The Weekend Golfer's Handbook

On swing aids...

...With swing aids there is one thing to warn you of.  I don’t argue that many of the top aids on the market help you to create the proper feel for the golf swing, and in many cases, speeds up the process of improving your swing. The point I want to make, though, is that understanding the mechanics of your swing is more important. When you’re in the middle of a round and you begin to struggle a bit with your swing and being able to execute particular shots, your swing aid will not be a possibility to resolve your dilemma. The only thing that can save you at a time like that is the knowledge of how your golf swing works. Therefore, my mention of any swing aids in this discussion and the benefits they bring to the golf swing are worth being mentioned only if you, the golfer, already has a firm understanding of the execution of the proper swing in mind.

On the golf swing...

...If you play the game of golf you know that there are many factors that contribute to a particular round. The golf swing alone has been dissected and analyzed in so many ways that it has become the lifelong employment of many individuals we call the teaching professional. For those who play, it is an obsession. "Well I figured out what I’m doing wrong. I need to keep my left leg more firm during my swing, so I can stop hitting the ball fat." Many times during a round we can find some cure that will help to get us through a couple of holes, only to find later the fix was only temporary. Unfortunately, most of the conclusions we reach concerning our golf swings are reached by pure coincidence. One of the biggest problems many of us face, is we don’t understand what a good swing feels like...

...Everybody is different when it comes to hitting a golf ball. That’s why I stated at the start that no matter what information you read or see that you’re hoping will ultimately help you cure your swing, you need to make sure that you’re applying those ideas with your best interest coming first. I don’t care if you are athletic in your build, or short and chubby. All of us, to swing the club correctly, need to first understand what it feels like to swing the club properly and how we executed that feel? What is good contact? What does a good divot look and feel like?

...through a series of pictures and explanations, it is my intention to show you what the proper swing path should look like and give you some ways to try and develop a good feel for a more solid swing that fits you. Whether you have played for years or are just starting out, I feel the following information provides you with some great "checkpoints" to consider in (re)building, or, if you’re more experienced, reminding your complete golf swing (mentally and physically).

On positive thinking...

To execute any shot we know feel is an important aspect, but from that feel comes the ability to visualize. After hitting several shots correctly, you become more confident that you can execute a particular shot because you’ve seen yourself do it. When you can see yourself playing a shot, you have a more optimistic outlook in your approach. This aspect of positive thinking is so important because there is less to think about. There are numerous ways someone can mess up a particular shot. If this is your concern when you stand over the ball, there is no way you will execute the shot correctly. You cannot clear your mind; thus it gets in the way of your physical side. If you know what the shot looks like you want to hit, because you have hit it hundreds of time before, then that vision should be your only thought. This frees up the mind and adds the confidence you need to execute the shot correctly.