Greetings Golfers,

The weather forecast is that the unseasonably warm weather is over, and that winter will be coming in to Minnesota.

Well, winter is a good time to work on your golf swing. One of the internet golf instruction groups I’m in is always battling about golf swing theories. In fact, the leader of the group believes that golf instruction should all be the same. I believe in certain fundamentals, but I also believe that there is value in different teaching methods and different swing theories. And that not all people relate to the same swing ideas or to the same instructor.

I played earlier this week with an old friend and one of his friends. This old friend of mine has really become a good player. He’s learned a few fundamentals that have given him a solid swing and he’s also learned how to chip and putt. His friend – on the other hand – had a very poor idea of the golf swing. He mostly valued hitting it far. There’s nothing wrong with hitting it far, but not if it comes at the expense of control. It’s pretty hard to play good golf if you can’t control the golf ball.

This friend of my friend, lined-up way right of his target and then came way over-the-top to pull the ball back at the target. That move feels very strong – but that over-the-top move caused him to hit terrible shots … sometimes far … but usually way left or right.

I see the same few problems over and over at the range and the golf course:
* Most people line-up right of their target.
* Most people try to scoop the ball up in the air.
* Most people squeeze the golf club.
* Most people’s left thumb is on top of the shaft instead of on the the right side of the shaft.
* Most people lift the golf club on the backswing instead of swinging it back low and slow.
* Most people swing flat-footed instead of using their feet.
* Most people don’t release the golf club.

Good golfers have a good golf swing. Sounds obvious … but it gets lost in the process of hitting the ball. It’s supposed to be a golf swing. The club needs to be gently held in the fingers so it can be swung. And the body needs to move so that the club can be swung – much like throwing a ball. And the club needs to be swung at the target from the inside-out. That means you have to line-up left of the target to swing out at the target.

Hopefully that helps your understanding of the golf swing. Looks like we’ll have some time to practice – indoors.

Cheers,

Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com