Thanks to David at One Bearded Golfer who speaks volumes in his article. He has worked on his swing for just over a year with great results. Now he owns it and only has to make small adjustments to improve. Great advice for everyone!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
That was the punchline of a Dick’s Sporting Goods golf commercial of recent vintage, with Arnold Palmer extolling the virtues of individuality and uniqueness in every golfer’s swing. Certainly, no one has done it quite like Palmer in the 60 years since he burst onto the golf scene.
Through a lot of hard and diligent work, invaluable lessons, wisdom, and advice from a professional teacher, and tremendous support and patience from The Wife, I think I’m finally closing in on my swing.
I don’t necessarily understand all the physics and kinetic principles at work in my golf swing. I can’t look at another player’s grip, stance, or swing, and impart to them what improvements would help their game. I’ll leave that to the professionals.
The Gambler by Kenny Rogers is stuck in my head. For some reason I keep saying the words and humming the tune. After a short while, I realize that there is a lesson to be learned if I decide listen to what Rogers has to say. The chorus particularly applies to golf. Take a look:
You’ve got to know when to hold ’em
Know when to fold ’em
Know when to walk away
And know when to run
You never count your money
When you’re sittin’ at the table
There’ll be time enough for countin’
When the dealin’s done
How many times are we faced with a risk/reward shot? We walk up to our ball and weigh all the possibilities for success. Then a small voices starts to point out a small percentage shot that would advance the ball towards the green. Suddenly, we are more focused on a ‘losing hand’ then making the smart shot. Tunnel vision sets in and now the only option available is to make the impossible shot.
Enter stage right – The Gambler! Instead knowing when to make the safe shot and invoking proper course management, we attempt the impossible. Most of the time, it does not work. We attempt another crazy shot, then the score counting starts. The pressure mounts and low and behold, a bogey turns into a triple! Ouch! We walk to the next hole mumbling to ourselves how foolish we played the last hole!
Course management is critical in golf! It helps players navigate around the links in the most efficient way possible. It helps players decide when to ‘take their medicine’ or to press a difficult situation. Course management is extremely important if a player wants to lower their golf score. Want to learn more, check out one of my previous articles on course management.
Next time, before you hit the links, think about the chorus from The Gambler! I bet it will change your mental approach to your game and positive things will happen!
Who has the best golf swing ever? If you listen to any golf announcer, it seems that the player on the TV screen has the perfect swing. The announcers highlight the perfect form, the smooth back swing, the flawless swing plane, and strong follow through. Could it be as easy as picking any of the top 10 players in the world and emulating their swing to be successful in golf? OK, maybe not every player because Jim Furyk’s swing is well…..ugly; effective, but ugly.
Through the years many great players emerged as having the best swing ever! Names like Peter Thompson, Sam Snead, and Ben Hogan always seem to make the list because of their classic, lower body movements. Here is a quick video to show you five possibilities for the greatest swings ever:
Are these players really the best! Their record definitely supports this claim. Interestingly, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were not mentioned. But, was this an oversight or are their swings not worth copying?
What about Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson or Martin Kaymer? They are the players of today who analysts rave about for their smooth consistent motion throughout the entire swing.
Let us not forget Moe Norman. Considered one of the greatest ball strikers of all time. His unorthodox swing gained him world recognition because of his unmatched control of the golf ball. As great a ball striker that he was, he could not handle the rigors of the professional golfing circuit and never really won at the professional ranks.
The list of greatest golf swings could not be complete without Ben Hogan. There is so much written about this icon that it is difficult capture the impact he made on professional golf. With 64 wins on the PGA Tour, his swing cannot be overlooked. Here is how Hogan describes his swing:
It is difficult to decide who has the best swing ever. Here are some interesting comments by well-known professional golfers:
Tiger Woods told golf writer Jaime Diaz in 2004, “Only two players have ever truly owned their swings: Moe Norman and Ben Hogan. ”
His legend preceded him, Nick Price told me. “When I got to watch him, you could see that he had a technique that obviously worked for him, and he had perfected it.”
Reverse every natural instinct and do the opposite of what you are inclined to do, and you will probably come very close to having a perfect golf swing. Ben Hogan.
“Everybody can see that my swing is homegrown. That means everybody has a chance to do it.” Bubba Watson.
All of these professionals are saying the same thing. The best golf swing ever is the one inside of every golfer. No matter who you are, there is a golf swing in you. Will it look like Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus, the short answer is NO! If it did you would probably on a professional golf tour right now.
As you approach the 2015 golf season, remember that your golf swing is yours to develop and nurture. It is all yours. Is it possible to change your swing, yes you can. But ultimately, we cannot match Ben Hogan or Jack Nicklaus’ golf swing because we are not Ben Hogan and Jack Nicklaus. So my advice to you is accept what you have right now and perfect it just like Moe Norman.
In case you are wondering, I believe the best golf swing of all time belonged to my dad! He loved golf and worked to perfect his swing. He rarely broke 80, but when I watched him play, it was pure poetry!
Who will be the next USA Ryder Cup Captain will be announced mid way through the 2015 professional golf season. After the crushing defeat last year at the hands of the Europeans, the US created a task force to examine how the US team is selected (including Captains and Vice-Captains). Unwilling to accept the current trend of losing (4-10-1 since 1985), the USA is attempting to find a better way to field a winning Ryder Cup Team.
The task force was created in the wake of Europe’s victory in the 2014 Ryder Cup in Gleneagles, Scotland. In addition to Sprague and Bevacqua, its members include past captains Raymond Floyd, Tom Lehman and Davis Love III; past Ryder Cup team members Rickie Fowler, Jim Furyk, Phil Mickelson, Steve Stricker and Tiger Woods; and PGA Vice President Paul Levy. Rydercup.com
I am not sure a “task force” is required to right the sinking ship, but that is the approach the PGA of America has decided to go. Given the big names involved, some unique solutions and ideas will be bantered about to find a winning solution.
From Golf Digest
I could not find an official list of candidates for the Captaincy, but the first name that popped into my mind was Freddie Couples. He would be perfect for the job. He has led the US to three wins in the President’s Cup; is a well-respected veteran; and has the perfect temperament for The Ryder Cup.
As seen from the tweet above, many big names are in agreement with my choice. Freddie Couples is an obvious candidate and with any luck he will be selected as the 2016 USA Ryder Cup Captain!
I stumbled across this video: The top 10 shots of the 2013 FedEx Cup Playoffs. As I watch all the great shots, all I could do is smile. It is amazing how good professional golfers really are!
My favorite was Number 8. Scott Brown’s bounce off the cart path on a drivable par 4 hole. It brings back many memories of hitting something on the course which resulted in something special.
Which shot did you like the best? I would like to know!
No one did it quite like The King. 
