There’s a lot your golf pro didn’t tell you about your game. A lot.
That’s the reason for this blog… to unravel the mysteries of why you have swing faults despite golf lessons, books, and expensive equipment.
The purpose of this blog is NOT to bash golf professionals. Quite the contrary, in fact.
Some of the smartest, highest educated, and most inspirational coaches in the world are in the sport of golf.
Not only that, technology has advanced this game to a new level.
I mean, with computer generated swing analysis software, high speed cameras, and years of working out the bugs, golf has become one of the most advanced sports in the world.
Combine the technology with world class teaching pros, and you have a fantastic opportunity to play better golf now than ever. These guys can be crazy smart.
That said, there are some things most teaching pros just don’t know about how the human machine works. And since golf technology has skyrocketed in the last few decades, how come golfing scores haven’t? Clearly there is a disconnect between technology and bodily function.
Take for example, Bob:
Bob is our average “weekend warrior†golfing enthusiast that fights his fear of slicing the ball on the first tee, and humiliating himself in front of his golfing buddies. Not to mention the foursome behind him.
You see, Bob has been here before. He’s kind of gotten a reputation for the banana ball. In fact, the water cooler talk has given him his very own nickname… “Banana Ball Bob!â€
Life can be tough on our hero, Banana Ball Bob. His only solace is he’s been working with a golf pro lately taking lessons to help straighten out his problem of having to replace the glass plane windows in the houses lining the golf course. Now it’s Banana Ball Bob’s turn to hit his first tee shot of the day.
He tries to remember what his golf pro told him during their lessons together: “Take a strong grip… line up correctly… don’t bring the club back inside too quickly… don’t sway… don’t swing from the top… don’t cross the line at the top… start the downswing with the legs… clear the hips… swing inside to out… don’t dip… keep your eye on the ball… transfer your weight… follow through… oh, and one last thing; don’t think about the swing, just let it happen.†Yeah, right.
Well, you guessed it, Bob got to go hunting, fishing, and hiking all on the first hole. Ouch! Bob’s got a problem. It’s a problem he doesn’t know he has, and his golf pro doesn’t know it either.
Bob’s Got a Neck Tightness Problem
You heard me right, a neck problem. Bob can’t rotate his neck like he should. And because he can’t rotate his neck, he slices the ball. Plain and simple. Doubt that? Stay with me (and Bob) and I will show you, and explain to you what your golf pro doesn’t know.
Skill vs. Ability
Look, it’s really simple, there is a difference between your ability to preform a task and the skill necessary to preform that same task.
Here’s what I mean: if Bob can’t rotate his head and neck to 90 degrees both right and left, then he has a lack of ability to rotate his head and neck 90 degrees to the right and to the left.
There could be a few different reasons he can’t rotate his head and neck to 90 degrees, but the fact remains that if his neck is too tight to turn his head 90 degrees, and he can only turn his head to say, 60 degrees, then 60 degrees is his body’s current ability.
This means that he now must develop his skill around his “lack†of ability to rotate his head the normal range of motion.
Bob slices the ball because he can’t keep his head still during the back swing. (Notice: I didn’t say, “Bob slices the ball because he can’t keep his head DOWN during the back swing.â€) Keeping your head still, and keeping your head down are two opposite ends of the spectrum.
Still, Bob’s slice is caused by a little know mechanical disruption during his swing that your golf pro doesn’t know about. And there is a causative factor:
Bob’s head (and yours) is half as wide as your hips…almost to the millimeter! It’s universal to everyone baring deformity.
Take a look at this picture and see what I mean:Â
When your neck is too tight, you will have a tendency to move off of the ball with your head. And this means your head is located outside of the axis of your hips during your backswing.
Take a look at this picture:Â
Notice the left image. Â Notice how his head is outside his left hip axis.Â
This will almost guarantee a slice, because now, you have to use your upper body to get back into position at impact. Yeah… good luck with that.
