The tendency of most amateur golfers is to slice the ball rather than hit a draw. The two major causes of a slice in golf are: you have an outside to inside swing path during impact, or your club face is open the moment you hit the ball. Some golfers actually even commit both mistakes.

It can be difficult to notice these mistakes. However, you can easily tell if you have a problematic swing just by examining your ball flight. If you notice that your ball usually starts to the left of your target then slices before it reaches the target line, then you are most probably swinging in an outside-in direction. Now if your ball starts out on target but slices anywhere midway, then your club face might be open during impact.

It is quite likely you are hitting a slice because you have an outside-in swing path. This means your shoulders are aligned way too far to the left of the target. This problem is quite easy to fix. All you have to do is open your shoulders every time you address the ball. If possible, let someone stand behind you during address and make him check where your shoulders are pointing. With your shoulders aligned correctly, your club has no other choice than to follow the direction of your shoulders.

On the other hand, if you tend to hit the ball with an open club face, then check the position of your club’s head when addressing the ball. Take the extra effort to square up your club face each time you address the ball. Doing this alone can be a quick fix to your slicing problem.

If you are still consistently slicing even if you have diligently checked if your shoulders and club face are square at address, then you might be unintentionally opening your club face during your downswing. For an easy fix, try to concentrate on rotating the club to the right during impact. You should feel the club head turn over through the ball so as to make it start hooking left. Practice this drill during your driving range sessions before you hit the course.

If you still keep slicing even after you have regularly practiced these drills then you might have an over the top swing path which is more difficult to fix. If you have been playing golf for years, then you might have developed this nasty swing flaw that you have to seriously consider correcting.

The best way to correct this kind of swing habit of slicing is to exaggerate a hook. Start conditioning yourself to swing inside-out. Go to the range and flatten your swing until you consistently hit vicious hooks. You really have to exaggerate this movement. Flatten your swing to a point that you feel like you are swinging your club below the right shoulder, around your back. Since you have been so used to an over the top backswing, you just probably feel like you are swinging flat even if you aren’t. So you have to exaggerate an inside-out swing.

During practice rounds, keep your right elbow tucked firmly to your side throughout the swing. This way the ball is forced to make a nice slinging hook. This kind of constricted swing may not be able to get the ball that far, but once you get the feel of the right way to hook the ball, it would be easy for you to adjust later. A controlled hook shot is great for both power and distance. So keep on practicing this hook shot until you consistently make the ball draw and eliminate that nasty slice.

Remember the key to finally stop slicing and fix any swing flaw that you have been suffering from for quite some time is to do the exact opposite of what you have been used to in an exaggerated manner. This is the only way to make your body literally feel the change you are trying to make. You do not want to just try to make your ball go straight. Your goal now is to consistently make it hook excessively until you start mastering the golf draw.

How would you describe a perfect shot? Every golfer can relate to the indescribable feeling of hitting the “sweetspot”.

For the devout golfer, the essence of the game is discovering the recipe to consistently re-create that effortless feeling. The biggest misconception for the average golfer is believing the evanescent feeling is a by-product of proper technique.

Golf is often referred to as the ultimate game of feel, yet the majority of instruction focuses on technical perfection. Do you believe that poor shots are the result of a neglected fundamental; lifting the head or bending the left elbow or dipping the shoulder or…

Your innate sense of feel isn’t based on how much you can remember, but rather on your ability to forget all the technical imperatives for one-and-a-half seconds and just hit the damn ball!

If you’ve ever hit a perfect shot then you have the ability. The key to re-creating those shots is developing a physical trigger that short-circuits the analytical process and allows you to swing freely.

Sounds complicated doesn’t it?

Regardless of skill level, any golfer can develop a unique trigger that allows you to consistently play to the best of your ability.

The routine can be as simple as tapping the ground once (Brandt Snedeker) or twirling the club (Phil Mickelson) or hitching the pants (Jim Furyk). Any action that a player repeats consistently is their unique power move or switch to transition from thinking to feeling.

While every player is unique, there are three common elements in every effective trigger: (1) the player’s posture becomes upright. In other words, the trigger reminds them to stand tall. (2) The player keeps moving until he/she feels ready. Motion is the pathway to feeling. (3) A trigger typically lasts between three and five seconds. For most golfers, this is the optimum time frame to start the swing.

How do you discover your trigger?

Close your eyes and recall your last perfect shot. Can you see the target? Rewind the memory and watch yourself selecting the club and preparing to hit the shot. Focus on the feeling as you address the ball. Did you know the shot was going to be good? Repeat the memory until you can consciously re-create the optimum feel.

