Skip to main content

for golfers of all degrees of skill

All golfers who want to improve their game are faced with a difficult problem: since it is impossible to work on all the phases of a swing, what are the key phases to concentrate on?

Speaking for myself, experience has taught me to remember (whatever else I may be thinking about in playing a shot) to be sure and hit through the ball—that is, to make sure that my club continues through the ball low along the ground on the line to the target. This is a very important part of the hitting action, this definite hit-through for two feet or so past the point where you make contact with the ball. You can take the club back wrong, or a little wrong, but if you hit through correctly on line, you will make out fairly well.

I stress this point because many average golfers of my acquaintance tend to think too much about parts of the golf swing that are much less essential. I believe that if they concentrated more on hitting through the ball, most average golfers would find themselves playing better golf shots consistently.

from GENE LITTLER, Palm Springs, Calif. Touring professional

TWO PHOTOS

ILLUSTRATION

The wide arc of Gene Littler's swing as he hits through the ball

NEXT WEEK'S GUEST PRO: JOHNNY REVOLTA ON THE EXPLOSION SHOT