is where you use your shoulders and arms to rotate the putter back and forth. The hands should remain quite and just feel like an extension of the golf putter.

The definition of a good putting tempo is to be able to maintain a consistent speed and distance throughout the entire putting stroke, i.e. the backstroke is the same length and takes the same time to complete as the follow through stroke does, just like the pendulum of a grandfather clock.

If you can maintain a consistent golf putting tempo throughout your entire putting stroke, then all you need to do to control the distance of your putts is too increase or decrease the length of the backstroke and follow through!

Everyone’s natural putting tempo will be different, just like the full swing, so you will need to spend some time practicing on the putting green or at home on the carpet to find out what tempo suits you best.

Once you have found it, continue to practice it so that the feeling will eventually become second nature and hopefully you will find that your golf putting performance and confidence will start to steadily improve.…

Preventing Heat Stroke When Working Outside

During the summer, the incidence of heat illness dramatically increases. Heat stroke results from prolonged exposure to the sun where the person affected does not sweat enough to properly lower their body temperature. People working outside are the most prone to developing heat stroke. If you work outside, it is important to understand that heat stroke is a true medical emergency that must be treated immediately by medical professionals.

Ignoring the symptoms of heat stroke can lead to long-term injury or death. Some symptoms of a heat stroke include headache, dizziness, seizure, disorientation, agitation, confusion, rapid heartbeat, hallucinations, and hot dry skin that does not perspire. If you work outside in the heat, there are several critical steps you can take to reduce the threat.

Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Hydration is a major factor in preventing heat stroke, so drink between 2 and 4 glasses of cool water every hour. Avoid diuretic drinks such as soda, teas and coffee as they can contribute to dehydration.

Wear the right gear. Dress in light-weight, loose-fitting clothes constructed from breathable materials. If you use a safety vest, look for lightweight mesh vests.

Work outside at the right hours. If possible, schedule your outside activities for early in the day or later in the evening, which are cooler times of day.

Pace yourself accordingly. Be careful not to over-exert yourself in the heat. Many hard workers push themselves too hard when the temperature rises. Slow down a bit in the heat to avoid overexertion and dehydration, both of which increase the likelihood of heat stroke.

Be aware of your environmental conditions. Keep an eye on pattern changes such as heat waves and adjust your work schedule accordingly.

Keep a buddy nearby. Don’t work outside in the heat for long periods of time without a partner or someone nearby. They can help you get the medical attention you require if you do experience heat-related illness.…

How to Overcome Bad Short Putting

Nothing is more frustrating in golf than missing a short putt. Unless, of course, it would be missing a lot of short putts. That is the problem plaguing most average golfers, and the main reason the average golf score has not improved along with the technology of the game.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of the putting instruction available is focused on the stroke and how to make it or practice it. Really, any such advice stands absolutely zero chance of helping you putt better. Especially if you have a case of the putting yips.

Most golfers do not have the yips. They just can’t putt. And they never will be able to because all of the instruction they receive in concerned with making a better stroke and does not address the issues causing the problems.

To overcome bad short putting, you need to forget all about making a putting stroke. Instead, you should keep your attention on making the putt, not the stroke. Focus on what you want the ball to do after you hit it, because that is what is really important.

A bad putting stroke can still hit the ball on the right line and at the right speed, and that is all you need to do to make a putt. Why keep trying to build a perfect putting stroke when you can get by just fine on a mediocre stoke made to achieve the right goals?

Putting is really just a simple target game. By adapting the fundamentals of every other target game to putting and focusing on the results you will have made putting simple and your mediocre stroke very effective at achieving the desired results.

Making more putts.…

The History and Many Uses of Aspirin

Aspirin may be a fairly modern medication, but the active principle has been used since pre-history. Salicin is found in the stately willow tree, and the inner bark has been found in many archeological sites. The first written record of its use goes back to Hippocrates, who is considered the Father of Medicine.

In 1829, scientists discovered that salicin was the pain killing part of the bark. Several scientists working separately managed to refine the salicin to salicylic acid. Unfortunately, the acid was extremely hard on the stomach. Before the product could be marketed, a buffering agent had to be added. The result is acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin.

It must have seemed like a wonder drug when it first came out. Until then, powders or tea were the means of getting rid of a headache, and they did *not* taste good. Popping a couple of pills is a lot easier, especially on the taste buds.

Over time, other pain remedies were created, and aspirin began to lose some of its popularity. After all, it can still upset the stomach, and every time it is taken it causes the intestines to bleed. It seemed like a remedy that would slowly be left in medical history.

In the last fifteen to twenty years, however, it has once again entered the limelight. First as a preventative in cases of heart disease; as aspirin is a great blood thinner. It may prevent heart attacks and strokes, even if the person taking it has already had one. It may also help prevent some types of cancer and even a complication in pregnancy.* Recent research indicates that it may help prevent recurrence of breast cancer.

Another study looks promising for those recuperating from breaking a hip or a hip replacement. Many patients dealing with these problems develop a pulmonary embolism, which simply translated means a blood clot in the lungs. Taking aspirin may significantly reduce the risk of this sometimes fatal complication.

*Always consult your doctor before taking any herb, supplement or medication…especially if you are pregnant.…