The golf season is in full swing and my days are filled with lessons and fittings. I felt that this would eb a good opportunity to note the most common mistakes I’ve been seeing lately:
1. A faulty set-up
Some golfers stand too straight and are sitting on their heels, which doesn’t allow for a full athletic swing. Notice the golfer in the picture: he bends at the hips, keeping his back fairly straight at about a 30º angle, his knee are flexed and his arms are hanging straight down from his shoulders without tension. This is the stance you should try to maintain.
2. Too much tension in the hands and arms.
Tension is a swing killer. On a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being as strong as you can grip the club…try a 4, and start the backswing slowly. The faster you take it back the tighter you’ll grip the club.
3. No follow-through:
You have to transfer your weight to the front side to create more power and consistency. In the picture you will notice the golfer’s belly button is facing the target; he’s on his tippy toes with the back foot; most of his weight is over his front foot; and the club is leaning on his left shoulder. In the above photo we can see a front view of a good follow through: notice the right knee is close to the left knee.
4. Left arm is bent:
If you see the clubhead out of the corner of your left eye (for right handers) I’ll guarantee you your left arm is way too bent and your are over swinging. Notice the difference between the top and bottom picture. In the bottom picture the left arm is straight and the hands are farther away from the head (or the right ear). This is a powerful position.
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Take some time this summer to discover the game of golf and love it for life!