Spring Time Optimisim (Lesson No. 25)

Can your game improve? Will your game improve? The answer is found in your approach to the game. Of course it will improve. It might improve a lot!

With the vastly improved weather,  many of us will be playing and/or practicing more golf. Your approach will determine the extent of improvement. Golf has several different aspects.

The take-away (back swing) -  For the longer irons you will need a slower (completed) back swing and larger arc.

The mirror or shadows on the ground are the best tools for guaranteeing your head and shoulders stay over the ball during the swing. The confusion arises from the turn and the weight shift. It makes sense that a turn away keeps the head and shoulders over the ball. The slight hip slide at the beginning of the downswing keep the shoulders from lunging forward, ahead of the ball.

Chipping is all technique. It can be very easy or quite problematical. Play the ball back and hit on the downswing. Practice makes this element near perfect. The bump and run requires you have very slight wrist movemnet as in putting.

The driver is fun and probably the easiest to hit. Practice with a medium speed back swing. The club head will be going fast at impact. Take practice swings before hitting your driver.

Green side bunker shots are easier than I ever believed. Right handers should throw a side arm pitch at the sand behind the ball. It will slide through and lift the ball high and onto the green.

As for iron shots, every time I take Jack Nicklaus advice and raise my hands high in the back swing I hit the ball straight. I believe the turn begins only slightly after the initial take away. A determined left side and left shoulder going into the take away works better than pulling the right side away. BUT YOU MUST remember that a good take away ALSO requires The right arm pulling away in agreement with the left side.

My best advice to new golfers is:

"Learn to Turn!"

RHE

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