Improving Your Golf Swing In A Day For Dummies
by Gary McCord
Improving Your Golf Swing In A Day For Dummies
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John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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Copyright 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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ISBN 978-1-118-37660-7 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-37662-1 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-37661-4 (ebk)
Manufactured in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Introduction
W elcome to Improving Your Golf Swing In A Day For Dummies! Would you believe that Ive been in your shoes? When I started out on the PGA Tour in 1974, I was full of fight and enthusiasm but lacked a basic knowledge of golf-swing mechanics. A warm panic would start to rise in me about ten minutes before I was due to tee off. My old friends Doubt and Dread would join me at the first tee. My brain would be racing, trying to figure out what swing thought (that one aspect of the swing that you meditate on to keep focused) to use that day. Most of the time, Id be left with a thought like, Keep the left elbow toward magnetic north on the downswing. Usually, that action resulted in a silly-looking slice into uncharted territory.
I swung the club that way for most of my career. So I know what its like to play without a solid understanding of what makes a good swing. Believe me, Im a lot happier and having a lot more fun now that I know what Im doing. I hope this e-book helps you become a better and happier player.
What You Can Do In A Day
The goal of Improving Your Golf Swing In A Day For Dummies is to help you identify whats right and whats not so right about your golf swing. After you know that, you can focus your efforts on fixing the problem. This e-book can help you figure out how to better your swing, whether you spend a free afternoon with it or you dip in and out whenever you find a few spare minutes.
I explain the basics of the swing and how to refine it. I give you pointers on chipping and pitching and putting. Finally, I offer some pointers on correcting common problems. You can read through the book once and take away just what you need, or you can return to it again and again as you find new areas of your swing that need work. How you use this book is up to you!
Foolish Assumptions
Because you picked up this book, I assume that youre interested in improving your golf swing. What does that mean? Take a look at the following list:
You want to hit the ball.
You want to get the ball up in the air and moving forward.
You want to hit the ball a long way.
You want to hit the ball toward your target.
You want to hit the ball a long way toward your target while your friends are watching.
I dont assume that you only want to improve your drives. Some of you may want to improve your shorter shots, so I include coverage of those swings as well.
I also assume that youre right-handed, and have written my advice and instructions with that in mind. If youre a lefty, simply reverse my instructions.
Icons Used in This Book
As I guide you through this maze of golf wit and wisdom, I use several handy road signs. Look for these friendly icons; they point you toward valuable advice to heed.
This icon flags quick, easy ways to improve your game.
This icon flags information thats important enough to repeat.