OUR
REGULAR GAME NO. 9
|
 |
Ignoring
the old adage that “‘tis a poor carpenter who blames his tools,” I
recently succumbed to the temptation to buy a better golf game by
purchasing a set of custom-fit irons.
It took almost three months to get them.
By the time they arrived, I had convinced myself that they were my
ticket to the PGA Tour and had mentally reserved myself a spot in next
year’s Q School.
The clubs finally arrived two weeks ago, and I was quickly brought
back to earth. Turns out that
maybe my swing had something to do with those bad shots after all.
At any rate, the new clubs turned out to be just like my ex-wife:
Real pretty to look at, but there wasn’t a sweet spot anywhere on ‘em.
I can imagine that many of you have been through the same
experience. Now, I’m not
here to say that it doesn’t help to have clubs that fit you and feel
good — after all, golf is mainly a game of feel — but, when it comes
to improving your golf scores, there’s no substitute for practice.
Improving the consistency of your swing and, even better, your
chipping and putting, will lower your scores a lot faster than plunking
down $800 bucks for a shiny new set of whatever your favorite touring pro
happens to be playing that week.
And I’m not big on getting a bunch of lessons, especially if
you’re not willing to spend time practicing what your pro teaches you.
The best advice I can give you is to find a teacher who will build
on what you have instead of making you learn an entirely new swing.
Just watch a little golf on television: Each pro has his own unique
swing, which means there is no one golf swing.
Watch Tiger Woods, then Jim Furyk, and then John Daly.
They don’t grip it the same, they don’t take it back the same,
and they don’t finish the same. Yet each has a swing that works for them.
Instead of copying someone’s style, the best thing to do is to
find out if you’re consistently doing something wrong mechanically that
causes poor shots, and then correct it.
Otherwise, you’re better off learning to swing slowly and
smoothly. The simple fact is
that you can’t hit good golf shots by jerking the club around.
That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.
Of course, I have had my eye on those new Hogan Apex Pluses . . . .
For our Regular Game, this is Mike Veron hoping you answer every
bogey with a birdie.
About the Author
J. Michael Veron is the acclaimed author of The
Greatest Player Who Never Lived and The
Greatest Course That Never Was. His third novel, tentatively titled
The Caddie, is scheduled for release in the spring of 2002.
Mike's work has earned him the title of "master
of fiction" from USA Today, and Travel and Leisure Golf Magazine
has called him "The
John Grisham of Golf." In addition, the New York Times hailed The
Greatest Player as "Golf's
Literary Rookie of the Year," and the Seattle Times ranked The
Greatest Player as second on its all-time list of "Five Wonderful
Golf Books." At one time,
The Greatest Player and The
Greatest Course were the first and third best-selling sports fiction
in the country.
Please contact us
for more information on Mike and his work.
|
