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In his book Jim Flick on Golf he gave a very simple explanation of how to use your hands and arms in a golf swing to create speed. I bet you've heard this explanation before but I'd also bet you didn't really understand it. Let's see if we can change that today. Here's how Jim put it in his book: There are actually two pendulums at work.
The first is formed by the hands and wrists cocking, uncocking, and recocking. The second is created by the forearms and upper arms swinging from the shoulder sockets. My former colleague from Golf Digest school days Peter Kostis called them the first swing and the second swing.
I think of them as two pendulums. What permits the two pendulums to work together is the combination of the weight in club head, centrifugal force, the good old law of gravity -- and the golfer. These pendulums supply about 80 percent of the distance in your golf shot -- provided the swinging elements of your body drive the turning elements and not vice versa. If your grip pressure is too tight, the weight at the end of the club is restricted from doing its job.
If you try consciously to turn your shoulders and shift your weight, you destroy the natural harmony of those two pendulums. If you try to accelerate at impact and follow through, well, you know what happens there. This is a reference to an earlier section in the book. If you TRY to accelerate, you interfere with the natural motion and actually lose clubhead speed.
Your wrist joins the two of them together, and act as the pivot point. When your wrists are fully cocked, the clubhead-to-hands-to-shoulder-joints stretch looks like an L shape. No doubt you've heard of an 'L-to-L' swing. It's a common way to learn pitching technique. Malaga, Spain A big-boned resort course that hosted the World Matchplay. In contrast, the hotel is small and cosy, but just as impressive.
Patently for the well-heeled golfer seeking the best things in life. A cold beer from the balcony overlooking the course is blissful. Obidos, Portugal A course by Seve Ballesteros plus a brand-new hotel overlooking the layout. Typifies a lot that is good about modern resorts — and it ought to, because it is clear a big investment was made.
A bold course on a rolling landscape plus a gleaming hotel. Essentially a JJW group entry — the courses and hotels are all apart from each other. If you don't mind the short shuttles, it's terrific. Obidos, Portugal One of the most distinctive courses in the list.
It opens and closes with a woodland stretch but in between is a long section by the sea that is genuinely linksy in character — a very rare scenario for Continental Europe. The Marriott hotel and villas are a hive of activity, a destination families return to year after year. A classy option north of Lisbon that, when the second course by Cynthia Dye is built along the coast, will surely become a top resort.
You won't be disappointed here if you love links golf and a place where it's easy to find tranquility yet also vibrancy in the evening.
A resort that will appeal to all golfers Belek, Turkey A solid Colin Montgomerie course that is manicured superbly, plus a hotel cheek by jowl that's overshadowed by very few. Just one course, but a European Tour host. The hotel is glitzy beyond belief.
If layers of luxury are your thing, it is for you. Lisbon, Portugal A Kyle Phillips design when he was working for Robert Trent Jones Jnr that incorporates huge elevation changes, so is constantly thrilling and distinctive. The on-site hotel offers tremendous amenities for all the family, but especially good for couples.
Its nine extra holes are a bonus, but just as important is its majestic hotel. Enjoys a really tranquil spot despite being so easy to get to from the centre of Lisbon. Belek, Turkey Course looks like a links, has awesome sea views and holes right along the beach. A huge hotel with a myriad amenities. Mildly less accessible than others in Belek but everything's on site for a week of leisure and golf.
Belek, Turkey The newest accommodation in the list thanks to a hotel finished barely two years ago packed full of amenities plus Belek's outstanding heathland course onsite and The National a couple of minutes away. That offset look was crazy. Many people hate Sir Nick but I enjoy hearing his insights. A bubble at the top of a graphite shaft?! Callaway Steelhead fairway woods.
Murcia, Spain Europe's best known resort? Three holers one in our Top A range of accommodation led by a large hotel, a lot of leisure facilities and a Leadbetter academy. Almancil, Portugal Two Top tracks and a solid third in what is a small town rather than a resort. Bordeaux, France The best golf offering in the list, with two heathland courses in the top 52 in Europe.
A neat hotel with terrific food and wine. Even the most discerning golfer would deem this 'resort' golf think Walton Heath with a hotel as worthy.
Belek, Turkey One exacting course in the Top and one in the Next , both manicured to peerless levels. Two hotels overlooking the golf. Pick from uber-luxurious Kempinski or the Sirene hotels.