Information About Golf | Let us create a 3d Digital eBook for you! DigyCat.com |
|
Improving Your Golf Game, the Optimal Recipe
There are hundreds, probably thousands, of articles about how to improve your golf. Just pick up any weekly or monthly issue of any golf magazine. You will read page after page on how to get better at your driving distance, how to improve your putting, how to improve your short game. The list goes on and on and on. (I could probably fill this whole article with the titles of the articles that are "supposed" to fix your game). This tells me a few things about golfers: 1) we all want to get better, 2) we are anxious to absorb all the information possible to get better, and 3) golf is a game of continual improvement. The question that may be running through your mind at this point is: "Why is this article any better the ones I read last week?" The answer is that it is not. It is different, not necessarily better or worse. The difference is the perspective from which this article is written. Let me explain. I currently work on the PGA Tour as a personal trainer/strength and conditioning coach. Previous to my position on the tour I worked in professional baseball with the San Diego Padres and the Milwaukee Brewers training elite athletes. This article will look at improving your golf swing through the "my" eyes, which is a perspective different from players, swing coaches, and sports psychologists. This article will not speak directly about specific drills or mental thoughts that should be incorporated into your swing. We will look at golf from a broader perspective and provide some insight on how to approach improvement in your golf game on a day-to-day basis. I see improvement in the sport of golf contingent upon three ideas. These ideas are categories that any golfer or any other athlete can apply to their daily lives for improvement in their sport of choice. The three keys to improvement in any athletic endeavor, golf included, are: 1) physical, Realize that entire books are written on these three subjects, and the point of this article is to present these keys to pique your interest for more information to help you improve your game. Biomechanical (Golf Swing Mechanics) Biomechanics is essentially physics applied to the body. The study of biomechanics concerns itself with how the body moves and what allows it to perform certain human movements. For example, biomechanics studies how the body moves to throw a baseball 95 miles per hour or how to swing a golf club to create club head speed of 120 miles per hour. Biomechanics looks at how the body moves to perform these actions efficiently. Biomechanics in relation to the golf swing concerns itself with how the body swings a golf club to get the most efficient and effective swing possible from the human body. I would estimate that probably 95% of the books, articles in golf magazines and television programs deal with the topic of biomechanics. When it comes to the biomechanics of the golf swing, the research is pretty solid, and "they" (swing coaches, instructors, etc?) know mechanically what the golf swing should do, and how the body is suppose to work to perform it correctly. Biomechanically, the human body is not perfect. The perfect golf swing or the perfect pitching motion has yet to be achieved by any human. The professionals in such sports get very close. Their efficiency ratings when it comes to these athletic actions are in the 90's in terms of percentages, but there is yet to be a human who has achieved 100% biomechanical efficiency in any movement. Don't expect to be near 100% efficiency. To get better swing mechanics the bottom line is that you must find quality information, instruction and practice, practice, practice. No ifs, ands, or buts. Physical "Golf Fitness" Recipe The physical side of golf has to do with preparing the actual physical body to perform the athletic movement you are asking it to do. Every movement that your body performs, be it walking down the street, playing catch, or swinging a golf club, requires effort from your body. Your body has to perform "work" to complete these physical actions. To swing a golf club with the correct biomechanics in an effective and efficient manner, your body needs to be flexible, balanced, strong, have endurance, and power. It becomes obvious that to swing a club on the correct path you body has to have the "platform or base" to do it correctly. Your platform consists of the flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power we discussed in the previous paragraph. These 5 pieces to the golf fitness puzzle are developed through training which create what is called a "transfer of training effect" into the golf swing. Quite often I see amateur golfers lacking the necessary amounts of flexibility, balance, etc. and it hinders any possibility of developing the correct biomechanics of the golf swing. So simply put, you have to develop a better swing; you need to develop more flexibility into your body, improve your balance, become stronger in your overall body, improve your muscular endurance and what we are all after, and improve your power. Think of your golf fitness as a cookie recipe. If you leave out any one ingredient, your cookie will taste terrible. Don't leave out any ingredients in your golf fitness plan. Mental/Emotional You have probably read articles of "the mental side of golf," which I think are great reads and have a significant benefit to your game. I know personally when I am confident in my swing, hitting the fairway off the tee is much easier. That has to do with confidence in my game in addition to success on the course. I would like to interject a point that I have seen from working with numerous professional athletes. Let me begin by asking you a question: "which occurs first, success or confidence?" The answers I hear half the time are success and the other half of the time confidence. Let me first tell you that it is a trick question. The answer is as follows: "Proper preparation precedes success and confidence." So with that said, I found through experience that both success on the course and confidence in your game are a direct result of being properly prepared physically, mentally, and biomechanically for competition. So just thinking about making a putt usually does not work. Making that putt or putting that drive into the fairway is more a result of days upon days of physical and biomechanical preparation of your swing. This will then foster what is required to make those shots on the course. One additional observation: I have found that creating the mental focus required for golf is much easier when you have developed the physical foundation for your swing. If you trust that your body will do what you ask it do, when you want it to do it, mentally the game becomes much easier. Where can I learn more? Again, remember my perspective is from a different corner. I also believe that if you put these three philosophies to work on a daily basis your golf game will improve by leaps and bounds. For more information and help with your total golf game, please go our web site at www.bioforcegolf.com Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on the website http://www.bioforcegolf.com. To contact Sean, you can email him at support@bioforcegolf.com.
