Golf is a sport and recreational activity practiced worldwide for many years, which consists of introducing a ball into holes distributed on the playing field with the fewest attempts.
The playing fields where these sports practices are generally extensive and contain a minimum of 9 holes and a maximum of 18 holes.
Use special sticks to achieve maximum power and distance with each hit to play golf. There are several types of golf clubs that use for different ranges made of other materials.
Playing golf requires various factors, including physical training, technique, dedication, strategy, and psychology.
It should implement these factors at both professional and amateur golf levels. One of the most important is to learn the swing technique correctly.
Learning how to swing a golf club will allow any player to hit the ball accurately.
13 Steps of Swing a Golf Club
There are several factors that any golf player must take into account in this sport to be successful. That mainly includes hitting the ball and the correct grip of a golf club.
The alignment of the golf club and the body are essential aspects to hit the ball efficiently. That is because all movement makes from the correct alignment of the club concerning the target.
Learning how to use the proper golf club and swing will improve your performance and obtain good results. However, swing movement is a mechanical process that requires practice to master the techniques fully. In addition, it should note that there are swing variations to hit the ball differently according to your needs.
Making a swing not only requires knowing how to hold the golf club, but you also have to align your body correctly for it. That includes the shoulders, feet, knees, back, and arms.
The steps you will see below are essential for you to learn to master swinging. However, you must accompany them with hard training to achieve the best results, win and have fun with this sport.
Step 1. Before you swing a golf club: Pick a right club
Performing a golf swing requires a lot of patience, concentration, coordination, power, and precision to try to get the ball into the hole on the green in the fewest number of attempts. However, that is not enough.
Knowing how to choose a proper golf club will make it much easier for you to hit the ball. There are several types of golf clubs, and each one has different features for specific situations. Therefore, the first thing you should do is golf fitting. It is a process that involves adopting a set of golf clubs to your characteristics as a golfer to avoid physical problems and injuries.
Some aspects to know how to choose golf clubs are:
Club Height
It is the distance from the ball’s position on the ground to the hands. This aspect will depend on the height of each golfer. That is why it is crucial to do golf fitting.
Grip
The grip is the part of the golf club that the player holds. The size of the grip will depend on the size of the golfer’s hands.
If you use a grip that does not adapt to your characteristics, the ball’s hitting will be unnatural. In addition, you will not feel comfortable holding the golf club. Selecting the proper grip (size, weight, and type of material) will give you the perfect balance when making each swing.
Lye
It is the angle that the golf club rod makes concerning the ground plane. This angle influences the starting line of the shot, allowing it to be higher or lower and longer or shorter.
Club Flexibility
This parameter depends on the characteristics of each golfer. The distance the ball reaches is proportional to the speed of the swing performed. The proper weight of the golf club will allow players to execute a swing with good speed so that the ball reaches the desired distance.
Clubface
This aspect can change the course of the ball when hitting it. Placing the face of the club is essential. You must align the leading edge with the club rod to prevent its face from being closed or too open. The precise area where you should hit the ball for best results is called a sweet spot.
Similarly, to choose a good golf club, you must determine the golfer’s needs and the type of club according to the material:
Woods
They are the type of golf club used to make long strokes and achieve greater distances. A curious aspect is that they don’t make of wood but titanium, graphite, or steel. They are essential to start each game from the tee to approach the green. These golf clubs subdivide into two groups. The driver, known as 1-wood, is the most protracted, most expensive, powerful, and challenging master club, which guarantees the most extended strokes. Street Woods is the highest numbered club used to make the remaining hits.
Irons
They are the most common types of golf clubs used by players. They use it after the first hit for shorter distances than the woods.
They subdivide into two groups. Wedges use to further raise the ball without advancing far. They are specialized for short shots and getting the ball out of deeper terrain. The numbered irons determine the height and distance of the ball’s path. The numbering from 1 to 9 represents the loft angle.
Putter
This type of golf club puts the ball into the hole from the green since it provides enough precision at short distances. There are several types of it, depending on the characteristics of each golfer.
Hybrids
They are intermediate golf clubs between the woods and the irons. They are used to emulate the distances of the woods and the weight of the others.
Follow My Guide for Picking a Right Golf Club:
- 7 Best Golf Drivers for Seniors: Which Club Do You Have?
