The Secret To An Improved Golf Swing

People are a strange lot!

It seems as if there must always be a secret to something we cannot master and the golf swing is no different - there just has to be a "secret" to getting a better, more reliable golf swing.

No-one wants to hear that the "secret" is simply understanding the basic principles of the golf swing and then practicing accordingly.

You slice the ball no matter what you do so it must just be the way you are - right?

You and 96% of people that play golf.

The other 4% have the secret or are built kinda weird to be able to hit a draw or a straight shot.

Well here is the "secret" for you.

The club makers are making a fortune out of you. Yes they have developed off-set clubs and adjustable swing weights and centers to correct your faults. You bought one didn't you? And now you are much happier shooting the same scores you were before you "fixed" your swing. Now if only you could get a bit more distance!

I played golf with a guy last week who told me he was using a ball designed to eliminate his slice! That is the most bizarre think I have ever heard.

For years now I have been saying that the only way to improve golf is to use your head.

Think about it.

Really think about it. In the days when Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Lee Trevino were playing, the technology was no-where near as good as it is today, but those guys sure knew how to work a ball around the course.

Yes technology has helped but from where I stand most of the improvement seems to be in the distance category. To this end the courses have become longer to curtail what would otherwise be crazy scores in this game.

But even with new technology some of the longest recorded drives in history were from 30 or 40 years ago.

In September 1974 at the age of 64 Mike Austin hit a drive 515 yards! In 1975 George Bell of Australia apparently drove a ball 550 yards. Not bad when you consider that the World Long Driving Champions don't seem to be anywhere near this!

So what is the secret - how do you improve your golf swing?

I'll say it again: It's about understanding the mechanics and practicing correctly.

Remember that most of us do not have the time to spend hours honing our swings to a fine edge (even if we did know how to) - we have to make do with what we have and the time we can put into it - that means getting the basics right!

I have had a lot of success with my students recently as I show them the correct setup - grip, stance, alignment and posture. This is followed by the correct sequence that makes up the backswing and then the correct sequence of the down-swing.

It is the transition from the backswing to the down-swing that causes most bad golf shots (and virtually 100% of slices).

To get the student to "feel" the correct transition and sequence I use a Powerchute. Designed to increase club-head speed the Powerchute creates lag by using wind resistance to bring the clubhead through, after the hands have passed the point of impact and the hips have cleared.

The hips clear first, the hands come though next and finally the club-head as it accelerates though the ball on its way to catching up with and overtaking the hands. Maximum acceleration is achieved with the right sequence.

The Powerchute also eliminates any casting (the transition which causes the slice) and allows for an easy in-to-out swing with a nice little controlled draw.

The trouble is most of you won't believe me so will go out and buy a driver that is the "secret" you have been looking for only to discover it is merely a band-aid to temporarily cover your problem.

In the space of two lessons (of half an hour each) I have managed to get a students scores down from the low 100s (100-112) to the mid eighties. She recently shot 88 and 86. Her main faults were set-up and transition - both were easily rectified.

Sometimes I feeling like grabbing people and shaking some sense into them. A bit of vigorous shaking from me will definitely improve your golf swing more than new technology. Are you ready for it?