When you swing “from the top†you will swing “outside to inside†(meaning your club crosses the target line) and this is how Bob got his nickname.
Bob’s golf pro doesn’t have a clue about Bob’s real problem, and so the golf pro has to create new and inventive ways to get Bob to hit the ball straight.
On the one hand, the golf pro is a genuis if he succeeds at getting Bob to hit the ball straight during his lessons together.
On the other hand, the magic trick quickly gets revealed as “smoke and mirrors†when real life happens on the first tee.
What’s the cure for Bob’s slicing problem? Bob has restore the proper range of motion to his neck.
Assuming that his neck is “normal†and healthy, (no surgeries, whiplash, or other injuries) then Bob needs to work on restoring his neck’s range of motion to 90 degrees so that he can keep his head “still†not “down†during his backswing.
For more adventures on Banana Ball Bob, stay tuned to this blog.
Aaron Crocker is writing a fascinating book entitled What Your Golf Pro Doesn’t Know… Revealing the Hidden Reasons Your Body Works Against Itself During the Golf Swing. If you would like to know more information and how to pre-order a copy, then shoot him an email at aaroncrocker@mac.com
A well executed golf back swing is not just dependent on the arms of the golfer but also on the golfer’s back as he turns away from the target. The golf swing is more of the motion of putting the golf club behind the golfer’s back than swinging it through the air. Here are some surefire tips to improve your golf swing and your game dramatically.
1. The move backswing
If you observe it closely, the golf back swing actually works from up to down. The takeaway back swing begins from the top as you make the movement on your arms and follows as you do that turn on your shoulders. The movement then goes straight down towards the legs and the hips.
The golf back swing is primarily about how the body is being coiled upwards thus creating the needed tension in the muscles as well as torque to be able to let out that all powerful downswing. Particularly, that swing is created anywhere in between the golfer turning his or her upper body as well as shoulders and the turning, to a lesser degree, the lower body and the hips.
2. Relax Your Body
A golf swing will never be executed well if it is done in a hurried manner. If a back swing is in any way done in a hurry, the downswing does not become fast and will actually produce the opposite result.
The backswing speed should be in a tempo that is steady and should neither be fast nor slow. Although some golfers have that tendency to go way faster than the regular, whenever you catch yourself doing this, you should try to slow it down a bit.
3. The move downswing
When you reach the downswing, all you really need to do is to just let it go. Let the downswing happen naturally. However, this only applies if ever you were able to start with a golf stance, backswing and grip that is correct.
The downswing must be the natural result of all that went before it. If you were able to do your backswing in the correct manner, your body will unwind on itself thus releasing the club and striking the ball that will therefore result in a follow through that is balanced.
4. The follow-through move
A follow-through should be best seen as the feather in your cap move. The legs must be adequately straight and the hips have to form a straight line together with the legs.
This final follow-through move will serve as the gauge of the whole golf swing you have just done. You know that you were able to execute a good golf swing that is almost perfect if in the end you have a position that looks like the letter C only in reverse.
Marcus Boo http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/surefire-tips-to-improve-your-golf-swing-81767.html
Almost any golfer who has a passion for the sport wishes to improve their game and there are many ways to do such a thing. One way is to hire a golf trainer and many a professional golfer has done just this but many amateur golfers may not have the resources or time to use this technique. One way to improve your golf game is to learn how to perfect your long drive swing and in order to do this, it is necessary to understand the mechanics of the golf swing. A good golf swing can be broken down into the backswing, the downswing, the connection with the ball, and above all else, understanding the fact that there is no perfect swing that works for everybody. This article will explore the different aspects of the golf swing and what methods you can employ to improve yours.
