Golf Swing Instructions: Solve your Swing Problems

Tip 7: Try hitting the side of the golf ball

It’s very common to see most golfers trying to hit the centre of the golf ball when hitting full shots. It is easy to understand why they do it because it makes sense to hit the ball in the middle if you want to make it fly straight; however in reality, excellent full shots actually strike the ball on the inside quadrant of the ball, not the centre.

The ideal swing path is elliptical (egg shaped). When the golfer hits a fine shot, the golf club hits the inside quadrant of the golf ball and the face is actually in a slightly open position. This is not noticed by the golfer. The golf ball and the clubface stay connected for a brief second of time. When the golf ball separates from the clubface, the face has rotated to a square position. The face continues to rotate and thus the ball flies relatively straight with a slight draw spin (right to left for right-handed players). Slices occur when players hit the outside of the ball, and the clubface and the ball separate in an open position. Use a plastic range bucket or a second ball to learn how to hit the ball on the inside quadrant. You will hit powerful shots which will end up down the middle when you strike the ball on the inside quadrant.

Tip 8: The finishing swing position

One of the best finishing tips for a great golf swing is after you swing the club, your finishing position should be where your weight is balanced on your front hip, your back toe firmly paced on the ground, your hands and forearms should be up above your front shoulder while your chest and back knee should be facing the hole or where you need the ball to go. If any of these things are not happening to you, then you need to correct your position and practice swinging and ending up in the proper finishing position. By working on your stance and finishing position, your golf swing is on its way to giving you a perfect game. .

Tip 9: Remember; Patience is a Virtue

One of the main phenomena in people’s attitude toward golfing is that many expect to see fast improvement in play after the shortest length of time. A lot of the same people would not even raise an eyebrow or bat an eyelid at the length of time it takes to learn to play an instrument or to sing a certain song. The thing is most people forget that anybody can sing that song or play that instrument, but not anybody can do it to the level where you become famous for your style.

Golf is all about learning a technique or art that may take years to master just like an instrument. You cannot expect to know how to hit golf shots like Tiger Woods overnight! However, you can do it reasonably well in say, 6 months if done correctly. If you have been playing golf for a very long time and are still shooting in the mid 80s or 90s, you must realize that you are doing something in your golf swings wrong. If you can recognize an incorrect golf swing on your part, then that is the first step to playing the best golf in your life. If you decide to change your swing technique, it will feel as if you are learning to swing all over again. This is only temporary as you will initially hit some very poor shots but will get the hang of the new golf swing and be on your way to better, more accurate golf shots.

Always try to remain optimistic and keep in mind you are only getting rid of a bad golf swing habit…from here on in the future of your golfing will be very bright indeed. Also, never expect to learn your new technique by yourself, this is impossible. Try to get a professional to stand and watch you and tell you how to do it as you will learn faster this way and won’t get bored as quickly. Make sure you practice what the instructor teaches you, this is extremely important. Do this in your own time as well as with the instructor. And above all, be patient!

Tip 10: Give Your Elbow The Elbow

A lot of successful players on the professional tour are seen to swing with their elbows flying out, and some of them swing with their elbows tucked in, both of which are proven to be successful. But which is the best golf swing technique to use? Well, many people who have studied the biomechanics of the golf swing have seen that people who have a flying elbow in their golf swing tend to see a fade of their balls flight. However, people who tend to keep their elbows in on a golf swing tend to see a draw.

Now....those of you who struggle with their slice or want to see a power hungry draw, the elbow position could be the solution, or the problem for that matter. When you let your trailing elbow fly out has the tendency to raise the trailing shoulder, which leads to all hell breaking loose on your shots.

The key for a good full golf swing is to erase the awkward shoulder tilt and the trailing elbow position at the top of the golf swing. The best position for the trailing elbow for getting rid of slices and promoting a draw is just on the inside of the seam running down the right side of your t-shirt. Because the elbow is placed in this position it allows the shoulders to turn on a level axis with the spine, which allows the club to come down on the inside of the downswing and will therefore improve both your power and your control.

Tip 11: Power From The Body

Every good golfer knows that power comes from the body, not the arms. To learn to power the club with your body instead of your arms and hands, put the club behind the ball at address, with your body in a dead-stop position. Without taking a backswing, try to drag the ball into the air. If you’re a player who uses his or her hands to control the club, you’ll probably struggle at first. However, you’ll quickly find that once you start moving the club with your body, you’ll begin to get the ball in the air more consistently. This helps you turn fully through the ball on the downswing.

To improve your swing and the consistency of your shots, make sure you check out Purepoint Golf's Full Swing DVD Series