Business, economic development - the unofficial Chamber of Commerce

We as golfers have heard the term swing plane many times during our golfing careers. But do we really know the definition of it and the bearing upon our golf swing?

Recently, I had a conversation with Dean Reinmuth (top 30 teaching pro ranked by Golf Digest) and I think he described swing plane the best. Dean suggests to think of the swing plane as an imaginary circle. The imaginary circle that represents the swing plane is set at an angle. It is the path on which it is necessary for the club to travel in order to execute the swing correctly.

Beginning at address, the clubhead and shaft should be positioned at the “bottom” of the swing plane. During takeaway into the backswing and at the transition point of the swing, the clubhead and shaft are to remain on the swing plane. These three phases of the swing represent the club traveling “up” the swing plane to “top” of it. Keep in mind the visual of the circle and the shaft of the club dissecting the shoulder during these phases of the swing.

Once the transition is complete, the downswing begins and the clubhead is moving down the swing plane. The path on which the club is traveling down should be the same as on the backswing.

Continuing on with the swing plane, the club is to travel to again the “bottom” of the swing plane for impact with the golf ball. Once impact has occurred with the golf ball the follow-through of the swing occurs, and it is still necessary for the club to travel upon the correct swing plane. This assures that you are releasing the golf club correctly.

The swing plane on the follow through is essentially a “mirror image” of it on the backswing. The golf club, again, must travel up an imaginary circle that dissects your front shoulder up into the finish position.

What does the swing plane represent?

The swing plane represents the path on which your golf club should travel upon during the swing.

Why is it so important for the golf club to travel upon the swing plane?

The golf club must travel upon the correct swing path in order to impact the golf ball correctly. Impacting the golf ball correctly provides the greatest possibility of delivering powerful, accurate, and consistent shots on the course of play.

Oftentimes the golf club does not travel upon the correct swing plane. What happens in such instances?

The path of the club becomes and “outside to in” move resulting in a slice, or an “inside to out” swing plane resulting in a hook. Overall, the club’s not traveling on the correct swing plane results in poor shots.

Now that we know what a proper swing plane is within the golf swing and we can visually create a picture of it, how do we develop the proper swing plane?

This is the hard part, and there are no secrets about it. Referring back to my conversation with Dean Reinmuth, he suggests that it is a process of creating “feel” for the proper swing plane. Creating “feel” is a process of knowing where the clubhead is on the swing plane. This allows you to know where your golf club is in regards to the proper swing plane required of the golf swing.

How do you go about creating “feel” within your golf swing?

It is a process of understanding the mechanics of swing and developing the proper swing mechanics within your golf swing.

This allows you to know what the golf club should be doing, where it should be during each phase of the swing, and when it is not where it should be when you are swinging the golf club.

Overall, it becomes a process of recognition. Recognition of what is the right and the wrong movements/positions within the golf swing. Once “feel” is developed within your swing, I would definitely say you are close to mastering the golf swing.

This does require time and effort on your part. But if you are willing to put in the time and effort, rewards on the course will be well documented.

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on the website http://www.bioforcegolf.com To contact Sean, you can email him at support@bioforcegolf.com.

Case closed, at least until June! The Pistons left NO doubt last
night that they are the NBA’s best team. Back on Christmas Day,
the Pistons had beaten the Spurs 85-70 in Detroit but Manu
Ginobili had missed that one for San Antonio. However, last
night in San Antonio (and with Ginobili playing), the Pistons
’spanked’ the Spurs, 83-68! In college hoops, Pittsburgh moved
to 13-0 for just the 4th time in its 100-year basketball
history, with 73-65 win over DePaul.

My free play on Friday is the NY Knicks over the Atl Hawks in
the NBA at 7:35 ET. In Friday’s action, I’m following my 20*
Pac-10 GOY winner on the Washington Huskies with my 10* Added
Game of the Month in college hoops plus feature my 10* Western
Conference Game of the Month in the NBA. NFL fans, look for my
NFL plays by 3:00 ET, today.

The Panthers join No. 1 Duke and No. 2 Florida (both 15-0), as
the nation’s only unbeaten teams. Duke will play at 13-3 Clemson
on Saturday, Florida is home to an 8-5 Auburn team on Saturday
and Pitt is at 13-2 Louisville on Sunday. Two members of the
“30-30-30 club” have home games on Saturday. Illinois hosts 11-3
Michigan and Gonzaga hosts 5-9 Pepperdine (the Waves are 1-6 on
the road). Southern Illinois, the other school which has won 30
straight home games (the longest active streak in college
hoops), is on the road for the next three games.