The backswing is obviously the first step in starting a good golf swing and because it is the step that many golfers fail at, the entire swing is doomed to failure. Many golfers dont understand that a good backswing starts with the arms and not the hands and that you want to draw back in a one piece motion. Assuming that you are right handed, you want your left shoulder and hips to turn which transfers your weight to the right side as you bring the club back. A golfers hands should begin to set at waist level and as the club continues to climb, the shoulder should continue to turn as you reach the top of the swing. It is important not to over swing at the top as this will create negative club speed and inconsistent swings.
Once you have mastered the backswing, it is time to learn how to follow through with the downswing where you return the club head to the ball with a high but controllable speed. If your downswing it too hard then you will likely have a bad drive so it is important that you dont try to rely on pure force to drive the ball. Many inexperienced golfers will try to lead the downswing with the left side causing the club head to slide ahead of the ball and causing a weak, slicing shot. A more effective method is to pull with your left arm at the top which creates a more consistent swing as all of your body parts are moving together.
Even after mastering the backswing and downswing, many golfers tend to fail at the completion, trying to hit the ball low and to the left which makes it difficult to get the ball airborne. In golf, it is important that when connecting you should hit the ball high and not to the left and the club face should stay square for several inches past impact to maintain proper flight of the ball. In addition to keeping the club face square, you must also make sure that the weight you transferred to the right side in the backswing switches back to the left side at impact. If you have a good finish, your right knee will be facing the target, your right foot will be up so all spikes are visible, and your hands will be close to your left ear.
The perfect golf swing that works for every golfer is a myth because the true perfect golf swing is a very personal thing. While the techniques described above are important, it is also important that you find the correct swing that works for you. If you watch professional golfers on TV you will notice that while most have very differing swings, they all have one thing in common which is consistency where their swing is utterly identical each time with the same results in direction and distance. Consistency is indeed the key and after you learn what works for you, you must practice to repeat the same swing over and over again.
Rick Churchill http://www.articlesbase.com/golf-articles/if-you-want-to-improve-your-golf-game-then-you-must-understand-the-steps-of-the-golf-swing-140322.html
OK, so my family reunion is in a week or two and we're going to play golf. I need some advice on how to improve my swing. What, in your mind are the key points to a perfect swing and how do you prepare for a game of golf.
The golf swing is basically a natural thing.
The first mistake alot of people make is thinking too much! You cannot concentrate on more than one swing thought.
Try setting up to the ball where you are not too close or reaching for the ball.
Take the club straight back behind the ball. As you turn your shoulders, your hips will follow.
Don't overswing! Take the club to almost parallel (meaning don't let the club become more than perpendicular to the ground).
Turn your hips back to the ball and your shoulders will follow.
Could anyone please look at this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZZphyjnUoM
and help me fix my problem. I tend to pull my left shoulder up or straighten my left leg too soon on my downswing and slice it alot. I have taken lessons, but he cannot answer my question, he tries to go too fast. Any help is appreciated.
When a golfer hits a slice as opposed to a fade there are TWO things going wrong at the same time. Now your set-up to the ball is fade. No doubt about it. Your stance is open, the ball is forward just inside your front foot. You want to move the ball about 1 to 1 1/2 balls back in your stance and away from you. That's just set-up.
Reason 1 - Your arms are tucked into your body. That's not only the major reason you slice it has to be uncomfortable. You gain no extra control being closer to the ball. So when you address feel as if you are slightly reaching for the ball. Let your arms hang naturally or even out from you a little bit. Most slicers have no idea that their set-up is the reason they slice. When you set-up and your hands are in your lap you have to know that it is next to impossible to get them back to that position without lifting up your body or (as in your case) coming over the top. The ball should be placed slightly at the toe of your grounded clubhead. NOT center. Lift the clubhead up with your wrists next time you set-up and see where the ball is when the clubhead is direclty behind it. I bet it's completely on the heel. Move back so it's center.
