subject: The Golf Swing Fundamentals [print this page] The difference between a so-so golfer and a good golfer is really little more than knowing the golf swing fundamentals - and applying them properly. Plenty of bad golfers know the golf swing basics, but they either can't or simply don't apply them. The results are usually comic and tragic, both at the same time.
Some people can pick up a golf club and make their first ever swing to deliver a good shot. They are usually the people who go on to become great golfers. They seem to have an instinctive feel for the sport. They may know nothing about the golf swing fundamentals, but they can instinctively apply them every time. It's a rare skill, but it does exist. The rest of us, no matter whether we have a snazzy electric golf trolley or not, are better advised to learn the basics and then try our best to apply them.
Knowing how to adopt the right stance, adopting the right grip, body torque and attitude is all very well - and it certainly should be learned too - but if after that you get it wrong, you are really wasting your time. The real secret to a perfect golf swing is in knowing in precise terms at what stage of the swing you should bring out the maximum force prior to hitting the ball. Do that and the shot, assuming it is lined up properly, will be a good one.
The golf swing fundamentals say that if you exert the maximum force too early in the swing process, or too late, you will struggle very hard to bring your handicap down from double figures. Golfing tips and advice might tell you that you should apply maximum force right from the outset in your golf swing. Other advice might say build it up during the swing to reach a maximum at the point of ball contact. That was the previously held advice, but it seems that they are both wrong.
New research says you should increase the power of the swing to maximum soon after the start of the swing cycle and hold it, maintaining its full force, until the ball is hit. It might seem that the difference is subtle and can't be overly important, but research says otherwise. Adopt that strategy as part of your golf swing fundamentals and you will play a better game.
The role of the arms, the shoulders and the rest of the body is important too. Hit first with the shoulders, then after a slight delay, follow through with arms and wrists. If you have the shot lined up perfectly. this tactic of golf swing fundamentals will hold you in good stead.