The NFL’s Divisional Round is this weekend. Saturday’s two games
feature head coaches who have combined to win NINE Super Bowls
(Belichick and Gibbs have three each, Shanahan has two and
Holmgren one), while Sunday’s four coaches own a grand total of
ZERO!

New England’s Tom Brady is the only QB remaining to have won a
Super Bowl title (3), while Chicago’s Rex Grossman is the only
QB making his first playoff start. Brunell and Delhomme both
picked up their THIRD playoff road wins last week and if you
don’t think that’s a big deal, know this. Joe Montana and Terry
Bradshaw, the only two QBs to have won four Super Bowl titles,
each have exactly TWO career road wins in the playoffs!

Both No. 6 seeds are still alive (Washington and Pittsburgh) but
no No. 6 seed has ever reached a conference championship game
(since 1990 when the league went to a 12-team format). New
England is a No. 4 seed and four previous No. 4 seeds have made
it to a conference title game. By the way, all FOUR of them went
on to make the Super Bowl, with two of them winning (Denver in
1998 and Baltimore in 2000).

The four AFC teams left are familiar teams. Denver, Indy and New
England were all division winners from last year, while
Pittsburgh won the North in 2004, going 15-1. As for the NFC,
only Seattle was in last year’s playoffs and the Seahawks lost
in the wildcard round!. Carolina, Chicago and Washington all had
LOSING records in 2004.

With Carolina playing at Chicago, if Washington were to upset
Seattle, it would guarantee an NFC title game in which the two
participants would have had losing years just the season before.
How rare is that? Well it’s NEVER happened since the 1970 merger
and one has to go all the way back to the NFL Championship game
of 1946 (Bears vs Giants) to find a similar situation. In 1945,
the Bears went 3-7 and the Giants went 3-6-1 but then met the
next year for the NFL title!

Since 1990, AFC home teams in this round have gone 22-8 SU but
just 14-15-1 ATS. Home teams have fared much better in the NFC,
going 27-3 SU and 22-6-2 ATS! The current lines as of Friday
morning are as follows. Seattle is favored by 9 1/2 points over
Washington with a total of 41 and Denver is a three-point
favorite over New England with a total of 44 on Saturday. Indy
is favored by 9 1/2 points over Pittsburgh with a total of 47
1/2 and Chicago is a three-point favorite over Carolina with a
total of 30 1/2 on Sunday.

Ness Notes will be available Saturday and Sunday at 7:00 ET.

I would like to cover the issue of wood versus aluminum bats. Which is better?

In youth baseball today the aluminum bat is made out to be a miracle stick. Most players, parents and coaches feel that a $250.00 aluminum bat will take their son/daughter all the way to the majors. Or that the heavier the bat, the farther a young player will hit. Well, is bigger really better?

It’s a proven fact that aluminum bats will help the ball go 10% farther, and force the ball off the bat quicker. Ooh - sounds great don’t it, but the fact of the matter is that aluminum bats will force many bad habits over a long period of use. It all boils down to something called the sweet spot. The sweet spot is the area on the barrel that will allow the ball to jump off at its maximum velocity.

Both aluminum and wood bats have this sweet spot. The sweet spot on the aluminum bat is much larger and more forgiving than that of the smaller sweet spot on the wood bat. This fact is very important! You can develop extremely poor hitting habits and get away with good production from aluminum. Something that will ruin even the best youth hitters! This is the reason why the best high school and college hitters fail at the pro level.

Heres the bottom line. I recommend that every player use a wood bat for practice and drills. When it comes game time, break out the aluminum “magic stick”. When you use a wood bat for practice and drills, you actually see your strengths and weaknesses. Doing this will help every hitter be more accurate with the sweet spot, which will produce more hits and more FUN!

For the best instructional hitting advise, visit http://www.prohittingdvds.com

The second I get a golf club in my hand I want to knock the fire
right out of the ball. It just plain feels good to send that
sucker as far as the eye can see. Unfortunately, being able to
hit the ball hard doesn’t equal good golf.

If you’re just needing a little stress relief, go for it! If you
want to play a good game of golf, however, you’re going to have
to erase the “homerun” mentality.

See, one of the roots of golfing mistakes is that tendency to
swing hard. A violent swing shows power, but power isn’t what
wins the game. It’s accuracy and control.

