The Golfer's Guide to Improve Your Golf Swing

Golf is a game of centimeters. If your swing is even centimeters off, you will struggle to post good scores on a consistent basis. Sure, you might get lucky every once in a while but, by and large, you will struggle. 

The question you might have, of course, is how to improve your golf swing. What can you do to obtain the perfect golf swing? We're going to answer that question in detail below, providing you with a variety of golf swing tips. Let's go! 

1. Slow Down During Your Backswing

A common mistake among new golfers is to bring the club back rapidly during the backswing. This is an issue for many golfers, as it can result in the club going out of control. Their hands can get in front of the club, causing it to come down on an awkward plane. 

To combat this, you should simply slow down your backswing. Instead of whipping it back in a second, take 2 to 3 seconds. And while it's coming back, be cognizant of the plane upon which it's traveling, ensuring that it's not too steep nor too shallow. 

This simple tip can make a world of difference, giving you a feeling of control over your swing that you might not have had before. 

2. Watch the Length of Your Backswing

Oftentimes, in an effort to hit the ball as far as possible, golfers will extend their backswings well past parallel. While this can help to provide extra power, it also typically spins the swing out of control. As such, it hurts consistency and accuracy. 

The solution? Watch the length of your backswing. Make sure that it's not going past parallel. 

You could even try going shorter than parallel. Generally speaking, the more you shorten up your backswing, the more control you're going to have. Yes, you might give up a little power but the accuracy benefits can more than makeup for that. 

3. Experiment With Your Grip

There's more than one way to grip a golf club and the way you're gripping your club currently might not be to your benefit. For this reason, you should experiment with different grips and see if they make any difference for you. 

You could use a standard grip or you could use an interlocking grip. You could keep your hands spread apart or you could try overlapping them more than usual. 

Learn more about golf grips by reading this article. 

4. Hit Down on the Ball

Perhaps the most common mistake that new golfers make with their swing is attempting to lift the ball off the ground with the club. This is the exact opposite of what you should be doing. Instead, when your clubface meets the ball, it should be traveling in a downward trajectory. 

See, golf clubs are not only lofted but they also possess grooves. This loft and these grooves ensure that the ball goes into the air, even when the club is being swung down at the back of the ball. 

If you attempt to lift the ball with your club, you're going to hit a litany of thin and weak shots. Only by driving the club down into the ground can you achieve maximum power. 

So, keep your eye on the very back of the ball, bend your knees, and try to bring some soil up with your swing. A small divot is usually a good sign. 

5. Swing Easy

If you're like a lot of amateur golfers, you swing your club about as hard as you can. This can work. However, it can also create accuracy and consistency issues. 

This is why you're instead advised to swing easy. Swing at around 75% of your full power. You might not hit the ball as far but you'll strike it much more consistently, allowing you to reach a lot more greens. 

6. Keep Your Lead Arm Straight

Another tip to consider is keeping your lead arm straight. If you're a right-handed golfer, this would be your left arm. If you're left-handed, this would be your right arm. 

Keeping this arm straight throughout the swing helps keep the club on the proper plane. If you bend your lead elbow too much, you will lose control of your club, and will likely mishit the ball. 

A straight lead arm can also help to regulate the length of your backswing. This is because it's difficult to bring a club past parallel when the lead arm is kept straight throughout the swing. 

7. Practice!

There are all sorts of moving parts involved in a golf swing. It's essentially impossible to account for all of these moving parts in the middle of the swing. Therefore, instead of trying to consciously remember them, you need to bake them into your brain; you need to develop muscle memory. 

How do you develop muscle memory in your golf swing? It's simple: practice! Practice as much as you can. 

Get to the range on a consistent basis and experiment with different aspects of your swing until you get into a groove. At some point, you won't even have to think about these things you're working on. They'll just come naturally to you. 

That's when you can really take your game to the next level. Instead of worrying about your golf swing, you can worry about strategy. Then, all that's left to do is execute. 

Need Formal Help With Your Golf Swing?

This article will help you tweak your golf swing. However, it alone might not be enough. If you need additional help with your golf swing, you should take formal lessons. 

Looking for golf lessons in Kissimmee, Florida? Look no further than the pros here at Stonegate Golf Club. 

Contact us now to schedule a lesson!