In past posts we have addressed some of the fundamentals of learning to play golf ”The Right Way”. By this I mean that you have purchased or acquired your equipment, have received instruction from a golf professional, parent, sibling, friend, self taught etc. and have practiced sufficiently to prepare yourself to venture out to the golf course. Oh Yes, and you have acquired some knowledge of Golf Etiquette. Having accomplished all of the above you are finally ready to play. What comes next and how does one get started ?
I would like to spend some time in this writing, providing the new golfer with some useful information on selecting and arriving at a golf course for the first time. As noted above I will make the assumption that you have acquired sufficient knowledge on how to play, and acquired your clubs, bag and accessories and you’re ready to go. This is where one of the first rules of golf etiquette comes into play. Do not schedule your first tee time at the busiest times on the course. The best thing to do, if possible , is to ask a parent, relative or friend who is familiar with the game, to join you especially for the first few times playing. Another suggestion is to schedule your tee time after the prime times, usually mid to late afternoon and this way you will have the course to yourself and your group. You may only want to play nine holes until you get used to the requirements of the game, especially if the golf course offers a nine hole rate. It will provide a more relaxed introduction to the game until you learn the rules of golf, golf etiquette and how to move the ball effectively. If you have already acquired a proficiency at the game then by all means play the entire 18 holes at whatever time you so desire. One of the biggest violations of golf course etiquette is to schedule your first round and have no clue as to how to play or the courtesies involved with the game. That is why it is important to play the first few times with someone knowledgeable about golf and who can teach you the rules and the etiquette required to play properly. The main idea of playing this great sport is to make sure it is an enjoyable experience for all, which it will not be if you are waiting indefinitely on each hole and for each shot to be played. The average round of golf for a foursome takes approximately 4 1/2 hours or 15 minutes per hole as a rule of thumb. Once you become a seasoned player, the novice or new golfer who is unknowledgeable and discourteous to their fellow players will irk you more than you may think, especially if they take an inordinate amount of time with each shot. This is usually done by someone who has not learned to play properly.
When a golfer first learns to play it can take some time before he or she can make solid contact with the ball to advance it with reasonable distance and accuracy toward the hole. As discussed in my previous posts but worth repeating; if you cannot make contact with the golf ball after a few swings then pick up the ball and drop near your fellow players and proceed to try again. Also if you have a lost ball in the woods, etc. do not take an excessive amount of time to find it. You can allow yourself a drop in an area where you are clear to play the ball toward the green or intended target because your score is not important at this stage of your game.
We have now covered six of the seven steps in My Seven Step Swing Check List, The Grip, The Set Up , The Waggle, The Backswing , Tempo, The Downswing and now the last step, but especially not the least in importance, is the Follow Thru or Finish. All the steps are important but if the follow thru is not done correctly it can negate the proper execution of the other steps of the swing. As the downswing is approaching impact with the golf ball make sure the acceleration of the club remains constant. This will be accomplished with acquiring a good tempo with your golf swing. Also on the downswing, as discussed in the last writing, continue the path of the club through the ball on a slight inside to out path and aim at the one o’clock spot as suggested. As you continue thru the hitting zone after impact keep the club as low as possible on this line and head should remain behind the ball. The hips should continue opening to the target ,( about 3/4 or more at this point ) and the weight should continue to shift onto your left side. If the follow thru is executed correctly the club and your arms will form a line pointing at or slightly right of the target line and both will be near parallel to the ground as your right shoulder starts to pass under your chin. The hands should pronate (turn over) to the left just after the club passes thru the impact zone. If you turn the hands over too quickly you may hook or draw the ball too for left and not achieve the result you were looking for. This is the part of the swing that takes practice and experience to master. Once you get the timing down you will almost always be successful if you execute the rest of the steps correctly. TIP : If you are consistently slicing the ball to the right side you may want to consciously turn your hands over to the left as you reach impact, which should help correct this problem. Another cause of slicing the ball to the right is not finishing the swing by staying on your right side and not letting the right foot come up onto the toe ( See info noted below regarding swing finish ). Note: This post is directed to the right handed golfer and should be reversed for the left handed player
As your swing continues and your right shoulder is passing under your chin the head can start to come up but the spine angle should remain intact as long as possible as you finish the swing. Your hips should now be almost fully open and perpindicular to and facing your intended target. NOTE : Another key move at this part of the swing, that is lacking in most beginners and even some seasoned players, is that they stay on their right foot and never finish the golf swing. This means that the weight shift was never completed and the hips never rotated properly, thus causing lack of both distance and accuracy.
The proper execution of the follow thru would include the right foot pivoting up onto the toe ( which would mean that the weight transfer from right to left was complete ) , the torso would be facing the target and the entire body would form some resemblance to a reverse C if you viewed it from a side perspective. The club would be wrapped around your neck and shoulders and this pose should be maintained until the ball lands in the fairway or on the green. Holding this position will help promote the proper swing finish by making it part of your muscle memory which will translate to a more accurate and repetitive finish to your golf swing.
Now that you’ve mastered The Grip, Set Up, Waggle, Backswing and Tempo the next move should be a piece of cake. In fact, you can let gravity and tempo do most of the work for this part of the swing. Your club is back, left shoulder under your chin, head upright, weight shift to right side, wrists are hinged back with club pointing down the target line and your back is facing the target – you’re ready to pull the trigger. Before you start the Downswing, let’s touch on one last item, “Relax”.
