How your round goes can determine how you feel the rest of your day or possibly week, depending on how things shake out. To avoid the overwhelming sadness from a shaky round, recognize the most common problems in your golf swing, so you can fix them the next time you hit the links.
Bad Posture
Proper posture is critical when you hit the ball because a good golf swing requires balance. Proper posture provides that balance to give you more speed and power in your swing. The best players in the world don’t grab a club and take a whack at it. They envision the shot they want to make, address it, get in the appropriate posture, and send it flying toward the pin. Developing a consistent posture sharpens your swing, lowering your score while upping your confidence.
Wrong Positioning
A part of having bad posture and not addressing the ball is being in a bad position from the start. Each club requires you to stand in a different position, or else you will hit a fat shot. Watching yourself at a golf simulator helps you lock in the correct position for each type of shot.
Poor Grip
The most prevalent problem many golfers have is an open clubface when you contact the ball, causing it to slice. The good news is that it’s such a common mistake that it’s easily fixable. Most problems begin with how you grip a club and if you’re doing it wrong.
It may take some time for players to alter their grip to yield the best results, but it will be worth it down the road. Most players put their lead thumb straight down the center of their grip while their other hand rests comfortably on top. This causes the club head to open up, resulting in an errant slice. To correct this error, take both hands and move them away from your intended target. Ideally, you’ll hit it square for a far and straight shot.
Too Much Tension
Another bad habit many fall into is having too much tension in their grip. If you have a background playing another sport, like baseball, learning to loosen your grip takes time for adjustment. You’re used to putting a vice grip on the bat to ensure you get everything behind each swing.
In golf, a death grip only leads to more problems. You can get a good feel for it by slightly swaying the club back and forth with your typical grip. If there is an audible swooshing sound, then everything is right, whereas silence indicates it’s too strong.
Tweaking the most common problems in your golf swing can steer your game in the right direction. Nothing feels better than squaring up a shot, so keep these ideas in mind next time you approach your ball.