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Instant feedback is the best and fastest way to fix your swing plane and tempo. That’s exactly what you get with the SKLZ Rick Smith Refiner Iron. It will give you feedback on every swing and as you fix your swing plane and tempo, you will find that you gain distance and accuracy. Many professional golfers use some type of hinged-club trainer whenever making swing changes and so should you.

Where can You Use the Refiner Iron from Rick Smith?

You can use this training club anywhere. You don’t even need to go to the range and hit balls with it, although you can. With the winter months starting to creep close and golf season coming to a close in many areas of the world, you can use the Refiner Iron from Rick Smith indoors to train in the winter. Imagine starting the next golf season with a better swing, more distance and some serious accuracy.

This can be your secret weapon. My advices, get the Refiner Iron, use it over the winter and concentrate on putting, as well. I have a few other training aids listed on my site for putting and I would be wrong to tell you not to work on your putting in the offseason. Yes, use this training aid as well, but split the time about 75% on putting and 25% on your swing. Even just 10 minutes a day split in half between the two will make a difference that will amaze you.

The Top Features of the SKLZ Rick Smith Refiner Iron Hinged Training Club:

• Dual-adjustable hinged club for training your swing
• Exposes swing flaws immediately
• Can be used to hit golf balls
• Teaches a smooth and even-tempo swing
• Comes with a key/divot tool
• Grip features a see-through material with graphics for perfect hand placement
• Use it on the range, at home and even in your office

What Other Golfers are Saying About the Refiner Iron from SKLZ

Many golfers I’ve recommended the Refiner Iron to have seen some serious improvement. One reviewer specially stated he has straightened his drive and has really changed his game. One of my good friends started using it and about three-months later, he broke 80 for the first time. For around $50, this is an investment you can use anytime you feel the need to fix your swing and it will help in many ways.

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If you need to maximize lag and gain power, this is the trainer to use. It can be used while hitting balls, which is always nice and will help you get a full wrist hinge. If you want a more powerful and accurate swing, this little tool can help. For under $40, you are getting a steal considering what this can do for you.

The Powerlag Pro and Flatwrist Pro together

By combining a training aid for lag and another one to ensure you get the right wrist position, you get more than you bargain for. This is why you won’t just hit the ball further, but also more accurate. With the combination of both, you get a training package that can really help.

The Top Features of the GolfJOC Power Lag Pro and Flat Wrist Trainer

• Helps to promote proper lag for more power
• Compress the ball better for more distance
• Fix your slice and the over the top move
• Stop casting the club with this tool
• Helps promote flat wrist through the impact position
• Improves ball trajectory for more control

What Current Golfers Say About this Training Aid

One reviewer stated he’s bought many training aids over the years and finds this one to be one of the best ever. It will give you the ability to do more with the club and do it properly. If you want to find the right swing, the GolfJOC Power Lag Pro and Flat wrist trainer can help you. He stated he has started hitting the ball further and has gained serious accuracy off the tee and from the fairway.

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However, as I became older and my knowledge of golf grew, I went from building my own custom set of knock off clubs, to the set I have now, which is a TaylorMade set that I absolutely love. It took time to come to the real realization of what I need for my game, but the processes I went through can help you to choose the right irons for your game.

Narrowing your Choices with a Budget

The first thing you should do when contemplating the question, what golf irons should I buy, is set a budget. Some iron sets are going to be quite expensive, while others will simply be dirt cheap. Your budget will make the different when it comes to brand name, clone clubs, cheap knock off clubs, used or new.

Think about what you can really afford before you set your final budget. The last thing you want to do is skip rent or another important bill for your golf clubs. Even though golf is very important and I recommend spending as much as you can afford, make sure you can afford the budget you set first.

In addition, consider what you may be able to recoup from your current set. If you can sell them before you buy the new ones or do it all within a day or so, you can set a higher budget. Sometimes you can trade your current clubs in, but you will often get more if you list them on eBay or Craigslist.

