Golf Tips & Quips

I was at the driving range yesterday and two guys settled in to the area next to me. They were pretty buff. The kind of guys that I'm sure played high school football and are still living off the fame of winning the State Championship. I didn't really pay attention to them. Just a simple head nod and I went about my business.

By this time in my session, I was swinging my driver. I always start with my wedges, work my 7-iron then 6-iron, and then progress to my woods. These guys, however, pulled out the big stick right from the start. No warm up. No stretching. Just all out, one hundred percent swings.

I am still working very hard on tempo and accuracy, so I was only swinging at about sixty five to seventy percent. Even at this rate, I was getting the ball out to about 240 yards, which makes me a firm believer in the philosophy discussed in this video from Peak Performance Golf Swing. Paul Wilson explains that power and distance come from good tempo and a proper wrist hinge as opposed to trying to swing the arms at one hundred miles per hour.

I noticed that the competition between the two jocks became a competition between me and them. I could tell that they were wondering how my skinny butt was out-driving them despite the fact that they outweighed me by about eighty pounds each. They just kept swinging harder and harder. Faster and faster, but their tee shots barely made it past the one hundred and fifty yard marker, if that.

I acted as if I didn't notice that they were trying to outdo me. They were getting so frustrated. It took a lot for me not to start laughing at them. Instead, it just reaffirmed everything I have been learning for the past few months. Proper technique and a good understanding of the golf swing will make me a better golfer.  I just hope these guys lose the ego and learn this some day. They will have a lot more fun when they do. Have a great round and always hit your target.

Photo found here.