|
Better Golf through Better Fitness
|
|
|
|
5 Vital Elements for Golf Swing Set-Up
1.) Grip
2.) Stance
3.) Posture
4.) Alignment
5.) Ball Position
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Set-Up - Addressing the Ball
Each of these 5 fundamentals is critical to your successful golf swing. Golfers should develop a pre-shot set-up routine that includes all 5 Fundamentals.
Let's talk about what each one means and why it's important. In the next issue of the Golf Guru Newsletter, I will talk more about "how to" achieve the 5 points of the correct set-up.
|
|
|
|
GRIP - Your Connection to the Golf Club
|
|
The GRIP is the first fundamental because it is what attaches the club to the body. Also, it is your grip that has the greatest control over what the club face does.
Whether you choose a baseball style grip, interlocking (as shown in photo) or overlapping, a relatively firm grip pressure is important for good control.
|
|
|
|
|
STANCE - Your Connection to the Ground
|
|
|
|
The STANCE you take for your golf swing determines how well you can move and turn your body through impact into the follow-through position.
In general, you should use your widest stance for your driver, less for hybrids and long irons and even less for short irons.
|
|
|
|
POSTURE - Your Connection to the Correct Angles
|
|
The correct golf POSTURE is critical to staying in Natural Dynamic Balance during the golf swing. You ability to acheive and maintain good posture throughout the entire round is greatly enhanced by a good fitness level. Strength, flexibility and endurance in your large muscle groups are important.
Key points for good golf posture include your weight distribution on your feet as you stand, the bend in your knees, the angle of forward lean of the upper body, and the position of your head.
|
|
|
|
|
ALIGNMENT - Your Connection to the Target
|
|
|
|
|
Correct ALIGNMENT to your target is essential. Consider this: For each 1" you are off the true target line, the ball will end up 5-10 yards away from target (usually to the right for right handed golfers) at 100 yards out. As you can imagine, this multiplies and adds up quickly if you are more than one inch off.
|
|
|
|
BALL POSITION - Your Connection to a Square Clubface
|
|
What's the correct BALL POSITION for each club? You should adjust the ball position depending on the type of club you have chosen. You should know how to place the ball (and adjust your stance) for your driver, long irons & hybrids, and short irons.
The Golf Guru shows you how to find the correct ball position and stance with each club. Check out the video below.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rule School |
The Putting Green
The "putting green" has special considerations and rules in the Official Rules of Golf.
DEFINITION -The "putting green" is all ground of the hole being played which is specially prepared for putting. A ball is on the putting green when any part of it touches the putting green.
The "line of putt" is the line in which the player wishes her ball to take after a stroke on the putting green. The line of putt includes a reasonable distance on either side of the intended line. The line of putt does extend beyond the hole.
A ball is "holed" when it is at rest within the circumference of the hole, and all of it is below the level of the lip of the hole.
|
|
|
TOUCHING LINE of PUTT - The line of putt must not be touched except:
(i) The player may move sand and loose soil on the putting green and other "loose impediments" by picking them up or by brushing them aside with her hand or a club without pressing anything down;
(ii) in addressing the ball, the player may place the club in front of the ball without pressing anything down;
(iii) in measuring, such as when measuring to determine which ball is closest to the hole;
(iv) in lifting the ball;
(v) in pressing down a ball-marker;
(vi) in repairing old hole plugs or ball marks on the putting green; and
(vii) in removing movable "obstructions".
|
|
LIFTING BALL - A ball on the "putting green" may be lifted and, if desired, cleaned. A ball so lifted shall be replaced on the spot from which it was lifted.
REPAIR OF HOLE PLUGS, BALL MARKS AND OTHER DAMAGE
The player may repair an old hole plug or damage to the :putting green" caused by the impact of a ball, whether or not the player's ball lies on the putting green.
TESTING SURFACE - During play of a hole, a player shall not test the surface of the putting green by rolling a ball or roughening or scraping the surface.
|
|
STANDING ASTRIDE OR ON LINE OF PUTT - The player shall not make a "stroke" on the "putting green" from a stance astride, or with either foot touching the line of putt or an extension of that line behind the ball.
BALL OVERHANGING HOLE - When any part of the ball overhangs the lip of the hole, the player is allowed enough time to reach the hole without unreasonable delay and an additional ten seconds to determine whether the ball is at rest. If by then the ball has not fallen into the hole, it is deemed to be at rest. If the ball subsequently falls into the hole, the player is deemed to have holed out with her last stroke, and she shall add a penalty stroke to her score for the hole.
|
|
|
THE FLAGSTICK ATTENDED, REMOVED OR HELD UP - Before and during the stroke, the player may have the flagstick attended, removed or held up to indicate the position of the hole. This may be done only on the authority of the player before she plays her stroke. If, prior to the stroke, the flagstick is attended, removed or held up by anyone with the player's knowledge and no objection is made, the player shall have deemed to have authorized it.
|
|
BALL STRIKING FLAGSTICK OR ATTENDANT - The player's ball shall not strike:
a. The flagstick when attended, removed or held up by the player, her partner, or by another person with the player's prior knowledge; or
b. The player's caddie, or partner when attending the flagstick, or anything carried by such person; or
c. The flagstick in the hole, unattended, when the ball has been played from the putting green.
Penalty for breach is 2 strokes and the ball shall be played as it lies.
|
|
|
Thanks for reading the Golf Guru Newsletter! I welcome all feedback, suggestions, etc.I would love to add an "Ask Golf Guru" section, so please submit any golf swing or golf fitness questions you may have. Please check back as I add info and develop my new Golf Guru website.
Please forward this link to any golfers you know who may be interested. Tawny
|
|
|
|
Tawny McLellan has owned and operated the fitness guru personal training studio in Ojai, California since 1998. Tawny holds national personal fitness training certifications from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) and National Federation of Personal Trainers (NFPT).
Tawny lives with her husband, Mike and two wolfdogs, Cheyenne & Zeff. She also is a wildlife rehabilitator with the Ojai Raptor Center, raising owls and songbirds. Oh, and she plays golf every chance she gets!
With 23 years experience training hundreds of clients, Tawny is uniquely qualified to guide you safely toward your fitness goals, or your golf swing improvement quest.
SPRING SPECIAL! Golf Guru Swing Coach Package
|
|
|
|
|
FREE Golf Guru Newsletter
Sign up here
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
