What have I learned that will help you?
Lesson number one from this: always keep your spirits up and intend to stay in a frame of mind which encourages better play. Easier said than done, but the alternative is very destructive and only you have the option.
Lesson number two: your energy and strength levels are inconsistent. Some days we have more energy than others and how often have you been in the gym or the pool and you just do not have the oomph you had last time, or you seem to be more energetic than you expected? Those carrying injuries are better placed at warming up as they are very cautious of creating more injuries. They take their time and warm up slowly, just like professional sportsman. Your warm-up routine should begin with short soft shots and end with a few drivers in the net.
Lesson number three: It is incredible how we can adapt. if you have a leg, hip or knee restriction then your hand and arm swing needs to be optimal as it will be heavily relied upon. In these cases, I ensure the lower body is positioned for balance and stability not mobility. Therefore, you should swing according to your abilities and limitations. I spent a day with one of the world’s best Tour coaches, Pete Cowan, with 11 other pros as he coached us on his experiences. It was a fascinating insight and one thing he explained was just how much career ending damage the world’s top players can do to themselves when trying to swing in a way which their body simply isn’t designed to do.
Any coach needs to remain flexibly minded with a constant appetite to improve their coaching and the inured personnel of the On Course Foundation keep me very much on my toes and always adapting. If you have any quirks, limitations, injuries or indeed swing idiosyncrasies, then your body may just be telling you something. Let me help: 07974403289 or richard.harrison@roehamptonclub.co.uk
Can you help?
The On Course Foundation beneficiaries are on limited incomes and love the game. We have over 1,000 beneficiaries and they really appreciate using your old golf equipment. If you have any second-hand clubs which you no longer need, please drop them off at the shop and I will post on to the very eager service men and women around the country. I recently sent out about 20 sets donated by very kind Members, so thank you to them all. Please only drop off reasonably recent kit by brands such as Callaway, Ping, Taylor Made, Titleist, Cobra and Yonex as we have plenty of clubs for beginners but need more for the established players.
Enjoy your golf.
Richard Harrison | Head Golf Professional | Richard.harrison@roehamptonclub.co.uk
