Your Golf Swing Is Good Enough
If you watch the Golf Channel or read any of the magazines and books on golf, it will be very hard for you to miss the basic theme that "There is a perfect swing and you will do the most for your game by trying to get it". Even when you watch a tournament on TV, you see the commentators participate in this conspiracy by showing us frame-by-frame analysis of the pro and critiquing his/her every move. Now, maybe we can give the TV guys a break because they are just trying for some entertainment value and let's face it, most of us are interested in the details of the swing because we've been brainwashed by years of this theme. For many years, I too was a "swing zombie" in my quest to improve my golf game. I even participated with a group of golfers that all had our swings videotaped and then we critiqued each other in a classroom setting. The feedback I received from all of us watching my swing ran from "very smooth" to "way off-kilter". Everybody had a differing opinion of many of the swings that we watched and at least for me, it only confused me more. In my younger years, I had a typical amateur slice swing that obviously came out of my years of playing baseball and softball. In those days, I would just aim for the left edge of any fairway and I could count on the ball moving left to right, at worst ending up in the right rough but usually hitting the fairway. I enjoyed playing golf those days but I always felt that something was missing. So when I could finally afford it,I decided to take a set of lessons from a pro. Of course I told him that I wanted to get rid of my slice swing and he asked me back "are you sure?". This answer kind of shocked me but he was a very good instructor and by the end of the lessons, I was able to hit the ball out of bounds both ways, left and right. I figured that it would just be a matter of time until I "dialed" in to hitting it straight. To make the story short, 5 years later and I was still "dialing" and getting wrong numbers (ob, jail, water,no score improvement, etc.). Looking back, I honestly believe now that if I had stuck with my old left to right swing and just used the rest of what I learned from the pro, that I would have improved significantly. Why? Because I was a typical golfer and not a 12 handicapper trying to become a single-digiter (a good golfer trying to become a great one). Studies have shown that the overwhelming majority of amateur golfers shoot in the 90's or above for men and it's over 100 for women. If you are in that group, then you really should be working on parts of your game that will give you far more efficient score improvement for the time and effort spent. This would primarily be in the area of the short game and the mental game. This is absolutely true for the average golfer but it may be true for all golfers as well. There is loads of evidence on the pro tours that the ones making the money are those best at chipping and putting. The golf research guru himself, Dave Pelz, actually followed tour players around for years taking detailed statistics and he proved it (see his book, My Short Game Bible). In addition to that, there are too many pros to list that admit that their swing is not "technically correct" or maybe not even very good...BUT THEY WIN TOURNAMENTS! Look at Jim Furyk, 2003 U.S. Open winner. He actually has a big loop in his backswing. Lee Trevino always told people that they should not copy his swing. Even Jack Nicklaus says in his books that he wasn't a very good ball striker. Bruce Lietzke has won tournaments on the PGA and Senior tours playing his left-to-right shot his whole career - And he says he rarely practices! On top of that, the tours are littered with past champions that totally lost their game AFTER they tried to change it for the better. And now they are begging their sports psychologist to help them "find" their old swing. I have talked to PGA golf instructors that say it's their clients that want the swing advice (just like I did) even when they recommend working some other part of their game first. So maybe it's our own fault in creating the current situation where average scores of amateurs have not dropped one stroke in the last 50 years despite the advances in equipment technology. Now don't get me wrong, if you are a total beginner, maybe you should start out with learning the basics of the golf swing with a lesson. But if you're hitting it solid most of the time, you are good to go for a real scoring quest as more swing advice is not the quickest way for you to drop your score. There is just so much more that you can do, on and off the course, that will pay you back in saved strokes for far less time spent than "fixing" your swing. Most of us have precious little free time that we can work to improve our games so why not work on that which will give us the greatest bang for our (time) buck? And so, let me be the first to make a pledge to the golf spirit inside me (I always thought that golf is like religion):
"I for one, do solemnly swear that I will not pay attention to any swing advice of any sort until I can score in the 70's consistently with the swing I have (and maybe not even then)". Visit Craig Sigl's website at: http://www.break80golf.com It is dedicated to score improvement for golfers with little time to practice. Download free ebook "How you can play better golf using self-hypnosis". Sign up for ezine "The Very Busy Golfer." Ecourse with golf instruction tips from a major pro, articles on golf equipment and free golf games.
