I cannot remember the last time I whiffed a golf shot, but I am confident it has happened over the past 45+ years. It is not something that happens often with any of my playing partners, but it definitely has occurred through the years. There are many possibilities as to why a golfer misses the ball and most likely the root error is in their swing. Having said that, there is something that does contribute to whiffing the ball that most amateurs overlook: anxiety.
Continue readingswing challenges in golf
One Too Many Golf Swing Thoughts
The golf swing is a complicated maneuver that incorporates many minor movements. When I first started playing, I tried to manage as many of positive swing factors as a could just prior to starting my swing. It is something that most, if not all, amateurs find overwhelming. The number of thoughts that would bounce around in my head during my entire swing process seemed uncountable. I fixed this common error after I talked to my mentor Bob Fortune, who explained that I needed to find a way to stop overthinking. Never accursed of thinking too much in the past 😉 I decided to take his advice to heart. Now, I have very little to no swing thoughts and it has helped my improve my ball striking and aim effectiveness. You can as well if you start to eliminate as many swing thoughts as you can prior to and during your golf swing.
Continue readingBalance and Control During Your Golf Swing
Balance and control are vital to a solid golf swing. I wish there was a simple solution, however each player needs to find the harmony between the multitude of factors in order to produce their perfect swing. This journey is a difficult one because of the plethora of factors. Fortunately, there is a simple way to approach this nut and it can be fixed by simple math.
Continue readingA Minor Swing Change That Worked
Trying to find the proper swing is a lifetime quest for any golfer. If we are not tinkering with our swing, than we are just not trying to get better. Of course, I say this with tongue in cheek. Not everyone tries to find that perfect combination of tempo, swing speed and weight transfer to maximize the results from every swing. As a student of the game, I am always trying to find that something extra that will help me gain the slightest advantage over the course. Recently, I adopted a minor change with my driver that has proven to be one of the best changes I have made in years. Moving forward, I can only see positive results off the tee.
Continue readingThe Golfing Bobblehead
Keeping my head still through the entire swing!
Have you ever had that one challenge that would creep into your game for many unknown reasons? It is the bane of every golfer and when it sneaks into your game, it is hard to identify what this plague is doing to your swing. Well, I am here to confess that my earlier woes were caused by a reoccurring swing fault that creeps into my game from time to time.
I call it the bobblehead syndrome! Everyone once in a while my head is bouncing around like a bobblehead doll. It is forward of the ball, behind the ball, too high, too low or just out of alignment during contact. Yesterday, I realized that my current challenges were cause by my head moving during contact with the ball. I realized my issue on the second tee and through an epiphany, my game changed.
Suddenly, I was hitting most fairways or only missed the rest by a couple of yards. My contact was crisp, the swing consistent and my confidence grew. In 18 holes, I only had two poor tee shots and only walked away with a bogey. Overall, my 79 was pretty solid and I felt I could have easily shot lower.
I want to thank all those who provided positive advice and support. I will take those as areas of improvement as the year progresses. Having a strong resource, like The Grateful Golfer Community, helps improve my game and fuel my desire to improve. For that I am grateful. Thank you.
It has been about 1 month since the 2015 golfing season has started, so, how is your game coming? We all want to know!
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 