THE FUNDAMENTALS
W L
GOLF
THE FUNDAMENTALS
BY TOM ATKINSON , PGA GOLF PROFESSIONAL
What do you really need to work on to enjoy the game ?
There is a lot of misconception regarding the fundamentals of the golf swing . When I ask my pupils the question , the common answers are grip , stance , posture , alignment etc . These are very important , however , they fall under ' preferences ' or ' variables ' rather than fundamentals . Take 2 Ryder cup captains and their grips for example . Jose Maria Olazabal played with a notoriously weak grip whilst Paul Azinger had one of the strongest ever seen , both won Major championships .
So what are the key fundamentals of the long game ?
1 . Control the low point of the swing arc 2 . Hit the ball far enough 3 . Know your shape
Number one is the number one fundamental , and the main reason why we have a handicap system . Delivering the club back to the same point relative to the ground consistently is not easy .
Here ' s a simple drill to help you control the low point . Not one for the driver per say , but brilliant for those shots whereby the ball is on the turf ! Place a towel down about 6 inches behind your ball , make sure it ' s thick enough to do a job but not too thick that it will impede your backswing . Hit shots missing the towel , it will mean that you almost can ' t gather the ball unless the club is still on its descent , you will then take a divot after the ball , thus , teaching yourself to control low point , of course repetition is needed .
Use this simple diagram to help you understand the concept .
Hitting the ball far enough , what does that really mean ? It means far enough to enjoy the game , forget the 200mph ball speeds of Bryson De Chambeau and his compatriots , don ' t even worry about the 100mph club speed , learn to hit the ball as far as you can but whilst exercising some control over it . You may be surprised to see your 7 iron going as far as your 5 iron , this isn ' t unusual , mainly because it ' s easier to hit the 7 iron well , therefore maximising efficiency and producing better results . Get yourself a good rangefinder or GPS , it ' s not about knowing how far the ball should go , it ' s about knowing how far it does go .
Lastly knowing your shape - as a beginner this won ' t be as important as learning to hit it well , but as you improve and look to shoot better scores this will become essential , take my first professional tournament of the year at Wallasey earlier this month , there was an unusual wind blowing across the course , knowing that my shot shape is a right to left ( draw ) was pivotal in picking the right lines off the tee to give myself the best chance of a good score . Not knowing your prominent shape would be like trying to play crown green bowls not knowing which way the ball was going to curve on its way to the Jack .
Don ' t get yourself in a mess , book a lesson with us at Heswall Golf Club .
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