Golf has quickly become a favorite past time among kids and adults alike. Nearly 500 new golf courses are added each year in the United States to accommodate the nearly 25 million Americans who enjoy this sport at least once each year. Those who enjoy the sport experience the excitement of a great tee shot and the frustrations of the more frequent slice. While those who don't play, stand by and question the excitement in hitting a poor shot and then chasing it to hit yet another bad shot. Whether you're an avid golfer and Phil Nicholson fan, or a supportive wife whohits the links with her husband once a year, the key to having more fun and less frustration is learning the proper way to swing a golf club.
First and foremost, you have to find a stance that is comfortable for you. Too many people try to imitate the stance of the big name golfers, all the while feeling uncomfortable and discombobulated, instead of finding a stance that feels natural. Typically the most comfortable stance is with the feet shoulder width apart and a slight bend in the knees. Your back should be straight, but still relaxed, giving you an athletic stance, where the muscles are loosened and not tense.
The next step is to find a grip that best suits you. The three main grips are the overlapping, the baseball, and the interlocking grip. Regardless of the grip you use, your dominant hand will always be on bottom. In the overlapping grip, your dominant hand pinkie will simply rest on top of the index finger of your weaker hand. An interlocking grip connects the pinkie and index finger, while the baseball grips brings those two fingers to where they meet, without overlapping or connecting. The grip you choose is more of a personal preference, but the key in all three is to relax. Many people will grip the club too tightly, resulting in a rushed swing and poor shot. The strength of your grip is in no way related to the power you put into the shot, and a tight grip is actually counterproductive. Make sure to hold the club loosely and at a forty-five degree angle out from your legs, with the club head resting gently on the ground.
The actual golf swing itself is fairly simple, yet difficult to master with consistency. The two parts of your swing, the back swing and the down swing, are directly connected, and the more you can perfect your back swing, the more natural your down swing will become. The power of the golf swing comes from your hips, rather than your arms. From your stance, rotate your hips back and take the club back behind your head. If that sounds complicated, then just try to rotate your hips so that your back is facing your target. Don't make your back swing too hurried or fast as this will negatively affect your down swing. Once you have rotated your hips back, the down swing happens quite naturally. As you connect with the golf ball, keep your head down. The tendency is to pull your head up to immediately find the trajectory of your path, but keeping your head down on the ball will help you to hit the ball straight.
The follow through of the golf swing, as everything else, is very natural and relaxed. Most of the weight will have rotated to your front foot during your swing, and your front leg will be straight with a slight bend in your back leg. After working hard on the mechanics, now is the time to either celebrate that perfect shot, or stare at the club as if its to blame and start the walk of shame into the rough. The beauty of the game and what keeps millions coming back time and time again, is the challenge to master the proper golf swing. With a lot of practice and a few easy tips, you too can go from a double-bogey to hole-in-one.
Tags: tight grip, golf club, phil nicholson, two fingers, supportive wife, golf courses
