Straight Golf

Tips For Golf Swing: Understanding The Club Face Rotational Circle

January 19, 2013 by Gordon Jackson Leave a Comment

One of the most significant tips for golf swing is how the club face rotates through various ball flight alignments in response to different body movements after the hands are gripped on a club.

Some of these tips for golf swing about how the club face rotates in response to certain body movements after gripping a club initially were addressed in one of my first books, The Locked-In Golf Swing.

What I failed to address in the book is what I now describe as the Club Face Rotational Circle.

Unless the alignment and path of the club face is locked in to a specific ball flight alignment, as addressed in most of my books, such as How Golf Works, How to Lock-In A Perfect Golf Swing and How To Hit A Golf Ball As Straight-As-An-Arrow, the alignment and swing path of the club face will rotate though a circle of ball flight alignments during the first half of the back swing.

For example, assume a comfortable stance and posture to your ball, center the sweet spot of your club face as near to the back of your ball as possible, align your shoulders parallel with either an imaginary or real target and then grip your club with either an overlapping, interlocking or baseball style of grip and, complete your grip by locking your right-hand lifeline squarely and securely on your left thumb.

This will cause you to begin your swing with an open alignment and an out-to-in swing path of your club face or, with a slice ball flight alignment

If you keep your left heel planted, maintain eye contact with your ball and do not intentionally manipulate the club during your golf swing, here is how your club face will rotate during the first half of your back swing.

The alignment and path of your club face will first rotate from the initial slice alignment to a straight ball flight alignment (only for an instant) and then rotate to a closed alignment and an in-to-out path to create a hook ball flight alignment. Were you to hinge (set) your wrists at this point you would hook your golf shot.

As you continue your back swing, your club face would then rotate to a straight ball flight alignment (only for an instant) before rotating to an open alignment and an in-to-out path to create a push ball flight alignment. Were you to hinge (set) you wrists at this point you would push your golf shot.

As you continue back swing, your club face would rotate to a straight ball flight alignment (only for an instant) before rotating to an extremely open alignment and a pronounced in-to-out path to create a push-slice ball flight alignment. Were you to hinge (set) your wrists at this point you would push-slice your golf shot and most likely lose it to the right.

As you continue your back swing, your club face would rotate once again to a straight ball flight alignment (only for an instant) before rotating to an extremely closed alignment and a most pronounced out-to-in path to create a pull-hook ball flight. Were you to hinge (set) your wrists at this point you would “duck-hook” your ball extremely to your left.

Next, as you continue your back swing, your club face would then rotate once again to a straight ball flight alignment (only for an in instant) before rotating to a closed alignment and an out-to-in swing path to create a pull ball flight alignment. Were you to hinge (set) your wrists at this point you would pull your golf shot.

Finally, as you continue your back swing, your club face would rotate again to a straight ball flight alignment (only for an instant) and, low and behold, complete the rotational circle by rotating to its initial open alignment and out-to-in path.

If you hinge (set) your wrists at this point or thereafter you will slice your golf shot because once the rotational circle is completed the alignment and path of the club face will remain in its pre-swing alignment and path.

It is impossible to detect to which alignment and path the club face has rotated during this circle.

This is the very reason that you should not hinge (set) your wrists until you have completed at least half of your back swing. Otherwise you will have no idea in which direction and pattern your ball will fly.

I was pleased to be the first to discover this Club Face Rotational Circle and have freely shared it with other instructors. However, very few seem to comprehend it.

Consequently some continue to coach their students to hinge their wrists during the first half of their back swings and then wonder why the ball flies in different directions.

They could and should take advantage of these tips for golf swing in the best interests of their students.

Golf Swing Tips And Techniques: Swing Path Versus Swing Plane

December 16, 2012 by Gordon Jackson Leave a Comment

One of the best golf swing tips and techniques is to understand the difference between swing path and swing plane. The reason why this is one of the best golf swing tips and techniques is that it is the path of the club that determines how the ball will fly initially.

Two things must occur at impact to hit a straight golf shot.

First, the downswing must deliver a square club face to the ball at impact. Second, the path of the club must match the target line.

As long as these two things happen, it really doesn’t matter what plane the club tracks during the back swing or down swing.