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Why Exercise Is The Key To The Correct Golf Swing Release
A poor golf swing release has been one of the factors responsible for dozens of injuries that have kept many golfers off the course, some of them for good.
How To Achieve The Proper Golf Swing
Every golfer wants to know the magic secret to achieving the proper golf swing. One that is repeatable and produces results.
Golf Practice Equipment Can Pave The Way For Better Golf
There is a great deal of equipment on the market today that can help you make your practice time more efficient and effective. Many people believe that simply getting out on the course and playing more often will make them a better golfer. Without effective practice, however, you could just be making the same mistakes again and again without actually improving your game.
Fitness For Golf Is The Key To Rejuvenating Your Golf Game
Fitness for golf is prevalent at every level. You hear about it all the time on the television and even teaching pros are talking more about the importance of fitness for golf.
Myrtle Beach Tee Times ? A Quick Glance
Planning a golf vacation in Myrtle Beach? Here are six things to know before planning your next golf outing to the Grand Strand.
Increase Your Rotational Strength For A More Powerful Golf Swing
Every golfer dreams of a fluid, unhindered golf swing. So why do so few of us actually achieve it?
How Important Is Your Golf Swing Release
An optimal golf swing release has a lot to do with the way the golfer controls their body and makes use of their muscles right from the back swing to the impact and follow through.
Functional Flexibility Is The Desire Of Every Golfer
Functional flexibility for golf is an important element. Quite often there are a lot of feelings of inadequacy, more so physical inadequacy, on the golf course.
Golf Ideas Clone Golf Clubs Buyers Guide
The Truth
Are You Fully Benefiting From Your Golf Swing Training Videos
The golf swing is so central and so important to the game of golf that any improvement tips and especially golf swing training videos are greatly desired and valued by golfers everywhere.
Learning To Play Golf With Fitness
Learning to play golf has now become the pursuit of both men and women of different ages. Right from the very young golfers to senior citizens as old as 80 years old or even older.
How To Improve Your Game With Simple Golf Exercises!
Winter is upon us and you have more time, since you're not golfing?so why not get a jump on next season by doing some simple, in-home golf exercises that will quickly prepare your body to hit LONGER drives and shoot LOWER scores?
How A Golf Fitness Book Can Transform Your Game
A golf fitness book that is written to give you ready-made golf fitness programs, exercises, step-by-step instructions and illustrations can quickly transform your golf game.
Gifts: Giving To The Beginner Golfer
It's golf season again! And you might be looking for a gift to
give to someone who's just starting off in golf. So, here are
some suggestions. These beginner golf gifts target those new golf
souls... the ones who don't yet know what their in for, or the ones
who are already hooked after just playing a few times.
A Lower Body Golf Swing Can Generate Maximum Power
The perfect lower body golf swing involves the legs to a very large extent and it is therefore true to say that exercise that conditions these parts of the body will have a positive impact on the quality of the golf swing.
Online Golf Lessons Save Time And Can Be A Great Help
Online golf lessons have grown tremendously in popularity, for the simple reason that they address a problem faced by most golfers. The problem is that of finding the time away from their golf game to take golf lessons.
Improve Golf Swing The Non-Traditional Way
Improve golf swing seems like a thought that is on our minds as golfers dozens of times per day. Do you agree? But what are you currently doing to improve your golf swing?
Junior Golf Is Becoming More Competitive?Why?
How do you get the edge when you're playing junior golf? To keep up with the top junior golfer's means getting stronger both physically and mentally; and almost perfecting your golf swing. That's how competitive it's become.
How to Cure a Golf Hook
If you've been battling a hook for a while you understand how frustrating they can be. Everyone else is, more than likely, slicing the ball, and you are playing from the opposite side of the fairway.
Why Golf Fitness Stretch Training Is Important
Golf fitness stretch training is such an important part of the modern game today and yet there are still many amateur golfers that do no see its' benefits. They continue to avoid golf specific exercise programs or any exercise program for that matter.
|
