Hackers are ever eager for tips but how many are actualy beneficial to them? A recent comment on the subject from regular reader Mark Sheppard was very interesting:-
‘I have two work colleagues who are keen golfers: one is new to the game, has been playing about 18 months, has yet to break 100 but is doing the right things i.e. having lessons and has just joined a club. The other has been playing for a number of years off a handicap of 18 and is utterly obsessed with finding the perfect swing. You probably know the sort; buys books, videos, gadgets that look like they may have come from a dubious website and so on.
‘The 18 handicapper regularly gives advice to the new player, which usually has the effect of destroying his fragile fledgling swing. My question is, how should the hacker respond to advice and what do you do when told you are not pronating your left knee correctly etc?’
The problem is that the worse a hacker is, the more advice he is going to receive and most of it is guaranteed to confuse him even more. I’ve learned the hard way to ignore everything that isn’t simple. The simplest tips are to do with stance or grip and they are the easiest to try. They may not work but you won’t do any damage in trying them out.
The tip I am working on at the moment comes from pro John Hastings, www.natural-golf.co.uk, who is trying to get the tension out of my swing. I try to empty my mind of all thoughts apart from making a full turn and swinging slowly. If the pronation of my left knee even crossed my mind for a nano-second I’d be buggered.
There’s not a hacker in the world who hasn’t one good tip that could help a fellow sufferer and I look forward to hearing them.
Peter, I have been trying to get my mechanically minded work colleague to stop worrying about his swing and just go out and play the game. I thought he might try the Bob Rotella tip of only remembering the good shots after a round and ignoring the bad. Last Monday I asked him how his regular Sunday game had gone and he replied, “Not good, I tried the Bob Rotella tip but I could only remember 4 good shots”.
Thanks, im new to both the game and moe recently to your column. I,ll do my best to keep up to date and send in quereries as soon as i get them. While i’m on though do I need to bother taking notice of any co-workers tips or are they likely to be ‘cobblers’?
When driving remember right ball under left , and with the irons its right ball over left .
this simple tip will I am sure improve your ball striking !!!!!!!
Does one need special underwear ?
Peter
Glad the Op went well and you are on the road to recovery. Am thinking of you. Don’t forget “Hackers do it with a Swing”