The "Palm" grip is shown in this photo just prior to closing the grip onto the club.Injuries Sometimes Create An Improved Golf Swing
A not expected situation happened on the way to a South Carolina golf trip and what developed was an injury created golf swing that this writer is happy to report on.
So very often injuries can stop golfers in their tracks and even create situations where they have to give up the game.
Prior to my groups scheduled golf trip this year in late March the snows came to Sullivan County and we were forced to get the infrequently used snow blower out of the shed to rid our driveway and walks of the white stuff that we had not seen too much of during the winter months.
As a result of an odd accident I burned my forefinger on my left hand on the snow blower manifold and after treating it the best way I could a blister occurred and there I was days away from a much-waited for golf trip and there was no way we would back away and not go.
The first day of golf after a long Northeast winter was somewhat troubling for me as I couldn't wrap my right hand over the blistered finger and my-o-my did this have an effect on my swing and swing-results.
The ball was flying all over the place and my score was not one to talk about over dinner that night.......not that scores the first day on a golf course after not playing all winter are usually something golfers brag about.
So that first evening in South Carolina I began thinking (now sometimes that can be dangerous) but I remembered several years ago reading about a golf grip developed by the late great Canadian Moe Norman who used the "Palm" grip whereby it places the right hand grip (for right-handed golfers) the opposite for left handed golfers, in the palm of the trail hand, not in the fingers as in conventional golf.
I remembered that the grip was suppose to be more natural and more comfortable so the first thing I did the second day of golf was to experiment with this "palm" grip which eliminated the need for me to wrap my pinky around the injured finger on my left hand.
I also remembered that with this grip golfers were to use a wider stance and that I was to face the ball at the moment of impact which is a significant departure from conventional golf which requires rotation of legs, torso and hips.
This type of grip also required me to squat a little more then normal and to use a single-plane straight-line setup. This single-plane straight-line setup, unlike the conventional golf swing, positioned my body and the club in the most efficient position possible....starting me in the same position at address that I would return to at impact.
I've been told by golfers over the years who use this Moe Norman or Natural Golf swing that one of the benefits of this single plane swing is that you can move the club head both back and through on virtually the same pathway.
Well.....guess what I think I'm hooked on my new golf swing and find it a simple way to hit a ball to my target. I feel I can control three things with my 'palm" grip and single-plane swing. One is where my club face is looking at impact, two is the direction the club head is swinging through impact and three is the speed the club head is moving.
To control the direction my club head is swinging I setup to the ball with my arms aligned with the club shaft. This way I can use my arms to control the direction of my swing by going back and forward on a single plane.....which appears right now to me is the most direct way to strike a golf ball.
I joked with some golfers the other day that when driving a nail with a hammer you use the force of leverage. Simply moving my arm away from and toward the nail with a hammer I use the force of leverage......use that same theory and release the weight of the club head in the direction we want to drive the ball.
Now I'll be very honest.......there has been a few problems I have to work out but overall I'm seeing straighter shots with more distance, so one can say from experience that sometimes injuries can result in an improved golf swing and improved scoring.
The Golf Tip
By Robert Menges
The Lob Shot: This week we are going to cover a shot that is very difficult to execute, but if it can be mastered it will give you a big advantage over most golfers.
The shot is called the lob or flop shot. The basic idea of the shot is to get the ball up very fast and get it to land softly.
The lob shot is played very similarly to a bunker shot. You must open your stance about 20 degrees and at the same time open you club face about 20 degrees. the amount you open the club face should vary slightly depending on the shot. Since the club face is open, it will send the ball back toward your target even though your stance is aimed left.
Next, the club should swing along the same line that your body is aiming.
Lastly, it is important to know that the more descending you are on your downswing, the higher the ball will go.
This shot requires a lot of practice, but it will prove to be very useful in getting out of difficult situations.
Have fun with this shot. Experiment with it and you will surprise yourself with the difficult shots that you can play.
Robert Menges is the head golf professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Mt.Hope Road, Swan Lake. He is available for private lessons and if you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached by phone at 845-292-0323 or via e-mail at menges@localnet.com
Ed's Outlook
Beating out squash might be tough.......if golf becomes an Olympic sport and London is awarded the 2012 Games, then the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, would love to be part of it, according to the Scotsman newspaper.
"Where better to hold it than at the home of golf, St. Andrews?" said the general manager of the St. Andrews Links Trust.
In order for golf to be added to the games, an existing sport must be dropped.
Golf will have to contend against existing Olympic sports such as karate, badminton, table tennis (aka ping pong_ and squash to be included.
The International Olympic Committee would make the decision as to any changes.
Ed's Outlook is provided by Golfing Highlights Columnist Ed Townsend. If you have a topic that would make good reading, or have golf scores, standings or tournament information, Ed can be reached by calling 439-8177 or by sending an e-mail to bowlgolfect1@yahoo.com Please visit our BLOG at http://bght.blogspot.com/
A not expected situation happened on the way to a South Carolina golf trip and what developed was an injury created golf swing that this writer is happy to report on.
