BASICS 2 : Dogs, Ducks, and Divots

Time for another post written with the assumption that you know nothing about golf. I love these!  Last time, we looked at the general layout of a golf course and the main purpose of golf. In this post, we will look at a few golf terms.

Dogleg -  The term used for a golf hole that starts straight and then angles to the left or right up to the green.

Duck Hook - The term used for a golf shot, that gets in the air, but takes an immediate, violent turn to the left (if you're a right handed player - right if you're a left handed player). It's best to stay quiet, or look away after your playing partner hits this shot. Quacking would be especially bad.

Divot - The term used for the little chunk (sometimes large chunk) of turf that dislodges itself from the ground as a result of your club attempting to hit the ball. Accomplished players hit the ball first, and then the earth as they accelerate through their shots. Divots taken on poor shots are those that are a result of hitting the earth before the ball...like a drop-kicked football. :)  If your drop kicking playing partner is good natured, you might exclaim compassionately, "Oh, you hit the big ball first, eh?"

Fore you, Sue

Stuck In A Bunker!

You may have heard this alleged quote from Mark Twain: "GOLF IS A GOOD WALK SPOILED."  And what "spoils" the walk?  It is the difficulty in getting the ball to go where you want it to go...which is in the hole in as few shots as possible.

The first day of golf team tryouts for my daughter was yesterday. We managed to get a swing together in 2 weeks, and she did pretty well keeping the ball on the golf course and out of the yards that laced the perimeter. There was one little nuance that we hadn't addressed. The bunker - sand trap is what it used to be called. I'm not sure if the name was changed to make it feel less daunting to the player, or to spare the feelings of the poor little area of sand. :) With or without the name change, my daughter was trapped there for quite a few shots.

Have you ever felt like you keep trying and trying but can't get a different result?  I sure have. In golf and in life. When this happens, it's good to find someone to help you change your approach and enable you to accomplish the result that you desire. Last night, at dusk, my daughter and I stepped in a sand bunker at a local course, and she worked on a few key movements, that had her popping the ball out of the sand with apparent ease.

Hopefully, when she returns today, she will have a good report. If she doesn't come home, I'll assume that she's still STUCK IN A BUNKER! :)

Here are a few key thoughts if you find yourself stuck in a bunker :

1. Rotate the face of your sand wedge so that it points a little to the right of your target
2. Keep your hands angled a little forward
3. Focus your eyes on a spot 2 inches behind the ball and hit that spot as you swing through
4. Spank the sand and keep accelerating - the sand will lift the ball out of the bunker
5. A short prayer before you make your mighty swipe doesn't hurt either!

Fore you, Sue   

Two Weeks Til Tryouts

A few weeks ago, my daughter surprised me with the declaration that she wanted to try out for the golf team...in two weeks mind you, having hit about 12 balls in her life. This was a fun thought to me, as I have waited quietly for golf to be my kids' idea, should they want to play. So now with only two weeks to work with, how should I help her? What are the most important things to tell her? I have taught many people over 25 years, none of which have been my offspring...until now. I do remember her hitting a few balls when she was 5, at which time she said, "Mom, I'll listen to you when I'm 6." Little did I know that she wouldn't turn her ears on until age 15 and need help in a hurry!

This is how I have found this experience : I have all of the swing "ingredients" before me. I can add them to her "empty mixing bowl" and stir. Each ingredient has been tested in other kitchens, and proved reliable and consistent. With the right combination of ingredients, the desired outcome will be achieved. The ten year gap between age 5 and 15, has actually given her a unique lack of attachment to any particular movements. So now that she's ready to listen, her body is ready to cooperate, without any warring factions.

Most people that I teach, have had many different swing ingredients thrown in their golf "mixing bowls." My job is to remove the extra "flour," and add the forgotten "sugar." Sometimes I need to empty the bowl and start over. It's sobering for students to realize that if they want to truly improve, with lasting effects, it's not just a matter of throwing in an ingredient or two. In any case, the desired outcome can be achieved, with time and effort. I feel that anybody can hit a golf ball - well and with consistency - anybody who really wants to, that is. I also believe that anybody can have good fundamentals, if he or she is willing to commit to them.

So in a few days, my daughter will tee it up. Her fundamentals are new. And there is so much to learn about how one moves around the golf course. But I love that she is jumping in and giving it a try. Learning any skill with sound direction from the very beginning, makes a big difference. If you are new to the game, consider it a kind of advantage. You have a chance to build a strong foundation, starting with the first "brick." For those of you who have played the game for a while, and are not liking the "taste" of your outcomes, consider committing to some fundamental changes. You will be rewarded with sweet outcomes! 

Fore you, Sue  

 P.S. It is important that you understand and believe in the changes that you are making. Make your teacher earn your trust. Ask every question that comes to your mind. Express your challenges and frustrations. You are taking the journey with this "teammate," and you need to be open and honest during the process.