April's Axiom for
Accuracy

After a “lllloooonnnnggggg” winter it may take a while to get back into the swing of things this spring (golf-wise I’m talking about).  I would suggest you begin your season stressing the fundamentals of golf and to help you with this think of three letters:

P * G * A.

    This stands for Posture, Grip, & Alignment. These are all part of the pre-swing and are critical to developing a consistent, repeating swing.

          Posture incorporates bending forward from the waist, keeping the rear end sticking out a bit, flexing the knees slightly with the weight centered on the balls of the feet.  Keep the back/spine straight and maintain your spine angle throughout the swing.  Good posture puts the body in an “athletic stance”.

          Always make sure your grip has not become sloppy over the winter.  As you grip the club you should be able to see at least two fingers of your left hand (for right-handed golfers) and make sure the right hand is gripped in the fingers (not the palm) with a “V” showing between the right thumb and first finger (look me up in the pro shop to show you).

          Finally, alignment is really important as well.  The clubface should be positioned perpendicular to the target line and the feet, hips, & shoulders should be aligned parallel to your target line.  It is very easy to align yourself 20-30 yards to either the left or the right of the target and this has a huge effect on the way you ultimately swing and the overall accuracy of your shot.

          So, when you are beginning 2009 golf practice always think “P-G-A”.  Of course, you should always be thinking of your “local PGA Pro” all winter.  When you are eating a delicious chocolate dessert or some fancy gourmet meal your thoughts should instantly drift to your lonely, hungry “local PGA Pro” and whether you should save some of your meal and take it to him!