- 10 Best Iron Set for High Handicappers: Buyers Guide
- 7 Best Hybrid Golf Clubs For Senior Golfers
- Top 7 Most Forgiving Irons For Beginners
Step 2. Relax and get into your learning mode
Playing a sport, especially a golf, helps maintain an excellent physical and mental state. In addition, golf allows you to eliminate stress as it helps clear your mind effectively. That way, you will avoid thinking about any problems.
Relaxation in a sport is essential because it allows reducing excess tension, calming the mind, recovering physically after training or playing, and more. The mental part of a golf game is vital since it is a sport that requires a lot of concentration. If you have concerns, anxiety, or are stressed, you probably miss most swings.
This aspect should be taken into account, especially by professional players since they are the ones that may have more pressure and concern. But, on the other hand, an amateur player is not affected by these factors because he plays golf to have a good time with his friends.
You must relax and get into your learning mode before hitting the ball for optimal results. There will be many times when you miss a hit or have made a mistake. In these situations, it is vital to stay calm so as not to lose concentration. It is an essential factor in golf.
Golf Exercises and Techniques to Maintain Relaxation
- Concentrate on the game without pushing yourself too much since your anxiety will increase if you do it unnaturally.
- Breathing is one of the most effective muscle techniques to relax.
- Visualize the exact point where you should hit the ball. That also accomplish with a lot of training.
- Constantly training by applying a correct learning method will allow greater self-confidence every time you hit.
- Meditating can also help you relax before you swing.
Players often think that relaxing means loosening your hands and wrists. That is a mistake since doing so will lose the control and strength necessary to hit the ball effectively. Instead, it must hold the golf club firmly to dominate the swing in all aspects.
Step 3. Swing a golf club with your front foot ahead of the ball
The alignment of your feet concerning the ball is one of the most critical aspects in determining a player’s efficiency when making a swing. In addition, it will give you a better balance and comfort when using the club.
Regardless of your position, you should place your front foot slightly in front of the ball.
How to know which foot should be the forward one?
It is simple. If you are left-handed, your right foot will be forward one; it will be closer to the hole than the ball. However, if you are a right-handed player, then it will be the opposite.
Placing your front foot in front of the ball will allow you to support yourself in a better way by putting the weight of your body backward. That will help you to hit the ball with more power when making a swing.
The placement of the feet should be comfortable for the golfer when making any movement. The feet should be far enough apart but not so far apart to keep balance. To be precise, it must place each foot at a specific angle. Still, it will depend on the player’s characteristics (flexibility, mobility, or physical condition).
It recommends putting the body’s weight on the front foot and using the other foot as a counterweight. The toe of this foot should be almost pointing at the target. In this way, you can make an explosive turn so that the swing has power and is comfortable.
Step 4. Make sure to get close enough to the ball when you swing
In golf, it must take many aspects into account to perform a correct swing. One of them is the distance between the player and the ball.
Placing your feet away from or near the ball can force you to align your body the wrong way, causing injury or physical problems.
If your feet are too close to the ball before swinging, you may feel pressured. In addition, your arms and hands would be very close to your body, and you would not have enough space to ride comfortably. Therefore, we can say that this is the least recommended position since it will prevent you from turning correctly.
In the other case, if your feet are too far from the ball, they could force you to put yourself in positions that negatively affect your physical health.
The position of your back, shoulders, legs, and arms will be forced for long periods causing possible injuries. Placing your feet away from the ball is less awkward than putting your feet closer, but swinging remains difficult.
You will lose power and precision in hitting the ball in both situations due to not making the turn correctly. Therefore, the placement of the feet should be intermediate so that the rest of the body has the proper posture.
The most important thing is that you should feel safe and comfortable with the position you are adopting. But, of course, that also influences the types of golf clubs you are using. For example, when you use a conductor, you have to place your feet differently from the irons.
Your feet cannot be too far or too close to the ball. In general, you will get closer to it when using irons than when you use a conductor. Also, your position will depend on your needs and the situations you find on the playing field. For example, the height of the ball relative to your feet will influence the distance. If the ball is lower, a good option would be to get a little closer and higher, just the opposite.
Adjust the distance according to your style and put yourself in an intermediate position that allows you to turn and swing comfortably.
Step 5. Align your feet and shoulders before the swing
We must set the base goal before aligning the feet and shoulders as it depends significantly on the rest of the body and its distance from the ball.
Once you have analyzed the ground conditions to determine your body posture, you can now align your feet and shoulders.
