-          To encourage an on-plane swing, a good drill is to do what is called the “hike” – before you swing, lift the club so that the shaft is parallel to the ground, then swing like normal. Repeat this and repeat this; it will help you learn what an on-plane swing feels like.

-          Stick a towel, headcover or other object under your arm, or one under both arms and hit balls, trying to keep the object(s) from falling out. This will help keep your arms close to your body, which will help you develop a consistent, on-plane swing.

-          Hit a penny off of a mat. Start with a chip shot and gradually ease into a full swing. Once you’ve gotten used to it, place a ball on top of the penny and try to hit the penny, but not the ball. This will help train you to make proper contact and to eliminate topped shots.

-          Practice swinging with your feet together. This drill is great to learn the sensation of a soft, fluid swing of the arms. Swing your arms down to the target line on the downswing and follow-through.

-          Line up three balls on the range and hit one ball after the other, rapid-fire and without stopping. This drill will help you feel the uniformity in your swing.

Whether it is more beneficial to practice at a North Myrtle Beach golf course by playing holes or by hitting ball after ball at the driving range is up for debate. It is, however, important that you spend a decent amount of time both places.

When a player hits a wayward shot on a Myrtle Beach golf course the ball may land in what is known as a water hazard. There are two types of water hazards. One type is a regular water hazard, often marked with yellow paint lines; the other type is a lateral water hazard.

Regular water hazards normally take the form of ponds and lakes in front of the green or in some similar form, as you can drop behind them. When the player hits the ball and it lands in a regular water hazard, he has three options. His first option is to play the ball from where it lies in the hazard, if possible, with no penalty. The player may not ground his club in the water hazard; if he does, it constitutes a penalty. This scenario usually only occurs in shallow parts of water hazards where the ball is only partially covered by water. His second option is to go back to where he hit his previous shot and play from there, assessing a one-stroke penalty. This is not a very common option either, but may provide the player some personal advantages if he were to move back. The third and most common option for when a player hits the ball into a regular water hazard is for the player to drop behind the water hazard while assessing a one-stroke penalty. The player must drop behind the water hazard at the point where the ball crossed the regular water hazard line along the line between the hole and the spot on which the ball is to be dropped. The player may go as far back as he wants to on this line for the drop. For some regular water hazards, there a designated drop areas in which the player may drop the ball and take a one-stroke penalty after hitting it in the water hazard of a Myrtle Beach golf course.

The procedure after hitting the ball into a lateral water hazard is slightly different. Lateral water hazards are often marked with red paint lines and normally take the form of rivers and streams along the side of the fairway or rough. When playing on a course on the coast looking over the ocean, the ocean is normally played as a lateral water hazard. Lateral water hazards are distinct from regular water hazards in that you cannot drop behind them. All of the same options are available for the lateral water hazard as the regular water hazard, while adding one option. Once the player’s ball is deemed lost in the water hazard, he may drop within two club lengths of the point of entry, no nearer to the hole, while assessing a one-stroke penalty.

Knowledge of how to play water hazards is essential to speedy, efficient, and knowledgeable play at EN Golf Club or any Myrtle Beach golf course.

First and foremost, you need to make sure you have the right lie to hit this type of shot. The ball must be lying on a clean surface, with very little or no grass that could come between the ball in the clubface. The shot is practically impossible if the ball is sitting down in the rough or even a particularly long fairway of a Myrtle Beach golf course. Grass will find its way between the clubface and the ball, blocking the grooves from contact with the ball and therefore reducing greatly the amount of spin imparted to the ball.

If you have a good lie and you intend to hit the shot, set up with the majority of your weight on your left leg and lean only slightly toward the target; this ensures that you will hit the ball before the ground, not vice-versa. The ball should rest almost center, favoring the right side (for righties), and your hands should lean the shaft toward your target.

As you start your backswing, keep your weight and body forward and swing your arms on a very upright plane, making sure to always keep your hands in sync with the motion of your chest. Your backswing should be rather short and there shouldn’t be much lower body movement at all. As you begin your downswing, make sure the handle of the club is out in front of the head, ensuring a downward strike on the ball.

