Voice of Midwest Golf . . . with Ivan Morris
To be crowned the match-play champion of your Club is no mean achievement. To win what would generally be recognized as the premier competition in any Golf Club (including the Captain's Prize) on 11 separate occasions spread over five decades is exceptional.
Of course, nobody is surprised that the evergreen Jackie Harrington is such a golfer, seeing as he has dominated competitive play on his pretty, tree-lined home course for an astonishing 60 years. During his hey day, Jackie was a feared international player, Irish Close champion in 1979, a multi scratch cup winner and an Irish Senior Cup and European Clubs' Cup winner.
Jackie's most recent win at his beloved Adare Manor, where he first took an educated swing at a stationary ball well over 60 years ago, must feel as 'special' as anything he has achieved in a lifetime of playing the game. "When I won the inaugural Secretary's Trophy presented by B.A. Friend in 1961, I never thought for a second that I might be winning it for the eleventh time forty-eight years later!" Said a delighted Jackie, now a 73-years young 8-handicapper.
Having to overcome younger challengers is nothing new to Jackie. In this year's final, Donal Byrnes became his eleventh victim. An unfortunate bunker shot that sailed out of bounds on the second hole more or less sealed Byrnes's fate. Jackie promptly set about reeling off four birdies and that was that!
Without prior warning a note arrived from my Doctor recently that read: "Get Your Handicap Down And Live Longer!" This unusual piece of health advice was prompted by a survey published in Sweden by the renowned Karolinska Institute which has discovered that the average death rate for the 300,000 registered golfers in Sweden is lower than for other people of the same age, sex and socio-economic status. Apparently, Swedish golfers enjoy an average increase of life span of 5 years as compared with non-golfers.
How the survey was undertaken is interesting. Sweden's computerized mortality register was compared with the Golf Federations handicap records, revealing the data that golfers die significantly older than non-golfing citizens with a noticeable decrease in mortality rates in line with holding a lower handicap. The drop in death rates for more skilled golfers is as much as 47%.
Maintaining a low handicap obviously involves playing a lot of golf. Thus supporting the idea that it is the game itself that is good for health. More strength, energy and calorie burning are required to swing a golf club than is generally thought. Being out in the fresh air and walking at a reasonable pace for up to 7 kilometers to complete 18-holes is definitely good for one.
My Doctor's intervention could not have been better timed. I was thinking about giving the game up because I no longer play as well as my aspirations. Despite threats from my much-cherished wife that she would divorce me if I gave up golf, I have been on the lookout for some new pastime to pursue.
My wife says that she is so used to me being 'on the course' for hours that she likes the freedom it gives her while appreciating that she always knows where I am.
The Three-quarter Swing - When you watch good players in action, you will regularly notice them utilizing a three-quarter swing. You are most likely to see this technique in operation when they are hitting approach shots into the greens. The main purpose for the 'cut-off' abbreviated swing is distance control, especially when players find that they are 'between clubs' for the distance that needs to be covered.
After all, the more control you have over distance the better your game is likely to be.
If you find yourself between clubs for the yardage needed, you should consider hitting a three-quarter shot. If a full swing with the 9-iron won't get you there, use a three-quarter swing with the lower-lofted 8-iron.
Here are some helpful hints for successfully utilizing this extremely useful golf shot:
1. Address the ball in the centre of your stance. This will help contacting the ball at the bottom of your swing arc, creating the optimal strike.
2. As you are only going to take your hands back to about shoulder height you should feel as if the shaft is pointing vertically to the sky at the top of the swing and similarly pointing skywards at the conclusion of the follow through. The operative word is 'feel' because in reality that is not what happens.
3. You must feel as though you are using the minimum wrist cock and are hitting the golf ball with your upper body/chest. This helps to control swing speed and eliminates a disastrous "wrist-flipping" motion at impact – the cause of so much inconsistency.
4. On the follow-through, make sure you extend through the ball and finish with your belly facing the target and the shaft pointing to the sky.
6. Mastering the three-quarter shot teaches one how to develop proper rhythm and timing.
The three-quarter shot can be very beneficial and effective but it is more difficult to execute than the full swing and requires lots of practice.
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Monday 21 May 2012
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