Okay, so I’ve been trying to get my golf swing sorted, and I stumbled upon this “figure 8” thing. It sounded kinda weird, but hey, I’m open to anything that might actually help me hit the ball straight for once.
Getting Started
First, I watched a bunch of videos online. Most of them were just guys showing off perfect swings, which, let’s be honest, isn’t super helpful when you’re, you know, not perfect. But I did pick up the basic idea: you’re supposed to trace a figure 8 with your club head during the swing.
The Practice
- Setup: I started with my usual stance, feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, you know the drill.
- Backswing: This is where the figure 8 starts. Instead of just pulling the club straight back, I tried to swing it up and slightly inward, creating the first loop of the 8. It felt super awkward at first.
- Transition: At the top of the backswing, I focused on shifting my weight to my front foot. This is apparently key to making the whole thing work.
- Downswing: Now, instead of just chopping down at the ball, I imagined tracing the bottom loop of the 8. I tried to swing the club outward and then back inward towards the ball.
- Impact: This is the tricky part! It is the moment that I hit the golf.
- Follow-through:I let the club continue its natural arc, finishing high over my shoulder.
My experience
Honestly, the first few times, it felt like I was doing some kind of weird dance move. I shanked a few, topped a few, and generally made a mess of things. But, I kept at it, trying to smooth out the motion and really feel that figure 8 shape.
After a while, something started to click. I started hitting the ball a little straighter, a little farther. It wasn’t magic, but it was definitely an improvement. I think the figure 8 helped me get my swing path more on plane, or whatever the technical term is.
It’s still a work in progress, for sure. I’m not gonna be winning any tournaments anytime soon. But, the figure 8 thing has given me something to focus on, something to work towards. And hey, any day I can hit the ball reasonably straight is a good day in my book.