The Basics Of A Good Golf Swing
By Mario Xavier
Of all the aspects of golf, the one that causes the most frustration is the golf swing. Most will try to hit that little ball as hard as they can thinking that's what they should do. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Proper technique and a fluid motion in the direction you want to go is what you need to learn. By explaining the basic steps of a golf swing you should be able to visualize them and improve your performance.
There are three basic steps to a golf swing. They are the backswing, the downswing and the follow-through.
Backswing
The strength and execution of your backswing will determine the overall
quality of your swing. It is used to provide direction and control to your club.
A proper backswing will develop the swing strength and allow for the proper
fluid motion needed.
Downswing
The downswing consists of moving from the backswing, then rotating
your body and hitting the ball. Remember you do not have to hit the ball 'out
of the park'. Focus on proper form, then you can work on how hard you hit the
ball. If your ball hooks, shanks or slices, it means you need to adjust your
stance, grip and alignment. It can take time to learn this step so don't be
discouraged.
Follow Through
This is where the real power of your swing happens. It may seem counter
intuitive, but trust me, once you learn the proper follow through you will no
longer worry about how hard you have to hit the ball. If you have a proper follow
through your club will accelerate when it hits the ball and your chest will
face the direction you wanted the ball to go.
Don't be discouraged if it takes you awhile to become consistent with your golf swing. Every player started the same way and has had to learn the basics, just like you. The key is to focus on each swing and visualize your perfect swing. While visualization may be new to you, you should know that many of the best golf players have used visualization to improve their game.
Golf is not a game that can be mastered overnight. It is a learning process of poor hits followed by great hits. I am confident that if you practice these basics you will improve. See you on the golf course.
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