Every round has at least one perfect shot. It might be a two-hundred-and-fifty- yard drive or a four-foot putt.Whenever you hit a perfect shot, hang onto the feeling as long as possible. Have you ever seen a tour Professional hold their finish position? Ever wonder what they’re waiting for?

Now you know.

I look forward to helping you discover the innate ability every golfer has when they learn how to move beyond swing mechanics.

Thanks for reading!

Let’s take a stroll down memory lane, just for a moment. How many of you have ever read Harvey Penick’s “The Little Red Book” or how many have ever read Ben Hogan’s “Five Lessons The Modern Fundementals of Golf”?

If there ever were golf swing instructions that struck the nail on the head , these two books did the trick. Now, don’t get me wrong here, I am not selling these books, but you can still get them if you want at almost any book store.

But for golf swing instruction these gave some insight as to what actually works.

Here is an example of how to get a visual of the proper club head path and almost automatically get on the correct plane.

In Hogan’s book he talks about swinging under the plane. The Plane is a sheet of glass with a hole cut into it so that your head can go into the hole. The glass then extends down to the target line, the bottom of the glass sits on the target line while the other end sits on your shoulders with you head through the hole.

This visual gives you the exact plane you should have based on how you are set up, that is your spine angle that will ultimately set the swing plane angle.

Now you must swing under the glass so that you don’t break it.

This simple thought and visual coupled with knowing that proper club head path leads to excellent attack angles to the and through the golf ball.

Another excellent thought is the position of the right elbow both on the backswing and on the downswing. On the backswing the right elbow should point exactly down to the ground, this puts the right forearm in a perpendicular position to the ground and at a right angle to your bicep. Your upper arm or bicep should be parallel to the ground.

While this is happening you have to make sure that you are getting a good shoulder turn. It won’t help to have the right arm in a perfect position and not have a good shoulder turn.

Now the downswing – start the downswing be literally slamming your right elbow directly into your right hip. Straight down and do this hard and fast. Push with the right hand or pull with the left hand , either will work. While you are slamming your right elbow into your right hip , you will be bumping forward with your left hip. This is a lateral move and is one of Harvey Penicks ” Magic Moves” He suggests that you actually start the swing with this bump to the left and that this move will help bring your right elbow into it’s proper position.

Try it both ways… see what kind of results you get. And use what works for you.

If you do it right your swing plane and path will improve instantly as you will hit the ball crisply and very very solid.

Ever wondered what wife swapping, swinger’s clubs and swingers lifestyle really mean? In a committed partnership but looking for some extra sexual excitement together?

Swinging has become increasingly popular across middle aged mainstream married, or committed, couples. Over 4 million people world wide are swingers, with over 3000 swingers clubs around the globe to join. Swingers can also meet through online swinger’s sites, swinger’s personal ads, house parties and swinger’s lifestyle magazines.

“Swinging” is considered to mean a married or committed couple engaging in sexual activities with either another couple, multiple couples or with a single person. These events can occur at swingers clubs, private parties, private homes, hotels, and even at specific holiday resorts.

Traditionally, the average age of swingers is the mid 40’s, and all ages and body types are considered acceptable.

“The Lifestyle”, or the swinger’s lifestyle, was created in the late 1990’s in London for the well heeled under 40’s. Forget the jatz and crackers. Trendy, up market venues were selected, smart evening wear was the attire and photos were needed to prove physical attractiveness. This idea took off quickly and is now popular in all parts of the world. Selective swinging refers to usually childless unmarried young graduates with average ages of late 20’s. Lifestyle swinging and selective swinging both encompass all swinging activities. These terms came into use mainly because younger couples didn’t care for the term swingers with its traditional connotations.

It is thought that swinging started in the 1950’s in US military bases in California. The husbands all threw their car keys in a bowl and whoever belonged to the keys that the wife pulled out had her as their sexual partner for the night. Originally, these little get togethers were called key clubs. In the late 1950’s the media redubbed them wife swapping parties. Wife swapping is now considered to be an archaic term and is not entirely accurate in covering all the sexual options of swinging couples.

For those of you who are a little shy or new to the game, there are many swingers’ sites available for you to check out. Most of them cater to those looking to heat up their relationship, as well as those singles who want to mingle with like minded individuals. Some of these sites offer adult personal ads, which can include video voice and pictures. They also offer video chat rooms, speed dating, swinger club location listings, video messenger, and hot games. Some sites also offer offline swinger parties where you can take it at your own comfort level and speed.