My trigger method for starting the downswing is twofold. I start to throw my left hip toward the target while pulling down on the club in a very relaxed manner allowing gravity and the acceleration of your tempo to do the work. The club and back end of the grip will be pointing at the golf ball. As you swing down the hips will shift laterally left and open to 45 o or more through impact. The key is to keep your head behind the ball so the coil of your shoulder and upper body combined with the hinging of your wrists can be timed for releasing the club at the proper time thru the impact area. This will allow maximum power and accuracy. This is the part of the Downswing that overlaps the last step of the golf swing, “The Follow Thru”.
As your club is released and approaches the impact area, the wrists should be unhinging and the weight should continue to shift from the right to the left side to prepare for the Swing Finish or Follow Thru as I like to call it. The left side should remain firm just before and thru the impact of the club head with the golf ball while the head remains behind the ball. As I am looking down at the ball when the club head is approaching impact I look at the inside corner of the ball and try to keep a slight inside to out swing path by concentrating on hitting that inside part of the ball and aiming at one o’clock. I find that this will allow the club to drop into the power slot more readily and ultimately result in more distance and accuracy. Note: The information noted above is based on the assumption that the golfer is right handed. Please reverse for left handed golfers ( Right hip will be moving toward target ).
We have addressed The Grip, The Set-Up, The Waggle, The Backswing and before we proceed any further with the remaining steps to the actual golf swing, I feel this is an important time to discuss Tempo. Tempo is not a single part of the swing but it should be an integral and important part of your entire swing. It is the smooth rhythmic method of timing your pace of swing so that your body works in concert with the club to achieve the most distance, control and accuracy that your ability will allow. Good Tempo will also help promote a consistency in your swing which will in turn result in consistently better ball striking thus greater scoring capabilities. As in Music, Tempo is the beat, the speed and timing whereby your instrument is in sync with the other instruments. Also, as required in music, you have to acquire a feel for the rhythm of your swing. It can be as simple as counting one on the backswing and two for the downswing and Follow Thru ( Steps 6&7 ) to create the right beat for you. I can tell you from experience that some days my swing Tempo is working better than others and the results on those days can be dramatic. Tempo requires a feel that you must experience before you can really understand the greater potential for a consistently better, more powerful all around golf swing. One important swing key with all steps of the golf swing and an integral part of a good Tempo is to ? Yes, “Relax”.
A good Tempo may be difficult to achieve at first but it will come with practice. There are some training aids that can help a golfer to learn Tempo. One is called “Swing Tempo” and is endorsed by Hale Irwin and Frank Nobilo, two excellent PGA professionals. You can go on line to www.swingtempo.com or call 1(800)708 3676. Another tempo trainer is called Swing Speed Radar and can be found at www.swingspeedradar.com and the cost is approximately $130.00 to $150. If you are having problems achieving that key ingredient in your swing either one of these devices should help. Happy Golfing To All !
Now that you’ve taken your Grip, performed your Set Up Routine and The Waggle you’re ready for action.
Before we start the backswing a few reminders or tips – 1. When you tee the golf ball, especially for use with the driver be sure to set it at the proper height. Note: The rule of thumb is the ball should sit approximately 1/2 of the diameter of the golf ball above the clubhead when the club is set on the ground. 2. Stay “Relaxed” during all phases of your swing – Note: If you’ve chosen to incorporate The Waggle into your swing routine then utilize it to its fullest advantage and make it not only your swing trigger but your reminder to “Relax” as well. 3. Make sure your head is upright so as not to impede the shoulder turn on the backswing. 4. Keep your left arm as straight as possible Note: Keeping the left arm straight may feel uncomfortable at first but it is critical to promoting consistent ball striking, accuracy and distance.
Now you’re ready to go. In the instructional books and videos that I’ve studied I have sometime gotten conflicting information as to how to start the backswing. That does not mean that one method is right or wrong there are just different techniques and methodology used by different instructors. Immediately after The Waggle or no waggle, if that is your preference, you are ready to execute the swing. Most of the instructional material, when I was first learning to play, taught a move to start the backswing called the “One Piece Take Away”. This means that your two arms, hands and the club formed a Y shape, which it does, and they would move back away from the target in one piece or motion while maintaining the Y shape. I had utilized that method for many years before I read about and experimented with the immediate wristcock, or setting of the wrist right at the onset of the backswing. By this I mean that instead of taking the club back in the Y formation I would break the wrist and start the backswing in more of an L position. Either method will work and it is a matter of personal preference and which feels more comfortable for you. In either method the wrists should be set by about waist height and the club should be pointing skyward as your arms approach parallel to the ground. Your weight should shift to your right side ( without a lateral movement of the body ) and your upper body should continue turning away from the target with minimal turning of the hips. This will allow a coiling of the upper body and a more powerful release as you uncoil in your Downswing. Make sure your shoulder turns under your chin and your back is facing the target, which will also promote a more powerful and accurate swing. In Step 2 – The Set Up I mentioned to tilt the body slightly forward at the waist and remain in a reasonably upright position. This will create a spine angle which should be maintained during most of your swing. The Backswing and The Downswing should rotate around the spine as the central pivot point. The more that rotation can be maintained the more accurate and powerful the results will be.