You want to swing easily and freely at the ball. If you bring
your feet together you will reduce your ability to swing hard.
If you brace yourself, you’re probably going to use too much
effort. Just relax and swing easily.

You also want to keep your center of gravity the same. Do this
by keeping both of your feet on the ground in approximately the
same position as when you start. Keep your head still and your
center of gravity won’t change.

A sudden effort made with one of your legs or both will cause
your head to move. Then you can’t see the ball clearly and you
change the position of the pivotal center with relation to the
ball. Keep both feet planted on the ground so your weight is
supported on the flat of your feet when you connect with ball.

When you hit the ball properly everything is so smooth. You’re
conscious of very little effort.

Now, don’t brace yourself for the effort of hitting the ball.
Don’t be stiff. The slightest tendency to stiffen your muscles
will destroy your balance. You want to make your club head go
along a straight line while in contact with the ball.

Try to see how low you can send the ball and how clear on the
center of the club you can connect with it. This will help to
correct slicing. A ball that goes too high is at the mercy of
the wind and can kick off to the right or left on rough ground.

When you hit the ball, remember - you only want to use the power
you’re able to control. You’re not going to be bothered by a
lack of power but by a lack of accuracy. You want perfect
control at every instant during your swing. So there shouldn’t
be a violent effort keep your head still and make sure your club
head is going straight when you meet the ball.

Your longest drives aren’t usually going to come when you’re
trying for distance but if you’re just trying to put the ball
down the line you’re aiming at, the distance will come naturally.

What you want to try to do is get a gradually increasing speed
until you connect with the ball and then press steadily. If
you’re jerky anywhere in the swing it’s because you’re pulling
in your hands somewhere. In regard to keeping your head still,
imagine that you have a glass of water balanced on your head and
when you swing you don’t want to spill one drop of water out of
the glass.

You want to swing at a fairly decent speed throughout so you
don’t stiffen up. Don’t swing back too slowly then. Basically
don’t swing so hard that you’re conscious of the effort.

How much energy can you apply to a ball? It doesn’t matter. It’s
the power you can control that counts.

John Newcombe, former world tennis No 1 and former Australian Davis Cup captain, once said that the top Australian players of his era believed that it was their destiny to become tennis champions.

Boris Becker told me that two weeks before achieving his first Wimbledon title (in 1985 when seventeen years old), he felt as if it were predetermined.

As a seventeen year old, Ivan Lendl, who, prior to Pete Sampras, held the No 1 spot longer than any other player in history, was convinced that he would turn himself into the best player in the world. He would even tell you so.

When asked by the media about his chances of winning his first US Open title (in 1975), Jimmy Connors’ response was: “There are 127 losers in the draw — and me!”
Jimmy won.

What these former greats had in common was an unshakeable certainty that they would win. It is a trait that is shared by all top sports people.

But a question that has always fascinated me is: Are such champions born, or are they made?

Were Newccombe, Becker, Lendl and Connors born to rule the tennis world? Or did they become champions because of the choices they made? Was their success predetermined, as suggested by Newcombe and Becker? Or was it a result of a single-minded dedication to making themselves the very best, as implied by Lendl and Connors?

Are champions a product of nature? Or of nurture?

To be a true champion at tennis or any other sport requires very special qualities. These qualities or attributes can be divided into two categories — the physical and the mental. It is my contention that physical attributes are predominantly a product of chance. They are determined genetically.

For instance, some people are born with a body structure conducive to speed, others to strength, and so on. In this sense, a very large proportion of the population are excluded, from birth, from ever winning an Olympic gold medal as a sprinter or a weightlifter.

It is the same with tennis. The physical attributes that are required to become a champion player are such things as good hand-eye coordination, quick reflexes, and leg-speed. Without question, these attributes can be developed to their fullest potential with hard work and effective training methods.

But most people are excluded from becoming the best tennis player in the world, no matter how much time they spend attempting to reach their physical ceiling of potential.

Does this mean, then, that champions are born? Were Newcombe, Becker, Lendl and Connors so physically superior to everyone else that becoming the best was just a mere formality?

Certainly not. All four were exceptionally gifted physically, but in my view, there were other players of the same eras who were more gifted than they were.

What separated them from everyone else were their mental attributes: their will to win, their determination, their perseverance, their ability to remain calm under presuure, their ability to bounce back from disappointments, and the belief that they deserved to win — all attributes that not one of us is born with, but that each one of us has the power to develop. The only choice is whether we want to or not.

