Golf myths busted!
Jun 08, 2017
The myth: Keep your eye on the ball
Keeping your eye on the ball is not as important as everyone like to think, and it often just leads to bad habits! Its important to remember that the ball is not the target; the target is the target, and keeping an eye on the ball Will NOT guarantee a great strike - in fact may restrict/inhibit a players rotational flow!
The fix
Practice makes perfect, so keep making chipping swings with your eyes on the target, rather then the ball. When you feel more confident, make some actual chips with your eyes on the target, and remember the goal in golf is to allow the ball to get in the way of your swing.
The myth: For solid chips, lean the handle forward
It is common belief that the more you press the handle forward in your chipping setup, the less chance you have of hitting the ball fat. A bit of forward shaft is a good thing in chipping, but overdoing it May lead to hitting fat/thin shots but will certainly not allow a player to feel a shallow sweeping angle of attack and a nice flighted chip shot.
The fix
Be aware of where your center is, it has the biggest influence on how solidly you’ll hit your chips. If your center is even or ahead of the ball, then you have a much better chance of catching the ball solid.
The myth: Keep your head down
Keeping your head down is going to result in an incomplete backswing and poor sequence of motion, not to mention the problems it creates with posture. If your head is down, it will be in the way of your shoulders, and your thoracic spine will be curved, affecting your motion on the way back and through.
The fix
Once you are in your posture and ready, take a clubshaft and hold it behind your back. Your head, upper back and lower back should all be lined up when you get into your setup position.
The myth: Keep your head still
Many players think that they are supposed to keep their head still during their swing, which ends up leading to a poor backswing position. It is true that the head shouldn’t be moving around too much, but it must have a slight movement from side to side – especially in the back swing. The problem with keeping your head exactly still is that it restricts shoulder rotation in the backswing and therefore potential club head speed
The fix
Give the natural backswing drill a try – Face on to a mirror / patio window - make some backswings with the club along the front of your shoulders (under your chin) and attempt to make a full 90 degree turn keeping and eye on your head position in the reflection from the mirror. Use as much hip turn to aid this process as you need but make sure you get the shoulders through 90 degrees. - turning is far more important than holding the head in a fixed position.
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