Reason 2 - It is your left elbow. The left elbow controls the look of that clubface. The presentation of that moving clubhead to the ball during your swing is inherent upon that left elbow. The breakdown of that left elbow happens at the top of your very long backswing. If you shorten it you can keep your elbow intact. When you try for that "little extra" everything breaks down and you have to compensate on your downswing. In your video at exactly 9 seconds is the top of your backswing. You are past parallel and the extra three inches of turn takes you off plane and makes you lose that elbow.
Take a look at this video. http://www.golflink.com/tipsvideos/video.asp?v=26834
It says right elbow but it goes in depth into the left elbow as well.
Lastly, (this doesn't have to do with your slice) you want to feel as if you are swinging through the ball not "hitting" the ball. There is one thing that makes this swing decent not great and that is confidence. There is a definite tentativeness about this action. Know that you are in control of all of what is going on with this golf shot. As you see these shots straighten out you will gain a little confidence and start to swing through. But all in all a good swing, good rhythm, good posture and weight transfer good follow-through. Good swing. Good Luck
You would have to think that mid to high handicappers and beginners who want to improve their golf swings and games in general and who have the most potential to improve their scores would embrace solid, time-tested fundamentals and use these time-tested techniques to improve their ball striking and scores… BUT for whatever reason, most don’t. Most look to gadgetry and gimmick teaching to improve their games with little or no results. Every season it’s a new theory, a new gadget, a new gimmick, but most important, they shoot the same old score, never seeing any real results where it counts.
Most of these players are looking for instant gratification or “the silver bullet” that will allow them to play great golf with little or no effort. Let me go on record right now and tell you…THE SILVER BULLET DOES NOT EXIST! You will never find this “silver bullet” in a gadget or gimmick, no matter how much cash you spend. The closest thing you’ll ever find to a “silver bullet” is solid fundamentals. The better your grip, posture, and alignment are..the easier it will be for YOU to hit good solid shots that fly toward your target. It’s that simple.
Golf is just much easier from good, solid fundamental positions!
If you have lots of time to practice and play and you have good hand eye coordination coupled with a lot of GOD given talent, it is possible to play at the highest levels without being fundamentally sound, without being squarely aligned, without a good grip, and without good posture…. BUT if you’re like most of us weekend players who don’t have time to practice and who get very little playing time, then you’d better have good fundamentals if you ever hope to improve your game.
The grip is one of the most important, if not THE most important, fundamental in all of golf and yet it is one of the most over
looked, under-practiced fundamentals of the game. At least 2/3 of the people I observe hitting balls and playing golf are struggling
with a bad grip and worse than that, most don’t even realize it. If we’re talking about 15 handicappers and higher the percentage of
bad grips is much higher than 2/3.
In part 2 we’ll talk a little about why your grip is so important and how you can go about building a sound grip that will produce solid, accurate shots, and lower scores round after round.
Hey, I'm going out for my school's golf team next year and I've been practicing, but my golf swing is lacking, I'm a pretty hefty guy with a lot of power to my swing, but when I actually hit, whatever ball I'm using it never goes anywhere, so how can I get the ball to go high and far, for a huge hit right off the tee. Any advice would help.
when you say "never goes anywhere" do you mean:
a. you miss it completely
b. it pops up in the air about 6 inches but lands right where the tee is
c. it goes about the same distance as your iron shots
or
d. you get a flat, low drive that quickly runs out of power and lands about 200 yds away?
d) would be the most common, and the usual fix for that is to stand more behind the tee with a higher tee to make sure your driver hits it on the upswing. see some driving diagrams for the proper placement, but everybody is different.
One of the most important keys to a repeating golf swing that hits one long, straight shot after another is to have the ability to relax your hands, arms, and shoulders and swing the club back and through impact without tension. With a good grip, this relaxed motion will return the club squarely to the golf ball time after time…. BUT if your grip is bad, it makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to deliver the club squarely to the golf ball without consciously or unconsciously some making some sort of in-swing correction.
