The sport of golf is one that is often misunderstood. This misunderstanding causes an aversion in many against golf, however, that is not the case. It is an amazing game. It is very unique, partly because the game is played outdoors and the conditions including the weather, the maintenance of the course, and the condition of the course left from the groups playing in front of you, can change from hole to hole and day to day. It is a game where perception faces reality, what you think is happening with your golf swing, generally isn’t.
Like the decision making before taking a game winning shot and also deciding whether to swing on a full count, the typical swing gives little way for thinking at all. Most swings have been measured between the range of two and three seconds. This gives the golfer little time, if any at all, to decide during their swing. If you stand behind a typical golfer and ask him to tell you what is happening in his/her swing, more times than not, “what they feel is not real”.
This happens because the swing is made from the side of the ball and with a tilt of the spine towards the ground. The ball is at rest which makes it different than all of the reaction sports like football, basketball, tennis, baseball, etc. To become the best player you can be it is important to understand the fundamentals of golf. Most people think the fundamentals of golf, are all swing related. The fundamentals of golf include setup, grip, posture, and alignment. One setup must be flawless as the whole body must be aligned together. The grip has to be comfortable, not tight, debunking a commonly accepted myth. Posture and alignment go hand in hand as a good posture is composed of good alignment. The list also includes the fundamentals of swing plane and sequence of motion. Learning how to play golf requires that you also learn the fundamentals of proper practice, golf course strategy, short game mastery, and the mental game. Proper practicing is not just hitting practice shots alone without supervision. Proper and adequate practice entails of actually being at a professional driving range with golf instructors who can help correct flaws. There also has to be a detailed golf course strategy.
Many golfers will learn, as they go along, that the golf course itself is an obstacle course and one must defeat it by having a wealth of knowledge about all the features of it. From the first stroke of the tee to the last putt resulting in a birdie, a golfer’s strategy must be composed in a fashion that they always have the upper hand over their opponents. One must also must the short game. When one is fully trying to understand golf, they have to realize that it is a sport based on consistency. Even if a golfer makes a great initial stroke to get a head start, a lousy butt may avoid in a higher score than the golfer desires. One must understand golf for the most part to enjoy the game.
