INTRODUCTION
Since its launch in 2003, I have been extremely proud and happy of the performance, comments and awards that The 7 Laws of the Golf Swing has gained. I have received and continue to receive emails from all corners of the golfing world. Golfers ranging from PGA Tour players to doctors have told me of the turnaround in their golf swings that's come from the structure that the book gave them. This book is primarily based around fundamentals that will always be present and remain as the "ground level" from which everything is built—at least until the physiology of the human body changes from its present biomechanical state. You may also find that The 7 Laws contains many "Eureka!" moments for you, since the rule of common sense runs strong through the text and the images. But as my mentor Colin Turner always says to me, "What is common sense is rarely common practice!"
I have discovered that people use books in different ways. Some will take snippets of information and "grow" themselves and their golf swings from sentences of insight. Others want the whole book thrown at them, and will study, dissect and install aspects of technique at their own learning speed. Many have commented on the imagery, relaying how they really have taken the killer "verbal" instruction away from their golfing experience. This is key. Let me tell you why.
Our imagination and visual representation of the golf swing is our biggest asset to improvement. I believe that the first step to creating massive change in a golfer's technique is to give the concept of change in a clear visual way; with a clear concept the brain can slowly move towards its goal. Unfortunately, we have seen several golfers through the years lose their pictures. The most graphic example is that of the Spanish genius Seve Ballesteros. No golfer could have been more visual and sensory than Seve, but the spoken English "verbal" instruction he became exposed to slowly and surely erased his pictures to a blank page. Seve only came "alive" again when he hit the ball amongst the trees, forcing him to conjure up a visual get-out-of-jail shot! So I urge you to gain your concepts through my pictures and develop your understanding through my text.
I was thrilled when Justin Rose wrote the foreword to the first edition of The 7 Laws, and this edition contains a new foreword by Justin, written from the perspective of a pupil of mine. I started coaching Justin during May 2006 soon after I moved to the USA, when he was 116th in the world rankings. What I saw at that time was a world-class golfer moving further away from the "truths" of the golf swing. In 2009 he was ranked as the sixth-best player in the world and was the European Tour Order of Merit Champion. It was a big turnaround to take in… even for my imagination.
Many of the philosophies that enabled Justin's transformation are contained within this book; we referred to them recently as reminders of fundamental motion. Like any individual wanting to make genuine improvement, the ability to be a great pupil is a key component, and this is certainly true of Justin Rose. I thoroughly enjoyed working with this consummate professional and I thank him for his commitment. Cheers, JR!
Whether you are a touring professional, a top amateur, a club golfer or a beginner, I know that The 7 Laws can give you the vision and concept of a great golf swing.
All the best,