Colin Montgomerie might not have the prettiest golf swing, but it has all the elements to help him score. (Courtesy photo)

It's not about how good your golf swing looks

By Chuck Evans,
Special Contributor

Some skillful players know how to get the ball in the hole and score. Others have what appears to be a great golf swing but cannot score, while still others have a combination of both a great-looking swing and the know-how to go low.

Which one are you?

Take a look at the Champions Tour and you'll see countless variations of swings - most are not "pretty" but these players have found a way to get it in the hole. And what is the objective of the game? To get the ball in the hole with the fewest number of strokes.

Ben Hogan was asked who he thought had the best swing he had ever seen and he answered, "A driving range pro over at..."

Some players are cursed with a beautiful swing - on the driving range - but can never take it to the course. Others are blessed with the ability to score with swings that look like an octopus in a telephone booth, like Jim Furyk.

Do you need to work on your mechanics? Sure, but when the bell rings you've got to find a way to score. When playing golf don't be concerned about "how" it looks, the scorecard doesn't know any better, but rather what you need to do to get this little white ball in the hole in the fewest strokes possible.

Here are a couple of suggestions to help you improve your scoring.

1. Get out on the course and play two balls. Play the worst ball on every shot and you'll find a way to score.

2. Play the forward tees. If this does not give you a different view then nothing will.

3. Play your approach shots from the middle of the fairway on par 4's from the 100 yard marker, par 5's from the two hundred yard marker, and the par 3's from the fringe. This will tell you where your weakest points are. You may think you've got a good short game but playing this way will definitely show you how good it is.

Ultimately players need to control the clubface, their pivot, and their chosen Plane Angle. These three pieces can make the difference between success or failure on the golf course. If these three do not match up the player is doomed for a golf life spent in mediocrity.

For an example of how to match these three up look at Colin Montgomerie's swing. His pivot is a slide and tilt in the backstroke and then another slide and tilt in the downstroke. He matches up his pivot by using what I refer to as a Turning Shoulder Plane for his Plane Angle. Then to match the clubface he uses a "Angled Hinge Action." These three are compatible. However, the Plane Angle and Hinge Action would not be compatible with a more rotational pivot such as the one used by Tiger Woods.

In our new book, coming out later this summer, we go into great detail about how to match up components. We will show you pictures of the different variations then show you how to match up what you're doing to make your golf stroke more effective.

July 24, 2007

Chuck Evans, G.S.E.D., a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher, is one of only 31 golf instructors worldwide designated to hold a doctorate in golf stroke engineering. He is executive director of instruction for the Medicus Golf Institute and has served as director of schools for the PGA Tour Golf Academy, and as director of instruction for the United States Golf Institute. He is also the author of "How To Build Your Golf Swing."