Stand five to ten feet behind the ball, with the ball directly between your body and the desired target. Locate guidance targets on the ground (leaves, blades of grass, dirt, etc.) inches in front and behind the golf ball that should be on a direct line with where you are standing and the target.
Keep your eyes on those ground targets as you approach the ball. Align the clubface behind the ball, with the center of the clubface on a direct line between the two ground targets you have selected.
Grip the club with just enough tension to keep it from slipping in your hands throughout the course of the golf swing. Align your feet on a parallel plain with your ground targets, shoulder width apart, and the knees slightly bent.
The front foot should be pointed slightly outward, toward the target, to allow your hips to flow freely through the swing.
Tilt your torso slightly towards the ball while keeping your back straight. The arms should now hang freely in front of the body to grip the club.
The shoulders should be parallel with the ground targets and the toes, and your head should be tilted downward with your eyes on the ball. These motions described are known as the set-up, or addressing the ball.
You are ready to begin the golf swing. Keeping your back elbow tucked as closely to your ribs as possible, slowly take the club back on a straight line along the plain of the ground targets.
Keep your front elbow locked throughout the back swing and never take your eyes off the ball. This motion should naturally tuck your chin into your front shoulder.
Hips should remain still and slightly tilted, while the front knee will turn inward. At the apex of the back swing, allow your wrists to break slightly.
Bring the club downward toward the ball, uncoiling the wrists, and shifting your weight onto your front foot. You should attempt to generate force and speed on your down swing, while never take the clubface off of the target line.
Upon making contact with the ball, the clubface should strike the ground as it moves through, taking a divot from the ground in the area past where the ball was lying, and through your second ground target.
Finish the golf swing with a nice, high follow through of the club. Your hips should be turned toward the target. Your weight should have shifted, and should now be firmly on your right foot. Smile and watch the ball fly toward the target.
I particularly enjoy watching Tiger play because he has such an aesthetic looking swing. Of course, a good looking swing does not automatically translate to a good score but if your simple golf swing looks good, looks correct, then chances are your swing can't be too far wrong. Furthermore, its much easier to replicate a simple golf swing over 18 holes, then an un-natural golf swing that works well at the practice range but cannot stand the rigors of playing golf under the hot sun.
We may get by from time to time with a strange looking golf swing, but golf will always be able to weed out the fakers from those with sound basics. Without sound basics, its impossible to play good golf. Its impossible to hit a 5 iron 200 yards or drive a ball 300 yard the way the pros do. Its not possible to consistently shape a shot, whether it be a draw or slice, and do the amazing things the pros do, such as putting a back spin or stopping a ball the instant it lands on the green. Its not possible to plough the ball out of thick rough and save par.
Without a good simple replicable golf swing built on sound fundamentals, its very hard to hit the ball flush consistently. Since we cannot control the course environment, whether it be an uphill, downline, ball above feet, ball below feet lie, the only thing we can control is our knowledge of the golf swing and whether we implement and ingrain the right techniques into our muscle memory.
I think the most important aspect of the golf game is knowledge. Knowledge is power. We can only practice what our brain knows and is familiar with. If our brain is unfamiliar with the correct fundamentals of how to hold a golf club, the grip, the posture, the timing, we will never be able to tell our muscles to do the right thing. What's most dangerous in golf is that our muscle sensation can deceive us and what feels correct, is actually not. For the amateur who wants to enjoy a good golf game with pals, and perhaps a little money wager, a good litmus test is to check if we can produce a good ball flight at the practice range 7 out of 10 swings.
The basics of golf is important because once we get started off on the wrong foot, its very hard to teach a bad golfer new tricks. It's much easier to learn from a clean slate and build our golf foundation on sound golf fundamentals.
As Yoda said ,"You must unlearn what you have learnt" So before you head to the practice range, start filling your brain with the right golf concepts by reading golf books and you'll find your practices 100% more fruitful.
Both Otto Ruebsamen & Sherman Choo are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Otto Ruebsamen has sinced written about articles on various topics from BMW, Interest and Golf Guide. Discover 7 Secrets to Lower Your Handicap by 7 Shots now at Here You'll Realize How to Walk onto Any Course and Play The Best Game Of Your Life. Otto Ruebsamen's top article generates over 2400 views. to your Favourites.
Sherman Choo has sinced written about articles on various topics from Employment, Network Marketing and Beauty Tips. This is the award winning guide Sherman used to build his elegant & . Sherman Choo's top article generates over 60500 views. to your Favourites.