The next thing you want to do is figure out what’s most important. Do you struggle with control or distance? Are you taller than most and need longer clubs? Narrowing down a few very important things that you must get out of your new set of irons will help you eliminate certain sets.

Once you have a few features in mind, you want to go to a golf store that will analyze your swing and fit you for free. You don’t have to purchase from them and often you can get a better price online, but you want to know your swing speed, whether you slice or hook most often and what the right measurements are for you.

Now, you can start shopping for the right set. With the swing speed, you can determine the proper flex for your shafts and with the measurements, you will know whether you need +/- length or standard. This can all be applied to used or new clubs and you can use this information, along with your budget to figure out the answer to, what golf irons should I buy?

How I Went Through the Process

My first few sets were all hand-me-down sets with mix and match irons, woods and wedges from my dad and older brother. However, when I was 21, I started a custom golf club business and built my own set. Of course, I had no idea what I was doing, but at least I had clubs that were consistent and the right length for me.

This was actually a clone set that I used all the way through golf school and went from a 22 handicap to a 6 handicap. They were clones of a cavity back Callaway iron set and I hit them well. While in golf school, I changed out the shafts because I needed a stiff flex and had a regular flex and I changed, the grips twice (had to change them because I used my clubs often).

I also spent time making sure the weights were correct. The only issue was, when we did the lie board test and I found that many of my loft and lie angles were off, I could not bend them. The clone clubs were too hard and my golf repair teacher was concerned he would snap them if he tried to bend them. This may seem minor, but it was a huge problem.

After golf school, I ordered my current set of TaylorMade irons from eBay and they have been in my bag since. I have not had to adjust them at all because I knew my measurements, flex of shaft I needed and all the other important details to make sure I got exactly what I wanted. I got lucky and scored them for a cheap price and they were only slightly used.

Do you Need Brand New Equipment?

Chances are, the new technology you see on TV all the time won’t make a huge difference for you, as they would like you to believe. A new set of golf clubs that promises more distance will only deliver on that promise, if you currently struggle with distance, but have a very consistent swing. Most average golfers won’t see the improvements that new clubs promise.

If your budget it unlimited, I do recommend getting a brand new set of clubs and hitting a demo club beforehand. If your budget is tight, check out Amazon, eBay and Craigslist and see if you can score a set that is a few years old for a good price. Those that fall in the middle can use the online sources to get a great set of new or used clubs with the custom upgrades they are looking for.

Remember, whenever you need to answer the question, what golf irons should I buy, you need to understand it will take time to get used to them. It took me nearly three months to get used to playing a club that wasn’t a cavity back iron, but once I did, my game improved quite a bit. This is important to keep in mind so that you don’t expect amazing results out of the gate.

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With the Dancin Dogg OptiShot Infrared Golf Simulator, you will be able to see the club head speed, swing path and the face angle. This type of feedback is a great way to ensure you get the best out of your game. If you want amazing results from your golf game, a simulator can help you get there during the winter.

Besides, what else are you doing stuck inside with snow on the ground? You can work on your game while watching the professional PGA players enjoy tropical destinations or you can fall asleep on the couch and let your buddies beat you as soon as the year kicks off. If you are generous, you could get a simulator and invite your buddies over for a round, but if not, you can keep the secret to yourself and improve your game over the winter, while their game goes stale.

Play at one of many golf courses with the Dancin Dogg OptiShot simulator and the library is always growing, so you won’t get bored. You can play with up to four players at one and play all the shots from tee to green. Unlike other simulators, you can use your own clubs and you can even choose to putt out or let it putt on auto. The realism is amazing!

The Top Features of the Dancin Dogg OptiShot Infrared Golf Simulator:

• Huge library of famous courses to play
• Setup is fast with only three easy steps
• Upgrades with new features and courses
• Works with both left and right-handed golfers
• Metric or standard measurements
• 180 day limited warranty
• Measures face angle, swing path and club head speed

I can tell you from attending the Golf Academy of America, there’s nothing like having access to a simulator when the rain comes pouring down for 10 days straight or it’s so cold you can’t feel your fingers when you step outside. Yes, I was still jonesing for the real thing, but killing three hours on the simulator was a Godsend for my game.

