Basic Principles to Help Your Swing
Many golfers, especially when they begin playing golf, have a great problem hitting their drivers or irons in the direction they want, causing slices and hooks and other problems. This can not only ruin the score they are trying to achieve, but can take all the enjoyment out of the game. Rather than trying to find out why this is happening, they will have a ready made 'blame' list to tell their playing partners. It's the weather, it's the slope, there's too much bird song, or they’re just warming up. The one thing that golfers don't admit to is that it could possibly be their golf swing.
Here are six basic principles that can help you get the mechanics of your golf swing properly.
1. Alignment. Getting lined up properly is crucial to hitting the ball squarely, and so hitting it straight. The fundamental concept behind a proper golf swing is hitting the ball dead center, which means that alignment is the most important basic principle in a proper golf swing.
2. Stance. Make sure you have a comfortable stance that will allow you to rotate your body in the most effortless way possible. Think of your spine as an axis, and find your centre of gravity by pushing your backside out a little. Put your weight very slightly on the balls of your feet. Once you achieve that comfortable stance, then you should have less problems.
3. Head and Eyes. Always keep your head still and your eyes looking at the back of the ball. This has got to be the most ignored rule, yet it seems so simple. After a bad shot how many times have you heard ' you lifted your head' or 'you're head came up' or something similar? This really is one of the most important rules to keep in mind, as you have to see what you are supposed to hit in the first place don't you? It's also about common sense too, so do it.
4. Patience. Be patient and concentrate on each shot. Do this by thinking good thoughts and having your feet planted firmly on the ground. This isn't about what just happened on the last shot, this is about the present, now and this shot. You should always concentrate on what is happening now to achieve anything significant in the future. This way, you will achieve a proper rhythm in your golf swing.
5. Think about the shot. Start by thinking what you want to achieve with the shot. Visualize how you want the ball to go and where you want it to land. A good way of thinking is "sweep" for woods and "pinch" for irons. This may sound strange, but it can help you with your game as these are how clubs are designed. An iron is supposed to pinch the ball off the ground, while a wood is supposed to sweep it off the tee or fairway.
6. Keep Calm. Try not to think too much about your golf swing and more on actually hitting the ball. Some golfers hum a rhythmic tune under their breath, some recite a poem and some even sing a song to themselves. It doesn't really matter as long as it takes your mind off your swing. Thinking about the golf swing is an added complication as it is more about technical aspects of the game, while hitting the ball is just the basic concept that the game is all about.
The real secret is to cultivate a swing that is not only smooth and easy on your body, but is repeatable. You should be able to repeat the same swing time after time without thinking about it. Remember how you felt after your first driving lesson in a car? Did you think 'How can I possibly change gear, put the clutch in, work the accelerator, turn the steering wheel and look where I'm going ALL at the same time?!' Now of course, you don't consciously think about any them - you just do them naturally. That's what you need to achieve with your golf swing, and don't forget practice, practice, practice. It's the only way.
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