So very often injuries can stop golfers in their tracks and even create situations where they have to give up the game.
Prior to my groups scheduled golf trip this year in late March the snows came to Sullivan County and we were forced to get the infrequently used snow blower out of the shed to rid our driveway and walks of the white stuff that we had not seen too much of during the winter months.
As a result of an odd accident I burned my forefinger on my left hand on the snow blower manifold and after treating it the best way I could a blister occurred and there I was days away from a much-waited for golf trip and there was no way we would back away and not go.
The first day of golf after a long Northeast winter was somewhat troubling for me as I couldn't wrap my right hand over the blistered finger and my-o-my did this have an effect on my swing and swing-results.
The ball was flying all over the place and my score was not one to talk about over dinner that night.......not that scores the first day on a golf course after not playing all winter are usually something golfers brag about.
So that first evening in South Carolina I began thinking (now sometimes that can be dangerous) but I remembered several years ago reading about a golf grip developed by the late great Canadian Moe Norman who used the "Palm" grip whereby it places the right hand grip (for right-handed golfers) the opposite for left handed golfers, in the palm of the trail hand, not in the fingers as in conventional golf.
I remembered that the grip was suppose to be more natural and more comfortable so the first thing I did the second day of golf was to experiment with this "palm" grip which eliminated the need for me to wrap my pinky around the injured finger on my left hand.
I also remembered that with this grip golfers were to use a wider stance and that I was to face the ball at the moment of impact which is a significant departure from conventional golf which requires rotation of legs, torso and hips.
This type of grip also required me to squat a little more then normal and to use a single-plane straight-line setup. This single-plane straight-line setup, unlike the conventional golf swing, positioned my body and the club in the most efficient position possible....starting me in the same position at address that I would return to at impact.
I've been told by golfers over the years who use this Moe Norman or Natural Golf swing that one of the benefits of this single plane swing is that you can move the club head both back and through on virtually the same pathway.
Well.....guess what I think I'm hooked on my new golf swing and find it a simple way to hit a ball to my target. I feel I can control three things with my 'palm" grip and single-plane swing. One is where my club face is looking at impact, two is the direction the club head is swinging through impact and three is the speed the club head is moving.
To control the direction my club head is swinging I setup to the ball with my arms aligned with the club shaft. This way I can use my arms to control the direction of my swing by going back and forward on a single plane.....which appears right now to me is the most direct way to strike a golf ball.
I joked with some golfers the other day that when driving a nail with a hammer you use the force of leverage. Simply moving my arm away from and toward the nail with a hammer I use the force of leverage......use that same theory and release the weight of the club head in the direction we want to drive the ball.
Now I'll be very honest.......there has been a few problems I have to work out but overall I'm seeing straighter shots with more distance, so one can say from experience that sometimes injuries can result in an improved golf swing and improved scoring.
The Golf Tip
By Robert Menges
The Lob Shot: This week we are going to cover a shot that is very difficult to execute, but if it can be mastered it will give you a big advantage over most golfers.
The shot is called the lob or flop shot. The basic idea of the shot is to get the ball up very fast and get it to land softly.
The lob shot is played very similarly to a bunker shot. You must open your stance about 20 degrees and at the same time open you club face about 20 degrees. the amount you open the club face should vary slightly depending on the shot. Since the club face is open, it will send the ball back toward your target even though your stance is aimed left.
Next, the club should swing along the same line that your body is aiming.
Lastly, it is important to know that the more descending you are on your downswing, the higher the ball will go.
This shot requires a lot of practice, but it will prove to be very useful in getting out of difficult situations.
Have fun with this shot. Experiment with it and you will surprise yourself with the difficult shots that you can play.
Robert Menges is the head golf professional at the Swan Lake Golf & Country Club, Mt.Hope Road, Swan Lake. He is available for private lessons and if you have a question or subject you would like covered, he can be reached by phone at 845-292-0323 or via e-mail at menges@localnet.com
Ed's Outlook
Beating out squash might be tough.......if golf becomes an Olympic sport and London is awarded the 2012 Games, then the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland, would love to be part of it, according to the Scotsman newspaper.
"Where better to hold it than at the home of golf, St. Andrews?" said the general manager of the St. Andrews Links Trust.
In order for golf to be added to the games, an existing sport must be dropped.
Golf will have to contend against existing Olympic sports such as karate, badminton, table tennis (aka ping pong_ and squash to be included.
The International Olympic Committee would make the decision as to any changes.
Ed's Outlook is provided by Golfing Highlights Columnist Ed Townsend. If you have a topic that would make good reading, or have golf scores, standings or tournament information, Ed can be reached by calling 439-8177 or by sending an e-mail to bowlgolfect1@yahoo.com Please visit our BLOG at http://bght.blogspot.com/
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