Greetings from Suzanne Tuesday, 16 October 2012

FINDING YOUR GOLF SWING

Instruction articles in magazines have to make the assumption that they are dealing with one particular golfer. Can you imagine how confusing the articles would become if they tried to accommodate the huge range of physical ‘assets’ there are out on the golf course on any given day?

Those articles can’t start with ‘you’. They have to start at a point in the golf swing, which you may or may not be capable of getting to in the first place. They then have to make all sorts of assumptions about what is best for you next.

They do start, though, with the best intention of trying to help you improve your golf swing, to get improved results, and to get more fun out of your golf game. And while I worry about some of the articles I read, I support the goal of trying to make golf more fun for more golfers.

If you have never had coaching before, then you would be surprised at how much more fun we can make golf. But, rather than imposing a swing on you, we start coaching by: examining where you are now, determining what scale and type of improvement you want to make, and understanding your personal golf environment (how often do you play, what’s your approach to practice, your own physical attributes). Only then can we get to work with a personal plan that matches your situation.

With that ‘plan’ and your ‘commitment’, though, we can make improvements that will result in consistently better golf shots out on the golf course. That not only lowers your scores, it results in more enjoyment from your golf.

No one said that golf was supposed to be a personal trial. It is a 4 – 5 hour event that you should get as much enjoyment out of as is possible. Contact us and let us see where we can take your golf game.

THE STRANGEST ‘SWING TRIGGER’

Have you noticed Brandt Snedeker’s trigger movement? Given he’s just walked away with a huge prize, I don’t feel inclined to suggest its “odd”, but taking your right thumb off the club at the beginning of the backswing seems like a pretty strange trigger movement to me.

I’d advise you to try and find a swing trigger; something that controls your mind and your body. It should bring focus to the moment, and then allow a smooth takeaway with the correct movements.

Harvey Pennick, one of the world’s greatest teachers drew the analogy with a bucket of water in your hand. If you’re asked to swing it back without spilling a drop, it’s difficult to do it without jerking the bucket. However, if you start by first swinging the bucket gently forward, to start a smooth motion back, you don’t spill a drop.

Do you have a swing trigger? What’s the oddest trigger movement you’ve ever seen? Remember we’re here if you want to talk about how to create a smooth takeaway.