A skilled golfer can make different types of golf swings look almost effortless. The combination of a smooth arc and motion used by the pros showcases their skill and all of the hours they undoubtedly spent at the range. However, even the seasoned golfer can use a little brush up on their skills in order to relearn golf swing basics.
Key Takeaway: Often, as we get older or more experienced, we tend to slack off when it comes to using the proper posture and techniques that are so important to golf. Whether it’s a matter of upper back pain, or you’ve found your own special style, if you’re struggling to hit like you use to, you’ll find that making some simple changes can significantly improve your game and bring back that old power and control you used to have over your clubs.
Read on to find out how going back to the basics can significantly improve your swing power.
The Basics of Golf Swings
If you’re a seasoned player, you have the right clubs and use the best golf rangefinder, you may wonder what you’re doing wrong and where your powerful swing went. If you follow senior golf tips to compensate for your change in range of motion, there’s no shame in perfecting basic swings in order to polish your game and learn some great tricks along the way.
The following are some basic golf swings used by the pros:
The first step is getting into the right swing stance. To do, place both of your feet with your weight evenly distributed on the middle portion of the feet. Next, pull your hips back and angle the spine and upper body forward. Bend the knees for better stability.
Finally, you’re ready to practice some swings.
Golf Swing Tips
If you’ve spent any time on the green, then you’ve probably heard your fair share of golf tips for players at the club or even your friends. Every experienced player tends to think they know the fastest, easiest way to improve your swing, lower your score, or the right type of swing for a tricky shot.
While they may be right, the same golf swings and techniques aren’t going to work for every player or setup. With experience you’ll learn how to eyeball a shot and determine what type of swing or club to use. If you’re a beginner, make sure you have the basic swings down before you try anything that can seriously set you up for failure and add a lot of points to your game.
The following golf swing tips will help improve your game and make you a better player. Of course, practicing these techniques consistently will be important if you really want to improve your golf game.
Backswing
Most pros can agree that one of the best ways to learn how to perfect your swing is to first focus on what not to do. Most beginners tend to struggle with keeping their right arm close to the body when they swing. Typically, they end up producing a poor swing that ends up sending them on a mission to find their ball because they ended up forcing a straight back takeaway.
For a better swing, make sure you bring the club back and around as you keep your right arm close. During the swing, you’ll transfer your weight to the back of your right foot. As your weight transfers you’ll feel the club rise to a ninety-degree angle.
Downswing
A proper downswing will begin by moving your right knee across your left foot. During this swing, the arms naturally drop as you keep the wrists locked in a hinge position. Your chest and hips will rotate as you ensure your head remains behind the ball.
Follow-Through
Those new to golf will usually try to stop their momentum after they hit the ball because they don’t know that doing so can affect the club’s natural movement. After the ball has been hit, the right shoulder should be down with the arms fully extended.
The transition is completed with the right knee moving towards the left one and all of the weight transferred to the heel of the left foot. The right foot will end on its toes.
Heads-Up (make that down)
A golf instructor will usually tell their student to keep their head down when they’re going through a swing. Keeping your head down is done because raising it will cause a change in the tilt of the spine which can result in your swing going off target.
If you’re struggling with the proper stance, make sure you’re practicing basic golf swing posture, which involves leaning over the ball and following through without straightening out the upper back.
While these swings are pretty basic, you’ll discover that even seasoned golfers use these fundamentals to create their own unique swing that works for them. If you’re struggling with your swings, don’t be afraid to try new techniques.
Adding Power
Most seasoned golfers know that most of your swing power will come from the body, not the arms. In order to learn how to properly power your club place the club behind the ball at address, keeping the body in the dead stop position. Try dragging the ball into the air without taking a backswing.
Once you move the club using your body, you’ll find that you can consistently get the ball in the air.
Beginners usually have a problem with hitting a crisp iron because their takeaway is too low to the ground, or their arms swing too far in the backswing. Both of these poor techniques cause miss-hits and affect control and distance.
There are many simple steps you can take to improve control over the length of your swing in order to create solid contact. During a takeaway, your hands should remain close to the ground while the head of the club quickly moves up. The goal here is to get your left thumb pointing at your right shoulder as fast as possible. When the shaft of the club is perpendicular to the ground and your left arm is parallel to it, you’ll know you achieved the proper wrist hinge. This places the wrists earlier in the backswing, which will eliminate the need to swing your arms too far. Once you’re able to create the proper wrist swing, you’ll quickly notice an improvement in ball striking and more consistent distance.
Personalizing Your Practice Based on Weakness
If you desperately need to improve your score, then learning how to swing a club properly is the first place to start. Just the slightest issue with a swing can cause you to completely miss the ball. With the right mindset and the proper form, you’ll experience a more enjoyable game and a more powerful swing.
The first step is choosing the right clubs, including the right club size. If you have clubs that correctly fit you, then you’ll easily be able to maintain the proper form. Before you buy a set of clubs, take several practice swings using the proper form. As you practice, connecting with the ball should feel effortless.
Once you’re equipped with the right clubs, you’re ready to get started practicing to improve your swing and lower your score.
If you’ve been playing golf for years then you know regular practice is important. Unfortunately, not every player truly focuses on what they should come practice time. What you need to focus on during practice will be unique to you and your golfing style. A structured practice that works for your buddy may not work for you if you don’t need help in the same areas.
Consider what swings you need to work on, focus on the type of situations that you normally struggle with. Basically, your practice should focus on areas in which you’re weak.
When you’re practicing a swing, it should be a challenging session. If you simply breeze through practice without breaking a sweat, then you’re not working hard enough. Only by challenging your technique can you expect to improve.
Is there a particular swing you normally have issues with? Make it a goal to focus on that particular swing, each and every time you practice.
If you’re not sure how to improve your game or even if you’re executing a swing correctly, bring along a buddy that’s experienced. This type of feedback can be invaluable to your golf game.
Using different types of swings and practicing the basics, including proper playing posture, can have a major impact on your performance and your control over your club. It can also work to significantly shave off some points if you’re struggling with your latest score. Even if you have several years of experience playing, it never hurts to go back to the basics in order to get rid of poor playing habits that may be affecting your game. Often, you’ll find that all it takes is a week or two of practice to relearn the basics before your game is back on track.
