-What is
?
ATHLETIC GOLF is a term I use to describe a method of teaching that moves golfers away from mechanical thinking. Through years of study and common sense, I am convinced that people do not learn motor skills well by thinking about mechanical positions. We learn to walk, ride a bike, play soccer and throw a baseball by doing, not by thinking. The major premise of ATHLETIC GOLF is that “the target creates the swing”. Your intent creates the motion. When golfers truly intend to swing out to the real target (and consequently stop swing at bad targets), their true and natural golf swing begins to emerge. Progress will occur naturally through training and good mechanics will be a byproduct of swinging freely out to the target. Most flaws in golf come from bad target perceptions and mechanical thinking only mask errors in a golfer’s technique. ATHLETIC GOLF is designed to allow golfers to build a natural swing while mastering 4 essential skills: TARGET INTENTION, BALANCE, IMPACT AND BALL FIGHT CONTROL. Most importantly, ATHLETIC GOLF is the way almost all golfers wish to play, that is, free from constant mechanical thoughts and fixes.
In
1996 I was first introduced to Gravity Golf. It was an easy
fit for my teaching because it explained perfectly why great athletes do things
with such grace and ease. Training in the
Gravity Golf system allows a golfer to more easily play golf, rather
than think golf swing. Each year I am more convinced that
training and understanding Gravity Golf is the fastest and
most efficient way to free yourself from bad golf
perceptions and allow yourself to play what I call ATHLETIC
What is
?
Gravity golf is a defining name, assigned by David Lee, one of golf's foremost instructors and swing technologists, to the style of golf swing employed by a number of the world’s finest players. According to Lee, there are at least four different ways to execute a golf swing from the standpoint of energy origins within the body. The swing may be powered with a "centrifugal flip" (a turn and hand "throw"), as in the styles of Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, and Julius Boros. It may be powered with a pure "shoulder rake," in the fashion of Arnold Palmer. It may be powered by a "gravity" aided rotary "sling," exemplified by such great modern day players as Jack Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Hale Irwin, Tiger Woods, Raymond Floyd, Greg Norman, Freddie Couples and others. Or, it may be powered by a "combination" technique, using a rotary sling and a racquetball type forearm "lash" such as you would witness in Ben Hogan and Gary Player.
Although all of the above techniques have produced superb players, the pure "GRAVITY" swing is the only one of the four which doesn't turn at least some energy back into the body during its execution (which causes swing-path movement and off-line shots), thus making it the most compliant technique with the laws of motion. The Gravity swing allows one to play to the most advanced age without losing distance or control!
Pete Dunham has been a PGA member for 13 years
He was awarded “Certification” in Golf Instruction by the PGA in 2007 Pete Dunham
Pete is one of only a handful of Certified Instructors in Gravity Golf
