At the core of golf there is competition. Yet the most essential part of golf is patience. Patient competition seems like a contradiction. Yet
golf is not contradictory at all. On the other hand it has been said one
person can find golf relaxing, while another individual might think it
the most stressful sport in the universe.
Professional golfers tend to be graceful. It is as if they are very aware
of how the muscles in their body propel them forward. Languid strides
and flexibility are words that come to mind when imagining the
professional golfer at work.
Some people link golf to sports like bowling or billiards. Not
particularly something you want to watch unless you understand the
game fully and know the participants well enough to be cheering one
or more toward the grand first prize. Serious golf fans are loyal and
just as radical (in a subdued manner) as any professional football fan
can be.
As a spectator sport golf ranks high on the television ratings. It is
highly unlikely anyone has seen the World Cup void of fans on any
given year. The collective silences and cheers of golf fans exude a
respect for the game. That respect is the attention grabber.
As with any sport, the interest of the young people is a natural part of
survival. Without future golf players there is no future to golf. Since
golf has been around for arguably five centuries it is not a concern that
the sport will ever die away completely or vanish like a lost civilization.
Fresh new blood keeps the arterial channels flowing more freely
though.
The diversity of golf is found most obviously in the participants of golf.
Any level of physically fit persons can choose golf as a sport. It is
known to be beneficial exercise. When golf becomes a set part of your
scheduled regimen it is very likely extra pounds will come off. Any
societal level of persons can play golf. It is nit the game of the rich and
famous, on the contrary there are many affordable public golf courses
emerging.
Whether you are male, female, young or mature golf is a game of
competitive spirit. We mustn’t forget it is a patient competitive spirit.
Not only are you competing against other golfers you are also being
constantly challenged by difficult golfing courses. A public or private
golf course has its fair share of challenging factors on the fairways, in
the sand traps and across the rolling hills. The most appealing
challenge for most golfers is the challenge of improving your game.
You might have seen the cartoons where the golfer has a club wrapped
around a tree limb in frustration or yet another where it appears Zen
golf might be a new fad. Either account can be considered a fair
account when you are talking about a sport with diversity, versatility
and class. If you have never golfed in your life, think about it the next
time you have some free time. You might be surprised how much fun
golf can essentially be.
Work on the Golf Stance – Don’t Get Caught up on the Details
Start with your feet placed just so, your body turned slightly to the
left, your ball directly under the logo on your shirt. Carefully line your
body so that it’s shaped like this… And the list of golf stance
instructions goes on. In fact, some people get so caught up in the
stance that they lose sight of the real purpose – a perfect golf game.
Defining your perfect golf game is probably more important than the
perfect stance. And if you’re out to enjoy the game, getting caught up
in the details can really be a problem.
So does that mean that you shouldn’t work on your stance? Absolutely
not. The pros say the stance and swing are at the heart of a successful
golf game. You may very well be able to make a great drive from
something less than a great stance, but perfecting your stance will
allow you to play a more consistent game of golf.
Start by relaxing. This step may take some work, especially at first
when you’re trying to remember the myriad of rules that make a
successful stance. Your arms, though fixed in position, should never be
rigid. In fact, most pros and coaches say you should start with your
arms relaxed at your sides.
The actually stance depends on several factors, including (according to
many) gender. There’s at least a general consensus that women need
a wider stance than men. Remember that your golf stance is the basis
of the entire swing and that balance is crucial. Add to that the fact that
the hips and pelvis of men and women are naturally different and
you’ll get a basic understanding of why women often need a wider
stance. Because the male golfer’s hips tend to be more rigid than of
their female counterparts, his body reacts to the counterswing and the
follow-through differently. A woman’s hips are made to swing more
easily and this can be a real advantage on the stance, as long as the
woman compensates for that difference. Finding a comfortable
standing position will likely take some trial and error, and some
practice.
Finding the comfort zone is important, but you may need to be willing
to compromise comfort in order to work on your stance. While you
shouldn’t be standing in a position that makes your body hurt, you
may very well experience some discomfort while your body is
adjusting to the position of a new or adjusted stance. Remember to
loosen muscles before you hit the course, and to practice for short
periods during that adjustment phase.
The stance is only one part of the successful golf game, but it’s very
important. Coupled with the grip and other aspects of the swing, it
makes up the ability to play a consistent game of golf. But before you
get lost in the details of the stance, remember that golf for most
people is meant to be fun. If the details of the stance are killing your
enjoyment of the game, it might be time to take a good look at your
definition of a successful game of golf.