Tips available in this chapter :

Routine
Alignment
Posture
The grip (Part 1)
The grip (Part 2) : grip Pressure
Hit down and through
Balance and rhythm

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Click on the article you wish to read.

These tips are in a PDF file. To read them, you will
need "Acrobat Reader 6 ", which is available
for free on the adobe website

These golf tips have been written for the Magazine "Terranée", for their monthly publication.

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Posture

The grip (Part 1)

The grip (Part 2) : grip Pressure

Hit down and through

Balance and rhythm

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Alignment :

Most of the students that come see us at the academy have developed bad swing compensations due to a poor initial alignment and/or posture.
The golfer that takes his position without taking the time to look at the line from behind is most likely to aim right of his target without being aware of it.
He then will build unconcious compensation moves to get the ball back on line, which destroy any chance at developing a smooth pendulum movement.

If you really want to improve your game, take the time to look at EVERY SHOT from behind, get a good look at your intended line of flight, pick a point (C) on that line between 20 and 50 cms in front of your ball, and carefully position yourself to that point, starting with the club head, then the feet, then the shoulders and body.

Remember that if the club is facing the target (A), and if your feet are parallel to that line, feet should actually be aiming LEFT of the target (B).
It is also very important that feet, knees hips and shoulders should all be on the same line.

Do not hesitate to get help from someone standing behind you, untill you rebuild the correct vision.

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Routine :

The best alignment procedure is the one that is included in a preparation ritual, called a routine.
Similar to a pilot going through his checklist before taking off with his airplane, the golfer needs to be sure that his swing is prepared in the best possible way.

- It must include both proper alignment and proper body positionning (more on stance and posture next month).
The key is to limit to the absolute maximum, all the needs for compensations required from poor starting positions. Even the best athletes are never going to be consistent if their swing requires too many of those compensations.

- It must be relatively short (+/-10 seconds) and simple enough to be easily memorized and repeated.

- It must be done in the same fashion, in the same order, with the same level of commitment, before every single shot.
Obviously, the routine for putting will be slightly different, but it is just as important, no mather how short and apparently harmless the putt might be.

Most players already have a routine, but it is more or less unconcious, often incomplete, and usually inefficient. And if pilots did their check list the way most golfers prepare their shots, I would never want to fly again…

Each and every good player, however, have a strong routine, and watch them stick to it religiously before all their shots.

Take the time to develope your own solid routine. You will find that it will give you confidence, and it will become a ritual which you will never want to give up.

Again, in golf, there is never a guarantee for a successful shot. But given the complexity of the move and all the things that can go wrong, you have to give yourself the best chances.
And when your routine insures both proper alignment and proper body position, you will be amazed already how much better your average shots will become.

Our job as teachers consists much less in teaching new things, than in trying to get rid of so many unnecessary compensation moves due to poor initial positionning.

So get ahead with a good routine and alignment, you will then be ready to take your game to a new and much more exciting level.

Have fun !!

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