Swinging sexual activities include: exhibitionism, having sex with your partner while being watched, voyeurism, and watching others having sex. Soft swinging, or soft swap, is kissing, stroking or oral sex with a 3rd or 4th person. This can also include threesomes or group sex but usually partners are not swapped. A full swap means having penetrative sexual intercourse with someone other than your committed partner. The original wife swap. A full swap can also mean a committed couple having sex with a bisexual female for a saucy threesome. Group sex is an all inclusive term for multiple partners having sexual intercourse in the same room or an orgy. While the sexual activities are happening in the same room this is referred to as same room swapping. When there are separate rooms involved it is then called play.

Planning a raunchy vacation with your partner? There are now online swinger sites catering for the couple who are into swinging holidays or nude vacations. Swingers’ resorts can be found in the Caribbean, Cancun, Mexico and various parts of Europe. These resorts are designed for couples only, who enjoy erotic exciting lifestyles, and all seem to involve destinations with beautiful white sandy beaches and featuring large exotic looking swimming pools. Many of these swingers’ resorts have a variety of saucy theme nights. Some of the resorts promise “non stop flat out parties” for the more active bodied person.

Providing that the emotional bonds between the committed couple are whole, many swingers feel that their chosen lifestyle increases the strength of their partnership. In one survey, while only 6% confessed to having a problem with the green eyed monster, up to 70% of swingers claimed they had no problems with jealousy at all.

Seeking to spice up your sex life with your significant other? This could be it! Swingers clubs, swinger sites, swinger sex, swinger’s lifestyle, and swingers resort. Pack up your condoms and raunch up your relationship now!

Have Fun, Coco Swan.

I see whip effect in the baseball swing. When you crack a whip, there has got to be a deceleration to make the transfer of energy to the tip of the whip. The arm has to decelerate to crack a whip.

We need to understand how energy is transferred to the bat head in a swing in order to address the rotational obsession being taught in the baseball swing today. One way to illustrate proper transfer of energy could be to take a bucket of water and throw the water in the bucket at someone. If I should rotate my arms with the rest of my body and not stop its rotational movement (or decelerate the arms), the water would mostly miss my target and would mostly fly in a circular path to my target and all around my body even behind me. The water in the bucket would not have received the energy in such a way to directly and fully hit my intended target. The transfer of energy from the thrower to the water in the bucket never did occur with the rotational pattern of the throw.

In order to get the water out of the bucket and to hit my intended target with full force, I have got to brace my arms (decelerate my arms) in the direction of my target. There is a bracing effect that occurs, and then transfers from my body and then to the bucket, the bucket braces and the water is ejected toward my target.

What you see with what I teach, and what you see what biomechanists teach in golf and other sports but you don’t hear much about in baseball, you have got to understand this cracking of the whip idea. Our goal is not to rotate. Our goal is to deliver energy to the bat head to deliver to the ball. The goal is not rotation.

When you hit a baseball, your legs should create a forward momentum transferring energy to the front leg, with the energy working its way up from the larger base segments up, just like when throwing the water out of the bucket. When you make that transfer from back leg to front leg in your baseball swing, your body should brace to let the energy transfer to the hands and bat.

The hands and the bat are the equivalent of the water in the bucket. The body braces and the hands and the bat are ejected. We are not trying to hit the baseball by rotating our body through contact of the baseball. We should not be spinning through contact of the baseball. It doesn’t look good, but yet many coaches are talking about hips, hips, hips and spin your back foot and are giving that sort of baseball instruction.

Understanding whip effect, will help you understand the natural move, the natural swing, the way it happens in all other sports that require a throwing action. Think about it and name another sport where your goal is to spin your back foot. Many baseball coaches are teaching their students to spin their back foot to get rotation through the player’s hips. Name any other sport where you see this type of instruction or this type of throwing pattern.

In tennis, golf, shot put, throwing or hitting any ball, we are transferring our energy in a straight line shift toward our target. You do not see spinning on the back foot in any of these sports or any other. This rotational hysteria is taking over baseball, but does not exist in any other sport. With batting in the last decade or so, coaches are teaching and we are seeing an epidemic of spinners.

Rotation does happen in the swing. There is no question about that. However, it happens as part of a straight line move of the back leg. It is a lateral driving of energy in a straight line at your target. If I throw a baseball and I spin my back leg, what would that do to the force my leg creates and to the direction of the ball? Rotating the back leg in a throw would compromise your back leg drive and it would send the direction of the throw away from your intended target.

