What Makes the Truly Great Golfers Stand Out?

What makes both Gerry Watson and Rory McIlroy and Fred Couples stand out from other top world players, even Tont Woods?

In my view because namely when playing in the groove both their driver and iron games are exceptionally strong. Of course Fred Couples exceptional skills with a driver made him a finalist in the USA Longdrive Championship in its early days. The USA longdrive championship eventually became the World Longdrive Championship.

It is hardly surprising that over the years few golfers, at whatever level they compete, ever reach their potential in both departments. Why? Because when both swings are properly functioning they are entirely different and it's not easy taking two entirely different swings onto a golf course, let alone preserving them once on hallowed turf. Even Tont at his very best never achieved really consistent driving.

For those reading this who are relatively new to golf, or lacking in study or both, a thumbnail sketch of the two swings are as follows. Sorry but it is not possible to tabulate on this forum unless one is a skilled administrator:

DRIVER SWING: (Bar ';stack and tilt' regime) 1. Long low push away around three times longer than an iron, 2. Severe coiling, 3. All weight transferred onto right foot, 4. Right shoulder held back in attack with late release of coiling power, 5. Lowering of centre of gravity coming into the ball, 6. Striking ball on the upstroke with hands way behind the ball, 7. Full weight transfer onto braced left leg. 8. Full follow through.

IRON SWING: (Bar 'stack and tilt' regime) 1. Short push away, 2. Little or no coiling, 3. Weight fairly evenly balanced, 4. An up and down swing can work very efficiently without coiling, 5. Can avoid lowering centre of gravity in attack as far less power demanded, 6. Hands ahead of the ball at impact, 8. One can get away with an abbreviated follow through and such is often striven for when playing windy links golf.

Looking at today's great golfers in both departments (McIlroy and G. Watson) what is particularly impressive is that both can drive 340 yards without any of the extreme acrobatics which international longdrive competitors use. OK so they can't drive 400 yards but one would not reasonably expect anyone to be able to do that with a golf course swing. What they achieve is truly exceptional.

So, are all the differences in swing listed above? With one major exception 'yes' and the final vital ingredient is largely never taught due to lack of time. even if one was fortunate enough to secure an immensely talented golfer as a pupil there is only Butch Harmon and maybe one or two other coaches who can get pupils to pay for a four day course, and in any event three - four days is barely enough time to work through all swing facets.

The final vital ingredient Is right wrist action.

Many of you will be far better than me with your irons and it will be almost second nature to you to have silent hands with both iron play and putting but skillfully use wrist action in various forms of very short approach shots. Arguably it becoming increasingly difficult the higher the club's loft for fear of the club travelling under the ball and distance lost.

The opposite is the case with a driver, namely as one's hands are attacking the ball as the driver's head is way in arrears (irregardless of whether one is working with gravity, or against it with a lot of lag) it stands to reason that in the impact area one requires both a lot of right wrist action and very fast hands. I personally use a blocked release so my left wrist does not collapse immediately after impact but stays left arm straight aligned.

Can this be learned? Certainly yes, but not in the manner nearly all pupils would insist on learning it namely with a driver in their hands.

Just as one spends little time learning diving in the pool, one likewise needs to spend a great deal of time learning driving with one's driver locked away. A driver is far too long in length, and swung far too fast, to use it as a tool for ingraining new swing principles. Initially I personally use a pitching wedge, then after several sessions move on to a seven iron, then a two iron, next a standard length driver, and finally a slightly longer competition driver.

When practicing driving with an iron one must in every way (bar swinging fast) swing the club as though it were a driver not an iron.

Success will begin to manifest with no slices or blocked right balls and two to three yards of healthy draw. I never progress to a longer club in any session until I have achieved what I seek to achieve with a shorter club.

Finally, my view is that EVERYONE in golf from the beginner to the Tont struggles with the game. And, fully focusing on any shot (and in this context the swing it requires) is absolutely essential.

It's nice to control one's own destiny - as far as one can. We all have choices. How much do you want out of the game, and how much are you honestly prepared to put in?

Do you prefer to play well or alternatively join me predominantly watching rabbits, deer, and red kite instead of concentrating?