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TheLinktoSeniorGolf:HowtoPlay
BetterandHaveMoreFun
Linkin,Jim.;McKinney,SusanM.
SportsPublishing,Inc.
1571672419
9781571672414
9780585062778
English
1998
GV961L7566eb
796.352
Pagei
TheLinktoSeniorGolf:
HowtoPlayBetterand
HaveMoreFun
By
JimLinkin
P.G.A.Professional
SPORTSPUBLISHINGINC.
CHAMPAIGN,IL
Pageii
©1998JimLinkin
Allrightsreserved.
Editor,bookdesign:SusanM.McKinney
Booklayout:LisaJ.Peretz
Coverdesign:JulieL.Denzer
ISBN:1-57167-241-9
LibraryofCongressCatalogCardNumber:98-85665
PrintedintheUnitedStates
SPORTSPUBLISHINGINC.
http://www.SportsPublishing.com
Pageiii
TomywifeDebbie,yourloveinspiresme.
Tomyparents,fortakingthetimetoteachme.
Toourfamilies,foryourendlessencouragement.
Tomystudents,yourpassiontolearnbringsgreatjoytomylife.
ToGod,thankyouforitall.
Pagev
Contents
Preface
Chapter1
BeingOpentoChange
vii
1
Chapter2
GettingYourBodyReadytoPlay
13
Chapter3
HowtheRightEquipmentCanHelp
41
Chapter4
AFoundationofBasicFundamentals
69
Chapter5
TheFullSwingUsingtheDifferentClubs
99
Chapter6
ShortGameSharpness,AMustForUstoScore
123
Chapter7
GettingGoodFromBunkers
155
Chapter8
TheFineArtofPutting
173
Chapter9
Let'sPractice,Let'sPlay
197
Chapter10
AdditonalFactsForLadiesOnly
255
Pagevii
Preface
AsaP.G.A.professionalandgolfschoolowner,Ihavebeenblessed
withthehonorofspendingmydayshelpingotherslearntoplaythe
gamethatIhavesuchpassionfor.Throughallmytimeteaching,I
haveobservedapatterndevelopwithgolfersastheyapproachtheir
senioryears.Theirflexibilityandstrengthlevelbegintochange,then
theyoftenstruggletoperformaswingthatnolongerfitstheirbody.
That'swheremyexperiencecomesin,andItrulyenjoysharingitwith
others.Asyouwillsee,therearesomebasicchangesthatneedtobe
made,bothmentalandphysical,thatcanchangeyourgameandmake
golfmorefunthanit'severbeen.Thatiswhatthisbookisabout;a
reflectionofthepatternsthatIhaveseenonthelessonteeoverthe
years.Iwillexplainthereasonsthatweneedtomakeadjustmentsin
ourmindsandbodies,andgiveyouaneasywaytoaccomplishboth
throughthoughtsanddrills.Wewilldiscussflexibilityandhowto
increaseyours.Youwillunderstandhowtoday'sequipmentcanhelp
you,andwhatclubsshouldnotbeinyourbag.Thereareinstructions
forabasicswingmotionthatweallshouldhave,andhowwecanfitit
toourownbodies.Youwilllearntheimportanceoftheshortgame,
pitching,chipping,putting,andbunkerplay,andmethodstobecome
razor-sharpatallofthem.Canyouplayandpracticemore
effectively?Theanswerisyes,whenyouutilizetricksliketheBifocal
BackswingandtheD.W.I.T.coursemanagementsystemdescribedin
thisbook.Itwillnotonlyenlightenyouonthelatestteaching
methods,butwillprovidelotsoffundoingso.Ladies,thereisa
specialsectionfor
Pageviii
youtoaddressafewadditionalthingsyoushouldknowaboutyour
swingthatdon'tapplytothemen.
Waitaminute!Howcanoneswingworkforeveryone?Simplyput,it
can't.Whatweneedtodoisbuildafoundationaroundafewbasic
principles,andletyourbodydictatewhatstyleyouwilluse.Thereare
almost25milliongolfersintheUnitedStates,andnearlyhalfareover
40yearsofage.Idonotbelievethatover11milliongolferscanswing
thesameswing.Therearetoomanyvariableswithheight,flexibility,
strength,andathleticabilitytogiveeveryonethesameswing.
However,ifwesubscribetosomesolidfundamentalsspecifically
tailoredtotheseniorgolfer,wecanallplaybetter.
