This article is about aiming.
First, imagine a dart player practicing his form in the middle of a field... without a target. Sounds ridiculous just lofting darts into space. Yet many golfers do just that – they launch balls into space without a clear destination.
A golf swing only makes sense when there's a ball and a desired final resting place for that ball – i.e. a target. The first move in the execution of a golf shot is locking your eyes and your imagination on to a landing point.
Don't just glance at the target – stare at it. Make your target a very small one; give it a long, lingering look; bring your eyes back down to the ball and swing without hesitation.
On aligning the club, think of a clubface as a one-lane highway and place the instrument so that the one-lane goes in a beeline to the target.
When aligning the body, feet shoulders are most important. A line across your back should be parallel to the one-lane highway.
One last word on aim: Hall of Fame golfer Kathy Whitworth was trained by Harvie Penick to "take dead aim." When putting she would lock onto the target with eyes and mind, aim the putter and body and make the best stroke possible.
Once the ball left the club, though, she let go of it – good put, poor putt, or indifferent. Since there was nothing she could change once the ball was enroute, she was able to maintain an "even keel" and not get high if it went in or down if it didn't.
Discipline yourself in this technique and golf will become a walk in the park!
Ed Hanczaryk, PGA is a four-time Atlantic Canada Teacher of the Year and was chosen one of the Top 50 golf teachers in Canada. He can be found at The Links at Penn Hills or Ed's Golf Studio, 10 Akerley Blvd., Burnside. Contact him at (902) 450-011, or online at www.awarenessgolf.com.
