The Perfect Golf Swing - Chasing the Holy Grail of Golf

On learning the perfect golf swing: If you have just decided that you want to learn how to play golf, one of the most important golf tips for beginners that you will ever receive is simply this: your golf game will always be a work in progress. It's virtually impossible to perfect the way in which you play this game. So just relax and leave the pressure, stress and low scores for the pros. If you're a weekend high handicapper, it's already too late - you must give up golf and find another more productive and fulfilling hobby fast!

Seriously - In a lot of ways golf is very much like a gambling addiction, there's always false hope of scoring big (or low in this case). You dream of putting a good round together, but something always sneaks-up and bites you on the a.., unless you revise the rules and play with a mulligan, or two or more. But that's not real and the short lived feelings of successful play dampen once you enter the clubhouse.

So, okay, back to the "perfect swing." The perfect swing is easy and not forced in any way. You swing within yourself, rotating smoothly on your spine as an axis, while maintaining your visual focus on the ball, through impact. There are several possible flaws in a golf swing, including the speed of movement, the lack of coordination between arms and body, or deficient eye focus on the ball. Many golfers have flaws in all of these areas, as a result of trying to "think" about all the tips and instructions they've got rolling around in their heads. It's no wonder that complete beginners often play better than the weekend high handicapper - they have less learning to misapply!

The Perfect Golf Swing is a simple,sensible and sound approach to learning how to "groove your swing" (that is to be able to replicate it easily) based upon established anatomical and neurological facts. There are many muscles in the human body that are involved in the golf swing, and getting them all coordinated and timed right is part of the golf swing technique. However, simplicity and natural movement should be stressed - it should not be broken down tediously and unnecessarily
into multiple disjointed movements, rather the total movement simplified. Many golfers work on their technique, because it is the key to reaching the highest levels of performance, unfortunately they tend to complicate, rather than simplify their work. Remember the "KISS" principle, keep it simple....

(photo "laying 9" courtesy of Flickr)

Fix Your Golf Swing

So you've made a decision to ignore every sane person in your life and to stick to playing golf? God help you!

I used to play in a company golf league, every Thursday evening (actually, everyone cut-out early), so it was more like Thursday afternoon. Invariably, I would get stuck in a foursome that included 2 bitter rivals and supposed low handicappers. A Division Manager with a very evil temper and a Protestant Clergyman, who was a filthy cheater. One of these guys had a wicked hook and the other a classic fade. Although they were always long and (loud) off the tee, neither could find the fairway - yet "miraculously," they always managed to have a good lay (lie) and clear shot to the green. I discovered that the "trick" was to hit the ball far enough so that your high handicap playing partners would not be able to detect your new dropped ball in play.

Sorry for the digression, back to more tips on simplifying your golf swing. The grip is without question the most important fundamental in golf. The grip affects a multitude of subsequent actions in the golf swing, setting everything else in motion. Evaluate the different variations of golfing grips and choose one that feels right for you - stick with it. Discovering the best grip for you can be a case of trial and error, but you can remedy a lot of potential swing faults by simply finding the grip that allows you to swing easily and contact the ball in a natural and simple movement.

Golf is an activity filled with exasperating contradictions. All golfers understand that the game requires concentration, but not over-thinking, a strong focus, yet the ability to see the "big picture," and a rigid routine, but one which allows for creativity. So, in order to achieve the "perfect swing" for your unique physical and mental capabilities, and in order to play a somewhat consistent and perhaps satisfying round of golf:

Forget everything you ever learned about swinging the golf club correctly. Obviously these folks whether "golf pro," author, former touring pro, whatever, were only out to make money from you and many were gifted athletes to boot!

Avoid all the hype about needing new and better equipment, training aids, golf balls etc. Again the motive is only to sell you something.

Realize that you will probably never be a club champion or low handicapper - face it, it's not gonna happen in this lifetime.

See golf for what it is, a game. If you can't have fun with it, then don't work at it. Again, find a hobby or interest that you are more competitive at, or that you can enjoy without being competitive.

Finally, last, but not least, watch the movie "Caddyshack" again and laugh.

Fix Your Golf Swing

Find a comfortable natural grip, that allows you to address the ball comfortably and that enables you to swing back and through the ball, without body movement or tension.

Focus on the ball and maintain a solid and firm body, while swinging through the ball comfortably.

Keep it simple. The more natural and easy you can keep the swing, the easier it will be to replicate.
The more you can replicate the swing with good results, the less you will have to think and sabatoge yourself.

Stay within yourself and stop "trying" to hit the ball further, or worse, further and straighter. Accept your limitations and they shall set you free to enjoy the "game" of golf.

Ignore all of these suggestions and continue to make the golf gurus, equipment manufacturers and golf schools, rich.

Accept the fact that the game is "crooked," and head for greener pastures. Look, how rational is it, for a golf pro like Michelle Wie, to play an excellent round, be in contention and then have to disqualify herself, for what? - for not signing her score card? Aaaaargghhhh!

You have some great ideas to share, or a favorite movie, book, hobby. Maybe you would like to salute a favorite person in your life or share a favorite recipe.

What are you waiting for? It won't cost you a penny and could earn you some cash, not to mention friends and possibly even fame. Don't forget your favorite cause or charity either.

Squidoo makes it all so easy, it's like a window to the internet and the whole world awaits you!

Click Here to Find Out How