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Illustration by Jim McQueen |
As a youngster, my teacher, Jack Grout, tried to get me to swing as fully as
possible - not just because he wanted me to hit the ball as hard and far as
possible from day one, but also because he knew that, just like every other
golfer, my swing would shorten with age.
Jack was right on both counts. But, as the years passed, he and I worried less about the size of my swing and more about its pace and tempo--that I still gave myself sufficient time within the framework of the more compact action to complete all the motions necessary to strike the ball accurately and forcefully.
On occasion, I've attempted to re-lengthen my swing, but the end result always felt so unnatural that it would never work in competition. Thus I continue to focus on avoiding the fault that so frequently accompanies time-induced swing shortening--excessively speeding everything up.
From what I see in my travels, others might benefit from a similar strategy as the years roll by.
Next week's tip: Encourage Your Kids to "Whale" It.
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