It is in this sense that, given the necessary or essential physical attributes as a starting point, all champions are not only made — they are self-made.

Copyright 2006 — Chris Lewis is a former No 1 ranked junior tennis player in the world and Wimbledon finalist in 1983. During his playing career, his coaches were Harry Hopman and Tony Roche. To read more of Chris’s tennis articles and tennis tips, please visit his website at Expert Tennis Tips.

Ample leisure time allows for a raft of thrilling experiences inducing different degrees of adrenaline rush from balloon rides to freefall parachuting.

Unpredictable UK weather conditions can be a bit of a stumbling block but add a small slice of sun to the equation and the whole extreme sports arena suddenly opens up to encompass many more attractive propositions. A hot air balloon at dawn across the Arizona desert holds a much broader appeal than, say, one over the flats of Northamptonshire and a leap off the soaring mountains to paraglide down to the powdery white sands and glistening blue lagoon of Turkey’s famous Olu Deniz beach is something a fair few of us may contemplate, well at least from the comfort of our sun loungers.

The great range of water-based UK sports tend to remain the province of more hardy animals. It’s difficult to beat the excellent kayaking and canoeing in the cascades of North Wales’ Canolfan Tryweryn National Whitewater Centre and the huge windsurfing community are spoilt for choice with competitions taking place year round across the country.

But how much more appealing the wind and water sounds if you factor in the sun-drenched Saharan style dunes of Fuerteventura. The Canary Islands are home to some of the best windsurfing in the world, the combination of calm flat waters and strong, steady summer tradewinds providing the perfect conditions for the PWA Freestyle and PWA Wave Grand Slam World Championships to be held in July in Fuerteventura and in Gran Canaria.

These prime watersport heavens are becoming more and more accessible with journey times matching, and even sometimes bettering, those to Devon and Cornwall via the hugely congested summer road network. Flights to the Canaries can be picked up really cheaply see with some great bargains to be had following the latest round of UK travel discounts.

About the Author:

Michael Hanna is a keen writer, and internet marketer living in Scotland.

Contact details:
E-mail: samqam@googlemail.com
Phone: 0131 561 2251
Michael’s Website: Belfast Airport Taxis

When providing prognostications on Squash via this and other websites, one is always reminded of the duty in providing an entertaining yet perceptive look at what is more than just a game for some.

I have been told by frends and colleagues that my musings are well written and entertaining. But they are probably humouring me. The lack of feedback and hearty congratulations or even rabid disagreement and/or contempt displayed in the comments/ratings, suggest that most readers don’t think they are even worth a response!

But if you think this lack of recognition will have any bearing on my continued attempts at enlightenment, entertainment and encouragement for all those who play Squash are wrong! The web, being truly democratic will always provide spaces for ratbags such as me. Naturally, if someone has something constructive to say about my chatter, I will take the necessary steps to improve the area in which I have been deemed inadequate, and continue my attempts using methods of continuous improvement.

Now I hear you ask, “What has this got to do with Squash?”

When I first started to play the game of Squash, I had no talent or ability to speak of. Or so I thought. Then, I did not meditate for hours on a mountain court, visualising every movement, every aspect of tactics and technique, not to mention the psychology of the game. All this whilst holding the Squash racket, feeling every tie of the strings, fold of the grip and change in profile where some other marketing acronyn has been played out by the frame maker. eg, WTF (Wide Frame Technology) PBT (Power Bulge Technology) etc etc.

Instead, I would scamper and fling myself around the court not unlike a domestic fowl just after being decapitated and just prior to being plucked. I would pester those at the club at which I played, for a practice game, never quite realising what a nuisance I was or how generous those who said “Yes”, were. I was manic.

It was not until about four years later, that one of the leading players at the club, who had been one of my practice “victims” years earlier told me something revealing. He would have liked to have told me at the time when I was a beginner, to take up another sport. Squash was NOT the game for me. I was not adept at the skills of the game and saw no way in which I would ever be. Fortunately, he did not have the heart to tell me. If he did it probably would have made no difference anyway.

It is interesting to note that he had the courage to tell me this immediately after I had thrashed him in an important club match. I did have a talent after all - it was heart and persistence. No one practised more than me. I had coaching to improve my game. I tried to iron out my weaknesses - evaluating, improving, trying again.

It is my observation that many Squash players have this talent. If you are one, put it to use. Unlike other talents, the talent of Heart or Courage or persistance as some might call it, can have a dramatic effect on your physical abilities.