Even a week off can cause you to lose focus and forget what you were working on. This happens to the best of us, like myself this past July. I am a 6 handicap and regularly break 80, but with a month off in July due to insane temperatures and some business commitments, my scores turned into 85 and above for about three weeks after returning. Wish I had access to my simulator at GAA for a quick nine holes or just a nice little range session in there.

What Current Owners are Saying:

It’s no secret that many golfers love the Dancin Dogg OptiShot Infrared Golf Simulator and it’s easy to see why. What could be better than playing golf inside on a top course when you cannot make it outside for a round? This is simply one of the best simulators on the market and made for home use.

One reviewer stated that the setup was so easy he had it ready to go in 15 minutes. He loves playing and has a membership at a course, but sometimes it’s nice to sneak in a quick nine before bed or after the sun has set. He only gets to play at his course a few times a month, but with the help of the OptiShot simulator, he can sneak in a short round or play just a few holes whenever he wants.

Another reviewer stated that he was thinking about getting a simulator for a while and finally did. He’s very happy he did and loves that he can play whenever he wants. He loves that he can play any course he wants, basically and he can even spend time working on the range. This has been a way for this reviewer to improve on his swing and since he lives where the golf season is only about three months long, a simulator is a great tool to help.

Final Thoughts

I don’t own the Dancin Dogg OptiShot Infrared Golf Simulator personally, because I simply don’t have the room to use it, but I had access to a simulator at the Golf Academy of America for nearly two years. This was one of the best things for my game and I recommend that anybody looking to improve, get a simulator. If you don’t live where you can play golf year-round, a simulator is like a secret weapon that the rest of your golf buddies don’t own.

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As most of us, golf fans know Puma sponsor Rickie Fowler and that is why he is dressed so nice. This Puma Men’s Golf Tech Graphic Polo is a great choice for the golf course because it provides you with style, protection and more. Puma has long been one of my favorite brands, even before Fowler’s time. If you want a great golf shirt for a lower than average price, this is the one I recommend.

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The CoolMax feature is a necessity in both Texas and Florida, which I have spent the last few years playing golf in. It’s also necessary in many other states with very hot weather and just a nice feature overall. It will keep you from sweating to death and you will stay dry, as long as it’s not 110 degrees outside.

With the Puma Men’s Golf Tech Graphic Polo, you get a stylish choice that is made specifically for golfers. It protects you from the sun and gives you the ability to move through your swing without your shirt sticking to you or causing issues. This is a well-ventilated shirt and from my own experience one of the most comfortable choices for hot days.

The Top Features of the Puma Men’s Golf Tech Graphic Polo:

• CoolMax protection with All Season Moisture Wicking
• UV protection and UPF 40+
• 1×1 rib collar, I don’t even have to iron mine
• Easy to move through the swing
• Intelligent design for comfort and style

Overall, I love my Puma shirts and this is one of the types I go after often. I have paid as much as $100 for a good golf shirt and it’s worth spending a little money for shirts that last much longer than the $20 variety. However, whenever I can, I get the Puma Men’s Golf Tech Graphic Polo shirts because they are cheaper than most and just as good, if not better.

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When a golf teacher offers a package of lessons and they don’t start with putting, there’s an issue. An average golfer will putt more than 35 times in one 18 hole round, but will only hit their driver maybe 14 times. Why would you trust a teacher that wants to start a lesson series with the driver? This is actually backwards.

It may seem logical to start with the driver because you start every hole with a tee shot, but that’s not how you score. Scoring is done with the flat stick and you will use it more than any other club in your bag. Teachers that start with the full swing should be fired and you should find someone that actually knows what they are talking about.

What a Good Teacher will Do

When you sign up for a golf lesson and you tell the teacher you want to work on the full swing, it could be a mistake. If they don’t ask any questions and simply take you to the range with a bucket of balls, it no longer becomes the student’s fault. If this happens to you, fire that instructor immediately and find a better one.

