The Search For Perfect Golf Swing: The Authentic Swing
Nearly all golfers search for The Perfect Golf Swing
, a quest that as been around since the start of golf. Full shots constitute less than 45% of scoring in golf for almost all levels of players, yet among golf enthusiasts, the full swing monopolizes practice time, effort and conversation. There is no universal agreement on which style is best. As a result, the mystique will likely continue for as long as the game is played.
The Swing, as it is more commonly called, can be made in a variety of angles, shapes and sizes while still being effective. Centuries ago, the golf was played with a wooden stick and a ball made out of feathers wrapped in leather. Because cubs had so much shaft torque, the most effective swing technique was a long, gradually accelerating sweeping motion. Today, most great golf instructors teach a compact power driven swing. Which is correct?
If we look at some of the great golfers over the centuries - Willie Anderson, Willie Dunn, Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Walter Hagen, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Fred Couples, Jim Furyk and Tiger Woods we see that each of these swing totally different than the next. Jones had a long sweeping motion with a smooth tempo. Palmers swing looked as if he was having a bad dream. Woods features power and a fast tempo. Couples looks like he is out for a stroll in the park.
Great teachers -- past and present -- all seem to teach different methods and swing techniques. Take your pick of Hank Haney, David Leadbetter, Harvey Penick, Tommy Armour, Rick Reilly, Tom Joseph, your local pro and any other golf instructors you might know.
All of these instructors are probably successful at what they do and teach. You might find they all teach a similar grip and stance, but how to swing the club might be totally different. So how do you get the perfect swing?
Steven Pressfield, in his novel The Legend of Bagger Vance, presents a way to improve and understand your golf swing.
The frictional caddy, Bagger Vance, uses the term the authentic swing he believes that every person has an authentic swing. In the novel, a young boy picking up and swinging the golf club for the first time demonstrates this. If you have ever watched a young boy swing for the first time and then seen him years later their authentic swing is virtually identical to that first swing.
A young boys first swing is so natural with the big raw pivot, enormous arc, the natural sense of balance, release and turn. Everyone has his or her own authentic tendencies. In the novel, Bagger Vance uses the example of identical twins swinging a golf club each for the first time. They both will swing it in a different, but authentic, way.
Could you imagine an instructor trying to teach Palmer to swing like Furyk? It would be totally impossible to accomplish and Palmer would never had become the great player he became. Why? The authentic swing would not be authentic.
How can you develop your authentic (and therefore perfect) swing? A golf instructor might help. We can be misled into believing an instructor will make our game better. It is very important to remember the student is the one who makes the instructor a good one.
How is this possible? The instructor does not make the student a good golfer. The golfer does that. The instructor can coach you and that is a very positive thing. He or she can also educate you about your swing and can help you reach goals that have been set for you.
Do you really need an instructor? One saying to remember is this: Only a fool serves as his or her own attorney. This is not always true when talking about golf. Many professionals have been their own coach and been very successful.
Golf instructors are not magicians. No one knows your abilities better than you. Take advantage of your knowledge of the game. Once the basics and natural swing are arrived at, the best teacher is practice. Practice makes perfect of course if you are practicing the wrong things, you become perfect at the wrong things. Not a good thing to do.
Good golfers only become better when they practice proper techniques and follow the proper guidelines.
If you trust the instructor with your game, go with that. If not, stick with yourself. Either way you choose to improve your game you will develop your authentic golf swing.
by: Article Syndication
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