The Golf Swing Path Is Linear And The Power Source

Is Really Called Radial Acceleration

The reason for this article is to address what I believe to be the 2 biggest misconceptions in the history of the game relating to the path of the golf swing and the power source in the golf swing!.

Whenever you talk with golfers about golf instruction, they all seem to be very interested in the latest gadget, gimmick, trend, or secret method but mention fundamentals and they tune out quicker than you can say jack rabbit.

"That's just for beginners," they say citing their current 19 handicap as evidence that they have progressed beyond working on their grip, posture, and alignment. But talk about the "X-Factor" or "Speed Stick" or "The Power Move" or "The Magic Pill" or "The Inside Path" or some other new-fangled gimmick.

The truth is that yes, you can play good golf even with poor fundamentals but it's so much easier to get your golf game on track and keep it on track if your golf swing is fundamentally sound. There is a moment in every golf swing whether it be a full driver swing, a 3 foot putt, or a 30 yard pitch, that I like to call "the moment of truth."

The "moment of truth" determines whether or not a given shot will start on line and where it will finish.

This "moment of truth," is really the only thing that matters whether you're pounding your driver or trying to coax in a 3 footer. Whether or not you can square the face of the club to the intended target line at impact determines how successful any single swing will be.

Let's take for example, Lee Trevino. Trevino's swing was not what you'd call classic but he was very skilled at squaring the face of the club to the target line at impact. He spent years honing his motion to a fine edge, spending countless hours on the driving range and golf course so that he could consistently square the face of the club to his intended target line.

Jim Furyk is another example of someone with a less than classic motion who has major championship talent and who has spent his entire life honing his golf swing so that he can consistently square the club face to the intended target line.

Fred Couples is another example and the list goes on and on. These players, all from different set-up positions, have trained themselves to square the club face to the intended target line at impact and you can too.

Having said that, let me say that most of us simply don't have the time or talent required to hone our action to this very fine edge so it's awesomely important that with limited practice and playing time, we give ourselves the very best possible chance to hit good shots and that means to play our best golf it would behoove each of us, no matter our current handicap, to work on developing sound fundamentals. It's just easier with a good grip, good posture, and good alignment to hit shots that fly toward the target and that's what we all want .....right?

So why do players who would love to play like Tiger Woods, who consistently shoot in the upper 80's, 90's, and worse, steer clear of the very fundamental concepts that would help them play better and shoot lower scores? Is it pride? Is it a misconception they have about what's important? What is it? I can guarantee you that Tiger Woods works diligently on fundamental concepts like grip, posture, and alignment. He does this because he knows that if one of these fundamentals gets a little off, it will effect his entire swing. He knows this as do all tour players and most low handicappers.

Good players work consistently to develop and maintain a good grip, athletic posture, and square alignment.

Bad players don't. Players who struggle seem to work on gimmicks, fads, and tricks in an effort to improve but somehow year after year, they have a new set of clubs, new pair of shoes, the latest golf ball technology, a brand new gimmick, and yet they shoot the same old scores and hit the same bad shots.

The golf swing happens along a geometrical orientated linear path.

Linear: The word linear comes from the Latin word linearis, which means created by lines;

Generally there are two ways that the path of the swing is described in golf instruction either outside in or inside out.

The correct path of the golf swing is a linear path which means the clubhead travels along the target line for a length of time.

It is therefore not correct to instruct a player who swings outside in to start swinging inside out! It is correct rather to instruct the player to swing along a linear path.

Delivering the clubface to the ball looking directly at the target (“square” in golf terms) promotes instinctively swinging the clubhead 'momentarily along' rather than across the target line when impact occurs.

When the swing path momentarily matches the target line at impact, the clubhead arrives at the ball at the proper angle, not too steep nor too shallow, and delivers the entire force of the blow directly forward.

Sure we often need exaggerated movements in the swing to find the position we are looking for however the player still needs to be instructed of the correct theory.

Jim Furyk's swing although hard on the body produces a linear path.

I think once you understand this truth you can then relate to why there are so many different types of swings on the tour.

Warning! Is What You Are Reading Helping You  Achieve A Winning Golf Swing?

Many people envy the likes of Tiger Woods because of his winning golf swing. To the avid golfer, the joy of watching these pros in action and seeing the way they swing the club to hit the ball is a joy like no other.

To a true lover of the sport the perfection of the swing is the Holy Grail of golf.

The golf swing is the defining skill that separates the greenhorn from the veteran and the golfer from the poser.

Because of the popularity of golf in almost all of the countries of the world, many people have come up with instructional guides, books and CDs that could help improve the golfer's swing.

Some of them are correct but most of them are not.

For example: Whilst browsing the web for golf instruction I came across this instruction: One of the most common misconceptions that a golfer has is snapping the wrist right before impact is like pressing the nitro button in the straightaway lane. When golfers do this they are actually slowing down the velocity of the clubhead making the golf swing lighter. This is a bad habit that should be avoided.

WHAT THE? This is why what you read anywhere about the golf swing needs to be approached with a certain amount of caution, if you were to be mistaken to believing the above instruction to be true you would begin robbing yourself of the greatest power source there is in the golf swing, the radial accelerator.

Take for example the way you hammer a nail certainly you dont avoid using any wrist action, it is the very principle that makes light work of the hammering, and the same goes for the golf swing.

A study shows that most professional golf players achieve a club head speed of 100 miles per hour at the very bottom of their swing right before they hit the ball. Tiger Woods can swing up to 125 miles per hour that means he can hit 25 mph faster that other pros.

They do this by using the radial accelerator.

Because the majority of golfer's slice the ball especially when starting golf the path of the average golf swing is usually out to in. On this path the wrists are unable to be used correctly and distance is lost.

That is why getting your swing on the desired in to out path leads to more power because it puts the wrists in the correct position to use the accelerator .

Warning:Next time you read anything to do with the golf swing make sure it has been written by a qualified P.G.A Professional.