The secret to golf.... reviled!

I am about to revile the secret of the great mystery of this great game of ours... Golf!  Are you ready?  Wait for it... Wait...

Golf is a game on OPPOSITES!  That is why it is HARD!

GOLF IS COUNTER INTUITIVE

Yes, golf is a game of opposites and in fact why this game can be so confounding, frustrating and, at the same time so fantastic, beautiful and rewarding.  The fact is that golf is COUNTER INTUITIVE.  The more a player tries to use what one would figure is normal logic is actually destructive to their learning and playing improvement and ultimately

The better the player the more they have figured this out!  And, some would say, the smarter the player... The harder it is to be right!

EASY EXAMPLES

Here are some easy examples to illustrate my point - these will all be discussed individually in more detail at a later date.
1) In order to hit the ball up you must hit down on the ball - trying to "help" the ball into the air is one of, if not the, most destructive swing faults.
2) The harder you "try" to swing - or the harder your swing resulting in a "hit" - the worse the result.
3) The further "behind" you get your weight the shorter you will hit the ball - due to loss of consistent contact.

TOUGH EXAMPLES

1) In order to make the ball curve to the left you must swing the club to the right. And visa versa.
2) Club face alignment at impact does not determine where the golf ball will finish.  In fact when you align the face with the target all the player does is ensure the ball will not end up at the target!
3) A ball can and will DRAW with an open club face and it can and will CUT with a closed face.
4) Aiming directly (feet, shoulders, target line and club face) at the flag only ENSURES the player to not hit it there!
5) Lie and slope of golf shot are FAR more important factors in the outcome of the shot over target conditions (green & location of flag) and environmental conditions (wind, cold).

There are many others.  We will dedicate the next few articles discussing these...
If you have any comments or questions please do not hesitate to contact me at john.grothe@gmail.com
Your friend in golf...
John Grothe, PGA