Now that you’ve mastered The Grip, Set Up, Waggle, Backswing and Tempo the next move should be a piece of cake. In fact, you can let gravity and tempo do most of the work for this part of the swing. Your club is back, left shoulder under your chin, head upright, weight shift to right side, wrists are hinged back with club pointing down the target line and your back is facing the target – you’re ready to pull the trigger. Before you start the Downswing, let’s touch on one last item, “Relax”.

My trigger method for starting the downswing is twofold. I start to throw my left hip toward the target while pulling down on the club in a very relaxed manner allowing gravity and the acceleration of your tempo to do the work. The club and back end of the grip will be pointing at the golf ball. As you swing down the hips will shift laterally left and open to 45 o or more through impact.

The key is to keep your head behind the ball so the coil of your shoulder and upper body combined with the hinging of your wrists can be timed for releasing the club at the proper time thru the impact area. This will allow maximum power and accuracy. This is the part of the Downswing that overlaps the last step of the golf swing, “The Follow Thru”.

As your club is released and approaches the impact area, the wrists should be unhinging and the weight should continue to shift from the right to the left side to prepare for the Swing Finish or “Follow Thru” as I like to call it. The left side should remain firm just before and through the impact of the club head with the golf ball while the head remains behind the ball.

As I am looking down at the ball when the club head is approaching impact I look at the inside corner of the ball and try to keep a slight inside to out swing path by concentrating on hitting that inside part of the ball and aiming at one o’clock. I find that this will allow the club to drop into the power slot more readily and ultimately result in more distance and accuracy. Note: The information noted above is based on the assumption that the golfer is right handed. Please reverse for left handed golfers ( Right hip will be moving toward target ).

Tip: Keeping your left arm straight and a relaxed swing are key ingredients to more consistency in the golf swing.

By: Mike D'auria

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PlayBetterGolfBlog asked:

In lesson two of the golf fundamentals video series, Parker explains the basic yet important ideas behind alignment. … “free golf lessons” “free golf instruction” “free golf tips” “golf fundamentals” alignment “target line” “foot line” “body line” “Parker Stevenson” “play better golf”

Want to hit farther and straighter?

To achieve that, a correct golf swing sequence will give you the power and control to a golf game.

When you improve the basic fundamentals of a correct golf swing sequence, you will hit the ball
farther and straighter with very little effort.

Although there are no quick fixes to having a correct golf swing, here are some basic tips to a correct golf swing sequence-

1) Grip – A grip that is too strong or too weak will not give you a correct golf swing first up. A balance of the grip is needed every time you address the ball. As well ,the angle the club lies in your hand is critical.

2) Balanced Posture – A Key requirement of a correct golf swing, but importantly protects your back and aligns your body into a good position.

- Bend from the hips whilst keeping your back straight;

- Your feet shoulder width apart;

- Legs are flexed at a minimum;

- Hands and arm should hang directly below the shoulder.

3) Ball position

4) Aim and Alignment – Club face must be set perpendicular to the target line

3) Pivot – How you move your body will determine the golf swing sequence; the back swing, the down swing, impact and post impact.

- At address, left arm is straight, right arm is slightly bent and elbows close together. With a proper grip, posture and pivot, your Hands and arms will start the back swing, and swing the club.

Your body turns in a controlled manner to assist this golf swing, promoting arm leverage which will allow a full swing of the left hand and arm.

At the top of the back swing, left arm should be extended as far as possible whilst the right elbow is bent in, pointing towards the ground. During this back swing, the right leg must remained flexed, which allows a full body turn for a correct golf swing.

As you can see, the back swing is crucial to an entire golf swing sequence!

- A correct golf down swing will start from the legs and hips, not your hands and arms. Hold your shoulders in the fully turned position as the left hand and arm begins to swing down.

- Shoulders must be squared at impact for a powerful swing into and along the intended line of flight. Your left arm should be straight, and right arm almost straight.

4) Post impact, follow through with your stroke to complete a golf swing.

5) Like any other sport, you should warm up before a game of golf by stretching the muscles for optimal performance, and hence allow a full correct golf swing for power.

6) Use golf specific exercises for added strength and flexibility to your body muscles. At times, a poor golf swing can be attributed to muscle fatigue. A Correct golf swing requires endurance and adaptability of the body muscle over a long session of golf. With added strength and endurance, you will be ensuring correct golf swing techniques.

Without question, the more focus on the smaller fundamentals of a correct golf swing sequence will result in effortless power, and the more strokes shaved off a golf game.

