If, like me, you've caught the golf bug, you'll know how frustrating it can be to play what you think is exactly the same shot as you've played before, only to find the ball sailing off at a 90 degree angle from where you aimed it.
This is where some proper advice from a real professional can help. Over the past 3 years I've taken many lessons from my golf coach, and I'm putting down some of the best bits of the advice I've been given in a series of coaching articles. I'll start off with the most important of the lot - keep the ball moving forwards.
My coach told me that the vast majority of amateurs will waste most of their practice and playing time by trying to achieve the perfect swing, grip or stance. What he told me is very few amateurs - and not even that many professionals! - will ever be what could be called textbook golfers. For instance, there are so many elements that make up perfect technique - stance, grip, swing, follow through etc.
More important than any of this, though, is hitting the ball so it heads in the right direction. That is, keep the ball moving towards the green. To demonstrate the importance of this 1 factor above all others, my coach showed me exactly what he meant.
Taking an outrageously off-centre backswing, and letting go of the club with one hand, he proceeded to bring the club down in such a manner as to send the ball flying straight from the tee. There wasn't a huge amount of power in the shot, but it was certainly in the right direction.
What this proved to me was that the key to any golf shot is what happens at the moment of impact of the club head on the ball. If you can get that bit right, you'll always be able to send the ball the right way towards the green.
It would be silly for me to suggest that having control over the other things is irrelevant, and obviously things such as your choice of club and the power you put into the shot will affect the distance the ball travels.
Fundamentally, though, the aim of the game is to get a little white ball from a little wooden / plastic tee, all the way to a little hole which may be several hundred yards away from where you start. If you can keep that ball heading in the right direction, like me, you'll find your game improving and can start working on the other aspects over time.
This is where some proper advice from a real professional can help. Over the past 3 years I've taken many lessons from my golf coach, and I'm putting down some of the best bits of the advice I've been given in a series of coaching articles. I'll start off with the most important of the lot - keep the ball moving forwards.
My coach told me that the vast majority of amateurs will waste most of their practice and playing time by trying to achieve the perfect swing, grip or stance. What he told me is very few amateurs - and not even that many professionals! - will ever be what could be called textbook golfers. For instance, there are so many elements that make up perfect technique - stance, grip, swing, follow through etc.
More important than any of this, though, is hitting the ball so it heads in the right direction. That is, keep the ball moving towards the green. To demonstrate the importance of this 1 factor above all others, my coach showed me exactly what he meant.
Taking an outrageously off-centre backswing, and letting go of the club with one hand, he proceeded to bring the club down in such a manner as to send the ball flying straight from the tee. There wasn't a huge amount of power in the shot, but it was certainly in the right direction.
What this proved to me was that the key to any golf shot is what happens at the moment of impact of the club head on the ball. If you can get that bit right, you'll always be able to send the ball the right way towards the green.
It would be silly for me to suggest that having control over the other things is irrelevant, and obviously things such as your choice of club and the power you put into the shot will affect the distance the ball travels.
Fundamentally, though, the aim of the game is to get a little white ball from a little wooden / plastic tee, all the way to a little hole which may be several hundred yards away from where you start. If you can keep that ball heading in the right direction, like me, you'll find your game improving and can start working on the other aspects over time.
About the Author:
Mike Jackson runs an online golf equipment store, where you can buy golf clubs, golf balls, golf gifts, golf bags etc.
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