MORE RESOURCES: |
RELATED ARTICLES
Preparing Your Body For Golf While You Travel We all know the temptations of traveling? grabbing a slice of pizza while running to your gate at the airport, an elaborate steak dinner with a client, and being so tired at day's end that all you want to do is fall into bed. Traveling can often create havoc on regular exercise and golf conditioning. Can A Golfer Do Without Golf Fitness And Exercise Just how important is golf fitness and exercise to a golfer today in the modern game? Can a good amateur or even professional golfer do without it and still maximize their potential?Will they still be able to enjoy their game and see constant improvements or at least consistency in their quality of play?Those golfers who ask these sorts of questions about golf fitness and exercise sometimes nostalgically cast their minds back to the so called good old days of the golf game when the game was strictly a leisure sport where one hardly needed to break into a sweat to thoroughly enjoy themselves on the course.The modern golf game has changed dramatically and permanently. Sciatica Exercises Alleviate Discomfort For Golfers If you are fortunate enough to have never experienced sciatica, you may be wondering what it is. The sciatic nerves run from your lower back down each of your legs. Getting The Golf Ball In The Air With Physics Sir Issac Newton was one of the world's most influential thinkers. He tackled what most people would consider to be complicated topics. Perform Better Golf In 30 Days So you have decided to improve your golf game? You are ready to make a commitment and stand by it. If you are looking for a way to improve your game in a hurry, then we have the answer for you; it's our 30 day solution to better golf. Returning Home: Scottish Golf Breaks July 2005 sees the return of the world's greatest golf tournament to its spiritual home on the Scottish East Coast. With the 27th staging of the British Open taking place on the Old Course in 2005, St Andrews has held the event more often than anywhere else which has reinforced its strong reputation as the "Home of Golf". How Do The Golf Pros Train? Many of the top touring professionals know that winning on the tour today takes much more than a great game of golf. It means understanding every aspect of their physical and mental being and what factors influence their performance. Mental Training for Golfers: Attitudes that Sabotage Commitment Plateaus in performance sometimes occur when you don't see any measurable improvement in score even though you are working hard. "I'm practicing more than ever, but I don't seem to be shooting better scores," many players tell me in frustration. The Basic Golf Swing Is Pure Physics If you've been on a golf course and have tried to use all your strength in the basic golf swing so that you hit the ball as far as possible, then you will have already understood that this does not quite work.One of the reasons is that although the basic golf swing requires strong conditioned muscles, this hardly means hitting the ball with all your strength. Putting and My Aching Back! I am guessing that all of us can relate to the title of this article. I am sure you have bent over for that 4 footer (can't give you that 4 footer, sorry), and felt that lower back feel tired, sore, painful or tight. Golf Carts -- A Surprisingly Large Industry You probably just take them for granted when you play golf, and never think about their origin. I'm talking about golf carts, those miniature vehicles dotting every golf course. Beginner Golf Swing Instruction Tips If you are a beginner at the fine sport of golf you may need some beginner golf swing instruction. Where can you find beginner golf swing instruction? What are some beginner golf swing instruction tips? You have come to the right place for beginner golf swing instruction tips and information. Golf Vacation Schools - Choose the Perfect Golf School Vacation for Your Game Golf Schools, like golfers, come in all shapes and sizes. Don't make the mistake of attending any golf vacation school. What is Golf Exercise Equipment And How Can It Help Golf exercise equipment can be a variety of pieces; but what truly is golf exercise equipment?You'd be surprised to find out it is not expensive; and is not necessarily in a gym or health club either.Yes?there are golf "machines" for stretching and strength building that are well over one thousand dollars, but are definitely not needed. Golf Swing Trainer - What Is It? Golf swing trainer is a term you might think of for a training aid that works on your golf swing. I've come up with a new definition for a golf swing trainer. Hogans Real Golf Secret Ben Hogan's secret was his extraordinary ability to focus. This was not a gift from heaven. Today's Golf Schools Bring In The Elements Of Instruction And Fitness What comes to mind when you think of golf lessons through a golf school? Do you imagine hours of instruction on the range and putting green? Maybe the school teaching professionals will review the fundamentals and even include a playing lesson. While each of these elements has an important role in improvement of your golf swing, do you have any idea what might be missing? Today's golf schools incorporate much more than a teaching lesson and round of golf. Need Some Help With Your Golf Swing? What should you do if you need some golf swing aids? Where do you find golf swing aids? What golf swing aids are available?There are many golf swing aids to choose from. Golf swing aids will help improve your golf game. Improve Your Golf Game With This Secret Weapon Any golfer who has made any effort to improve their golf game will have already heard the often-repeated expression that golf is all in the mind and that the game starts there.But what many golfers do not know is that they fail to improve their golf game because their minds are not prepared for what they must do to make significant progress. Secret Sneaky Tactic To Get A Complete Used Golf Club Sets On A Discount With Auction Sites Have you experienced this when you're bidding on ebay or other auction site? You bid on an item, lets say used golf club sets, you put you're first bid. Then you leave it for a while thinking you'll be winning on the bid. |
MyIdeal Domain Is For Sale - $8,000 For Enquiries eMail Us © www.MyIdeal.biz - 2012 |