Golf Advice and Tips

By Eduard Miguel

In the game of golf, even small, incremental changes can lead to dramatic improvements. So, if you want to shave a few more strokes off your 'handicap', the following tips and tricks should help quite a bit!

Tip #1: Put Your Whole Body Into the Swing

It's not enough to swing with just your arms and wrists. Solid force and follow-through depend on use of the larger muscles groups in your torso and legs. Power your swings with your whole body, and you'll get a lot more 'oomph' and distance out of each drive.

Tip #2: Check Your Grip

The best way to grip your club is with what's known as the 'cross hand' grip. Place your left hand on the grip first with your fingers wrapping underneath, and your thumb coming around to rest on top of the grip. Then, place your right hand on top of the grip, near the end, allowing your right hand to be slightly cupped by your left.

Tip #3: Keep Your Head Still

Once you've lined up your shot, try to keep your head still all the way through from swing to contact to follow-through. It may not seem like much, but even slight head movements can cause your shoulders to open and move the club out of alignment with the ball.

Tip #4: Keep both knees steady, but flexible

Your swing through requires a turn of the hips, achieved by transfer of weight between the right and left knees. If you are right-handed, your weight first rests on the right knee as you pull back, then transfers to your left knee on the down swing.

The key is to hold your stance steady without completely locking the knees. However, you don't want to bend too much either, as this will cause your shoulder to drop. Instead, try to focus on the feeling of tension in the muscles by flexing them right to left while standing in place. This will help you learn to shift your weight from one leg to another without bending.

Tip #5: Stay Fair and Square

Straight shots are the result of straight clubfaces connecting squarely with the ball. The face of the club should be aligned straight along the plane as it meets the ball.

There are a number points during your swing where you're likely to twist the club at angle, though, and this is what you need to watch out for.

One way to ensure straighter shots is to make sure the clubface is aligned at the top of your backswing. Practice holding your club out in front of you, with your hands aligned just near the base of your forehead, as this is where they should be at the top of the swing.