George learned from one of the best
Ben Hogan
NOW
with The Knudson Golf School
You - Learn, Practice & Play
The Natural Golf Swing theory is our basis for this on line guide to discover your natural swing like George did.
George’s son Paul has developed this Guide combining outside and golf simulator lessons at :
Clubhouse Indoor Golf
& Don Valley Golf Course
We show you how to learn, practice & play the game.
then You Grow your ——
Natural Golf Life
At Knudson Golf the first goal is to have every client find and develop their own swing based on varying abilities. We spend time enhancing your knowledge and swing based on fundamental learning skills like George developed in practice and he also gleaned from watching his mentor Ben Hogan. This leads you to create the golf swing and game that already exists within your natural abilities. Once you are comfortable playing it is time to appreciate and enjoy the health and wellness golf offers through your Natural Golf Life
Many benefits of physical and mental exercise
Physical: Walking and swinging for practice and play
Mental: Mindfulness of your game & freedom to swing away.
“The Next Shot is Everything” - present moment
Preparation - Arrive ahead of tee time and pay, warm up, prepare yourself and get to the tee.
Etiquette - Golf manners and respect for all on course.
Focus - Concentrate, assess & execute your shot
Balance - This applies to everything in your golf game and life
After Play: Assess and plan your next golf experience
Golf can breathe new abilities into many areas of your life so we give instruction on this too, Anyone who has taken our natural golf swing instruction will be given a link to our ongoing Guide and Instruction reminders. Our Health and Wellness training will feature: Natural Swing Exercises, Maintaining Youthful Energy, An Attitude of Gratitude, Golf Mind “Empty”ness training too.
At Knudson Golf our mission is to empower golfers worldwide through knowledge of the game and play to enhance their health and well being. It is our passion to impart a greater understanding of these health aspects of golf so our students can gain through improvement of their own personal life habits and abilities too.
Golf - “ A metaphor for life “
- Paul Knudson -
We place emphasis on how the classic golf swing feels while using modern technology and timeless golf knowledge for all generations. The writings from this great champion of the past, George Knudson and his Natural Golf Swing techniques with his relaxation methodology. This serves as our fundamental base updated with more current techniques of teaching mixed with health and wellness instruction too. Golf becomes a modality to strengthen your physical and mental well being. This leads to longevity and a higher quality of life.
Knudson Golf School combines live training with on-line learning and the technology of virtual videos and golf simulation for a year-long wholistic learning environment any place any time. We provide our clients golf knowledge and instruction with simulation and practice techniques to grasp a greater understanding to play golf well and enjoyably.
We will show you what the greatest ball strikers of yesterday have shared in their writings through the lens of George, a member of Canadian golf royalty and Lorne Rubenstein, a Hall of Fame sportswriter and the co-author with George. Knudson Golf now adds 40+ years of instruction experience through George’s son Paul, he has witnessed the game from juniors to adult beginners to the elite players. These insights now shape the Knudson Golf teaching philosophy.
Our teachers have played and taught golf for many years and will relate how your life can be positively impacted through the mindfulness and exercise of your golf life. This then serves you as a powerful modality to your health which offers a much higher return on your investment of time and money much more than just a number on a scorecard.
Theory Of Your Natural Golf Swing
Your natural golf swing refers to the way you naturally swing the golf club based on your body's anatomy, strength, flexibility, and movement patterns. It is unique to each individual and can be influenced by factors such as body sizes and mechanics, muscle deveiopment, and previous golf experience.
Finding and developing your natural golf swing is important as it can help improve your consistency and performance on the golf course. It also promotes conservation of energy which can be important over 18 holes etc. Here are some steps to help you discover and optimize your natural golf swing:
Posture and Alignment: Start by setting up with proper posture and alignment. Stand tall with a slight knee flex, shoulders relaxed, and spine forward bend that produces optimum impact. Align your feet, hips, and shoulders parallel to the target line. Note this is not directly attached to results because you may choose the wrong club or get a bad bounce or it gets caught up in the wind. Therefore this represents “concerned indifference”
This allows you to find your natural swing based entirely on the strike of the ball. Once you can consistently strike the ball in the manor desired you must learn to manage your game from there.
