– November 2, 2015
José Dias is Golf Professional at the prestigious Oceanico Victoria Golf Club, Vilamoura, the venue once again for this year’s Portugal Masters. José is a very well established and highly respected figure in Portuguese golf and has been professional at Victoria for over seven years. Fluent in English as well as his native Portuguese, José enjoys a deserved reputation for his enthusiasm and passion for teaching and is in great demand for lessons and instruction. In this, focus on effective iron play José highlights the value of maintaining a simple approach to practising and playing.
The position demonstrated by José in Image 2 clearly shows how he keeps the right elbow tucked into the body to maintain stability and generate power. José emphasises the importance of the left arm being allowed to lead the club. “The little gap shown between the right arm is vital and it is very important to keep the head behind the ball and the chest over the ball.” He stresses the importance of avoiding the common error (for righthanded golfers) of “reaching” for the ball with the right hand and not allowing the swing to be led by the left. “It will feel natural for righthanded golfers to allow their dominant arm to take over. However, for an effective swing this should not happen and regular practice to eliminate this tendency can result in more consistent, effective ball striking. When the gap between the arms is not apparent then this is a clear sign that the right arm has taken over.” The “keep it simple” philosophy encouraged by José is reflected in the positional images shown here. These, combined with his analysis and instruction, clearly and simply demonstrate how golfers of all abilities can improve their use of irons. As José says, keep it simple and play well!