The Basic Fundamentals

Posture! One of the key basic fundamentals

It’s so important to set up with athletic posture to swing the club the best you can. Good posture is important on every shot and it is the foundation of the golf swing. In one of the photos, you’ll see a club rested on my spine. That’s a drill I do at home in front of the mirror every night. This drill will help you get into a proper set up. A common mistake people make is rounding the spine.

Your feet, hips, knees, arms, shoulders, and eyes should be square to your target. You don’t want any tension either. The more relaxed you are, the easier it is to swing freely.

A VIDEO DEMONSTRATION OF HOW TO GRIP THE CLUB PROPERLY!

Watch this video as you hold a club. You should pause and play numerous times until your hands feel comfortable on the golf club the correct way. I can’t tell you how many times i here my students say, “that doesn’t feel right”. It wont feel right at first, but if you want to see a major improvement in your game, you need to hold the club the proper way. This video will help guide you, so you can practice at home and know you’re holding it perfect! Practice 5 to 10 minutes a day and you’re on the right track. I said this in my article on alignment and I’ll say it again, you don’t want to hit the ball poorly because one of your 4 basic fundamentals are off. Master the grip, posture, ball position, and alignment and I promise you will be a much better player!

ALIGNMENT!

Alignment is one of the four basic fundamentals of golf. You could practice every day for 10 years and get no results if your basic fundamentals (grip, posture, ball position, and alignment) are off. My dad always drilled that in my head as a young boy. I see people at our range day after day working on their swings and getting frustrated. If they just mastered the 4 basics, realizing it will feel uncomfortable at first, they would improve dramatically.
I’ll give you a great tip now. Don’t practice anymore without a club on the ground, aiming down your target line. If you go to a PGA or LPGA tour event and walk along the range, chances are you’ll see tour pros practicing with a club on the ground aiming at their target. Most people who slice aim more left subconsciously and that results in a bigger slice. The same goes for those who hook the ball. They start aiming more right, resulting in a bigger hook. If you have the club on the ground and know you’re on line, you’ve illuminated one of the basics. If your still slicing or hooking after you’re square to the target, it’s most likely your grip. When you’ve mastered your basics, you are ready to work on your swing. My point is, if you’re working on your swing with improper basics and are trying to improve, you’re wasting your time and money.
Don’t hit bad shots anymore because of improper basics! Take the time to master them!

BALL POSITION

Ball Postition
Posted in Uncategorized on March 1, 2008 by emacster

This article is by Jack Moorehouse
The article explains how critical ball position is and where you should play the ball in your stance depending on the club you’re hitting.
I found some nice images of David Leadbetter, Nick Faldo, and Tiger Woods for you to see and copy. Have Fun!

“Ball position is a critical component that’s often overlooked by players with high golf handicaps. Ball position decides a shot’s initial direction. While theories on ball position abound, you need to find one that’s right for you.

Ball position affects a clubhead’s swing path.If the ball is too far back, the clubhead moves on an in-to-out swing path at impact, sending the ball to the target’s right. If the ball is too far forward, the clubhead moves on an out-to-in swing path at impact, sending the ball to the target’s left.

Correctly positioning the ball increases the clubhead’s chances of meeting the ball at the correct angle of attack and on the right target path. It also helps eliminate a fade or hook, along with other swing adjustments.

For example, the ideal ball position for the driver is just inside the heel of your front foot. Placing the ball there ensures that the clubhead makes impact just beyond the swing’s lowest point, with an upward, sweeping motion of the club—the perfect swing for the being used.

The ideal position for long irons, on the other hand, is slightly back from the driver’s position. The ideal position for mid-irons is one or two balls back from this position. And the ideal position for short irons is in the middle of your stance.

These positions place the ball at the lowest point in your swing, given the length of the club used and the type of swing taken. In addition, placing the ball at these positions enable the golfer to make clean contact with a crisp descending blow—the key to hitting iron shots well.”

Below is an image from “How I play golf”by Tiger Woods

Below are images taken when Tiger put a camera on the lid of his cap.