Guru Golfer

Most golfers will admit that golf is 90% mental, yet most spend all their time and efforts on the mechanical aspect of the game. The golfing industry hasn’t helped the trend by breaking down the swing and analyzing each of its components. Although, the average handicap for club players is still the same as it was 20 years ago. Even with all the new technology in equipment and video analysis.

Everyone seems to be teaching or learning the perfect swing, but little do people realize that almost no one has a perfect swing, not even the pros. Each of us has a certain way of swinging the club, even if we are taught the correct way in the beginning. Negative feelings have a lot to do with our swing. If you have a good swing, and negative thoughts, you still will not play good golf.

Most players are distracted and not totally concentrating on their shot at one time or another. Each time this happens, you can lose a stroke or two. If this happens only 4-5 times a round, it could add a lot of strokes to your score.

As you get older you lose some of your ability to turn your torso on your back swing, so it’s important to replace that power loss with a power gain elsewhere. You can accomplish this by making a freer arm swing which doesn’t depend so much on flexibility. The following drills teach you to use your arms as major source of power.

Turn your shoulders, swing your arms.

Hang your arms. At address, your arms should hang freely from your shoulders. If they start too close to your body, they won’t have enough room to swing freely. Extending your arms too far, on the other hand, causes tension, which in inhibits a free swing. Make sure you have 6 inches of clearance between the butt end of the club and your body.

What is the most important thing in the golf swing? I can answer that several different ways, but the most important answer is “your golf swing”. You have swing issues and flaws you’d like to cure right? You need to focus on YOUR swing and find a solution right? If so, the most important thing in your golf swing may be very different than for any other golfer.

The first thing on your list should be identifying your swing fault, and more importantly the cause of this swing fault. Do not treat the symptom, find the cause and fix it!

Once you fix the “cause” of your swing fault, you will find that the most important thing in your golf swing will be much different than it use to be. It might be something linked to your mental swing thoughts or preparation.

In discussing the cause of most of your swing faults, I must inform you there is a very good chance it’s a “physical” issue. Some restriction or weakness in your body that is not allowing you to perform good swing mechanics.

Unless those physical limitations are being addressed, you will NEVER fix your swing faults!

If you label yourself as a high handicapper, you have potential, but must solve some fundamental problems.

Swing the club, don’t throw it.

To give yourself the best chance at hitting the green in regulation, you need to maximize your power off the tee without sacrificing control.

Your swing is capable of exerting a powerful natural force on the clubhead. Work with this force to help you swing the club rather than throwing it at the ball, which can result in every kind of bad shot. Even the best golfers tend to throw the clubhead on occasion, but here’s how to avoid it.
Take your normal stance over the ball and look closely at your grip. Locate the point on the grip were the first knuckle joint of the first figure of your right hand contacts the club. That pad is the precise spot where you can sense the weight of the club throughout your swing. Your goal is to develop the sensation of clubhead weight against this pressure point all the way through your swing. On the down swing, if you throw the clubhead at all, you’ll have lost that sense of clubhead weight and the club will feel very light. To avoid this, concentrate on feeling the sensation of the shaft lying against your first finger pad all the way through impact. As you practice this technique, you’ll swing the clubhead through impact with more consistency and power.