When people do not have much experience playing golf, they open their shoulders wide (unconsciously), causing an unnatural swing movement. That can produce an exaggerated swing and consequently cause injury.
It must appropriately align the shoulders with the feet before swinging to hit the ball correctly. You must set the target in a straight line and align your feet, knees, hips, and shoulders in parallel.
Specifically, the foot spacing should be the same width as the shoulder spacing, although that will depend on the type of golf club. For example, if you use irons, your feet and shoulders should be the same width. However, if you use wedges, you have to shorten the distance between your feet. The opposite would happen when using the woods that require separation.
You can now determine the distance between your position and the ball by following the steps we have already discussed.
Step 6. Balance your body weight by bending your knee
As we have seen, body posture is one of the most important aspects of golf when swinging. Therefore, you will not only be successful with strategies and techniques.
Many positions are depending on the technique used. Each one requires the correct alignment of different parts of the body.
The knees are the joints that cause the most problems because they are the ones that practically must support the weight of the body. In addition, they are responsible for performing the flexions and extensions that provide the power to rotate and move the body.
If you don’t flex your knees correctly, you could take significant physical risks. Firm and well-flexed knees allow excellent support so that later the arms and hands can do their job holding the club.
You have to keep your body bent and your back steady while bending your knees. That doesn’t mean you should be stiff. However, you must relax before the swing keeping your torso and back straight. It is because one of the fundamental objectives of the knees is to maintain the position of the body, supporting its weight.
Therefore, when turning and swinging, your knees will provide stability, and you will avoid injury to any part of your body.
Step 7. 4 Ways to Make a Good Look at Your Grip
It is one of the most important aspects of golf since it will perform the best possible swing. The grip is the basic foundation of golf because it is the way you will place your hands to hold the club. There are several types of them used in different situations:
The Baseball Grip:
Also known as Ten Finger Grip, it is the most natural grip for beginner players to learn since it requires less technique. Its name is because the placement of the hands is similar to that of baseball players. That is, the club must be held firmly with ten fingers without any of them interlacing. The baseball grip uses to add more power to the hitting of the ball.
The Interlocking Grip:
It recommends that players use this type of grip with small hands or people with little arm strength. This grip has become very famous in recent years. It operates by great professionals such as Tiger Woods or Jack Nicklaus. It interlocks the left little finger with the right index finger for left-handed players and vice versa. The interlocking grip allows you to hold the club firmly and better control the direction of the ball.
The Overlap Grip:
It is also known as Vardon Overlap. This grip differs from the previous one in that the fingers do not interlock but overlap. The left little finger place on the right index finger for left-handed players and vice versa. The Overlap Grip is the most used by professional players and golf instructors. This style of grip is very comfortable and helps keep your hands more united during the swing.
Any Grip that you are comfortable of:
Suppose you are not satisfied with the types of grip mentioned above. You can use those work; it’s according to the orientation of the hands and the force exerted with the wrists. They are neutral, weak, and firm grip. The strong one is used by most professionals in tournaments, while students use the neutral one. Whichever one you choose will depend on your needs and the comfort you feel.
Step 8. Start your swing with Backswing
As we have already seen, the swing is the movement made by hitting the golf ball. This movement breaks down into several stages. One of them is Backswing.
It is the first move of a golf swing. This one occurs when we take the club back and up, keeping it above our heads. But, first, you must relax your muscles because if you press at any time, the tension will spread throughout your body.
When performing this movement, one of the essential golf swing tips is to maintain the balance and stability of the body and arms without taking your eyes off the ball.
It carries out as follows:
- Move your hands, arms, and shoulders away from the ball to your hip.
- Move the clubface down to the ground keeping your arms extended.
- Make a horizontal movement by turning your hips and shoulders.
- Make a vertical movement by raising your arms and wrists. At this point, you should bend your right arm (if you are right-handed).
- Rotate your shoulders at a 90-degree angle and your hips at a 45-degree angle.
Once you have completed those steps, the club should be above your shoulders and parallel to the ground, ready for the next move.
Step 9. Things you need to pay attention to for Downswing
It is the second movement of a swing. Downswing occurs when you change club direction and begin to approach the ball.
This movement is the continuation of the Backswing and identifies when the golf swing changes direction. In this part of the swing, players usually make a lot of mistakes. Therefore, you must pay attention to specific details that can ruin your movement. They include:
- Poorly positioned elbows.
- The false grip of the golf club.
- Right (or left) elbow separated from the body.
- Sign outside the target line when lowering the club.