Grip: Gripping the club correctly is essential to a good swing. Experiment with different grip styles (interlocking, overlapping, baseball) and find the one that feels most comfortable and provides stability and control.
Setup Routine: Develop a consistent routine that includes pre-shot rituals, including visualization, breathing, and focus. Having a routine helps set your mind and body for an optimal swing. Use your routine as the platform to improvement. When you hit a shot that was in balance and the impact was pure evaluate your thought process and physical setup and insure it is in your future routines.
Tempo and Timing: Find a tempo and rhythm that feels natural to you. Experiment with different swing speeds and determine the pace that allows you to maintain control and balance throughout the swing. Acceleration in the downswing setup by a methodical backswing to a place to initiate the downswing and finish.
Body Mechanics: Pay attention to your body mechanics during the swing. Take note of any limitations or imbalances that may affect your swing and work on improving them through exercises or professional guidance. This can be a springboard to using golf to improved your physical fitness in essence a mission to motivate you!
Practice and Feedback: Regular practice is crucial to honing and refining your natural golf swing. Incorporate drills and exercises that address specific aspects of your swing and seek feedback from a golf instructor or trainer. Regular reoccurring practice and play are a must to better golf, do not expect to pick up a club after a year and be where you were. NOT HAPPENING
Remember, while finding your natural golf swing is important, it doesn't mean you should neglect golf instruction or guidance. Working with a golf professional can help identify any swing flaws or inefficiencies and provide you with guidance on how to improve and optimize your swing based on your natural tendencies. Improved golf is not just a better swing it is better knowledge, fitness and many factors that a mindful instructor should show you.
A Notion to A Motion to A Target
You have a target and you have a motion. The fun part and the challenge of golf is it is a full body motion that starts in your head not as a reaction to your competitor or a team mate. Then it gets better being a start to a finish with only balance in between.
Don’t get in your own way with doubt and unnecessary stress.
“You do not golf to relax you relax to play golf.”
Accept the passive nature of golf therefore unlike most sports less is better, a slower back swing and not a 100 % forward swing but 70-80%. forward swing to allow your arms to work in concert with your body. Results will start to take a back seat to your focus on your balance and how each swing measured up. You will be concerned with results but indifferent also because it is always on to that next shot and a new challenge. However enjoy the walk to that next shot the grass, trees or nature if it happens by. You connect to the big picture of your reason for playing golf between every shot verses the micro picture of a shot result or the shot ahead. You assess upon arrival to your ball not before. Do not bog yourself down on the course with swing parts - that is what the range is for.
“ No paralysis by analysis “
Pregame Balance - arrival time enough for preparation. wear comfortable clothing, have your clubs, tees, balls etc. Warmup: stretching, putting to driver on the range. Course knowledge. Physical balance is not just the finish but all through your swing. The Setup 50/50 to the Backswing 75/25 to a Finish 0/100.
Our course will cover all basic body fundamentals never at the cost of balance. Balance is your Golf Swing scorecard.
The Back Swing
The back swing is a crucial part of the golf swing that prepares your body and club for the downswing and impact. Here is a breakdown of the key elements of a good back swing:
Rotation: Initiate the back swing by turning your only your shoulders away from the target. This rotation should be controlled and gradual, allowing your upper body to coil while maintaining a stable lower body and a transition of weight back.
Arm and Club Extension: As you rotate your shoulders, allow your arms to extend naturally away from your body, maintaining a straight line from your lead shoulder to the club head. The club should also remain relatively straight and in line with your lead arm.
Wrist Hinge: As your arms reach the top of the back swing, your wrists should hinge naturally, try not to overthink here and allow the weight of the club do this for you. You will create a 90-degree angle between your lead arm and the club.
Weight Shift: Start the transition of your weight from your trail foot (right foot for right-handed golfers) to your lead foot (left foot for right-handed golfers) as you rotate your shoulders. This weight transfer helps start the creation of power and generates the proper sequence for the downswing.