The term “plane” is very confusing to many golfers.

The club could be on a steep, moderate or shallow plane, yet if the path of the club matches the target line and the down swing delivered a square club face to the ball at impact, a straight golf shot will occur, irrespective of whether it is on a steep, moderate or shallow plane.

The term “plane” has become so much of the golfing lexicon that you cannot ignore it but I had much rather use the term,” path,” to describe what the club designs during the swing rather than the term, “plane.”

Previously, I would use the term,” on line swing path.” to describe the path of the club when it matched the target line at impact.

However, since so many instructors and golfers have gotten so intrigued with the concept of swing plane, I now use the term,

“on plane swing pat.” to describe the path of the club when it matches the target line.

It seems to be understood better since the only word out of the phrase that really matters is “path.”

So, one of the really best golf swing tips and techniques is to understand that it is path rather than plane that determines in which direction the ball will initially fly.

Tips On Golf Swing: The Golf Swing Derives From A Series Of Bone Movements

December 3, 2012 by Gordon Jackson Leave a Comment

One of the most interesting tips on golf swing is to understand how various bone joints move during the golf swing.

This is to say, that one of the most significant tips on golf swing is to appreciate how certain bone joints are aligned during the setup routine and, during the golf swing, in relation to the ball and target will determine how the golf ball flies.

This is the basis of how Locked-In Golf™ works.

The shoulders, wrists and arms’ joints are positioned to lock-in certain alignments and swing paths of the club face during the setup proceedings.

Since the shoulder, wrists and arms’ joints are locked-in to certain positions to produce a specific ball flight, such joints will only move the bones in a specific manner.

A recent article addressed the science behind this phenomenon, a portion of which reads:

“Any human movement is actually a combination of movement at various joints, and all joints are only capable of moving in certain fixed planes of motion – the sagittal, frontal and transverse planes (or a combination of these).” Read more…http://kirankanwargolf.wordpress.com/mgs-at-the-world-congress-of-golf/.

However, in order to lock the shoulders, wrists and arms’ joints in place to then lock-in a specific ball flight alignment when using the Locked-In Golf Techniques™, it is necessary to create another joint which provides its catalyst.

The other joint that locks-in the shoulders, wrists and arms’ joints is formed by locking of the lifeline of the right hand on the left thumb a certain number of times during or after the hands are gripped on the club.

Depending on which Locked-in Golf Technique™ is being performed it may require the lifeline of the right hand to be unlocked from the left thumb and re-locked on the left thumb more than once to lock-in the ball flight desired, whether that of a straight golf shot or, a shaped golf shot such as a fade or draw.

Thus, the magic behind the Locked In Golf Techniques™ is the proper locking, unlocking and re-locking of the lifeline/thumb connection a specific number of times to form another effective bone joint that cements the shoulders, wrists and arms’ joints in a certain position.

The locking, unlocking and re-locking of the lifeline/thumb connection to form another effective bone joint is the “glue” that binds all the components together to produce the ball flight of choice.

Hopefully, this helps to explain better why the Locked-In Golf Techniques™ are so reliable in producing specific ball flights and why this is one of the best tips on golf swing.

Golf Swing Tips and Instructions: Know Your Golf Geometry

November 14, 2012 by Gordon Jackson Leave a Comment

One of the most significant golf swing tips and instructions is to understand golf geometry.

Specifically, in terms of golf swing tips and instructions, you should learn the geometry of the swing.

Moreover, you should appreciate that the geometry of the swing is largely determined by how the shoulders, wrists and elbows bones are aligned at the completion of the setup proceedings.

Assuming your shoulders, wrists and elbow bones are aligned to establish a square club face alignment at final address and, correspondingly, your elbow line is parallel with your shoulder line, you will have established a straight ball flight alignment.

Further, if your club face is centered as near to the back of your ball as possible and simultaneously your shoulders are aligned parallel with you target line at final address, you will hit a straight golf shot if you do not manipulate the alignment and path of your club face off its pre-swing alignments during your golf swing.

In such instance, the impact position of your club face should replicate its address position and you should hit your golf ball straight as an arrow in the direction of your target.

