by Sean Cochran
Imagine every one of your shots in the middle of the fairway,
every chip two feet from the hole, and every putt nailing the center
of the cup. Well, maybe some of us dream of never having to ever
putt and each approach shot goes into the hole, but I think you
get the picture. A consistent swing is probably what many golfers
dream of when our heads hit the pillow.
The majority of us are aware that golf is a game that requires
consistent shot making to be successful (and have fun). If we are
hooking, slicing, and hitting our wedges fat, it can really start
to get frustrating. Consistency is key to hitting a low score and
enjoying the game. So how do we get there?
First, let us do a little review of the golf swing. To hit the
ball squarely on the center of the club head you must take the
club through the proper swing path. A proper swing path will allow
the club to align itself correctly with the ball to hit the shot
you are trying to hit. For more advanced players this could be
in the form of a draw, fade, cut, or some other variation. Higher
handicappers will be happy with just plain old straight shots.
Anyway, this process begins with your address, moves through your
take away, into the back swing, onto the transition between back
swing and down swing, into contact, and finishes with the follow
through.
Quite a complex sequence of events for the body to perform! And
we all know that if our timing is slightly off, or we are just
a little off mechanically, disaster is the result.
Knowing that a consistent swing requires the execution of these
complex moves over and over again is quite mind-blowing. But let’s
get back to our question: how do we develop a consistent golf swing?
The answer is two-fold, and I imagine most golfers are aware of
the first point but probably only a few are aware of the second.
The keys to a consistent swing are: 1) efficient golf swing mechanics
and 2) the body. Got it? Good, now I can stop writing this article
and all of us can become scratch golfers, right? Well, not exactly,
and I imagine some of you are saying, “I already know all
this stuff.” Others may be quite intrigued. Regardless of
which category you fall into, let me expand on each of these topics
a little.
Golf Swing Mechanics
Golf Swing mechanics is probably the easier of the two areas to
understand. It is the reason why we take golf lessons and practice
so much at the range. Beginning at address, moving through all
the stages of the golf swing, and finishing with the follow through,
the body is required to move through a specific sequence of movements
to perform the golf swing correctly. If the body does not move
through this sequence properly then the result will be a poor,
inefficient and awkward looking swing. Over time, a poor swing
results in poor consistency (every once in awhile you hit a good
shot regardless of your swing, that’s what keeps us coming
back for more). An easy example of this is when you “come
over the top” with the club. This usually results in a slice
(I know, easy thing to do and very hard to correct).
In addition to the body performing an intricate number of biomechanical
movements in the golf swing, timing of these movements is critical
for you to hit the ball successfully. Each and every biomechanical
movement within the golf swing has a certain sequence and timing.
If they are not performed in the correct order or timing, then
the golf swing will not be efficient. Poor timing results in those
wonderful slices, snap hooks, chili dips and topping the ball that
we know all too well.
Now, how do we improve on the mechanics of the golf swing? I would
have to say it is through two things:
1) Proper instruction (Find a good teacher and stick with that
teacher. Most of the pros do, why not you?) and
2) Practice, practice, practice. As they say “practice makes
perfect”, and I believe this is true when it comes to the
golf swing.
Fix the Engine that Swings the Club
Now, on to the second point when it comes to consistency in golf.
Again, this is probably the lesser known of the two points about
consistency in the swing. It is also equally as important as the
mechanics of your swing. One question might help you realize the
importance of “the body” when it comes to the golf
swing. What swings the golf club?
Some of the answers I have heard are: “my hands,” “the
swing,” “my hips” and even “the grip.” Well,
these answers are in the ballpark and are close to being right,
but let me simplify it for you. The answer is your body. Quite
simple when you think about it: The club head is attached to the
shaft, your hands grip the shaft, your arms are attached to your
shoulders, your hips rotate through the swing, and on and on we
go. It is the body that swings the club. So why is this so important
to consistency in your golf game?
We know from our golf lessons, that there are certain positions
the body is required to be in during the golf swing. For example,
at address we know that the feet are slightly wider than shoulder
width, knees slightly bent, back at a certain angle, head in a
specific position, and our hands gripping the club a certain way.
This is only the beginning of what the body has to do to swing
the club correctly. Now, from the address position your body must
move the club on the correct path and generate club head speed
to hit the ball accurately and with power. Doing this over and
over is what we define as consistency.
What most people do not understand is that for the body to perform
the golf swing correctly, certain parameters need to be met by
the body. The body must have certain levels of flexibility, strength,
endurance, balance, stability, and power. If your body does not
have the minimal levels of these factors in relation to the golf
swing, then what do you think will happen? Well, let me tell you,
it will be very difficult for the body to swing the club with the
correct mechanics. And what will this result in over time? A large
amount of time spent on the range with little improvement on the
course and a swing that looks less than desirable.
So what does consistency in my golf swing really come down to?
It is vital to understand that improvements in your golf swing
mechanics and improvements in your body specific to golf are equally
important when it comes to creating a consistent golf swing. If
you ignore either the body or the mechanics, it would be safe to
say that your golf swing and game will suffer. Take some time on
a routine basis to address both the mechanics of your swing and
the body supporting it. I think you will find the benefits to be
very rewarding.
If you are interested in more information on better golf swing
mechanics and how to improve your level of golf fitness, please
take a look at our web site www.bioforcegolf.com
Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors
in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with
2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. He has made many of his
golf tips, golf instruction and golf swing improvement techniques
available to amateur golfers on the website http://www.bioforcegolf.com.
Check out his manual and DVD, Your Body & Your Swing, on BioForceGolf.com
