IF IT is possible to focus too much on the modern golf swing then maybe Jeff Mann has done it.

Jeff is a retired doctor who has built an amazing resource at his website, Perfect Golf Swing.

As Jeff happily admits, his analysis of the golf swing is so detailed it is not for everyone.

But for those who are interested, it is fascinating stuff.

Even though Jeff set up the website entirely himself and it has a very simple, no frills design, it demonstrates the internet at its best.

The only problem is, if, like me, you start reading, viewing and absorbing and then look up and realise several hours have passed and you haven’t even reached the top of the backswing.

As for Jeff, he has obviously spent countless hundreds of hours putting it all together – and the project is still ongoing.

The beauty of Jeff’s work – apart from the fact that it is all entirely free to access – is that he has drawn all the material together from the best teachers and resources from throughout golf’s history.

And because it is online every minute, gory aspect of the modern golf swing can be analysed not just with words, pictures, illustration and graphs, but with relevant video clips and links as well.

The amazing thing is that Jeff only started playing golf when he retired from practicing medicine in 2001.

Jeff looked around and noted there was no free online review of the full golf swing available. Sure, there are a myriad of sites offering free golf tips, but nothing detailed like this.

Jeff decided to approach it as he would a scholarly analysis of any educational subject and that’s why he decided on the no frills style of Perfect Golf Swing.

As in a scholarly review, every point is referenced to the original source, whether that is from a David Leadbetter book, a Ben Hogan video clip or an animated robot swinging at one of the modern golf clinics. And all of it is based entirely on traditional golf instructional teaching.

As an older golfer himself  – and with the benefit of his medical knowledge of human physiology – Jeff knows that most senior golfers are not going to be physically able to exactly replicate the perfect swing of a golf robot or even a young Aaron Baddeley. Allowances can be made.

And as Jeff freely admits, the review will not offer a developing golfer any secret formula that will magically enable them to instantly perfect their golf swing.

What it does do for those interested is provide the basis for a thorough and in-depth understanding of golf swing mechanics.

Read and absorb it and suddenly all those seemingly disparate and (often in reality) confusing golf tips in the magazines and websites will all make perfect sense. You’ll know exactly where they are coming from.

Visit Perfect Golf Swing here

(Illustration from Swing Like a Pro. Ralph Mann and Fred Griffin)

By Head Teaching Professional Bobby Eldridge of PurePoint Golf

This is part of a series of articles on the full golf swing. They are adapted from the PurePoint Golf eBook “Full Golf Swing Fundamentals”. The eBook is currently available at a special price that includes a Free DVD  and other benefits. Click the PurePoint link below if you want more details.

Standing to the Handle

As you address the golf ball there are some critical parts of the setup that must be in place before you start the backswing.

1. Across from Belt Buckle

The Key to Starting the Golf Club Back

2. One Piece Take-away

3. Right Shoulder Turns as Arm Swings Club

The Correct Path in the Backswing

4a. Correct Arc

4b. Correct Arc

Too Much Outside

Too Much Inside

Too Straight Back

From Address to the 9:00 Position

5. First Check-Point is the 9 O’Clock Position

Right Shoulder Tilted Too Much

Right Shoulder Turned Too Level

From 9:00 to the Top

6a. From 9 to the Top

6b. From 9 to the Top

Shoulders Stop Turning, Club Swings Up

7. Shoulders Turning Correctly

Full Golf Swing Fundamentals Series

1. The Grip

2. Correct Address – Foundation of the Golf Swing

4. The Top of the Backswing

5. The First Move Down

6. The Downswing

7. Golf Swing – Impact and Follow Through

According to one leading US golf teaching professional, “Less is More” when it comes to senior golf flexibility. That means you can still produce the same distance and accuracy but with less in your swing.

Top 50 LPGA Teaching Professional Lynn Bernadett says loss of flexibility is a major concern for anyone in the 40 and above age bracket.

“In golf, flexibility is a major factor in creating an effortless swing,” Lynn says. “Whether male or female, you will lose a good percentage of your flexibility as the years go by.

“If you are in this category, the majority of swing flaws that occur could be from a, “trying to do, like I used to do”, syndrome. You can do like you used to do, but it may be a scaled-down model.

“This means that you will be able to produce the same distance and the same accuracy with less in your swing. No matter what level your swing is at, less is more in golf.

Lyn says that unlike most other sports activities, golf is a game that you can play for the rest of your life.

“Involve yourself in some sort of regular exercise in order to maintain a healthy mind and body,” she says. “The older you get, the more important it will be that exercise becomes a part of your everyday life. In golf, do not expect to increase your mobility without involving yourself in some sort of extracurricular exercise.

“Swinging within yourself” is to swing within the natural boundaries of ones own sense of balance. The speed at which you chose to start your swing will only increase as you continue your motion. Flexibility and balance cannot be achieved if your swing speed is too fast. You need to find a rate of speed that keeps you on your feet, and in balance, through to your finish position. You want to create a “low and slow” takeaway as you start your club back. “Low and slow” benefits the stability throughout your swing and definitely maintains flexibility, and a steady balance check.

“At the top (or end) of your backswing, turning your shoulders to a 90-degree angle to the target line (or your back completely to the target), may no longer be your goal. Since you have lost some of your flexibility, your ability to turn will now end somewhere short of that 90-degree mark. Once you have found the maximum potential of your coil, a simple readjustment in rhythm, tempo, and timing has to be made in your swing. You would be keeping the same dynamics and principals of the golf swing but, it will be a more condensed version – Less Is More.”

“Neither age nor physical disability should restrict a person from enjoying this great game of golf. The majority of my students are in their senior years of golf, and I wish to thank them all for bettering my understanding of “I CAN”! “

A gentle reminder: Disability is only in the mind, and the golf ball does not discriminate. 

Lynn Bernadett is an LPGA Golf Professional at The Pines Golf Club in Tucson, AZ.

Seven Minutes to a Better Swing

One way to maintain or improve flexibility is by regular stretching.

Golf fitness guru Mike Pedersen has just released a new Golf Stretching DVD that will help you begin a regular stretching program at home.

The DVD contains a number of golf stretching routines that will take just seven minutes a day and will, according to Mike:

• Release those tight, golf-specific muscles (resulting in a tension-free golf swing).
• Give you a full backswing (for maximum power and distance) for 18 holes.
• Remove stiffness in all the major joints of the body (eliminating aches and pains).

“This unique golf stretching video incorporates several sequences of stretches utilizing the entire body, similiar to your golf swing. This is a “plug-n-play”, no fluff stretching dvd you will find enjoyable,” Mike says.

Want a successful and repeatable senior golf swing?

You could try following the hundreds of different (and often opposing and confusing) golf swing tips in golf magazines or all over the internet, or you could take a few minutes and have a look at the easy, fluid motion of the swing of current Australian Senior Amateur Golf Champion Stefan Albinski.

Stefan Albinki Iron shot Royal Perth Golf Club

 
Stefan Albinki Fairway Royal Perth

(Uploaded to YouTube by AUSOOM)