Posted by: tom.guerry (tom.guerry@kp.org) on Sat Dec 6 07:23:56 2008

Jack -

It's great to see these classic posts.

You mentioned:

PS. I wonder if the same is true for golf because I have never heard anyone say that the
best golfers do not have the best mechanics.

and Zig weighed in with his thoughts.

Here are some related thoughts from the Jim Hardy (PLANE TRUTH FOR GOLFERS):

Instruction: Jim Hardy - 2008 PGA National Teacher of the Year

Q+A from PGA website.

Q: How can I get consistency in my swing, when I travel alot and and can play golf only
twice a month? Bill Reid
A: The goal of all golf swings is to gain a correct, consistent impact. Unfortunately, you as
well as most all golfers, have a consistent swing. The problem is that your swing produces
an unreliable impact because it is out of position and requires corrections prior to impact
that are usually athletic and timing related and are difficult to repeat. The easiest way to
achieve a more repetitive impact is to either work on timing/tempo/rhythm/balance
athletic issues that make recovery easier to accomplish or to work on the causes in your
swing that have put you out of position in the first place and required you to have such an
athletic recovery to find a correct impact. One way is to say you will keep your swing and
work on the keys (timing/tempo/etc) that allow you to recover and the other way is to
change your swing so the out of position parts are either eliminated or less severe and it
becomes easier to find impact. There are unfortunately no free lunches. Changing a swing
requires practice and the correct advice (sometimes hard to find) and the other requires
working on your athleticism, strength, flexibility and balance. This is true whether you are
a Tour professional or an average golfer.



Q: Hi Jim,
I have a problem with my backswing. I have a tendency to bring the club back on different
swingplanes. Can you give me a key to a consistent swingplane.
Thanks,
Joe Dyorich
A: In my opinion, there are two different ways to achieve a correct swing plane: one plane
and two-plane. One plane is where you swing your arms more in the same plane as you
pivot (around you) and the top of your backswing has the left arm on the same plane line
as your shoulders. The two plane system keeps your arms more out in front of you and
swings them up and has the left arm at the top of the backswing more vertical than the
shoulder turn. The two methods are radically different from each other (swing your arms
inside and around you while you turn versus the other is keep your arms in front of you
and swing them up while you turn). I would try both styles and see which one has the
better results for you. You may be a natural at one of them and your problem is that you
are trying to swing with the style that is not natural for you.


Q: In putting, Why don't pros look at the hole instead of the ball? Golf is the only shooting
sport I know of where you don't look at the target.
Steve Blanchard
A: The answer is simple; the target of the stroke is the ball not the hole. You are swinging
at the ball, which in turn if hit correctly, will go into the hole. If you were throwing the
ball, then it would make sense if you looked at the hole. But since the club is in your
hand, not the ball, and you are swinging the club at the ball, you should look at your
target; the ball.


Dear Jim
Q: I am a 5 handicap golfer with a big problem. My shortgame is totally underdevelopped
compared to my long game. In fact, Its quite terrible for someone of my caliber despite
the 5-6 hours per week that i devote to practice the short game. 80% of my ractice time
actually. In practice, i can hit any shot but in matches, i completely struggle often by
duffing or double hitting. I'm a good student of the game and I've worked with the Dave
Peltz method to a "T" but it's helped me for the over 40 yard shots and not the 20-40 yard
short chip shot. The more i practice, the more pressure i put on myself and the worse it
gets. So i fear taking a lesson or hiring a coach for this reason. Do i have the chipping
yips? What is my problem and how can i overocme it? i know what to do but can't visualize
this shot anymor because of all the negative reinforcment that i have. it's been like this for
over 4 years now. What should i do?
Thanks for your help,
Eric Koeman, Dubai
A: If I had a major problem for very long with any part of my game I would change what I
do. Four years of trying a certain method and still failing is about 3 years and 11 months
longer than I would have gone. A valid definition of insanity is trying the same thing over
and over again and expecting a difference result. I would give a different method a try
without even giving it a second thought. I might suggest to you a method that is quite
different than Dave Peltz's; Stan Utley's short game ideas. He has written several articles
and two books on the subject. One of the books is on putting only and the other book is
on chipping and pitching.

-------

Az Republic article on Jim Hardy, excerpts:

http://www.jimhardygolf.com/Testimonials/tabid/117/Default.aspx?
udt_525_param_detail=15


After nearly 30 years of studying hundreds of golf swings and observing dozens of
instructors, the swing guru from Houston has adopted the theory that all golfers use a
one-plane or a two-plane swing - and that the concepts of those two don't mix.

"You can use either one and you can be successful with either one, as long as you don't
mix and match," Hardy said. "The elements are not compatible and, as a result, there are
probably more people being hurt by instruction than at any time in history.

"If you look at guys like Seve Ballesteros, Ian Baker-Finch, Chip Beck and David Duval -
they have been taught right out of their business. They have lost their game. Duval was
the No. 1 player in the world, and he didn't just fall out of bed one day and forget how to
play. What happened is he has mixed two-plane issues with a one-plane swing."


Hardy's way
Some concepts of the golf swing advocated by Jim Hardy:

FUNDAMENTALS: The reason people don't get better at golf is they think there is one set of
fundamentals that applies to everyone. There are two sets, and only two, and they are
nearly the opposite in nature.

DANGEROUS MIX: Very few people are gifted and athletic enough to mix the concepts of a
one-plane and two-plane swing successfully.

TIMING: In most swings, the club swings down the target line for less than a quarter-inch.
The straightest hitters in golf keep the club on the target line for the shortest duration.

ACHING BACKS: All (right-handed) golfers who aim left of the target will develop back
problems.

READ AND WEEP: Ben Hogan's 5 Lessons is a great instruction book if you have a one-
plane swing, but it has messed up generations of golfers who swing on two planes.

REPETITION: No matter what swing you use, the most important thing is repetition,
regardless of results.