Successful Golf Strategy
I have been playing golf with my friend, Bob, for almost fifteen years years now. He was sixty-nine when he took up the game after he could no longer play tennis because he needed a knee replacement. He kind of favored his right side, which hampered his movement on the tennis court but actually helped him transfer his weight on to his left side on the follow through of his golf swing. About six years ago he got the knee replacement surgery and everything changed. Not only was his right side much improved, but he started to favor his left knee, which was now in need of replacement. Consequently, he was in real desperate need of a new swing strategy if he was going to be able to play competitively with his well established 23 handicap.
In keeping with my passion for finding successful solutions to all of life’s misfortunes and wanting to help a friend in need, I started a search of my golf library for any information that might be useful in this situation. I remembered having seen a video of a one legged golfer who played exceptionally well without a prosthetic leg, and obviously was not hampered by not being able to shift his weight as he swung the club. Maintaining that balance throughout his swing was the secret to his success, (He played to a three handicap!) but how do you learn to do that? I told Bob about it and promised to try and find out all I could that might be of use to him. (See http://www.golf.com/presstent and scan down to the October 5, 2009 entry to see Manuel de los Santos’s swing on one leg.)
Obviously, Bob at age 84 isn’t going to be able to copy Santos’s swing, it is much too aggressive for a man of his age, but it does provide proof that handicaps can be overcome! I did find a golfing guide expressly for seniors that does address their common physical ailments such as loss of flexibility and strength. The technology available today to capture, measure and analyze all aspects of the swing and the ultimate effect on ball flight, offers any golfer the opportunity to improve his/her play through customized club design. Consistency in swinging the clubs is the secret to success, and I am all about successful strategies. There is no way to compensate for a lack of consistency.
Ironically, I was on my way to a medical appointment when I spotted a banner sign flapping in the breeze atop a brand new commercial complex that said, “Indoor GOLF RANGE! Play any of 67 Championship Courses!” Of course I had to stop there on my way home. Talk about high technology, this place has got it! Three swings with a driver and they were able to show me all I needed to know about my performance. They had measured my club head speed at impact; initial ball velocity; launch angle; club face position at impact (open/closed, descending/ascending); swing path relative to the target line (inside/out-hook, outside/in-slice, down the target line-straight), and were able to calculate the most probable ball flight carry distance and direction as well as overall distance and direction. What else would you need to know?
Well, as it turns out, there is a lot more to learn! Today, clubs can be altered to fit your swing and produce the type of ball flight you always dreamed of having. The selections available in club head design, shaft materials and shapes, and grip design can be combined to produce just about any kind of ball flight you can think of wanting! That is providing that you have a consistent and repeatable swing. That is the real lesson to be learned! There is no single “right way” to swing a golf club. Almost anyway can be made to work as long as you are consistent.
Bob has a new set of clubs fitted to his particular swing and is being accused of being a “sandbagger” with his 23 handicap. If he keeps shooting 84’s and 85’s he will be down to a 17 or 18 before year’s end! Way to go, B0b!
Strategies for Seniors
I found two other references that Bob found to be useful, although I believe that his new custom fitted clubs deserve most of the credit for his marked improvement. He always has had a wicked slice but was able to get rid of it even before he got the new clubs. He credits Dave of “The Dave Way”.
Slice NO More!
Keeping it simple has always worked best for me! That is why I recommend “The Simple Swing” to friends and acquaintances who are struggling to develop consistency of performance. It stands to reason that a simple task can be repeated more easily than an overly complex one, and we know that consistency is the key to unlock performance! Having all three of these guides in your golf library can keep you from losing your groove once you have found it!
Remember KISS-Keep It Simple Stupid
Feel free to explore the rest of my website. There is more on golf on the “Phil’s Golf Tips” page and in an article on putting published to the web, titled “Putting is more than half of your score!”.
Tags: golf, golf instruction, golf lore, golf tips, senior golf