You see, a good teacher will not allow you to dictate the lesson. If you played sports in school, you know that your coaches didn’t allow you to choose what you worked on because they knew better and it’s the same with a golf instructor. A good instructor will ask you a series of questions about your game, physical limitations and other things to determine what really needs to be worked on.

The proper sequence will start with putting, move onto a series of golf chipping lessons, then onto pitching and iron play and finally onto the tee shot. If you were starting from scratch and had never hit a golf ball before in your life, a good instructor won’t even have you taking a full swing until at least the fourth or fifth lesson, depending on how fast you catch on and whether you practice in between or not.

Breaking Down the Golf Swing

The important of chipping lessons in golf comes from the actual full swing. Not only can great chipping save strokes on the course, but also a great chipping stroke gives you a small swing to build on for your full swing. The chip is the impact of the full swing and when done properly will have a positive influence on the rest of your golf game.

From the chip, the best golfers learn to hit a great shot with about a half swing. If you learn how to properly use the bottom half of your swing, the top half will automatically follow suit and start to become better. The full swing comes last and will almost become natural once the smaller parts are perfected.

How Chipping Lessons can Improve Your golf Game

Have you ever had a round that you hit great tee shots, decent approach shots, but still ended up with a high score? Three putts are a big reason why and so are double chips or even triple chips. When it takes you more than three strokes to get the ball into the hole from around the green, you have a major issue. You should be able to get up and down from inside 20 yards about half the time or more.

Let’s look at a round of golf that leaves you with a score of 100. Chances are you hit 14 drivers because you don’t understand that driver isn’t the only club you can hit off the tee and you probably drove a couple out of bounds or into hazards, so we will assume 3 penalty strokes. That’s 17 strokes from the tee.

An average golfer will duff a few, top a couple and hit one or two fat with their irons, not to mention a few recovery shots, so from tee to green we can assume the 17 plus another 20 to get up around the green (not on the green yet) for a total of 37 strokes. Where do the other 63 strokes come from? Around the green, of course.

Assuming 35 putts, which is less than 2 a hole and many high handicap golfers will have more than this, that leaves us with 28 other shots. These include bunkers shots that didn’t make it out or barely made it out, anytime you had to chip more than once, all other chips and any other shot around the green. That is more than one shot per hole with chipping.

Now, let’s break down this same golfer, but after a few chipping lessons. We can still assume the same tee to green game with the same score of 37, but the 63 around the green will be significantly lower. After a few chipping lessons with a golf instructor, you will have more confidence and will play better around the green.

Let’s still assume you didn’t hit any greens and chipped 18 times. That is already 10 less because you can actually get onto the green instead of chipping more than once per hole. The real difference will come with the putter because you are a better chipper. When you chip the ball better, you leave shorter putts, which equates to less three putt greens and lower scores.

With closer chips, you only need 30 putts to finish your round leaving you with a score of 85 instead of 100. Many golfers would be thrilled about this and chipping is the great equalizer in golf. Yes, you score with the flat stick, but those that cannot hit the ball a mile make up strokes with incredible chipping around the green.

Would You Rather…

Would you rather is a fun game that kids play and we will apply it here. Would you rather spend hours upon hours working on your full swing to maybe cut down two or three strokes from your golf game or would you rather take a few golf chipping lessons and cut 15 strokes from your game? It’s easy to see which is the better choice.

Tempo can be slow or fast and it depends on the golfer. Some golfers walk fast, play fast, talk fast, and do everything fast. They tend to have a faster swing tempo than someone that walks slower, talks slower, and plays slower. This is a personal thing and tempo in golf is a bit of a reflection of the golfer’s personality.

Three Ways to Practice for Better Tempo

1. Metronome

Many teachers will recommend a metronome to help you with tempo and it works best for putting. You can set it to tick at any speed you want and you will have to find the speed that feels best for you. Once you do, you can just try to match your putting stroke with the tick of the metronome and this will give you a consistent stroke every single time.