Upper Body Coil: At the top of the back swing, your upper body should be coiled and rotated away from the target, while your lower body remains stable. This coiling action stores potential energy that will be released up from the feet during the downswing.
Maintaining Good Posture: Throughout the back swing, it is important to maintain good posture, with a straight back, neutral spine, and balanced stance. Avoid excessive tilting or swaying that can result in inconsistent strikes.
Remember to practice the back swing regularly to develop consistency and power. Working with a golf instructor or analyzing your swing with video technology can help identify areas for improvement and provide specific drills to enhance your back swing.
The Downswing
The downswing is the second half of the golf swing after the backswing. It is a crucial part of the swing that generates power and controls the direction of the shot. Here are some key elements of a good downswing:
Weight Shift: Begin the downswing by transferring your weight from your trail foot (right foot for right-handed golfers) to your lead foot (left foot for right-handed golfers). This weight shift helps initiate the sequence of movements and generates power.
Hip Rotation: As you shift your weight, rotate your hips toward the target. This rotational movement helps create torque and generates power for the swing.
Slight Upper Body Rotation: Allow your upper body to rotate naturally as you shift your weight and rotate your hips. The rotation should be controlled and synchronized with the lower body movement.
Lag and Release: Maintain the lag created in your wrists during the back swing and release it through impact. This late release of the club head generates club head speed like the tip of a whip and this maximizes power at impact.
Quiet Lower Body: While the lower body initiates the downswing, it should remain relatively stable during the actual strike. Avoid excessive lateral movement or sliding of the lower body, which can lead to inconsistent strikes.
Follow Through: After striking the ball, continue the swing to a full and balanced follow-through position. Allow your body to rotate fully, with your chest facing the target and your club swinging freely around your body.
Practice and Tempo: The downswing requires practice and repetition to develop a smooth and consistent motion. Focus on maintaining a smooth and rhythmic tempo throughout the downswing, avoiding any jerky or rushed movements.
Remember to work on your downswing in conjunction with your overall swing mechanics and fundamentals. Consulting with a golf instructor or using video analysis can provide feedback and specific drills to improve your downswing.
The Finish
The golf swing finish is the final position of the swing after the ball has been struck. It is important to maintain proper form and balance throughout the swing, including the finish. Here are some key elements of a good golf swing finish:
Balanced Finish: The finish position should be balanced and stable, with your weight primarily on your lead foot (left foot for right-handed golfers). Avoid leaning back or falling off-balance. This is your ongoing scorecard of your swing in both practice and play.
Full Extension: Achieve full extension of your arms, with your lead hand (left hand for right-handed golfers) pointing towards your target. This indicates that you have maintained proper arm extension throughout the swing and maximized the potential power and distance.
Spine Angle: Maintain the same spine angle as at address, avoiding any unnecessary bending or arching of the back. This promotes good posture and helps control the swing plane, ball striking and therefore ball direction and distance.
Head Position: Keep your head and eyes down on the ball throughout the swing and as far into the finish as you can. Avoid lifting or looking up too early, as it can lead to inconsistent ball striking.
Square Hips and Shoulders: Aim to have your hips and shoulders facing towards the target at the finish. This demonstrates that you have fully rotated your body through the swing and generated power from your lower body.
Relaxed Grip: As you reach the finish, ensure that your grip pressure is relaxed. A tight grip may indicate tension in your hands and all arm and shoulder muscles affecting swing and will lead to inconsistent ball striking.
Smooth Follow Through: Complete your swing with a smooth and natural follow-through. The club should swing freely, with your arms and hands continuing their motion well after impact. Resist shut down after the strike your brain may need a little retraining here. Remember that the finish is a result of the entire swing motion, so it is essential to work on all aspects of your swing to achieve a consistent and balanced finish. Practicing with a mirror or video recording can help you check your form, and seeking guidance from a golf instructor can provide personalized advice and drills to improve your swing finish.
