It's just a ball and a stick.

Why do we get so carried away with "this arm stays straight, don't move your head, cock your wrist, etc." Those kind of thoughts are great for practice, but have no place on the golf course. When you play basketball, do you think about how your wrist cocks? When you drive a car, do you worry about crossing your hands as you make a right turn? If you do, then there is no help for you. When your playing golf, just PLAY GOLF! Concentrate on moving the ball to the spot you want to play your next shot. On the tee, think about the score you want for that hole and devise a plan that will produce that score.

Practice your short game.

Yea, yea.... you've heard this before, but putting ain't as fun as proving your manhood by ripping that big drive. Impressing your competition is fine, but winning is better! Dedicate 85% of your practice time to your short game and be amazed! You can get the ball close to the hole almost every time if you just spend some time working on little pitches, chips, sandshots, and especially putting. Develop a putting routine. It can be anything you like. I do it this way; one practice stroke looking at the distance of the putt, a second practice stroke keeping my head down, feeling the same stroke as the first, then just stay relaxed and stroke the putt. Using the same routine everytime, whether it's a 2 footer or a 60 footer, helps to keep your mind on the business and not on the consequence.

Practice your setup fundamentals.

If you get your setup right, the club will swing itself. Look hard at your grip. Make sure it looks normal. You know what I mean because you've read every golf magazine and book, and have seen every golf video. ("v's" pointing at your right shoulder). Check that your grip tension and arm tension stays even all the way through the your swing. The grip is best explained here by Ben Hogan. Check you stance. Most of us err by not bending at the hips, and not keeping our back straight. We also have a habit of setting up with our shoulders open (left) of the target. Use a club across your hips and chest to check alignment. Devise a way to get into the same stance every time and make it part of your pre-shot routine. Align the club face at the target first, then your feet hips and shoulders to the club face. Use this as part of your routine as well. Take confidence in the fact that the club face is aimed at the target. I like to draw a mental image..a line that extends from the toe of the club forward, and the heel backward that is 45 degrees to the target line. I keep that line in my mind throughout the swing.

Practice your swing fundamentals.

Practice these, but don't over think. Remember it's just a ball and stick. Shift your Weight! Everybody seems to get this one wrong starting out. In an attempt to hit the ball in the air, they shift their weight away from the target on the downswing. You must shift your weight to your right foot on the backswing and then to your left on the downswing (by turning, not swaying). If you want the ball to go up, you'll need a descending blow. One other common fault is the loss of flex in the right knee during the backswing. Swing, don't hit. You've heard this before. Swing it back, swing it down. Don't try to hit with your hands. Think of the rhythm of a playground swing. back.. pause at the top.. down slow picking up speed as it reaches the bottom. One-piece takeaway. Stay connected for the first 18". Don't wrench your wrist back early. If you've been missing thin or fat, you may find the problem here. Keep your feet on the ground and your hips in place. Don't turn your hips back, just let them be pulled back by your shoulders. Try not to lift your left foot too much, if you do you may be pulled off center. You should feel tension between your left hip and left shoulder. Stay on plane. Draw an imaginary line from the ball to the target and extending back behind the ball. The head or the butt end of the golf club should be pointing at that line throughout the swing except at the times when the shaft is parallel to the line. Release the clubhead. When the shaft of the club is parallel to the ground on the backswing, the toe of the club should be pointing up. When the shaft is parallel to the ground on the after impact, the toe should be pointing up. Stay Balanced. I like to think about the finish before I start the backswing. I envision my weight shifted fully to my left foot, I'm holding that finish position until the ball lands. If I do that, I've made a good balanced swing. Now that you've practiced all those fundamentals, forget 'em. It's good idea to spend part of your practice time just aiming at a target, trusting your swing and don't think of any swing thoughts.

Play the Game!

On the golf course, concentrate on moving the ball strategically from target to target. If you hit a bad shot, forget it. The next shot will be good. BE CREATIVE...HAVE FUN, It ain't rocket science...It's just a ball and a stick!

Jim Long Network