Instead, if you drive hard in a straight line toward your intended target when throwing a baseball, your hips will naturally rotate after the drive of your legs in a straight line direction toward your target. Your hips will rotate much faster when you throw without trying to rotate.

The water out of the bucket is a big concept. We are decelerating and transferring energy and working in straight lines. Rotation will occur naturally. The hips will rotate and pull the upper torso. The rotation will happen without trying to spin.

We should be working in straight lines when attacking a baseball to hit it. The front leg will block the transfer, then fire the hips open from the front. As our body parts begin to naturally and sequentially rotate after the straight line shift, and we learn to decelerate our body parts just before contact, the huge force of energy will flow to our hands and then to the bat and then to the ball.

This is why you hear pro hitters talk a lot about hands. They might not understand biomechanically why they talk about hands, but they talk about hands because the hands are all they feel moving through contact of the baseball.

For great hitters, at the moment of truth at contact of the baseball, all energy has been funneled to the hands.

A good golf swing starts with a strong base of support (hips, pelvis and lumbar spine). A highly conditioned base of support will provide stability throughout the swing and allow forces to be effectively transferred from the legs through the hips to the upper body to produce optimal power and control. A strong base helps protect the joints and other supporting tissues against the strong compression, shear and torsion forces that occur during the golf swing. Unfortunately, there are a number of factors that predispose the golfer to developing poor postural patterns and muscle imbalance that result in a weak base of support.

For much of our young lives we were stuck sitting in school hunched over our desk. We finish school and begin our careers. Many of us now find ourselves spending excessive time in our cars or sitting in poorly designed chairs hunched in front of a computer. Over time we are conditioned to have tight hip flexors and a lazy posture. Poor posture and muscle imbalance decrease musculoskeletal efficiency and disrupt communication within the neuromuscular system. Short tight muscles display a lower activation threshold, meaning they fire at times when they should be less active or inactive. Over activation of dominant muscles leads to decreased neural control to their opposing muscles. Simply stated, “when one muscle becomes tight and overactive its opposing muscle becomes loose and lazy.” Tight dominant hip flexors create weak and lazy hip extensors (gluteals)and set off a chain reaction of dysfunction.

Tight hip flexors pull the pelvis into a forward tilt leading to an excess curvature of the lumbar spine. As a result the muscles of the abdominal wall lengthen and weaken while the muscles of the lumbar spine get short and tight. This pattern also causes disruption in our body’s lateral stabilization system. The hip abductors (muscles that move the legs away from the center of the body) along with their opposing adductors (muscles that move the legs toward the center of the body) work to stabilize the pelvis during lateral movement. Inefficiency in this lateral stabilization system inhibits coordination and hinders proper weight shift through the golf swing. So what we are left with are weak hip extensors (gluteal muscles) that can’t drive the hips through the swing, dominant hip flexors that won’t allow the hips to open to allow a full turn, tight spinal flexors that are forced to do the work of the weak hip extensors, but are to tight to make a full rotation, and a lack of coordination needed to make consistently good ball contact. To make matters worse most golfers spending hours at the driving range reinforcing and strengthening this dysfunctional pattern. Is it any wonder the average golf score hasn’t dropped in decades?

To break this pattern of dysfunction and build a strong base of support we must first establish coordinated muscle firing among the deep stabilizing abdominal musculature, the hip flexors and extensors, hip abductors and adductors, and spinal flexors, extensors and rotators. This is accomplished through the activation and strengthening of weak and inhibited muscles, and stretching the tight and dominant muscles. Once these muscles are re-educated and coordinated muscle firing is established we can then work to build optimal strength and power.

The first step in this process is the development of the deep abdominal and pelvic musculature. This is done by mastering the abdominal brace. The abdominal brace differs from the traditional abdominal training that encourages “abdominal hollowing” a.k.a. the “draw in” maneuver. With the “draw in” maneuver we are told to pull or draw our belly buttons towards our spines. Research has shown that drawing in actually lessens abdominal activation and decreases lumbar – pelvic- hip stability. The abdominal brace is an isometric contraction of the abdominal muscles meaning the abs are neither pulled in nor pushed out. This maneuver should be the first step of every exercise as it is the foundation of lumbar, pelvic, and hip stabilization. The following exercise will allow you to master this movement and re-educate the lower abdominal wall and allow the deep pelvic stabilizers to fire efficiently.

Abdominal Brace

o Lay in a supine position (on your back) with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.

o Brace your abdominals by tightening abdominals as if you were going to take a punch in the gut.

o Return to a relaxed position and repeat.

