Typical problems and solutions
If you're like everyone else who has ever played the game, golf is a constant battle against annoying faults in your full swing or putting stroke. Even the best golfers have some little hitch in their methods that they have to watch for, especially under pressure. Greg Norman once had a tendency to hit the ball well to the right of the target on the closing holes of big tournaments. Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods went through periods when they drove the ball crooked at the wrong times. Watch your playing companions when they get a little nervous; you can see all sorts of unfortunate events. Putts are left short. Even simple shots take longer to play. Conversation all but stops. And best of all, from your point of view, any faults in their swings are cruelly exposed.
You're going to develop faults in your swing and game. Faults are a given, no matter how far you progress. The trick is catching your faults before they spoil your outlook on your game. Faults left unattended often turn into major problems and ruin your game.
The root cause of most faults is your head position. Your cranium's position relative to the ball as you strike it dictates where the bottom of your swing is. The bottom of your swing is always a spot on the ground relative to where your head is positioned. Test that assertion. Shift your weight and your head toward the target onto your left side. Leave the ball in its regular position. Now make your normal swing with, say, a 6-iron. The divot made by the club will be more in front of the ball. The bottom of your swing moves toward the target along with your head.
The opposite is also true. Shift your weight and head to the right, and the bottom of your swing moves in the same direction.
The bottom line: If your head moves too much during the swing, you have little chance to correct things before impact, and the result is usually some form of poor shot.
Don't get the idea that excessive head movement is responsible for absolutely every bad shot. Other poor plays can stem from improper use of your hands, arms, or body. But try to keep your head as steady as possible.
Anyway, that's the big picture. Now I'll get more specific. What follows is a discussion of the most common faults you are likely to develop, with cures for each fault. After you know what your tendencies are, you can refer to this chapter regularly to work on fixing them.
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