| If you watch the Golf Channel or read any of | | | | the area of the short game and the mental |
| the magazines and books on golf, it will be | | | | game. |
| very hard for you to miss the basic theme | | | | |
| that "There is a perfect swing and you will | | | | This is absolutely true for the average |
| do the most for your game by trying to get | | | | golfer but it may be true for all golfers as |
| it". Even when you watch a tournament on TV, | | | | well. There is loads of evidence on the pro |
| you see the commentators participate in this | | | | tours that the ones making the money are |
| conspiracy by showing us frame-by-frame | | | | those best at chipping and putting. The golf |
| analysis of the pro and critiquing his/her | | | | research guru himself, Dave Pelz, actually |
| every move. Now, maybe we can give the TV | | | | followed tour players around for years taking |
| guys a break because they are just trying for | | | | detailed statistics and he proved it (see his |
| some entertainment value and let's face it, | | | | book, My Short Game Bible). In addition to |
| most of us are interested in the details of | | | | that, there are too many pros to list that |
| the swing because we've been brainwashed by | | | | admit that their swing is not "technically |
| years of this theme. | | | | correct" or maybe not even very good...BUT |
| | | | THEY WIN TOURNAMENTS! Look at Jim Furyk, 2003 |
| For many years, I too was a "swing zombie" in | | | | U.S. Open winner. He actually has a big loop |
| my quest to improve my golf game. I even | | | | in his backswing. Lee Trevino always told |
| participated with a group of golfers that all | | | | people that they should not copy his swing. |
| had our swings videotaped and then we | | | | Even Jack Nicklaus says in his books that he |
| critiqued each other in a classroom setting. | | | | wasn't a very good ball striker. Bruce |
| The feedback I received from all of us | | | | Lietzke has won tournaments on the PGA and |
| watching my swing ran from "very smooth" to | | | | Senior tours playing his left-to-right shot |
| "way off-kilter". Everybody had a differing | | | | his whole career - And he says he rarely |
| opinion of many of the swings that we watched | | | | practices! On top of that, the tours are |
| and at least for me, it only confused me | | | | littered with past champions that totally |
| more. | | | | lost their game AFTER they tried to change it |
| | | | for the better. And now they are begging |
| In my younger years, I had a typical amateur | | | | their sports psychologist to help them "find" |
| slice swing that obviously came out of my | | | | their old swing. |
| years of playing baseball and softball. In | | | | |
| those days, I would just aim for the left | | | | I have talked to PGA golf instructors that |
| edge of any fairway and I could count on the | | | | say it's their clients that want the swing |
| ball moving left to right, at worst ending up | | | | advice (just like I did) even when they |
| in the right rough but usually hitting the | | | | recommend working some other part of their |
| fairway. I enjoyed playing golf those days | | | | game first. So maybe it's our own fault for |
| but I always felt that something was missing. | | | | the most part in creating the current |
| So when I could finally afford it,I decided | | | | situation where average scores of amateurs |
| to take a set of lessons from a pro. Of | | | | has not dropped one stroke in the last 50 |
| course I told him that I wanted to get rid of | | | | years despite the advances in equipment |
| my slice swing and he asked me back "are you | | | | technology. Now don't get me wrong, if you |
| sure?". This answer kind of shocked me but he | | | | are a true beginner, you really should start |
| was a very good instructor and by the end of | | | | out with learning the basics of the golf |
| the lessons, I was able to hit the ball out | | | | swing. But if you're hitting it solid most of |
| of bounds both ways, left and right. I | | | | the time and finding the fairway half the |
| figured that it would just be a matter of | | | | time, you are good to go for a real scoring |
| time until I "dialed" in to hitting it | | | | quest as more swing advice is not the |
| straight. To make the story short, 5 years | | | | quickest way for you to drop your score. |
| later and I was still "dialing" and getting | | | | There is just so much more that you can do, |
| wrong numbers (ob, jail, water,no score | | | | on and off the course, that will pay you back |
| improvement, etc.). | | | | in saved strokes for far less time spent than |
| | | | changing your swing. Most of us have precious |
| Looking back, I honestly believe now that if | | | | little free time that we can work to improve |
| I had stuck with my old left to right swing | | | | our games so why not work on that which will |
| and just used the rest of what I learned from | | | | give us the greatest bang for our (time) |
| the pro, that I would have improved | | | | buck? |
| significantly. Why? Because I was a typical | | | | |
| golfer and not a 15 handicapper trying to | | | | And so, let me be the first to make a pledge |
| become a single-digiter. Studies have shown | | | | to the golf spirit inside me (I always |
| that the overwhelming majority of amateur | | | | thought that golf is like religion): |
| golfers shoot in the 90's or above for men | | | | |
| and it's over 100 for women. If you are in | | | | I for one, do solemnly swear that I will not |
| that group, then you really should be working | | | | pay attention to any swing advice of any sort |
| on parts of your game that will give you far | | | | until I can score in the 70's consistently |
| more efficient score improvement for the time | | | | with the swing I have (and maybe not even |
| and effort spent. This would primarily be in | | | | then). |