You should avoid making those mistakes continuously by doing the movement smoothly and slowly. For example, to carry out the Downswing correctly, you need to follow these steps:
- Build up energy while holding your arms above your head and holding the golf club.
- Lower your arms firmly at full speed to hit the ball with the energy you have accumulated.
- Rotate your body in the reverse direction to regain your starting position while lowering your arms. Your wrists should be in the same position as when the Backswing started.
The movement ends as soon as you hit the ball. Therefore, you should try to perform the Downswing with force but not too much and in a controlled way.
Step 10. Finish with the Follow-Through movement
Also known as a Forward-Swing, it is the final part of a swing. It does not end precisely when the golf club contacts the ball but continues.
This movement allows you to continue with the steady progression of your arms without interference. You can also see the ball’s trajectory. At these times, your wrists will be stable, and your arms point toward the target while the body continues to rotate.
During this movement, the weight of your body resting on your back foot now transfers to your front foot. Finally, your arms and hands will end at the back of your head. You could hold that posture until the ball falls and stops moving so you do not lose sight of it when it is in the air.
Once the movement ends, you have completed the swing. During Follow-Through, make sure that your body keeps moving naturally without altering the position of the golf club.
Step 11. Shift your body weight from toe to toe
Changing weight during a golf swing is one of the most determining factors in acquiring the necessary power and sending the ball away. However, it should not force it. Instead, it would be best if you allowed the weight of your body to change as you rotate it to swing.
That is difficult for many golfers to accomplish. Many golfers make mistakes when they make a terrible move regardless of the weight change.
Below, you will see the steps necessary to change the weight of your body naturally during the swing:
- Position yourself in front of the ball in your starting position. It will distribute the weight equally on both feet.
- When swinging back from the first swing movement (Backswing), focus more than 80% of your weight on your back foot.
- As you perform a Downswing, put your weight on the front foot. When hitting the ball, more than 75% of your weight must be on the front foot.
- When you have finished the swing, 90% of your weight should be on your front foot.
You can train daily by doing simple exercises to get used to the weight change during your swing. You can even try it on a sloping surface so that the weight of gravity helps during the swing.
Step 12. Keep your eyes on the ball
Many golf fans believe that looking away from the ball is a bad thing. But, unfortunately, that is not true at all.
Although sometimes keeping your eyes on the ball can be beneficial, most of the time, it can cause problems during the swing and, much worse, physical issues.
Keeping your eye on the ball during the entire swing means not moving the golf club accurately and firmly. Therefore, you could ruin the hitting of the ball.
One of the main problems in never taking your eyes off the ball is the risk of injury. That is because when trying to twist your torso and arms while keeping your eyes on the ball, your body rotation will be abrupt. When that happens, some of your muscles and joints may be affected.
Allow your head to rotate smoothly and fluidly along with the movement of your arms during Follow-Through to avoid spinal problems.
Missing the ball is another consequence of always seeing the ball. It occurs because the rotational movement of the shoulders stops abruptly, destabilizing the golf club.
Keeping your eyes on the ball is good during part of the swing. First, however, you must get used to that your movements are fluid and have more power.
Once you hit the ball, you can keep your eyes on it while it is in the air.
Step 13. Impact and watch it fly
This point is related to the previous one. The impact of the ball is one of the most desired moments of the golfer.
However, many players tend to lose focus or hit the ball without power. That is because all the time, they are visualizing the impact of the ball in their minds. That can affect the golfer’s performance (professional or amateur) and the final part of his swing.
You should focus only on that each swing movement (Backswing, Downswing, and Follow-Through) is natural and fluid. Keeping your eyes on the exact moment of the clubface and ball collision will allow your head to rotate smoothly along with the movement of your arms when the ball is in the air.
Do not let your swing be affected by deliberately thinking about the impact. Instead, just let your swing flow.
Once you hit the ball, you should allow the rotation and displacement of your body to continue. In the end, your body will be facing the target and your arms at the back of your head. At that moment, you will see the ball fly until it falls to the ground and does not move anymore.
How do you adjust the golf swing?
Adjusting your golf swing is vital to improve each of your movements regardless of the conditions of the playing field and the golf clubs you use. In addition, it will help you perfect your swing and obtain more optimal results.
Film Your Swing
Recording the moment you are swinging will help you detect errors and train efficiently to analyze and fix them. In addition, doing so will help you significantly improve your performance as you will notice your mistakes and fix them immediately.
