Technique or Technicalities? When Your Swing Is Up to Par but Not Specs.
By most standards, Jim Furyk’s swing is ugly. It’s been talked about by analysts, fans, and coaches for years, but not one of those voices would say that Furyk is not one of the most talented golfers on the planet, or that he does not belong on the Tour. That’s not to say that we should all try to emulate Furyk’s swing with the hope of improving our game; there’s a 99.9% chance it won’t work and you may just throw out your back. Furyk’s swing works because he is able to consistently recreate that movement shot after shot, and consistency is what we should all be aiming for.
Coaches, guides, video tutorials, and articles all provide golfers with practical instruction, tips, and advice on how to perfect their swing. Everything from grip, to spine rotation, arm bend, and hip sway, the pros provide feedback on what to do to make it easier to develop a repeatable, consistent swing; a swing that you can take to the course and be confident in where your ball is going. While we all have days where that stroke seems to wait in the car while you play, the idea is that if you know what to expect from your swing, and know how to adjust the weaknesses you have had in the past, you will improve your game.
So what if you have a little Furyk in you and an element of your swing doesn’t meet your coaches’ expectations, but it works for you? In my first lesson, I was told that my leading leg should not have much movement as I went into my backswing, I should be rotating through my hips as though there is a pole extended from my spine into the ground. This is something that I have struggled with, and you can easily see it in the hip sway of my swing. I did not know how to achieve the rotation while limiting front knee bend and not shifting my hips backwards. I mentioned before that I have been using the 18 Birdies app, and in my last AI swing analysis, one of the drills that was recommended addressed spine angle and rotation. The coach in the video called out what if you are having a hard time getting a good rotation, it is ok to bend that leading leg a bit. I gave it a try, and was shocked at the result. Not only did it help my rotation, but it also improved my hip sway! Over the last few days I have read up more on knee bend in the leading leg, and much of what I have seen actually contradicts what I was told in my lesson. Maybe the pro was trying to get me to focus first on the rotation, or maybe he had methods that had worked for other students in the past, but it is clear that the advice from the app and my more recent reading is far more applicable to my swing. It will take some getting used to, but this new insight has made my swing practice much more comfortable and I have seen a decrease in my tendency to go right with my shots. We’ll have to see if this holds true on the course, but I have high hopes for progress.
All of this is to say that golf is a technical game, and the instructions and tips from pros are designed to help you create that repeatable swing. At the same time, we are all unique, and some of us will find ways that don’t necessarily fit the mold, but are effective AND repeatable. If you are one of those people who have a little swing quirk, embrace it. Even the pros have quirks, and finding what works for you will not only help you improve your score, it should take away some of the stress of perfecting your swing.
Until next time,
Fore!
Katherine
This post originally appeared on https://thebirdsandthetees.wordpress.com
