Do as I say, not as I do…

I'm sure you have heard this numerous times in your life.

I've just read Larry Miller's "Holographic Golf" (Harper Perenial 1993) and have gleaned from this very viable theory, some really valuable, useful and practical information which I am now putting into action with positive results. Combined with range practice using ACUSTRIKER, I feel and believe that the consistency and accuracy of my ball striking has improved. I am also using a very effective golf swing analysis app, HudiTechnique to help me improve the execution of all shots.

In previous blogs and as outlined in the "About" page of the website, I have defined the essential, foundational elements that, if performed simultaneously, accurately and repeatedly will lead to successful golf strokes. In the blogs that follow I will try to explain them from my point of view. (I am not a qualified Golf Instructor nor Physicist... just a Manual Arts teacher, Rugby and Cricket coach, Weekend Golfer, Sports Enthusiast and Fan of New Ideas.)

One definition of the golf swing suggests it's the movement you make when you hit the golf ball. Encyclopedia.com is a little more detailed... "The dynamics of the golf swing is important to every golfer's game. To hit a golf ball, the golfer swings a club while standing at the side of a motionless ball positioned on the ground. Such a swing involves angular motion. In physics, angular motion is defined as the movement of a body about a fixed point, or axis. Speed, velocity, acceleration, momentum, mass, torque, kinetic energy, and centripetal force, are some of the concepts involved in the golf swing..." it goes on to talk about two levers rotating about an axis through the upper chest and hands which means fulcrum points and other physics related stuff. Don't panic....I'll explain. It also explains that the swing consists of four parts, the backswing, the downswing, impact and follow through.

Larry Miller simplifies it for me by talking of the three "Static positions"

1. The Address position or Setup.

2. The position at the top (point of transition)

3. The end of the follow through, the finish.

He stresses that if these positions are correct the ball becomes part of the stroke, "not a target to be hit at." He advocates letting the ball "get in the way of the swing." For these positions to be perfected one needs to maintain a steady center, level head and consistent spine angle.

Now to those "Foundational elements".... The position at impact should resemble the position at address.

After addressing the ball, the left shoulder becomes the fulcrum point of the lever (left arm and club.) One commences the stroke to the position at the top by rotating the shoulders and torso around the spine angle (which should remain constant). At a certain point the wrists hinge making the hands a second fulcrum point This movement creates a swing plane and a swing arc. As one moves from transition to finish generating torque and club head speed, the club will impact the ball. At impact the hands and left shoulder should have returned to the same position at setup (being the center point of the arc.) If the head and upper body have moved laterally, vertically or horizontally, this will not be the case, resulting in a mis-hit shot as the club head will not be in the position it was at address. That's what causes the whiffs, tops, chunks, sculls, divots and pushed and pulled putts.

ACUSTRIKER will ensure that the head remains steady, spine angle remains consistent and there is no lateral sway or bobbing (vertical movement) of the upper body. If you maintain focus on the ball through the selected sighting device, your position at impact will resemble the position at setup.

PLAY BETTER GOLF

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