Imurg
The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
I do not know much about the Golf Swing. When I swing a club I'm not thinking about whether this part of my arm, leg or body is position A, B or (God forbid!) C. I just do it. I have few if any swing thoughts - it just happens. I get reasonable results (and obviously some not so reasonable too!), I've been as low as 8.1 and would almost certainly have gone lower had injuries and parenthood not got in the way. I have achieved this on the back of 1 free 30 minute lesson (that lasted all of 10!) when I first joined a club in 1993. I had spent an entire winter on the range trying to get "good enough" to join a club - what I didn't know was that I had progressed so far that my first handicap was 15. The Pro said my only problem was a tilt in my shoulders causing an upright swingplane and therefore a slice - keep the shoulders level and there you are.
Since returning to competitive golf my revised handicap of 13 has come down to 9.6 steadily. There is no reason to assume that it is not going to continue to fall, I am playing well now my driving is sorted and beating SSS of 69 on my course has become a regular occurrance. One factor not influencing my improvement is swing changes. There may have been changes to the way I swing the club but they have not been actively sought or consciously done. Why do so many people actively try to change their golf swing? In last months mag, the Psycologist Guy says that to improve you must change your swing - says who? I know Faldo did it as have loads of others but these guys are Professionals, they do it for a living, they have down-time between events to work for 8 hours a day on position B and not A. Unless we have that sort of time, money and dedication any changes that are made will initially cause much grief as scores race skywards, followed by a period where you think you've cracked it. Following a short break - weather, injury or holiday induced - you will revert to parts of the old swing that has served you well(ish) for the past X years until you re-learn your swing changes. Scores rocket again and by then you've got so much going on onside your head that you barely know which hole you're on.
And your handicap either stays similar or goes up - enducing more changes to your swing and the cycle continues once more.
That's not to say swing changes don't work. Obviously they do for some. But you've either got to have the time, patience and determinaton to do it or be naturally talented.
I won't be changing my swing anytime soon - it works for me and I think I'll continue to improve, playing once or twice a week and maybe off to the range occasionally. My swing is what I've been given, I don't feel changing it is going to make me better.
Since returning to competitive golf my revised handicap of 13 has come down to 9.6 steadily. There is no reason to assume that it is not going to continue to fall, I am playing well now my driving is sorted and beating SSS of 69 on my course has become a regular occurrance. One factor not influencing my improvement is swing changes. There may have been changes to the way I swing the club but they have not been actively sought or consciously done. Why do so many people actively try to change their golf swing? In last months mag, the Psycologist Guy says that to improve you must change your swing - says who? I know Faldo did it as have loads of others but these guys are Professionals, they do it for a living, they have down-time between events to work for 8 hours a day on position B and not A. Unless we have that sort of time, money and dedication any changes that are made will initially cause much grief as scores race skywards, followed by a period where you think you've cracked it. Following a short break - weather, injury or holiday induced - you will revert to parts of the old swing that has served you well(ish) for the past X years until you re-learn your swing changes. Scores rocket again and by then you've got so much going on onside your head that you barely know which hole you're on.
And your handicap either stays similar or goes up - enducing more changes to your swing and the cycle continues once more.
That's not to say swing changes don't work. Obviously they do for some. But you've either got to have the time, patience and determinaton to do it or be naturally talented.
I won't be changing my swing anytime soon - it works for me and I think I'll continue to improve, playing once or twice a week and maybe off to the range occasionally. My swing is what I've been given, I don't feel changing it is going to make me better.
