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Pro Shop Golf Tips Articles by Jay Perkins, PGA Professional  •ON THE GREEN• Article One To follow in footsteps of best golfers, practice game’s basics like they do... For my first column, let’s cover going back to the basics of golf. I was reading a story about Vince Lombardi in a business publication. In the article, it stated that when his Green Bay Packers lost a game due to mistakes, at the very next practice Lombardi would hold a football high above his head and say: "Gentlemen, this is a football.” The reason for his action was to simply return to the basics, start over, keep it simple and stay with what works. The so-called Rites of Spring are just over the horizon. The Masters soon will be under way, the Orioles are at spring training, flowers are blooming and it won't be long before the smell of cut grass laces the air. These are things that remind us to start dusting off the sticks for another season of golf. But you might say: "What does all of this have to do with Vince Lombardi and my golf game?” Actually, a whole lot. This year make a commitment to your game and try something different. Practice the fundamentals and stick to the basics. The tried and true. Spend time checking your grip position, aim and alignment, ball position, posture, weight distribution and pre-shot routine. You might say that's an awful lot to think about. Yes, but all pre-swing fundamentals, those all-important basics that must be right before a hint of motion occurs are all part of the foundation of a good swing. The good news is that you can practice them anywhere. In Jim MacLean's book, "Golf School" he quotes Ken Venturi regarding the set-up in the golf swing. He states, "Players don't lose their golf swings. Rather, they lose their position at setup." Simply stated, the shot is missed before a player even draws the club away. What this tells us is the best players and teachers of the game recognize the importance of the key fundamentals and their constant need of attention. You can talk about the hottest driver on the market, the long putter, the latest iron design, and the next generation golf ball. You can try the latest swing gizmo, electronic devices, all of them good things, but without spending time on the things that matter most your game slips into mediocrity with all the others out there. Why do most people focus on all the other stuff ignoring the basics and fundamentals of good golf? It takes too much time. But do you know that all the best players in the world do it? Why? Because it works! Why does it work? Because it has proven itself time and time again to reinforce the basics for repeatable swing for the best players in the world. I believe it was said best by perhaps the greatest ball striker of all-time, the late, great Ben Hogan. Hogan said, "The swing is learned in the dirt." That pretty much sums it up. If anyone ever worked hard on the fundamentals and basics of the game it was Hogan. I think any player of note would say the same. So before starting your search this season for the Holy Grail of the golf swing, look no further than your set-up position - the basics. Find a tour player who has the same basic body type as you and the same height and emulate their setup. Copy it, practice it, learn from the best and go to work on the answer for your game. It's no further from you than your shadow. Future articles will cover the "Things that Matter Most" for your golf swing. Until then, practice, practice, practice and have fun doing it. These articles were previously written for The Sporting Times. Jay Perkins is the golf columnist for The Sporting Times, a Harford County based sports magazine. Jay's columns can be found twice monthly in that publication. Harford County resident Jay Perkins is the PGA Professional at Bel Air Golf Center in Kingsville. Read more about Jay Perkins. More articles |
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