Many years later, according to some, I apparently have the talent, but none of the other qualities that i used to take for granted and those which help make top line professionals. I could mention youth, fitness, agility - but I won’t.

If you have some of the physical qualities which are essential for excellence, do not throw away a lifetime of achievement and enjoyment with a lack of heart and persistence. Whilst I never quite made it as a player, and may well not as a writer, it has been a fantastic ride, sharing a court with some of the greats of Squash and living to embellish the tales.

Not all of those greats had enourmous amounts of talent, but they all had huge hearts. You too could have a talent like the greats and achieve excellence. Just use methods of “continuous improvement” and remember that there is talent in Heart.

Ray Strach provides off centre commentary on Squash. His articles are widely read in the Squash community seek to highlight the parallels between Squash and life, although possible not life as we know it. See more of Ray Strach’s articles at squashgame.info View the orignal of this article where you can comment and discuss at “The Guru Speaks”

On my way to the airport on Monday, I was listening to a familiar talk radio show and realized that Terrell Owens signed with the Dallas Cowboys. I have to admit that when it comes to sports I have been out of the fold since I gave up THE TICKET radio station six years ago. To give you a little history, I was a sports junkie up until this time so I have some idea about Terrell Owens. I’m not one of those who thinks that MARCH MADNESS is an allergic reaction to giving up chocolate for LENT. Frankly, even though I had heard a rumor months ago that this might happen, I hadn’t given it much thought.

Have You Ever Rolled Your Eyes at the Radio? I must have been the only one in town who didn’t realize that this was and is the most important issue facing DFW right now. There was a blistering discussion about whether Jerry Jones should have brought Terrell Owens to Dallas. This host fanned the flame of passion like a master craftsman over the barbecue pit. Can’t the Cowboys win with a group of talented individuals? Does team chemistry really matter? The outrage was loud and about evenly divided.

We Need Terrell to Win! One caller was almost yelling about how Terrell Owens is the best player in the game right now and maybe the best receiver to have ever played the game. He was shocked that people couldn’t see the bigger picture. We must have a Superbowl this year, right? It was obvious that the two worlds of sport addicts and talk show conservatives had come to an impasse.

Are You Really Surprised? Even a casual observer of Dallas sports knows a few things about Jerry Jones. First, he is a master marketer. No one can deny that he took a franchise that was in serious decline and restored the value of the brand. Second, he loves to win. The guy hates to lose. You can see the pain on his face when the hopes of Superbowl glory slip beyond his reach for yet another season. Third, character is not his main priority. I’m not sure where it is on the list, but the results speak for themselves. There have been more than a few significant character flaws that have come to the surface over the years. Of course, the Dallas media is relentless in keeping those fresh on everyone’s mind. That is, until another Superbowl is necessary.

What Do You Think? Do people ever really change? Can Terrell come to Dallas and be a model citizen? Can Jerry Jones change his paradigm and put character as his number one priority?

If you want a systematic way to change who you are, try the The Bubble Planner. You’ll be happy that you did.

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Imagine yourself cruising down a groomed run carving elegant turns with your new shaped skis. In the distance you see two symbols, a blue square for a left turn and a black diamond for a right turn. Without hesitation you steer to the right. The pitch becomes steeper, the snow is un-groomed, and there are trees, lots of trees. You stop momentarily, pick a line, push off, and tighten your turns as you begin the descent.

Getting in Shape

Many skiers would have taken the left fork with the gentle groomed slope. Some skiers reach a plateau in their ability and find it difficult to advance to the next level. This doesn’t have to be. The keys to unlocking your true potential lie in your mind and body. When you are mentally prepared and physically fit, the goal of becoming an expert skier can be realized.

Developing a Fitness Routine

Expert level skiing is more demanding on the knees, thighs, hips, abdomen, and back so preseason preparation is the norm. In short, you need the correct ski fitness routine to handle the rigors of expert skiing.

Your ski fitness routine should include:

• Ski stretches to improve your flexibility and mobility
• Ski exercises to build your leg and core strength and endurance
• Jumping exercises to enhance your explosive power and side-to-side quickness

Stretching for Ski Fitness

Let’s start off with ski-specific stretching and leave the exercises and cardiovascular for another article. Lesson #2 of Skills of the Expert Skier contains ten ski stretches that you can do at home or on the road. Stretching keeps your muscles flexible, prepares you for movement, and helps you to bridge the gap from inactivity to vigorous activity without undue strain.

