Have you ever been frustrated by golf swing basics for beginners? This is the one thing that prevents many beginner golfers from ever hitting that next century for their golfing prowess. You may ask yourself, “What’s the problem?” In other words, it seems like the fundamentals of the golf swing simply aren’t getting the attention they need to be taken advantage of. Let’s take a closer look at some of the basics to help you avoid this situation.
When learning your golf swing basics for beginners, one of the most important things to focus on is your body position. Many golfers have a habit of swaying too much from side to side with their shoulders squared with the ball. This not only effects your accuracy, but it can also cause you to lose control of your shot. Instead of holding your body in a straight position like a football receiver holding his head up, your shoulders and your hips should be parallel to the ground. This will allow you to get more power into each hit and eliminate some of the erratic movement that can affect your accuracy.
Next, remember that grip is the most overlooked part of any golf swing, yet it is probably one of the most important. You should always start out with a firm grip on your club, as this helps to keep your hands locked together and away from your golf club. If your hands are too relaxed or you’re not sure if you’re having a correct grip, then you can change it up by having a friend or golf pro check out your grip and let you know if it’s the proper setup. This is the most common mistake every golfer makes, and it will cost you more than if you were to simply fix the grip and make a few changes here and there in your body positioning.
Now, let’s talk about some of the more specific golf swing basics for beginners. One common mistake that many new players make is that their downswing doesn’t start at the top of the backswing. The backswing begins with your arms and wrists, not your shoulders. Your arms should be straight and at a 90 degree angle to the target, not moving from your waistline. When your arms begin to swing, they should only move downward one inch or so before you begin your downswing. Also, as you reach the top of your backswing, you should be only extending your arms outward, not straightening them out again like they do at the beginning of your downswing.
Finally, one more common mistake that I see many beginners make is not keeping their feet together the entire time. To make sure that all of your muscles stay in position at the same time, your left foot needs to be placed in between your left ankle and your right heel. Make sure that you don’t allow your body to sway out of position as you swing; this will cause your shots to be unpredictable and go off target. Remember, the perfect practice is the perfect game, and if you want to improve your golf game, you must spend enough time practicing to gain knowledge and perfection in hitting the ball.
The next time you head to the driving range, look for a ball that is a little bit under an inch in diameter and a one-inch slice. You will then want to place your driver a few inches behind the ball so that it is directly over your left hand, not on the club’s grip. When you have this setup, your grip should be exactly like your setup, with your left hand on the club and your right hand on the grip of the club, forming a perfect, symmetrical grip with your upper body.