Tips

o Control Movement is the key. While performing these exercises pay strict attention to NOT allow the use of the legs (hip flexors and /or gluteals) while contracting the abdominals. The only muscles contracting are the abdominal wall; place your hands on the belly button to feel this isolated contraction

o There should be no tension in your neck or shoulders.

Don’t limit the abdominal brace to exercise. Practicing the brace with all activity (sitting, walking, driving, golfing, etc) will help you develop the endurance your abdominals need to maintain a strong base of support as well as a healthy back.

A study presented by researchers at the American College of Sports Medicine’s 51st annual meeting showed that golfers who possess strong hip muscles have lower handicaps and longer driving distances than those with weak hip muscles. This makes sense since muscles of the hip and pelvis play a major role in stabilizing the trunk and transferring forces from the lower body through the upper body and arms during the golf swing. The ability of the hip extensors (gluteals and hamstrings) and lumbar extensors to fire in concert also allows the body to react to and counteract the rapid rotational forces of the golf swing. The problem here, as we have already discussed, is many golfers have inhibited hip extensors and tight and dominant lumbar flexors. Under the best of circumstances our spines were not designed to swing a golf club. Now we compound the issue repeatedly forcing our spinal muscles to do the job of our hip extensors to power through the swing. Spinal extensor muscles don’t have the size or strength to do this, hence the tremendous incidence of over use injury and lower back pain among golfers. So, what we need to do is quite down our lumbar extensors to allow the hip extensors to do their job.

The Bird Dog exercise progression effectively helps develop stabilization, coordination and strength of the spine. The key to this type of exercise is learning and then maintaining “neutral” spine. Neutral does not mean straight, it means allowing the natural curves to be present. This is imperative to allow the spine to function properly and movement to occur in a stress free manner. The golf club placed the length of the spine is an excellent cue that allows the golfer to feel the proper spinal positions and make necessary corrections. The club shaft should be in contact with only three points; the base of the head, the center of the back and the middle of the pelvis. Concave spaces should be seen at the neck and lower back.

Dog 1

o Position yourelf on your hands and knees with a golf club placed along your spine; make sure the rod contacts 3 points only (head-middle back-pelvis).

o Brace your abdominals and slowly raise one hand and the opposite knee just off the floor ( no more than 1/4 inch). Hold for five to ten seconds.

o Return to the start position and alternate sides.

Tips

o The club must remain in contact with all 3 contact points (head, mid back, pelvis).

Once you have mastered the Dog 1 then you can move to the next progression. Dog 2 adds the components of hip extension and shoulder flexion. This exercise is extremely effective in re-establishing efficiency in extensor chain (hip, lumbar, and cervical extensors).

Dog II

o Position yourelf on your hands and knees with a golf club placed along your spine; make sure the rod contacts 3 points only (head-middle back-pelvis).

o Brace your abdominals, slowly extend one arm (thumb up) straight out in front of you and the opposite leg behind you.

o Hold for five to ten seconds and repeat with opposite side.

Tips

o The club must remain in contact with all 3 contact points (head, mid back, pelvis).

o Do not allow your hips to rotate.

The key with Dog 2 is not to allow the lumbar extensors to fire during this movement. After mastering Dog 2 you can then further challenge the hip extensors by adding the bridge exercise. The bridge adds the resistance of body weight to the hip extension movement and further challenges (and strengthens) the deep stabilizers or the lumbar-pelvic-hip complex.

The Bridge

o Lay on your back with your arms placed at your side.

o Brace your abdominals and squeeze your gluteals (buttocks) then raise your hips into a bridge position. Pause and return to starting position.

Tips

o Your feet should remain flat.

o This movement is initiated with the hips not the spinal extensor muscle; no pressure should be felt in the lower back.

o Maintain abdominal and gluteals muscles contraction throughout the full movement.

It is important to implement a good stretching program to lengthen tight muscles as you strengthen your base of support. Aside from the already mentioned hip flexors and lumbar extensors other areas commonly tight among golfers include the muscles of the hamstrings, neck, scapular elevators (upper trapezius and levator scapulae) and shoulder internal rotators. A qualified strength and conditioning or golf fitness professional can provide you with a postural and biomechanical analysis that can provide a more detailed picture of your specific areas of need. Improving your base of support will add distance and control to your game and help prevent, reduce, and possibly eliminate golf related pain and injury.

Clubhead acceleration, the seventh of ten distinctions between the two prefect golf swings.

The two perfect golf swings are The Centrifugal Force Swing (swinging swing) and The Muscular Force Swing (hitting swing).

