
For some, golf is one of those games that may shorten your lifespan. But for others, it is a grand game where patience and a good hip go a long way. While it may seem simple enough as all you need to do is to hit a metallic ball really hard to hurl it towards a hole at the other side, countless people have trounced in frustration because of it. Luckily, it doesn't have to always be so bad.
Keep it simple, keep practicing
The keyword in golf is consistency. If you can't hit the ball the same way each and every single time, then you will definitely have bad scores. Such problems like short distance, slicing, hooks, and many other golfing maladies are caused by lack of consistency. Therefore, you are to achieve consistency by improving your form. The only way for your body to do the same thing in the same way is to train it, and train it well. Practice.
Learning how to swing your club properly should be simple enough as long as you practice. A good way to think about it is to use your spine as an axis and keep your grip on the club properly. Such techniques are used by professional golfers all around the world. While differences can be quite subtle, there are many different types of golf swings. The similarity is that they all adhere to this principle. If you learn how to apply these principles to your swing, then you shall have no problem in driving longer distances without slicing and having 90% of strokes landing on the fairway.
Economy of movement
The best thing to do with your golf swing is to reduce unnecessary movements. Think of it as energy conservation, since all of your energy is supposed to be focused on hitting the ball and not wasted on awkward movements that cause slicing and other problems in the first place. Get back to the basics and incorporate only the movements needed to hit the ball dead center. This should lower your handicap by 7-12 strokes in no time. With more practice, you will hit par or better every single time. However, that is only if you do practice.
Get lessons
To learn more about the golf swing, the most obvious thing is to receive instruction in an actual golf class. These classes would have equipment and instructors that can help you achieve perfection as long as you have the determination, discipline, and money to do it. Enrolling in such classes does require a fee, so you do need to be earning quite a bit before you can actually think of getting into it. However, you can learn a lot if you do.
Read up
Others would try to find information over the internet. This is quite convenient, but the information gathered can be quite conflicting. As there are many different ways to hit a golf ball, experts are divided in what is the best way to improve your golf swing. Your job in this is to find out what is best for you. Every golfer has a different body, so not everyone can adhere to the same swing.
By being able to adjust to your configuration, you can improve without having to break a back or hip to do it.
Golfers who are able to make those great golf swings developed their skills. They were not born with it so don’t think that copying what these people do will some day make you just like one of them.
This is because the more you try to imitate them, the more you make mistakes. The morale of the story then is to learn how to play your own game.
But how do you play the game without following what the best do? Well the answer is practice. If you are new to the sport, get professional help and learn the basics. If this is not enough, watch some instructional videos.
You have to put the time and effort into the game to get the results you want. Yes you have a job or a business but for golfers like Tiger Woods, that is their job so they can spend more time there compared to you.
Does this mean you quit your job and try your luck at professional golf? Of course not but given the limited practice time, you have to maximize each session.
You might see a lot of people practicing at the golf range. They would hit a buckets and buckets of balls but then what happens? Nothing because n an actual game, it all boils down to putting the ball into the hole. This means you should spend more time on your short game because this is where it really counts.
To do that, do various drills that will help you chip and pitch. Since the ball may sometimes land in the bunker, practice shots from there as well. A study shows that 50% of golfers will have to make their shots from 75 yards or less from the hole. So you should also practice putting shots at this distance and less.
Spend time practicing your wedge play because this can help you setup an east birdie. Hit as many balls from 40 to 135 yards. This club may be shorter than what you use for long distances but the principle is the same.
There are various golf techniques around to help you improve your short game. You can try hitting the ball with your club only using one hand, hitting the ball with your eyes closed and drawing a chalk line to make sure that when you hit the ball, it is moving in a straight line.
There are also a few tools you can use like golf gloves to ensure you are holding the club properly because how you hold it also affects where the ball is going to travel.
One thing that you need which you cannot buy from the store or learn from a professional is attitude. Confidence plays a significant factor because if you have doubts that the ball will not go in the hole, chances are, it won’t. Think positive and hope for the best because this is all you can do each time you make that putt.
To win in golf, the golf swing is just one of the things that will make the ball travel far enough to land close to the hole. In the end, it is your ability to putt it in that counts which is why you should spend more time on your short game than anything else.
There is no argument that golf is very popular. It may not be one of the events in the Olympics but whenever there is a tournament, you can expect to see a lot of people watch both in the course and on television. You can be just as good as the pros someday if you follow these golf swing tips.
When you play golf, don’t just hit the ball as hard as you can and hope that it will make the ball land near the hole. Unlike cards, this is not chance but proper technique is involved to make it happen.
This may not happen every time because there are things beyond your control like the wind and any obstruction that lay within the path but you can just imagine how well you can do if the conditions are just perfect.
The first tip to do well when you make a golf swing is to learn how to control your body. In this game, how you raise your arm to the time that you let your club hit the ball is important. It is not only about strength that makes the ball travel far but the recoil effect.
So how do you achieve this recoil effect? This is done by not turning your body too much when you start from your right to the left. There are various aids to help you out here like working with a heavier club, getting someone to watch you, practicing in front of the mirror and recording how you swing with a video camera and playing it back.
When you turn from one side to the other, keep your hands relaxed the entire time. If you are unable to do that, you put a strain on your muscle making it hard for you to achieve the shot you desire.