Many people do not improve because they do the same thing repeatedly, pretending for positive changes. Therefore, it is essential to study each swing, its differences, and its similarities.
You must use a camera on a tripod or fixed surface and determine the angles you will record. That will allow recordings always to be made from the exact location to compare each swing with the same criteria.
Swing Tempo
It refers to the time required from Backswing to Follow-Through. Each player uses different techniques to perform a swing, so determining a specific time is not easy.
There are several factors that you must take into account to maintain the rhythm of your swing.
- You must be calm. The tension and nerves could spread throughout your body, causing you to lose your rhythm.
- Hold the golf club firmly for greater control when hitting the ball and not lose speed.
- Build up the power you need by raising your arms at a certain speed during Backswing.
- Lower your arms at the same speed as the previous movement during a Downswing. However, some professionals manage their time in other ways. Some make that move three times faster than the first one.
- When training, it is recommended that you do it using the orange whip. Many professionals use this tool to strengthen flexibility and improve swing time.
Related Article: How to Break 80 In Golf: The Dummies Guide
Take Golf Lesson
You may want to take a golf lesson because you want to adjust your swing before a game, tournament, or competition.
Golf lessons will help you greatly in certain situations or techniques that you do not master. Some of them are mishandling of golf clubs, lack of precision, wrong body position, and more.
You should investigate that your instructor is a professional and has offered excellent services in the past. Besides, take into account the time each lesson will take.
Finding the Right Club
This step takes time as there is a wide variety of golf clubs on the market. You should analyze your level and your budget before making a decision.
In addition, check each part of the club to adapt according to your characteristics and needs. That includes its length, flexibility, grip, clubface, loft, and sometimes swing speed.
Best Golf Lesson Online: The Ben Hogan Golf Swing: Stress-Free Course
Learn Ben Hogan: Stress-Free Golf Swing>>
Golf is one of the most famous and recognized sports in the world. Many people think it is relaxing, but it can be frustrating for both professionals and amateurs on many occasions.
You could practice every day, but sometimes that would not be enough. You need to get beginner golf tips to become a professional golfer in the future. Therefore, one of the best online lessons to achieve this is the Ben Hogan Swing: Stress-Free Golf Swing.
Ben Hogan was the best golf player of all time. Stress-Free Golf Swing is a digital program to teach people how to achieve and perfect the most straightforward swing on earth. Jeff Richmond created this program to provide you with all the golf swing tips necessary to improve your hitting skills.
One of the most critical points of these online lessons is that you will learn to perform a mighty swing with the correct precision. In addition, it is not only intended for beginners but also intermediate and professional people. Similarly, it is ideal for people of any age and even with physical disabilities.
Carrying out this program online will offer you many benefits in a short time due to the quick result it provides. That is because its lessons are direct and practical, which is vital for fast learning.
Jeff reveals in his guide a secret move that will guarantee you minimum scores quickly. Each movement details images and videos.
Some crucial points that you will find in the Stress-Free Golf Swing program are:
- The problem of the golf swing that players face today.
- It revealed Ben Hogan’s secret movements in 1955.
- Step-by-step practical demonstration of those underground movements.
- Resources, including videos and images.
Can This Online Program Help you Improve?
Of course, yes. Jeff has designed each of the lessons so that anyone can master the techniques. It is designed specifically for people who do not have time and still want to improve their scores.
That is where the potential of this guide lies. The secret move is so fantastic that it does not require much practice. Ben Hogan’s technique has unique characteristics that allow it to differentiate itself from others. Jeff has researched many professional golfers over the years to determine the best methods.
Several professionals have tested this program and have made positive testimonials about the underground movements and even achieved positive scores.
Learning this swing movement is relatively fast and straightforward. It allows you to save a lot of time. You need only a few minutes to understand it and a few hours to practice it.
Is This Movement Enough?
The simplicity of this movement could make people think that it is not enough. But that is far from the truth. If you learn this move, you will no longer need to consider other options as its success rate is very high.
This online program will guarantee you critical success and make it worth every penny invested.
Learn Ben Hogan Swing: Stress-Free Golf Swing>>
Final Words
Golf is one of the most beautiful sports that exist, and it is also one of the most complex. We have previously seen the most critical aspects to perform an efficient golf swing.
The most important of all is that you must follow each of the steps to improve your swing and obtain optimal results.
Practice will allow you to improve every day to aspire to be a professional.