Thus, all you need to know about golf geometry is that ball flight is determined by the relationship between the alignment and path of the club face when the face of the club contacts the ball a impact

For example, if a square club face contacts the ball on a swing path that matches the shoulder line at impact, a straight ball flight will result.

If an open club face contacts the ball on an out-to-in path across the shoulders at impact, a fade or slice ball flight will result.

If a closed club face contacts the ball on an out-to-in path across the shoulders at impact, a pull ball flight will result.

If an open club face contacts the ball on an in-to-out path across the shoulders, a push ball flight will result

If a closed club face contacts the ball on an in-to-out path across the shoulders, a draw or hook ball flight will result.

Learn what causes these geometrical patterns of ball flight and you will appreciate that the above information is some of the best golf swing tips and instructions available anywhere.

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Golf Swing Instructional Tips: You Do Not Need To Keep A Rigid Left Arm During Your Swing

October 23, 2012 by Gordon Jackson Leave a Comment

Some golf swing instructional tips suggest that you should keep your left arm rigidly straight during your golf swing.

On the other hand, some golf swing instructional tips recommend it is not necessary to keep a rigid left arm during your swing.

Which advice is the better one?

I believe a very rigid left arm can restrict your shoulder turn just as much as a a very tight golf grip. Both have a tendency to interfere with a free flowing golf swing. Both can prevent you from hitting your golf ball straight.

It is much more important to make a full shoulder turn during your back swing in order to increase club head speed than to overly concentrate on keeping your left arm absolutely straight.

The body has a natural ability to adjust itself in many ways.

For example, assuming you do not keep your left arm even moderately straight during your back swing but nevertheless make a full shoulder turn, as long as you keep your left heel planted, maintain eye contact with your ball and do not manipulate the face and path of your club of its pre -swing alignments, the impact position of your club face should replicate its address position.

This means the left arm will naturally straighten to its pre-swing position at impact.

There is a second problem in trying to keep your left arm too rigid during your golf swing.

You can only concentrate on a limited number of swing thoughts during your swing, irrespective of your ability to juggle several things at a time.

Your main swing thoughts should be to keep your left heel firmly planted and maintain eye contact with your ball from the beginning of your swing through impact.

That is, if you want the impact position of your club face to replicate its address position.

When you then add a third swing thought such as to keep a rigid left arm during your swing, you can easily lose focus on the first two.

Yes, you should try to keep your left arm reasonably straight but this will occur naturally if you make a full shoulder turn during your back swing.

Thus, the better golf swing instructional tips are to keep your left heel planted, maintain eye contact with your ball and make a full shoulder turn.

If you do this you will not need to concern yourself with how straight you should keep your left arm during your swing.

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Best Golf Tips: How To Avoid The Double Chip Shot

October 7, 2012 by Gordon Jackson Leave a Comment

One of the best golf tips is to learn how to avoid the twice-hit chip shot, sometimes referred to as the double chip.

The reason why this is one of the best golf tips is the penalty associated with a twice-hit chip shot.

A recent article suggested some golf techniques that can be performed to avoid such a calamity. Here is a part of the article.

“The double chip, or TC Chen as it’s commonly known, is a mysterious thing for most golfers. It sort of runs up there with the shanks in that it seems to come out of no where with no simple explanation for what causes it. But, learning how to chip using the bounce of the golf club can help rid you of this annoying shot.

The first key is to let the club swing on a natural arc. The natural arc of a chip shot is very wide and shallow. Where most golfers go wrong is that they pick the golf club up abruptly and then hit down on the ball sharply. This type of chipping stroke creates a steep and narrow arc whose shape resembles the letter ‘V’. You want the shape of your chip stroke to resemble the letter ‘U’.” Read more…http://www.golflessonsandtips.com/how-to-avoid-the-double-chip-in-golf/.

Certainly, a shallower swing will lessen the risk of a double chip but there are many circumstances in which a pitch shot would be better than a chip from either a green side fringe or rough.

When hitting a ball from green side rough, a pitch definitely is a preferred over a chip. The primary reason why you would want to pitch your ball from green side rough instead of attempting a chip shot is the reality that a typical chip is not likely to advance the ball sufficiently to reach the target.

In most such cases, a steeper swing is required to dislodge the ball from green side rough, particularly if deeper rough or the ball is buried in even lighter rough.

