Types of swing

I am taking up golf again in my life for about the 4th time since 1980. I usually play around 100. I have had so many people tell me the different types of swing. Just curious if there what is the best type or style swing to learn for a high handicapper. For what its worth my flexibility is limitied and I have started doing some exercises to improve. I know the best answer would be to get a PGA pro and I may do that. Anyway thanks for any advice for a high handicapper as I am.

Steve

If you have never had lessons you are way past time. There are so many things I could tell you but you need some first hand instruction. What different types of swing have people told you about? How do you currently setup and swing the club?

Have fun and enjoy yourself.

What I have found to make me a more consistent golfer are the following below:

1) practice swinging the club with your feet together: this will help you make a full turn and allow you to make a compact swing.

2) keep your right elbow against your body when you chip and hit your irons and driver.

3) stretch before and after you play golf

4) spend 80% of your time putting, chipping and practicing pitching within 10, 20, 30 and 50 yards from the green.

5) when you are trying to discover your swing practicing chipping and pitching first and this will help you find the mechanics of your full golf swing.

6) find what works for you and have fun.

7) Play with someone who is better than you

8) look at swing videos on the internet.

9) Take a lession from a pro or a very good golfer.

The stretching exercises are a good thing. No sport requires as much total body flexibility as golf does (well,there's yoga, but I don't consider that a sport). From my experience golfers who get worse over time tend to have lost their flexibility as well. I've been watching David Duval lately and he clearly doesn't rotate the body as much as he used to.

Anyway, I'd suggest learning the basics first. Like how to align yourself, proper grip, proper address position, etc.

Do that and it is going to take some time for you to more or less develop your own swing with it's own strengths and flaws along with generally just learning how to properly compress the ball. After you get better with that and still want to improve, I'd suggest getting a lesson from your local PGA pro.




3JACK

Thanks for all the advice. Over the years I have added several pounds which I know reduces my movement. I know it is going to take time. Over the last couple weeks I have realized I need to work on weight transfer, Ii need to keep my are staighter. For a big guy (6 foot 280 lbs) I just dont have any distance. I am not worried about the driver for now I just dont use it. I am going out at my own driving range and make me a few measurement boundries were at least I know how far I can hit my irons. I am thinking that my 9 only travels about 80-90 yds max.

My short game is my strength. At least I think so. I am going to try hitting with my legs together I was reading about that last night. I also am planning on playing tommorow 9 holes. I have played it twice in the last 3 weeks when I started playing and I shot around 57. A lot of my high scoring is just being inconsistant.

Thanks for the advice.

My advice that will work: forget about the putter and chipping, you need a fundamentally correct swing. Get Ben Hogan's 5 Lessons (book), practice every day for 30 minutes, and you will break 80 in 6 months or less.

Went out this evening at my backyard driving range and was consistant with the irons. I hit all of them with my legs together. Off the tee my best was my #2 ironwood only about 140 to 150 max. (in the air).

I have heard great reviews about the book. I will get it. thanks

Seriously? Shoot a 79 AND not concentrate on the short game? Seriously?

For what its worth. While on vacation I played 45 holes at a par 3 course (27 holes) all the holes are between 60 and 95 yards and I averaged around 34 strokes on each set of 9 holes. I know the length is considerably shorter than regular par 3's but I can play a decent short game. If I can get within 120 yards I will be OK. Fixing my swing should defiently help my long and short game.

I think the advice given earlier about fundimentals is great. Posture, grip, alignment and so forth. I wouldn't sweat the distance issue. And here is why. I see it every week in our Wednesday night scramble. Bombers do not equal scorers. I'll admit I'm not a bomber. But I do not think this is sour grapes.

I've been guilty of turning a 400 yard hole into 475 playing Army golf....left, right, left, right. What I'm driving at is, sound fundimentals will help you square the face and send the ball down the center. I know for a fact a compact swing can beat a wild grip and rip style. Stretching is a great idea to increase that clubhead speed. The best advice I can give, especially to a high handicapper, is never ever take any advice from someone who can't beat you everytime out. The real golf secrets, as Traveno said is in the dirt. You'll find it for yourself on the driving range....along with a lot of unsolicited advice.

do some walking everyday for 30 minutes and mix in some pilates, stretching, welcome back to golf.

Don't fall into the trap of 'the right swing'. Swings vary based on personal strengths and weaknesses. Some people with limited mobility are great strikers, while others with great mobility can't hit worth garbage. Ben Hogan himself had to change his swing during his career due to an accident. Tour pros constantly make small or large changes to their swing. Even Tiger Woods changes his.

A good pro will understand this and help mold the swing that is correct for you. Most will instead try to mold you to their swing. Using their swing may work great, it may work temporarily, or it may not help at all. Nothing sucks more than dropping $100 for an hour of working with an instructor and being a worse player.

My advice? Read up on the various swing philosophies and see which one matches yours the best. A good place to start might be in the 'reading room' on The Sand Trap. There are many comments and reviews of book there. Look for things that you can do. Don't look for the one that's going to give you easy, consistent ball striking - I have yet to fond a book that doesn't offer this... Read the book, try the drills, and see how it works for you. From there, try to find an instructor who doesn't contradict the drills and method you've been using. If they don't agree with what you've been doing, but you believe in your method, find another pro who will work with you. Lessons are too expensive to waste your time trying to find an instructor you can work with.

And above all else, remember to have fun. Golf is a game.