By Bob E. Jones
Whenever you learn something new you start with the fundamentals. They are the basics that not only get you started, but they are the foundation upon which every aspect of that new skill is built. They are fundamental because every skilled practitioner does them, and when things get off, you correct yourself by going back to the fundamentals. In fact, to be a skilled a possible, you never leave them.
Golf has four fundamentals. They are a calm mind, the setup, tempo and rhythm, and impact.
Mind leads body. When the mind is calm, it will make good decisions, and the body can perform the skills it has been trained to do. A good setup leads the body easily into a good swing. A bad setup makes a good shot a matter of luck. Tempo and rhythm ensure all parts of the swing occur in the right order and in the right time. To hit the ball straight, the clubface must meet the ball traveling directly at the target with the clubface square to that path.
A Calm Mind. When we play golf we must replace thinking, which is subject to the dictates of our emotional condition, with a state of psychophysical union, a unification of mind and body, that allows us to apply what we’ve learned regardless of environmental stresses.
The application of the psychophysical union to golf is twofold – in planning the shot we are about to hit, and in hitting it. The application is the same for every shot from putt, to chip, to iron, to drive.
You plan a shot by calming your mind and letting the solution come to you. That way you’ll hit shots within your capability, and they’ll be shots that work. The makes golf very easy.
When it’s time to hit the shot, the knowledge in the mind becomes lodged in the body as well. Your body becomes a physical expression of your mind – not taking orders from the mind, but the mind made manifest.
Develop a calm mind away from the golf course. Whatever other people say or do, or what ever happens to you, stay calm and receive it in a positive way. There is good that can come out of any situation. Make it your habit to look for it. Being at peace on the golf course cannot happen unless you’re at peace with your life.
The Setup. The setup varies with the club and the shot. The one common element in every setup, regardless of the shot, is to calm your mind first. The state of your mind is as important as the position of your body. This is the most positive golfing habit you can develop to play better.
Other common principles are to have a good grip so the hands work as a unit. Good posture is critical. Keep your back straight, bend forward from your hips, keep your weight forward, let your arms hang naturally. Align your feet, knees, hips, and shoulders to your target. Hold the club gently, do not squeeze it. You can apply these attributes to every shot from chip to putt.
Tempo and Rhythm. Tempo measures the absolute speed of a golf swing. Rhythm describes the relative duration of its parts. Every good golfer swings the club with the same rhythm. The movement from address to the top of the backswing takes two counts, and from there back to impact takes one count. This fact has long been known. Tempo, however, is a personal matter. Some golfers swing faster, overall, than others.
To find the tempo and rhythm that are right for you, get a metronome and set it to 126. Count the ticks and time your swing so that it starts on the first tick, reaches the top of the backswing on the third tick, and hits the ball on the fourth tick.
You might find that metronome setting to be too slow. If so, move it up to 132 and try again. Keep going until you get to the point that you can no longer control your swing. Slow down the settings until you hit clean, straight shots at the fastest tempo you can comfortably control.
Impact. Impact is the point of golf. The entire swing comes down to that 1/500th of a second when the club and ball are in contact with each other. The clubface must be square, traveling toward the target, and making contact with the ball on the center. That’s a tall order when the club is moving at 90 miles per hour or so, but that’s what a good shot requires.
Practice square, in-line impact by making small, slow swings, no more than one foot long, while your body is in its impact position. Gradually make the swings longer, but as the clubface comes through impact, make sure the clubface is square and traveling toward a hypothetical target.
Keep lengthening your swing until it gets to the point where your hands are hip height on the backswing and follow-through. Swinging back and forth this much with the club passing through impact as it should. Be sure you square the club with your swing, not with your hands.
Building these four fundamentals into your game will have more affect, faster, than any other practice you can do.
Bob Jones is dedicated to showing recreational golfers the little things, that anyone can install in their swing and game, that make a big difference in how they play. See more at http://www.bettergolfbook.com.
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Tags: golf course, golf swing, grip, posture