When hitting a ball from the fringe, the better approach is to putt the ball if possible. If not, why not learn to pitch the ball from the fringe. As is often stated, there are no impediments in the sky.

By definition, you don’t double chip when you pitch your shot.

So, in terms of avoiding a twice-hit chip, one of the best golf tips would be to avoid a chip altogether and pitch your shot if unable to putt it.

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Straight Golf Shots: It All Begins With Proper Posture And Grip

September 29, 2012 by Gordon Jackson Leave a Comment

If you want to hit straight golf shots you must establish the correct posture to your ball.

Also, if you want to hit straight golf shots you must grip your club correctly.

If you have an improper posture to your ball or have not gripped your club correctly do not expect to hit your golf ball straight.

There is a lot of golf swing instructions about how to properly set your posture to your ball.

Your posture is determined in large part by how far you stand from your ball and how wide (or narrow) is your stance.

In terms of how far you should stand from your ball, one golf method is to stand so your hands are directly below your shoulders and you are not reaching for the ball.

Some very good golfers stand farther from the ball but most professional and low handicap golfers subscribe to the notion that your hands should be directly below your shoulders when addressing your ball.

Personally, I try to keep about a “fist” separation between the butt of my club and my pants or shorts to set my posture to the ball.

In terms of a proper grip, you should experiment with the overlapping, interlocking or baseball styles of grip until you find the one that suits your hands the best.

Most golfers use the overlapping grip although the interlocking has gained more popularity in recent years.

There are two versions of the overlapping grip.

The original Vardon overlapping grip requires you to grip your left hand diagonally across your club and then grip your right hand on your club with the little finger of your right hand overlapped on top of the index finger of your left hand. Then complete your grip by docking the lifeline of your right hand squarely and securely on your left thumb.

The modified Vardon overlapping grip also requires you to grip your left hand on your club in a diagonal manner but then requires you to insert the index fingertip of your left hand into the web between your right-hand little and ring fingers and then overlap the little finger of your right hand on the groove atop the index and middle fingers of your left hand. Then complete your grip by docking the lifeline of your right hand squarely and securely on your left thumb.

Whether you prefer the original Vardon or modified Vardon overlapping grip or, the interlocking or baseball style of grip, the most important step of all is to dock the lifeline of your right hand squarely and securely on your left thumb.

This step lock-ins in your grip.

Once again, if you want to hit straight golf shots you should first learn how to set your posture to your ball properly and grip your club correctly.

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Best Golf Lessons: How To Control Your Anger And Manage Your Golf Game

September 16, 2012 by Gordon Jackson Leave a Comment

One of the most important and best golf lessons is not about how to putt the ball or swing the club.

One of the most significant and best golf lessons is how to manage your game and control your temper.

Managing your game and controlling your game go “hand-in-glove,” so to speak. They will allow you to hit your best golf shots.

Usually losing your temper or, failing to control your temper, is what leads to poor management decisions in a round of golf.

On the other hand, when you are able to control your temper, even in dire circumstances, you can continue to manage your game calmly and make good decisions in your play.

I recently read an article about angry golf. Here is a portion of the article.

“Golf is a reflection of the ego. One has expectations. And when these expectations are not satisfactorily realized, one takes, shall we say, ego-reinforcing compensatory actions to rationalize the shortfall. Often, these explanations are manifest by the simple means of an expletive, softly muttered, after witnessing the pitiful results of a truly ugly swing.” Read more…blog.timesunion.com/golf/angry-golf/4498/.

What causes most golfers to lose control of their temper is the unreliability of their golf swing.

Golfers who subscribe to conventional golf swing instruction in which they are taught to manipulate the club in some way during their swing in an attempt to square the face of their club to the ball at impact are somewhat doomed to fail at times.

The problem with conventional golf swing instruction is that it requires a golfer to instinctively determine the alignment and path of the club face at final address and from such alignment and path of the club face, attempt to manipulate the club in some weird way during the golf swing to convert the established club face alignment and path to a square alignment and an on line path at impact with the ball.

Most weekend and recreational golfers are unable to perform this overwhelming task.

They become frustrated because they are unable to hit consistent and reliable golf shots by trying to manipulate the club in some way to square its face to the ball at impact and lose control of their temper and the ability to manage their game in the process.

