I have been having problems with getting my lower body to get involved in my swing, especially on the downward move. I was sliding on my take away and also on my down swing. Some of it could have to do with age; I am 56, and the rest just with poor mechanics.

My friend Brian told me to do the twist. This really proves that my golf issues are age related. For those of you who where born in the 80’s or later, the twist was invented by Chubby Checker and it all about moving the hips and transferring the weight, by also making your feet solid, but flexible and athletic.

As I started doing the twisting motion I could feel the subtle transference of weight and more connected to my body. After an afternoon of not being able to get through the ball at all, I could finally connect. There were other factors, flattening my swing plane, laying off the club a little and making sure my right elbow was pointing down to the ground on my take-away, but the twist really helped these old hips get through the ball.

The beauty about the twist is that it works even on Michael Jackson’s. Don’t Stop Until You Get Enough Song.

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Beck Rules.

I play with my long time friend Dave Beck. I met Dave on a golf course and then the following week, we randomly were paired together on a different course in another part of Los Angeles and decided that fate had brought us together. It’s now been 17 years and we still golf together.

Dave is a character and he has what I call Beck Rules. Beck rules are a unique set of rules made up and sanctioned by Dave for the sole purpose of his personal enjoyment of the game. Dave is a great guy who has a huge heart and all of us kid him about his rules, he himself jokes about them. We love him all the same. I thought I would publish these rules and I am sure many of you will find them applicable the next time your play.

Rule 1: There is no such thing as the USGA rulebook for recreational golfers. Why? We don’t get paid to follow the rules

Rule 2: If I don’t like my lie, change it. See rule 1 for further explanation if you need it

Rule 3: When keeping score remember rule 1 and put down the score that will make you feel good about yourself.

Rule 4: Make sure you have enough excuses to cover the array of bad shots you may have. Blaming others is the best elixir to any round of golf

Rule 5: No matter how far from the hole your par putt goes, remember rule 1 and pick up and take a bogey.

Rule 6: When betting, don’t cheat. If you lose the hole, give your competitor credit for winning and then apply rule 3 and 1 when putting down your score.

Stay tuned for more Beck Rules and feel free to comment on additional ones your may have.

Animation by Louis Pieper
Characters by Jerome Green

I am sure that many golfers and non-golfers have felt like this from time to time.