How to Improve Your Golf Swing Mechanics
By Teresa Justine Kelly
Many golfers find the toughest thing about golf is maintaining a consistent swing. This results in sliced or hooked shots. To develop a routine you can trust, practice your golf swing mechanics at the driving range. This process takes time and patience.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Grip the club in your fingers and not in the palm of your hands. On a scale from one to 10, with 10 being the firmest, hold the club with a grip pressure of about a three.
Aim the club face toward your target, then set your body into position. Your feet, hips and shoulders should be parallel to the target line. Proper alignment is critical to achieving a straight shot.
Stand slightly wider than shoulder-width apart at address. For a right-handed swing, place the ball just inside your left heel. Your hands should be placed about an inch behind the ball with the shaft in line with your hands. The extended club and your stance form a triangle.
Begin the takeaway, or backswing, by maintaining the triangle you made at address. Your hands, arms and shoulders should all move together in one piece. Halfway back in your takeaway, your club should be parallel to the target line.
Create the letter "L" with your right elbow at the top of your backswing. Make sure the club face is square at the top of your backswing.
Stay on the same plane in your downswing. As you begin your downswing, the butt of the shaft of your club should be pointing at or near the ball. This will optimize your chances of squaring the club face at impact, providing a straight, solid shot.
Tips & Warnings
Keep the rhythm and tempo in your backswing and downswing smooth and steady. Finish in balance with a full follow through with about 90 percent of your weight on your front foot. Practice these six fundamentals at the driving range as often as possible, to groove a swing pattern that is consistent and reliable.
Slices and hooks occur for several reasons. Always check your alignment, slow down your tempo, release tension in your hands, and make sure your club stays on plane in your downswing. A club that is off plane will not be square to the ball at impact, creating a sliced or hooked shot.
About The Author
Teresa Kelly graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. She was an editor for seven years for several magazines and publishing houses. Kelly is an avid golfer, a well-known children's book and golf author, and is currently the president of Highview Press/Golfing Lady that produces all occasion golf greeting cards.
