The Mechanics Of A Perfect Golf Swing
I do not believe there is any such thing as the perfect golf swing. You only have to look at Tiger Woods, if we all tried to replicate his swing I would imagine there would be a lot of casualties ! Everybody has limits to their flexibility and must adapt their own swing to match their own ability . Having said that the mechanics of the swing can be split into sections and you can practice these different elements to strengthen your swing .
The Setup
This is crucial to hitting a perfect golf shot. By getting the setup correct you will constantly come back to the impact point with power and control. If you currently suspect your set up could be causing you a problem , the good news is that this is probably the easiest part of your swing to correct . Your feet should be approximately shoulder width apart, this can vary slightly depending on the length of the club you are going to use . But remember that a too wide stance will limit your ability to turn and too narrow will lead to loss of balance . When you address the ball remember to keep your back straight. It is important that your spine is straight throughout your swing as this is your turning axle. Always bend from the hips when grounding your club behind the ball.
The Backswing
It is important to try and keep your left arm straight (right handed players) throughout your backswing, but not rigid – it is advisable not to have any tension in your body as it can ruin your timing. Take the club back as far as you can comfortably turn , if you can only make a half turn that is really not a problem . Try not to rush, a slower tempo is generally far more effective.
The Downswing
It is crucial with the downswing not to try and force power into the striking of the ball . It should be a very smooth controlled action . A speedy downswing will regularly result in very poor shots. Also one common fault is to only use your arms and wrists to hit the ball, you must use your whole body, it will give you so much more power .
Impact
It is crucial that you swing through the ball on impact do not swing at it. If you watch you will see that good players alwaysallow their hands to lead the clubhead through impact, where as your average golfers allow the clubhead to pass their front arm ahead of impact.
Follow Through
Your swing does not end once the ball has left the tee – it is crucial that you follow through . It is a fact that over 80% of social golfers have very little follow through in their golf swing. It is such a forgotten part of the golf swing, just a little work on this will see great results .
So next time you are at the practice range spend some time on these different parts of your swing to see where you can make improvements. It is a good idea to have golf swing drills that you practice at the range, but you need to remember that when you take your swing onto the golf course it is not advisable to have mechanical swing thoughts or swing thoughts that relate to only one part of your swing. When you are out on the course your only focus must be your target. You must just picture the shot you are going to make and simply trust your swing.
