John Lucas
Need to tweak that swing? Watch a pro
Published on Wed, Apr 14, 2010 by John LucasRead More Lucas
I always have preferred a natural-looking swing than a robot-like motion used by many amateurs and even some professionals on the lesser-known tours.
I'm talking about players who have taken numerous lessons during their life but failed to really make it because their swing always was being worked on.
I realize all of you are anxious to improve at golf and that you constantly are being lured into accepting quick-fix swing tips from friends, fellow players, golf books and videos. You, like many players, also are swayed by false promises that appear on the cover of golf magazines. Typical cover lines guarantee 20 more yards off the tee, a cure for the slice in five minutes, a pro standard putting stroke almost immediately.
Just the other day, waiting in the foyer of an office, I saw a back copy of Golf magazine. The cover line read: The five modern moves. Curious, I turned to the story. A minute later the magazine was back on the table. I just shook my head. Every tip presented there was old hat. Stronger grip, shorter arm swing, less hip rotation, more trunk rotation through impact.
I have watched Tiger Woods develop since he was a child and he was doing these things without even thinking of them. What's more, if the downswing takes approximately one-fifth of a second, how can one possibly think of these things in that short of a time span? The answer is: You can't.
The best way to learn a natural, smooth flowing and repeating swing, in my opinion, is to watch skilled players who have such motions and try to imitate them without thinking so much.
The only exact things you need to work on are address positions, ball placement and posture. So just try to keep your grip pressure light and constant throughout your swing, find a skilled player close in stature to you and swing as close as you can to his/her tempo, turn, footwork, etc.
Lastly this is the only game I know that has as many teachers as players, such as the man who never has broken 100 dispensing tips to others on the driving range.
Rules teaser:
A player on the putting green removes a broken tee that was touching his ball and that caused the ball to move. Ruling?
Answer to last column's teaser:
From a water hazard, a player dropped his ball two club lengths under the rules but it rolled three club lengths. He then re-dropped with the same result. He re-dropped a third time and his ball came to rest within two club lengths. He then played the ball. Ruling? A three-shot penalty: one for water hazard and two for the re-drops.
John Lucas is the golf professional at Sky Ridge Golf Course and can be reached at john98382@olypen.com
I'm talking about players who have taken numerous lessons during their life but failed to really make it because their swing always was being worked on.
I realize all of you are anxious to improve at golf and that you constantly are being lured into accepting quick-fix swing tips from friends, fellow players, golf books and videos. You, like many players, also are swayed by false promises that appear on the cover of golf magazines. Typical cover lines guarantee 20 more yards off the tee, a cure for the slice in five minutes, a pro standard putting stroke almost immediately.
Just the other day, waiting in the foyer of an office, I saw a back copy of Golf magazine. The cover line read: The five modern moves. Curious, I turned to the story. A minute later the magazine was back on the table. I just shook my head. Every tip presented there was old hat. Stronger grip, shorter arm swing, less hip rotation, more trunk rotation through impact.
I have watched Tiger Woods develop since he was a child and he was doing these things without even thinking of them. What's more, if the downswing takes approximately one-fifth of a second, how can one possibly think of these things in that short of a time span? The answer is: You can't.
The best way to learn a natural, smooth flowing and repeating swing, in my opinion, is to watch skilled players who have such motions and try to imitate them without thinking so much.
The only exact things you need to work on are address positions, ball placement and posture. So just try to keep your grip pressure light and constant throughout your swing, find a skilled player close in stature to you and swing as close as you can to his/her tempo, turn, footwork, etc.
Lastly this is the only game I know that has as many teachers as players, such as the man who never has broken 100 dispensing tips to others on the driving range.
Rules teaser:
A player on the putting green removes a broken tee that was touching his ball and that caused the ball to move. Ruling?
Answer to last column's teaser:
From a water hazard, a player dropped his ball two club lengths under the rules but it rolled three club lengths. He then re-dropped with the same result. He re-dropped a third time and his ball came to rest within two club lengths. He then played the ball. Ruling? A three-shot penalty: one for water hazard and two for the re-drops.
John Lucas is the golf professional at Sky Ridge Golf Course and can be reached at john98382@olypen.com
© 2009 Sequim Gazette. All rights reserved. 147 West Washington, Sequim, WA 98382 • 360.683.3311 • Email the Webmaster