Get distance first, control later

Jack Nicklaus

April 08, 1963

It has long been thought that the proper way to teach children to play golf is to insist that they learn a careful, deliberate swing first, then strive for distance. But I feel that just the opposite is correct. The first thing I learned was to swing hard, and never mind where the ball went. That is the way Arnold Palmer was taught, too, and I think it is the right way. A youngster first trying golf will enjoy the game more if allowed to whale away at the ball, and he will be developing the muscles he needs to become a strong hitter. Once he has achieved distance, he can learn control while still hitting a long ball. An especially important factor in distance hitting is leg strength. Learning to swing by combining a full body turn with a long backswing will help develop the left leg. A full pivot on the downswing, combined with a full follow-through, requires a firm push-off with the right leg and will help strengthen it. If a golfer does this while young he will get the leg strength needed to hit very long shots. I know that my distance is due more to the strength in my legs than to any power I might be getting from my arms, hands or fingers.