The seventh distinction is CLUBHEAD ACCELERATION.

In the Centrifugal Force Swing (The Swinging Swing), clubhead acceleration is achieved by a downward pull of the grip end of the golf club. This accelerates the clubshaft lengthwise, longitudinal acceleration. This longitudinal motion is maintained until the clubhead gets outside of a perpendicular line of the shaft with the ground. Once, the clubhead gets outside of this line, centrifugal force takes over and leads the clubhead into impact with the golf ball. This longitudinal acceleration begins quickly and the clubhead gains speed as it moves downward, outward and forward, through impact with the golf ball.

In the swinging swing,the club is accelerated in this precise order:

1. Downward pull of the hands starts acceleration

2. Centrifugal Force , the uncocking of the left wrist, adds speed

3. Right arm uncocking adds more speed

4. Body rotation adds the final acceleration

In the Muscular Force Swing (The Hitting swing), clubhead acceleration is achieved by a simultaneous downward, outward and forward thrust of the right arm against the clubshaft. This right arm thrust toward impact with the golf ball is radial acceleration. Radial acceleration starts out slow and builds speed as it moves through impact with the golf ball.

In either the centrifugal force swing or the muscular force swing the clubhead gains speed from the start of the downswing until the clubhead has passed through the impact with the golf ball.

In the swinging swing, from the start of the downswing through the follow through, the clubhead is always being pulled.

In the hitting swing, from the start of the downswing through the follow through, the clubhead is always being pushed.

If you’ve ever taken a golfing lesson that really didn’t help you to hit longer and straighter golf shots then you should read this article because in it I will describe the one principle of the golf swing that is the difference that makes all the difference in improving your golf swing technique.

Of all the golf swing basics that you can learn there is only one that I can think of that would really help you to possess a more powerful and consistent golf swing. No more over the top swings, slices, fat shots and duffed shots, just solid golf shots with little to no curvature on the golf ball.

I know this probably reads like one of those outrageous adverts you read on different golfing websites but it is absolutely true: there are only a few simple golf swing technique principles that when understood and applied correctly will unlock your golf swing from its golfing purgatory.

This particular golf swing basic is the one that is unfortunately undervalued by most, and yet by learning to incorporate it into your golf swing technique you are going to improve your golf swing consistency and lower your golf scores and golf handicap.

I’m pretty sure that if you ask most amateur golfers what they would like to have more than anything else it would be a more consistent golf swing technique. In fact the majority of golfers who attend my golfing school want exactly this.

Every golf swing technique influences just two fundamental elements; distance and direction. When we think about the distance that is being produced by a golf swing technique we are describing a golf club head travelling very quickly from the top of the back swing through to its collision with the golf ball and the subsequent distance generated from the collision.

When we think about the direction that is being produced by a golf swing technique we are describing the amount of rotation the golf club face imparts to the golf ball which influences the amount of back spin and side spin that is generated after the collision and the subsequent direction it travels in relationship to your target.

Let me say it again; every golf swing you create influences the distance and direction of your golf shot, and what determines the quality of the ball flight is the collision with the golf ball.

The distance your golf ball travels is influenced by a force that originates from within you and is transmitted through the golf shaft into the club head and finally into the golf ball. In physics forces influence things like golf clubs to start and stop moving and to move golf clubs from one path to another.

The force that’s created by your golf swing always has a direction, although not always the ideal direction for producing longer and straighter golf shots.

• When the golf club moves away from the ball into the backswing a force is influencing it.

• When the golf club gets to the top of the back swing and changes its direction a force influences it.

• When a golf club strikes the golf ball a force influences it.

You see, every time you swing your golf club a force (either a push or pull) is influencing the direction of your golf swing. Now I know that at some level you already realise this, but I’m not so sure that when you hit golf balls at the driving range in your attempt to improve your golf swing technique that you really understand how important the influence of force is on your golf swing.

There are two things we want to do with the force we generate in our golf swing technique.

1. We want to give it a direction in the backswing-down swing and follow through phases.

2. We want to deliver it at the correct time into impact

Study the simple action of a pendulum because I guarantee that this simple device will help you to understand how to unlock the full potential of your golf swing technique. If you’ve ever watched a pendulum you would know that a weighted object is suspended from a pivot point and the weighted object swings backwards and forwards.

As the weighted object swings backwards and forwards from the top of its backswing to the top of its finish position it moves in an arc and the radius of this arc remains constant throughout the to and fro motion.

