Do you want to become a better soccer player? Follow the advice of one legend
Golf instructions are always evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we highlight the greatest pieces of advice from teachers and players in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today we’re looking back at the March 1970 issue of GOLF Magazine for an amazing tip from Julius Boros.
As a golfer in my early 30s, I didn’t get to watch many of the greats play during their prime. Sure, I was lucky enough to grow up watching Tiger, Phil and Ernie, and make a living covering Rory, Bryson and Scottie, but with so many legends of the game, my understanding
That’s one of the joys of writing Timeless Tips. Every week, I get in the water GOLD Magazine in the archives and learn from the legends of the game. This week, I came across an article from Julius Boros – and it predicts my birth 25 years early.
Check it out below to see what the three-time major winner thought of the swing. I think you will be surprised to see that the way the greats used to swing the club is not much different than the greats of today.
Julius Boros’ tip for hitting the ball harder
Whenever a golfer tries to hook the ball, or hit it hard, they often make a movement with their body that is often called a “sway.” Imagine that there are two straight lines that make up the fist. If your right hip and shoulder move to the side in the backswing so much that they are out of line, you are going backwards. This is a very weak position that also tends to move your head too far out of position.
Once he is off the “ball,” as the saying goes, almost every golfer inevitably compensates for this error with another. In the turn the body now goes further forward in sequence and the left side and left shoulder move out of the opposite line, and the rotation is then complete. By moving the body too far the club hits the ball at an improper downward angle, the left side is not “behind the ball,” and the result is a low slice to the right or a “sliding” overhead shot. In all cases less energy is produced because the body has not yet contracted.
To avoid swinging | think of my chin as the anchor point around which everything turns. I start the swing by pushing the club back with my left shoulder and left side, and by turning my left knee to the right. This creates a rotational body movement where the right hip has to rotate instead of sliding to the side. I bent my body in the right direction so that my back was facing the intended direction. The entire right side lies within the imaginary line.
From this curled up position it is now very easy to back down to the ball. The shoulders roll under my chin, the right knee pushes to the left, which facilitates the transfer of weight, and my left side turns as if in a twist. Now I generated real power with my legs and body, and I increased it by being able to release my hands properly, when I had an impact. To hit the ball hard, accurately, and consistently, keep your body inside an imaginary box. Make it work for you, not against you.
