Golf Swing Instructions

Aim properly at your target. That means your left shoulder (for a right-handed golfer) must squarely face the green or the spot in the fairway where you are aiming. Your feet should be shoulder length apart, and your knees should be bent slightly to facilitate your swing.

Your left hand should be about 1/4 inch from the top of the club, your hand should wrap around the shaft and your thumb should go down its length. Take the small finger of your right hand and put it in the gap between your middle finger and your forefinger. Have your right thumb go down the shaft as well. Grip the club firmly. Hold the club at about 5.5 on a scale of 1 to 10. That's about the same as a firm grip on a handshake.

Keep your arms loose as you begin your backswing. Your arms should not feel tension. As you bring the club back, your weight should be on your right side. Your hands should be at shoulder height when you have reached the apex of your backswing.

Focus your attention on the back center portion of the ball as you begin your downswing. Rotate your hips to the left to start your downswing, and do not bring your hands through the ball until your hips have cleared the hitting zone. Snap your right wrist on impact with the ball to get maximum distance and to hit an accurate shot.

Keep your head down as you follow through after contact. In order to hit a successful shot, you need to keep your head down. Many golfers want to pick their heads up so they can follow their shot down the fairway. This often results in a miss-hit. Don't pick up your head until your club has followed through to hip level.