It's Personal

Nothing seems more obvious to me now that everyone needs to develop and own their personal golf swing. This includes the tempo of the swing, the transition, the amount of body rotation, the swing path, and so on. The ball just reacts to the clubface angle (and to a lesser extent the swing path) and the clubhead speed at impact.

There are an infinite number of ways to create a golf shot. Golf cannot be a perfect science, despite attempts to make it one ('The Swing Machine' book, for example). I have therefore decided, after years of research and trial and error, to return to the way I've always played, instinctively, naturally, effortlessly.

However, I have learnt a couple of new things along the way that help me deal with those two main factors (mentioned above) that affect the way the golf ball reacts.

The first, clubface angle and swing path, can largely be dealt with during set up or address. It is important to set up with hips and shoulders (in particular) square, or even slightly closed, and parallel to the target line. Setting up open to that line, as most people do, can work in hitting a straight shot, but it requires an awareness of the need to re-direct the swing path from the inside. That the clubface should be set up square to the target line is fairly self evident.

Clubhead speed is the second main factor effecting the ball flight, in this case referencing the amount of carry and backspin. I've learned that it is necessary to coordinate body rotation with the use of the arms to generate decent clubhead speed. Using the arms with minimal body turn is generally less effective in generating maximum usable clubhead speed. Having said that, there are many schools of thought in this area, but I'm not going there right now.

With these things in mind I've realised that I have a certain amount of natural sporting ability, perhaps because of genetics and perhaps also because I grew up in an environment when playing sport and being active was usual. Golf can within these few technical parameters be played intuitively, creatively, and perhaps relatively effortlessly. In other words: it's personal.