| Ask almost any golfer what they would like to | | | | out of a good setup. The only thing that comes out |
| improve on and they will say they would like to have | | | | of a bad setup is luck. See a pro learn the principles |
| a more consistent swing. That's a great goal. What | | | | of a good setup and practice it continually. |
| they don't realize is that they already have a | | | | I watched a professional clinic on TV once, that |
| consistent swing. It's just one that delivers | | | | featured major championship winners, and every one |
| inconsistent results. | | | | that talked about the swing said what they were |
| You get inconsistent results because you are not | | | | working on at the moment was their tempo. Not |
| able to put your best swing on the ball time after | | | | their backswing, not some esoteric swing detail. It |
| time. You don't have to be off by much for a good | | | | was tempo, and every pro said that. Tempo, and the |
| swing to turn into a bad one. Most of the time it's | | | | rhythm that emerges from it, is the glue that holds |
| not a technical flaw. It's because you're not paying | | | | the swing together. Most recreational golfers swing |
| attention to the fundamentals of the golf swing, | | | | too fast, and speed up especially on the downswing. |
| which are: a calm mind, setup, tempo and rhythm, | | | | If you think to swing at the ball rather than to hit the |
| and impact. Let's go over each one. | | | | ball, you'll likely be all right. |
| The mind leads the body. The state of your mind is | | | | Square, in-line impact is what the swing is all about. |
| reflected in the condition of your body. When the | | | | Every good golfer gets there in his or her own way, |
| mind is calm, the golf skills that you have practiced | | | | but they all get to the same place. And impact isn't |
| will come out. When there is worry or doubt or | | | | an effect. It's a cause, and you can practice it as well |
| distraction in your mind, your body will not perform | | | | as any other part of your swing. Take short, |
| the way you trained it to. You take a calm mind to | | | | three-foot swings through the impact zone, |
| the course if you have one in your daily life. Practice | | | | memorize what your body feels like when everything |
| not getting easily upset, distracted, or stymied by | | | | is just right, then build that feeling into your full swing. |
| obstacles. Getting good at this takes as much | | | | To get consistent results, be consistent in how you |
| practice as any golf skill does. | | | | apply the fundamentals. They're easy to learn, easy |
| Any pro will tell you that the setup is the entree to a | | | | to maintain. When you hit a shot that's not to your |
| good golf swing. They work on their setup | | | | liking, go through the list and see which one you |
| constantly and the setup is the first thing they check | | | | didn't apply, because odds are that's what caused it. |
| when their shots start going awry. Good shots flow | | | | |