Golf Swing Basics

Now lets address the putting.  The average pro golfer averages around 25-27 putts per round.  The average amateur is much higher.  I know my average is around 30-32.  Do you know yours?

If not, count your putts next time you play.  For some pointers that might help you putt better, the ball should be about in the middle of your stance, maybe a slight bit forward.  You should be able to bend over slightly and have your eyes directly over the ball.  This is important as it helps you see the line you wish to putt on much better.  As for the grip, again there are so many different kinds you just need to pick the one that is most comfortable to you.  So, you have your grip, you have the ball in the proper position and your eyes are directly over the ball.  Now what?  Well the tendency is to start moving your putter with your hands and this is where most of your putts get messed up.  The actual putter stroke should be more of a pendulum type swing using your shoulders.  Go to the practice green and practice this.  Pretend there is a triangle starting with the base (your shoulders and upper body) pointing down to the shaft of the putter.  Keep that triangle intact as you take your putting stroke.  It will take some getting used to but after some practice you should find that you are rolling the ball on the line you picked more often.  Once you start getting the ball on line then you just need to work on your distance control.  Keep practicing and soon you will start making more putts and lowering your score.

As for practice, start from three feet from the hole and keep putting until you make 10 putts in a row.  Once you have done that move back to 4-5 feet and try to make as many in a row as possible.  These putts are the most important as most people can get the first putt to 3-5 feet but cannot make the short ones and that leads to many three putts in a round.  Starting out your goal should be no more than two putts per hole for a total of 36 for the round.  Again as with all things practice makes perfect.  By practicing correctly you should soon see a big improvement in your putting.

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Learn the basic principles of a perfect golf swing. These golf swing basics will help you improve your game and lower your score. Our goal is to work with you and provide you with the tools and knowledge you need to become the best golfer you can be. Quit struggling and start improving by applying these basic principles.

The basic swing begins with the grip and stance, both of which we will address in this blog starting with the grip.  There are various ways to grip the club with the most common being the interlocked grip, the overlap grip and the baseball grip.  We are not going to spell these out as most golfers are already aware of these grips and you need to find the one the works best for you.  What is most important is the pressure you place when gripping the club.  A common mistake made by golfers is the tendency to squeeze the grip with all of your might.  This only causes tension and does not allow the club or swing to move freely.  When gripping the club, you should imagine holding a bird in your hand and while you do not want to squeeze or kill the bird, you also do not want it to fly away.  By relaxing your grip and decreasing the tension in your hands and arms, this allows you to swing the club freely.

The stance should be well balanced where if someone came up to you and lightly pushed you you would still maintain your balance.  You should stand more upright with the upper body and then take your lower body and simulate sitting on a bar stool.  This will give you much more balance in your swing and will allow you to rotate your shoulders during the swing and maintain the same spine angle throughout the swing resulting in more consistent contact with the ball.

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