As you come to the finish, turn your right side and lower body through the shot to avoid the urge to help or “scoop” the ball into the air (the loft of the wedge does that for you). The clubhead should stay behind the hands through impact, allowing the ball to compress against the clubface, allowing for more spin. For maximum spin, it is a good idea to keep the right forearm under the left through impact.

Practice this shot on Myrtle Beach golf courses and then take it to EN Golf Club for an incredible game!

When a golf ball has back spin, it is rotating toward you while in the air. Most golfers desire back spin on approach and chip shots. A proper amount of back spin causes the ball to suddenly slow and stop on the green of Myrtle Beach golf courses. You may hear golfers wanting the ball to stop on the green as a result of back spin yell for the ball to “check” or “bite.”

First to put back spin on the ball, the golfer must hit a high-lofted club, such as a sand wedge. He must play the ball farther towards his back foot. Then he must swing with a steep swing plane, hitting down on the golf ball, making sure the club head does not pass his hands. Most shots of this type with back spin have a small, fading ball flight. However, this may not need to be taken into account if the shot is not very far from the Myrtle Beach golf course green. Mastering the back spin of the golf ball can be very rewarding for an elite golfer. Putting back spin on the ball can also be rewarding for the amateur player; however, the amateur should make sure his short game is near perfect before attempting to master putting back spin on the ball.

The surface from which the golfer is playing may largely affect the spin of the golf ball. If the grass is not manicured enough, such as in the rough, the golfer may not be able to spin the ball effectively on shorter shots. Areas with no grass, such as a bunker or bare dirt, make it much easier to spin the ball, as there is no grass to come between the clubface and the ball. A well-hit shot from the bunker or hardpan can stop on the green within a few short bounces.

Back spin is not the only kind of spin that can be produced from a golf shot. Side spin can be produced, most commonly when hitting a shot out of the bunker. Side spin can cause the ball to check just as back spin can. Top spin can also be produced, but it is not desirable, as it can really only be produced through a poor shot and does not affect the activity of the golf ball.

Mastering spin can be very rewarding to experienced players, but it may ruin a golfer’s game when too much time is focused on it rather than on his lacking short game. Make sure the short game is polished before focusing on spinning the ball. Then hit EN Golf Club or another Myrtle Beach golf course and practice!

Here are some tips for getting your game around the greens that much closer to tour quality:

1) Select the proper club

On a chip shot, to increase distance and reach a farther target, it is advisable to take more club, such as a 6-iron instead of an 8-iron, instead of increasing the length of your swing or altering it in any way. There is no acceptable practice for what club to use for a chip shot. You can use anything from a sand or lob wedge for close pins and a 6- or 7-iron for further pins to a hybrid or rescue club for long chips or chips resting on the collar between the fringe and the rough. (The shape of the hybrid/rescue allows the club to glide easily through the rough on a chip shot). The choice is yours!

2) Address the ball properly

When you address a chip shot at a Myrtle Beach golf course, make sure you lean slightly forward and stand close to the ball so that the heel comes slightly off the ground. This helps prevent a chunk or a fat shot. Play the ball far back in your stance, just past the toe of your right shoe for right-handers, ensuring a descending blow on the ball and essentially eliminating any chance you have of hitting the chip fat. Grip down on the club so that your hands are not jammed up into your stomach, producing a slight bend or bow in your left wrist that should keep your swing smooth and firm, like a putt. (You don’t want your wrists to hinge in the swing; this is the kiss of death).

3) Swing properly

Before you hit the ball, take a couple practice swings at your Myrtle Beach golf course. Try to scuff the grass just in front of the ball without making a divot. When you hit the shot, repeat this action. Once you get consistent, clean contact your chip shots should roll the right distance and stop at a makeable distance from the hole.

One of the most common, as well as the most unpredictable, weather conditions golfers are forced to deal with at En Golf Club and any Myrtle Beach golf course is wind. Wind can cause many changes in the way one plays a shot, as it is variable in both speed and direction.

A player hitting a shot in the opposite direction the wind is blowing is said to be hitting into the wind. Playing into the wind on a hole can cause the hole to play significantly longer than usual, depending on the wind speed. Because of this players playing into the wind often have to hit a longer club for the shot to travel the desired distance. Skilled players playing into the wind may also hit a lower shot, as the wind does not affect a lower shot as much as it does a higher shot.

