Golf is a technical game. Sure, anyone can pick up a golf club and swing at a ball; but if you aren't paying attention to the finer details of your swing, the wind direction, and the distance of the hole, chances are you won't be improving your handicap much. If you're serious about improving your game, the first thing you should focus on is taking steps to improve your golf swing. This is the basis for your game—good or bad—and adjusting it can make a huge difference to the quality of your playing. The swing is the foundation of the entire golf game, and its importance cannot be overstated. You start with it; you use it as you go through each hole; and even though it gets a little less powerful the closer you get to the hole, it still features even in your putt. The very first step you take on a hole involves your swing. You need to give it power, but retain accuracy. The closer you get to the green, the less power you need. But in these shorter, finer shots, control and pinpoint precision are necessary—and that still starts with your swing. The better your control of your club during your golf swing, the more you'll be able to control the ball. And the more you can control the golf ball, the quicker your handicap will improve and your golfing ability will skyrocket. So consider these five steps to improve your golf swing and start performing better on the course.
Adjust Your Grip
Your swing is the foundation of your golfing game, but your grip is the basis of your swing. This is the very first step that every new golfer should learn, but most don't. The good news is that it's not difficult to readjust it to be more effective as long as you put consistent effort into working on it until it becomes second nature. The easiest change you can make is to hold the club in your fingers, not in the palm of your hand. Gripping it in the palm gives you too firm a grip. The fingers support the club adequately, without being restrictive. Next, don't extend your thumb down the shaft. Don't hold the shaft in a fist with the thumb over the other fingers—it should instead be pointing down the shaft of the club. But keep the thumb short and close to your other fingers, as this will provide light support and won't be at risk of throwing your club's balance off.
Get Your Stance Right
Once your grip has been adjusted, the next step is getting your stance right. The way you stand can be hugely important to an effective golf swing. You'll want to have your legs between hip- and shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent, comfortable, and stable. The way you distribute your body weight can also make a difference. You should be slightly more on your lead foot, between 60 and 70%. On your lead foot, your hip should be directly over your foot, ever so slightly forward. Resist the temptation to square your shoulders parallel to the ground. The shoulder on your lead arm should be slightly raised, so your shoulders are tilted a little. Then, your arms should form a V shape, pointing directly downwards. We advise taking some time to get used to how this feels. Working on it in practice is essential, and you'll need to spend a moment consciously considering every point and getting yourself into the right position before hitting your shot. It's worth it though; and after just a bit of time, it will become a habit and you'll notice that you no longer need to think about it and your body assumes the position naturally.
Head Behind the Ball, Hands Inside the Clubhead
When it comes to holding your position throughout the swing, there are two things to remember in order to keep your swing as controlled as possible. Number one: keep your head behind the ball. If your body gets in front of the ball as you hit, you'll never hit a properly powerful shot. Make sure to keep your head slightly behind the ball to give your body the space to swing through the full range of motion. Number two, keep your hands inside the clubhead. This means that whenever you swing, the clubhead should be further away from the body than your hands are. Your hands should never be at the same level away as the clubhead is, i.e., the arms should not face straight downwards towards the ground.
Use Your Body, Not Your Arms
Power comes from the body, not the arms. To test how much you use your arms instead of your body, stand in your normal stance with the club positioned right behind the ball. Without taking a swing backwards for momentum, try to lift the ball powerfully into the air. If you struggle, you may be using your arms too much. Try this drill and focus on moving the club with your body rather than just your arms. It may feel strange at first, but with repetition you'll soon be able to train yourself into using your body rather than your arms for power.
Hit Down to Get the Ball Up
This is more applicable to your shots with an iron than your drives. It's tempting to try to hit up
and lift the ball using your club. But rather, hitting down has a better effect. Iron clubs are designed to give the ball a natural lift when hit properly. You should be driving down and forward, not upwards. It will take some work to get it right, but you're likely to see a big improvement in your iron shots once you've mastered it.
Taking steps to improve your golf swing is one of the best, most worthwhile uses of your time as a golfer. It doesn't matter what level you're at—beginner, intermediate, or even advanced—your swing can make or break your game. Follow these tips to start making an immediate improvement. It won't happen overnight; rather, you'll have to consciously keep these things in mind and adapt your swing every time you pick up your clubs. With a bit of conscious effort and practice, you'll soon find that your entire game improves just because you've worked on your swing.
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