|
 |
 |
| Masterclass |
|
|
Let me explain the swing secrets that have helped me become one of Europe's steadiest competitors.
Quite simply, my consistency is why I've been able to stay at the top of the European Tour for the thick end of 20 years. You just won't win seven Order of Merit titles in a row without a repeating and reliable action. I was especially proud of my consistency in 1999; in every European Tour tournament I played in I never finished outside the top 20.
There are certainly aspects of my technique that make me consistent, and I would like to share them with you. But before we go into the technical stuff I would say this - that underpinning my consistency is a fierce desire to compete. If I was in 11th place come Sunday afternoon, I would do my damnedest to finish 9th. If I was coming 20th I'd fight like mad to finish 17th. When you think like this, your results can't help but improve. And the wins take care of themselves; they are the lucky weeks, if you like. I don't know where that desire comes from but as long as it remains with me, then thank God! So if you want to see consistently better results, try to develop your passion to compete before you even start to work on your swing.
So, on to technique. The first thing to say is that my consistency comes from not changing anything. My swing is the same as it was as an amateur - it's what I was given naturally to work with. My working relationships with my coaches, Bill Ferguson, Paul Marchand and Denis Pugh, have been based on the premise that we're going to make nips and tucks, not open-swing surgery. I would strongly urge you to develop your own swing, not go off chasing some pretty model you've read in a book. Who knows, your own natural swing might not look too bad itself.
It just so happens that my natural action lends itself to consistency. Technically, I have the longest hitting area of anyone playing in Europe. That's because I don't turn as much as most. Because of this the club deviates less from the ball-to-hole line, which allows it to stay on line for longer through the bottom of the swing. The clubface and swingpath stay square for longer. It's not the perfect technique for distance, and it might lose me five yards, but I'd rather have that and know I'm going to hit straight than clout an awesomely powerful blow into the jungle.
This long hitting area also gives me an advantage in controlling distance with irons; but more of that later. I'd like to run through the four key areas of my game and share secrets that have kept me at the top for 20 years. I hope they will add some reliability to your game too. |
|
|
| Golf World - Monty Special |
|
|
|
|
|
|
