 | Don Farquhar is Head Golf Professional at Rolling Hills CC, a position he has held since 1988. Don has earned several distinctive awards: 1991 South Central Section Golf Professional of the Year, 1994 South Central Section Merchandiser of the Year, 2003 & 2004 South Central Teacher of the Year and 7 Time Kansas Chapter PGA Teacher of the Year. Don has competed in 5 National Club Professional Championships and qualified for the USGA Public Links Championship. Don is also a member of the Titlist Custom Fitting Staff. Don may be contacted Rolling Hills Country Club Pro Shop, (316) 722-1181, 223 Westlink Drive, Wichita, KS 67209, or by e-mail at dafarquhar@pga.com. |
Golf
2001-11-01 17:37:00
Can you change now?
Question: What is this new thing I hear about called ‘natural golf’? Can one really change his or her golf swing after 30 or more years of playing the game?
Answer: Natural Golf really isn't a new thing. Its been around for a number of years. Just in the past year or so has it gained any notoriety. Mo Norman is the father of natural golf but not the behind its promotion.The main difference between the natural golf swing and a conventional swing is in the set up and the grip. The set up in natural golf, as I understand it, is to take a very wide stance with your feet and to keep the club in a direct line with your forearms. This will put your hands in a much higher position at address.From this position, the natural golf swing is very much upper body and very little legs. The arms swing on one plane and the wrists and hands use a motion very similar to that of using a hammer. That is the right arm straightens at impact to obtain maximum power.The lower body does not turn very much on the follow through. This puts tremendous strain on your lower back. This is probably the reason more players don't use his method.As far as someone changing their swing after 30 years of playing, yes it can be done. Is it going to be productive? Who knows. That will depend on the student and how much time he is willing to spend practicing. I feel that it is much more productive to take the swing you have used for 30 years and try to refine it. It will be much more beneficial to have a repeating swing than it will to have a pretty swing that you cannot repeat. There is more than one way to skin a cat. Just look at all of the swings on the Senior Tour and the kind of scores they produce. The one thing they all have in common is that they repeat.