Myteachingphilosophyisreflectedthroughoutthisbook.Itcanbe
summedupas1)Attitudeiseverything,2)Eachofusisanindividual,
sowhatonepersoncandomaynotbepossibleforthenextperson,
and3)Ifthebasicfunctionsofaswingwork,it'suptotheindividual
todevelopstyleaccordingtotheirbody'scapabilities.
Ilikesettingafoundationforallofmystudentstoexpandupon.This
willpreventthesearchforthemagiccurewhensomethinggoesoffin
yourswing.Thereisnothingworsethanchangingsomethingevery
weekinyourgolfswing.Youfeellost.Thisbookwillgiveyouthe
directiontotaketoplaybetterandhavemorefun.
Enjoyyourjourneythroughthisbook.Thechaptersarewrittenina
waythatwillallowyoueasilytoreferbacktoacertaintopicfor
futurereference.Irecommendthatyoustartbyreadingtheentire
book.Therearetricksofthetradeandsolutionstoquestionsthatyou
mayhavethroughouteachchapter,andIwouldn'twantyoutomissa
thing.Feelfreetomakemarksattheareasthatyouneedthemosthelp
orinterestyouthemost.Thenyoucangobacklaterandputthe
principlesintopractice.Enjoy!
Page1
Chapter1
BeingOpentoChange
Didyoueverwonderwhyweplaygolf?Ihaveponderedthatquestion
manytimesinmycareer.Surelyduringourworstroundsweask
ourselveswhatwearedoingonthecourse,butsomehowwealways
return,seekingthebetterroundweknowisinsideus.Theperfecttee
shot,achipthatstopsinchesfromthehole,alongputtthatfalls,these
allgiveusasenseofaccomplishment,yetthoseareonlymomentsin
amuchbiggerpicture.Sowhydoweplay?Theanswerisdifferentfor
everyone,Isuppose.Someofthereasonsweplayarefun,the
camaraderie,exercise,andthechallengegolfoffers.Sinceitissucha
difficultsporttomaster,thereisarespectthatcomeswithplaying
well.Everyonelovestowatchagoodplayerstriketheball,that
effortlessswishoftheclub,theclickatimpact,andtheresulting
distancethatbogglesthemind.Itisnotunlikeballet,aperformingart
thatisenjoyedbynotonlytheonedoingit,butalsothosewhochoose
towatch.Duringagameofgolf,wecangoonvacationfromour
everydaylivesforafewhoursandbeinabeautifulplacefilledwith
greeneryandwildlife.Wecanenjoythecompanyofothers,yetstand
onthefirstteewhileotherswatchandfeelveryalone.Golfgivesand
takes,butcanneverbeconquered.Agolfcoursecan
Page2
havemanydifferentpersonalities,sometimessimple,sometimes
complex,butalwaysachallenge.
Golfisagameplayedbothphysicallyandmentally,andwilltestboth
admirably.Therearesubtlecomplexitieswebecomemoreawareofas
wegrowandbecomebetterplayers,yetgolfcanstillmystifyeventhe
world'sbestplayers.
Onethingisforsuretheamountofenjoymentwederivefromgolfis
directlyproportionaltohowweplay.Whenweareplayingourbest,
wearegenerallyproudofouraccomplishment,andfeelgoodaboutit.
That'snottosaywhenwearenotplayingourbestwearenothaving
fun,itisjustmorefuntoplaywell.
Confidenceandfeelarethefoundationtoplayingwell.Confidenceis
thementalstatethatwealldesirewhenweplay,andfeelisthe
translationofourthoughtsintoactiononthecourse.Mybeliefisthat
anyonecanplaybetteriftheywantto,itonlytakeseducationand
practice.Itistheeducationthatwewilladdressinthisbook.The
practiceisuptoyou,butwewillevengiveyouwaystopracticethat
arefunsoyoupracticemore.
Wealldesiretobecomebetteratthegame,buttheplayerswhotake
actionseetheirdesiresbecomereality.Aswetraveltheroadto
becomingseniorgolfers,ourbodiesandmindscontinuetochange,as
theyhaveourwholelives.Wearenotgoingtostopthenatural
progressionoftime.However,ifwearesmart,wewillmakethe
adjustmentsnecessarywithourbodiesandmindstoplaythebestgolf
ofourlives.Wecanalsohaveagoodtimelearningwhilewechange.
Thischapterisanoverviewonsomeofthechangesthatweneedto
makementallyandphysicallytoprepareourselvesforthebettergolf
thatliesahead.Ifwecantapintothepositiveaspectsof