Conference 7.286::golf

1654.0. "The Joy of Swinging" by DV780::TILLISON () Wed Mar 17 1993 11:58

    by Ernest Jones (1888-1965)
    
    	Golf is an art, or a skill, not a science.  Skill is acquired by
    practice.  Practice is something only you can do for yourself.  You
    cannot get anyone to do it for you, nor can you buy it for any price. 
    You can read all the books but to learn to play the game, you learn
    only by practice.
    	The first thing you must understand is: What is power?  And, what
    is the difference between power and force?  Your power is simply your
    strength and energy, your ability to do something which a living person
    has.  The purpose of golf is to use that power which you have to create
    force in the clubhead to strike the ball far and sure.  The greatest
    force you can create in a clubhead is centrifugal force which means
    receeding form a center, to the outside.  
    	You have power (strength and energy) in every part of your body,
    but your hands are the only part of your body that takes hold of the
    club.  Each hand normally has five fingers and a palm.  Your hands are
    the medium that transmit power to the clubhead.  All other parts of the
    body have power, but the hands have control all the time.  When the
    word "control" is used, it requires thorough understanding.  Without
    perfect control in your hands, nothing could be done properly.  All
    other motins are admirable as followers, but disastrous as leaders. 
    The motions of your wrists, elbows, arms, shoulders, hips, legs, knees,
    ankles and toes, all will move naturally as in walking, (when they are
    allowed to give naturally).
    	Golf is elusive in its perfection because it is an art or a skill
    and not a cience.  It is like trying to draw a circle freehand.  To an
    artist, it is as simple as on, continuous motion; to a scientist it is
    360 degrees. 
    	There are many ways to move the clubhead without using centrifugal
    force.  You can push, pull, lift, drag, jerk, snap or many other ways,
    but there is only one movement that can produce centrifugal force, and
    that is a swinging motion.  It is remarkable that the word "swing" is
    used so badly that nearly all golfers ask, "What is wrong with my
    swing?" the normal reply is a polite, "Nothing. You do not have a
    swing."
    	There are many kinds of strokes you can use.  You add them up and
    the more strokes you use, the less skillful you are.  A stroke can be
    anything.  But there is only one swinging motion.  So, keep to the joy
    of swinging!  You will have less strokes to add up.
    
    END OF ARTICLE
    
    The whole idea behind this article is that modern golf instruction has
    screwed up golfers by teaching them that:
    
    	1. There is no easy way to play golf.
    	2. There is only one way to improve:
    		a. You learn mechanics.
    		b. You hit a million balls and hope the mechanics work.
    
    Older instructors believed that you can't build up a golf swing
    step-by-step.  You play golf by feel so teach feel.
    
    The way they taught feel was by have the student practice swinging a
    weight on the end of a 3 foot string to teach a swinging motion that
    creates centrifugal force.  A string can only be swung.  It cannot be
    leveraged or pressured in any way. "A 3 foot string with a weight on
    the end is all you need to learn the feel".
    
    If anyone is interested in a program that teaches this, they can write
    to:
    
    Sports Performance Corporation
    Box 5826, Columbia, SC 29250    or call toll free: (800-535-9647)
    
    The Golf Swing Motion program includes:\ $120
    Video tape
    Manual
    Audio tape
    String/weight training device.
    
    or: you can attach a small weight on a 3 foot string for $0!! and start
    practicing a back and forth pendulum motion 15 to 20 min. at a time.
    
    It sure can't hurt!!
    
    Mike