A player hitting a shot in the direction the wind is blowing is said to be hitting with the wind. Hitting with the wind is also said to be hitting downwind or with the wind at your back. A player playing a shot with the wind can hit the shot much farther than usual. This distance is variable on the wind speed. Players playing with the wind often must take shorter clubs in order to compensate for the gained distance. Skilled players playing with the wind may decide to hit a higher shot, as the wind can cause the ball to carry farther if the ball is higher rather than lower.

The wind can also cause the ball to take an unexpected ball flight on a Myrtle Beach golf course. A rough sideways wind can wreak havoc on a ball’s flight. A crosswind traveling from the golfer’s right can cause the ball to take on a draw-like flight and in some severe cases a hook-like flight. The golfer can compensate for this by aiming his shot farther right.

On the other hand, a crosswind traveling from the golfer’s left can cause the ball to take on a fade-like flight and even a slice-like flight in some severe cases. In this scenario, the golfer can aim farther left to compensate for the extreme flight. In order to avoid some changes in ball flight many skilled golfers play lower shots to avoid contact with the wind. A rough crosswind can also knock the ball down, and may constitute the use of a longer club in order to get the shot to travel the desired distance.

The most extreme winds come into play when playing directly adjacent to a large body of water. For example, a Myrtle Beach golf course adjacent to the ocean may have extremely rough winds coming onto the course. The mastery of playing in the wind is necessary for those who play in these environments.

Here are some tips on how to improve your iron game:

1) Set yourself over the ball.

Every iron should be played with the same ball position. Line up your ball with the logo of your shirt. In your stance, the middle of each foot should be directly below the correlating shoulder, providing for a good foundation for your weight shift. This position over the ball provides for solid contact with the ball while still making contact with the ball on the downswing.

2) Keep it wide.

In your backswing, you don’t want your arms to collapse. This means that as you swing back your arms lose their support and your hands get close to your head. This collapsing of the arms makes it difficult to trap the ball, or hit down on it, because you have to throw your arms away from you on the downswing to compensate, leading to contact with the ball on the upswing. A way to practice this is to practice your backswing with only your right arm. At the top of your backswing, put your left hand back on the club. This feeling is the feeling you want at the top of your backswing.

3) Hit down, follow through.

The downswing should move from the bottom up. It should be initiated by your legs and hips, and your torso and upper body should follow. Your weight should shift to the left with this action. This should put your hands in a good position to hit the ball as your body rotates through on your downswing. A kiss of death is starting the downswing with your arms; always initiate your downswing with your lower body.

A drill to help you hit down on the ball is to set up with your club a couple inches over the ball, then swing. This helps you hit down because if you don’t you’ll miss the ball entirely. Hitting down on the ball allows for greater distance, accuracy and control on the greens. Practice this at EN Golf Course and see if your game does not improve on every Myrtle Beach golf course.

There are ways to get around a Myrtle Beach golf course in the rain and still come out with a low number if you’re willing to brave the elements and not cancel your tee time. Here are some tips for playing Myrtle Beach golf in the rain, if you find that Mother Nature has decided not to cooperate with your game.

· Always carry a towel in your bag. If you have a golf towel on your bag, that won’t do. You’ll find that your golf towel won’t be of much use because it is exposed to the rain as much as you are. If your hands or grips get wet, wipe them off. It’s not a bad idea to carry multiple towels so that you always have a dry one waiting in the wings. If your grips get too wet and you find it difficult to dry them, it is legal to wrap the towel around the grip and swing that way when you are on a wet Myrtle Beach golf course.

· It never hurts to use golf gloves designed for poor weather conditions. They often come in pairs and do work very well.

· If you are willing to buy with poor weather conditions in mind, cord grips work much better in rain and wet conditions than do other grips. The rough surface of the cord grip allows for much more friction and is a grip that is much less slip-prone.

· Carry an umbrella. It is illegal to hit a shot from underneath the cover of an umbrella, but as you walk to your ball on the Myrtle Beach golf course, from a cart or from your previous spot, it is perfectly okay to protect yourself from the elements. Remember, though, that an umbrella qualifies as “equipment” and should you set your umbrella down as you hit your shot, be sure the wind doesn’t blow it so that it hits your ball; this is a penalty on you.

