Starting with the Swing
1. THE GRIP
The two most important techniques of golf are the grip and the swing. The quicker you get these two right, the faster you will move forward in your game.
Here are some very basic tips for getting your golf grip right:
• Stand very firm and let your arms just hang freely and naturally by your sides. Relax and let there be no tensions in any muscles. Let your hands and palms be turned slightly inwards, facing your thighs.
• Next you have to learn to form your golf grip. Open your left hand and place the grip of the golf club at the base of the fingers. Close your left hand round the golf club firmly, with the left thumb naturally pointing downwards to the ground.
• With the left hand firmly in position, bring the right hand over the golf club and similar to the left hand, place the golf club such that the grip is at the base of the right fingers. Again, close your right hand firmly around the golf club. If you can see just two knuckles on the right hand, then you can be certain that you have the right grip position.
• You have to keep checking your grip as well as your positions regularly.
• You should also be careful about the grip pressure. If there is too much pressure on the grip (that is you are squeezing the club too much) then chances are there will not be much freedom in your stroke and your wrist-play will restricted. On the other hand, if there is very little pressure, you may not be able to control your shots to your liking. The grip pressure should be equal from both hands and should be just enough to control the club while not putting any restrictions either on the natural movement of the club or its tempo.
2. THE POSTURE
Once you have your grip in place, the next thing you should work on is your posture as you prepare for the first stroke.
• Always aim the clubface toward the distant target as accurately as possible. Then align your body to square to the target so that you can consistently come up with straight shots.
• To achieve this, start by laying your club on the ground as parallel as possible to the intended target. Now, aim the clubface toward the target and stand with your shoulders in line with the target. This will help you direct your swing path better.
• Keep your feet spread comfortably and place them facing the target squarely.
• Now, in your mind, visualize where you intend your shot to go. Form a mental picture of the exact graph you would like your ball to follow. Keep working on your instincts and build up your confidence in them and their ability to understand exactly what angle, speed and power will take the ball how far.
• Keep working on your posture, first to get it right and then to keep improving on the accuracy of your shots. Having a good posture and right target alignment are very important to your success as a good golf player.
3. THE GOLF SWING
It is absolutely essential that you maintain a square clubface in order to get the most out of your swing. When you hit the ball with a square clubface, you ensure that the ball goes straight and for a fairly long distance. To maintain a square clubface, you need to have a steady swing plane. Keep practicing on what is the most effective swing plane for you so that you get the club-face square against the ball every time.
The other aspect to remember while you work on your swing is the timing. It is best to maintain a steady speed throughout your whole swing. Your ball may not move smoothly if you bring in the club in slowly first and then speed it up as it approaches the ball.
Keep practicing to get these three essentials right – correct grip, right posture and good golf swing.