If you’ve purchased my “How To Break 90 In 3 Easy Lessons” instruction system, you have found that my method teaches you to swing freely through the ball with an uncluttered mind promoting longer, straighter, and more consistent shots. In-swing corrections are an evil you can do without and in my instruction system I teach you how to be rid of these in-swing corrections forever. I stress fundamentals and show you how you can quickly and easily develop good fundamentals that will serve you well as you improve your golf game. I also show you how you can develop your feel for your swing so you can execute it over and over with a completely uncluttered mind, hitting longer, more accurate shots round after round but that’s another article for another day.
One of these fundamentals that I stress heavily within my system is a proper grip.
With the proper grip, a NEUTRAL grip, the club will return squarely to the ball time after time producing longer, straighter, and more consistent shots. It is vital to your success in golf that you develop and use a neutral grip as opposed to a “strong” grip or “weak” grip.
Let’s talk for a minute about the difference between neutral, strong, and weak grips so you can properly identify where you currently are.
A “strong” grip is one that has the back of the left hand and/or the palm of the right hand pointing to the right of your intended target line. A “weak” grip has the back of the left hand and/or the palm of the right hand pointing left of the intended target line. Easier to visualize for most players is when you take your grip and address the ball look down on your grip. If you can see more than 1 1/2 knuckles on your left hand, it is in a strong position. On the other hand, if you see no knuckles on your left hand, it is in a weak position.
There are numerous variations of weak and strong grips. Some players use a weak right hand and a strong left or vice versa. Some of these grips have worked very well for some players over the years but if you are just beginning to learn the game or you’re struggling with your game, the grip is the place to start and NOW is the time to develop YOUR “NEUTRAL” grip.
In “How To Break 90 in 3 Easy Lessons,” I show you step by step exactly how to develop your neutral grip. I also show you how to find your best posture and how to find perfect alignment and that’s just lesson #1. Then I show you how to apply these solid fundamentals to your full-swing, chipping, pitching, and putting as well as showing you hoe to hit scoring shots like the lob and the flop.
My system is designed to maximize performance and consistency with minimal practice time.
If you practice enough and have enough GOD given talent, you can make virtually any grip work but that’s not what you’re here for.
You’re looking for the “silver bullet” …..right?
You’re looking for longer, more accurate shots and lower scores and to achieve this goal without hours and hours of practice time, your fundamentals must be sound which is why you must start with the corner stones of a repeating swing…strong fundamentals.
How to improve consistent swing in golf to aim to a target always?
Golf Swing Mechanics
Golf swing mechanics is probably the easier of the two areas to understand. It is the reason we take golf lessons and practice at the range.
Beginning at address, moving through all the stages of the golf swing, and finishing with the follow through, the body is required to move through a specific sequence of movements to perform the golf swing correctly. If the body does not move through this sequence properly then the result will be a poor, inefficient and awkward looking swing. Over time, a poor swing results in poor consistency (every once in awhile you hit a good shot regardless of your swing, that's what keeps us coming back for more). An easy example of this is when you "come over the top" with the club, which usually usually results in a slice.
In addition to the body performing an intricate number of biomechanical movements in the golf swing, timing of these movements is critical for you to hit the ball successfully. Each and every biomechanical movement within the golf swing has a certain sequence and timing. If they are not performed in the correct order or timing, then the golf swing will not be efficient. Poor timing results in those wonderful slices, snap hooks, chili dips and topping the ball that we know all too well.
Now, how do we improve on the mechanics of the golf swing? I would have to say it is through two things:
1) Proper instruction. Find a good teacher and stick with that teacher. Most of the pros do, why not you?
2) Practice, practice, practice. As they say, "practice makes perfect," and I believe this is true when it comes to the golf swing.
http://www.mikepedersengolf.com/morrie Improve golf swing quickly with Mike Pedersen’s Effortless Golf Training System. Watch this golf swing transformation these next 10 weeks. Morrie is our golf swing challenge subject and he is a 33 handicap golfer who will be going through my http://www.performbettergolf.com/system to drop many strokes off his score and add up to 40 yards to his drives.
