yoga11912

What David says about clubs and balls is true, however sad that might be. Manufacturers and retailers will have us believe that we CAN buy a better game. We most probably can, within reason.

Technology has allowed manufacturers to produce more forgiving clubs and balls that travel further. The argument can be made that it will make the game more enjoyable, attract more people and all the rest of it.

The effect that distance has on courses and tournaments is a topic we might tackle at a later stage. We all know (and the manufactures do too) that distance sells.

Retailers (and manufactures, for that matter) can contribute with proper club fitting. Gone are the old days when the boys purchased individual clubs from various sources. Matching sets was unheard of. Computerized customization allows for differences in build, swing speed and level of skill.

With hybrid clubs, and sets, the death of the long iron was inevitable. When last did you see anybody swing a 1-iron?

It is noticeable that the professional golfers lean more towards so-called amateur equipment whereas the ammies in the old days yearned for a set of traditional forged blades. (I am still a sucker for those things!)

The bottom line is that if you cannot swing a club half-decently, and, as Mr. Nicklaus puts it, propel the ball in a predominantly forward fashion, it might be a good idea to take up whatever else but golf.

I am a firm believer of proper ball striking. If you cannot make contact with the ball first, particularly with irons and hybrids, you will never control the ball, and that is what this game is about!

As much as technology allows for forgiveness on mishit shots, and compensates for not-so-pure ball striking, the fact remains that a fairly decent swing, based on basic principles, will improve your scores, enjoyment and, yes, all the rest of it. It will also hold up under pressure.

A good, solid swing should not be mistaken for a nice-looking swing. We have different physical attributes and natural abilities. The mere physics of this dictates that swings will differ from person to person.

Gary Player said a number of very clever things. One is that if it works, use it. That, to me, means that how my swing looks might be flattering, but it is the score that counts.

If you look at the truly fluent swings out there, Ernie Els and Vijay Singh, and compare that to Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer (with all due respect), whose swing would you rather copy?

Yet at impact they are all the same: head behind the ball, hips out of the way, weight on the left foot. Good, solid fundamentals can never be replaced!

I have to impress on all golfers out there, current and aspiring, the proper use of the driving range. Just a few ideas:

Warm up properly Check the basics: grip, stance, posture, alignment, ball position Work on something specific as opposed to getting maximum distance out of your driver You cannot see yourself swing, so get help, a friend, video camera

If you are really serious, get yourself a forged blade 6-iron and an old persimmon driver. If you can hit a golf ball consistently with those two, you can hit anything!

It might take a little more than a simple golf swing to reduce my scores, but I am still a devoted follower of this weird game!

Thank you for bearing with me. This was my first effort I will try again!

Corrie Nel is a golf fanatic and former club captain. Find out how to lengthen your drives and lower your scores at:

http://www.sportatlas.com (Please use ID 1536)