To make this work, remember that the arms are an extension of something bigger because the power does not come from here but from your abs and hips which happen to be two are the largest muscles in the body.
Make it a point to always hit the ball right in the center. That way, you are able to divert it to the direction you want it to go. So you know where the ball is going, keep your eye on this until you send it flying through the air.
Aside from working on the upper body, don’t forget to work on your footing. For that to happen, make sure both feet are flat on the ground so you are able to transfer the weight from the right side until it passes a little over your left shoulder.
The golf swing tips mentioned are not hard to do. It just takes a little bit of practice so that you are able to maintain consistency each time it is your turn to putt on the green.
Just remember that when you make the first putt, you must have a relaxed grip on the club with your feet flat on the ground so you are able to swing from the right to the left with a good back swing and follow through.
From there, your ball will land within yards of the hole making it easy for you to put it in and move on to the next hole. This would take more time than anticipated if you did not make some adjustments in your golf swing.
Golf is definitely a game where an individual's discipline, determination, and heart can be measured. While others tend to see the game, when watching golf being played, as completely boring, this sport can truly reel you in. You just need to get ahead with your golf swing.
While the basics are the same for everyone, the differences in body types and mentalities bring forth a multitude of differences in the game that can cause confusion for most beginners. As such, one must adapt to his/her body in learning how to perform the perfect golf swing. While the perfect golf swing is there, it is elusive as it is different for every individual. Practice and knowledge are the keys to success in golf, and muscle memory is what you are trying to ingrain into yourself. Once you have the proper golf swing in your system, confidence in your game and calmness of mind shall follow.
Basic Principles
One of the most fundamental principles that can be applied for immediate improvement in the golf swing is to keep your head still and eyes on the ball. This is to straighten your spine's alignment and to aim at the ball properly. The spine is the axis that you are to swing with, so you have to keep yourself straight in order to achieve any positive result. Keep your head straight by raising your nose up. Your left shoulder should be under your chin by the time you are to swing. Tucking your head into your chest is not the way to go. The best way is to keep everything straight so that you can hit the ball dead center.
Keeping your head straight and with eyes on the ball will definitely help those who have constant problems with their golf swings. The next step required is to assume the correct position of knees and feet. The feet have to be planted onto the ground and the knees are to be straight while allowing pivoting to occur. Bend a little bit forward at the waist and look right at the ball. Minimize hip rotation to prevent swaying and do not overdo your backswing. This way, your left shoulder should hit your chin upon swinging.
Prevent this by lifting your head a bit until your shoulder doesn't hit your chin anymore. In this position, slowly do your backswing and downswing while staying focused on the ball. A practice swing is best done first before actually hitting the ball. Practice your golf swing by focusing on straightening your head and keeping your eyes on the ball.
Position and balance are the most crucial points of a golf swing, leading to consistency and good power. Another thing that needs to be focused on is relaxation. Being tense can only make one's golf swing worse. By relaxing your muscles, you can maintain your balance and flow with the swing as smoothly as possible. Practice this while maintaining your position. While this can be daunting at first, you can make things easier for yourself by breathing at a relaxed pace while maintaining the position without tensing your muscles.
Hold this position for around 15 seconds before doing your swing during practice. Keep your weight even on both feet and try to not tense yourself. This is a good way to improve your golf swing.
Talent and skill may not be enough to ensure victory in the game of golf. Sometimes, you will need the assistance of others and a few golf swing aids to improve your game.
The first golf swing aid is the weighted club. This instrument is two to five pounds heavier than what you normally use when you play golf. Why this is so useful is the fact that it helps you practice your swing in slow motion so you get the correct form and do this properly during the tournament.
If you are like some golfers who have a hard time keeping their arms together during the course of the swing, you will find the stretchable arm band very useful. This should be placed in between your triceps so that you are forming the letter “V” from the moment you start your swing until the follow through.
How you hold the golf club is also important in the game. You should not hold it too tight and one aid that can help you do that is the golf grip. The nice thing about this device is that it fits all kinds of clubs. It is made of plastic so you can easily take it off and remove. If your hands are slippery, try putting on some golfing clubs.
Sometimes, your upper body is not the problem when you are trying to do your best in the game. Perhaps, your footing is what needs to be improved on and for that, the foot wedge was invented so for you right handed players out there, your weight is on your fight foot.
Apart from golf swing aids which you use on the green, there are other materials which you can use at home. You can buy a golf DVD and then try to practice what you learn by following what the person is saying.
There is also the mirror so you can watch yourself swing. If it is hard to swing and observe yourself in the mirror, get a video recorder and then play it back when you are done.
If you can afford to hire someone as a coach, that will be great because you get feedback from that person instead of second guessing if what you did in the mirror or video is correct.
Golf clinics may be done regularly but how often does it happen where you live? The golf swing aids mentioned can easily be purchased from the sporting goods store. Most of these are sold for under $20 so it will not hurt your pocket so much just to improve your game.
Should the golf swing aids mentioned be not available in the store, check for these items online. It is possible that they are much cheaper here even if you add shipping costs so check what is available.
There are many brands to choose from that sell these various golf swing aids. Before you buy one, check if this is saleable compared to other brands.
If the feedback given by other golf enthusiasts are good, try it out yourself and see if this can improve your game or not. Don’t forget to practice because the golf swing aids can only do so much when what really matters is how well do without them during a game.