This has been a rough election year for me. My family and I are on opposite sides of the political fence. My neighborhood is covered with signs supporting different candidates, spaced out, every other household. Even my friend, Rod and I, stand opposed. We have civil yet lively “discussions” over lunch, each on making snarking comments at the other one.

“I can't believe you like that guy??? He reminds me of a dishonest boss I once had... he'd smile and pat you on the back with one hand while stabbing you in the back with the other!”

“You think YOUR guy is any more honest??? Have you seen the Fact Check statistics on him?”

We agree to disagree for the good of the food. Truth is, the world of politics is a lot like golf. There are so many theories, ideas, swing tips and concepts floating around. It's hard to know who to trust. How does one separate fact from fiction, the truth from what is said just to sell magazines?

I would like to encourage you to break the golf swing down into a few core concepts. If you understand those, it will help you to be more discerning when you hear a new idea.

Power comes from weight shift, length of arc, and leverage. Direction comes from the path the club travels and the club face at impact.

To keep it basic, I break it down into four movements.

Turn-The swing starts by turning the back, not the arms. Let your left shoulder turn over your right shoe for proper weight shift. It's OK to move your head a bit. When you turn, remember to DRAG the club head low and straight back for at least 2 feet before you hinge.

Hinge-Once your hands pass your leg, let your wrists, not your arms, hinge up so the club and your left arm form a letter L. That's leverage.

Drop-Once at the top of your back swing, the first move is to let the right elbow drop to touch your right hip. Keep the wrist hinge on the way down. Don't “unhinge”. Physics will take care of that for you.

TWIST- Once your club drops down and your right elbow is resting on your hip, twist thru with as much speed as you can. This is the real acceleration point of the swing. That's why the word is in all capital letters. If you do this correctly, the turn will square the club face for you at impact.

Keep your swing thoughts simple. The body turns and shifts weight. The wrists hinge and create leverage. They arms just stay extended for a big arc. The hips twist thru for power. It's as simple as that.

If only politics can be that easy?.

-Anne Marie Goslak