You can use it for the full swing as well, but it is a bit harder because your full swing takes longer than a putting stroke. However, it will work well for chips and short pitch shots since they are shorter swings.

2. Match Longer Clubs to Shorter Clubs

Most golfers swing with better and more natural tempo when they hit their wedges and short irons, but tend to over swing with the longer clubs. One of the best ways you can find a natural tempo and better timing with your driver, woods and long irons is to match them to the same tempo as your wedges.

Hit three balls with your favorite wedge or short iron, and then try to match that same tempo as you hit three balls with your driver, three wood, or another long club. This will help you find the natural tempo you possess. It will improve your long game and you will see better struck balls that go straighter and further.

3. Swing Slower with your Practice Swings

On the course, you can help find that natural tempo by swinging slower with your practice swings. Many golfers tend to over swing in their practice swings and this ends up happening in their regular swing as well. If you dial it down to about 70% in your practice swings, then you are more likely to swing smoother with a natural tempo.

Finding your tempo can lead to a better golf swing and game. When we over swing or swing lazy we tend to mishit shots. It is a fine line and you must practice with the tempo drills above. This will help you hit better shots and can lead to a natural golf game you can enjoy on the course.

There are a few ways you can play better golf even when you have a bad hole and it is all about learning to play golf one stroke at a time. Most look at it as an 18 hole round, but really it is two 9 hole sets, three 6 hole sets, or six 3 hole sets. Breaking down the course can really help you play better golf, even with one bad hole.

It is easiest to start by breaking it down into three hole sets. Then, set a goal for each set of three holes and aim for that goal. For example, if you start the course with three holes that add up to 13 strokes for par (a par 5 and two par 4 holes), then you might set your goal at 12 for this set of holes. This all depends on your skill level.

Now, if you set your goal at par and you want to shoot 13 on these three holes, and then you take a 6 on the first hole, you still have 7 strokes to work with for the next two holes. There is no need to panic even if you take an 8 on the first hole. You can adjust your goal for the next set of three holes if you don’t achieve your goal for your first set of three holes.

This strategy helps golfers to learn how to concentrate on one shot at a time instead of looking at the entire round at once. This is just one strategy to help you play golf one stroke at a time. The rest has quite a bit to do with the mental side of the game. It can be hard to find the right thoughts in your head, but this will help you during a round that isn’t going exactly as planned.

Many golfers have one bad hole and think they blew their entire round, but this simply isn’t true. I know someone particularly that thinks if the first three holes don’t go as planned it just isn’t his day. This causes him to stop caring so much about how he plays and he usually throws up a ridiculous number that isn’t even close to his potential.

Golf takes patience and you have to know that your holes will come. Even professional golfers have bad holes, but it is the sum of the entire round that matters. I usually break 80 and a bad round for me is 85 or worse, but I have my bad holes, too. Just the other day I took a 10 on a hole I usually par or birdie and still managed to shoot 81. Sure, it wasn’t my best round ever, but it could have been so much worse.

The point here is you cannot give up just because you have one bad hole. If you continue to fight back, you can shoot a decent score and really learn something about your golf game. What is the point in giving up anyway? It could be your day for a hole in one, your first eagle or a string of birdies in a row.

Golf if a fickle game and yes you will have your good days and your bad days, but you cannot allow one hole or one shot to get you down. Usually when a player throws a tantrum over one or two missed shots it leads to negative self-talk and more bad shots. You can avoid all of this just by understanding you cannot change the past, but you can go hit a great shot for your next shot.

Many of the best golfers hit horrible shots from time to time and some actually hit really bad shots every single round. However, they understand that one great shot can make up for a couple bad shots in a hurry. So what if you have a bad hole. You might turn around and have the best hole of your life on the next one.

1. Three and Four Foot Putts

Spend more time working on short putts from three and four feet than anything else. This will help you build confidence, which will help you on the course. Believe it or not, these putts are more important than any other putt you will hit on the course. If you build confidence in your short putts, it will make it easier to hit good long putts.