When you stretch and exercise often, you will learn to enjoy movement. You will be preparing yourself for the rigors of skiing in the expert zones where the ability to move quickly and easily is of prime importance.

First, we’ll get into the why and when you need to stretch, before moving on to the basics of good stretching.

Why do Ski Stretches?

Stretching on a regular basis will make your skiing a lot easier by:

• Reducing muscle tension
• Relaxing your body prior to skiing
• Signaling your muscles that they are about to be used
• Increasing your range of motion during skiing
• Improving the ease and freedom of movement
• Enhancing the quickness of your ski turns
• Preventing injuries such as muscle strains and pulls

In addition, ski-specific exercising requires you to have a good command of ski stretches before you start doing the exercises. The reason for this is that some of the exercises will simulate actual expert level ski movements so you need to have your muscles relaxed, loose, and flexible, just as if you were beginning a day on the slopes.

Stretching before Skiing

Stretching can be done any time you feel like it. However, in the context of downhill skiing and the training course, I recommend you do ski stretches:

• At home, before you start doing the ski-specific exercises, which are part of Lesson #3
• At the chalet, motel, or inn where you are staying, just before leaving for the ski hill
• At the ski resort, before your first run of the day, with your boots on and skis off

Stretching after Skiing

Strenuous activities like downhill skiing, especially at the expert level, promote tightness and inflexibility in the muscle groups. Therefore, stretching before and after any physical activity will keep you flexible and help prevent common
injuries.

I know it’s difficult to stretch after a long day of skiing. I have trouble doing this myself. On the last run when someone shouts out, “It’s Miller time”, your mind is more focused on that tall, cool one then on doing any more physical exertion. Besides, you’ve worked hard all day and deserve a break. I agree!

As a compromise, I would recommend that you do standing, ski stretches at the base of the hill after your last run, with your skis off. You can get way with just these stretches after skiing on smaller hills with less demanding terrain, and especially if you are not going to be skiing the next day.

However, if you are skiing in the mountains for six or seven days in a row, I strongly suggest that you do a complete set of ski stretches when you get back to the place where you’re staying. After stretching, hit the hot tub. After the hot tub, go for a one to two mile walk. Don’t use the elevator, take the stairs. The idea is to keep moving so your muscles won’t become tight and stiffen up on you.

Trust me, I’ve seen a lot of people disappear on week skiing trips simply because their muscles became stiff and sore, or worse, they got injured from pulled or torn muscles. Skiing at an expert level requires you to be agile at all times with the freedom to move quickly and easily without any pain or stiffness. Stretching is an essential that you need to learn and put to practice on a regular basis.

About the Author

Jim Safianuk is a certified ski instructor and writer of the downhill skiing lessons in the course Skills of the Expert Skier. Learn to get in shape with a ski fitness routine that will enhance your flexibility so you can ski pain free until the lifts close. Click here for skiing fitness stretches and exercises: http://www.becomeanexpertskier.com/

Bet only what you can afford. Define a bankroll at the beginning of the year or season and stick to it.

Define a staking system and stick to it.

Do not bet on teams or leagues that you don’t know anything about. Try to specialise on chosen leagues.

Do not assume that there are any ’sure things’. Any result is possible.

Your Selection Criteria must include recent form, a minimum of the last 5 matches.

In general, stick to betting on League Matches, as recent team form is only consistent within the boundaries of that league.

Do not bet at the beginning of the season; wait until each team has played at least 6 matches so that your recent form analysis is valid.

Do not bet on local derbies or evenly balanced teams. The exception being that the odds are favourable to covering your bet (i.e. cover bet with a draw).

After analysing your bets, stick by your decision. Avoid outside influences.
Do not work with more than 3 Selection Criteria Strategies. Define your Selection Criteria Strategies; fine-tune them as you go.

Analyse all bets after the fact, especially if it is a losing bet. Learn by your mistakes and/or experiences.

Determine the best return on your bet from various Bookmakers. The variance on returns across bookmakers can be substantial, especially on multiple bets or accumulators.

Bet only when you deem the odds to be fair or acceptable for your bet.

Bet only on the smallest combinations of results feasible. 4+ accumulators may give big returns but they are also the hardest to achieve.

*Keep a up to-date record of all bets, returns and losses. *You may not be suited to gambling and an up to-date record will highlight this.

Bet only when the odds are in you favour. Do not bet for the sake of betting.

Always remain calm especially after a big win or loss. Discipline is the key.

About the Author

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