PHOTO PROVIDED Use common sense and play better golf

Many myths circulating in golf have been passed down from generation to generation. Here are three of the most common myths you will hear on the course:

1. Keep your head down: False, the head must be up so the shoulders can rotate freely. If the head is down and the chin is too close to the chest, the shoulders force the head to move off the ball.

2. Grip it and rip it: False, If your hand’s grip is too tight, it will cause tension in the hands and arms, preventing the golfer from guiding the club through the impact area, thereby reducing clubhead speed. A golfer must remain balanced and relaxed throughout the swing. A golfer’s balance dictates how fast they can swing.

3. You must take a divot: False, not all golfers should take divots. A hitter is likelier to take a deeper divot than a golfer who swings or swishes through the grass. A hitter intends to strike the ball, smashing it into the ground forcefully. A golfer who swings the club sweeps through the hitting area as if the ball were not there, causing a shallow divot or just swishing the grass. Professional golfers try to contact the ball first, then the ground.

If you strike the ball first, you will be more apt to enjoy this great golf game.

Rick Musselman, a golf author and professional, owns Musselman’s Golf in Williamsport.