Morrie is one heck of a frustrated golfer who feels like a hacker, but so desperately wants to improve his golf swing and game.
Watch as we help him hit longer drives, that are more consistent, that ultimate help him lower his golf scores dramatically.
While every putter must know how to putt, he has to get the ball off the tee with a strong swing before he does anything else. With practice and concentration, any golfer can learn to perfect his swing. All swings have a few common elements that make up the fundamentals of golf.
The Grip
When gripping a club, circle your left hand around the club so you have a V between the thumb and index finger. Stretch the tension from finger to the shoulder. Overlap your right hand over the left thumb and vice versa. Make your V shape create a line that leads to the chin. Apply light pressure to both hands.
Posture
A solid stand and good posture help create a great swing. With feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, and rear slightly pushed out, keep your chin up and your back straight. Keep your eyes on the ball. Align yourself so that the ball rests in front of your left heel.
Alignment
Find the right position upon initiating the swing. Keep your feet far enough apart to maintain balance, at about shoulder width. Lower your right shoulder a little below your left one, and angle your upper body forward at the hips, keeping your back straight. Keep your chin up and knees slightly bent. Maintain your shoulder position as you take your club back after the swing.
Body Arch
Maintain a solid posture for a good swing: keep your body arched from the head of your golf club through your shoulder at eye level and beyond.
Flexibility
Keep your arms fully extended, thus creating more power in your swing. Increased distance from your chest to hand will create a faster swing.
Balance
Maintain your balance to create a strong follow through. You should keep your body weight centered by balancing on your legs. With proper posture, you should be able to maintain your balance.
The Swing
Focus on rhythm Instead of swinging fast, swing strong by focusing on your downswing. Keep your club low to the ground on the back swing, focusing on the arms and not the hands. As your club starts back, your left should and hips should turn naturally to allow weight to transfer to your right side. As your continues its ascent, continue to turn your shoulders and allow your right elbow to bend at a ninety-degree angle at the top of your backswing.
Aim to return your clubhead to the ball with maximum controllable speed. Push your whole club back and down. As your arm move down, you should feel your right arm straighten back and down with the weight of the club in your right hand.
Finish strong with a solid follow through. The weight you initially transferred to the right side must now move to your left side. You should finish with your right knee facing the target, with your right foot up so all spikes are visible and your hands close to your left ear.
A great swing takes skill, but anyone can achieve with a sufficient amount of practice.
Featured on http://www.GolfSwingSecretedRevealed.com - View the first of the new four magic moves to a winning golf swing.
Andy Brown from St Andrews "The Home Of Golf", Scotland explains how the early backward wrist break is your answer to lower golf scores and straighter and longer shots.
This video shows how you can dramatically cut 7 to 12 strokes from your handicap and have the perfect golf swing. It is a must watch for any golfer. Download the accompanying free 60 page PDF report and 19 minute audio from http://www.GolfSwingSecretsRevealed.com.
Hi my name is Andy Brown amd in this video I would like to talk about the first of the four magic moves.
If you have read the free golf swing report or have listened to the audio I give away on the site you will already know that the first magic move is one where you must start the backswing with an early backward wrist break.
And as the backward break is one of the key points - I want to be absolutely certain you understand what I …
Notice the left image.  Notice how his head is outside his left hip axis. 
http://www.mikepedersengolf.com/morrie Improve golf swing quickly with Mike Pedersen’s Effortless Golf Training System. Watch this golf swing transformation these next 10 weeks. Morrie is our golf swing challenge subject and he is a 33 handicap golfer who will be going through my http://www.performbettergolf.com/system to drop many strokes off his score and add up to 40 yards to his drives.
Featured on http://www.GolfSwingSecretedRevealed.com - View the first of the new four magic moves to a winning golf swing.
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