I have a picture of a fantastic golf course as a screen saver on my computer - I am looking at a fairway that stretches through a beautiful glade of tall trees, with shafts of sunlight pointing down the soft and luscious green into the distance...



Then I remember that the last time I played golf was about two years ago, and due to pressure of work (what a feeble excuse), and that fact that my game was, well - crap - does not give me the enthusiasm to get my clubs out. And there is no excuse there - they are tailored Pings!

So I have been toying with the idea of getting my local Pro to give me yet another set of lessons, which usually seems to do the trick (along with about $300) for a short while.

Well, imagine my surprise when I get to my local Pro shop, and instead of going up to the driving range with a bucket of balls, my Pro leads me into a new section of his store, to introduce me to his new computer!

Now, I stare at a computer screen many hours a day, being involved in Forex/Gold trading as a very profitable hobby, and also have a number of internet-based businesses on the go, so to start with I was a little non-plussed...

Instead of walking up to my familiar driving range, my Pro takes me into a new part of his building, to be confronted by a laptop, a video camera, and a large net. Normally, the procedure is for me to hit dozens of balls.

While my Pro tries everything in his power of the English language to tell me what I am doing wrong, and why I either top the ball, bang it off to the left (hook it) or get it flying off to the right (Slicing it) , and why, just very occasionally, it seems to leave my club face in a perfect trajectory, and go dead straight and long!

As an avid (wish I was a Pro myself) golfer, who just longs to get round a Par 72 course in something under 90 consistently, I always listen intently to my Pro, but for some reason, I get my back leg mixed up with my leading leg, my head moves, the club seems tomove in some wondrous trajectory of its own, and my mind seems to be incapable of translating the words that I am hearing.

But now, I see all of my posture, before, during, and after my golf swing, and I can see perfectly what I am doing wrong - all captured on the video. Well, this lesson proceeded at a rapid rate, and after the hour was up, my swing was about as perfect as it will ever be, balls were slamming into the net dead straight and with net-bending power, and what is more, I walked away with a video of my 'before' and 'after' shots, so that now, before every game, I don't just go down the driving range, and desolately let fly with a bucket of balls, I look and study the video, and then I march forth - confident and happy with my game.

If your game is in the doldrums, I highly recommend that you go and find a local Pro that can offer you a computerised