Anyone for Golf?
Part 2
After a hearty golfer’s breakfast (eggs, bacon etc.) our lesson started at 8.30am. We were introduced to our coach, Phil Bartholomew, who is one of eight fully qualified professionals on-site and the other couple learning with us that day, Paul and Annie. They were thirty-something City professionals too, away for a golfing weekend bought as a present by their parents. Paul had played a few times, but Annie was a golf virgin like Sarah-Jane and I. There are never more than four to a class so as to allow more thorough tuition.
Even before picking up a club, Phil told us that in some ways we golf virgins were at an advantage.
“In this country there is a tendency for people to go straight out and play without taking lessons, that’s like getting into a car without having lessons first. You shouldn’t do it. People who have come here after playing a few times without tuition have picked up bad habits that are difficult for them to unlearn”.
He demonstrated this by getting Paul to take a swing. Using multiple video cameras from various angles, Phil then pointed out how his posture was wrong and that he was not swinging his club in the right way to get the maximum hit.
This done, Phil got Paul to go back and showed him how it should be done; correct grip (left hand on top of club, right underneath), back and arms straight, and then set him to practice hitting an invisible ball. Watching the footage of this we could all see the difference which was helpful, as we all had to go through the same routine.
