Impact V
Impact V
Greetings Golfers,
As I write this … I’m looking out my window as the snow accumulates on the practice green. Hope the weather changes and the kids have a decent Halloween.
I think Halloween is hilarious … I love giving out candy bars to kids. Fortunately, we live on a street that is packed with Trick-or-Treaters from 5-9pm … it’s really fun … and funny.
Speaking of really fun and funny … I just got back from the Gravel Pit up in Brainerd. It wasn’t open, so we just hung-out … but it’s very cool. It’s a 13 hole, Par 3 golf course … built on a former gravel pit. Seriously. And … it’s spectacular … seriously!
I love The Cradle … a 9 hole par 3 course at Pinehurst. I think I wrote about it a few years ago.
In some ways … I think that these par 3 courses are more authentic golf than most modern big courses. They certainly aren’t a joke … or fake … and should be respected. Golf is not just about distance … it’s about strategy and shot-making. I’m not a fan of modern “target-golf” … I think it’s dumb and boring.
I’ve been writing a lot about “impact” … and how important the hands are to impact. And that the best way to develop good impact is by working on your chipping. Not only will good chipping save strokes … but it will improve your impact on full shots.
However, you need to learn a vital move to get to proper impact on your full swing. Chipping is just a short swing that doesn’t a proper body move to get you into the correct position. But the full-swing does.
Most people swing with their shoulders. It might feel powerful … but it can’t get you into a good impact position. You need to start your downswing with your lower body. Your weight has to shift and your hips need to move before your shoulders. Take a look at this lesson from Hogan. Link. He nails it. It’s only a minute-long video.
A million years ago … when I played baseball … I was just a slap hitter. Until I read a book by Ted Williams. He explained how you had to shift your weight and start your swing with your hips before your shoulders. Try it. You can feel the hips turn … and then you can “throw” the bat out at the ball … thus the need for the “knob” on the end of the bat. I used to try to make a full-extended swing and not let my left shoulder open up. The extension is amazing. It’s basically the same move with the golf swing.
That extension is powerful … and it’s how you can hit the ball with your hands - properly!
Well … I’ve been reading a book called “The Menace of the Herd” written almost 100 years ago. He was talking about how Communists and Fascists were both screaming at each other … and that they were basically the same herd mentality.
Gee … 100 years later … sounds too familiar. What about … Land of the Free and Home of the Brave?
That’s how we can really get along and live with each other.
And … find our own unique way to swing and get to impact. And … wear our own unique costume and enjoy Halloween.
Cheers!
Tom Abts
GM/Head PGA Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com