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The Golf Swing

The aim of a good golf swing is to drive the ball as far as possible with the maximum accuracy.

The key to a long shot is the speed of the club head - the more speed the head can obtain when it hits the ball, generally the further it will travel. One of the biggest mistakes of 'novice' players is to snap their wrists at the bottom of their swing to gain extra power. Unfortunately this is a mistake and actually reduces the speed of the club head at time of impact!

The true answer to a more powerful swing is consistency and balance.

All good players have a consistent swing. The speed of the swing varies between players, but the good ones are always consistent. This consistency is obtained by maintaining balance through the complete swing and having a smooth rhythm. Rushing causes loss of this essential balance, this then causes poor contact with the ball which then results in poor flight.

When most professional players hit the ball the head of their club is travelling at about 100mph. Tiger Woods can often achieve speeds of 125mph! he achieves this through a very controlled and consistent technique.

Another factor that you should consider to gain the maximum shot length is the angle with which the ball leaves the tee. In good weather it is generally accepted that the ball leaving the tee at about 12 degrees is optimum. If you are playing with the wind behind you, you can use the power of the wind to increase length. To do this you should choose a club with a greater lie angle. However, if you are playing into a head wind you should try to reduce the angle as you want to minimize the effect of the wind on a hooked of sliced shot. To achieve this you should use a club with a smaller lie angle.

The following tips break down the golf swing:

Setup

Evenly distribute your weight between your left and right feet.
Balance so that your weight is on the balls of your feet.
Grip your club with your left hand so that your thumb points along the shaft.
Wrap your right hand over the left with it's thumb in the cup of your right palm (left-handed players should reverse this).
Slightly bend your knees and point your right foot ahead with your left foot pointed a little to the left.
Bring your elbows and arms close together.

Backswing

Start your backswing with your hands.
Immediately follow with your arms and shoulders.
At the top of the backswing your weight should be mainly shifted onto the back foot - but never to the outside of your back foot.

Downswing

Begin by rotating your hips towards the ball.

Impact

Most of your weight should be shifted to the front foot at impact.
Your head should be behind the ball.
Point your the wrist bone of your left hand should be pointing at the ball when the club makes contact.

Finish

As you complete the follow through of the swing the majority of your weight should be transferred to the outside of the front foot.