Hit or Swing

Are you a “hitter of the ball” or a “swinger of the club?”  It’s actually a very fundamental question about your golf swing.  Payne Stewart, Fred Couples, Sam Snead and Jim Furyk are (were) swingers of the club.  Lee Trevino, Tiger Woods, Tom Lehman and Lorena Ochoa are hitters or the ball.  You probably know intuitively which one you are.  And they say it is hard to change that. I am a hitter of the ball and often wish I were not.  When I consciously “just make a swing and let the ball get in the way,” I often hit it better, but not as far, particularly with the longer clubs.  “Hitters of the ball” tend to be more “handsy” (control impact with hand activity - like John Daly.)

But that kind of change is hard to make, especially under pressure.  I also think “swingers of the club” have an advantage on “touch” shots like chipping and pitching.  I’m not so sure about putting, however…I think perhaps a club-swinger might tend to decelerate.  Food for thought (that is, something else to screw up your game!!)