Greetings Golfers,
My all-time favorite chapter in any golf book is titled “The Art of Hitting with the Hands” by Tommy Armour.
Another great chapter title is: “Footwork, the Foundation of Best Golf” … also by Tommy Armour.
In fact, I love all of the chapter titles in his famous book “How to Play Your Best Golf All the Time”. Here they are:
* Why This Book Is as Short and Simple as It Is
* How to Learn Your Best Golf
* What Can Your Best Golf Be?
* Taking You to the Lesson Tee
* How Your Clubs Can Help You
* The Grip Holds Your Swing Together
* How to Get Ready to Swing
* Footwork, the Foundation of Best Golf
* The Waggle, Preliminary Swing in Miniture
* The Art of Hitting with the Hands
* The Pause That Means Good Timing
* Saving Strokes with Simple Approach Shots
* The Fascinating, Frustrating Philosophy of Putting
* Assembling Your Game in Good Order
The book was published in 1953 when Armour was 57 years old. In his youth, he’d won the Open, the U.S. Open, and the PGA Championship. The Masters was the only Major he never won (it began fairly late in his career).
Not only was Tommy Armour a fantastic player, he was also an excellent club designer. But, his greatest skill was as a golf instructor.
He concludes the book with :
THE SIMPLE ROUTINE OF AN ORDERLY GOLF SHOT
- Study the shot to be played, particularly in relationship to your capabilities.
- Select the right club (and the ball correctly if it’s a tee shot).
- Take the correct grip.
- Take the correct stance for the shot to be played.
- Keep your head steady.
- See that your left knee points behind the ball on the backswing.
- Have your wrists broken to the fullest extent at the top of the backswing, without loosening the left hand. The right hand grip is firm, but not tight.
- Pause at the top of the swing.
- Don’t rush as you start down, but get your right knee in toward the ball.
- Keep your heady steady.
- Keep your hands ahead of the clubhead by keeping your wrists cocked, and whip your right hand into the shot at the last second.
- Keep your head steady
Before you think if you master this routine that you will have mastered golf … think about this fact: Armour still holds the record for the highest score on one hole in PGA history. He made a 23 on a par 5 at the 1927 Shawnee Open.
Cheers,
Tom Abts
GM and Head Golf Professional
tabts@deerrungolf.com