Well after a 3month hiatus from playing this spectacular game that I enjoy so much I returned to the course today. Expecting high scores and lost balls I went into the round with a clear mind and no scoring expectations.
I step up to the first tee and take a few practice swings. Everything feels great, just like riding a bike. I teed up the ball and made my first swing. It was clean and solid just a little right but a safe play.
My game continued like this for most of the round with only the odd bad shot. I was a quite happy with my self until about the 8th hole when things were falling apart. During a wait at number 11 I was thinking about my swing and realized that I had started to speed up my back swing and was loosing control of the club face coming through the ball.
I slowed my back swing down again and I was flying true and straight, even getting a little draw with the irons. I guess the lesson here is after being away from the game for so long you tend to be a little more cautious when you step out again . That caution is what allows your body to swing correctly without having your ego and your brain get in the way.
Now if only I could keep myself from trying to kill the ball I would be able to break 80. As my confidence increases so does my swing speed and exponentially my accuracy goes down. On a side note a smooth clean swing will always produce a longer and straighter shot than a wild full out swing. Well at least at my playing level it will.
Golf Lesson: No matter how well you are playing or how much you want that extra 10 yards, always keep you swing smooth and easy. 10-20Yards shorter but in the fairway is better than even 30 yards extra and unplayable. Don’t let you confidence and your mind get in the way of a natural smooth swing.
Well written article.