Every year one million people take up golf. Every year another one million give it up, finding it too difficult. I took up the game at age forty-eight and now approach my twentieth year as a golfer. Here are ten things I have been told that are nearly correct. My point is that most advice comes close but not nearly close enough.
1. A professional in Georgia told me in my first year of playing that I needed to work on stretching exercises. What he should have said was, “You need to stretch more going into your back swing.”
2. Another professional in Georgia said, “It’s probably some little thing you are doing wrong.” What he should have said was, “It is probably many little things you are doing wrong.”
3. Another professional told me to relax my right arm at addressing the ball. I have since learned that a golfer must relax right shoulder, right arm, lower back muscles and right hand before taking a back swing.
4. Another professional (Cindy Ried at Sawgrass) told me to stand further away from the ball. That was very good advice.
5. Another professional told me to widen my stance. What he should have said was, “You need to widen your stance and shift your weight to the right foot in the back swing.”
6. A friend, winner of the Ohio Amateur, told me, “The left arm is primary. The right arm goes along for the ride.” What he should have said was, “The left arm initiates the take away as the right arm pulls the take away toward the top.”
7. In a Video Cassette, Gary Player makes the statement, “Ah yes! The grip. We could talk for hours about that.” He fails to talk about the grip except to say it should be relaxed. He should have said, “The grip and grip pressure at take away are the most important parts of golf.” He should further have said, The forefinger knuckles and thumbs of both hands are paramount to the direction of the back swing.”
8. It is often said that we should have but one swing thought. It would be far more correct to say, “You should have but one swing thought at a time.” When you watch Ernie Ells or Tiger Woods, it is plainly obvious, by their moves and adjustments at address, they have more than one thought going through their minds. The golf swing is like Lasagna. It is correctly accomplished in layers or sequence. For example,
a) Push & pull,
b) knuckles or thumbs away, into the back swing.
9. How often we have heard it said, “Keep the left arm straight.” While essentially true, pragmatically, such is not easy. Better to have said, “As the back swing approaches the top, be sure to straighten the left arm before the down swing.” It is very easy and easily remembered.
10. I have been told that every club swings the same. Nothing could be further from the truth. It is far more correct to say, “The length of the club and lie angle of the shaft make every club slightly different to swing. Particularly the hands must respect the lie angle of the shaft in terms of grip pressure and finger forces on the shaft.”
*************** Super Extra Bonus ***********
In beginning the back swing, do you aim at the target? No, you should not. Once you have addressed the ball with respect to your target, your first direction of aim is into your back swing. The biggest error in golf is attacking the ball from the wrong place at the top of the back swing. Where is the right place to be at the top of the back swing? You will find that after much fun on the driving range, just like the pros.
Having a problem with your game? Send us an Email and we’ll try to help! They say most advice is worth what you pay for it. Partly true but much advice you pay for is worth about as much as the tee you set the ball on. Good luck!
RHE
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