| I have spent many hours sitting in my favourite cafe | | | | Why is getting the basic swing correct so important? |
| watching people teeing off from various greens on | | | | Golf is a difficult game at the best of times. Sticking |
| the course it serves. There is a good view of people | | | | at a static ball leaves fear in most people's hearts. It |
| driving off up the first and an even better view of | | | | should be easy, but look at the distance a goal keep |
| the drive from the 8th tee, which includes the view | | | | kicks a spot ball against the distance of a dropped |
| right down to the green. It is an excellent way to | | | | ball. We, as humans, find a moving ball easier to |
| spend a lazy lunchtime, watching other people playing | | | | strike. |
| the game I wish I could dedicate more time to. | | | | So when it comes to the time to hit the 1.68 inch |
| Now I am not going to claim to have the best or | | | | golf ball with a rapidly moving club head at the far |
| purest swing out there. It certainly has room for | | | | end of a golf club, held at arm's length, the odds are |
| improvement and needs a lot more consistency. But | | | | drastically against us. How often when you were |
| watching others take their tee shot, I can certainly | | | | beginning did you top and even just take a fresh air |
| spot the good swing from the bad swing before the | | | | shot? Probably more than you care to admit? |
| ball is struck. Usually the practise swings will show | | | | By reproducing an 'authentic' golf swing, one that is |
| what sort of swing is coming up. Sometimes, just the | | | | the accepted shape, we are benefitting from the |
| backswing will show the faults. | | | | many years of playing experience of those who |
| The thing is, I know if I could stand 20 feet away | | | | have gone before us have put into finding the |
| from myself and watch my swing I would be able to | | | | perfect swing. The ideal swing shape puts the |
| point out corrections. Now, this might not be possible, | | | | clubhead on the straightest line for the longest length |
| but down on the driving range it is possible to get | | | | of time, which in actually fact is a mere fraction of a |
| my wife to video my swing on the camera video | | | | second. |
| phone. The very first time she did that for me I | | | | For this brief moment in time, for that split second |
| instantly corrected my swing and lost the worst of | | | | just before the club strikes the ball to the fraction of |
| my slice in an instant. My swing, like many of the | | | | a second later when the ball has left the tee, the |
| people I watch down in the cafe, was far too flat. | | | | clubhead is travelling straight towards the target and |
| By bringing the top of the backswing higher the path | | | | at a level height. |
| to the ball was corrected, the spin was lessened and | | | | Getting the perfect swing is not easy. But we can |
| the ball flew straighter. | | | | try! |