Briefly stated the forces acting on a pendulum are balanced forces keeping the weighted object in a consistent path and trajectory and this is precisely what we want to achieve with our golf swing technique.

A balanced force in a golf swing is a force that moves your golf club just like a pendulum from the backswing position to its finish position with a smooth gradual acceleration and rhythm.

Now think of your left arm and wrist as being the lever of a pendulum and imagine it swinging backwards and forwards from the top of your back swing to the end of your finish position. This rhythmical motion of your left arm should be smooth and unhurried as it moves in an arc towards the golf ball.

You can actually feel the swinging motion of your left arm simply by folding your right arm behind your back and swinging your left arm back and through, and as you do this let your left hand roll or rotate as it passes through the bottom of the swing arc about where the golf ball would be positioned all the way to the finish of your stroke.

Now place a nine iron in your left hand and do the same thing. Swing it backwards and forwards with your right arm behind your back and let your wrist hinge and unhinge and then rotate or roll through the bottom of the arc naturally by not fighting the swing; just let it swing back and through without interference.

As you swing the nine iron backwards and forwards gently increase the length of the arc without adding additional effort and allow your body rotation to increase and remain in sync with the swinging motion of your left arm.

One important point to remember is to never change the path of your hands as you swing the golf club down through the bottom of the swing arc. Keep the path and trajectory of your left hand in or extremely close to the same path as the backswing. This is very important and the way to do this successfully is to let gravity and momentum have a primary influence on your left arm swing.

The second you apply additional force to your left arm as it travels down towards the bottom of the swing arc the faster it will shift your hands and golf club off their correct path which will definitely lead to poorly hit golf shots.

The left arm swing: the golf club technique that controls the hand path in the downswing and is very important to concept to understand, apply and master. Practice this simple technique until your feel the golf club swinging freely without interference.

When you can swing the golf club with a smooth hinging and unhinging motion with a full rotation at the bottom of the stroke you will be well on your way to improving your golf swing technique.

Remember that a pendulum travels from a backswing position to a finish position with a consistent rhythm or beat and so does a golf club. The very second you try to hit the golf ball you no longer have a golf swing, you have a golf hit.

Hitting requires more energy and is less effective than a swinging motion and is the single biggest reason why amateur golfers don’t generate the level of consistency that pro’s do.

So the big question you need to ask yourself right now is this; do you want to swing the golf club with confidence and hit golf shots just like a pro or would you rather hit inconsistent and frustrating golf shots just like…?

One question I get asked repeatedly is “how do we know if we’re ready?” Unfortunately it’s not as easy as going for it when you see a pop up like the indicator for a nicely cooked turkey, or a alarm that goes off saying “it’s time” so you know it’s time to strip off naked and join in the fun.

Also important to note is sometimes “mostly ready” is ready enough; if I waited to do things until I was 100% certain, then there is long list of things I would never have attempted and a lot I would have missed out on. Mr Wonderful wasn’t 100% about swinging, but when we got into it he became ready and it is now a part of our regular (if you can call it that) lives.

So while it’s not a cut and dry “yes we’re ready”, there are signs that let you know you can at least start dipping your toes in the shallow end of the swinging pool. While these aren’t the only signs, they are the more important ones and should be present before you make the final decision to go for it.

1. You’re BOTH curious! Let’s face it, if only one of you is keen to check it out then you as a couple, are not ready. Entering this lifestyle for someone else, or dragging your partner into it (potentially kicking and screaming) is more likely to bring up additional issues rather than keep everyone happy. Sometimes it just takes a little while for the second partner to come around but if you are patient, and allow them to do what they need to do to become comfortable with the idea of trying it, then when they are ready, you’re both good to go (provided the next two signs are present that is).

2. You are able to effectively communicate your thoughts AND feelings, and you both actively work through problems as they come up. You are about to take your relationship into new territory and you will never know how you’re going to react until you are in the situation. You can’t account for everything that might make you feel frustrated, uncomfortable or even jealous (trust me, even those who aren’t normally jealous types have had it come up for one reason or another). If you have great communication skills and strategies together, it won’t matter what comes up you will be able to work through it, even having each experience strengthen your relationship instead of damaging it.

3. You can read your partner! If you have been together long enough, after a while you are able to tell what mood your partner is in by looking at them or watching their behaviour. Being able to read each other can be a serious relationship saver when engaged in a swinging situation if one of you is not ok. I find this is the criteria new couples are often lacking because they haven’t been together long enough to know each other’s signs or behaviours. It’s not enough to ask your partner if they’re OK and to keep going if they answer “yes” because sometimes they aren’t. It takes maturity to pick up on your partners un-okness and to make the decision to leave the party and address their needs. Trust me, it can be hard to pull yourself away from the hot, wild and raunchy fun, and equally as hard to tell your partner you aren’t ok, so it’s being able to read your partner and act on what you know to be the truth over what they say which will make all the difference.