The Locked-In Golf™ System takes the guesswork out of how to manipulate the club during the golf swing to square the club face to the ball at impact.

The Locked-In Golf™ System locks-in a square alignment and an on line swing path of the club face during the setup proceedings and they remain locked-in during the remainder of the setup routine and golf swing as long as the instructions are followed.

More information about the Locked-In Golf™ System can be found at http://lockedingolf.com or gordonjacksongolf.com.

Once you experience locking-in a square alignment and an on line swing path of the club face during the setup proceedings there will be no need to manipulate the club during the golf swing to square the club face to the ball at impact because it is locked-in to “square” at the beginning of the swing.

You then can manage your game and temper and begin to hit your golf ball straight as an arrow, one shot after another.

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Tips For Golf Swing: Ensure You Have Established A Perfect Ball Position

August 25, 2012 by Gordon Jackson Leave a Comment

One of the most important tips for golf swing is to ensure you have established an ideal ball position at the completion of your pre-swing proceedings.

The reason why this is one of the most significant tips for the golf swing is that anything less than an ideal ball position will cause your club face to bottom-out too early or too late during the impact zone of the swing and result in a mishit golf shot.

What many golfers do not understand or appreciate is how ball position and body-to-target alignment are interconnected.

If you change how your ball is positioned in your stance you also change your shoulder-to-target alignment.

Correspondingly, if you change your shoulder-to-target alignment, you also change the position of your ball in your stance.

A recent article addressed this most significant golf swing instruction. A portion of it reads:

“Ball Position. Having the ball too far forward in your stance is the biggest reason for not hitting it solid. Because the golf swing results in a descending blow on the ball, having the ball too far forward is a good recipe for hitting the dreaded fat shot. In a simple golf swing, the ball is always positioned a ball or two to the right (to the left for you lefties) from where the swing bottoms out. This makes sure that the ball is struck before the club hits the ground, making crisp, solid contact a much better possibility.” Read more…http://www.streetarticles.com/golf/simple-golf-swing-review-check-out-these-5-golf-tips

Ideally, you should lock-in a straight ball flight alignment, center the sweet spot of your club face as near as possible to the back of your ball and align your shoulders parallel with your target line at final address in order to hit your golf ball straight.

Once you have completed your set up proceedings in such a manner, it then just becomes a matter of keeping your head steady and maintaining eye contact with your ball through impact of your golf swing to produce straight golf shots.

When you are able to do this one shot after another you will appreciate that this is one of the best tips for golf swing anywhere to be found.

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Golf Swing Instructions: Hit Your Ball Before Taking Turf

August 25, 2012 by Gordon Jackson Leave a Comment

One of the most overlooked golf swing instructions is to ensure you hit the golf ball first during your downswing.

The reason why this is one of the most important, yet overlooked, golf swing instructions is that if the sole of your club face hits the turf before striking the ball you will lose considerable yardage with your golf shot.

A reason article also addressed this golf swing tip. The relevant portion of the article reads as follows:

“Ball First. You see the pros on tv take those huge divots and you wonder how in the world they hit the ball so far when they take out so much ground at the same time. Well, the trick is the hit the ball before the ground. If a significant amount of dirt and grass get between your ball and the club face, that’s gonna suck some serious power out of your shot. So when you take your divots, make sure that you’re hitting the ball first, then the grass.” Read more…http://www.streetarticles.com/golf/simple-golf-swing-review-check-out-these-5-golf-tips.

The only time you would not want your club face to contact your ball first would be when executing a bunker shot or hitting off surfaces where there is no grass.

There are many reasons why golfers contact the turf before striking the ball and chunk their golf shot.

One such reason is the tendency of many players to offset the sole of their club face too far from the back of their ball.

Assuming you have established or locked-in a square club face at the completion of your set up routine the sweet spot of your club face must be centered as near as possible to the back of your ball without moving your ball in the process. Otherwise, your club face will contact the turf before striking your ball and you most likely will chunk your shot and lose considerable distance with your golf shot as a result.

Ideally, you want your club face to strike your ball at the lowest point of your swing arc and then take a thin layer of turf. Once you learn to do this you will benefit from one of the very best golf swing instructions.

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