Golf is fundamentally all about the swing, but as any player will tell you, the perfect swing doesn’t exist. Instead, the golf swing needs to be broken up into smaller individual techniques. Get these right and your whole game will be transformed.
First, you have to identify the areas that need addressing and this can often involve forgetting what you know and starting from scratch. This article will explain some simple steps which if followed correctly should see some significant improvements to your game.
1. If You Master Your Grip, You Master Your Swing
A golfer’s grip is the link between their swing and their club and it is one of the most fundamental aspects of a good swing technique. The positioning and angle of your golf club at the moment it hits the ball is the biggest contributing factor in ensuring a straight shot. A good grip gives stability and accuracy of your swing whereas an incorrect grip will result in a bad impact. Make sure your fingers and thumbs are positioned correctly every time. Every time you set up for a shot, go through the stages of forming your grip one by one and you will see a marked improvement in the straightness of your shots.
2. Make Your Stance Strong To Improve Stability
The number one factor in many golfer’s swing issues is that they are striking the ball from an unstable stance. A well-set, strong stance provides a stable foundation for every stroke and enables the transfer of power through the swing. A poor stance will leave you off balance which will, in turn, will result in an off-balance shot. We found some great online guides that focus on your stance and it might be beneficial to check this out for some expert tips on how to master your stance and add stability to your swing. A stable base will lead to a smoother rotation and a more fluid swing overall. Start with strong legs and make sure you are perfectly balanced before you line up the ball. Strike cleanly through the middle of the club, maintaining that balance through every stage of the swing.
3. Identify The Reasons For Inaccuracy
At its most simple, golf is about getting the ball in the hole with as few shots as possible, and to do this it is all about accuracy. Many factors affect accuracy, including perfect grip and stance as we highlighted above. Then, one of the major issues for many golfers is consistently striking the ball with the middle of the golf club. If the point of impact is off-center, then more often than not, the result will be a bad shot. To identify what you are doing wrong, pay attention to where the ball is going as this will enlighten you about the mistake that you are making. For example, a sliced drive indicates a swing that is coming out to in. If you have a tendency to slice your drives, focus on a tighter swing path. Likewise, if the ball goes randomly off in a different direction each time, then the first thing you need to focus on is centering your strike. Make sure you line up the ball with the middle of the club and follow the stance guide above.
4. Don’t Overthink It
Whilst many golf guides (this one excluded of course!) place great importance on the correct breathing during a setup, give complex breakdowns of shoulder positioning, and go into depth about the importance of toe placement, the golf swing is fundamentally about hitting the ball with the club. Whilst it is certainly important to look at ways to improve, overthinking can be the biggest obstacle to advancing your game. Everything else, the stance, the grip, the balance, all come together at the point the clubface hits the ball. A confident swing leads to a clean impact and this is the most important thing to remember. Simplicity is everything.
A perfect golf swing, that is to say, a golf swing that is as near to perfect as possible, is the culmination of many little techniques, each one providing its challenge. Each element of the swing forms one part of a cohesive unit and if any of them is off, it will affect everything else. Break the swing down into your grip, your stance, the angle of your swing and the impact of the club on the ball. Identify your recurring mistakes and address them element by element. Once everything is set, stop thinking, and just swing. Follow these awesome techniques and you should see your game elevated to a winning level. Good luck.