By: Jason Oh


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Fundamentals

Stance

A consistent position helps develop a consistent swing. A square stance will encourage a square impact. Keep feet perfectly parallel to the target line. If you imagine standing on a train track your feet are against one rail the ball is next to the other. Develop a comfortable standing position with your feet directly below your shoulders with your toes slightly outward facing.

Position the ball 2-3 inches inside the left heel for most shots. If it is too far forward you will be more likely to slice.

Moving one foot slightly forward will enable either fade (outside to inside) or draw (inside to outside). Experiment with the shot direction on how much you move your foot.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do always check the position of the ball using your clubs aligned on the ground.

Do take your time to settle into your stance and get relaxed.

Do be consistent with your stance.

Grip

A good grip is the foundation of your golf swing, enabling greater control and reducing your tendency to slice. A good grip helps keep the club-head square at impact and stops the shaft from rotating in your hands.

The most popular grip used by professional golfers is the Vardon grip.

Place your little finger on the lower hand on the club (right hand for a right-handed player – known as the trailing hand) and place it between the index and middle finger on the top hand (known as the lead hand). The thumb of the lead-hand should fit in the lifeline of the trailing hand (the V). Look to get a relaxed and comfortable feel, a tight grip will hinder your swing. The V’s formed by the index finger and thumbs on both hands point between the chin and right shoulder. Turning hands anti-clockwise on the club shaft produces a weak grip, promoting a left-to-right flight of the ball (slice). Turning hands clockwise produces a strong grip, promoting a right-to-left flight of the ball (hook).

Do’s and Don’ts

Don’t grip the club too tightly

Do keep the rubber grips on your club handles in good condition. Worn grips cause problems by forcing you to hold the club too tightly.

Do get a feel for the grip by practising frequently gripping and re-gripping the club regularly.

Alignment

When you are practicing, make sure your use you clubs as alignment. Lay one club on the ground parallel to the target line and another from toe to toe indicating the direction of your stance. To indicate the ball position, lay another club at 90deg’s to the target line extending backward from the ball toward your feet. Now check it all. When you are happy with the alignment you can a club across your shoulders, hips and thighs to check everything is aligned parallel to the target!

Do’s and Don’ts

Do check, check and check again, it will be invaluable to troubleshoot any problems.

Don’t leave the club between your feet longer than necessary but feel free to leave one club on the ground parallel to the target line during practice sessions.



Swing Path

To get a straight shot you require an inside to square i.e. hitting the ball squarely swing-path. An inside to outside swing-path encourages a hook, outside to inside swing-path a slice. Imagine a line extending through the ball to the target, your goal is a swing-path that starts on the inside striking the ball while moving slightly to the outside.

Also you can direct the ball with the club face – straight 90deg to the ball

Clubface open (>90deg) to ball encourages a slice or fade

Clubface closed (

By: Dave Furnevall

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It is often said that a good golfer lets the club do the hard work and when it comes to the pitch shot half of the secret lies in choosing the right club and hitting the ball at the right speed so that the club head sends the ball flying with the right loft straight towards the hole.

So, how do you hit the perfect pitch shot?

The first thing you must do is to draw a picture of your intended shot in your mind’s eye and have a very clear target to aim at. You must also work out the distance to your target as accurately as you can and select the right club to carry your ball to its target. (On this point beginners often spend too little time on the practice ground getting to know their clubs and very early on in your golfing career you must spend time to learn just what you can do with each and every one of the clubs in your bag.)

Next, you will need to make sure that your stance is correct and this means ensuring that your weight is to the front of your body and that your front foot is ‘open’ which means moving it back so that it is about six inches behind the line to your target.

Now take a light but firm grip on the club as you address the ball and keep your head and body as still as you can without tensing up. Then take your swing taking the club straight back along your target line and swinging smoothly through the ball keeping your follow through in a straight line towards your target.

Having taken your shot you then need to carefully analyze the results in an effort to constantly improve your game. For example, did your shot overshoot or fall short of your target and, in either case, was this because you chose a club with too little or too much loft or did you strike the ball too hard or too softly? Similarly, did your ball land on the line to its target or to the left or right and was this because your swing did not follow the line to the target or because the wind took your ball off course?

One of the problems with the pitch shot is that it is designed to carry your ball a relatively short distance to its target and so your shot is very different from that taken when using a driver or a long iron. Indeed, you will normally be using the pitch shot for distances of less than 75 yards and so the trick is to get just the right loft on your ball and hit it with just enough force to reach the target.

To do this you will need to take your club back far enough on your back swing, without taking it back too far. If you do take it too far back then there will be a natural tendency to slow the club on the down swing, while you will also have a tendency to force the club if you do not take it far enough back, losing the rhyme and flow of your shot.