· Finally, a rain jacket or windbreaker of some kind can do wonders for protection against the elements.

So if during your Myrtle Beach vacation there is a daytime shower, you don’t necessarily have to cancel your tee time. A little forethought and preparation go a long way in helping you enjoy your golf game at EN Golf Club or any Myrtle Beach golf course.

One of the most important aspects of proper golf etiquette is the replacement of divots in the fairway. A divot is defined by the rules of golf as “the chunk of grass and earth displaced during a stroke.” A divot is most often made with an iron or wedge and can be replaced by either physically replacing the divot in its original location or by filling the divot with sand. The latter is done when sand is provided, most often on Myrtle Beach golf courses where simply replacing the divot will not grow the grass back to its original state. The replacement of divots helps the fairway heal and maintain a uniform look throughout the many rounds played on it.

Similarly to the replacement of divots, the repair of ball marks on the greens is an important aspect of proper etiquette. When a ball strikes the green, it will often leave a round indentation in the green. These ball marks must be repaired, either by a divot repair tool or with a tee or similar object. The repair of these ball marks will assist in keeping the greens on the course smooth and rolling true.

Another common form of golf etiquette is the honors system. In sophisticated rounds of golf, the player who receives the best score on the previous hole is given the honor of teeing off first; this player therefore has “honors.” The player who receives the next best score tees off next and so forth. This system of teeing off is called the honors system. However, in informal rounds of golf, players may play what is known as “ready golf,” in which the player who is ready to play tees off first. This does not take the scores from any hole into account.

An important aspect of golf etiquette is the observation of players’ putting lines. Golfers should note other players’ putting lines and refrain from stepping in them. This eliminates the possibility of a footprint in the green changing the break of the putt. Golfers also should not stand ahead of or behind a golfer’s line of sight. A similar concern notes that golfers should not step within a one foot radius of the hole.

Last, but most definitely not least in the realm of golf etiquette, is slow play. Golfers are asked to keep up with the group ahead of them. If there is no group ahead of them, then they are asked to not let any group push them from behind. If a group does push from behind, however, and there is room, it is courteous and often required to let the group “play through,” which simply means to allow the group to pass.

These are some important forms of proper golf etiquette that allow for a safer and more enjoyable round for all golfers. Practice them the next time you play EN Golf Club and see what a difference it makes in your experience.

When a player tees off, it is from the tee box. Tee boxes are often the most well-manicured and uniform places on the golf course. This is to give the golfer a good teeing ground where no grass will affect the tee shot. However, a tee box may also be littered with divots if the Myrtle Beach golf course has seen a lot of play. Many courses have boxes of sand on the tee box, which are used to fill the divots. This keeps the course in top condition for future play. Because a player can place the ball where he would like on the tee box and because tee boxes are often well-manicured, bad lies are nearly impossible.

If the golfer hits a straight drive, the ball will find itself in the fairway. The fairway has shorter grass, which may also be very well manicured, down the middle of the hole. This short grass reduces the amount of poor lies in order to assure a reward for a golfer with a good drive. Like the tee box at a Myrtle Beach golf course, the fairway may also be littered with divots, as many golfers hitting their approach shots play from the fairway. Because of this, most Myrtle Beach golf courses ask that golfers replace their divots. This is done either by physically placing the grass clump back in the divot or by using a provided sand bottle to fill the divot with sand. Players will not find themselves in bad lies in the fairway very often, but an unlucky ball trickling down the fairway may find itself rolling into a divot.

A wayward shot will often find itself in the rough instead of the fairway. The rough is the longer grass on the sides of the hole. The shorter rough that is closer to the fairway is known as the first cut of rough. The longer rough farther from the fairway is called the second cut of rough. The longer grass is meant to punish those who hit poor shots; because the grass is longer, bad lies are much more common and the ball is much harder to hit well as the longer grass affects the moving club during the shot. A player playing from the rough at EN Golf Club has more hazards to contend with than one playing from the fairway. These hazards include trees, sand bunkers and water hazards. Golfers who hit wayward shots into the rough will often find themselves with terrible lies, but they may also find their ball sitting up nicely and ready for play.

A key to good golf at EN Golf Club and any Myrtle Beach golf course is mastering play from the tee, the fairway and the rough. Once a player masters play from all three, good scores are inevitable.