Golfers Style Blog
Life, Culture, Golf, and Style

Understanding The Biomechanics Of The Golf Swing: Help For Aspiring Golfer

Posted in Golf Swing  by bobby
February 21st, 2008

biomechanics-of-the-golf-swing_1.jpg

You are not just a ‘weekend duffer’ — you have a sincere, and intense, interest in the game of golf. You understand the basics of hitting that little white ball, and now you need some help in understanding the biomechanics of the golf swing - how all the parts of your body must function together in order to achieve the straightest, longest and most-controlled swing possible. This information on the biomechanics of the golf swing is for YOU.

Understanding the biomechanics of the golf swing begins with remembering this word: NATURAL. Your body was not made to function in strange, unnatural positions. The problem with most golf swings is that the body is forced to assume some sort of position that is not natural. If you think that twisting yourself up into some sort of pretzel is the key to achieving a great golf swing, think again!. If a golf swing position seems unnatural to you (or worse, even hurts) then ABANDON it in favor of a more natural position. This is perhaps the biggest key to improving the biomechanics of your golf swing.

Imagine Yourself As A Coiled Snake

If you want to get a handle on the proper biomechanics of the golf swing, imagine yourself as a coiled snake - curled up, ready to release its energy when it attacks. You want to get the proper stance before the ball, curl up (the back swing), then release (the down swing). You will, of course, need to practice using the right type of club grip (baseball, overlapping or finger-linked), experimenting with each to determine which one works best for you — this is fundamental to good biomechanics of the golf swing.

So, get next to the ball, feet spread apart (about a shoulder-width apart). The proper biomechanics of the golf swing requires that your body weight be distributed equally on both feet. You don’t want more of your body weight placed on one foot than another. Grip the club in a firm, yet relaxed manner, knees slightly bent. You can remember that, can’t you? (Don’t believe your buddies when they try to tell you that this ‘biomechanics’ of the golf swing thing is super-complicated - it isn’t.)

Now, remembering that snake, begin to take your backswing - SLOWLY. When it comes to the back swing, proper biomechanics of the golf swing dictates that you don’t go swinging the club quickly up into the air, but rather that you are simply placing the club behind you, twisting your back muscles to lock in that energy.

Now you’re ready for the down swing. You are going to be like that snake - unwinding yourself on that unsuspecting ball. Again, consideration for the proper biomechanics of the golf swing requires that you begin the down swing by moving your arms into action, followed by your shoulders bringing you around, with the movement spreading to the hips, then right on through with your legs.

Equipment Considerations

At this stage in your development as a golfer, you should give some consideration to purchasing a custom-made set of golf clubs. They should be tailored to your size (especially height) and strength. Trying to use clubs that were originally designed for another body-type will mess up the biomechanics of the golf swing every time, as you will be forcing your body to assume unnatural positions and movements, in order to accommodate the equipment. Many golfers take lots of expensive lessons, learning everything they can about the fundamental principles of the biomechanics of the golf swing, then go out and play a game using cheap clubs that they bought second-hand — and even worse yet, rented clubs!

If you are a bit short of cash, you can purchase a half-set of clubs - this will save you money because it only includes 2-3 woods, probably 5 different irons, and a putter. If you desire you can purchase a smaller golf bag as well, because you are not yet using a full set of clubs. But the important thing here is to learn to accommodate the biomechanics of the golf swing by using the proper size and type of gear.

2 Comments »

Golf Tips For Beginners: A Non-Technical Guide

Posted in Uncategorized  by bobby
February 21st, 2008
Tips To Improve Your Golf Game

Are you a newbie at the game of golf? Perhaps you have always wanted to play, but didn’t know where to begin. Or perhaps you have been away from the game for a long time, but are poised to get back into it. We’ve designed this page of golf tips for beginners to give you some valuable pointers. Don’t forget to take notes!

Here’s Where You Begin… G-O-L-F

Here’s a handy way to organize the tips we will give you here: GOLF. Each one of these letters will remind you of something different. “G” - Gear; “O” - Others ; “L” - Lessons; “F” - Fun.

Golf Tips For Beginners #1: First of All, G=GEAR

First of our golf tips for beginners: If you are going to become a good golfer you will need the right gear. Note that I didn’t say you would need the most expensive gear, but the RIGHT gear. Actually, you should save making any major equipment purchases for later; right now you can’t pick the right equipment as you don’t know enough about the game. No sense in spending $1,000 or more on an expensive set of clubs, only to find out you made the wrong choice.

One of the best golf tips for beginners I ever received (as a newbie) was to just spend a lot of time at a driving range, just learning what it felt like to hit the ball. When the time comes for you to purchase a set of clubs for yourself, you can sometimes get a good used set from various sources (such as a club pro shop, or even a yard sale), but wait until later to buy anything. A golf tip for beginners: until you buy your first set, rent a set at your local country club, or borrow a few clubs from a friend.

Golf Tips For Beginners #2: O Stands For OTHERS

Unfortunately, the popular tournaments of the golfing world have given many people the impression that golf is primarily a solitary game. In the real world, however, people (especially non-professionals) tend to play golf in groups. And this brings us to our next golf tip for beginners: play as much golf as you can with other people. It is especially necessary to find a small group of people who are at the same general level as you are - in this case beginners - and then learn about the game together, learn to improve your golf game together, and even learn from each other’s mistakes!

Golf Tips For Beginners #3: LESSONS Are Mandatory

Proceeding with the next set of golf tips for beginners, we would advise this: try to get some lessons. It is next to impossible to learn about golf from reading a book or watching a video. You can do those things, but what you actually DO when you are on the course is what matters. You need to get your training there, not in a classroom. So some lessons are mandatory.

What should you get lessons on? In this page of golf tips for beginners we would advise you to get lessons on the fundamentals: Proper stance and posture, holding the clubs, the backswing, the downswing, and putting. Concentrate on those areas first; later on you can learn about using the sand wedge, chip shots, correcting slices and hooks, distance putting, etc.

Golf Tips For Beginners #4: Don’t Forget To Have FUN

Our final golf tip for beginners is simply this: learn to have fun! Leave the agonizing sacrifices for the sake of the game to those aspiring to the ranks of the Masters. Your assignment is to have FUN while you are playing. Why? Because if the game of golf becomes a drudgery to you, then you will very soon give up playing it. Over time, if you develop problem areas (such as bad putting, slices or hooks) that cause you to become frustrated with your play, then address those areas with additional lessons. Many newbie’s try to absorb too many golf tips for beginners, they try to master 100% of the science of the game, and as a result, get frustrated. Fun is the main thing — make sure that you don’t lose that.

No Comments »

Golfers-Style Is Born!

Posted in Uncategorized  by bobby
February 20th, 2008

Well I figured I’d talk about life and Golf here. You know, it’s funny because I don’t even like golf or know all the rules. But, hey, that’s why I figured I’d start blogging about it. Makes sense, right? There is something I definitely want to work on though. Golf definitely needs a style change. Well, I don’t think I’m going to change the current golf style, etiquette, and traditions, but I can definitely put my 2 cents on it. Which I’ll start doing right here :).

My goal is to have all golfers aspire to be just like this guy:

golfer.jpg

No Comments »