At the end of the day the pitch shot is not too difficult but it does require a knowledge of your clubs and plenty of practice before you get it right.

By: Donald Saunders

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There are several ways that a player can link their hands together on the club. Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus favor the interlocking grip, but most other top players use the Vardon or overlapping grip, and many coaches recommend that juniors start off using the baseball grip.

The decision is really one of the personal choice, so try out all the main types of grip before settling on the method that you find most comfortable.

Three steps to a correct grip

1. Allow the grip of the club to run along the base of the fingers on your left hand. The index finger is used to form a slight trigger.

2. When you have closed your left hand round the club your left thumb should be pointing straight down at the ground, slightly to the right of center on the grip. You should be able to see two or three knuckles of the left hand. As you position your right hand on the club, the grip of the club is again at the base of the fingers.

3. The grip is completed when you close your right hand on the club, so that the lifeline of the right palm rests on top of the left thumb, covering it completely. If the grip is made correctly, you should be able to see two knuckles on the right hand.

Grip Options

Neutral Grip – A neutral grip, where neither left nor right hand dominated, gives the player the best possible chance of returning the clubface squarely to the target line at the point of impact.

Strong grip – If you can see more than three knuckles on the left hand and fewer than two on your right, the grip is too strong. You will be likely to hook or top many shots.

Weak grip – If you can see fewer than two knuckles on the left hand and more than two on your right, the grip is too weak. You will be likely to slice or block shots out to the right.

By: Paul Kramer

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It is true that most PGA Tour players will tell you that the most important golf fundamental is the golf swing alignment. But I don’t know why, when it comes to most amateurs, they just look over the golf swing alignment. Maybe no one told them, but here it is. Now you no longer have that excuse because I am going to tell you about it.

Golf swing alignment is considered the main fundamental for each and every golf shot. Sure you can hit the golf ball far but what good is it if its 30 yards away from where it’s suppose to be? This is where your swing alignment comes into play. Even if you think that you have mastered every aspect of golf like grip, stance, and swing and you don’t see your score going down anymore. Ah ha! You have found your problem. Here are some simple things you can follow to overcome this hurdle and to see if your golf swing alignment is correct.

The first thing you want to do is setup your golf shot like you always do. Then place a tee right behind each of your heels then push both of the tees all the way in. Now that you have that setup, move away from your setup and place a club shaft over both of the tees so that you make a straight line. Once you have that, go behind your golf ball and look down your target line to see if it matches what you thought.

By doing this exercise you will know exactly where you are aligning your feet. If they align, then good job you were doing it the right way. If it doesn’t, then here is a way to fix this. You can move the tees so that the alignment is straight and then the next time you setup you will have to make sure that your tees are touching the back of your heels. Another way you can check to see if your golf swing alignment is correct is by assuming your address position. Then remove your left hand, if you’re a right-handed golfer, from your golf club and point to a spot that’s 10 yards to the left of your target. Keep track of where your fingers and arm is pointing and compare it with your hips and shoulders. If you’re aligned, then it should feel like they are creating a straight line. However, if you think that they are pointing to the left, then you will end up hitting a hook or a push and if you’re pointing to the right then you are going to hit a slice or a pull.

If you noticed that your golf swing alignment was off, then your new position will feel odd to you. You may feel like your pointing in the wrong direction, but trust me, your not. It will only take a mater of time for you to get used to your new position and you will see the difference in your score. In order to continue to improve your game you have to regularly check your alignment since it’s very easy to misalign yourself without knowing it. And now since you know how to check it, you have no excuse for not checking it. Your golf swing will improve dramatically and you will hit near your target, which will help you lower, your score. For more tips and steps to improve your golf swing and for free stuff please visit Sean Matthews’s blog.

By: Sean Matthews

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Alignment is one of 4 basics of golf that you have to get master along with the grip, stance and posture. Once you have the basics right you will improve rapidly. If the basics are wrong you will find it difficult to improve. If you are not aligned properly, obviously the ball will not go where you want it to. As you can imagine if you are just slightly out in your alignment at the ball, how far will you be out when it has traveled over 200 yards. Good alignment is not difficult and here are some tips to help.

1. Take up a position behind the ball. This is your first step to achieve the right alignment. Stand directly behind the ball and make sure that you keep it between you and your target. Holding the club with the grip, pick a point on the ground that is about three feet from the ball in line with the target you are aiming for. Memorize that spot, whether it is a divot mark, small weed, broken tee peg, because you are going to use it as a reference to address the ball and to aim your club face later on.

