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Filma dig face-on. Du kommer att se att händerna är bakom bollen vid impact.

När du konstaterat det är det "bara" att se till att de i stället passerar bollen innan impact.

Det effektivaste sättet att komma tillrätta med det är att gå till en pro och be honom hjälpa dig att åstadkomma en enda sak: "Händerna skall ha passerat bollen vid impact". Normalt kräver det tämligen omfattande ändringar av svingen. Går inte över dagen.

Förvänta dig inte att något som låter så enkelt i text är enkelt i praktiken. De flesta kommer aldrig i närheten.

Jag anser att det går det snabbast om man:

1. Lär sig chippa med händerna framför bollen vid impact
2. Lär sig pitcha med händerna framför bollen vid impact
3. Lär sig puncha med händerna framför bollen vid impact
4. Lär sig slå fulla slag med händerna framför bollen vid impact

Kan man inte 1 så kan man inte 2
Kan man inte 2 så kan man inte 3
Kan man inte 3 så kan man inte 4
Kan man inte 4 så kan man varken slå långt eller lågt

Underskatta inte hur svårt det är. SKulle säga att det krävs minst 1000 korrekta chippar innan man kan bocka av punkt 1.

Se animationen nedan eller titta den här filmen på YouTube. Lyckas du pausa den precis innan impact så ser du att händerna sett med Tigers ögon redan passerat den främre foten innan klubban träffar bollen. De flesta blir förvånade om de ställer sig i en sådan position. Händerna (sett "från ögonen") har redan passerat båda fötterna innan klubbhuvudet träffat bollen.

The money they make and lose

2007 Shell Houston Open. Not by any means the biggest purse on tour.

Scott and Appleby comes to the difficult last hole. Appleby trailing by 1. Next contender still on the course would be Bubba Watson, but he is trailing Appleby by 3.

First price is $990.000. Second is $594.000. A par by Watson would earn him $319.000.

So Scott and Appleby is fighting over the close to $400K difference between first and second. That is money anyone would play anyone a par 4 to earn.

Appleby may be thinking: Watson is three behind. I need to play for birdie. Worst I'll do is a bogey, and the birdie might earn me an "extra" $400K.

Scott may be thinking: Birdie is unlikely for anyone. A par here and the "extra" $400K is mine.

Appleby tee-off. Keeps it to the right and lands it in the fairway bunker. Safe, but not what he was asking for.

Scott may be thinking: Apples is in the bunker with 200 yards. A par will do.

Scott hits it into the water to the left.

Appleby in the bunker. He can tell that Scott need to drop more or less on the same distance as him. So the run for the $400K is TIED as this point. Are half of the $400K already earned?

Both players @ some 190 yards. Appleby in the bunker. Scott dropped on fairway. Same number of shots used. Margin of 2 to next player. Who will make the up and down?

Appleby hits it into the water. Devastated.

Scott fires it on the green, but away from the hole. Difficult putt.

Appleby gets it on the green in 4. Has a shot at holing for bogey.

Scott has 2 difficult putt for his par. Very unlikely. He just need a two-putt to win. He holes it.

Appleby obviously deflated. He two-putts for a double-bogey.

Only 7 birdies have been made on this hole all week. And Watson need a birdie to tie Appleby. So Apples can more or less consider the $594K as pocketed - or?

Well it turns out Watson makes his birdie. Steals a T2 with Appleby and gets $484.000.

So:

• Scott earned the silly $990.000 even though he was in the water.
  
• Appleby lost $110.000 playing for birdie
• Watson gained the unlikely "extra" $165.000 by making birdie while Apples made a 6.
  

Putting checklist

Got some good stuff out of a recent clinic with Geoff Mangum. Here's a quick summary for my own benefit (to help me remember). Others who have been to his clinics will recignize some or all of it.

• Don't think. Thinking draws blood from the cerbellum. Cerbellum will produce if you provide blood.
• Find the target spot by a "spider " assesment of the green. One target for any putt from a given distance. (Ondulations not taken into account).
• Eyes pointing straight out of the head
• Keep putter face perpendicular to target in impact zone.
• Consider skipping practice swings. Cerbellum does not care.
• Hold putter primarlily along lifeline of left hand. Right hand only for support. Multiple-overlap grip.
  
• Start swing with left shoulder
• Use "rear-eye-arrow-method" for aiming

EDIT August 2007: But one thing is more important than any of the above: RHYTHM

Golfswing Aesthetics

Just bumped on this post by Tongzilla. A reply to what makes a swing look good. Liked it!

A case of bad luck

Just heard this: Another example of how bad it can get:

Swiss Open (soime year): A (italian?) player needs to finish with a par on the last hole. His teeshot ends up in a good spot. One more shot for glory. Just hit the green.

The ball sails towards the flagstick. Hits the very TIP of the flagstick and bounces out of bounds behind the green.

That was said to be the defining moment for that particular player. He reportedly decided to quit his golfing career after that.

Someone got

...to play Augusta National. A few nice photos to get an idea what the experience might be like and not just the common tournament photos: http://flickr.com/photos/defrances/sets/358373/