BRIAN
SPARKS
FELLOW OF THE PROFFESSIONAL GOLFERS’ ASSOCIATION
E
What a finish!
ventual winner, Rory
McIlroy, might have
led the 2014 Open
Championship from the
very start but there was
some excitement towards
the end of the last round
at Royal Liverpool when
his lead slipped to just 2
shots.
If Sergio or Ricky had been
able to hole a couple more
putts then who knows how
Rory would have reacted.
The fact is that he kept his
cool, kept swinging the club
well and totally deserved to
win the Claret Jug. However,
it’s not the finish of the
tournament that I want to
talk to you about in this
article, it’s the finish of the
golf swing.
Those of you who have read
my book will remember
a section about ‘the
importance of finishing well.’
I must tell you that I have
never seen 3 players fight
out a major tournament
with such similar and
34
great finishes to their
swings, especially in such
a pressured situation. It is
no accident that they all
ended each shot with such
poise and balance. This
is something they have
evolved over many years
and is an indication of
great confidence and, quite
probably, great coaching.
Knowing and feeling how
you are going to end your
swing is a bit like going on
a journey having carefully
plotted your route in
www.countyzonegolfmag.co.uk
advance. You will recognise
every part of the road,
every junction, every twist
and turn, and every facet
of the route just like the
rally car co-driver who
gives a constant stream
of information to the
driver. In the golf swing
this knowledge of where
and how we’re going to
finish greatly influences all
the intricate components
required to get there.
In life in general, knowing
where you are going and
The County Zone SOUTH EAST
ISSUE 3