2. Walk up to the ball and place the club head square to spot 3 feet in front of you that you had chosen earlier. Take your stance with your body square to your designated target line. Position your feet in accordance to the club, which you intend to use for the shot. The main idea here is to make sure that the lines corresponding to the tips of your toes, your knees, your hips, and your shoulders should all be in parallel to the target line. Your proper alignment, coupled with good swing fundamentals, should be enough to make the ball go straight into the hole with every shot.

3. You can make a quick check by placing your club across your shoulders and checking that they are on the target line. You can do the same with the toes of your shoes to make sure everything is square.

4. Always keep a check on your alignment, even the pros can fall into the trap of thinking they are lined up correctly when in reality they are way out.

Good basics lead to a good golf game. Don’t practice bad habits.

By: Ian Donaldson

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Having precision in the short game is the key to low scoring in golf. If you can land the ball within a close distance of the hole from inside 120 yards, than consistent pars and birdies are easily attainable. This is where accurate pitching and chipping comes in.

Pitching

Anytime a shot is about 40 to 120 yards from the green, you will most likely be pitching. As is apparent, the best club to use from this range is the pitching wedge. When pitching, set up the same as if you are hitting an iron shot, except when pitching you will have an open stance. This means positioning your feet as if you were aiming slightly to the left of the target (if you are right handed), but keep the clubface facing the target. Line up so that the ball is slightly back in your stance compared to a normal iron shot. In order to vary your distance with pitching, vary the length of your backswing. Bring the club farther back for longer shots, and vice versa for shorter shots. Just like with any normal iron shot, be sure to hit down on the ball; do not attempt to scoop it up into the air.

Chipping

Anytime you chip the ball, it should land within an easily attainable putting distance from the hole. The more accurate your chip shots are, the less accurate your putting needs to be.

With the chip, you will set up almost as if you are pitching, except your feet will be closer together. They should be less than shoulder width apart, but far enough apart that you have proper balance. Again, open your stance so your feet are positioned as if you are aiming to the left of the target. Make sure that the clubface is facing the target. The ball will again be relatively back in your stance. The key to chipping is hitting down on the ball with a solid stroke. Don’t decelerate on the downswing. When chipping, the backswing will be much shorter than the pitch shot, but again, in order to vary the distance the ball is hit, vary the length of your backswing.

Practice pitching, and chipping at a driving range and on a practice green. Obviously, you will be aiming to get the ball within a very close distance to the hole. In order to become more accurate with pitching and chipping, you must get a feel for the distance you are hitting. This can only be accomplished with a lot of practice.

By: Savannah Durbin

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A golf slice can often be cured by some simple, basic corrections in
set-up.

For instance, while a golfer can occasionally compensate for a poor
swing, you cant play well with a poor grip. It is important, if you
want to fix your slice permanently, that you take the time to check
your grip using this simple drill:

Take a blade of grass and trap it between the fleshy pad on the
underside of your right thumb and the top of your left thumb. Now,
complete your grip and swing the club to the top of the backswing. If
the blade of grass has remained in position then your grip is secure and
firm, but if the grass has fallen out, this is a sign that your hands are
separating, which causes the club to move about at the top of the
backswing.

Having the clubface in the correct position at the top of your
backswing is fundamental to correcting a golf slice. Unfortunately,
thats not an easy position to check when the club is out of sight and
behind you. The way to check the clubface position is to look up and
check the direction in which the knuckles on your left hand are
pointing.

If they are well to the right, the clubface will be closed to the target
line, which in the downswing normally produces a right-to-left hook
flight. If your knuckles point to the right, the clubface will be open and
the result will be a sliced golf shot. If the knuckles point straight up to
the sky the clubface is square to the target line.

In fact, grip faults can often be the main reason for slicing in golf, and
the problem with grip faults is that they can get into your game
without you really being aware of them. To prevent this slow decline
in technique perform the following check:

Grip the club and make sure that you can see around two and a half
knuckles on your left hand. Then take a pen and draw a small dot on
your golf glove on the last knuckle showing. To ensure your grip is
correct on every shot, all you have to do is to look down at your glove
after taking up your grip. If you cant see the dot then your grip has
probably become too weak. Likewise if you can see a knuckle beyond
the mark, then your grip is probably becoming too strong.

Many players have a golf slice by allowing their left side to slide too far to the left in the
downswing, making it difficult to square up the clubface correctly at
impact. This can be a difficult habit to correct but there is a mental
drill that could help you keep those hips from sliding.

When you address the golf ball, imagine you are next to an open door
with your left side positioned against the wall. When you swing the
club back down to the ball, imagine the wall stopping your legs from
sliding to the left, while your arms and hands remain free to swing the
clubhead on through the open door. This will prevent your legs from
sliding to the left. It will also encourage you to adopt the correct
active hand action in your downswing.

By: Dave Powell


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