You can use a drill called the “around the world” drill to work on these types of putts. Simply place five golf balls around the hole at three to four feet in length. Make sure the putts are from different angles, so you can practice uphill, downhill, and side hill putts. This will help you build confidence and make more short putts.

2. Free Throws

Free throws might seem like something from the game of basketball, but it can be used as a drill for those putts you should make on the course, but struggle with. These are six to eight foot putts and you want to practice them with a chalk line. You can pick up a chalk line for a few dollars at any hardware store.

Just create a line on the practice green by putting a tee behind the hole to hold one end of the chalk line and stretching it out to the spot you want to putt from. Then, snap the string like a rubber band and you will have a line on the green. It is best if this is a straight putt and you may need to roll a few before creating your line. Then, just roll the ball on that line over and over to develop a feel for starting your putts on your intended line.

3. Long Putt Skill Test

One of my favorite drills is the long putt skill test. This consists of two putts from 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 feet. You can place tees around the hole to create a 3-foot circle and the goal is to make the putt. You get three points if you make the putt and one if you put in within the three-foot circle. If you do this once every few weeks, you can track your score and see if you are getting better with long putts.

4. Tee/Gate Drill

Another great drill is to create a gate with three tees from about four or five feet. You want one tee on the toe of the putter, one on the heel of the putter, and one about two inches behind the putter. Then, practice rolling putts without hitting any of the tees. This will help keep your stroke straight back and through and will also help you accelerate through the ball.

5. Compass Drill

The compass drill helps you practice many putts from different angles to the hole. You set up five balls in four lines around the hole. Each line contains a 4, 6, 8 and 10-foot putt. Then, go through each line and putt them into the hole. See how many out of 20 you can make.

With these drills, you can practice your putting and become better on the greens. If you currently average over 30 putts per round of golf, then this is the fastest way you can start dropping strokes. Putting will do more for you than anything else and if you spend time practicing, you will make more putts when you play golf.

How to Swing your Driver Better and More Accurately

1. Set up

The first tip for hitting a better drive has to do with your set up. This is a very important part of hitting a great tee shot and you must understand how to set up to the golf ball properly. You want to feel like you are behind the ball because the longest drivers hit the ball on the way up with the driver. This is the only club you want to set up this way with, however.

Make sure your weight is behind the ball by adjusting your spine angle and tilting away from the golf ball. This allows you to create power and launch through the ball instead of hitting down on it. You also want an athletic stance with your knees bent, your spine straight (not rounded), and with even balance on the balls of your feet.

2. Swing Position One

The next tip to help you hit the ball better with your driver is called swing position one. This position is the first position on the way back and proper position puts the butt end of your club pointing at your belt buckle with the head of the club outside your hands. This helps to create room as you continue up and allows you to attack the golf ball from the inside instead of the outside.

3. Tee the Ball Correctly

Something else you must do if you want to hit the golf ball off the tee better, is tee it up correctly. If you want to hit a normal drive and you are not trying to keep, it low or hit it high, then half the ball should be above the top of your driver when it is on the ground. This gives you the right position to strike the ball on the center of the club face.

4. Ditch the Driver

If you know you don’t hit a very good shot with your driver, but you do with a hybrid, three wood, five wood, or even a long iron, then ditch the driver for now. Spend time working on the driver on the range, but take it out of the bag and use a club you have confidence in while you are on the course. This will allow you to learn to hit the driver without costing you strokes on the course. It also gives you a consistent option for narrow fairways and days when the driver just isn’t working well for you.

5. Choose the Right Side of the Tee

When you know you hit a fade or a draw, you can make it easier to hit the fairway by teeing up on the right side of the tee box. For a right-handed golfer that it’s a fade, teeing up as far to the right (when facing the tee box and looking down the fairway) as possible will help you hit the ball at an angle that will cut down on the fade and make it more controllable. You want to do the opposite if you draw the ball.

Using these five tips for your driver swing will help you get off the tee better. If you want to get the most out of your tee shot, you need confidence and that comes from the range. Find confidence in your driver before trusting it on the course, and don’t be afraid to hit another club off the tee, where necessary.