Five Simple Tips to Improve your Golf Swing

Golf is all about fine-tuning your swing, but if you are skipping the basics, the fine-tuning is pointless. So do yourself a favor and commit a little time during the week to spend at the range, where you can focus on maintaining and improving your swing in a more structured setting. It’s kind of like going to the gym every day to stay fit, only not daunting…and way more fun.

If you have been playing golf for a while, some of this advice may seem elementary, but I honestly cannot tell you how many times I need to refresh myself with these stupid-simple tips so I don’t slip into my old bad habits. Golf is all about fine-tuning your swing, but if you are skipping the basics, the fine-tuning is pointless. So do yourself a favor and commit a little time during the week to spend at the range, where you can focus on maintaining and improving your swing in a more structured setting. It’s kind of like going to the gym every day to stay fit, only not daunting…and way more fun.

While at the range, allow these five tips to essentially become your warm up routine. Practice them consistently for a better golf swing.

Mind Your Golf Club Choices

It’s important to understand that the driving range is not all about the driver. It’s actually possible to imagine playing a round of golf at the driving range in your head and practice your swing with a full range of clubs - other than the putter, of course! (Don’t sass me!) When you are at the range, don’t drive the ball over and over again. Instead, pick up a scorecard and imagine that you are playing a round of golf. Use the clubs you would need in each given scenario. Sometimes I even like to look up drone fly-over footage of holes I want to practice on YouTube, then I imagine where I drove the ball and what club I would need next. A little imagination is required but it will get you using a good range of golf clubs and developing your swing in different scenarios. It’s kind of like how Mayweather shadowboxes before he steps in the ring, only a lot less badass.

Mind Your Club Grip

It’s impossible to understate the importance of having a good grip, in order to produce a solid golf swing. There are a choice of grips available, and I suggest trying out each to see what you are most comfortable with and which one actually works for you; but the overlapping grip is recommended (not to sound pretentious and all, but as Henry Ford said: “Any golfer can use any grip that he wants to, so long as it is the overlapping grip.”). To implement this grip, you need to have the little finger on your right hand on top of the index finger on your left hand (or vice versa for left handed players) and hold the club tightly. This will help to achieve a controlled and consistent golf swing.

Mind Your Golf Swing Mechanics

When generating power in a golf shot, use your body (not your arms). Mime full motion swings at half the speed of your regular swing so you can pay closer attention to your body’s form. Is your lower body synchronized with your arm swing? Are your ankles rolling right? Is your downswing lead with your left foot, knee, thigh, hip (in that order – say it in your head as you do it “foot, knee, thigh, hip” and then supported by “right foot, right knee” or just say “foot, knee” again in your head.)

Mind Your Movements

When you shift your weight, does it stay between your feet? If not – you’re moving too much! A common bad habit for a golfer’s downswings too much movement. If you want a consistent golf swing, take your hips out of it. Imagine a vertical line that runs upward from half way between your feet, and keep your hips on plane. This is easy to forget or to let slightly slip, but eliminating hip slides means less movement for your downswing. It’s easier for you to remember less than it is to remember more, right? It’s the same for your muscle’s memory too!

Mind Your Finish

Having made contact with the golf ball does not indicate that the swing is over. The follow through is very important because it helps to produce a balanced finish. To achieve a good follow through, allow the momentum of your body and golf club to pull your body around and up. It should feel fluid and easy – not forced. Forcing yourself to turn will result in loss of balance.

When there are not enough hours in the day for a round of golf, show your commitment and head to the range to practice your swing. Any beefcake can spend two hours a day in the gym, but I’d rather finish my five o’clock hamburger and head to the range for a couple of hours. That, my friend, is what we call real commitment.