Use These Suggestions or Watch Your Scores Plummet
Ready to get on the green and swing at your first golf ball? Many people just don’t know what to do or where to start with this sport known as golf. Don’t worry though, because this article has your back. Below are some tips and tricks that can get you started with the basics of golf.
For beginner golfers, learning to grip the club properly is key. A lot of beginners grip their club harder when they wish to send the ball further. The optimal grip instead is to develop a hold on the club that is as soft as possible without losing good control of the club. Hold your club similar to how you would a bird.
A helpful tip when it comes to golf is to make sure that you properly protect your skin while on the course. This is important because often times you will be out there for multiple hours without any shade. Getting a sun burn can do anything from cause minor discomfort, to ruining a vacation, to even more serious issues such as skin cancer.
Make sure that you stay in designated areas if you are driving a golf cart. This is very important so that you do not harm the course, as well as, for the safety of you and the other golfers.
To hit a sand shot you should try to take a shallow cut of sand about ten inches long rather than creating an explosion of sand right at the ball. This method of sand shot will give you the best chance of getting your ball out of shallow to mid-range bunkers.
Make sure that you are connecting with the bottom part of the golf ball. If you swing too high, you will deny your shots any loft and end up “topping” the ball. To fix this, you can place some sort of coin beneath the golf ball and practice connecting with it. Overall, be sure to swing for the bottom of the ball.
For this reason, stretch before you play and drink plenty of water. The better shape your body is in, the better your game will be.
Remember that a good golf swing needs to have both a consistent tempo and good balance. A good practice method for perfecting your gold swing is to stand with your feet closer together and try to hit the ball accurately. This forces you to work on your balance and tempo, which is useful when you go back to your normal stance.
When performing a golf swing, the right leg is the root of everything. It’s essential to keep weight on your right leg, with the knee slightly bent, during the back swing. If your right leg is weak, it means a major lack of power. Imagine your knee braced against a solid wall while swinging.
Watch your stance. To ascertain that you are using the correct stance, stand with the golf club, and try moving your toes around. Try to move them up and down too. If you lean forward too much, you won’t be able to move your toes. If you are leaning backwards too much, the motion will be too easy. Find that happy medium.
Don’t stand or hold your club in an unnatural position. If it feels uncomfortable, you probably won’t be able to play well. Practice addressing the ball without a club. Flex your knees, keep the waist slightly bent, and naturally keep your arms dropped. Then, put your hands together, palms facing inward, and hold that pose. This is all there is to a natural position, and if you do not feel comfortable, you are overcompensating on the position.
Avoid collapsing your knee on your backswing as this will lead to a drop in your shoulder, followed by a swaying and overturning of your hips. Instead, picture your left knee being forced outward toward the target during the backswing. For perspective, think about how it would feel to place a basketball between your knees as you swing.
Instead of getting stuck on this one problem, it is better to focus on a finding a way around it. You may be able to leverage it to your advantage and use it as a part of your unique playing style!
When you are aiming to drive your golf ball onto the green, aim for the hole, not the green. If you aim for the green, you are giving yourself too large a target, and you are likely to miss! If you aim for the hole, who knows, you might just make it, but even if you don’t you will probably get pretty close!
Keeping your eye on the ball may be an old adage, but it will always remain the most basic of concepts. This saying is applicable to a wide range of sports, but none more so than golf. Focusing exclusively on the ball is especially important when swinging; keep your head down to limit peripheral distractions.
As you can see, there are many small things you can do to improve your golfing skill. Now that you know them, you can apply them in your practice and in competitive play to give yourself an edge in the golf world. Utilize these tips and watch your scores go down!
