| A good golf swing produces a good shot, | | | | ball. After addressing the ball, start |
| period. The biomechanics of the golf | | | | your pivot by shifting back to your |
| swing is not a bunch of random parts. | | | | right foot. On impact the hips are |
| No one, and I mean no one, can learn to | | | | turned with the shoulders parallel to |
| swing as a series of move this, then | | | | the ball. The ball is said to leave the |
| this, then this, now this, & then that. | | | | tee at about 140 mph with a backspin of |
| It has got to be something that just | | | | fifty to sixty rotations per second. |
| happens, without conscious thought. The | | | | Just recall the fantastic feeling when |
| good news is that you probably have a | | | | you hit a great shot and imagine that |
| good athletic setup and all you need is | | | | feeling happening every time you hit the |
| to brush it up and be more relaxed. An | | | | ball. |
| athletic golf stance and setup is the | | | | Tips |
| launching pad for your swing. | | | | Every night on the Golf Channel, there |
| The Swing | | | | are new tips to try. The magazines have |
| The left foot is slightly open as this | | | | new tips every month. Now with the |
| makes it easier for the body to follow | | | | advent of the Internet, online golf tips |
| through. The right foot should be | | | | are rampant. You can get the info to |
| placed straight forward from the body, | | | | help you delivered to you in seconds, if |
| at a right angle to the line of flight, | | | | you want. |
| so that when you swing the weight will | | | | Shots |
| come on the inside of the foot to be | | | | For an average golfer, on a Par 72, you |
| able to push away and do the follow | | | | would conceivably hit 14 drives, 4 |
| through. This position will make your | | | | fairway woods, 18 mid to short iron |
| arms hang comfortably in front of your | | | | shots, and 36 putts. Overall, you can |
| body, to be able to swing more freely. | | | | help your golf swing a lot more by |
| The backswing now starts with the | | | | hitting 30 to 40 shots in a practice |
| initial rotation - shoulders, hips, | | | | session than hammering 60-100 balls in |
| hands and arms - an almost simultaneous | | | | the same amount of time. Because a |
| movement. The downswing begins by | | | | truly great swing is judged by how the |
| pushing your weight from right to left | | | | missed shots turn out. After all, even |
| and rotating the body and hips. | | | | Ben Hogan admitted to only hitting a few |
| Remember it is a swing and not a hit. | | | | "perfect" shots per round. |
| And that is how to perform the perfect | | | | The classic golf swing is grooved |
| golf swing. See, it's that easy. (Stop | | | | through practice As long as you're |
| yelling, I'm just joking!) | | | | working on the fundamentals, you'll be |
| The Ball | | | | working toward developing a consistently |
| How do you set up to the ball? There | | | | good golf swing. The best golfers in |
| isn't one prescribed ball position, but | | | | the world spend 6-8 hour a day learning |
| most of the better players have a ball | | | | the complexities of the traditional golf |
| position that is toward the instep of | | | | swing. Getting overwhelmed with swing |
| the left foot. Addressing the ball, | | | | mechanics will get you farther away from |
| both arms are straight but relaxed, and | | | | your goal of a proper golf swing. The |
| the left shoulder is higher than the | | | | range is where you do the work; the |
| right due to the position of the hands. | | | | course is where you play. There's more |
| The hands are slightly in front of the | | | | to golf than your swing. |