gmhTODAY 16 gmhToday Sept Oct 2017 | Page 98

it’s your SWING BY DON DELORENZO How Does He Do That? T the turf, look at two things. Is your left arm bending on the backswing? If it is straight to begin with then you must try your best to keep it straight through the backswing and impact. That takes one of the variables out of your swing. It is extremely difficult to hit a ball when your arm goes from straight to bent and back to straight again. It would be similar to hitting a ball with a rope with a club head at the end of it. Get the picture? The second item to look at is if you’re changing your posture (standing up) on the backswing. If you keep a consistent back angle and just turn your shoulders back and forth you should be able to make consistent ground contract if your arm is straight and ith the arrival of great golf weather and the long days of angel summer, it’s time to plan that golf getaway your back is consistent. with friends, family, or your golfing spouse. We are very lucky live close enough the to bottom some of of the your Now that you to have established greatest golf destinations without spending all day on a plane or breaking the bank just getting swing and you are making contact with the turf, start there. trans- ferring your weight. Your weight MUST be on your left leg at the time you are making impact with the turf. Why this is important is because the lowest point of the swing is where your weight is. So you want your weight moving onto your left leg. This will insure that the bottom of your swing is just slightly ahead of the ball and you can strike the turf directly after you strike the ball. This striking of the golf professional swing and understand what is being said ball as the club is on the downward arc puts back spin as they break it down. Terms like release, weight transfer, on the ball and lifts the ball up into the air. hinge and load sound like phrases a truck driver would Hitting it straight is much simpler than hitting it up in use and not a golfer. So let’s talk about the two very basic the air. The direction a ball goes is caused by two simple aspects of the golf swing. Getting the ball up in the air and factors. Where is your club head aiming when it makes hitting it straight. contact with the ball? What direction did the path of the No part of the golf game can be linked to success club take to strike the ball? Put these two factors together and failure as much as getting the ball airborne versus and you have your equation for direction. If your club just simply hitting a grounder. Hitting a golf ball in the air head is aiming at your target at impact and the path for the first time is the most exhilarating experience for a the club takes to the ball is straight, then the ball will fly golfer. When the ball takes flight it gains distance and can straight. It’s as simple as that. So why do I slice the ball? be controlled. When it is on the ground, neither of those The most common error in golf can be corrected by think- things happens. ing about this golf equation. If the ball starts to the left but Golf is a game of opposites. If you swing up at the ends up to the right, then you are “cutting across” the ball ball and try and lift it…it will stay on the ground. So the by taking an outside to inside swing path. This causes first item to remember about getting the ball up in the air is the ball to have clockwise spin and slice to the right. To don’t try to lift it. What must happen is to find the “bottom” correct this, swing the club on a more inside to outside of your swing. Where does your club strike the ground path. While doing this, use your wrists and roll them over when you swing back and forth? That is where you want through impact. This movement will square the club face to position the ball because that is the bottom of the arc of at impact and straig hten up the flight of your shot. your swing. If you are having difficulty making contact with rying to learn the game of golf off the pages of a magazine is often difficult so that’s why I try and refrain from print golf lessons. However, there are a few basic tips that can transform the novice hacker to the accomplished linkster in a few easy steps. Remember that golf is very counterintuitive. So letting common sense take control of your golf swing is often the worst thing that can happen. Luckily, we have the golf channel and other outlets now where you can visibly see a WESTERN GOLF GETAWAYS W Remember, If you can’t figure out your golf swing woes on your own, call your local golf pro. They will be ready, willing and able to get you on the path to high flying straight shots. 98 GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 gmhtoday.com