Swinging is the ideal relationship builder when you have all the basic foundations, but at the end of the day your relationship has to be the number one priority as well as your partner, their needs and wants. You are a team as you go into this and as a team you deal with anything that comes up, so keeping that in mind as you wander into new and exciting territory will be a saving grace in those moments where you have to choose between new fun and stepping back to help your partner overcome stuff that has come up for them.

There is a more comprehensive relationship readiness test in The Essential Guide for Adventurous Couples who want to explore threesomes, foursomes and moresomes, if you are serious about being prepared to take this step. It goes into detail about how-to get started, and answers many of the “what if” questions many new couples have about their relationship, changes and what to expect. Being informed is what takes away fears and concerns and arms you with the tools you need to make the transition as smooth as possible.

As long as you are both keen and open to it, can communicate and read each other then you will have the most important elements to cope with the transition from vanilla to swinger! Are you ready?

As Trackman launch monitors and 3D swing analysis technology become more popular, I believe it will usher in a new age in the world of professional golf, and golf instruction as a whole. Today’s current ‘fad’ teaching styles will give way to a new style of swing – a style who’s origins date back over 100 years!

This ‘classic’ style of swinging, featuring much more active hips and legs, and a free release of the clubhead, can be seen as far back as 1900 and before. James Braid, John Henry Taylor, and Harry Vardon, dubbed ‘The Great Triumvirate’, won 16 British Open titles in 21 years. The trio was astonishingly dominant – one coming in runner up the 5 times they didn’t win.

This early swing of the three featured a free lifting left heel on the backswing, with a swinging spine in each direction. The left arm was allowed to bend slightly at the elbow, for the sake of suppleness. The clubhead was thrown with a lashing sidearm baseball type motion. Braid reportedly woke up one day with this concept, and soon was driving balls ridiculous distances for the times – perhaps as far as 375 yards!

The classic swing style continued in the hands of Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones in the 20’s, the latter whom continued to refine the style with much careful thought and practice. It was about this time that a teenage Mike Austin probably watched and was influenced by Jones at Eastlake Country Club.

Although there is evidence to suggest that Austin was naturally gifted at golf from an early age, it was the Eastlake period where he really started to shine. A big strong lad, Austin started to hit more prodigious drives seemingly all the time. First, the drives over a 300 yard lake, then 350, and later on in the 30’s over 400 yards in tournament play!

An obviously gifted athlete, Mike Austin was equally as studious. Presently, his college background has come into question, but nevertheless, the knowledge and understanding of his subjects was gained somehow. Psychology, physiology, then physics and engineering – their secrets were all mastered by Austin and applied to the golf swing. By 1946 when Austin earned a PhD in Kinesiology, he had taken the classic swing model and refined it to scientific perfection.

Mike’s raw swing slowly became more measured and precise, and with it, the distance and accuracy continued to improve. Mike’s study of the human body and the physics that guide the swing and the impact with the ball yielded what many people called ‘the perfect golf swing’. Mike himself claimed that his technique was, ‘The most efficient way to hit a ball.’

The advantages of this style of swing are numerous. All 12 levers of the body are moved in a manner to produce large amounts of power, while also swinging the clubhead around a perfect elliptical wheel into the ball, transferring the most energy possible from the collision. The spine is also used for leverage, to transfer weight from foot to foot. The clubface is precisely controlled by the wrists and forearms, in the same manner as many other sports motions such as tennis, racquetball, and baseball.

Its ability to reduce risk of injury is another great advantage of the Austin swing. Because the joints only move according to their design, within normal range of motion, they undergo significantly less stress than the modern golf swing. The lumbar spine, especially, can be at great risk from the style of golf stroke that one chooses. Many of today’s styles place exponential torquing forces on the lower back, and the chronic injuries to many young stars is well documented.

So I say, bring on the technology! Trackman is already supporting the advantages of Mike Austin’s “Under, Up, and Out’ philosophy – showing that the ball will carry and roll farther when hit upwards from the inside on a driver.

As the scientific community has finally started throwing their new toys at the golf swing to unravel its mysteries, I have no doubt that the classic swing, and particularly the Austin swing, will hold up to scrutiny, and usher in a new age of teaching and swinging which will look suspiciously like 1950!