Easy is hard

After a recent slump in my golfing outcomes, I had to do something different, bearing in mind my previous post about the definition of madness. Finally, I think I've found that something.

The thing is, when I started to play golf with my parents as a kid, quite contrary to advice, I did what most beginners do: I tried to hit the cover off the ball. Some 'experts' say this is fine; learn to hit hard first and gradually refine your technique to acquire accuracy and consistency

Trouble is, I've continued to try to hit the ball hard my entire golfing 'career', as many golfers do. The slow learners amongst us anyway. This impulse continues even though we've all been told many times to 'let the club do the work'.

Why is it so hard to let the club do the work? There seems to be something in the psychology of golf (perhaps related to the clubs used, the stationary ball, the distances involved?) that lures us into this desire to wallop the ball. Watching the pros smash the ball 350 yards also doesn't help.

And there's the key realisation, right there. Rory and co pelt the little ball 300 yards plus down the fairway using their youth, strength and flexibility for sure, but also using good techniques, especially excellent timing and rhythm.

Players who lack the aforementioned physical advantages can still acquire and use the techniques that the pros use. It is also possible with some work and perhaps some help and advice to develop good rhythm and timing. What is difficult, however, is controlling the impulse to hit hard and to fail to let the club do the work.

I've recently experienced that strange sensation of swinging easily, yet finding the ball travelling 15 or 20 yards further than expected. It can sometimes be destructive at first; it most commonly happens when you are trying to lay up short of a hazard, and failing.

Most of us don't learn from this experience, no matter how long we've been playing golf. I'm only now trying to devote much more concentration on my swing rhythm. I'm on a mission to let whatever club I choose do the work. But to tell the truth, it's not easy because, as we know, easy is hard.